Two Months Later

On a cool autumn night, Isabella lay in bed fast asleep in her suite at the Foxworthy Hotel. On her dresser sat a certificate from Colin signaling the completion of her training. Her dream was pleasant enough. She'd been doing insane capoeira flips in class and impressing the students from school who always sneered at her. Seth was there cheering her on. But the sweet dream melted into cool darkness. She twisted in her sheets as words spilled into her ear. She tried to awaken, but the unintelligible whispers pulled her further into sleep. Then they rang clear. 

"The Dawn of the Empaths is near. And a new age of humanity is upon us. Only one diadem will survive," the voice hissed. It repeated several times over until Isabella ripped herself from her dream.

Isabella gulped for air. Her bones chilled though it was a warm Indian summer night. What had it said? The Dawn of the Empaths was near? A new age of humanity...and the last part. That was the most frightening of all. Only one diadem would survive what? All eternity or this dawn it was talking about. That couldn't be true. There were over a hundred diadems alive. She was one and so was her brother Colin and even Jack. They couldn't all die. But this was just a dream. It didn't mean anything. Deep down she knew that it did. Deep down, she knew this was as real as the necklace around her neck and the bustling city she'd found beneath her family's hotel. Isabella scooped up the lavender blanket she'd kicked to the foot of her bed in the night and wrapped it around her shoulders to block out the chill. "The Dawn of the Empaths is near. Perfect." She slumped back against her pillow. She wouldn't tell anyone about it. Things had just gotten back to normal and the people around her were happy. For now, she'd file it away as a dream to be revisited another time.

***

In the recesses of a dark foreboding castle tucked away on the other side of the world, Jack stood before a woman with long dark hair, ice blue eyes and ruby red lips, perched on a throne more suited for medieval times than present day. The woman, Thena Roschev, sat powerful and all-knowing while her sister Satrina stood off to the side feeding her pet crows in their golden cages. Between them was an alter adorned with candles and blackened rose petals. Jack flicked his eyes from Thena's younger and somewhat more beautiful but far less seductive sister to the woman before him.

"You heard the prophecy, Thena."

"We've known of the dawn for a decade. This is not news."

"Only one diadem will survive!"

Thena's laughter swarmed through room, causing the candle lights to flicker and Jack's irritation to mount. "This is funny to you? One diadem. There are two in this room that I know of."

Thena's eyes turned black. He and Thena were so similar in so many ways. The years in exile living here with her, Satrina and her mother had shaped him in many ways. When he'd left to snatch the Foxworthy girl and harness her power, he'd never expected to come back. He'd planned to take over his realm in the west, while leaving Thena here to rule in the east. But it seemed their plan would not come to fruition as easily as they'd hoped. "Mind your manners, Jack," she said. "You and your little minion are my visitors." Thena slid a fleeting glance to Satrina.

"Visitor?" Satrina spat, her owlish eyes blinking and her perfect mouth falling open. She carefully fastened her bird's cages and strode over to them. "Sister, you must listen to my master. He holds the key to the future."

"Mother left this home to me. Mother trained you when that Gaut would not. This home, her realm are mine. Her power is mine. And you, dear sister, dear Jack, must abide by my rules."

Jack shoved down the wave of fury threatening to pour from his senses and slipped into rage.

Thena smiled. "Fear not dear Jack. Not only will you be the last man standing, but I have a way to revive me." Thena folded her hands beneath her chin. "I always say two is better than one. But it will have to be you. I will also have a way to make sure that you follow through with it."

Jack narrowed his eyes. Thena was strong. Stronger than he was in many ways. She was clever, trained in the art of manipulation and weaving from the youngest age by her mother. The restrictions on this side of the world were steeped in ancient law but far less restrictive.

"You will simply have to harness the essence of the one you choose and keep it safe in a special vial. Release it when you've won."

"You are very wise, my beautiful one," said Jack, stepping closer to her, kneeling on one knee to take her hand and kiss her ring.

Thena leaned forward, cupping his face in her hands. She placed a kiss on his forehead. He heard Satrina gasp to his right but paid her no mind. "Of course, you will have to sign a blood oath, an assurance of your loyalty."

"But Jack is very loyal," Satrina cut in. "He won't turn on us."

"You're sweet," Thena dismissed her sister, keeping her eyes trained on Jack as he straightened and stepped out of her space. "Sign the blood oath," she went on, "and we will be true allies forever. I promise to offer all the strength of my power to destroy Isabella at the Dawn. We will create a world of apaths and rule side-by-side. Think about how perfectly dark it will all be," she said, referring to the cold-hearted minions she and Jack planned to fill with the world with. It'd be so much easier to do their bidding if they sucked the empathy from everyone. Creating apaths would be perfect way to do that.

Satrina moved closer to Jack. "I'll will round up the rest of the cohort, my master."

