I was always different from everybody.I slept in a dorm with a bunch of girls but they always made fun of me. I=ve learned to

ignore them though. Everyone knows who their parents are. For all the witches and wizards here at my school, every child knows their parent.

Except me.I=m the one exception to this and everyone in the school makes fun of me for it. The

only thing I know is that my mother died after my birth. My father is a complete mystery to me. I can use magic but only if it=s low class. The teachers don=t want any unknown student to cause harm to the students with high paying parents. I=ve tried high class spells when I=m by myself. I can do it. It=s not even a problem for me, trying to control it.

The thing is, everyone who goes to this school is a pure-blood magic wielder. Me? My mother was blank of magic. So my father was the magic user. In this world, if you have even one parent who can use magic, you automatically inherit their abilities. It=s a dominant trait, never recessive. But because only one of my parents used magic, I=m ridiculed for who I am. Not pure-blood.

I sat in one of my classes right now listening to the teacher and feeling very bored. The teacher was showing us a spell and asked if anyone would like to demonstrate for the class. I wanted to prove that I could perform these complicated spells just like any magic wielder in this class of girls and boys but I=ve learned that it=s safer to not raise my hand. So I just sat there and carefully drew fire marks in the air above my desk with my finger. I didn=t do it on the desk because that would leave permanent burn marks there.

I was very skilled with fire. That was something I was strong with. I could play with all the elements but I was most skilled with fire. Why was I the only one in the school who wasn=t allowed to use their magic?

As I drew, the girl in the desk behind me raised her hand. She was one of my roommates and like all the others, she was a snob.

ACatalina.@AMrs. Crowboxer. I believe that Mikia wants to perform the trick.@I didn=t look up because Mrs. Crowboxer wouldn=t let me perform the trick. Just like

all the other teachers. Catalina was only trying to put me down. It was quiet a minute then I heard Mrs. Crowboxer talking to me.

AMs. Spellbinder.@Spellbinder is the name they give all little kids that they don=t know whom their parents

are. I looked up.AYes Mrs. Crowboxer?@AWhat are you doing?@AI=m drawing ma=am,@ I said, lifting one finger in the air.AWhat are you drawing?@I couldn=t explain what I was drawing to her so I pointed at the flames in the air and

pulled them up and back, making them stand up right. It was a picture of a dragon. I always drew flame dragons in class. This one had the most detail out of all of the ones that I had made thus far.

Mrs. Crowboxer looked at the drawing in amazement. I didn=t see what was so amazing about it though. The only thing that was vaguely interesting to me was that the dragon seemed familiar. But I didn=t pay attention to that. I watched Mrs. Crowboxer=s face become serious again and give me a hard stare.

AGet rid of that thing.@I shrugged and swiped my hand right through the middle of the fire drawing. The dragon

seemed to roar as it disappeared in a flash of smoke. I gave my teacher a blank stare as I watched her face.

AMs. Spellbinder. Would you like to demonstrate for the class the spell that was just performed?@

I stared at her blankly then closed my eyes before I spoke. It was something that I had dreamed of doing but the teacher didn=t want me to do it. AI thought that I wasn=t allowed to cast spells in class or at anytime.@ I did that anyway when I=m alone in the woods but I wasn=t going to admit it.

AThis is your chance to perform the spell for the class. Do you wish to?@Everyone in this school had to ridicule me. I knew that if I tried to perform the spell,

Mrs. Crowboxer would send my spell flying and just tell the headmaster that I tried to perform a high-class spell in class. On the other hand, if I didn=t do the spell, the other students would make fun of me for it. Of course that didn=t bother me but I was still ticked by the situation that the teacher put me through.

I smiled at the teacher even though my eyes said clearly that I was unhappy. AI=m sorry ma=am but I must abide by the rules. There can be no exceptions for a spellbinder like myself. You know that full well.@

With that, Mrs. Crowboxer, her face going red with rage, turned to the boy=s side of the classroom and asked Laurence to stand and show the class. I looked down at my desk and fingered fire dragons in the air.

A week had passed and still, like the rest of my life, I was spit on and made fun of. I was a sport for these children who never seemed to grow up. I ignored everyone though. Then one day, there was a change. There was a rumor going around saying that there was going to be a new student. Everyone was excited except for me but all the excitement was sucked from my life so I really don=t count.

It was lunch time when Catalina came up to my table. I sit by myself at lunch time on the girl=s side of the room. The boys and girls have to be separated at all times except to travel from class to class in the halls. Even during free time we=re separated from the boys.

Catalina sat down across from me and crossed her hands on the table. I could see across the room all of Catalina=s friends whispering excitedly to one another. Catalina didn=t have any food with her so she was either on a diet or she was here to bother me. Most likely it was to bother me though.

AHi Mikia.@I didn=t answer her. I just made swirls of fire in the air with my finger.AHow are you today? Did you sleep well?@AWhy would you care? I=m just the nobody of this school.@AThat=s not true. Everyone enjoys your company more than you know.@That was a blown out lie. Everyone liked to use me for target practice. I was nothing but

a toy that didn=t break. It=s true I wasn=t a nobody. A nobody is a human. If you came to this school or schools like this one, you were someone. Just on another level.

AWhat do you want, Catalina? You want something from me, don=t you?@That was another thing, Catalina only pretended to be my friend just so she could steal

the spotlight from me. Like the spotlight helped. I was the strange kid in this school and to

prove that whenever we got a new student, I would be the student=s guide for a day. In that day, the new kid would get to see how strange I am and when they were done for the day they would join one group or another and they would begin their life mocking me too.

AWant? I don=t want anything, Mikia. Your lack of trust hurts me.@AListen. Whoever the new kid is you can have them once the day is done. But until then

just voice your taunts to the kid and show them how different I am. They=ll understand by the end of the day.@

I wiped away the fire marks, picked up my untouched tray of food, and left the lunch room. I wasn=t going to sit through Catalina=s jabbery when my life stunk already. I dumped the tray and left the room, images of fire and dragons filling my head.

I sat in Mrs. Crowboxer=s class looking down at my desk and drawing dragons with fire in the air. At the end of class Mrs. Crowboxer called for the class= attention. I didn=t look up but was more attentive to my fire.

AClass, this is the new student. His name is Daimon Foster.@The class said hello to him. Mrs. Crowboxer knew his last name so it was another pure-

blood. He would fit right in here.ADaimon, I=m going to have you follow Ms. Spellbinder around. She will show you the

school and tell you how all this works. Ms. Spellbinder please stand.@I didn=t respond immediately. But I stood up and looked to the front of the class

eventually. There was the teacher. She turned and smiled sweetly to Daimon when I had stood up. I wasn=t happy but the last time I was happy was when my mother was living and we actually spent time together.

ANow Daimon. This is Ms. Spellbinder. She will show you around the school. Make sure to get to know her. She=s one of a kind.@

Then the bell rang. The boys and girls rushed out the doors. AMs. Spellbinder, stay and wait for Mr. Foster.@

I waited until the students had all filed out of the doors then looked at the boy. He was just barely taller than me with dark brown hair and dark blue eyes. In a way, he was kind of handsome. Of course, I was viewing him from my desk so anything I thought could be absolutely wrong.

I gathered my stuff, wiping away the fire and sending smoke into the air, and, without looking at the new kid, said, ALet=s go.@

AHey! Wait up!@I hurried from the room and went right into the thick of the crowd. I was about halfway

down the hall when I thought of the kid again. I turned and saw him looking confused in the middle of the doorway of the classroom. I walked back and, without leaving the crowd, grabbed his wrist and pulled him next to me. Actually, I pulled him too close because he ended up bumping into me. I hadn=t meant to do that and flushed, looking away.

AYou=re going to get lost if you don=t keep up with me. After today, you=ll get the chance to walk slower with the other student cliques but for now you have to stay close and not get lost. Got it?@

The boy nodded but seemed confused which was weird because I had explained that in the truest sense but I was the strange kid so hardly anyone understood me.

AGreat. Let=s move.@I started walking and this time the boy kept up with me. I muttered to myself as I walked

through the halls. AThe only good that comes from having a new student is that I get to miss all of my worst classes and it=s not even worth it when the next day comes around.@

AWhat was that?@AOkay so the first floor is the main grounds and magic studies. The library takes up

most of the second floor as well as part of the third though you can only enter through the second floor. The fourth floor is potions and interpretation of signs, like leaves and crystal balls. Fifth floor is theB@

AWait!@I turned and looked at him. He was really lost and he hadn=t even tried traveling this

school yet. AWhat is it?@AAm I supposed to write this down or what? Because you=re going so fast I can=t keep

up.@I blew out my cheeks in frustration. ANo. You don=t have to write this down. Once

you join up with one of the cliques you=ll soon find that you know this school backwards and forwards, inside and out. It=s that simple. Now the fifth floorB@

AWhy are you explaining things so fast? Are you trying to get rid of me?@I stared out the window and watched the sky. ABasically. If I tried to get to know you

better, you=d be ridiculed along with me. There is only one tour guide in this school and that=s me. Why is because of my name. Spellbinder.@

AWhat=s that mean anyway? I don=t know anyone with the last name of >spellbinder=.@

AThat=s because it=s not a real name. It=s the name that they give wizard kids that they don=t know the parents of. The only thing that the school knows about me is that my mother was human and so that leaves my father in the unknown. They know he=s magic but they don=t know who he is. Most likely, he=s dead and I=ll be stuck with him forever.@

ASo the school named you >spellbinder= because they didn=t know the last name of your parents?@

ACorrect. Anyway that=s all you=ll get here about me right now. Now the fifth floor is dormitories. Girls have the pink doors and guys have the blue. It=s so original and stupid if you ask me.

AThere are four towers here. East is the owl=s roost. They live up there though they=d like something less drafty in the winter. The north is the study hall. More books are up there and it=s deathly silent inside. Seriously. People have died up there because it=s so quiet they=ve died in their sleep. The south tower is the shop like if your writing utensil breaks or you need more ink or paper. They=ve got it. They=ve even got school t-shirts. Those aren=t so hot though.@

AWhat about the west tower?@I was going to purposely leave out that tower because that=s my hiding place, my secret

hideout just for me. But now that he asked I would have to answer. The other kids hadn=t asked. They=d just left it out. They wanted to get away from me as fast as they could.

AThat=s mainly storage. Old desks, confiscated items, etc. Nothing up there. There=s only one thing up there and it=s the ghost.@

AGhost?@AYes. It=s said that a ghost lives up in the west tower. Kids have gone up there, went

missing for days then just wake up in their beds like nothing had happened except they always go around the stairs up to the west tower. I=d watch it if I were you. Never go up there.@

AWhy not? Ghosts aren=t real.@I slapped my forehead. AAre you crazy!? You probably just jinxed yourself! Saying

those three words could get you killed!@AWhy?@AOne time, this kid said that sentence while passing the staircase of the west tower and

the next day, he had amnesia. He couldn=t remember anything for weeks. He nearly drank some of the potions in class during that time! They had to hospitalize him until the amnesia wore off.@

The boy seemed frightened but skeptical at the same time. So instead of pressing the subject, I went into a more business like tone and turned.

AOkay! So, outside is the track. We have broom races out there every Saturday. Everyone loves the races and it=s always against the other dorms. We also have broom hockey and swipe the bee. That one=s the most popular next to broom races. I have no idea why. The sixth floor is one room and then the roof. The room is the headmaster=s office and then the roof leads to the clock tower. Only the janitor is allowed up there. If anyone else goes, they=d most likely be eaten by the hypogriff, Lolly, who lives at the very top. There are also girl=s and boy=s restrooms on all levels.@

ALolly?@ASay the name and get your head bit off, boy.@AHow does the school keep it=s reputation if there=s so many bad things happening?@AWell, the school tells the parents that they found the culprit, punish them severely, and

they keep their rep. high.@AAnd who is it that=s to blame?@ACan=t you guess?@A...You?@ABingo.@AAnd do you really cause the problems?@ANo.@ASo why do they punish you?@AThe same reason there=s only one tour guide. It=s because my mother was a mortal

and my father is not around.@AThat doesn=t make sense.@AWell, when you=re a >spellbinder= the school doesn=t give you certain rights and

treats you like a criminal. All the teacher=s believe me to be a threat and make it so I can only produce low level spells. If I try to get higher, they tamper with my work and say that I=m a menace to the high paying students whose parents are high-class wizards and witches.@

ABut that=s not fair!@ANothing=s fair in this world, boy.@The bell rang and I knew that class had ended. Time for lunch. Why hadn=t I heard the

starting bell for class though? I hear it right over my head like my brain is attached to it, why didn=t I hear it that time though?

ATime for lunch. Come on. The kitchens are down in the dungeons. Like everything else in the school, there=s a guy side of the room and a girl side. There is always separation except for passing in the halls.@

We entered and there was an explosion of chatter. I cringed at all the sound and turned to get in line. I picked a tray from the pile and grabbed an apple, some milk, and a bowl of rigatoni.

Then, I went and sat at my usual table, tucked away in it=s corner and began drawing pictures. Then someone sat across from me with their tray.

I looked up and it was that boy.ALook kid. I=m sorry to say this but you can=t sit here. This table is on the girl=s side

of the room. You have to sit over there with the guys.@AWhy?@ABecause that=s the school rules! And why are you always questioning?! Normally by

this time of day anyone that I=ve toured around with is sick and tired of being near me and goes to sit with the other students.@

AWell, you=re quite an interesting person, even if you=re trying to rub me off. Besides, where am I supposed to sit in this overcrowded hall of students?@

AGo talk to Laurence. He=ll find a place for you. He always does.@ It was true. This place was over crowded and that even when all the tables are already full I=m the only kid in the school with a table to herself but that was because everyone thought I had some type of disease or something.

AWho=s Laurence?@AHe=s the tall kid who=s got long blonde hair and muscles that are a pain and with all

the girls trying to get close to him without crossing over the line.@Laurence is always the easiest kid to spot in this nut house. You could hear him laughing

on the other side of the world loud and clear. I thought he was a pain and even though all the girls wanted to be close to him and he had his pick of any of them, he pretends that I like him too and makes fun of me. It=s never true so I just ignore him like all the others. In fact, I pretend that he doesn=t exist and that makes him mad, to my satisfaction.

AHe=s very boisterous.@AHm.@AAnd why should I go talk to him? All the seats seem to be exploding from the amount

of people at them and this is a perfectly good table.@AHm, except for fact one it=s on the girl=s side of the room and fact two everyone

thinks it=s like contagious or something to sit near me.@AWhy do you sit by yourself anyway?@ABecause that=s just who I am. No one here likes me and that=s just how I=ve

lived.@AHow long have you lived like that?@AAbout seven years.@AHuh?@AMy mother is no longer living. Wait a minute! Get over to that side or the teachers are

going to come and bust me.@>A Bust you=? I=m the one breaking the rules.@

AYeah but I=m the one with a mortal for a mother. Get out of here before you cause me more trouble.@

ABut why?@AAre you seriously going to make me hate you even more before you even join one of

those groupies?! If you don=t want me to hate you before this day ends I=d suggest that you leave me alone.@

AWhy are you trying to get rid of me?@ABecause I don=t like you! You are a freaking pure-blood! I don=t want anything to

do with you and if you know what=s good for you, you won=t want anything to do with me!@I bolted out of my seat and marched out of the lunch room before the obnoxious boy

could follow me or speak another word. I marched out of the room leaving the boy to sit there thinking. Then before I punched the door out of my way, I heard Laurence call over to the boy and offer him to come over.

I sat in one of the towers that night. The west tower. I waved my finger in the air and left fire trailing right there. I sat in one of the old desks and sighed belatedly.

AI don=t know Tenson. I just wish I could run away from this stupid school and never have to look back.@

Tenson appeared through an old wardrobe. AWatch where you=re waving that thing!@ASorry.@AAnyway Mikia, if you were to leave, who would support my ghost stories? Not even the

witches and wizards of these days believe in ghosts. If you weren=t here to help me out, I would have to move on and it=s so much more fun down here than it is up in the clouds.@

I laughed. ATenson. I=m not doing anything really. Besides, hardly anyone comes up here except the stupid new kids.@

ATell me the names of the kids you know, Mikia.@AWhy?@AJust tell me.@ALaurence and Catalina.@AThat=s all? I thought you said you would get to know the other kids here.@ATenson, I can=t do that. I didn=t say that I would and I really can=t. The school itself

hates me for just being who I am.@AOkay, I=m sorry. Are you still drawing dragons?@AYeah. Dragons are all that I truly like. I have this memory, I think, with this one

dragon in particular but I don=t know how I know it.@AThat=s really something, Mikia. I wish we knew your last name.@AHave you found my dad yet?@ANo. I=ve searched everywhere that is wizard or witch related but nothing has been

brought to light yet. This dad of yours is a jerk if he doesn=t want his own daughter to know his existence.@

I drew spikes along the back ridge of the dragon and then whipped it=s tail in front of it. It was a sleeping dragon and it was the most familiar of positions that I=d imagined the dragon in. I really felt something for this dragon but I couldn=t do anything to help me remember it. I looked at Tenson and asked, ACan I burn this in the wall?@

AGo ahead.@I lifted the picture in the air, walked away from the desk and went to the wall where all

the other fire pictures were burned. It was my collection of drawings. I could draw dragons like there was nothing to be afraid of. But in this prison, the only place that they=re appreciated is right here up in the west tower. I wish I could know someone who would appreciate these drawings just like Tenson did.

But there was no one. My mother was the only one who liked my drawings. I didn=t even know my father as far as I could tell and so that was not accessible, and all my teachers and the students here at the school pretended I was the worst thing possible. They didn=t even try to get to know me.

AI heard through the walls that there=s a new kid here. Do you know him?@I shrugged as I sat back at the desk.AOh, come on sweetheart. You have to know him. You=re the only kid in the school

who gets to first meet the newbies. Come on. Tell me about him.@I fingered the desk making water condensate and leave trails behind. AHe=s about as

tall as me with dark brown hair and dark blue eyes.@Tenson leaned against the desk I was sitting in. Or pretended to seeing as ghosts go

through things. AWhat=s this kid=s name? Is he a >spellbinder=?@ANo. That=s reserved for yours truly. It=s Daimon Foster. And he=s annoying. I=m

just glad that today is over so that he will leave me be.@AHe=s annoying huh? I did hear your voice around lunch time yelling about some kid

being a pure-blood and you hated him. Is that the kid you were talking about?@I continued to play with the water seeping from the desk pores. I really didn=t want to

think about that kid. He was annoying just by him being here. He was an annoying essence in my brain. All I could hear from him right now, even though he wasn=t near here, was >why?=

Well my question was >Why was he haunting me?=Tenson=s face suddenly popped out where my finger was and went right through his

nose. That scared me so bad I jumped in the seat and made it jump with me.AYou like him don=t you?@I held one hand over my heart for a second before I spoke. When I did, I was ticked.

