I walked down the east hallway to catch up with Echo and Misty. I wasn't sure of what I'd do first, or what I'd say. Maybe what he told me would give me clues... if I didn't strangle him first.

Echo smiled. "Hi, Raven."

My face was a scowl. "Address me as 635202, please."

"How did it go with my aunt?" Echo asked.

"She asked me to train you."

"Training?"

"To improve your talents some."

"What did you want to do first?"

"Painting."

"Why painting?"

I raised my voice. "Because I say so!"

Echo raised an eyebrow. "Did you have a challenge in The Game involving painting?"

I sighed. "Maybe."

"You did, didn't you?" Echo asked.

"Yes... a little girl named Laila ran the challenge," I said.

"Alright, painting it is," Echo smiled.

"I know just the place too." my voice was stern.

I led him outside by the Forest of Unknown Darkness, pulling a guard aside and telling him the tools I'd need.

"I'm guessing this isn't inspirational?" I asked.

Echo smiled. "Actually, it's inspiring me to paint something."

I clapped my hands and the guards came with an easel, paints, a canvas, and brushes.

"Aren't you going to paint?" Echo asked, standing in confusion like a kindergartner.

I remained uninterested. "No thanks. I'm not into it."

"Alright," Echo put Misty down on the dry grass and painted.

I sat there, watching him work. At first, I couldn't tell what his idea was. He wasn't trying to paint anything. Maybe, he was teasing me.

"Are you painting everything in your head?" I huffed.

"I'm just getting a feel for it," Echo smiled.

I let my head face the side, avoiding eye contact. "You don't know what you're painting, do you?"

"Guess that's why I don't do this often," Echo laughed.

"You painted a wall," I said.

"But I had an artist looking at my work half of the time telling me what to do," Echo said.

I put a hand to my forehead. "So, you have no clue? We're just going to sit here until you come up with something?"

Echo smiled. "I have ideas. I just don't know how to paint them."

"Your friends said you were an artist," I raised an eyebrow.

"That doesn't mean I'm good at it."

"Says the person everyone says is positive."

"It'll just take longer if you pressure me. Do you have any ideas?"

I pointed to a nearby tree. "Just paint that bird over there on that branch."

"What bird? There are several," Echo said.

"Any of them! All of them! Just pick one!" I said.

He took a deep breath in and sighed. "What do you normally do?"

"I already told you: I don't paint."

"I meant what you do around here for fun. What do you enjoy?"

"Why are you asking?"

"Your complaining is stressing me."

I laughed sarcastically. "The positive twin gets stressed? Guess you're human after all."

"I wasn't always positive Raven," Echo said grimly.

"I bet you were always nice," I argued.

'When will this all be over?' I buried my head in my hands.

Echo sighed, still refusing to let go of the brush. "You're so unreasonable!"

I laughed. "I'm unreasonable? I'm not the one who stays positive all the time."

Echo nodded in agreement. "You have a good point. I'll let you decide something else."

"Thank you," I said.

I realized I was the one who chose painting, but I didn't realize how stressful it would be to get him to paint. I had to think.

'What could I possibly choose that won't cause me stress?'

Wheels in my head turned.

I sat on the grass and concentrated hard. I was afraid of whatever I chose. I didn't want to get any lectures or not do anything at all. I needed something I wouldn't mind watching. I just couldn't think of anything.

'Arts are a waste of time! I'll never be able to sit and watch him!' I sighed.

I couldn't let Zolona down, but I didn't want him to get the best of me. Even if he was her nephew, I couldn't stand him. He had seen nothing of pain or what life was really like. I had seen a lot, or so I thought. Hell knows I couldn't remember anything from before I was fifteen, and I needed to find out the answers to my questions. I couldn't just sit around and hope he would finish! I needed to find the answers I needed to look for. There was no time to waste! I couldn't let down Zolona, but I felt pulled towards doing it.

I couldn't stand him! I was tired of him pretending he could understand me. The truth was he couldn't whether he liked it or not. I said he was like a mystery novel, but he wasn't just a mystery novel. He was a mystery novel hidden within a dense fog I attempted to sail through. I'd crash into a rock at this rate.

All I could do was groan, releasing a 'Crap' under my breath. Echo tapped my shoulder.

"What is it?" I asked, irritated. I turned around to face him.

Echo smiled. "I came up with something."

"Really?" I asked sarcastically.

"You might like it," Echo said.

"Doubt it," I said.

He lowered his hand, offering to help me up.

I shooed his hand away. "I don't need your help."

He let me see his painting.

My jaw dropped. "What is this?"

"This is one of the birds you told me to draw," Echo presented.

"This looks different," I analyzed.

Echo smiled. "That's because it's surrounded by ink splotches and white feathers."

The bird was in flight, white feathers surrounding it. In the background you could see ink splotches of black. It was a masterpiece, but something made me feel offended by it.

"Is this a raven?" I asked, offended, scrunching my face and turning away from him. I let out a growl.

"Yes, actually. I'm sorry if you think it's offensive. It wasn't what I was going for," Echo went to turn me around to face him again.

"Then what were you going for?" I asked, irritated.

"I was going for a theme of redemption and breaking free of what everyone thought about you," Echo smiled.

"Shi-" I paused, attempting not to ignore the deal, "Shimmy."

My blood boiled, and face reddened. I swore to never let anyone see my emotions so I could keep my reputation and do my job well, but I couldn't stand bullshit. Especially if it had to deal with me. I needed no redemption!

His hammer struck at my heart. He was trying to offend me! I grinded my teeth together. I had to resist throwing a knife into his head. Zolona would be pissed if I did that. She'd probably kill me with lectures and send me to work in the mines for several days.

