The moment the vision ended, I was back in pub again.

Edgar was next to me.

"Oh god," I said, taking a deep breath. "I'm sorry. Worst first date ever."

"We've got bigger problems," he commented. "What did the vision show you?"

I realized I didn't really want to go through it again. Not so soon.

"Later," I said. "What did it show you?"

"It's... complicated," he said. "I think it was different for everyone. It showed me you being trapped in darkness, in the dark part of the Aether Realm, for eternity. And Luther Graves was here, and he told me it's what you're setting up to do, to become. So I hurt him, with a spell, and the vision dispelled. I think it was my worst fears."

I turned towards Raegan. "What did you see?" I asked, trying to remain cheerful.

"I think it was to clear my mind from a doubt, while I do not know why it was important, at all," Raegan shrugged. "It showed me my father and Luna Torres. I imagine I've been thinking about her words, and worrying there was something between them, but I barely noticed it. In the vision I could see she was in love with him, but he told her that he wasn't. It's just... ugh. How could more than one woman like my father?"

She laughed nervously.

"I thought about Tracy's words, instead," Jurji admitted. "And while you were coming back from your visions, Edgar and Ryan, I told Raegan that in the future I'll be way happier being friends. We don't have to force this thing between us. You see... I was born in a body that did not match my soul. Lila and Zara were the only people to support me, back home, and I always knew the Traditionalists wouldn't judge me either, because they are very open to every kind of lifestyle. But Tracy's words made me realize that Raegan, the person I look up to and have always wanted to befriend, was someone I'd been dating and moping on just because she's the first girl I'm attracted to who treats me like a boy."

"And I had a similar feeling," Raegan confirmed. "I've been down since I was kicked out of my clan and I knew how much Jurji respected my work."

"The thing is," she added thoughtfully. "We spent so much time pretending we could work that we've never did together what we most wanted to do --- solve problems and talk of worldwide issues."

When we were leaving the place, Edgar put a hand upon my shoulder. "Just so you know, I wasn't counting this as a real first date."

I grinned, happy. "That's good to know," I said. "I can do much better than that! I'll start planning a new date soon."

"Don't," Edgar said. "It can wait. But whatever Aimee told you in the Void, it can't wait. Does it have something to do with our quest? Do they want to recruit you?"

"No," I replied, suddenly bitter. "But they wanted to, once upon a time."

"When?"

"Sixteen, seventeen years ago, give or take. When I was born. They wanted me to find the Enemy Mirror, and bring it to them."

"You did find it," Edgar confirmed.

"Yes, but I destroyed it. They said they wanted to study it," I snorted. "More like wanted its powers, if you ask me. Either way, it was them who controlled my life the whole time. They put this... this sort of enchantment on my mother, to make her see me as I really was. The heir of the first dark magic Enchanter."

I was waiting for Edgar's reaction. I thought he'd have something to say about that.

"I could begin to understand why she would hit me, if when she was hitting me she was not seeing a child, but.. that."

"Sometimes, parents hit their child, and they see a child. Either way, you're not a monster. She was still seeing a child, just one she couldn't accept," Edgar said finally.

"I'm concerned about you," he added. 

"I'm trying not to think about me right now," I said weakly.

"That is your problem!" Edgar said. "You never do. You really need to grieve the life you could have had."

"When all of this is over, we'll find a way," I replied.

In the meantime, we had returned to the castle.

"Where the hell have you been all this time?" Jeff wanted to know.

"It was a double-date that went extremely bad," I said. "Except Raegan and Jurji finally DTRed --- they decided to remain friends."

After an icy glance from Edgar, that conveyed much more than words ever could , I found myself telling all of my friends about the Awakened.

"Makes sense that there are certain people that they want to use for their purposes," Jeff said. 

"Well, nobody ever joins them," I replied.

"How do you know how they recruited their members? Maybe in that same way," Raegan said.

"Nah, I figure it's people who ask to join, like my father did," I replied. "But, with all due respect, I don't think he could have been a very exceptional Enchanter. Vitaly said he was better than Samuel, but he was older, and never became that famous. They wanted Vitaly Malinov because they hadn't found yet someone who could create the Void. And they wanted me because I can see the future."

"And you're heir to two Ancient Families," Jurji pointed out.

"Yeah, but don't remind me. It's a bit overbearing."

"Oh," Jeff raised his brow. "Because seeing the future is perfectly normal."

I looked around. "Where is Agnes?" I asked.

"She left," Jeff replied absent-mindedly. "Said she wanted to look after the members of SAGE."

Raegan smacked her forehead. "I haven't thought about it at all!"

"Well, I guess we could say it's good that she left," I said, carefully walking on eggshells. I knew Jeff and her made a nice team. However, Jeff didn't look fazed at all.

Suddenly, I had an idea.

