Chapter XVII

"Power without abuse loses its charm,"

—Paul Valery

Andrea stood on the porch. Her arms were wrapped tightly around her, trying to secure every bit of warmth. Her brother had left early that morning to go speak with Zoe's family, and she knew that Timothy would be back soon.

Megan stood next to her, supporting herself against one of the pillars. "I'm so worried. What if he's hurt?"

"He'll be fine, Megan! There's nothing to worry about." Andrea said, smiling at the woman. She was putting on an act. She had no idea how this would affect Timothy. Hopefully it wouldn't be too bad.

Draco and Fai had disappeared into the fairy realm, which Andrea felt completely jealous of. She wanted to go to the fairy realm. It seemed like an amazing place. Salvin has been locked up in his room. She hadn't had the chance to see what was wrong with him. Rayna was currently in the library looking up the Daevas along with Faith and Coeus. Crius was no where to be found, though his brother assured them that he was not going to do anything horrible. Estal was hiked up in the office, probably still fuming over his and Fai's argument the other day. Darrin was in the backyard, practicing his fighting techniques. Mitchel had gone into town to buy some more food, but Andrea had wanted to stay home to see Timothy.

She also knew that Leyna, Michal, and Troy would be coming back as well, and she wanted to see them. Andrea pulled out her phone and glanced at it. She saw a text message from Gisele, but she ignored it.

Andrea didn't have the heart to talk to her old friends right now. Everything was going crazy, and even though they were her last link to normality, Andrea knew she couldn't get them involved in this mess.

The sound of tires on snow was heard. Andrea looked up as she saw Darrin's van pull up the driveway. Megan immediately tended up, prepared to bolt once it parked.

As soon as it stopped, Megan was by the door, opening it. Andrea walked over as Michal pulled himself out of the passengers seat. "Andrea!" The wolf exclaimed. He ran towards her and wrapped his arms around her. "It feels like forever since I last saw you!"

Andrea laughed as she hugged him back. "It's good to see you, Michal."

"Well look who it is."

Andrea looked up to see Troy smirking at her. His arm was around Leyna, who was smiling at Andrea. "Hey guys!" Andrea said, hugging both of them at the same time.

Leyna laughed. "It's good to see you, Andrea."

"Yep." Troy said, patting her back. "I'd say the same thing too but I'm freezing, and I'd love to get inside."

Andrea laughed as Leyna slapped her boyfriend's arm. "Be nice!"

"I am!" Troy whined.

Andrea let out another laugh, but it faded as she watched Megan help Timothy out of the car. Her breath caught in her throat as she looked at him. His skin was a ghostly pale, and his hair fell limply around his face. His eyes were hollow and lacked their usual shine. "Timothy?" She whispered.

Timothy didn't even look up at the sound of his name. Megan looked to be on the verge of tears as she tried to help her boyfriend. Garroth immediately rounded the car and supported Timothy. "I'm taking him to his room. He needs to rest for a while."

"How long?" Megan asked, looking at Timothy.

Garroth hesitated. "I have no idea. It could be one hour, could be a whole day. He'll come downstairs when he's good."

"I'll help—"

"It'll be better if I just do it, Megan." Garroth said, already leading Timothy towards the door. "You should train some more. This fight with Lucifer could come up any day now."

It was December seventh. A whole week had passed since Timothy awoke from his coma, and two days had passed since Andrea learned she was a Horseman. So much has happened, and it's only been a freaking week. She shook her head, and then looked towards her friends. "What do you say we go and have some hot chocolate?"

****

Troy didn't like hot chocolate.

As soon as he took a sip of the liquid, he immediately began to scream, claiming it was burning him alive. Andrea watched as his girlfriend immediately told him it was actually made from the fires of hell and only meant to be consumed by demons.

Troy then proceeded to scream hysterically, which was incredibly entertaining.

Michal enjoyed it as well, sipping away at his hot chocolate.

Once Troy calmed down, Andrea grabbed one of the InstaBlood packs that Leyna carried around with her.

Even if she'd never admit it, Andrea knew she was such a doting girlfriend. She really loved her boyfriend.