ANo. The question is >why are you haunting me?=@AHuh?@AYou freaking fidedicema ghost. Why if I could punch you I wouldn=t stop there. I

would pummel you into the ground andB@AInstead of reciting how you would cause my second death, how about you tell me more

about this kid, sweetheart.@AI=m not your sweetheart Tenson. I=m your friend. And if you want to see this boy

you=ll have to leave the tower and go have a peek at him cause I don=t know anything else about the brat.@ I returned to my scribbles.

AYou do like him.@I looked up from my water marks. A...What?@AYou don=t complain this much about the people in school. What did he do? Did he

give you a kiss in front of the whole student body?@AAre you high on something? No, he did not kiss me. He was just plain old annoying.

Asking me so many questions. Why can=t I be left alone instead of having darn it all pure-bloods teasing my senses?@

AI was a pure-blood and you don=t have any issues with me.@AThat=s because you=re dead. If you were alive and had so many peers around you,

you would ignore me just like the rest.@AYeah but I=m not and I don=t.@ABecause Lolly got to you. Why did you go out on the clock tower anyway?@AI hated this school so I wanted to perform something that would ruin the reputation and

was planning on jumping. I was about to jump when Lolly got a hold of me and tore me apart. I died after that so I don=t remember much.@

APeachy.@AMikia, it=s getting close to morning. You should go now.@

AFine. I=ll leave.@ I lifted my hand over the water drops and pushed down on the desk. The water went back into the wood. I stood up and walked to the door.

AMikia?@I turned back to Tenson. He ghost-grabbed my chin and kissed me. Or ghost-kissed me.

It was weird. I could but at the same time I couldn=t feel him. It was such a strange sensation. After a bit, he pulled away and smiled at me.

I stood there a moment. AWhere did that come from?@Tenson shrugged.AYou like me don=t you?@AI=ve watched you grow up from when you were first admitted here. I=ve grown to

love you.@I gazed at Tenson sadly. He had fallen in love with me but I was still living. He might

have been fine if I had never stayed up here that first night. There was nothing I could do about it now.

AGoodnight Tenson. See you later.@I didn=t hear him answer as I stepped out the door and marched down the staircase.

Students were filing out of their dorms when I got down. I disappeared into the thickness of the crowd, melding among all as if I was one of them and not an outsider. Everyone hustled down all six flights of stairs going to the kitchens, ready for breakfast. I got in line, picked up some food and scanned the room. There was no point but I did that just so I knew where everyone was. I scanned over the boy section, noting where Laurence was. Over the girl=s heads and pinpointing Catalina quickly. Then I saw something strange, besides my empty table. There was another table that was empty except for one person. It was half on the guy=s side and half on the girl=s side. At it was that boy. He caught me staring and waved. No, not just waving. Waving me over. I ignored the urge to continue to stare and shifted my gaze to my tableB wait. Where was my table?

That=s when I realized. My table was now in the center between the two sections. I felt a twinge of anger then rolled my shoulders and walked on over to the table.

AHey. How are you doing this morning?@I didn=t answer. I didn=t even look at Daimon. He was annoying with all his questions.

I also ignored the urge to punch him in the jaw.ADo you want to sit or are you going to stand there all morning?@I gave the boy a hard look. AWhat is my table doing here?@AWell, I told the teacher that there was so little room in here and nobody should have a

table to themselves and suggested he put it right here.@AThat=s stupid.@AWell not only that but I also said that I still needed help getting around the school and

the guide should help me out.@AYou=re nuts.@I hadn=t sat down yet. I stood there with my tray in my hands and feeling rage towards

this ignorant child.AAre you going to sit or what?@AI=d choose >or what.=@AOh come on. Where are you going to sit? On the floor?@AThat=s a good idea.@

I turned around and headed back to my corner. I put my food on the floor and sat down. Without looking, I grabbed an apple off my tray and pushed my finger in the air. Fire raged around my finger. I pulled down like I was writing on a desk and drew a face. A dragon face.

There was a scuffling next to me as someone sat down. I looked up and stared. AWhat are you doing?@

AI=m sitting with you whether you like it or not.@AGo away.@ANo. I want to know what your deal is. Why are you always pushing others away from

you?@ABecause when I let those >others= in, sooner or later they=ll push me away. What=s

it mean to you, stinky-face? You should be hanging out with your new buddies over there. You=re ruining your image by hanging around me.@

AWhat image? I just got here.@AEveryone holds a high place for pure-bloods. Especially the kids with parents who are

very high-class and rich. And I=m like just above dirt here. Nobody here likes the magician with only one parent as the magic wielder. You=re ruining your image by continuing to sit by me and in the girl=s section nonetheless.@

ALike I care.@AWhat?@AI don=t care what everyone thinks. Let them think whatever they will. If they even

dare judge me, all I have to do is talk with my parents.@AListen to me, boy. I don=t want you over here. Now, you go back to that table or I

will use a spell that I=m not allowed to use and put you back there and you won=t be able to come back over here until the next meal.@

AAre you going to eat?@I glanced down at my tray of untouched food. AWhy?@ABecause you didn=t eat anything yesterday and your body needs food to survive. Or

are you anorexic?@AI eat when no one bothers me.@AYou should stop drawing and eat something.@AI=m not hungry.@AWhat are you drawing anyway?@I swiped my hand across the image and caused smoke to rise from the air. I wasn=t

going to let this boy see my fire.AYou were drawing with fire?@AYes. I sculpt with water and paint with earth too but I don=t see how that=s

relevant.@ARelevance doesn=t matter when you can create such fantastic works of arts with the

elements. Can you do anything with air?@ANo. I can solidify it and make it look like I=m floating but really, since you can=t

actually see air, you can=t do anything with it.@AWhy don=t youB@AI=m done. Goodbye.@I stood up and made to walk away but something grabbed my arms and pulled me back

down to the floor with a thud.AYou need to eat something. You won=t last long if you don=t.@

AWhat did you just do?@AI used a spell to make your arms weigh more and therefore keep you in one place.@I glared at the boy. AWhat are youB@I got a spoonful of eggs shoved right into my mouth.ANow eat.@Daimon removed the spoon from my mouth and reached over to his tray and picked up

another spoonful. I glanced behind him and saw the other kids in the room looking over at us. Catalina looked like she might either strangle a cat or laugh. Laurence and his group were just laughing excessively. Apparently they liked to watch kids being force fed. The bullies.

What was disgusting was this was Daimon=s food. I wasn=t going to eat off of some other kid=s tray that he=s already eaten off of. No that was unacceptable, not to mention revolting and unhygienic.

I imagined the air solidifying around me, seeing as I couldn=t form it with my hands, and felt the molecules become more compacted. Daimon turned back to me and the spoon hit the solid air. He reached up and knocked on it like it were glass. AOpen up. You have to eat.@

I shook my head with a smug look on my face. ALet=s see how long your magic will hold out boy.@

I won out. His magic wristbands only worked for about five more minutes. I stood up and walked from the room. Once out the doors, I dropped my protective shield and rolled my shoulders. Then continued on to class. I reached into the air and pulled out my class stuff. I slung my bag over my shoulder and suddenly was jerked to a stop.

I glanced behind me. It was Daimon and he didn=t seem all that happy. AWhy are you such a pain?@

AWhy do you insist on having an escort show you every corner of the school?@AWhy are you being so crabby?@AI because I don=t like you. Now go away.@ANo. I want to know what your problem is.@AMy problem is you. Go away and leave me alone!@ANo. What=s your name?@ANot telling.@AWhy not?@ABecause I don=t like you.@AWhy don=t you like me?@ABecause you=re annoying.@AWhy am I annoying?@ABecause you keep asking me questions that are repetitive and leave me frustrated.@AWhy are you frustrated?@ABecause I don=t like you.@ AWhat class do you have?@AThe same as everybody else. We have potions first.@AAnd where=s that again?@AOn the fourth floor.@AHow did you pull your stuff out of the air like that?@ASomething I learned from my dad maybe. I don=t know.@AWho=s your dad?@

AHeck like I know. He left his only daughter to a sickly mother then split and never bothered to send a postcard. I don=t care if he even dies.@

ADoes that mean you really do care?@ANo. That means I think he can just go rot in Michigan! He=s a stupid man for leaving

his child to fend for herself in this nut house!@AWhy are you here if you don=t like it here? Why don=t you ask your parent to switch

you schools?@ABecause my mother is dead, Mr. Sensitive! Get lost!@AI probably will if you don=t show me around the school.@APerfect. Goodbye.@AHold it.@He grabbed my arm and I was forced to stay at my present speed. My anger was hiking

up to a new level and I was losing control. Almost.AWhy are you trying to lose me so bad?@ABecause I don=t like you! Get off me before I get blasted from behind by your new fan

club!@>A Fan club=? What >fan club=?@

ANever mind. You=ll learn about it sooner or later.@AYou=re going to class, aren=t you?@AN-o. I=m going to skip class and play in the woods with the banshees and vampires.

Of course, I=m going to class, you ninny!@AYou=re very rude.@AAnd you=re very annoying and ruder! Get off me!@I scraped at his hand, trying to peel it off. It was like I had an ugly growth on my arm

that wouldn=t come off.I saw the door to the classroom and opened it but only enough to let me through. The

boy released my arm before he ran into the door then forced the door open before it closed. By then I had grabbed my usual seat and sat down. I felt proud of myself. I had rid myself of an annoying problem for the moment. But the peace wouldn=t last. Daimon pulled out the seat next to me and sat down.

I argued with him that he should sit on the other side of the room with the boys but he refused to move his dearie rear. He actually ignored all of my complaints. Then finally, class started and I came up with a plan.

I was mixing potions and then Aaccidently@ knocked some other potion into the mix. It started to bubble and froth and become quite a mess. One of the other students called that to the teacher=s attention.

AMs. Spellbinder. How could you mess up such a simple brew?@I shrugged and a small smile crept onto my face.AYou are getting three weeks detention for that. Now we=re going to move on class.@The teacher went on to the next step for the class. Hurray to being a >spellbinder=! I

flashed a smug smile to Daimon then began drawing pictures above my desk. Daimon realized that I had done that on purpose (moi?) and tried to mimic me. Well, what he didn=t know is that I was the only one who was ever punished.

Daimon made the Amistake@ and so the teacher walked over to us once again. I think Daimon believed that he would get in trouble like me. I just rolled my eyes and shook my head.

AOh Mr. Foster, are you having trouble? Well, don=t worry. Just meet me after class and I=ll show you the proper way to make this potion.@

Daimon was open-mouthed and very disappointed.I was walking to the next class when Daimon caught up to me. AWhat=s wrong with

that teacher? He was supposed to give me detention like you.@ALike I said, pure-bloods are held highly here. Being who I am, everything that I do

wrong, I could possibly get detention. More often than not, I do.@AThat=s not right. What do you have to do to get detention in this school?!@APure-bloods never get detention. You couldn=t get detention no matter how hard you

try.@AHow come?@ABecause pure-bloods are like the angels. You could probably get away with murder and

still not get in trouble. Not that I recommend murder or death of any kind.@ADo you know someone who=s died?@AThat=s a stupid question.@I refused to answer him after that. I ignored him and just drew pictures in the air. I

managed to forget the pain for a few weeks. After awhile, he got the message and stopped bothering me. I finally got to be alone in my own world. One day, during broom practice races, I stood by one wall spelling magic characters on the wall with fire when something flew into the back of my head.

I rubbed the back of my head and pushed off of the wall. I guessed who it was that hit me and immediately, I pretended that nothing happened.

AHey Spellbinder. What=s up?@It was Laurence. >Ignore= mode on.AAre you going to come flying?@Ignore.AOh wait! You can=t fly. You=re not allowed to.@I messed up with my fire words and wiped my hand over it to start over. I was doing a

great job of ignoring him.ALaurence, why are you teasing her? She didn=t do anything to you.@Now that voice was way too familiar. My shoulders tensed and I had to work to keep up

my relaxed, disregarding pose. It was not easy.AOh, didn=t you know, Daimon? She likes me. Everyone in school knows this.@I rolled my eyes and shook my head an insignificant amount. Nothing that anyone could

see. I drew a picture of Laurence over the wall with a flaming rock falling on his head while he was on his broom. I really disliked these people.

AHey Spellbinder, let=s have a race.@ALaurence, leave her alone.@AWhy? She=s never even gotten onto a broom. I bet she can=t even fly.@Then the rock that had flown into me, flew right at Laurence=s nose, breaking it.AYou know what Laurence?@ I turned around slowly and glared at Laurence=s fallen

figure, laying on the ground holding his broken nose. AI really hate you. I hate you, I hate this school, I hate every brick and pebble that is in this school. If I could go anywhere, that=s what I=d do because as long as I got away from this crack pot school, I=d feel like I could finally have a life.@ The small rocks on the ground were rising as I walked towards Laurence. He looked really scared as he watched my murderous look. AAnd do you know what would be the

best part about leaving? I wouldn=t have to see your stupid face or hear that obnoxious laugh ever again in my life! That would be the best thing to ever happen to me!@

ASpellbinder! Wait!@AShut up, Foster! I don=t want to hear anything that you have to say. I won=t kill this

kid because technically I can=t but if he so much as breathes a word to me when I=m near him, he=s going to feel a million pins in his backside.@

I turned and stalked off of the school grounds. I walked towards the school until I couldn=t see the race track then I ran off to the woods. I didn=t want anyone to bother me and I didn=t want to be seen either. I ran to the middle of the forest and plopped down right next to the stream. I was breathing hard after running for about two miles so I just sucked in the air, smelling the moist, cool wind.

I really had gone too far that time. But what could I do? Most of the time, everyone ignored me and I repeated the gesture. But nobody had thrown rocks at me before. I didn=t want them to acknowledge my existence, I wanted to be left alone. So when Athat kid@, had thrown the rock at me, that was technically the end for him. Really, it wasn=t my fault I was...acting in self defense! No. I was just tired of it all. Those things that I had said to Athat boy@ were true. If I had the chance, I would ride into the light and never return to this accursed school.

I ran my fingers lightly over the water. Though my fingers were in the water, it didn=t run around them and away. Instead, it climbed onto my arm and up to my skull. It washed over the bump on my head. That=s when I realized that it hurt. The minute I understood that I was in pain was the moment the pain was washed away. The bump on my head receded and I felt better immediately.

A...Thanks for the nice powers, dad,@ I whispered to the clouds. AWish you were here so I wouldn=t have to deal with all this hooey. Because not knowing who you are is a big pain in the tartarus.@

The clouds didn=t speak back to me. I felt this hole in my heart when no reply came and sighed. I stood up and brushed the dirt off my uniform. Then a twig snapped. I whipped around and threw handfuls of water daggers into the trees. There were yelps and plenty of thunks and splashes but none of my shots had made contact. I frowned into the trees. I didn=t like being played with, everyone in school refused to acknowledge this but they know what would happen to them if they Aplayed@ with me.

ACome out, you freak. I don=t like people that are watching me. Well, I don=t like people in general but get out here.@

AHow rude. You can=t call someone you=ve never met a freak.@ A teen=s face and bare torso appeared out of the bushes. AEven though what you may have said is true.@

Then the rest of his body came out and I realized what it was. My eyes widened as I stared at a centaur. And a young one at that. He had red brown hair and hazel eyes. His horse end was the same color as his hair but with ancient writing written in white on his back leg. I couldn=t read what it said from where I was though. All in all he was a really good looking animal/human.

I composed myself as quickly as I could and glared at him with hard eyes. AWhat do you want?@

He smiled ever so sweetly at me. I blushed and glanced to the side. He was messing with me. I never blushed or any of that junk. Except for that first time with the new kid but that never happened in my mind.

AWell, I was out on patrol when I saw you run in here from the way of the school. I just want to know who you are. Of course, the way you handled the water not to long ago kind of gives me a suspicion.@

I squinted at him. ADoes ASpellbinder@ mean something to you?@He thought for a second then returned his attention to me. AWhich definition? That

stupid school=s one or the world=s?@AThere=s two definitions?@AOkay then the school=s. You=re mother is a mortal and you have no idea who your

father is, correct? Meaning, you have absolutely no idea of your back ground and don=t know your inherited last name.@

I stared at him. I was trying to understand how in the world he knew that information that the school tried so hard to hide. Unless they weren=t trying to hide it at all. A...How exactly do you know all that?@

AYou=re quite famous here on campus. In the outside world, there=s really only one family that knows about your existence and that=s the Foster family. What brings you, Ms. Spellbinder, to these parts of the woods?@

I stared at him then turned around and sat cross-legged on the ground facing the stream. AI=m in trouble right now. I didn=t want to go into the school so I=m here so I can be alone.@

ACould it be something that happened in the flying class?@I glanced over my shoulder. AYeah.@ Then I began muttering to myself. AStupid

freaking boy. I hate his guts. I wish he could go die in a hole.@AAnd who is this boy?@I leaned back on my hands and looked over my shoulder for a moment. AI think I might

have put a curse on him so unless he speaks to me, I should refrain from speaking his name. That and I might just turn around and go kill him anyway. He=s the worst jerk in this world. He even exceeds my father and I don=t even know him.@

I pointed a finger at the water and a ball of it flew into the air. I waved my finger and it changed shapes, not staying in one long enough to get a picture of the shape. It was people. It would switch to people I knew; my mother, the centaur (though I didn=t know his name), the demented Foster boy (why did his family know about me?), the dragon that I had practically memorized; then there was a different shape. A middle-age man that I didn=t recognize from anywhere.

I made the water freeze where it was and got a closer look at the figurine. It was a man with a strange mark that circled his entire right eye. Strange, the images would be of some random man. I let go of my hold of the water and it fell back into the stream.

AYou are quite good at shaping the water.@ Centaur kid came and sat with me. He knelt right beside me. AI suppose you are well-trained with earth, fire, and air also?@

AWell-trained? I=m sorry, horsey. Nobody=s trained me in anything. I=ve taught myself how to do all this. If that stupid father of mine were here, after I beat him to death, I would tell him all about this dirty, rotten, no-good school and we=d run off to someplace where I could never think about this horrid place again.@

AThat=s quite a dream.@AOne that will never come true because my father is a lousy, no-good jerk who won=t

even check-up on his daughter!@We sat there on the edge of the brook when I heard some rustling. I turned to the centaur.

AYou have friends here, don=t ya?@He nodded and smiled. AWe were all on patrol duty. Our shift was just ending when

you darted past us. We decided we should follow you.@AGreat. I absolutely love that. The minute I escape to be alone, someone always

appears. Why can=t I just be left to myself?@AYou might attempt at something unsafe. You must have someone to watch you.@AAnd you are attempting to become my guardian? I don=t need a babysitter. I=d rather

be alone.@At first, horsey didn=t say anything. Then he stood up. AAs you wish, Ms.

Spellbinder.@He clopped towards the trees. I didn=t turn around but I called to him. AHey.@ The

clopping stopped. AWhat=s your name?@ANathaniel.@AAnd your friends?@ASandra and Colec. And what about you, Ms. Spellbinder?@I paused before answering. AMikia.@AMs. Mikia. We=ll be anticipating your next visit. Come around any time.@With that, he left and I stayed by the stream for awhile longer.