I would contact Aimee Adams, and suggest her another bargain. One she couldn't refuse. If I brought to her the Enemy Mirror Luna Torres kept, I would find a way to heal my adoptive mother.

I just couldn't see a way. And maybe she was a rotten person without the enchantment too, like Edgar said. Still, I couldn't accept that something very wrong had been done to her.

In fact, it pained me so much to think about it, that I soon got a head splitting migraine.

I felt a little guilty just for thinking about stealing the Mirror, but then I realized I did not change where my limits lied. I didn't know yet the monstrous thing they had done to my mother, that was all.

I was surprised to find myself thinking of her as a mother, but the truth was this --- to some people, blood was family. To others, it was the people who raised them. To others it was the people they met along the way.

I was familiar with all concepts. In my heart, Jeff and Raegan were my siblings and them and Edgar were my family. But I was painfully aware that I had two other families and that not one of them had turned out as it could have been.

To me, Evelyn Barnes was my mother as much as Brooke Summer was, and Nathan Winter was my father as much as Lucas Barnes was. I knew it was not my parents fault they had died before raising me, and I didn't want to disrespect them, but it was hard to see people you had never known as your only family.

All three concepts of family applied to me.

I owed it to Evelyn to at least try.

"There's the matter of Thomas Johnston," Jeff suddenly said, making me snap out of my thoughts. "We're sure now he works with Jake. What are we going to do about it?"

"Well, there's no doubt about it anymore," Raegan replied. "Then, perhaps, I should go back to the our world and try to make him confess."

"No!" I protested. "Not that it wouldn't be a great idea, but, please, be careful. Take someone else along with you..."

I remembered Jurji's wish to work with Raegan as friends and allies. "Take Jurji with you," I said. "At least, you can also help Agnes look after SAGE."

Raegan looked like she was pondering on my words. Thankfully, her internal conflict lasted less than a minute.

"Great," she grinned. "If we try to be careful, and don't do anything you or Jeff wouldn't do, things should go smoothly."

"Please, don't use us an as example," Jeff protested. "But, don't do anything rash either."

Raegan rolled her eyes. "We often forget it, but Ryan has been an Enchanter for less than a year! He should be the one who shouldn't do anything rash."

I promised her I would pay attention, though I knew that the concept of 'not doing anything rash' was far from the truth, at the moment.

When I was left alone with Edgar, he told me he had a surprise for me.

"I don't know if you like surprises," he said. "Not everyone likes them, but recent research shows that those who do have their emotions intensified by about 400 percent."

"Many things that happened to me were bad surprises," I replied. "But I enjoy the good ones."

Looking at him just then,I couldn't help but feel a little smitten.

"Good," he said. "We can come back to our world for about half a day. We missed the day of your birthday, so I wanted to celebrate in some way..."

"Edgar, that's so thoughtful," I replied, trying not to think about Luna's words when she chased me away from the world the last time.  Was this really how I wanted to tell Edgar about the curse? Could I do it even if I wanted to?

"We will just visit Luna Torres," Edgar added. "I have a surprise for you I told her about."

I didn't understand how the cold-blooded woman would join Edgar for a birthday surprise but I was happy of his choice. Luna knew about me, and perhaps she could tell my boyfriend what I wasn't able to tell him. It would have spoiled the day, I knew, but it was a new chance at letting those close to me know about it.

"Do you remember the Grand Thief Luna sent us to visit?" Edgar asked me conversationally when we exited the magic circle. 

It was back in the days before the divination, before Edgar tried to push me away. It was before he realized he couldn't, and before the curse had worsened. It seemed like a lifetime ago.

I nodded, however.

"We saw something when we were there... A special object. It's okay if you forgot about it. You will see in a matter of minutes."

"Minutes?" I asked.

"You're a Winter, you can teleport. Your powers are even stronger than they used to be."

Teleporting always gave me a funny feeling, and, truth be told, I wasn't even that good at it. Still, Edgar was right. With the curse magnifying my powers, nothing was really impossible anymore.

We found ourselves in the headquarters of the Circle. I was feeling a bit wistful. I'd never had time to explore the rooms, because Luna always wanted to meet us in her office. I wondered if one needed to join the organisation to read all their books and see their artefacts.

Waiting for us was not Luna, but a woman who worked for her. Dorothea Lloyd --- we met her before, the first time we came in contact with the Circle. Back then, we asked them for help for what regarded Sean's disappearance.

"Luna cannot be here today," Dorothea smiled. I imagined the woman simply let her know she didn't want to celebrate my birthday, which was not that much of a wild guess.

"But," she added. "I can give you what you came here for."

I looked at Edgar pointedly like, now I need explaining.

"The sword we've seen the last time we were there," he said soberly. "I checked out the illustrations in the library. That sword belonged to the Summer family. Your family. I told Luna to take it."

"And she did?" I asked. "Do you remember how unreasonable the Grand Thief was?"