Andrea took a sip of her hot chocolate. Everything was going perfectly.

Or, at least, it was.

One moment Andrea was completely fine, and the next this intense pain filled her chest. The mug fell to the ground and shattered, but Andrea couldn't focus on that. She clutched her chest, trying to remedy the pain in anyway possible. Her legs gave out, and she fell towards the ground.

Michal immediately caught her, and carried her bridal-style to the couch. He laid her on it. Andrea was vaguely aware of him barking orders at Troy, who left and came back with an ice pack and wet towel.

Andrea felt the ice pack be put on her chest and the towel on her head. She blinked, and began to fade from consciousness.

She was halfway gone when things got strange.

"Oh god, what's happening to me?"

Andrea gasped. Who's voice was that? "Hello? Is someone there?"

"Andrea?"

"Rayna, is that you?" Andrea asked, still fading.

A new voice suddenly interjected. "Guys? What the hell is happening?"

"Salvin?" Rayna questioned.

"Yeah, it's me. Do you guys— are you guys hurting too?"

Andrea answered. "Yes. I feel like I'm dying."

"I'm all alone. I don't know what to do."

"It'll be alright, Salvin. Don't worry. We're here." Rayna cooed.

"What's happening to her?"

Andrea gasped. "I can slightly hear Troy, Leyna, and Michal. I can't make everything out, though..."

"I can understand some of what Faith is saying."

"She might know! What's she saying?" Salvin exclaimed.

It was silent for a few moments before Rayna answered. "She said something about one of our powers awakening."

"But who's? Mine didn't!" Salvin cried.

"Draco!" Andrea gasped. "It must've been him! He's been struggling so much! Oh no, what if he's in trouble?"

"He's in the fairy realm, we can't do anything to help him!" Rayna exclaimed.

"Wait...if we can talk to one another, why can't we talk to him? Maybe, calm him down a bit?" Salvin suggested. Andrea could imagine him pounding his fist against his palm as he said his idea.

"Good idea! Andrea, you and him are related— you probably have the best chance of reaching him!" Rayna said.

Andrea nodded, though she doubt she actually did. "Right! I'll try."

And with that, Andrea focused on finding her half-brother. She imagined him in her mind, and then walked towards him. Perhaps, if she could actually touch him and then speak to him, she'd be able to calm him down. Andrea imagined herself walking towards Draco and then reaching towards him, pressing her hand against his arm. Then, she looked at him. "Draco? Draco, can you hear me?"

At first, all she heard was growling. It terrified her. What was this? Was that...Draco? What was going on in the fairy realm? "It's me, Andrea. I— I know you are scared, and probably undeniably angry. But— but listen, your powers are causing me, Rayna, and Salvin pain. I know you don't want to cause us pain, so we were hoping you would pull back. Can you do that for us?"

She waited, and eventually, the growling slowed. It wasn't complete speech, but Andrea could make out something that sounded like her name. "Yes, it's me, Andrea. Draco, please, as your sister, can you pull back on your powers?"

"F-Fai—"

Andrea frowned. "What about her?"

"She— hurt."

"Did you get angry and use your powers?" Andrea whispered, doing her best to try and calm him.

"Yes..."

"But Draco, you're hurting me and the others too. Fai can take care of herself. You needn't get angry over her getting hurt."

"Dark Elf..."

"Is that who hurt her?"

"Y-yes..."

"Don't worry about him. Come back to us, Draco. Fai can defeat him. I believe in her, and I know you do too."

"King...he— he called me a..."

"What'd he call you?"

"Demon..."

Andrea sighed, and imagined herself gently rubbing his head. At this point in time she had her arms wrapped around him and was calming him. "You're not a demon, Draco. None of us are. We are better than demons."

Draco didn't respond, but Andrea could feel the pain beginning to subside. "You're— you're right." His speech began to sound almost completely human. "I'm sorry,"

"Don't worry, you were just defending yourself and Fai. Don't fret."

Draco began to calm exponentially, and the pain was almost completely gone. Andrea gave him a hug. "I'll see you when you return, Brother."