"When I say the time is right," Jack said without looking at her. He'd take her in his bed tonight. For now, her sister, a woman with ten times Satrina's power, had his attention. She was offering him the world. "I accept Thena. On one condition."

Thena lifted an eyebrow.

"Your cohort will make a promise to be as loyal to me as my own." Jack's eyes locked on Satrina.

Thena rose to her feet, then sauntered to Jack. Framing his face in her hands as he sucked in a breath, she inched her mouth closer to his then kissed him.

Satrina glowered and put distance between her and the pair.

"You have my word," Then murmured against Jack's lips. She tilted her head and deepened the kiss, sweeping her tongue deeply into his mouth. She was ice and force, not passion and love. Just what Jack wanted. Any dreams of that foolishness had died when Beatrice had fallen to her death.

"I believe in your power, Thena, but what of Joseph?" Jack ended the kiss. "The girl's of age and Dawn approaches. We've already had ... problems. I don't want any last-minute obstacles."

"Joseph will soon die; you need not fear your old teacher. I'll take care of him," Thena said, brushing the back of her hand along the angry scar that marred Jack's cheek.

"That is easier said than done."

"Joseph is weak. Forget him," Thena ordered. Jack bit his tongue. He needed her to get what he wanted. But Joseph was anything but weak. He feared him more than he feared death. He kept him alive, but for how long? "He served his purpose without knowing it and now needs to die. Just like his great-great-granddaughter, Isabella, and all the people she loves." The woman broke out in laughter and Jack couldn't help but join her. The Dawn would arrive in just over one year's time. Then, the world would be theirs and theirs alone.

***

Halloween was fast approaching, and Isabella's grandmother suggested another masquerade to which Isabella promised that she'd stay up in her room the entire night rather than go through another one of those again. Thankfully, tonight's occasion was a just small affair –close friends of the family and trusted members of the Empath society, visiting on special pass to celebrate the two-month anniversary of the hotel's re-opening. Colin was away with Neeta and the Brotherhood on a mission. There were murmurs about something going down in Europe.

As Isabella stood off to the far right in of the Velvet Ballroom, scooping punch from a glass bowl into guests' faux crystal glasses, her mind wandered on all sorts of things. So much had happened since they'd left the Underground, including Johanna Johnson moving away with her mother after their father abandoned the family.

She spied Lana and Xander pouring over the Empath book Colin had taken from the vault and given to her. With her studies complete she let Lana have the crazy book. Her friend, whose empath abilities had been brought to the surface by Joseph Gaut, was completely obsessed with learning all she could from it. According to Theophilus Lana's abilities had simply been awakened and had been there all along. The two girls been friends had not been a coincidence either according to the older man. It was common for empaths to be drawn to each other at an early age as friends.

Her eyes shifted over to Mimi who was at the party along with her mother and grandfather. Mimi was healthy again, her cheeks pink and her enthusiasm in full-force. She had been Skyside more than her grandfather had at this point and her mother, who'd never left the Underground, was in awe at all her daughter tried to failingly explain. Soon, Gerard and Mariah Logan and Marcellus and Patricia Antonelli took to the dance floor. To Isabella's surprise, Theophilus held out his hand to Catherine and asked her to "cut a rug" with him as well.

About a minute later, Isabella noticed a familiar-looking compass spinning near one of the side exits. That could only mean one thing. She waved Seth over and asked him to take over serving the punch before discreetly slipping from the party to follow the compass down the hallway. Eventually, she was in the time witch's space and the woman appeared before her.

"It's nice to see you again," Isabella smiled.

The Time Witch smiled sadly. "No, I'm here to say goodbye. I told you that I closed the time portal, but I did not tell you that I was planning to leave Foxworthy. The portal's too dangerous, and it's time I move on."

"Please don't go, why not just stay here with Seth and me?" Isabella pleaded.

"I never told you, but Serena's grandmother, Connie, was a friend of mine, a waitress here at the Foxworthy. Took me in for the first months I was here in Los Angeles. She told me all about your family. It's why I felt compelled to come where when I died, to help you do the bigger things she always said you were meant to do."

"So, Serena's grandmother was your friend? Is that why you helped her crossover even though she was working on something to discredit the family?"

"That was part of it. But it was mostly because I knew it was the only way to draw the truth out. I am not at liberty reveal anything about the past or future."

"But you knew....You knew it was Jack controlling Long John. That John Johnson was Long John in disguise."

She nodded once. "I'm so sorry."

"There's nothing to apologize for," Isabella told her with a smile that quickly melted into a frown. "But where will you go?"

"Some lovely little fair folk have offered me a home in Wish Valley," Time Witch said. "I'll take my leave and live out a quiet life in a lovely cottage. It can only be seen by fairies so I'm sure it's safe."