"He said it was on a loan, but Luna wants to give it to you forever. I agree --- I think you should have it."

"Alright," I conceded. Because to all the people I could never say no to, Edgar was the worst.

"Luna reported the man's words to me," Dorothea added, handing me the sword. "He said he knows a Summer when he sees one, and he recognized you. But that this sword comes with a catch --- it chooses its rightful owner. It's possible it will not choose you."

"I sure hoped it does." I looked at the sword. The scabbard was red and black, with motifs of a dragon. It was incredible to think it belonged to me, but it might never choose me.

"When the sword chooses you as the rightful owner, you'll be able to unsheathe it all the time," Dorothea added. "Take a closer look. It looks like's sealed with wax, doesn't it? That means it hasn't decided where it stands yet. If things don't change, you can only unsheathe it once, when you knight another person and you let them use it. I think it was a safety procedure someone made on this spell."

I flinched. "I don't want to knight anyone, I'm not a king."

The idea of knighting someone seemed to be important for a guy like me.

"That's what you say now," Dorothea replied. "But all is fair in love and war."

"You know, the Grand Thief was nice," I said. "I hope someone cures him from his weird werewolf curse."

"Either way," I added, stroking the scabbard of the sword. "I thank you for letting me take it. But let me get this straight. Until it doesn't recognize me, I can't use it, right? Only my knights can."

Dorothea nodded.

"It's a bit unfair," I complained. "I mean, why them and not me?"

"Look, kid, listen to me a minute. Swords from Ancient Families are different from your usual family swords. Only a Summer and their knights can use it. Still, someone enchanted in the past, probably during a situation where it saved lives and spared bloodshed. Be grateful it came back to the rightful hands, and the right time will come."

"Okay. Cool," I replied. I touched the dragons engraved on the scabbard. They reminded me of the little dragon I had once petted in the other world. It would have made a good pet, I thought, if I was a different person living a different life. I suddenly felt very tired.I didn't like the thought of going back to that strange world anymore, after a few hours in the world I was from.

But Edgar was about to die if I didn't do anything. I realized this was the cause of the pain I was feeling on my chest, the weight that weighed on my shoulders. It was not fear of what the curse would turn me into, but fear of what Edgar was going to do to break it.

And if I told Edgar I was cursed, I thought, he would sacrifice himself without listening to reason. Already one time he'd sacrificed for me in the past.

We thanked Dorothea, and I held Edgar's hand.

"Now, we go back," I said, clutching my new sword. It was impressive how much Edgar changed my life for the better even with a few words. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't even have that sword.

"One minute," Edgar replied. "Before we go, can we wait for Luna in her office? I want to ask her directly why she's not here."

I read his expression. Edgar thought there was something fishy going on, though he didn't know what. 

Dorothea simply shrugged and let us know that it was late, so it was likely we wouldn't have to wait for long.

When Edgar and I remained alone, I thought of my theory. That if I brought the Enemy Mirror to Aimee, she could find a way to heal my adoptive mother or give her something good in exchange for the malicious spell.

So, when I entered Luna's office first, I removed the black tent and tried to get the Mirror off the wall.

I should have known Edgar would follow me quickly.

"What are you doing?"

I had never fooled myself that he wouldn't catch me. Not really.

"I need to bring this to Aimee," I saw the look in his eyes, as if the Mirror was driving me crazy. 

"No, you don't understand. I don't have a choice. She promised me she would find a way to make right the things they did to my adoptive mother..."

I felt like I was choking on air and started gasping. Edgar put a hand on my shoulder.

"If you don't want to do this, we'll find another way," he said. "Don't let Aimee manipulate your life even further. She doesn't deserve to get everything she asks of you."

I gulped. "Well," I added sheepishly. "There's another reason. You see... I don't want people to look into it."

Edgar furrowed his eyebrows. "Why? Actually, that would be very useful. I've never thought about it, but if we looked into it we could see who is being cursed, or if Jinn is back, or if Thomas Johnston is collaborating with Jake. We could even see who the most dangerous of the three is, for us right now."

Edgar took a step and got nearer to the mirror. I stopped him.

"You don't want to look inside," I warned him. I pathetically asked myself whether I could make up an excuse on the spot and get away with it. Like telling him the mirror didn't work and I didn't want people to get confused.

But Edgar was too clever to fall for something like that, and besides the Mirror worked. He looked at me, puzzled.

"You don't want me to look inside," he corrected me.

He took another step. He was about to face the Mirror.

He looked at me, and raised an eyebrow defiantly. He couldn't know that it wasn't some sort of game.

"Show me the biggest enemy I have right now," Edgar said, and his reflection in the mirror started to shift.

Shorter, with lighter and messier hair and a red tunic. A desperate expression I would never recognize as part of my face. Eyes with yellow around the iris, and that part alone could mean only a handful of people.

I watched Edgar's face as he was looking back at the Mirror reflecting me.