I did go back to the forest. I was beginning to have fun there. When I went to visit, and Nathaniel, Sandra, and Colec were done with patrol, we would play with bouncy mud balls that I would pull up from the ground. They would kick them with their hooves or their hands and I would practice my magic on them without destroying them every single time.

It was so much fun having friends. They don=t treat you like garbage. They smile and laugh with you and make sure you=re having a good time. We had lots of laughs together. I couldn=t contain my laughter I was having such a marvelous time. I didn=t realize that I had a laugh. It had been so long since I had enjoyed myself. That=s when I realized that the school body was a real killjoy.

I would be feeling magnificent when I went to the school. A lot of the time the teachers would stop me in the halls and ask what was so funny. I would turn to them with my old, depressed, I-don=t-care-who-you-are-and-I-don=t-like-you look and say AWhat?@ They=d look at me for a minute then turn and walk away.

One day, I went into the forest and found my new friends freaking out! Nathaniel, Sandra, and Colec, not to mention a lot of other centaurs, were racing to the stream and filling buckets with water then running deeper into the woods.

ANathaniel, what=s going on?@AWe don=t have time to play today, Mikia. Our camp is in flames! We believe a

dragon was the cause but there haven=t been any dragons in these woods for decades.@AIs there anyway that I could help?@AI doubt so. These are strong flames. We are having a hard time controlling them

ourselves.@APlease, let me try.@Nathaniel looked down at my sincere face then glanced behind him. No one was

watching except Sandra and Colec who were forced to hand the elders water buckets. AAlright let=s hurry. I don=t think the elders would mind if they don=t know anything. Take my hand.@

I grabbed Nathaniel=s hand and he swung me onto his back.AHold on.@I wrapped my arms around his waist just as he took off. It was incredible the speed he

was able to pick up. The trees blurred past and I couldn=t orient myself as to where we were going. It made me feel slightly nauseous as I tried to watch trees pass. I had to bury my face into his back to keep from looking at the whirring forest. Finally, Nathaniel slowed down. I looked up and what I saw was incredible.

There were trees everywhere like in a normal forest but the trees had ramps spiraling up into the branches and down into the ground. The base of every tree was an entrance to a home or something. But the base of every tree was also enveloped in flames flickering higher and higher. It was a horrific sight to behold.

I slid off Nathaniel=s back and stared in wonder and horror. The fires were already out of control. I didn=t know what I could do but I took a deep breath and thought for a solution.

AWhat are you going to do, Mikia?@AI don=t know. It would be really dangerous to use earth or water in this situation. The

water would kill the trees from having it taken from them and I don=t know how much damage using earth would do.@

AWhat about air?@AAir would fuel it. No, what we really need is to put the fire into a place where it

wouldn=t do any harm and burn out.@I smiled. There was such a place. I ripped a small hole leading out into space and left it

open. It couldn=t be too big or else the force of space would suck everything into it.I took a deep breath, planted my feet firmly into the ground and waved my hand in front

of the flames. It bent with my hand. I clutched my hand into a fist and pulled back. It made like a rod or rope shape and came towards me.

AYou might want to step back,@ I called over my shoulder to Nathaniel.I clutched my other hand in a fist in front of the first and pulled back. The flames came

closer. I continued to pull and soon the flames were close enough that I could feed them into the rip I had created. I fed enough into it that space was pulling the flames into it on its own. I funneled the flames into the hole until all the flames had been sucked into deep space.

I sealed the rip and then fell backwards, exhausted from using so much energy. I could feel an arm under me and saw Nathaniel above me. I smiled as I breathed hard. AI...did it.@

AYes you did. Sleep well, Mikia.@I kept smiling and let my eyes close, going deep into unconsciousness.

I woke up on something soft. I sat up and shook my head. The scent of burnt wood filled my nose. I couldn=t really remember anything, though it was probably important. It was dark. I couldn=t understand where I was. Then I heard voices, three of which were Nathaniel, Sandra, and Colec. The other voices were older and deeper than my friends. I could understand them to be adults, maybe the >elders= that Nathaniel had spoken about. That=s what had happened! The centaur=s camp was on fire and I wanted to help. I quenched the fire and blacked out. Wow. Rough night.

AYou can=t hide her from us forever. How could you three be seeing the dragon-tamer=s daughter?! He is an outlaw! Do you realize how dangerous she is?!@ It was an older male voice. Deep baritone. I could only wonder who it might be.

ADo you realize, sir, that she just saved our entire camp?@ Nathaniel asked.

AWhat of her father? Do you not wonder what a danger he is?!@ asked the first voice. He must be very ticked because his voice was hiking a couple octaves.

AShe is not her father, sir. She is another human child. One who is alone because of that self same father. He probably meant well but she doesn=t even know him. She can=t be a person who she doesn=t even know. Besides, what did he really do? He=s being hunted for what reason? No one even knows! How could she ever be a threat to us or anyone?!@

It was quiet. I listened for some time. I couldn=t comprehend what they were talking about. It was about me. The elders weren=t happy with me and they obviously didn=t like my father. Did they not like me because of who my father is? That=s demented and idiotic and who even thinks like that anymore?!

I was ticked off again and now I had even more resentment towards the father I never knew. The day we met was going to be a painful time for him.

When I decided to leave the woods for the school again, it was still late evening. I didn=t need to sneak because there was no one around, not even a watch dog or whatever. The school was not tight on security. If they wanted to be they could but they just weren=t. Like there was a true enemy to wizards anyhow. As far as I knew, I hadn=t even heard of a giant threat to wizards or witches.

I walked up the five flights of steps, past the doors to the dorms and up the staircase to the west tower. I walked the one hundred and fifty-seven steps to the top and came up to the wooden door that led into the circular, expansive room of the west tower. I pushed on the door and walked in.

AHey ghosty, I=m here.@AMikia! Yeah you=re here!@AYeah I just said that. I had to stay in the forest for awhile today but I=m great now.@AWhere were you for these past weeks?@I sat down at the only desk that wasn=t rickety and started doodling in the air.

ADetention.@AFor what?@AThat new kid was bothering me so I got rid of him by getting the teacher to give me

detention and ignoring him.@AShouldn=t you have ignored him first?@ABut then his questions would have bothered me until I answered and I wouldn=t be

able to stand that.@AWhy were you in the forest?@ALaurence threw a rock at my head and was making fun of me. I threw that rock back at

him and then threatened that if he so much as batted an eye at me, I would put a curse on him. That was the gist of it anyway.@

AWhy would you do that?@ABecause he=s a royal pain! I=m sick of hearing all his teasing and his loathsome

laugh every time I walk around a corner.@AWhat happened after that?@AI ran and hid in the woods near that brook. I met a centaur. He was cool and pretty

cute. I mean, for being part horse part human.@A...What=s the horse=s name?@I was pretty sure that Tenson was jealous and I voiced that opinion.

AMe!! Of course not! I just want to know the people that get to know my special friend, Mikia.@

He was jealous. He was forcing a smile and it didn=t look at all real. AOf course, Tenson. His name was Nathaniel. Anyway, he was nice. He just wanted to know why some human was running around in the woods right then.@

AWell, as long as he was being good to you.@AThere won=t be any trouble, Tenson. Did you know that there was another definition

to the name >Spellbinder=?@AThere is?@AApparently. I=ll probably go look that up later during my study hour but for now I=m

staying here.@Tenson wasn=t paying attention. He was looking at the door to the stairs strangely. He

glided towards it then shot into the ceiling. It was quiet a minute then there was a >boo=, an >ahh!=, and the door opened, a boy falling into the room. A boy fell into theB wait a second!

The boy sat up and rubbed the back of his head. He was wearing pj=s like he had just waltzed out of bed. Then he glanced behind him at me. I was standing and the fire that I had pulled from the netherworld or whatever was now forming flaming daggers behind me. I knew immediately who this kid was. I wasn=t going to say his name though. It was going to cause me to lose my control altogether.

AYou! What are you doing here?@I could feel my shoulder length hair rising from the amount of energy that was suddenly

coursing through me.AUm, I was coming from the restrooms when I saw you walking towards the west tower

stairs. You weren=t in your pajamas so you couldn=t have been in your room and I wondered why you were coming up here when it was so dangerous.@

AWho said it was dangerous?@AYou did on the first day that I came here.@ANo I didn=t.@AYes you did. It says so at the bottom of page four and the top of page five.@ANo I didn=t. I just told you stories about this tower. I didn=t say it was dangerous.@ABut that was what you were implying.@ANo. I was implying that you should leave this place alone.@AAnd why were you implying that?@AI don=t want to tell you, Mr. Stinky Face. Now go away.@AMikia. Is this the new kid?@AYeah this is the new kid.@AWhat=s his name again?@ADo you want him to die?! If you haven=t noticed, I=m ready to shoot some flaming

darts at this direct moment. If you want him to live, I suggest you ask him.@ABut he=s too scared to listen to me.@ Tenson floated over and stood in front of me.

He gave me this puppy-dog face. APlease tell me.@A vein popped on my temple. AYou fidedicemaB I=ll kill you! You freakin= ghost! I

hate it when you pull those stupid faces!@AMikia, you forgot one thing. I=m already dead.@AI=ll kill you again. I=ll send your ghost out with Lolly. I bet she=d love to have an

infinite chew toy.@

Tenson sighed. AMikia. Lolly can=t use me as a chew toy. You realized this when you first met me. I=m a ghost and you can=t hurt me.@

AWell, I=ll make you evaporate then. I hate it when you try to get answers out of me using that stupid face!@

AThen just ask me not to use the face.@AOh yeah. Like that would really work.@The ghost and I stared at each other for a couple minutes. He looked at me with a face

that said just try it and I stared at him skeptically. That went on for a couple of minutes then I rolled my eyes and sighed. AFine. Please don=t use the face.@

AOkay.@He turned away from me and bobbed over to Daimon and all I could think was that was

way too easy.ASo boy, what=s your name? I know that Mikia has told me but as you can see there=s

nothing in my head.@I rolled my eyes again. That was the lamest joke that Tenson had ever told as far as I

could remember. Then I realized something. He had spoken my real name to this pure-blood. I stared into Tenson=s back with a mixture of shock and murder. He was so dag-nab annoying and the worst part was he didn=t get when to shut up.

AUm, Daimon. Daimon Foster.@Tenson ghost-grabbed Daimon=s hand and shook it. AWell, it=s good to meet you

Daimon. Mikia never brings the newbies up here. They always come when the two of us want to talk and I have to erase their memory.@

ATenson. Shut up. I didn=t bring him up here and you know that. Now just get rid of him.@

I turned and walked back to my desk. The fire from the air had been dispelled at one point and I touched the cool wood of the desk. I pulled at the moisture in the desk and played with it at the surface.

AMikia.@ Tenson placed his hands on either one of my shoulders. I felt a chill run down my spine at his touch. AI don=t want to do it to this kid. He=s nice. Anyway, he=s knows your name now right.@

AThat=s because of you, jerk. Fine. I don=t care. Let everyone find out. We=ll just see how you=ll feel when I can=t come visit you anymore because the teachers put a spell on my door to prevent me from seeing my friend.@

AMikia?@I glanced behind me. It was that boy. Daimon. He had gotten to one knee now and was

looking at me curiously.AOh goodie. She knows her name! Yeah!@I jerked my hand back into Tenson=s face and succeeded in hitting him. It hurt him

because he wasn=t expecting it and didn=t have time to turn ghost yet.AYour name is Mikia?@I looked down on the boy with no emotion. AYeah. And your name is Daimon. What

do you want?@Daimon just stared disbelievingly into my face. I couldn=t stand his stare for too long

and turned away making my water ball float with me. I stood and stared out the window at the cloudless night, stretching and squishing my sphere of water into shapes that were familiar to me. I knew when I had created that unfamiliar man again and made the water freeze. All the

while, staring out aimlessly at the sky.At first, nothing happened in the room. Then there were footsteps and the pure-blood

was standing next to me. I had my head resting on my hand on the window while my ice sculpture of that man was frozen in my fingers.

A...Your name is Mikia.@AWe=ve discussed this already.@ABut that doesn=t change who you are.@AAnd that doesn=t change the fact that you keep repeating a sentence you know the

answer to. Go bother someone else.@AHow old are you?@AWhat difference does it make? You=re a pure-blood, I don=t like you, and you still

continue to ask questions.@AHow old?@I blew at a strand of hair that was in my face. A...I don=t know. Fourteen?@He placed his hand on my cheek and turned it to face him. AWow. I=ve heard so much

about you.@I stared at this kid then turned and faced Tenson. He just shrugged. I blinked a couple

times then lifted one arm and brushed his hand away from my face. AOkay. That=s totally not freaky. Stupid pure-bloods. Listen. If you got your brain damaged when you fell through that door, you might want to go see the nurse.@

He grabbed my shoulders and I was so scared that I almost dropped my statue. I looked into his eyes and thought for a minute that he was on something.

AThat man was right about you.@AHuh? What man?@Daimon lifted my arm with the ice in it and gazed deeply into my eyes which sent my

barrier up to the top of its protection lock. ADo you know who this man is?@I stared at Daimon, then the ice, and back to Daimon again and shook my head quickly

with a get-off-me-freaky-person smile.AThat man is Raphael Spellbinder. He is the most famous wizard in our history. He can

control and use to his advantage all of the elements. He favors fire the most, even tamed a dragon. The reason this school uses his name to name unknown children is because he was an orphan and didn=t have a last name of his own. He created his last name.@

I stared at him. I had a feeling that I knew what he was getting at but tried to ignore it. ARight and I=m from >Suessical the Musical=. What=s that got to do with me?@

AYou may be his daughter. I can=t believe that I didn=t realize this before.@A...It was probably better that you didn=t. Anyway, how could I be this man=s daughter

and how do you know all this information?@AMy parents and I were met by this man once long ago when I was young. It was about

twelve years ago. I was only four.@Four? He was sixteen? Wow. I never bothered with information of any sort. That

would probably explain why I didn=t know this. But that would mean I was two at the time. Fidedicema to all ages of any sort!

AI lived in America at the time. My parents found him stumbling on the streets. Turns out, he hadn=t slept for weeks. We helped him out and the adults chatted for a time. At one point, he pulled out a picture. It had him and this woman that were smiling down at this young baby. He talked about them for awhile but you could tell he was sad.

AThen he said to my parents, >This is my daughter, Mikia. She was young when I had to go. She=ll be two soon. She won=t ever really know me unfortunately. Her mother=s human and the two of them will live a hard life. I can=t risk going back to them though. It=s too dangerous for me to return for even a birthday.=

AMy parents asked why he couldn=t go and just see his girl and he replied, >I=m being hunted for something in that country. If I go back to visit, I=ll be taken and thrown away and they=ll be ridiculed even more.=@

A...So you=re saying that my Adad@, if that=s who he is, didn=t ever come support me and my mom because he was being hunted?@

AI don=t know but that=s what he told my parents. He also told them that if they were ever to meet you to make sure that you were well cared for and tell you that he=ll be in touch with you as soon as he can.@

I glared at this kid then brushed him off. AThat is the most ridiculous story I=ve ever heard. Even if what you say is true, he just lied to you. I have never heard from him or even heard the background story to the reason of the name >spellbinder.=@

AHe said he=d be in touch as soon as he could. That could be at any time.@AThat=s right. And >any time= could also mean never because >never= is a time too.

He just hustled you guys into doing this. That guy is a jerk and I will never ever meet him in my life.@

I stalked past Daimon, through Tenson as he tried to stop me, and out the door going down to the dining hall in the dungeons.

I was dag-nab ticked off. If that man really was my father, he had a lot of nerve sending some poor family after me. I was really wanting to kick his butt or anyone=s at that very second. Fortunately for everyone else, I couldn=t hear or see anything because of my anger. I was so mad that I wanted to send something into the sky.

I didn=t want to see any of my friends lately. For once, I actually went to bed in the dormitories. For obvious reasons, I didn=t normally go to sleep in there but tonight I didn=t want to be bothered by the people that I couldn=t ignore easily so this was the only place I could do it. In bed.

I fell asleep and dreamed of a man. The same man that I kept forming out of water. The man that was supposedly my father. The thing that made me even more upset was the fact that we really did look alike. Hair, eyes, and he was messing with fire. We stood in a bright white area. I couldn=t tell if it was a room or if I was dead.

Maybe I had ran into something and so my spirit had left my body behind and I had gotten into bed as a dead person. Man, I guess Tenson would get a kick out of that.

AYou=re not dead.@I focused on the man=s face.AWhat?@AYou=re not dead Mikia. And thankfully. I don=t like to think what that ghost friend

of yours would do to you.@A...How do you know Tenson?@AI=ve passed by him a few times. He=s never caught me though. He=s either very

closed-minded or just an ignoramus.@A...Are you Raphael Spellbinder?@AHow many other people do you know with the name >Spellbinder?=@

AWhat do you want jerk?@The man closed his eyes and smiled. AIsn=t that a bit harsh for your father?@AOh so now you=re accepting me as your child. It=s just that you have, you know,

never been around to talk to. How can I be sure that you=re my real dad? I mean there=s no physical evidence towards your case.@

AOi. You=re more like me than one could have thought. Here let me tell you about the birds and the bees.@

The color drained from my face. ANo! Don=t you even dare!@He took a breath to begin and I turned and covered my ears, screaming. Unfortunately, I

heard his talk all the way through. I don=t know how I did but I did. When it was over, I turned around slowly to face him, tears stinging my eyes.

AYou=re cruel, old man. Do you expect a fourteen year old to be ready to learn about how to create life?@

He smiled mercilessly at me. AHow else was I going to prove to you that I was your father?@

AHow about I just hit you?@AMm, maybe later. When you find me.@That struck me as odd. AFind you? You=re right here.@ANo this is an image of me being projected into your subconsciousness. I=ve been

trying to get a hold of you for awhile but you were never asleep. Do you ever sleep, child?@I shook my head. ANot normally.@He hung his head and sighed. AYou need to be more aware of your surroundings and

especially the subconscious ones.@AI don=t want to hear this from you, ya old fart. Either state your business or be gone

because I might be talking in my sleep right now.@AYou=re not.@AGreat. I feel so confident now. Why exactly are you here old man? Unless you plan to

make my life harder?@He gave me a sad smile this time. ANo. Hopefully you won=t have to come back to this

hole that I unfortunately led you into. I=m here to ask you to come and save me Mikia then we can go and live together. Or you can kill me if that works better for you.@

I felt my eye twitch as I stared without blinking at my father. ADid I just get permission to kill you?@

AYou did but only when you come and help me Mikia.@AHow do you expect me to help? I=ve never even heard of you up until just a couple

days ago. Where am I suppose to even start?@AStart by going to my home.@AWhat?@AGo to my hideout then you will be able to travel to find me.@AWhy can=t your hideout go get you itself?@ABecause it needs fire to fuel it and Chitsi is asleep.@AChitsi?@AYou only met her once before I disappeared. She=s mostly asleep and doesn=t wake

up unless the one who tamed her is near. Or the offspring to the tamer.@AYou talking about me?@ AYes. Chitsi really liked you but I had to leave fairly quickly. I=m sorry about that.@

...AActually, I=m sorry that you had to be stuck in this mouse hole. I hated it here too.@...A...You=re not going to answer me anymore, are you?@A...Dot, dot, dot.@My father looked at me weird, just like I was looking at him strangely, then shrugged.