Isabella shuddered at memories of Wish Valley. She hated that place. Satrina and Jack's minions – The Greens of the Valley - occasionally found their way into her dreams at night. She never wanted to go back there. "There's nowhere else?"

"It was either stay with them or go to the Noxies in Druid Lake. Trust me, Wish Valley's better." Isabella begged to differ, but she was a Time Witch. Maybe it'd be different for her.

Isabella was sad to see her go, but what good did it do her being locked up here for all these years? "Well maybe I will come visit you one day, and you can change my mind about the place."

The Time Witch chuckled. "That's a sweet sentiment but how can you visit what you can't see child?" she countered. "Then again you're not like most empaths. Your powers are extraordinary, Diadem Queen." She winked and disappeared.

"Goodbye," Isabella whispered.

***

Later, Isabella listened to Theophilus go on about Beatrice and Leonard being the darlings of Foxworthy and their tragic end. He tipped his glass to Isabella, and she pasted on a smile. The dark truth was only select people to know. She'd lost the innocent ideal of a perfect family legacy, but grew stronger in the face of this new truth.

Further into the evening, she got to sit alone with Seth on one of the soft velvet sofas she knew her great grandmother had once loved so much. They watched the others enjoying themselves in comfortable silence. Somehow, they ended up sitting with their knees touching. When she turned to him to see if he'd noticed, she found his nose nearly touching hers. Suddenly, the atmosphere changed. "Seth, I--"

Seth's eyes softened. "Izzy..." He kissed her. It was soft, slow and sweet. They smiled against each other's lips, then parted, foreheads touching. "I can't believe she just left like that, all alone, with no one."

She dropped his head to his shoulder with a sigh. "Seth, she's a time witch. I'm not sure they live out their days in happy marriages."

Seth chuckled. "Well, I'm glad she won't be alone, and as for us, I'm done pretending, waiting."

Isabella lifted her head, and they kissed each other again. "I just want to protect you like you do me," Isabella told him.

Seth laughed, brushing his nose up along her cheek before kissing it. "You do... in the best way possible."

Isabella realized he saw himself as more than her guardian, and she was glad. "Thank you."

As if suddenly smacked on the back of the head, Seth gasped and straightened. "I forgot to ask Theophilus about teaching some music lessons with him! He's paying me, but he said I had to talk to him tonight."

"Go on," Isabella encouraged him. "I'll wait for you in the lobby."

Seth went off, and she made her way out of the dwindling party into the lobby. She found her favorite lounge chair empty and plunked down on to it and relaxed.

Isabella noticed Micah watching Cleo and Nate, who'd had the restrictions lifted from his family when he'd bravely fought to help Isabella in the Forest of Violet, talking. It was clear Seth's younger brother was jealous. When Cleo, who seemed to sense this as well, marched over to him, he pretended to be watching a couple checking in at the front desk.

"So, you and Nate are close now?" Micah asked when Cleo inched up to his side.

Cleo laughed out loud. "Micah are you jealous?" Micah's face tinted pink. "Nate's too old for me." She took his hand. "Let's go hang out with Lana and Xander. I saw them come through here with that book."

"Sure." Micah grinned.

Isabella smiled as she watched her friends bond in new ways.

Blood bonds were not the only way to tie one person to another. Love, trust and friendship did a pretty decent job of that as well. Her friends, whether they were destined to fight by her side or not, were so special to her. All of them. They made her realize that a legacy could be left behind in so many ways.

Blood bonds linked family. Life bonds linked friends. Legacy linked history to the living and inked a place for them in time. Tomorrow might come in fury or it might come in peace, and whatever path she chose to trip down, march down or charge down, she'd leave something – a legacy. Cleo's laughter, Micah's grin, Xander's mock scowl and Lana's look of content warmed her inside.

"Hey," she heard a voice behind her. "Spying?" Seth folded his arms with a smirk.

"Admiring." Isabella stood and slipped her arms around his waist. She knew the staff was watching them, but she didn't care.

"Creep much," Seth teased, kissing her temple before dropping his arms to look at the others.

"They're friends now."

"Yeah, weird, right?"

"No. Not weird. Perfect."

Seth turned back to her. The glint in his eyes told her he had a plan. "So, let's go to the movies."

Excitement Isabella lit up in Isabella's chest but quickly dimmed. "Not in the hotel's theater?"

"Nope. At the multi-plex...then hmm. Tacos or burgers?"

"Tacos!"

Seth slipped his arm around her shoulder. He looked like he wanted to say something to her then thought better of it. She couldn't empath him, but she could read his eyes – and what they said was more than enough. They'd have time for the rest of it later. Right now, they were just going to go and be young.

Asthey stepped out of the lobby into the cool night, Isabella's eyes slipped overthe re-bonded Foxworthy family seal no longer cracked down the middle but strongand steady and ready to take on the world. She definitely knew the feeling.

The End