I blink slowly as the light falls on me. I open my eyes and look around. What happened?

I sit up and find myself in a white room with an IV attached to my arm. It takes me a few moments to realize I'm not alone.

"Nice to see you're finally awake." I snap my head towards the voice and find Amber sitting in a chair near my bed, arms and legs crossed.

I grit my teeth. Not now. I'm not in the mood now. "Amber."

"It's Ms. Johnson to you," she snaps.

"Right, Ms. Johnson." I shake my head and take a deep breath. "What do you want?"

She stares at me for a few seconds before talking. "The Commander asked me to get you in the Rostra. He said you proved your worth by beating Erik."

I look at her expression carefully. "But you don't think that."

Her smile is a creepy one. "No, as a matter of fact, I don't. I know you couldn't control your powers back there Evin. Hell you don't even have your powers yet. It was all because of the necklace Doc gave you. I could wear that necklace and have more power than you." She scowls at me. "You're not special Evin. Get that in your head. We're going to war not a tea party. The sooner you realize you can't be front line, or in this thing at all for that matter, the better."

I don't say anything. I just stare because she's right. I can't go to war relying on nothing but a necklace. It didn't even work when I tried to use it before. It only worked when I was fighting with Erik and I don't even know what triggered that.

Amber stands up, straightens her clothes and pushes her glasses up the bridge of her nose. "From now on you will not use the necklace. I gave it back to Doc." I touch my neck to find it, indeed, empty of the necklace. "You will train seriously. You are on the Rostra, yes, I have no say in that matter, but you will do it relying on nothing but yourself. Got it?" I nod and she leaves.

I sigh and let my head fall back against the wall.

As my eyes close I can't help but think of the few minutes I had the power surging through me, and now I can't help but want more of it. It's like I'm addicted to the rush it brought me, the feeling of superiority it gave me. I even got Erik to submit to me! I chuckle at that.

I wish I had the necklace. I miss the feelings I got when I was using its powers, my powers.

The feeling of being invincible, of being superior to everyone else, it's addicting. I touch the skin of my neck where the necklace had tried to burn itself into. It hurts a little bit, dry parts of my skin standing as if they were trying to swallow the necklace whole.

I hear the door open and snap my eyes open. I see Etan walking in with a cup in his hand. He smiles at me softly and I relax. He sits in the chair Amber was sitting in a few minutes ago and hands me the cup. I look at the bright orange color of it questioningly. "Doc mixed in a few herbs, said it would help you heal." His eyes fell to the burnt skin of my neck and he frowns.

I decide to not pay any attention to it. "Thanks," I say as I take a gulp from the liquid. It's cold, fresh and sour with a little hint of sweetness. I hadn't realized how thirsty I was as I down the whole thing.

I put the cup on the bedside table. "What happened?" I knew the answer already but I wanted to hear it again.

Etan looks away from me. "You lost control over your powers and I had to get you to snap out of it." He closes his eyes as if in pain. "I'm sorry I hurt you."

"Hey, it's fine. You did what you had to." I smile at him and he smiles back. "Speaking of, I didn't know Phoenixes' weakness was water." I frown. I really didn't.

"Oh, that wasn't water. Not just any water, at least." I give him a quizzical look. "It was holy water mixed with the blood of Sekuum himself." I frown. What? "I know what you're thinking. Sekuum doesn't exist and all. I don't know what to say either. Granny used it on me to train me and help me control my powers. I still have a lot more where that came from. I just don't think anyone can make it though. I don't know if it was really Sekuum's blood mixed in holy water or not but it does the job," he shrugs.

Right. Because Granny took him in and raised him when our parents were afraid of the intensity of his powers.

I nod but don't say anything else. I just want to get out of here.

"The Doctor told me that you can go home once you feel better. You need to stay here for a few more hours and then I'll get you out ok?" I nod.

Later that day I find myself lying on my bed staring at the ceiling again. I don't know why but I feel like I would die if I didn't get the necklace back which is impossible because Amber said I shouldn't get it back, I should train without it. Right this second I hate her so much.

I need to get the necklace back, I need my powers.

I can't even sleep right now; no matter what I do I can't get the feeling of all that power out of me.

I'm about to fall asleep but the bang of the door of the apartment next to mine startles me. I sit up, knowing I won't get any sleep tonight.

I rub my eyes and go to the kitchen to get a cup of water. Passing the front door, though, I hear someone talking in a hushed voice. The voice seems awfully familiar.

I walk to the door, water forgotten, and putting my ear on it to hear what's going on outside.

"No... I don't know... yes sir... yes I will find it out... yes sir...no problem... yes sir..." He doesn't talk for a few moments and I hold my breath, afraid that he knows I'm eavesdropping. The lights are all off so there won't exactly be a shadow under the door. Unless he's a Werewolf, Vampire, Angel – of any kind – or a Demon, he won't know I'm here.

I'm so lucky that he would be just one of those won't he?

"Understood sir, I will let you know what happens." I sigh in relief when I hear him talk. At least he didn't understand I'm here.

I hear the stranger hang up and then footsteps get closer to my door. I hold my breath.

Sekuum I'll start believing in you if nothing happens. I swear I will! I swear...

My doorbell rings. I wait a few seconds, step away from the door slowly to not make a noise. I turn on the light and unlock the door.

Here goes...

I open the door and on the other side Felix smiles at me.

I sigh in relief. "Hey Evie. I didn't know you were awake."

"Why would you ring my bell if you didn't know I was awake or not?"

He smirks. "You're forgetting that I'm a Werewolf."

Shit.

"Right. I didn't really know but fine." I clear my throat. "What did you need?"

"Nothing serious. Just heard you were in the hospital earlier and wanted to know how you were."

"Well I'm fine, thank you. I think I should go to sleep now though. I've got a long day tomorrow." I fake a yawn and start to close the door.

I don't get to close it completely though as Felix puts a foot in between the door and the threshold, stopping it from closing. I gulp.

What now?

"I actually wanted to give you something too." I frown and he smirks. "Here." He puts his hand in his pocket and hands me a necklace. Upon inspecting it further I can confirm that it's the necklace Doc gave me. My eyes widen as I stare at it in awe.

How? How did he get it?

I suddenly remember Felix but as I raise my head I don't see him anywhere. He must've gone away. How long was I staring at the necklace?

I look down the hallway to make sure he's really gone and then go back into my apartment shutting the door and locking it tightly.

I walk back to my bedroom and sit on the bed, still staring at the necklace. I'm really tempted to wear it but I shake my head and put the necklace in the drawer of my bedside table.

You promised you won't use it Evin. Keep the firkin promise.

With that thought I shut the lights and lie down on my side, looking out the window and slowly I fall asleep.