AAnyway, come find my old hide out and come get me. You=ll know how to get there. See you later, Mikia.@

A......Okay.@Then the dream ended. I could feel someone shaking me. My eyes focused slowly and

as they did I could see a blurred male standing over me. I tensed because I thought it was my dad but then I realized it wasn=t him and relaxed. I tensed once again once I registered who the male was that was shaking me though.

AWhat the crap are you doing in here, Daimon?! This is the girl=s dormitory!@AYou haven=t gone to class yet and it=s already noon. Study hour is next. I came to

wake you up.@AWhat? Noon? No it isnB@That=s when I thought of something. I remembered from class that dream imaging

could take decades as long as the person who sent the image was still living. I sat up and laughed quietly to myself which became more and more boisterous.

AUm, Mikia?@I slammed my fist into the wall behind me, impacting it at great velocity and leaving a

crater. AI=m going to kill that father of mine! He just made me sleep for fifteen hours!@AYou have issues with your father don=t you?@ANo. He=s just as lovable as a grizzly bear. And he=s going to be a very dead grizzly

bear when I find him.@AFind him? Are you going somewhere?@It was a quiet for a second. ANo. I=m staying here in this rat trap of a school. As much

as I would like to go out into the world and ignore this horror movie forever, I will stay.@ABut it sounded as if you were leaving.@AWhere am I going?@AYou=re leaving the school.@AI am?! Splendid. Oh wait, I can=t I have to stay here and finish my horrid

education.@ABut you said you were going to find your dad.@ANo, I=m not. Who would want to find him?@AYou have your reasons.@AI do?! Hm. No I don=t.@AYou don=t have your reasons?@AReasons for what?@I smiled expectantly waiting for him to answer. He looked at me like I was crazy.

Daimon turned towards the door, not wishing to play my >fool=s game= any longer. Of course, I found it amusing to see the frustration that formed in my opponent=s eyes.

As he left, my smile faded and I became serious once again. Study hour would be a perfect time to study up on that stupid hideout of my father=s. I quickly got changed and ran for the library.

I looked up Raphael Spellbinder in the entire library and only found one measly little book on him. It talked about his life, growing up abandoned by the world, he found no one to comfort him so he worked to control magic on his own so that he would learn to be happy. The principal to this school found him on the street one day, firing graffiti into the walls of a building. He was about sixteen then. The principal saw his potential and tried to talk to him but Raphael was very obnoxious and refused to let the principal near him. The principal, at a distance, called to Raphael saying that he was setting up a picnic in the park if he wished to join him.

My father, having not eaten in a couple days went but warily. The principal had set out a picnic lunch in the middle of a shaded and secluded area. The principal talked to my father about his life and, though he gleaned little, he learned enough to know that my father was a skilled child having no parents whatsoever in his life. The principal asked for his last name and my father sat a moment then answered, >Spellbinder.= That=s how he became known as Raphael Spellbinder and why the school named children without parents or parent after him.

It didn=t tell me what I wanted to know though, how to find Raphael=s hideout. It didn=t even mention his hideout. I skimmed through the rest of the book but found nothing of use. I shut the book with a thud and left the library feeling very peeved.

ASo tell me again what you=re doing?@Upstairs in the west tower I was preparing to leave the stupid school that I had practically

grown up in. The sun was setting in a ball of flame, shining brightly through the window. Tenson, who I explained everything to, didn=t quite understand. AI=m going to go looking for my father.@

ARight. And how are you supposed to do that? Did he tell you where to go?@ANo. He just said that I would know the direction I should go.@AIsn=t that a little vague?@AYes but maybe this Chitsi girl will lead me there. I don=t know. All that I can figure

out is that I=m supposed to go and find the hideout then find my father. He probably wouldn=t bother me with that stupid image thingie if he wasn=t in some sort of serious trouble.@

AOkay but is it really necessary for you to leave now? I mean why can=t we wait to learn more?@

I paused before I answered that. AI want to get my crack at him before any other idiot can. He did give me permission to kill him and all.@ That and I didn=t want a certain someone to learn I was going before I left.

AYou=re leaving?@I turned around and there was Daimon, standing in the doorway. Hoo boy was my next

thought. Too late. Here it comes.AYou said you weren=t going anywhere!@AI lied in a sarcastic tone. Can=t you tell the difference?@AWhy did you lie to me!?@ABecause I didn=t want you to coming up here when I was leaving and bother me like

this.@Daimon grabbed my wrist. AI=m coming with you.@ANot happening.@AThere=s nothing that you can say that will change my mind.@Oh yes there is. ASleep.@

Daimon=s eyes suddenly rolled to the back of his head and he crumpled onto the floor, releasing my arm from his almost dead hold.

AShould you really have done that?@ALike I care. He would only have hindered my progress.@ I walked towards the stairs.

AMake sure he stays here until my presence is no longer tangible on the grounds. And you stay here too.@

AYou got it missy. Let=s see, I=m just going toBWHAT!!?@ Tenson flew around and floated in front of me, trying to block my passage to the door. AI=m not coming with you?@

AI=d rather not have any company on this voyage. You=ll probably see me as a ghost before I move on if I die.@

ABut you=ll need someone to protect you.@AI=ll be fine. Remember. I=m the daughter of the great >Raphael Spellbinder, master

of the elements, tamer of the wild dragons= and what not. See you later Tenson. Goodbye.@And with that, I departed down the stairs.

I was at least three miles from that school. Nobody even noticed when one specific student went missing unless, of course, it was one of the children with high-profit parents. I wasn=t one of those students though. I was a kid that was getting community schooling from some high-age school. I was just glad to get out of the scratchy uniform.

I changed in a public restroom and when I stepped out, I looked like a normal teenage girl walking along the streets. Jeans, a logo, short sleeve t-shirt, and a pair of sunglasses that said >I got attitude. Buzz off.= Course, that=s what my shirt said too but in vocal terms. I dumped my uniform in an incinerator I passed along the road and didn=t look back when the flames leapt out of the oven trying to escape. I kept the school boots though. I had worn those for years and they finally fit me. It was comfortable walking in them. I followed the road for so long I didn=t even notice that the lights changed from pink to black to a bright gold.

Finally, I reached an old blacksmith shop. Deserted. I put that place in mind but kept on moving. As I traveled, I noticed a change in the air. The smell of briny salt on the wind filled my nostrils. It smelled like the ocean. Why was I at the ocean?

I went around a corner and there it was. The big blue sea in front of me and the trees behind me, glowing from the rising sun.

I walked out onto the sand and looked up and down the beach. There wasn=t anything here. The ocean and the beach were completely empty.

I heard a lot of clicking sounds coming from the water. I turned and there was a dolphin. It clicked at me again and flipped in the air. I was unsure of myself at that moment. My eyes flashed to the side uncertainly, even though there was no one there. Then the dolphin did something odd. It went under the water and motioned for me to go under with its tail.

I noticed some rocks reaching out farther on the water so I walked out on those and stood on the end. The dolphin swam with my motion and cackled at me from under the water. I took a deep breath and, caught myself. I could shape water. Why did I need to get my head wet? Or any part of me at all? I lowered myself in carefully, letting the water form a crater down below where I lowered myself.

Then I went under. I was in a bubble of air under the water. It was almost like a dream. It was so blue down there. Then the dolphin came out of nowhere and tapped my bubble. I think it was trying to pop it. It wouldn=t work though. I controlled it quite well. But the dolphin continued to assault my protection. Finally, I lowered the air sphere until only my head was in

the water.AWhat do you want, fish?@AHi. Do you want to play?@I stared at this thing. One, the dolphin just spoke to me. Two, I had just talked under

water. Though, through my amazement, I was only able to say, AYou wanted to play? That was it?@

The dolphin nodded.AOkay then. I=m going to leave now. Goodbye.@I turned to go to the rocks when the mammal grabbed my ponytail and pulled me away

from them.AWhat in the world do you think you=re doing!?@AAre you that man=s daughter?@AWhich man?@ I asked rather cautiously, though I had nearly had my hair pulled out.AThe one with the long rust red hair and starfish yellow eyes.@I paused before I answered. AMaybe. Why?@AYou just look so much like him. When he was young, he would come and play with me

forever. He didn=t like the water much but he still pretended to enjoy it.@I watched the dolphin then turned my head away. My face felt hot. Was I embarrassed?

I really didn=t like that feeling. It drove me bonkers. And I=ve had that feeling way too much this year. I thanked anyone for letting me get away from that school that was torturous.

Then, something grabbed me by the hair and yanked me up to the water=s surface.AWhoa dude. You caught a mermaid.@AYeah, isn=t she lovely?@ADon=t mermaids have tails though?@ADon=t you know that mermaid=s tails disappear once they=re on land?@AOh yeah.@AHey pretty missy. What=s your name?@ADo you want to come with us and play?@I was holding both my hands to my head like I was trying to calculate if there was any

damage to my skull. My head hurt really bad in more ways than one. I turned my head on the twenty year old men, glaring right down into their souls.

AYou numbskulls. Do you even know who I am? I don=t want to be bothered by annoying men like you that are just looking for someone to sleep with!@ I was standing now and the sand and water behind me grew and threatened to fall on top of the two now frightened men. AI don=t want anyone like you to be bothering me! If you ever try to stop me again, I am going to knock your blocks off your shoulders! And I=m pretty sure that you might need those, am I correct? Now beat it!@

They scrambled to their feet and ran for the sake of their lives. Once they were out of sight, I released my anger and everything that had been lifted fell back to its original position. The water fell over me though, soaking me. I stood there for a minute, soaked to the bone, then shook myself like a dog and all the salty water on me flew off in all directions.

AYou really are his daughter.@I turned to the water. There was the dolphin, poking its head out and talking to me again.

But it was above water this time. I was frustrated now.AIf you could talk above water why didn=t you do it?@ABecause I wanted to see you do it.@

AWhat? Shape water and such?@AYes.@APeachy.@ Then I thought of some peculiar thing. AWould you happen to know where

Raphael=s hideout slash workshop slash whatever is?@AChitsi=s home?@I paused. AYeah.@AYes I do. Follow me.@ And she swam up the beach.I ran after her, watching her fin above the water as she swam and did small tricks. Then

she turned and headed for deeper water.AHey you! I can=t go out there!@Her head popped out of the water. AYes you can.@I slapped my forehead for my stupidity. I could handle the elements, of course I could

follow her. I suspected that I would automatically push away the water but that wasn=t what pulled at me the hardest. It was earth that time. I held my hands out, palms down, and slowly raised them like I was trying to lift a very heavy basket or something.

There was a rumbling sound and then I looked up and there were rocks leading far out to sea from the beach. I stared at it, shrugged, and ran over the stepping stones that had shown their selves to me. I was one lucky kid.

I was one unlucky kid. I had walked out over the sea in this path of stepping stones for ten miles. And that=s no exaggeration. The dolphin told me about half way out to sea how far dad=s place was. I added that to my list of >I=m going to kill my dad because..@ and silently cursed him under my breath. He could=ve told that much information to his own daughter you would think, wouldn=t you? No, he had to be mysterious and uncommunicative and lead me out to the middle of some forsaken piece ofBwait. What was that sitting out on the water?

It was like an oil drill. I ran towards it thinking yeah I can rest for a few minutes! Then a couple minutes later, I got there and, over the door, a sign said, Home of Raphael Spellbinder.

I stared at the door for a few minutes then turned my head away and shivered violently. Dang, I don=t think I noticed before but apparently my clothes were completely soaked again. And this time the water wasn=t coming out. I pushed the door open and stared again.

This father of mine was so irresponsible. He leaves his house unlocked and posts his name on the front door. Very subtle, he couldn=t be more loud.

It was a muggy, hot sauna when I stepped over the threshold. It was comforting. I felt like I had finally come home. The school had always been a tad too cold for me. This was like the perfect temperature. Like a thick, hot rain forest. I explored the house further instead of standing in the main room.

The main floor was the entry hallway, the main room was a few feet in, and then a staircase leading up and a hallway heading off to the right. I went down that hall and found a bathroom, and three bed rooms. The first had a queen bed and a couple bureaus. The second was a room with a small bed that had recently been moved and purple curtains. I say recent because there was dust everywhere else in this place but in here all the bunnies had been disturbed. The last room was a guest room because it was just dark.

I stepped in the room with the purple curtains and looked around. There were a few very old toys on the shelves and a clock on the bed stand that wasn=t on. I felt very at home here. I searched through a fancy, white wooden bureau and found clothes my size, dry and warm. I changed and rubbed my arms. It felt good to be in dry, comfortable long-sleeves and jeans.

I went to the stairs and listened. There seemed to be some quiet snores coming from up there. I slowly ascended the staircase and as I appeared near the top, I peeked over the floor level. There, lying on a hearth rug, was a dragon. It actually looked more like a giant fuzzy dog but that was what I remembered. I stared at the thing, wanting to duck, but also smile and shout. It was the dragon that I was always drawing with fire.

I cautiously, for no apparent reason because I knew she would never hurt me, went the last couple of steps to the top. When I stepped up onto the last stair, the dragon=s head immediately rose in the air. I was looking in her eyes and she in mine. Slowly, I smiled very wide.

To myself, I muttered, AI found her.@The dragon turned its head and, with one eye looking at me, opened its mouth. AFound

who, child?@For some reason, that didn=t surprise me. I just smiled wider. AChitsi.@The dragon stepped off the rug and walked over to me, curiously. AYou look a lot like

Raphael. Would you happen to be his little girl?@My smile faded slightly as I nodded.AI thought as much. You have the exact hair and eyes. I suppose that your attitudes are

similar as well.@AHow do you know?@AI was here watching you grow until you were three. By then, you had become his

opposite reflection. As in height and gender. You were so like him. Was it hard getting here?@ANot really.@ I wanted to say that I had added another thing to my list of >I hate my

dad=.AHow=s that list of yours coming?@I paused. ACan you read minds?@AI can just hear immediate thoughts as if they were your spoken words. I can=t read

every single memory that you have.@A...It=s going well. Wouldn=t you think he would tell his own kid, >Hey. It=s ten

miles out to sea when you go looking for my hideout so have fun!=@AHe has people chasing after him day and night. That=s why he left this place and let it

return to its original shores. With people chasing him through every known tracking system, he couldn=t risk letting the one place that could be safe be found. That=s why he didn=t tell you about it in the dream image.@

APeople are tracking his thoughts?!@AYes dear Mikia.@Mentally, I crossed that off my list. Dang, if there was an explanation to every one of the

things on my list then I was going to end up with no real reason to beat my father up.Chitsi smiled. AYour thoughts are just as loud as his too. Oh well, like father like

daughter.@AHmm?@AWe need to get the house moving. Go start a fire on the main level. I=ll stay up here

and start one.@I nodded then dashed for the stairs. I thundered down them excitedly and screeched to a

halt in front of the empty grate. I looked to the side and found wood. I dropped a couple logs on the grate then reached behind me like I was grabbing something and threw a piece of flame on the logs. Then I placed that same hand over the flame and made them grow to a respectable size.

That=s when there was a change in temperature. It got colder. I looked at the door and stared. ANo. You can=t be serious. Is fate pushing it or what?@

In the doorway, once again, was that same shameless boy. He was scrambling away from the door and then kicked it shut behind him.

He wasn=t looking at me so I crouched down behind him and made an extra sharp, icicle knife out of the salt water on him, pressing it to his neck to warn him against moving.

AWhat are you doing here, Daimon? You=re not supposed to be here. Why aren=t you still in the tower with Tenson?@

AI followed you here. The ghost undid that spell you put on me and let me go. He didn=t seem happy.@

AHow? I was long gone before he could switch that level of spell.@AYou aren=t that hard to follow. Especially after I heard some guys talking in one town

about a young girl making water and sand rise up and threaten to destroy them.@I didn=t say anything but I didn=t have to. He kept talking trying to get me to back off

on the knife.AI found the beach and saw plenty of footprints. One set headed right. I followed them

until it lead out to sea on a bunch of stepping stones. I traveled at a jogger=s pace for a good ten minutes when I noticed a strange house on the water. I continued at that same pace until I got here.@

A...Great. Now I=m going to kick you out and you are going to go back the way you came.@

AI can=t.@ASure you can. All you have to do is cross over the rocks until you reach land. Easy as

that.@AIf the stones were still there.@... AWhat?@AI actually had to begin running when I saw this place. The stones that I had crossed

already had dropped under the water and the others were coming at me fast.@I jumped up and yanked the door open. There it was. The sea and only the sea. There

were no stones, no indication that we had even crossed here with rocks. I gripped the knob of the door and sank slowly to my knees. I couldn=t even feel the pull of earth coming close from under the water=s surface. I was blank then I heard a deep fiery breath that started my brain again.

I turned a glare to the person behind me. I was on my feet quicker than a flash with the door shut behind me. I darted past Daimon and up the stairs.

AMikia!@ There were pounding feet on the stairs behind me.AChitsi! We have an intruder!@Chitsi turned to the stairs as I hopped over to the other side of her back. She and Daimon

were giving each other surprised looks.AMikia. Is that a dragon?@AWell, well. I guess we have a visitor.@AChitsi, eat him or something!@ANow Mikia. Do you treat all your friends that way? It=s very impolite.@AI don=t have friends! Everybody hates me!@AReally? Because I believe that he takes you as a friend. And I think of you as a

friend.@

AHe doesn=t count! He was just the newbie at that ridiculous school that wouldn=t leave me alone! He doesn=t even leave me be when I leave! And you=re my family. You are qualified for a higher place than friend.@

AMikia there=s no use trying to hide your feelings. You have made friends though you don=t think you have. Besides, with the rocks gone, this young man, Daimon, won=t be able to return even if he wanted to.@

My hands were clenched into fists and I was flushing darkly, not looking at anyone. I sat down hard on the ground with a >hmph.=

Chitsi=s tail came around and stroked my head. AMikia, why don=t you go set up that guest bedroom for the guest. He=ll be with us for awhile at the very least.@

I stood reluctantly then bumped past Daimon, visibly showing my dislike, and marched down the stairs.

