I messed up. Big time.

I'm almost flung out of my seat as Lumi speeds around a corner. The screech of the tires against the asphalt is the only noise. I sit up straight as a rod to avoid being near one of the strangers. She hasn't once stopped glaring at me.

"Lumi, I'm sure Mia's doing her best," says the guy who sits in the passenger seat.

"The last time she faced Niko, her leg was cut."

"But if it's your parents-"

"I'm not taking any risks," she grits out right before turning another corner and sending me flying into the girl, again.

She pushes me away from her. "Are we sure we can trust her?"

Lumi's gaze flicks up to the mirror and makes contact with me. For a split second it's quiet as we stare at each other, but then her gaze is back on the road. "We can."

I sigh and let my shoulders drop. I want to believe she fully trusts me, but what if she's only saying that to make sure I don't betray her? What if I've gone and damaged our friendship beyond repair?

The car veers onto Lumi's street. Lumi herself makes a hasty job parking, and doesn't even let it settle before she's jumping out and running to the house door.

"I thought we were going for a sneak attack?" the girl asks, unbuckling.

"Apparently not," the guy says, already flinging himself out the door.

I start to unbuckle myself but before I can there's vines growing around my hands. I look up with wide eyes to find the girl standing outside the vehicle. Her brows are lowered with pity. "I think you should stay here," she says.

"But I can help!"

She bites her lip and looks at Lumi's house. "I don't think we can trust you."

My shoulders deflate. I can't exactly argue with that. "I know his plan though!"

"And how do we know this isn't part of his plan?" She raises an eyebrow.

"Me?" I ask, not quite believing her.

She nods. "We don't." Then the door is closing behind her.

"Let me out!" I scream as she runs up to the house. "I swear I'm just trying to help!"

But she doesn't even spare a glance back at me.

Gritting my teeth, I turn and look down at my hands, which are so close to the seatbelt. Maybe if I stretch my fingers far enough I can- The vines wrap tighter around my wrists, and reach out to my fingers. They pull my hand into a fist, which makes it impossible to try and unbuckle myself.

How am I supposed to get out of this? All I want to do is help. I don't want to see the Fay's killed. I never really wanted that. I was just blinded. Blinded by the person I thought was my favorite cousin in the whole world. How had I not seen it?Was I really so blinded by my anger and grief that I couldn't see the differences?

Tears start to roll down my cheeks. I wish I could reach up and wipe them away.

"You really haven't thought of how to get out of those?" A chuckle.

"Get out of my head!" I scream.

"But it's so much fun to see your pathetic thoughts," Neo- No, Niko, says.

"What do you want?" I lean my head against the window. The coldness of the glass is a relief.

"I'm almost disappointed you haven't figured a way out yet. But I can't say I'm completely surprised."

My eyes widen. Of course. Why hadn't I thought of it myself? "What are you planning?" I ask, hoping he can't sense me calling my magic. I don't need him knowing he's still helping me.

"If I told you that, it would ruin the surprise."

"I'm tired of surprises." Flames start to flicker to life in my palms, signing the vines.

A bang sounds from somewhere outside the car. My flames extinguish in a puff as I look up. The door to the house is flung open, and a very angry Lumi comes storming out of it, followed by the two strangers.

My brows lower in confusion.

"Did you really think I'd tell you the true plan?" he asks. I can hear the stupid smirk in his voice. "Neo knew you, which means I know you." Then, like a phone being hung up. He's gone.

The front door flies open, and Lumi jumps in. "They weren't here," she says. Her voice waivers.

The other two doors open and let the strangers get in. I shift my hands in front of me in hopes the girl won't notice the burn marks on the vines.

"Where could he have taken them?" the guy asks.

"I don't know," Lumi says. From the backseat I see her hands strangle the steering wheel.

"I have an idea," I whisper.

Lumi whips around. "Where?"

"The graveyard."

"The graveyard?" the girl asks, she raises an eyebrow. "Why would he go there?"

I shift in my seat, but focus on Lumi. "Well, more like the little patch of woods behind it. Neo used to go there a lot when his mom was sick."

"I remember that," Lumi says. She turns back around. "Who's ready for a trip to the graveyard then?"

Out of the corner of my eye I notice the girl looking at me. After a moment she flicks her wrist and the vines around my own loosen before disappearing.

"Why'd you do that?" I ask, turning my head to her.

She shrugs. "Maybe you aren't on his side anymore."

A smile graces my face, and as much as I want to say I told you so, I don't. "I know my cousin, which means I know his alter ego."

"Is that something you've been waiting to say?" Lumi says, glancing at me through the rearview mirror.

"Maybe," I say with a sheepish smile.

She laughs, and god, it's good to hear her laugh again.