I'm starting to wind down in this book, and I do feel a little discourage at times. I feel as if I don't know how to get people aware of me, but I am very passionate about this, all my work that has taken me years to get to this point. I truly hope if you're reading this, you like it, because that's all that matters to me, is you.

Because I love you.

I always will.

Playlist:

Nothing Left to Lose by Mat Kearney

The Middle by Jimmy Eats World

I Don't Care by Fallout Boy

"No." They all reply to me in varying degrees of disapproval.

"Thea," Levi shook his head. "We are not putting you in the middle of this danger, you have no way to defend yourself."

"You're too weak." Right after, Milo says. Levi gave him a piercing glare. "What? In essence, I restated your words to ensure her comprehension."

"Be kind."

"Hear me out." I hold up my index finger at Milo as he tries to cut in. "They might be considering it's worth a try, as they won't attack me because they'll be expecting an ambush."

"That is a ridiculous idea." Milo derides, and I twist towards him.

"Where's your idea then? I believed you were a formidable warrior. I don't hear you coming up with anything."

He opens his mouth, anger burning in his face, but Levi cuts in. "We compel everyone not to partake in Halloween, we can postpone this thing for a little longer, until we figure out a plan."

"And let their numbers grow? What occurs when the entire town finds it odd that Halloween wasn't celebrated by anyone? I think it would work for only the night, there might be a lot of unanswered questions, and what about people from out of town? There are too many possibilities that can go wrong."

May I ask for your suggestion? Oh wait, that's right." Milo snaps. "Live bait."

"I still don't hear anything from you."

"Okay, you two, before I have to separate you, cut it out." Levi sounds frustrated, he turns to Nya. "Do you believe you could execute a massive compel like that?"

"Uh," she looks at all of us. "I can attempt, but I don't believe I possess that kind of strength."

"Don't worry dear, we can do the house-to-house approach."

"But I want to help." Nya takes a few steps forward. "I'm not a strong fighter, but I have this, let me help."

"Aren't there other mind workers? Ones that can help?" I shift my attention from Nya to Levi.

"Yes." He sighs. "But nothing compared to her potential. I've only ever seen strength like hers a few times. It's going to take a while; we'll need to get started tonight."

Milo turns away and begins to clean up his training equipment he and Nya had been using, Nya goes over to him to help, leaving me with Levi.

"Do you think it'll work?" I look at him, but he watches the two clean.

"No, not in the state we have found ourselves in. I believe the most favorable opportunity I possess is to persuade Jude against engaging in a battle, but that may necessitate bringing you to him. I'm unwilling to take that step because I don't want to jeopardize your safety. Do you understand?"

I nod, but as I watch the two talk as they clean, I feel like there's something more that we can be doing. I go over to them and tentatively pick up what I can. We don't speak until Levi turns and undoubtedly has made his way up to the main house.

"We need a plan." I look at the dummy in front of me. "We need to figure it out before Saturday."

"Levi with figure something out." Milo mumbles, but I can see how he avoids eyes with us. I look at Nya, whose eyes are worried too. Despite my desperate desire for the art class to still be open so I could have a private moment with Nya and strategize, I turned to confront them head-on.

"We can figure this out, we can come up with a plan to save everyone, we're not dumb. Do not test my patients, Milo." I say when his mouth opens. "Throw ideas out there."

"We cancel Halloween. Go house to house and compel." Milo shakes his head.

"We keep Jason's group away from the town?" Nya says with a measured tone.

"How?" Milo looks between the two of us.

"You said it." Nya shakes her finger at him. "Guerrilla warfare."

"When did I say that?"

"What if Thea has a point, what if we send her out?"

"They will know it's a trap. She will die, and we will be overwhelmed."

"How did you stop the altercation before?" I fold my arms across my chest. "Give us an idea."

"I received assistance, I am not as remarkable as you portray me." Stepping back, he turns, and we exchange a significant glance. "What?"

"You pace." I shake my head.

"A lot." Nya sighs.

"No, I don't." He says, continuing his pacing.

"Who helped you? You entered on your own." Nya watches him.

"Nya." He hisses, his eyes boring into as he keeps his pace. "I do need to explicate any information, just that it was stopped, and we were safe until now. Just be happy that we made it this far."

"Oh." Her eyes seem to grow brighter in realization. "You had a mind worker help."

"Who?" I direct my gaze between the two of them. "I have the impression that there wasn't one out there that could help Nya to mass compel. Plus, didn't you tell me you hate mind workers?"

"It's no one." He turns his back to us. "No one that can help with this."

"This is the mind worker that made him not talk to me for three years." Nya chortles faintly.

"A she?" I peer back to Milo, then Nya.

"Yes." She nods.

"I don't see how any of this has to do with anything." He grumbles.

"The third person to have your number? An old girlfriend?" I laugh. "Who is she?"

Nya opens her mouth, but it's Milo's voice that booms over us. "My personal business is nothing to the two of you. Who I did or did not have relationships with has nothing to do with the pending danger. Please refrain from speaking about me or the people you think you are referring to."

We both stare at him, he's been angry before, but nothing like this. I believe it's a first for Nya as well, as she gradually closes her mouth. I guess it was the one he told me he considered taking the honorable death with. "We're sorry."

"I don't need your apology. I need you two to mind your own damn business."

"You didn't mind your own business that night on the phone." I can't hold back the frustration he was making me feel. "All you had to do was hang up the damn phone, and not listen to me and the guy I liked. Oh, and you ruined that for me."

He steps up to me. "I did you a favor, that family is no good."

I jab my finger into his chest. "You don't know anything except Cyrus, who, yes, is crazy. You know nothing of Abe."

He pushes my hand away from him. "In the future, he'll follow in Cyrus Woodman's footsteps and become a hunter. I. Did. You. A. Favor."

Here they are, the tears I swore never to shed in front of him. "I never wanted you to do this for me. He made me happy."

"I don't care anymore, I'm leaving." He turns to the hall.

"No!" I grab his arm, and he scowls back at me. "No, you don't get to storm off. You always do that, and it drives me crazy. I'm leaving, I'm storming away, I get to be angry this time. Do whatever you can to keep the humans in this town safe. Ignore me, make me feel insignificant, I don't care, don't let anyone die." Without letting him even breathe, I turn and storm up the tunnel, slamming the closet door behind me. Levi peeks out from the hall to investigate the commotion.

"My dear, are you okay?"

"Is it possible for you not to do anything until tomorrow? The mass compulsion? I believe I can solve it, but I require some time."

"Thea, I feel we should genuinely commence on this."

"I don't think it'll work; you have to know that. There will be too many questions over why a town that loves Halloween doesn't participate."

He sighs and nods. "Alright. One day."

"Thank you." I turn my head to glimpse Levi as I walk down the hallway. "I'm going to make sure we survive this."

"This isn't for you to shoulder."

"Then why am I the only one coming up with a valid plan?" I turn and leave through the door.