AWhy is she being like that?@Mikia was out of earshot so Daimon had the chance to say that out loud.AShe=s worried.@Daimon looked at the dragon. AWorried?@AYes, from what I gathered, she=s very worried that you=ll get hurt here. She doesn=t

want that to happen. That=s why she cast that spell on you in the tower at your school.@AHow do you know that?@The dragon smiled at Daimon. AI=m a dragon, boy. Remember? I have exceptional

hearing compared to you children.@AWhy does she think that I=m going to be hurt?@AThink. She was very quiet about when her father came to speak with her, correct?@Daimon nodded.AShe puts on an indifferent face but really, she=s afraid of the future. Her father never

showed himself to her expect for the first three years that she only remembers from time to time. When she met you, didn=t she seem in the least a little odd? She was raised from the moment she was admitted into that school that she was a strange child and she believed that and did her best to separate herself from others. She met you and thought more of you than any other child in her entire life that she had been put in charge of for that little task of the day. The more she tried to push you away, the more you came back and made her feel wanted. She=s been worried over you since the moment that she showed you the school. You didn=t follow rules and you didn=t seriously care about any differences. It was because of the life that you grew up in but still that gave Mikia something to be happy for. You helped change her life to one of more care and concern.@

AAre you serious? She doesn=t ever show that.@AThat=s because she=s afraid that if she does show it, things would change drastically.

The same could be said for Raphael and Listia.@AListia?@AMikia=s mother. Listia was afraid for Raphael because he wouldn=t take the

differences seriously. Of course, she wasn=t as aggressive as Mikia but still, she tried to get Raphael to see the light but to him, Listia was the only light worth seeing until his child came around.@

ASo she really is like her father.@Chitsi continued to smile but didn=t respond at first. AThere=s nothing we can do now

but I will warn you before hand, Mikia will probably come up with thousands of ways to get you back to the shore. She=s coming up with some right now so watch out.@

Daimon nodded.

Seven years laterAWhat are you planning, Mikia? As if I didn=t know.@I sat in a chair that I had dragged from the kitchen. The kitchen was in the room adjacent

to the front room on the second floor. The front room really was the one that Chitsi lived in and not the one that you enter in from the door down stairs because this was the front of the house... boat. I guess that is what this thing is all together. I sat close to the glass doors of the balcony, sitting in the chair wrong and with a map open over my legs.

I placed an >x= over another town before answering. ATwo things. One, checking off the places we=ve checked and found squat. Two, thinking of more ways to get that man out of this house.@

Chitsi shook her head in disbelief. AAfter seven years, you=re still planning on sending him back home?@

AChitsi, really, he=s just a hindrance on this expedition. The fact that I couldn=t leave him behind all those other times means I wasn=t planning it right. Plus it=s not my fault for having the sense to make him go back. He=s too stupid to realize that he shouldn=t have come in the first place. This time though, I=ve got a sure fire way to send him home.@

AAnd what would that be?@AI=m going to use a spell to send him back. He won=t have any other choice other than

to go home and forget the...wacky girl from that...hideous school.@Chitsi turned and blew a breath of fire into the grate, sending flames rocketing up through

the chimney. AAnd do you know the spell to do that?@I nodded.ACan you use it effectively?@I nodded more slowly this time. AI=ve practiced on rocks and Tetra has even let me try

it on her.@AThe dolphin?@AYeah, I got sick of calling her...whatever it was that I called her, and gave her a

name.@Chitsi nodded her approval then her eyes looked off somewhere in the distance with this

sad glaze over her eyes. AIt will be lonely without Daimon. He=s a very kind, intelligent lad.@AWell too bad for him. He=s going home to live his own life and not be in my crazy

one. Seriously, I don=t know what he was thinking all those years ago. He could have lived a normal life and what does he do? He goes and follows me on this goose hunt.@ I turned and stared out over the ocean. ATsk. The idiot.@

AWho=s an idiot?@The one and only climbed up the stairs. Not looking that direction, I muttered, ATake a

wild guess.@Daimon walked behind my chair and stared at the map on my lap. A...Whoa. Is that

every town we=ve gone to?@I didn=t answer. I continued to stare out the window not paying attention. The blue sea,

lighter blue sky, Daimon=s dark blue eyes.I freaked out and fell off my seat. AWhat the heck do you think you=re doing?!@

AI asked if those were all the places we=ve been to and now I=m asking if you=re okay?@

ANo! Dag nab it! You freakin= fidedicema man! Why the heck are you pestering me?!@

AWhy are you being pestered?@AAnd why are you asking questions again?!@AWhy are you bothered that I ask questions?@AAhh!!!@I stalked down the stairs and barricaded myself in my room. I stayed there all day.

I woke up at ten p.m. that same day. The reason was because my stomach had growled and woken me up. I groggily went to the kitchen, barely keeping on my feet. Chitsi didn=t wake up as I passed her but she was used to me being up late so it didn=t affect her. I was glad that she wasn=t affected by my wanderings. In the kitchen, I made a sandwich out of the leftover food we had around. As I ate it, I studied the map again and gave a sad sigh, bumping my head on the table.

AWhat=s up, Mikia?@I glanced up at Daimon as he came to sit at the table also, then sighed again and put my

head back on the tabletop. AWe=re going to need to stop again,@ I said into the wood. AFood is running low.@

AOkay. Should I make a list?@I sat still a moment then lifted my head and looked at Daimon with, what my guess is, sad

childlike eyes. He blinked in shock but composed himself quickly. Again, a sigh escaped my lips. I was sighing a lot lately, why was that?

AYou can but I don=t care. We=ll be stopping here.@I pointed at Kingsly, the prominent town with the, quote, Abest school in the world.@

Daimon glanced down at the map then took hold of my finger. And not a moment too soon either. I was ready to blow the thing up.

ACan=t we go to Bellsfort instead?@ANo. Too far. We=ll just have toB@AMikia!@I looked up at Daimon.ADon=t force yourself to do this. We can alwaysB@It was my turn to interrupt. AI=m thinking about our survival here. My personal

preference to all this is irrelevant to the fact that we need to live. Now quit worrying about it and do something useful...or go to bed. Whatever floats your boat.@

So the next morning, we left the Cerulean where it had been parked all those years ago and went to shore, Daimon and I, using the stepping stones. Funnily enough, the stones aren=t just rocks from the bottom of the ocean but somehow magically connected to the ship that I mistook for an oil drill...thing. Without the owner, or the heir, to the ship nearby, they have a certain number of times that they can be brought to the surface of the water. Only a select few can even lift them above the surface of the water.

The walk to Kingsly was excruciatingly painful because unconsciously I found myself walking away from it. I couldn=t understand why but I guess there was one good reason to having Daimon around. To drag me forward when I didn=t want to. In Kingsly, I was able to realize the place didn=t really hold a threat to me. I was old enough now to be considered not in

school even though I would still get in trouble if I was recognized.Shopping, though I abhorred it, went well. No incident, no mess up, and I was able to

smile to myself at the thought of knocking Daimon unconscious at the beach and leaving him here. Bwahahaha.

Near the end of the shopping trip, something came up and ruined my day.AMikia?@I stopped and stood where I was, not wanting to turn but physics doing it for me. When I

had turned around, I saw who I was pretty sure that voice belonged to and found I was dead on. Oh, squid tentacles.

AIt is you Mikia! Oh my goodness, it=s so good to see you again!@I stepped out of the way as a tall blonde raced at me, arms wide for a...I guess it=s called

a hug. The closest thing I=ve had to that as far as I can remember is a dragon tail wrapping around me and squeezing me a little. I stepped into Daimon as I got out of the way of what looked like a choke hold. Daimon complained a little at being knocked into but who cares about him anyway? The blonde, expecting to grab a person, swiped at open air and fell over into the dirt.

Daimon, surprised, bent over to help her up as I stood there looking down at the blonde carefully, taking care not to run off at high speed for the beach.

The girl looked up and, seeing Daimon, jumped at him and hugged him, knocking him over to the dirt. I tensed. My body wanted to leap at the blonde and rip her pretty hair out. But I had to keep control. Though my face looked a little pained at having to stay still.

AOh my candles! I wasn=t expecting to see you guys ever again! Whatever are you doing back here in Kingsly?@

ANone of your beeswax, princess tight skirt. Now bug off!@The blonde=s smile faded as she looked at me with a mixture of sadness and surprise.

AMikia. Are you still so against the school and everyone?@Careful not to blow a fuse, I took a deep breath. ACatalina, if I wasn=t against the

school, I would have gone back to it. No, I take that back. I wouldn=t have even thought about it. Now, please go away.@

ACatalina?@AWelcome to the conversation, Captain Clueless.@Daimon finally understood who the blonde girl on top of him was. Oh well, too late for

him though because she had already gotten him. I, on the other hand, was still touchy free. Yea.AWow Daimon. You look so good now. How old are you?@ATwenty-three.@AWow. So cool. How about you Mikia?@AFive hundred and six.@AShe=s twenty-one.@AHow longB@ASeven years.@ I answered her question before she could finish it. I was sick of this

already.ASo how have things at school been, Catalina?@Daimon got up and helped Catalina stand, this time, without her jumping on him. She

seemed a little less than excited to answer this question.AOh, um, they=ve been okay. Different but okay.@ She tucked her hair behind her ear,

not making eye contact.

I caught the movement and my eyes narrowed. ALike what kind of different?@AWell, once you guys left, they got a little...strange.@I raised an eyebrow. AReally. Strange. I never thought it was possible.@AJust hear me out. When you left, a ghost floated throughout the halls saying >I=m the

ghost of the west tower= and what not. And centaurs actually came into the school and were asking the teachers where you were Mikia.@

AWhoa, wait, back up! Ghost? Tenson actually left the tower?@AYeah he=s wandering the halls talking to the students now. Wait. You know him?@I covered half my face and turned it so it was facing away from both people I was with.

Tenson had actually left the tower. Wonders would never cease. Then there was Nathaniel, Sandra, and Colec. They had went inside the school? This was absolutely insane!

AAnyway, you guys stirred things up when you left and...worried some of us when you did.@

I dropped my hand and stared at Catalina. AWorried? Who? Well, I can see it for this guy because you,@ I pointed an accusatory finger at Daimon, Ashouldn=t have followed! Idiot!@

He viewed me with this >don=t get started on that again= look but said nothing.AWell...@ I turned to face Catalina. Hesitant again? She hadn=t ever been hesitant

before in school. Why now? AI was worried for you and so were a few others.@I stared at her with distrust and snorted. ANo you weren=t. Can=t you lie without

telling it obviously because I know that wasn=t ever true. Seriously, I=m not stupid. Pretended to be invisible, sure but not stupid like everyone supposed.@

ANo! I just pretended to be a brat and all that but every time you weren=t in the room when it was time to sleep, I was worried you had disappeared. I was scared that you would get hurt out there when you ran away!@

I stared at her blankly. AFor some odd reason, I don=t believe a single word you just said.@

AI=m serious though. I=ve wanted to say I=m sorry for so many years! It=s plagued my soul that you haven=t been close by so that I could make sure you were okay. You won=t even be able to dream how much I=ve suffered to tell you how sorry I was for treating you that waB@

AEnough already!@ I threw my hands into the air, frustrated and peeved with all the noise she was making. I lowered my hands and said quietly. ALook, I=ve gotten over it. I don=t think about it...much anymore. If you really want to show me how sorry you are, just forget about it. I=ve already forgiven you. I=ve mostly forgotten about,@ I looked up at the school on the top of the hill and made a disgusted face. AThe school that looks even more drab than when I left. Just let it go. I=ve let it go, you should too.@

Catalina=s eyes filled up and she threw her arms around me before I could react. I tensed at being touched by an over reactive female body but slowly made my muscles relax. Pain in the butt that this was, I needed to stay calm. I gently patted her on the back as she cried into my shoulder.

AHey. It=s okay Catalina. It=s okay or something.@I caught Daimon staring and mouthed >what are you looking at?= He just smiled and

shook his head.After a few minutes, I got tired of it and carefully pulled myself from Catalina=s death

grip. As I let go, I watched her warily. A...Are you alright now? Got it all out?@She nodded and gave a smile that didn=t have the sneer with it.

AOkay now, IB@ I stopped abruptly and stared stone faced beyond Catalina. A...I suddenly have the urge to go find some clams fresh off the sea floor. I=ll see you later!@

Daimon grabbed my arm and held me back. AMikia, what=s wrong?@I couldn=t yank myself out of his grip, he was holding on too tightly. That didn=t stop

me from trying though.AHey Catalina. Who=re you talking to?@That voice. The one voice I never wanted to hear again! I pulled harder and managed to

make Daimon lose his grip up until my wrist. The reason he still had a hold on my wrist was because of a bracelet of my mother=s that Chitsi had given me. During the seven years out at sea, Chitsi had given it to me as a present for my birthday. A memento of my mom. The metal bump fit snugly on my wrist, acting as a speed bump and preventing my escape.

As I tried scraping off his hand, Daimon nodded to the voice. AHey Laurence.@ADaimon! Oh man, it=s good to see you. You=ve come back to Kingsly huh?

Couldn=t bear being stuck with Mikia for so long, right? Oh and who=s the chick with you? Your girlfriend?@

ADaimon! Release my hand already, idiot! Let go! Let me go!!@Laurence stepped around me and, after taking a quick glance at his face, I pointedly

looked the other way.AHey cutie, do you want to tell your best pal, Laurence, your name?@ARather not.@ACome on, doll.@ Laurence draped an arm across my shoulders. ADon=t be distant.

We=re all friends here.@I stood still a second the smacked Laurence in the face with my fist. It made perfect

contact and he fell over. Another one bites the dust. I turned around, standing awkwardly with my hand behind my back, and glared down at Laurence. He stared up at me, shocked.

AIt=s funny how you used to tease me, Laurence, and now look at you. You=re hitting on me.@

He stared at me, uncomprehending.AI see you got your broken nose fixed. How did it feel to be hit in the head with a rock?

Not so good, right? Not as much fun when the shoe=s on the other foot huh? When the Aweakling@ is actually three trillion times stronger than yourself. Am I right?@

Laurence=s eyes widened as he finally recognized the girl from seven years ago. AMikia?@

AFunny how idiots forget.@ I turned my gaze on Daimon. ANow why can=t I make you forget?@

Daimon shrugged.I huffed. AIdiot. Now would you mind letting go of me?@ANo.@ALet go Daimon.@AI don=t want to.@AWell it=s very weird to have my arm twisted behind me. Don=t you think so?@Daimon rolled his eyes and stepped closer, winding our connected arms around front with

my arm across my stomach.A...And this is any less weird?@AYes.@AYou really are an idiot. Release your hold on me now, Foster, or you will feel my

wrath.@ANot gonna happen, Spellbinder. Not gonna happen.@I grabbed his hand and peeled his fingers away from my arms, muttering an incantation

under my breath. When I got his hand off, water sprayed him in the face and made him step away from me.

AYou dag nabbin= pure blood! Knock it off already! Sure you just happen to follow me that one time but this time is a totally different story! And you=re acting as if I was your girlfriend! Will you just buzz off already?!@

AMikia. Are you still thinking like that after...however many years it has been since you left?@ Laurence=s hand slipped in mine, to which I turned and socked him.

AYes. Yes I do. And there=s nothing you can do to change my mind!@I turned around and stalked away.I didn=t wait up for anyone and no one followed me. I got to the shoreline and realized

that I still needed to take all the purchases across the water. I heaved a heavy sigh and flicked my wrist, all purchases made on this trip were thereby thrown into the air and clear across the water where they would land safely in the kitchen. I then proceeded to lift the stepping stones from the sea floor. They responded to my calls effectively.

I was twenty yards across them when I heard people calling my name. I turned and saw the trio I had left in Kingsly running over the sands, Daimon in the lead. I lifted my hand and willed all the stones behind me to recede back into the water. I was too far out for them to sanely come out to walk over. It was a least twenty feet deep. They would be fools to attempt to swim across.

AMikia! Lift the stones back up!@I shook my head. ASorry, Daimon. You missed your chance.@AMikia!@ADaimon. You don=t deserve to have all the worries and threats that come with living

in the same building as myself thrust upon your shoulders. You may be an idiot but I would think that you were smart enough to understand that the gap between us is too large to span and I will not even try. Catalina, Laurence. Make sure he goes home. It=s time that his parents finally get to see their idiot son. Daimon, give them my regards though we have never met before and probably never will. I wish you all the best of luck.@

I turned to step to the next stone when Daimon called again.AMikia, don=t do this! You were alone most of your life. Don=t push away from the

chance of having company.@ADaimon, if you haven=t noticed, I much preferred the solitude to the pestering

questions.@AMikia we want to come with you!@I looked back at the other two, sorrow filling my eyes but I set my face like stone. AYou

two should know better. My father=s a wanted criminal and everything. You=ve gone to that school. You understand the social standing that comes with being associated with me. Plus, you=ll only get in the way. I=ve had enough of that for many years.@

ABut you can=t just go out there on your own! You don=t know what dangers will be out there to meet you!@

AI=ll take my chances. And you should all head home. Stay with each other because I have the feeling you=re going to need each other=s support shortly. Let us hope we shall never meet again.@

I turned, ignoring the complaints and such coming from the trio and walked straight out towards my father=s hideout. The one that had become mine over the past seven years.

I slammed the front door, feeling the strain I had been holding while keeping the rocks under the water slowly wane. I stepped to the fire pit and put in a couple pieces of wood then I urged a fire to spring from their centers. The warmth of my father=s hideout did little to comfort me at the present moment. I walked up the stairs attempting to rub out the chills that seemed to have settled right into my bones.

AWelcome home Mikia.@AHey Chitsi.@I went into the kitchen and dragged my chair out of it then placed it by the balcony. I sat

down absentmindedly and continued to rub my arms.A...Is Daimon in his room? I didn=t hear his thoughts when you got home.@AThat=s because he isn=t here. He met up with some old friends in Kingsly and told

me that it would be fine to leave him there to catch up and reacquaint and all that gibberish. Of course, I wasn=t going to stand around as he chattered away with his friends and so I left him.@

Chitsi was silent then stepped to my chair and wrapped her comfortingly, warm tail around my body. AMikia. I know you=ve wanted him to go home and live happily for many years now but was that really the best decision?@

AOf course Chitsi! He doesn=t deserve to be hunted down like a criminal! He should date around town, find a nice girl, settle down, and have a few screaming children. If he stayed in my life, he would be a criminal. That would be quite the injustice on my part.@

AWhat about your own happiness Mikia? Will you ever be able to find someone for yourself?@

I snorted. AI doubt it. How could anyone stand me? A tall lanky child with the temper of a raging two year old. No, hardly anyone would be able to stand being around me.@

ADaimon did.@ADaimon is an idiot and is not here anymore. The three of them are probably heading for

his home now, trying to figure out how they will find me but it won=t work because Daimon doesn=t know the real map. The true places that we=ve been.@

AWhat do you mean?@AI mean that I marked off random places on that map but that was what they were.

Random places. I=ve decided that we=ve seen enough of this English coast and should go scavenge the American continent. Not many magic using officials to bother us there.@

AMikia.@AWhat?! What did I do wrong?!@ Tears filled my eyes and spilled over, running down

my cheeks in rivulets. AIs it so wrong to want that idiot to actually be happy without having to put him in danger every time I step off the stepping stones?! Is it wrong to want him to actually live a life of his own that isn=t fraught with peril?! Huh? Is it?!!@

I used my sleeves to mop up my eyes and tried to quit crying but they didn=t stop falling. What in the name of all magic was wrong with me?