"Goodbye, Sister."

Andrea's eyes snapped open. She sat up, or at least tried to. She was wrapped up in someone's arms. Andrea looked towards the person, only to see Mitchel. He looked completely freaked out. "Are you okay?"

She nodded meekly. Mitchel relaxed as he pressed his forehead against her's. "I thought you were dying."

"I thought I was too, at first."

Mitchel chuckled as he pressed a soft butterfly kiss to her lips. "Don't ever scare me like that again. I couldn't bear to lose you."

"I won't, you have my word."

****

Andrea sat in the living room, now completely recovered. Rayna and Salvin were by her, along with everyone else, save for the hunters. Faith sighed, looking at them. "It would appear that Draco has awoken his powers, whether on purpose or on accident."

"It was an accident." Andrea said, ignoring their confused looks. "He said that Fai got hurt by a Dark Elf, and he lost control."

When she mentioned Dark Elf, Estal tensed up and tightened his grip on his cane. "Why would one of them hurt her?" He whispered, his blue eyes wide and filled with terror.

Andrea frowned. "What is a Dark Elf, Estal?"

"A Dark Elf is an assassin within the elven world. They specialize in killing magic, and always take out their target. I don't understand why one would be after Fai. She's done nothing to insult the elven community. There should be no reason for her to be fighting one." Estal said, putting his face in his hands.

Leyna looked towards him. "Is there anyway we can go there and try to save them?"

Estal shook his head. "Only a fairy can enter the realm of the Fae. Not even us of the Elven race, their closest allies, can enter. No fairy would take us either. They're too protective of their world. I assume that they smelt the demon in Draco and imprisoned him. That might be the reason why Fai is being targeted. Treason."

"What?" Mitchel hissed, tightening his grip on Andrea. She shivered against him, grabbing a fistful of his shirt in her hand. "Treason?"

"Yes. Bringing an outsider in, especially a demon, is highly forbidden. Most outsiders would be brushed off, but one who stinks of demon..."

Rayna frowned as she looked at him. "He smells like a demon?"

Estal nodded, his face contorted into a grimace. "Draco seems to rely heavily on the demon side of his abilities, not the angelic. Most of you smell of humans, strangely. But, once you begin to waiver on the line of angelic and demonic, you take on a specific scent. Ever since we got back from hell, Draco has smelt of demons."

Andrea whimpered as she buried her face into Mitchel's chest. Just thinking about hell made things worse. Now her half-brother was fighting for his and Fai's life in another realm. She had never expected her life to get so out of hand, but here it was.

Her life had changed in a matter of minutes. Everything happened so fast, she never had the chance to sit down and think about it. But now— she would never have time. Lucifer was planning to attack, that much was certain. Who knows when he'd attack, though? It would make sense to do it as soon as possible, but they've had no inclination of that happening.

Andrea closed her eyes. She wished she could just be a normal girl again.

Back in Texas with her friends. Going to school and laughing at Nash's antics. Blushing at Liam every time he looked at her. Listening to Giselle tell her all about the latest gossip. Helping Drake people watch.

She missed it. She wished she could go back.

Life was so much simpler than.

****

So this chapter was fun.

I've been writing this chapter for days. Ugh. I finally finished it.

Sometimes I have random bursts of energy for writing, but then it all crumpled away. Anyhow, onto my life because you all obviously want to hear about it:

I am going to a concert! I'm so excited! It's the first one I'm going to, and I'm going with my best friend, her older sister, and then my sister! It's going to be so great! It's Panic's Pray for the Wicked Concert. I'm so psyched!

On a side note, I just want to thank those who have read these newer chapters. Part of me feels like those reads are from me reading over the chapters, but who knows.

Thank you for everyone supporting the first book as well! I've been getting notifications of people adding it to reading lists, so thank you! You all are amazing! I hope you don't cringe too much.

When I wrote Myth High I was in eighth grade. It's not the best story I've ever written. If you read some chapters now compared to them, I'm sure they're better. At least, a bit.

I'll rewrite it one day.

What'd you think of the chapter?

Love you all!

—Paige