Echo's smile turned to a frown. "Not what you were expecting?"

"Oh, no. I was completely expecting this," I said coldly, trying to hold back my frustration.

"Are you feeling alright?" Echo asked.

"Peachy. You asked what I liked to do?" I asked, devoid of any emotion on the outside.

Echo smiled. "Yes, what are we going to do now? My aunt said I need to get to know you all."

"Target Practice," I looked at a tree nearby and smiled, "Stand in front of that tree," I pointed to the tree near the Forest of Unknown Darkness.

Echo took a step backwards. "Why?"

"Trust me; It'll be fun," I stepped closer and dragged him to the tree.

"Are you going to shoot things at me!?" Echo asked. His eyes widened.

"Yes," I stepped a step backwards.

"Nope, I can't do that. I- I'm not doing that!" Echo cowered.

"I had to put up with your painting!" I said.

There was a brief silence.

"... I guess you can continue," Echo said nervously.

"I just need to decide what to throw. Knives? Bullets? Lasers?" I asked. I got more and more annoyed.

"Raven?" Echo asked.

"Don't call me that. Otherwise, I might hit you." I clenched my teeth together, grinding them against each other.

Echo placed his hands in front of me. "You need to calm down."

"I'm fine," I said.

"Your hand looks like a flashlight," Echo said awkwardly. He pointed to my left hand.

"Flattery will get you nowhere!" I said.

"Seriously, your hand's magically glowing!" Echo's eyes widened.

I looked at my left hand, and I was astounded to find it was glowing like a flashlight. It seemed like my power to see the memories of others wasn't the only magical power I had. It just so happened my hands could glow. Perfect. People already thought I was a freak. Sure I was feared, respected even, but there were always those who doubted my abilities.

'Stupid magic!'

"What the f--" I shook my hand. Nothing happened.

"Is there a trick to it?" Echo asked.

"This hasn't happened before. What did you make me do?" I asked, shaking my hand.

Echo shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not the one who has light coming from their hands."

I shook my hands forward. A pulse of light emerged from my hands and hit another tree nearby, lighting the thing in flames.

Echo backed slowly away from the tree and ran towards me.

"Did you know you could do that?" Echo asked.

"No, I didn't," I began. I felt my wrist, and my heart thudded. I looked on the ground around me.

'Shit...'

Echo looked at me with pity and concern. "What's wrong?"

"I lost it!" I said.

"Lost what?" Echo asked.

"My bracelet. The bracelet I've Zolona gave me before I lost my memories. I can't believe I lost it! It's all your fault you little piece of... !" I said.

"Is it silver?" Echo asked.

"Yes, why are you asking?" I questioned, still frantically scanning the area.

"It's just a little ways inside the forest. It's glowing," Echo pointed into the Forest of Unknown Darkness.

I rolled my eyes. "Dumba..." That stupid agreement. "Idiot! Of course it's glowing. It senses when danger is close by."

Echo took a step back. "What kind of danger makes it glow like that?"

"Not your concern. I'll get the bracelet myself." I trudged towards The Forest of Unknown Darkness.

"Be careful," Echo said.

"If I can hear you, you're not letting me do this myself," I said.

I walked up to the bracelet, which glowed in the fog below my feet. I bent to pick it up. Three whispers called out in the darkness, their voices lingered in the shadows whispering something. I couldn't make out their words.

I picked up the bracelet, listening to the forest around me. My bracelet glowed brighter as if danger drew closer. My heart beated rapidly inside my chest. My eyes widened.

"You can never escape your fate, Enchantress..." The three voices said in unison.

I took one step forward, drawn to the sound. I felt in a trance, pulled to the voices, hypnotized to do as they said. I took in deep breaths and I took another two steps forward. The dense fog in the woods had a mysterious aura, leaves blowing in the wind like an invitation for me to enter.

"You can't hide your memories from yourself forever..." one of the voices said.

A screeching noise sounded from a nearby tree. Valentine pounced at my arm, attempting to scratch it, but barely missed it. He caused me to trip instead.

I realized what I was doing and my eyes widened. I fell backwards to the leaves below me. To my surprise, someone caught me from falling.

"Careful!" Echo said.

"Did you hear that?" I asked.

"Hear what?"

"Ugh!" I screamed in frustration, "Of course you don't understand!"

"I wasn't sure what you were doing."

I sighed and took a deep breath in. "For a second there, neither did I."

"I'm just glad Valentine stopped you," Echo smiled.

"I don't know. It seemed like the forest was calling me," I said.

Echo's eyes widened. "But that's impossible!"

"So is The Mark of Protection and magical powers. Welcome to my life," I said, annoyed.

"So, what now?"

I moaned. "What did you want to do next?"

"Could I see my sister? Maybe she'll actually listen to me since she's cooled down some."

"I don't know about that. Sage just got done with interrogating Ember, Dusk, and is interrogating Arvin according to my schedule. They may not want to see you."

Echo smiled. "It's worth a shot. I need to let her know I'm okay."

"Why? You've barely know her!" I said, trying to convince him not to go.

"She's still my sister. Besides, I don't want her to go down the same path that I almost took," Echo grabbed his painting and walked off.

'What's that supposed to mean?' I followed him.

I nodded. "Alright, I'll let you see her."

Echo's smile widened just like I'd given him the keys to the dungeon myself. "Thanks, Raven."

I glared at him with a blank expression. "Don't smile. Smiling can be annoying. Besides, you know how much I don't like the name Raven."

"Well, we all have something we need to get used to, don't we?" Echo asked.

I felt a pull inside my chest before I shook the feeling off and headed back inside the castle.