ACalm down Mikia. Relax, relax. I=m here. No need to worry. You did the right thing for him. You really did.@

AOh Chitsi, why couldn=t he see the danger when we first met?! And what=s with those two? Saying so suddenly that they missed me and want to follow me around. Are they all mental?!@

AMikia. Go to your room. Sleep. You=ll need it for the impending days to come. Rest

easy alright?@I nodded and carefully walked down the stairs to my room. There, I slept until later that

night when my stomach complained about its own hunger. But that hadn=t happened yet.

AI don=t believe it! Seven long years of not seeing her and the last thing I see of her is her cold eyes raking my flesh! Why can=t she be >oh, I missed you guys too. Let=s go for tea.=?@ Laurence slouched onto the couch with a glass of wine in one hand and held it up, inspecting the glass carefully. ASeriously, I don=t understand. When everything started going weird at the school, it reminded me that Mikia always added the spice that the old sour pit needed.@

AMikia always hated us, didn=t she Laurence? Oh, I was such an idiot girl! I should have been her friend when I first began going to that school! Everything would have been different.@

AYes,@ Daimon put in. AYou would have not only been the first high priced child to have a contemptful friend in the eyes of the faculty but you would also have been ridiculed by all the children around you. It=s because Mikia wanted to be alone so much that she had those few strange friends that we never thought she would ever make. If you had been her friend from the beginning and she saw you being hurt, she would have found every excuse to avoid you, to keep you from getting even more hurt. Don=t let her actions and words fool you. She deeply cares for us and doesn=t want us to end up like herself or her father.@

AHer father?@AWhat about her old man? I didn=t even realize that she had one.@AYou think that people just appear in the world, Laurence?@ASometimes it feels like they do.@Daimon shook his head. AHer father is Raphael Spellbinder.@AThe Raphael Spellbinder? Raphael-who-could-use-elements-at-will-Spellbinder?

She=s his kid?!@AYes. And he=s being chased for some crime he didn=t commit.@AYes it=s quite the tragedy. Especially when it comes to not getting to see my dear baby

growing up.@All three people sat silently. That voice hadn=t come from any of them. The other man

in attendance poured himself a glass of wine and downed it. AAh that=s good.@Slowly they all turned. The man stood in a cloak that hung raggedly down at the edges by

his leather boots. His flaming hair with some dark shadows and amber-golden eyes indicated he was someone very special. But right off the bat it was hard to tell who. The man looked slightly older considering that he looked young but with large patches under his eyes from long restless nights of no sleep.

Daimon got to his feet and turned in the man=s direction. AExcuse me sir. How did you get in here? What are you doing in my family=s house?@

AIt=s good to see you again too Daimon. Though you probably don=t recall me. You were quite young. How old are you now?@

ASir I haveCwait a moment. You know me? And you spoke of your daughter.@ Realization slammed into home plate for Daimon. AAre you him? Are you Raphael Spellbinder?@

The man smiled and did a deep bow. AThe one and only. Now Daimon, you and your friends were just chatting about my daughter. How is she?@

AWe don=t know.@A...What do you mean you don=t know?@AShe left without us.@AShe did what?@Daimon sighed and recounted the events leading up too Mikia leaving the three of them

behind as she walked out across the water. By the time he was done, Raphael had his hand over his mouth and was staring out into the distance of nothing, thinking. AShe=s like her mother, is she? Oh dear. That isn=t good. Worrying over nothing will come to no good. She=ll worry herself sick.@

AWhat?@AThat=s what Listia did. She was always worried about how I never listened to the

differences and what not and made herself sick with the fever and other things. That=s why she ended up dying at such a young age. I just wish that I could have been there to help her out. And Mikia as well. She could have done well pulling a few pranks on the headmaster and such.

ASo children what=s your plan to get back to her?@Daimon, Catalina, and Laurence gave one another a look. Then Daimon returned his

gaze to Raphael. AYou still haven=t answered my question on why you are here in my house.@AOh well, I had come wishing to chat with your parents, Daimon. But seeing you here,

as well as Catalina and Laurence, it has changed my mind.@AHow do you know us?@Raphael smirked at Catalina. AYou both resemble your parents. I remember them quite

well. Pulled so many pranks on the two of them combined that they=d sooner curse me than call the patrol. Probably still hate my guts too. They thought it gross that I would go and marry a human. Their loss. Anyway, I think it=s best that we get on board that ship.@

Laurence snorted. AAnd how exactly, oh master criminal, are we supposed to get there? She=s probably miles away by now. Out to whichever city she had next on her map of cross-offs like Daimon=s said.@

AActually, she=s headed for America.@AWhat? But I saw her map. She had so many red >x=s on it that you could barely see

the ports we hadn=t gone too yet.@AYou finished them all my boy. Mikia tricked you into thinking that she was going to

continue her search here to keep you stalled out around on this continent a bit longer.@Daimon was completely frozen. She had really thought of that? And he hadn=t even

seen it coming? What crazy sick joke was this?ANow, kids. Let=s be off.@AHow are we supposed to get there smart one? We don=t have wings.@Raphael turned a forced smile to Laurence. AYour father was just like that too. I=d get

him back for it by dropping flashing bombs in his bag. ...Or down his pants.@It was quiet again. Daimon, still frozen to the spot thinking about what a fool he had

been, hadn=t heard the confrontation. Raphael surveyed them all then shouted, AHey! Are you all asleep or something?! I thought you wanted to see my daughter! Unless it was all just pure-blood talk.@

Daimon snapped out of it at the mention of >pure-blood= and stepped forward. Raphael grinned.

AThat=s more like it.@ He turned his gaze to the other two. AAre you two coming or not, lazy bones?@

Catalina pushed herself onto her feet and stood next to Daimon. Laurence hesitated, not liking the idea of having flashing bombs in his trousers. Raphael started to count down from three. Not wanting to be left behind to explain how the other two had suddenly disappeared, Laurence leapt from his relaxed position and stumbled right next to Raphael. Raphael stopped him from falling on his face.

AHey Mr. Spellbinder.@AYes Laurence?@AYou said pure-blood like you ain=t one. Aren=t you a pure-blood?@Raphael grinned. AWe=ll never know, will we?@AWhat do you mean?@AI don=t know who my parents are remember? We=ll never know who my parents are

unless they decide to get their DNA tested and it matches mine. Unless they=re already dead. On that happy note, off we go.@

Raphael thrust his hand in the air above them and blue swirls leapt from his palm. They came down in a dome around the group, leaving a bright blue iridescent bubble until it flashed and nothing was in the room, like no one had been in there to bother it.

I yawned and stretched as I left my room. I had slept for about six hours. Not much of a nap. It was nine o=clock and it had been at least six hours since I had left them behind. That=s one hundred and eighty minutes or ten thousand eight hundred seconds but hey, who=s counting, right? I walked out into the main room and headed up the stairs right as there was a bright blue flash. I didn=t really think much of it for about three seconds continuing up the stairs until my thighs were level with the landing. Then I stopped dead and thought about it.

A bright blue flash?In the main room?I turned around and headed back down the stairs. I stood just five steps up from the floor

of the main room but I was frozen in disbelief. Four people sat in the living room. Three of them I hadn=t wanted to see. Ever again. The three I hadn=t wanted to see were laying on the floor moaning in pain from the impact. The one in the middle looked as if he had been standing there for ages, smiling pleasantly.

Daimon stood up and ran in my direction, his arms opening as he got closer. AMikia!@I dropped into fighting stance and at once had flame daggers held in each hand. Daimon

slowed down directly.AMikia.@AWho are you and what are you doing here?@AMikia! It=s us remember? Daimon, Catalina, and Laurence! You can=t have

forgotten us already!@ANo. You aren=t them. They=re not idiots. Actually, I don=t know about Laurence

but they wouldn=t have come and appeared on my ship. What manner of devilish fiend are you all and who sent you?@

Catalina rushed to Daimon=s side, her eyes close to tears. AMikia, it really is us. Please believe us!@

AI won=t believe that the people I had left behind for their protection are here in my livingroom being complete and utter fools!! I won=t believe it! And especially since my father would not be part of the ensemble!@

Daimon and Catalina paused and glanced back at my father. He was smiling knowingly.

AMikia. I don=t think it=s very kind of you to threaten your friends with sharp things that damage twice as bad when you hurt someone. I think it would be best if you put those things away.@

AThese are NOT my friends!! They would be at home being pure blood fancies and would not be fool enough to get dragged back out here by you! And you are definitely not my father!@

My father character gave me this wicked smile while his eyes were hard. ADo you want me to talk about that subject again?@

I shifted uncomfortably. AI don=t know what you=re talking about, devil.@AShall I go into the discussion of the birds and the bees again?@My muscles stiffened. Father took in a deep breath to begin when I fell to the floor,

covering my ears and screaming as loud as I possibly could. I could barely hear the talk over my cries of anguish.

AWhat are you talking about Mr. Spellbinder?@ asked Daimon. AThe birds and the bees?@

AIt=s the way mortals describe the sequence of events that lead up to the birth of children.@

AGood going sir,@ Laurence said sarcastically. ANow how do we get her to shut up? She=s not going to scream herself hoarse. It isn=t possible for her!@

I continued to scream bloody murder until I felt the light touch of a hand on my shoulder. I jerked up and looked up at my father=s face. He smiled at me ever so gently, it was almost disturbing but my eyes filled with tears and I started to cry uncontrollably, muttering >daddy, daddy.=

My father stroked my hair and insisted that I calm down. Slowly, I responded to that and returned to my ordinary self.

ADang. I guess that means I don=t get to kill you.@My dad gave a small laugh. AI guess not. Don=t worry sweetheart. Being away from

you was pain enough for me. It killed me every waking moment to know that I couldn=t be with you.@

I sighed. AWell, that=s one dream out the window.@ That=s when I remembered the guests. ADad, why did you bring them back here? They deserve to live a normal life. Why did you drag them into it?@

My father=s hand rested on top of my head. AMikia. You should always keep your friends or people you trust at your sides. If you weren=t good friends with them, I wouldn=t have even thought to bring them along. You should know, about the time that you left your friends on the beach, I felt a stab in my heart like someone had just shot me with a lightening bolt. That was your pain. If you worry yourself like this child, you are going to become sick just like your mother. She was always sickly you know.@

AI remember but still theyC@AMikia. It doesn=t matter what you say. We=re your friends and you aren=t getting

rid of us now or ever. Do you hear me?@I stared at Daimon=s dark blue eyes then my gaze traveled over to look at Catalina who

looked a little happier now though still very nervous, then Laurence who was grinning like a conspirer. I didn=t know what to say so for a long time I didn=t say a word. In fact, I wasn=t planning on saying anything but then my stomach rumbled.

My father glanced around at everyone. ADid you kids eat before I came?@

AYes. Around five o=clock,@ answered Daimon.AWell, I haven=t eaten but at the moment, I=m not hungry. That leaves...@ he tapered

off and he and I caught each other=s eyes. AMikia. Have you eaten?@AYes,@ I said at once. My stomach ignored my brain and growled its complaints. I

turned and glared holes through the walls. AOkay. I haven=t.@AMikia.@AWhat do you expect? I came home and I was so tired that after talking to Chitsi I went

straight to bed. If it wasn=t for the fact that my stomach always growls while I=m sleeping, I=d probably become a bear and hibernate through every voyage.@

AMikia. You need to take better care of yourself. How are you going to get by if you don=t listen to your body=s needs?@

AI lived for fourteen years before someone just like you started voicing his worries over my health. I think I was able to live until then and then after that too. I think I did pretty good. And it really isn=t my fault. I was about to go up and have something to eat when you four suddenly appear out of...thin air. Do I look like the sort of person who would wait to see what in the world had happened to drop into the main room?@

ACome on dear. Let=s get you something to eat. I want you properly fed. My goodness you look rather thin though. Are you sure you=ve been taking proper care of yourself?@

ANo. I=m pretty sure I haven=t. I didn=t ever tell you that I had. And why is it everyone seems to think that I=m thin? I=m just fine.@

AWho else says that?@AWho else lives in this house Raphael?@We all looked up the stairs to see Chitsi=s head. She was poking it down the stairs,

seeing as that was as far as she would ever go in the house. She preferred it up there.AChitsi. It=s good to see you again. Have you gottenC@AI have not, you joker. Raphael. What damages are you causing to your poor

daughter=s mind? Her scream was probably heard by the navy in Porta Rico!@My father laughed and lifted me up in his arms. I complained but he was still laughing as

he carried me up the stairs to the kitchen.

AWow. You=ve got a cool dad, Mikia.@ASure. I guess. This is the first time I=ve ever met him while fully conscious and not

wearing diapers.@After my dad made me an inedible sandwich, to which I made edible while his back was

turned, we got out the camping equipment and set up a sleeping bag in Daimon=s room and one in mine. Catalina would be sleeping with me and Laurence would be sharing Daimon=s room.

Catalina wouldn=t get over the fact that my dad was so cool and telling me I was so lucky and yaddy yaddy yada.

AI wish my dad were like that. I never get to see him.@AI haven=t seen him for real for a total number of seventeen years.@AAnd he=s so handsome too. Do you think he=d be willing to date again?@AI don=t know. That=s a matter of opinionCwhoa! Wait one dag nab minute here!

Say what? Repeat that last sentence to me.@AI said that he=s so handsome.@ANo, after that.@ADo you think he=d be willing to start dating again? I wanna try my luck.@

I dropped my head to my hands. AThat=s what I thought you said. You do realize that he=s about twenty to twenty-five years older than us both.@

AYeah, so?@I sat stunned. ANo way are you going to date my father! That=s just sick! I only just

got to see him again today. Do you even have any idea what=s it like without a father, not knowing if he=s dead or alive? And suddenly you want to up and take mine away from me! That=s just wrong!@

AWhat are you going to do with him huh?@AOh I don=t know. Try fishing, escape people that are trying to kill us, and maybe

someday we=ll be able to be a normal family again.@Catalina gave me a teasing smile. AYeah. Like you and your dad are normal.@I felt a smile tweak my own lips. AWell, that=s my plan for the next fifty years. I hope

you don=t mind.@We laughed to ourselves. Catalina finally slowed down on her guffaws and her smile

changed to serious contemplation. AAnd where does Daimon fit in?@My own smile fell swiftly. I turned and looked up at my pillow. I didn=t want to think

about Daimon. I was wanted and he was missing in action. Really, who=s going to believe that he would come willingly with an unwilling hostess? AI was hoping he would go back home to his parents in Kingsly and then meet a nice young lady who would listen to his every word and he=d have a hundred kids or more.@

AYou don=t see yourself as this lady?@I laughed without humor. AOf course not. I=m a fugitive. He doesn=t deserve to have

to be with an outlaw.@Catalina looked at me reproachfully. AIs this what he thinks or what you think?@I looked back at my covers. AIf it was what he thought, for one he wouldn=t be an idiot

and two he wouldn=t be here. He just doesn=t understand the reality and chooses to live in a dream land.@

AMaybe it=s not him who=s the idiot.@I glanced over at Catalina warily. AWhat do you mean?@AMaybe the idiot is really you Mikia. You never let anyone get too close to you for

reasons I can only guess at, then and now. When you met Daimon, from the very beginning he tried to get to know you and you got scared and pushed away. He wormed himself into your world and you keep trying to press him back. Maybe he doesn=t want to live out there. Maybe he wants to live in your world.@

I brought my knees into my chest and rested my head against them. AThat doesn=t make sense.@

AI=m sorry that it doesn=t but I think it=s about time you move on. Do you like Daimon, Mikia?@

I kept my head down on my knees, thinking that my head would never want to come back up.

AWell?@AHe=s an idiot but a nice idiot. How can you not like one of those?@Catalina smiled and nodded. AGood, now tell me do you love him?@My head jumped up and I stared at Catalina wide eyed. ASay what?!@ADo you love him?@AW-what kind of love are you talking about here?@

AYou know what I=m talking about.@AI=m pretending I don=t to put off answering the question.@AWell quit stalling. I want to hear your answer.@I ran a hand through my hair nervously. Was I really about to spill it to a girl that I had

thought a bully most of my life? Apparently I was. AYeah. I-I think I love him. It-it=s hard to really know, you know?@

AGood girl. Now we need to get you and Daimon to admit it to each other. How will we do that?@

ANO! Don=t do that! He doesn=t have to be in my life! He still has a choice here!@AHe=s made his choice and it=s to be with you.@AThat=s the wrong choice!@ALook Mikia. I know it=s hard to let someone else in, to let someone other than a

familiar touch hold you close but seriously, you=re twenty-one now. It=s time you grew up and became a woman.@

ANot a chance. I just barely got my dad back. I=m not letting go until I=m done.@AWell at least let Daimon become part of the family! Good grief! He=s still a good boy

and loves you dearly. That much is clear.@AYou don=t know that!@ABelieve me. By tomorrow morning, I will.@I didn=t like that even though I couldn=t really tell the meaning behind it. I could just

tell that I didn=t like whatever she had planned.

I woke up early that morning, around four o=clock or something, and went up to the balcony where my kitchen chair still sat. Chitsi snoozed softly on the hearth rug, not waking as I walked up the stairs. I took my seat and stared out at the stars reflecting in the surface of the water. It was strange to think that I was living with four people now. The people I believed to be the most unlikely people I would ever sleep on the same boat with after I left. I thought about my conversation with Catalina and wondered what the heck was wrong with my brain. Did I really love Daimon? Was I really the idiot who just wouldn=t give up? It was hard to tell anymore.

The stairs squeaked in protest of a great mass and I glanced over to them. My father looked up at me and smiled.

AWhat are you doing up at this hour dad?@AI was busy preparing a way for us to keep in contact. Everyone, not just the two of us.

It=s a way that not even the wizarding world has thought of yet. The prisses.@I smirked.AI was up all night doing it too.@I clucked my tongue. ASuch a bad example. You=re a hypocrite dad. You tell me I

need to watch my sleep, diet, etc., meanwhile you=re doing the exact opposite of what you preach.@

AHe always was a hypocrite.@We both looked in Chitsi=s direction but she hadn=t even opened her eyes. I laughed

and turned back around in my seat.AWhat about you? Why are you up so early in the morning?@I shrugged. ACouldn=t sleep. Catalina=s threatening my serenity right now by saying

she=s going to find someway to hook up Daimon and myself. Totally rude right?@

AAhh. I remember that conversation. Chitsi was telling me about it as you kids got ready for bed and everyone was chittering. I actually believe she knows what she=s talking about. It=s time you got someone, Mikia.@

I groaned. ANot another one. I have enough to deal with as it is.@My dad pulled a stool over and sat next to me at the window. We stared out at the sea for

a good long time then I turned and studied him. His rusting hair was graying at the roots and he had dark circles under his eyes from many a sleepless night. I saw his hand move and I looked down at a bright red feather he was holding.

AWhat=s that for, dad?@He glanced down to where I was looking and understood immediately. AOh, this is what

I was working on. I had finished only a few minutes ago and was going through each of the other kids and giving them the mark.@

AMark? Wouldn=t someone see it if we were to walk around outside with it?@ANo. You weren=t in your bed but I guess it=s a good thing so that I can show you.

Here.@ He stepped around to my left side and knelt down.AFirst, you have to press the tip of the pen beneath your skin so that it can pick up the

blood.@ He did so and I watched as a little bit of blood ran down his finger.ALet me see your arm.@I held out my arm and he gently wrapped one hand around it. Then he pressed the pen to

my skin. AThen you just write your first name.@My father=s first name curled and flamed a bit behind the pen right below my wrist but

once he lifted it, it disappeared.AThere all done. You should do the same to your friends, you know.@ARight. Where=d it go?@ I held out my hand for the pen and he gave it to me.AWell, you see, it=s now your mark. It will only appear when I call to you or something

is happening to me. Like my throat is being slit open.@AHar har,@ I said darkly.AGo back to bed now Mikia. You need your sleep.@I sighed. AFine.@ I stood up then pecked dad on the cheek. ANight dad.@AGood night.@ANight Chitsi.@She didn=t answer.I walked down the stairs and walked past the main room, glancing in as was habit now. I

stopped two steps into the hall and back tracked into the main room. In a chair right there by the wall, was Daimon, slouching in his sleep. I smiled at him unknowingly. That=s when I realized I was still holding dad=s pen.

I stepped around to Daimon=s left side and pricked my skin with the needle sharp point of the pen. I could feel it sucking in blood then it stopped and blood drooled down my finger. I didn=t do anything about that though. I took hold of Daimon=s arm and scratched my name into his skin, right on the wrist. I lifted the pen once I was finished, blew on the glowing scratches and watched them fade. That=s when Daimon stirred.

AMikia?@ His voice was doused in drowsiness. AWhat are you doing?@I stood up and kissed his forehead. ANothing Daimon. Now just sleep.@His eyes closed and he began to snore lightly. I smiled and walked to my room. That

was done.

AMikia, has Daimon put his name on you?@Everyone stood in the main room, Daimon, Laurence, and Catalina holding their wrists.

Sure there were no wounds but that doesn=t mean it doesn=t hurt. My father had explained this morning about the simplicity of what we were doing and had me demonstrate how to do it by having me write my name on him, Catalina, and Laurence. I could swear he already knew that I had marked Daimon. Catalina asked if I was going to do Daimon and I shook my head saying, >I=ve already done it.=

The guests went through everyone and marked them and for some reason Catalina was watching Daimon and myself like a hawk waiting to strike. That=s when she brought up Daimon doing me.

AOh, um...@ I flushed a little and shook my head. AI-I don=t know. It=s not a big thing.@

Catalina held out the feather to Daimon, who glanced at it a moment then took it and stepped up to me. He did the preparations then wrote his name. As he did, he whispered to me, so that only I could hear him, AYou know, I=m really starting to hate that spell.@

My face got a half shade darker. AWh-what spell?@Daimon lifted his head and looked into my eyes, whispering just as quietly as before,

AThe only thing I want to know is what was the kiss for?@I froze. How was I going to explain that? AWhat kiss?@ADon=t try to ignore it. I know you did it. Right before you put me under. I want to

know the meaning behind it.@AM-maybe you had a dream about something like that even though it=s weird and

unlikely to happen.@I glanced down at his work. He had finished writing and now was just holding my arm.

Ah! How to get out of this?! Daimon cocked his head then leaned forward the short distance and kissed my own forehead. I couldn=t see anyone past his shoulders so that means no one could see my face turning bright scarlet. Good thing too. Catalina would have been over it in three ticks. Then she=d do strange stuff and all that.

Daimon pulled away and whispered again, AIf it=s what I think it was then I love you too, Mikia. If not then whatever. What I said still stands.@

I don=t know if it was possible but my face flushed even darker than before. I had to look away and I looked into the grate. What the heck?! He hadn=t been told had he? Was I really that obvious? Was I that oblivious?! Oh, shoot.

ASo how are you going to disguise yourself? That brilliant hair of yours, not to mention your eyes, are kind of hard not to spot.@

AIf you=re patient, Catalina, I=ll show you what I=m going to do.@I sat in my room, next to the mirror while Catalina was cross-legged on the bed. She was

hugging a pillow, watching with interest.I clapped my hands together and rubbed them vigorously. Sparkles fell down onto my

pants, staining them lightly. You couldn=t even tell. Then, starting at the forehead, I worked my way back down to the tips of my hair, like I was rubbing in shampoo. When the hair appeared from under my hands it turned white-blonde and straight.

I almost jumped when I opened my eyes again. It didn=t look like me. I calmed down telling myself this was only the beginning.

I breathed into my cupped hands like they were cold and a light glowed in them. Placing

one palm over each eye the light burned my lids then I opened my eyes and saw the change. My eyes were now dark green. I really did look like some other person. Like an inland beach girl.

AWow Mikia. That doesn=t even look like you. If I hadn=t watched you do it, I would probably think you were someone else who stole Mikia.@

I looked at her. AYeah. That=s good. If it fools you, it=ll fool anyone. Let=s head out.@

Catalina gave a nod then hopped up and hurried out of the room before me. I gave one last wistful glance at the reflection of the strange blonde girl then followed Catalina out more slowly. I felt uncomfortable like this. Like I was somehow more vulnerable to outside forces. Of course I wasn=t but the feeling didn=t cease with the knowledge.

Out in the main room, Laurence sat in the sinking chair and Daimon stood over at the fireplace. They were conversing with Catalina who turned in the direction of the hall and smiled. I stepped into the light and Laurence gave a yelp, jumping from his seat.

AWho the hey is this person?!@You had to be kidding me. This guy supposedly wasn=t an idiot, so he was probably

pretending to be fooled. I glared at him then my gaze softened as it traveled to Daimon=s face. He wasn=t even the least bit surprised. I looked the other way in embarrassment. AAre we going out there or not, people?!@

AWhoa. This beautiful creature just stabbed with vicious knife like words that would only come out of Mikia=s mouth! What did you do with Mikia?@

I grabbed Laurence=s shirt collar and glared into his eyes. AWant a broken nose again? Because you=re asking for it!@

Daimon pushed Laurence out of my hold and stood in front of me. AMikia. We don=t have a way to fix it you know.@

AWho cares about fixing it? Let him live with it for a little while. Maybe he=ll get some knowledge from it.@

My now blonde hair had flown into my face and was hanging in front of my eyes. I blew at it stubbornly like it should be the one to move and I shouldn=t have to push it away. Daimon gently pushed the strands out of my face and then whispered to me. AI prefer your red hair. This just seems not you.@

AThat=s the basic idea. I fooled you for a little bit though, right?@Daimon shook his head. AI=ll always be able to recognize you. Whatever appearance

you take, I=ll always see you.@AEven if I were to look like a seventy foot long anaconda?@Daimon laughed quietly. AYes. Even then.@I pouted. AThank you for ruining it for me. Gosh darn it.@AI=m not sorry.@He rested his head against mine and sat there. Like I knew what to do. I mouthed the

word awkward before clearing my throat. AAre we going now or what peeps? I thought we had some major business to attend to.@

The other two nodded and murmured unintelligible stuff. Then I remembered someone. AWhere=s my dad?@

AHe=s upstairs I think. Why?@AI gotta talk to him real fast. Be back in a flash.@I rushed up the stairs and made two fast turns into the kitchen. There sat my father with

his feet on the table. I put my hands on my hips as I listened to him snore.

ADad!@He startled to his feet abruptly. He looked at me, a little dreamily, then smiled playfully.

AWell now who is this gorgeous teenager who=s walked right into my kitchen?@I glared. AShut up.@He laughed. AJust joshing you, sweetheart.@AAre you coming with us?@A...No. It really wouldn=t be a good idea for me to go out there. I=ll be here when you

get back though. No need to worry.@My eyebrows furrowed. AAre you sure?@AHoney. We=ve finally gotten back together. I don=t want to lose you or leave you

behind. Never again.@I smiled and gave him a hug. AThanks dad.@ Then I was off down the stairs and

rushing to the door to lift the stones that led to the shore.

Raphael waited until the kids were out of the house then went into the main room. He knew something was wrong. It was getting colder in the house. He put one hand on Chitsi=s nose then sighed. AWhen were you going to tell me Chitsi?@

Chitsi moaned but didn=t open her eyes. AI wasn=t planning to.@ASo you were planning on leaving it until you were so sick that you couldn=t even stay

alive.@AOh leave it Raphael. I=m going to be fine.@AYou=ll be fine my foot. Chitsi, you=re my dearest friend, why wouldn=t you tell me?

@ARaphael, you=re busy enough as it is. You don=t need to worry over me. I=m quite

capable of getting over a cold.@AChitsi, colds are most literally colds for you! Those cold spells can kill you!@AOh relax, you worry wart. You=re turning into your wife and daughter.@A...Chitsi, until you get well, you=re going to have to lower the defenses.@ANot happening.@AChitsi!@ARaphael, do you really think me so ill that I cannot maintain the same power level that I

have for over three thousand years? When we met on the dragon isle, I could tell you were cocky over everything but I didn=t need to be shown the care that you give. You tried your hardest to save my eggs in that monsoon. I=m simply returning the favor.@

AChitsi, I=m not going to allow you to hurt yourself like this.@ARaphael, I would rather die then let this family down. There is no possible way for you

to cross this boundary and make me change my mind.@AChitsi, I don=t want to get rough but I can over power you. If you won=t tone down

the power reflector, I will do it for you. That is a promise.@Chitsi rolled her eyes. AYou always have to have your way, don=t you?@AOf course I do. How else would I save you all?@Chitsi laughed once. AHow indeed.@

AHave I mentioned to you how badly I hate shopping?@ANo, I don=t think you have. How badly do you hate shopping?@AI abhor it with every fiber of my being. Why do we have to expose ourselves like this

and why are you forcing me into every store that has clothes in it? Mine back home are just fine!

@AI know but you=ve been wearing those for seven years now, haven=t you?@AI wash them!@AThat=s not what I mean. Don=t you want to have something new to wear? Something

fashionable, something eye-popping, something that will impress Daimon?@A...My clothes are fine. Daimon does not get a say in what I wear. I will choose what I

wear and not be dominated over the male race.@Catalina was getting exasperated with me. I had issues with the whole finding new

clothes thing and she insisted that we continue on with it. The second the boys heard her plans they took off to do the actual chores. Boy, did I wish I was with them.

AYou know, Mikki. Sometimes, it=s fun to show off in front of the guys. To watch their eyes pop out of their heads. You know what I=m talking about?@

ANo. I do not. I prefer not to show off to guys, you know?@Catalina sighed and stayed quiet for a moment. I glanced at the market place. I didn=t

like this air. It was too busy and populated. People were walking around, smiling, buying or trading goods. I didn=t trust even one of them. One could turn me in. That thought scared the dickens out of me.

AHey, Mikki? When=s your birthday?@I hesitated. Where had that come from? I was not willing to answer that. AOh look at

that... nice...fish.@AThat was a very poor job of changing the subject, Mikki. Even for you.@AIt=s not like I change the subject often.@AI know but I would still like to know when your b-day is.@AWhy?@AIt=s your big day.@AI fail to see what=s so special about it.@AIt=s the day you were born, girl. It=s the day we celebrate you coming into this world

and giving all of us another thing to smile about.@AWhat=s to celebrate? I=m alive, I=m here, I=m destroying lives left and right.

Seriously? I don=t think I should have been born.@There was a very sharp pain to the back of my head and I looked at Catalina. AWhat?!@ADon=t even say that! You are here for many good reasons! No one can deny that you

are a very special person. If it weren=t for you, what would Daimon be like? Or Laurence, or me, or your dad? There are people who love you Mikia so snap out of it and stop thinking idiotic thoughts like that! Got it?@

AYes, yes! I get it already! Yeesh.@AGood. Now when is it?@I sighed. I really couldn=t hide anything from anyone. AThis Saturday I believe.@AThis Saturday? The twenty-seventh? So soon?!@AYeah. Funny thing you know, I even kept it a secret from Daimon for this long.@AReally?@ANo. He pestered it out of me that summer after I left. But like we could do anything

about it. We were on a budget. It was necessities only.@AYou went seven years without a birthday?@AWell, no. Chitsi always seemed to know when the day had arrived and amazingly had a

cake made up for one of us about an hour before we woke up. Then it was like she had never been awake.@

AThat=s absolutely amazing.@AWell, whatever it is, I really don=t care. I=m alive, great. Now let=s go back to the

ship before my paranoia starts getting really bad.@ANO!!@Catalina grabbed my arm and pulled quite hard, leaving me a motionless figure. That

didn=t seem right though. Why would she keep me from returning to my home? I turned and looked at her strangely.

ATh-the truth is your dad asked me to get you some little thing while we were out. I didn=t know what you liked and so I thought if we try out some stuff I might get a clue and we=d choose something that particularly suited you.@

I sighed. Figures. My dad gets back in time for my birthday and insists on spoiling me. Unfortunately for him, I don=t like many material things.

AI don=t know what to say Catalina. I really don=t want anything for my birthday. I don=t like much.@

Catalina frowned then snapped her fingers. AWe=ve only been trying out clothes and as far as I can tell, you=ve never worn any piece of jewelry ever. Let=s try for those.@

AI don=t want it.@AYou haven=t even tried!@APatience is out. Now I would really like to have the chance to return to the ship.@Catalina stood still for minute then sighed. AAlright we=ll go back. We have been at

this for a long time.@I smiled, triumphant.AJust let me make a call real fast, okay?@I checked my watch. AWhy not? You can make your call.@She smiled and ran to a phone booth. She wouldn=t be disturbed if she went in there.

We wizards have to blend in carefully. As I waited, I stared through the window of a creamery, wondering if I wanted to buy something to snack on. I didn=t know. Something had to go wrong today and this was it.

AHey doll, how are you today?@I tried not to pay attention as a guy sidled up to me, taking his place at my side. AI was

good but then some idiot had to come and bother me.@AUh oh. And who would this idiot be? Tell me all about it.@I ducked under the guy=s arm and walked toward the phone booth. I hoped that Catalina

would end her call soon.AWhere are you going, babe?@ALeave me alone you freak from Mars. I want nothing to do with you.@AOh, you don=t mean that. We=re all good buds here.@AI=m dubious about that.@ACome on. How about we blow this place and go somewhere more private. Like up the

hill.@AAnd why, pray tell, would I want to be up there?@ABecause you and me are made for each other. I saw you on the street and I thought

wow, she=s my girl. She=s the one made for me. So,@ his eyes raked my body. AWhy don=t we go on up there and have some fun?@

I could feel my patience run thin, cold, and become non-existent. I was going to blow my magical top and this guy was not going to survive. My hands shook from the anger, heating up

as I prepared to kill this guy. Then a hand slipped into mine and I felt a familiar presence behind me.

AHi honey. Did you find everything you need?@A quiet gasp came from my mouth as I recognized the voice, the scent, the bruises. I

looked up into Daimon=s face, saw his smiling lips and eyes. I felt relief wash through me like a permeable rock. Daimon leaned over and gently kissed my lips. I allowed him to and even felt a bit of joy from it.

AAnd who are you supposed to be, dude?@You would think that would be obvious right? The answer should have been obvious.Daimon pulled away slowly, three seconds after the guy had even asked, then glared at

him. That stare was something I thought I would never see from Daimon=s soft, gentle eyes. AWhat=s it look like? I=m her boyfriend.@

The guy stood there a few more minutes then turned and walked away, muttering curses under his breath.

I smiled at his disappointment then it slowly faded away as I turned and took my hand from Daimon=s. He watched me expectantly.

AThank you for that.@AWhat else am I good for?@I thought about that then shrugged. I had never really thought hard about it. He was a

good friend to me now. AYou didn=t have to say that though.@ASay what?@AThe boyfriend thing. You probably don=t even want that. I mean, I=m such a pain. I

can=t keep a temper down, I=m as bad a cook as my dad, I can=t take care of myself, and I=m wanted. Really, you don=t have to add a title to yourself that you don=t want.@

Daimon stepped up to me and rested his chin on my bowed head. My eyes stared from side to side, because, looking at his shoes, that were on either side of mine because of our proximity, made me feel more nervous.

ASo that=s how you think about yourself. Mikia, none of it=s true. Actually, you do stink at keeping your temper but everything else is a lie. I don=t see what you see in yourself. You=re worried about putting us in danger? We=ve chosen to be with you. You=re a better cook than most people I know, you=ve gotten better at keeping care of yourself, and like I care about you being wanted. I want you. I would really like to have that title and be your boyfriend.@

I could feel tears welling up in my eyes. Could this really be true? Could he really want me, the stupid, close-minded girl that I was?

ABut don=t you want to raise a family peacefully? Have kids that don=t have to grow up in fear?@

Daimon lifted my face, making me stare into his dark blue eyes. AHow about we cross that bridge when we come to it? For now, let=s just enjoy each other=s company, alright?@

I couldn=t hold back a sob then I grabbed Daimon=s head and pulled it down to me. And we kissed. Right in the middle of town square where people whispered quietly. Like I cared though. I wasn=t thinking. I had only one joyous thought. That he really wanted me! Out of everyone in the world, out of every girl on the streets, he picked me! How joyous this was indeed.

I didn=t know how long Daimon and I were at it but when the interference came and interfered, I can=t say that I was pleased about it.

AWell, I guess there was something you wanted after all. Seems a little late to wrap it though.@

I gasped and pulled away sharply. Yep, there was Catalina, seeming rather pleased with herself yet a little disgruntled. I looked around then snapped, AWhat are you looking at?@

She shrugged. AJust a pair of lovers in loving embrace.@AShut up! Let=s go already!!@I stalked off down the street with Daimon and Catalina not too far behind.AShe seems happier, doesn=t she?@A...I=d say so.@

That weekend, I woke up and found that Catalina wasn=t in her bed. It was strange because Catalina was usually up after me. I checked the time. No wonder Catalina wasn=t in bed, it was nearly ten o=clock. For once I had slept in. There was an issue here in this facility. Sleeping in was not my thing. I preferred to beat everyone up into the conscious world. Something had happened.

I looked up at the ceiling and found myself staring at a mark. The mark of continued sleeping. I growled. I did not like being forced to sleep...or anything else for that matter.

I yanked on some clothes then went upstairs, my temper raised to dangerously high levels. AAlright! Who=s the yo-yo who made me sleep in?!@

Before I had even gotten half way up, Daimon rushed down and took me by the shoulders. ASorry Mik. It was me. We couldn=t have you up before us today.@

AWhy? What=s today?@Daimon smirked. ADon=t tell me you forgot that today was your special day?@My eyes furrowed then I remembered. AOh you guys. Seriously, today is just any other

normal day. It doesn=t matter that I was born today or not. Life would have gone on without me.@

Daimon didn=t stop smiling. AI knew you would say that. You say it every year.@AWell, it=s obvious no one is listening.@AGuess what else today is?@I listened patiently, baffled as to what other event could be occurring on this day.AIt=s the day that we first met.@I stared at him. ANuh uh. Really? That can=t be right. Is it?@He nodded. AJune 27th.@I stared at him a moment longer then slowly turned my head to stare at the steps.

AWooow. That=s freaky.@He kissed the top of my head. AWhy didn=t you let me in that it was your birthday?@I tried to wake up. AAt the hole?@AYes there.@AI didn=t even remember then. I didn=t tend to share anything important with people I

didn=t consider worth the breath, you know?@AOf course.@We stood on the staircase in silence before I stopped to think. AWhy are we just standing

here? I=m hungry.@Daimon laughed. AOf course you are. Okay, let=s head up to the kitchen.@I gave Daimon a weird look though he wasn=t watching me. He had raised his voice on

that last sentence and he was watching the landing carefully. I was suspicious now. AWhat=s

going on?@Daimon checked my face then gave me a carefree smile. ANothing, Mik. Let=s go

up.@I shrugged and stepped to the next step. Then Daimon obstructed my view with his hand.

ADaimon, what are you doing?@AJust bear with me okay? Five more steps until the landing.@I climbed the last steps blind then Daimon ushered me forward three steps, forty-five

degrees from the stairs. Was he going to shove me off the balcony? If he didn=t like me he could have just said so, I=d have sent him back home to his parents.

His hand was gone so fast that I was momentarily blinded by the bright light. When my eyes adjusted, I stood completely mystified. No, I was purely shocked.

Laurence, Catalina, and my dad stood around a rocking chair. A beautiful mahogany rocking chair with a blue cushion on the seat and a bright red ribbon tied at the top. My mouth hung open in shock. I looked at everyone; my dad, who was proud, Catalina, happy to death, Laurence, like he was ready to burst out laughing, Chitsi smiling from the hearth rug. I even spun around to look at Daimon. He just smiled pleased.

I turned back around to stare at the chair. It was the most gorgeous chair I had ever seen. My, if this was a dream, I would die right where I was standing.

Daimon stepped forward then gently gripped my shoulder. AMikia? Breathe girl.@The air rushed out very suddenly. Maybe I would have died where I was standing

anyway.ASo what do you think?@I couldn=t form anything coherent just yet.Laurence smirked. AWords escape her at present, Daimon. Wait about three hours. She

should be good by then.@I couldn=t stop the excitement from entering my voice. AWh-where did this come from?

@AThe last port.@AYou guys bought this for me?@AOf course not.@ I looked at my dad. AWe stole it. Bwahahaha.@ADad, that isn=t funny.@AYou=re right. I was just teasing.@Catalina cleared her throat. ADaimon says it=s from all of usC@ABut really he bought it.@ Laurence finished.I turned to stare amazed at Daimon. AHow did you manage that?@He shrugged. AThe >how= doesn=t matter. All that matters is if you like it.@I put a hand over my heart. I had never felt this touched sinceCI take that back. I hadn=t

felt this touched for more than twelve hours. Strange how that works.AGo ahead and try it.@I tentatively walked forward and sat down in the chair. It moved with me. My entire

body relaxed immediately. Inside, my personal storms mellowed and faded. I felt the comfort that I had long been wishing for. I felt the peace that I had needed for ages. I felt like my mom was holding me in her arms like she used to before everything that I had known had swirled down the drain. Before everything shattered into oblivion.

My dad leaned over the back and kissed the top of my head. AHappy birthday sweetheart.@

I could feel hot rivers on my cheeks. I couldn=t believe how blessed I was at this very

moment to have such caring, compassionate people surrounding me at this space in time. I was probably the luckiest kid in the whole world.

I sat in my chair looking out over the water that evening, reliving the day=s events at the same time as watching the sea. I loved how the water sparkled under the light from the stars and moon. This was my true home, out over the sea. No home in the world could possibly be better than what I had right here right now.

ASo you=re loving the chair so much you won=t even go to bed, will you?@I turned to look at Daimon. He got to the top of the stairs and knelt in front of me. I

couldn=t help but laugh at his assumption.AKind of. I just used to have all kinds trouble falling asleep after my mom died and I

lived in the school. This is something that I=ve missed for years. I would have all kinds of nightmares at night before and my mom would rock me to sleep. Of course, I had nightmares every night so she would rock me to sleep every night. I grew used to being with her as I fell asleep.@

Daimon sat still for a moment then stood up. AStand up.@I looked at him. AWhat? Why?@AReally fast, come on.@He offered me his hand and I carefully took it. Then he lifted me from my seat, taking

my place. Seeing as he still had my hand, he pulled me onto his lap and held me close.I couldn=t believe how calm I was. It was awkward. I fingered the designs on his shirt.

I loved this. More than I probably had a right to. Well, maybe I did have a right. We were together technically. Right? Daimon began rocking us both gently. My comfort returned little by little and I could feel myself sinking into unconsciousness. Then I thought of something. Something that should be said.

ADaimon, I...I...@Why was it so hard to get out? It was only three little words (if >I= even counts as a

word.) I could practically feel Daimon=s patience as I struggled with those seemingly simple words. Apparently, I couldn=t do this staring at his shirt so I looked into his dark eyes. ADaimon, I loveC@

I noticed a strange flash out the window and my gaze flicked to it. Then my eyes widened. I had only a split second. ADaimon!@ I shouted, covering his head with my arms.

None too soon had I done that when the glass doors shattered. Sharp objects pierced my flesh, stabbing deep into my arm. It hurt but I didn=t let go. I had to protect Daimon no matter what the pain was. Once I was sure there weren=t anymore falling pointy objects, I released Daimon=s head.

AMikia, are you alright?@AYeah I=m good.@AYou=re bleeding!@That took a moment to process. When it did, I looked at my arm. My left arm was

opened in several places ranging in sizes from a half inch to three inches in length. Glass rose from the wounds three inches at the least. My arm was actually numb now so I couldn=t tell if I was in pain or not. I shrugged. ACould=ve been worse.@

I smiled at Daimon but that evaporated quickly as I saw something wrong. My blood seemed to freeze in my veins. ADaimon, you=re bleeding.@

AWhat?@

My hand raised hesitantly to his cheek but he was faster than me. He touched the glistening blood tear then looked at his fingers. ANo, it=s okay, Mikia!@

Tears stung my eyes. ABut I failed. I failed to keep you safe.@ANo, no. It=s okay. It=s just a scratch.@ He healed it then wiped the excess blood

from his face. ASee? I=m good now.@AYou were hurt though.@AMikia, I=m fine now,@ Daimon growled.AI didn=t protect you well enough and because of that you were hC@Daimon grabbed my face and kissed me, stopping the words from exiting my mouth. My

tears leaked onto his face.Then someone seemed to be yelling. The wind seemed to blowing loudly but it didn=t

make sense. Not in this moment. Then Daimon and I were forced apart, dragged to separate sides of the room. Cloaked figures carried us away though we fought desperately to get back. Of course, in my case, it was hurting my arm trying to escape.

ASecure them and find any others that are in the house.@Chitsi roared in anger.ASubdue that beast.@Several cloaks flew at Chitsi, pulling her down and forcing her head to the ground. I

looked from Chitsi to Daimon. He seemed to know what I was thinking. I yanked my good arm out of the man=s grip and concentrated all my power to that hand. Slowly, an indigo sparking ball grew in my palm. It grew until it was roughly the size a four-square ball.

The man in charge happened to see over where I was and screamed to the man behind me, AStop her!!@

The man behind me was too late though. They were all too late. I threw the teleporting ball at Chitsi which hit her squarely in the nose. It encompassed her and she was elevated off the ground then it shrunk and flashed, disappearing completely. I could hear Chitsi=s last word though. She called my name. I smiled to myself. There was no way I would let any harm come to her.

The man behind me took hold of my arm again and shoved them higher behind me than was comfortable. The man in charge pushed back his hood, revealing an aged face that was set in a permanent scowl.

AWhere did you send the monster, girl?@I smirked. He didn=t like that. He slapped me, leaving my cheek stinging.AWhere is the beast, girl and you may only receive minor charges.@I laughed hollowly. AYou=ll never find her. She=s in a place that you will never find.

Never in a million years with your arrogant ways.@AWhere is it?!@ He slapped me again.I couldn=t help but grin, despite the pain. AI sent her back to her home.@AWhere?!!@ His leather clad hand smacked me again.I turned my head slowly, still grinning. ABack to Dragon Island, you pure-blood, bilge

rat.@ I then spit blood in his face.He stood there clearly infuriated, fighting within himself. Then he raised his hand and

slapped me again, this time, with enough force to make a whimper escape me. Daimon clearly heard it because he was scrambling against his restraints.

AYou monsters! Stop hurting her!@ADaimon! Shut up!@

AThey=re hurting you, Mikia! I will not shut up!@AJust shut your yap! I=m fine.@AThat=s a lie, Mikia!@The older man looked between the two of us suspiciously. AWho is this boy?@Another cloaked figure stepped forward. AThis is one of the missing adults from the

Kingsly town. His parents reported him missing.@AThat=s not true. I=ve sent them many letters via transportation! They know I=m

safe.@ALetters? Oh, do you mean,@ the man pulled a small bundle of letters from his coat

pocket. AThese letters?@Daimon stared at them in shock. I did my best to seem indifferent. Slowly Daimon=s

face twisted up in anger and he tried to go at the man we did not know. AYou scumbag!@ANow, now young man. We had to have some reason other than the old one to find and

arrest these...criminals.@ He took my chin in his hand. I didn=t want him touching me. I didn=t like it. AThough that magic scum Raphael did produce a fine specimen of offspring, he did so with a human which is against the law but how would that stick? So we=ve gone to kidnaping. The Spellbinder household has kidnaped three unwilling hostages. Do you agree, Ms. Spellbinder,@ he breathed into my face.

ADude. Two words. Breath. Mint. And no, I wasn=t even around when they chose to come back.@

AThat is obviously a lie,@ the man said, waving away my remarks. ATake her away.@ASir?@AYes?@AShe has glass sticking from her arm.@The man holding me held my arm out to show grimace face. Ol= grimace face stepped

forward, inspecting the sparkling glass. Then he tapped at one, the biggest. I cringed.AHow did you get glass in your arm?@I looked on him skeptically. AYou freakin= blew up the glass doors, smart one.@ABut they are only in one of your arms.@AThis arm was facing the windows. It doesn=t hurt.@AGeneral!@Everyone turned to Daimon who was looking wildly between grimace face and me.

ASir, let me remove the glass from her arm!@AWhy would you do that boy? She says she is in no pain.@AWould you have her arm become infected?@Mr. Moue thought about it then nodded. ARelease them.@My guy didn=t realize that I didn=t have any leverage and dropped me onto the floor.

My left arm clunked against it painfully, a piece of glass going deeper than necessary.AThank you for that.@Daimon gently took my shoulders and led me into the kitchen. I cradled my arm so that

no one else would see the bloody, glistening pieces of glass. I felt enough like a fool as it was.Daimon sat me down in one of the kitchen chairs then took a big bowl from the cupboard,

filling it with water from the tap. He found some rags under the sink and carried all of it back to the table. He laid a red cloth on the table top then carefully pried my arm away from me, setting it on the cloth. Then he pinched one piece of glass. I couldn=t watch that. I turned away.

AHow=d you know that guy was a general?@ I had to think of something other than the

biting pain in my arm as each piece of glass slithered out.ACounted the ranks on his uniform. It took a while.@AAh.@It was silent for a moment then I caught my breath as another glass shard was extricated

from my arm. I had to keep a death grip on the chair to keep from stealing back my arm.AMikia, I=ll get us out of this. I=ll get us all out of this.@I sighed. ADaimon. Don=t try things that are so dangerous. Things that could get you

arrested too.@AMikia, I will not lose you.@I laughed softly. AYour persistence is cute, Daimon, but I will not lose you either. I

want you to live.@AAnd I want you to live.@ADaimon, I=m not going to let you get yourself killed.@AWell that=s too bad because I either want you alive or I won=t be myself.@AYou are not going to risk your life over something so pointless!@ I hissed.AWanna bet?@ Daimon snarled.We glared at each other for a few moments then I growled and turned my head to stare at

the wall again. For the longest time, we didn=t say anything at all. Our black moods echoed and rumbled and made dark clouds over our heads. Finally, the clinking of glass stopped and I was able to move my fingers less painfully. Warm water ran over my arm, stinging the wounds but doing its job of washing away the blood.

AThat=s weird.@I looked up to Daimon=s face. He was concentrating on my arm intensely. AI=m trying

to heal up the wounds but it isn=t working.@I caught the glint of metal on his shoulder and huffed. AThat=s because they=ve got a

suppressor pin on you.@AA suppressor pin? Where?@AOn your collar. They must have stuck it on when they first came in. I wonder how the

others are doing?@AThey=re probably downstairs being treated the exact same way we are.@ALike prisoners in our own home.@Daimon nodded.I sighed. AI guess it will have to heal the old fashioned, human way.@AI guess so. Where are the bandages?@AOn top of the freezer.@Daimon got up and looked on top of the fridge. While he did that I took a look at my arm

and didn=t like what I saw. Large cuts all over the place and even some up on my fingers. AOw. How did I not feel that?@

AAh ha! Found them.@Daimon pulled down the giant basket with the mortal bandages and took out a tube of

antiseptic. He squeezed the gel onto my arm then gently massaged the gel into the cuts. AThe bandages will have to be changed periodically.@

I laughed. AIf I live that long.@Daimon paused. AMikia. Don=t talk like that. Of course, you=re going to get out of

this. I=m going to do everything I can to get you and your dad out of this.@ADaimon,@ tears ran from my eyes once more, falling from my chin. AIt=s kind of

funny, you know? Death is kind of scary when it=s right next door to where you are.@Daimon took my chin in his hand and stared me right in the eye. AMikia. Don=t say

those things. You=re going to live from this!@ADaimon, you can=t stop everything. Some things just happen. Bad things tend to

happen to mediocre people.@AMikia, you aren=t mediocre. You are extraordinary! You do things that many people

can not do.@I didn=t have any words to say and I was busy fighting tears from my eyes. I didn=t

want to cry, not right now. As I began to stop crying, Daimon finished wrapping my arm and fingers then placed something in my hand. I looked at it. It was a small gold amulet with an inset sapphire in the middle.

AWhat=s this?@AIt=s an amulet that belonged to my grandmother.@I raised an eyebrow. AYour grandma?@He shrugged. AFamily relics. They=re always passed through the family.@I nodded. AAh.@AYes. Hold on to it.@I paused then slid the chain over my neck. AI=ll keep it safe as long as I live. It will

stay right here by my heart.@There was a loophole in that first sentence. Oh well.AAre you two done yet?@ asked mister grumpy.Daimon and I met each other=s gaze. Then I stood up. AFine. Take me to your

leader.@AAre you completely healed girl?@ANo. Your suppressor on Daimon makes it impossible for him to heal me our way

therefore I am reduced to let my body heal on its own. Lucky day!@He guy didn=t twitch. I pulled his same look. ADo you ever smile?@AOnly when I see criminals hanged.@Not changing my expression, I said simply, AYippee.@Then they put us in handcuffs, a muzzle over my mouth for my fire breathing techniques,

and tossed me to the guy who had been so concerned about the glass in my arm. We all marched down the stairs to find the others being held in the same way as us. My dad wore the same steel muzzle. I tried to smile sadly at him but it=s hard with something hiding half your face.

We were all put on brooms with our respective holders and I sat in front of my guy, scheming. I wasn=t going to let Daimon stop whatever it was. Better to prove your innocence than to run from the crime. Or something like that. I wasn=t going to let Daimon be outlawed just for trying to save us. That=s like doing a martyrdom. That=s just idiotic and the idiot didn=t need anything else added to his list.

AHey, what rank are you?@The guy holding me seemed to pause. AWhat?@AWhat=s your rank?@AI=m just under the general.@I nodded. ASo these people would listen to you if I had a request.@AI will not let you escape. Nor will I let you or your father free.@AOh this isn=t for me, respectively. I just want to know if you would listen to a

reasonable request.@

AReasonable? How reasonable?@ADaimon Foster over there. I want you to make sure he isn=t at my father=s and my

trial. He doesn=t need to share that.@AWhy? Why would you care?@I turned my head back and stared sadly at Daimon. ALove puts obstacles in undisturbed

streams, forcing the water to run a different coarse. Love must have been bored and saw that my stream had been untouched for seven whole years and so stuck him right in my path. Now, I must move him out of my path so I can keep going. Maybe he=ll keep going to. Maybe Love will put him in someone else=s path so they can be disturbed by him.@

A...You love him?@I paused, watching him intently. I had made up my mind. As much as I selfishly wanted

to have Daimon there with me in my last moments, I had to keep his mind free of those awful images. AYou=ve got to promise me that you=ll make sure that he stays in his home until after they kill me.@

AYou do not think you will get out of this?@I shrugged, returning again to the front. Land was approaching. Great. A few miles

closer to death. AI=m not too optimistic.@AWhy not?@APft. You=re kidding right? You guys have been after my dad for...eighteen, nineteen

years. How am I supposed to get out of this alive? I=m not exactly the ideal age for juvy.@AYou do not wish the boy to be there?@ALet me ask you this. Do you have a lover?@He didn=t answer me for awhile. I thought maybe I had struck a nerve and he wanted to

dump me over the side of his broom. I gripped the wood tightly for fear of my life.AYes, I do.@I relaxed a little. AWould you want her to see you getting killed for some crime that you

didn=t have any choice over? Or vice versa?@Again the guy paused but this time I waited. I would wait for an answer this time and not

jump to conclusions.AWhat should I say if he asks?@AJust tell him the general said that. I hope you don=t mind, but I doubt Mr. Cheerful has

much of a fan club.@AAnd if he knows that is a lie?@I swallowed. AThen he=s going to hate me. But I won=t be able to help that. I=ll be

as good as dead.@AYou=re quite the cheerful person yourself, aren=t you?@I smirked. ABelieve me. You should have seen me in school. Now that was a

nightmare.@A...I don=t really want to know.@AGood, cause I ain=t gonna tell ya.@After that it was a long silent trip back to land on a bunch of brooms. Have I told you I

hate brooms?

AIn other news, the I.S.I has finally captured the notorious Raphael Spellbinder who went missing nineteen years ago. They also found his twenty-two year old daughter, Mikia Spellbinder who went missing eight years ago after attending Kingsly=s finest school.@

An older man and woman sit in their home just outside of London watching the wizarding news. It=s the only news worth listening to on good days. The man reads the newspaper, only half paying attention to what they say. The woman though, who had glanced from her knitting to peek at the screen, put down her work and watched more intently. Two people were on the screen, similar in every way. A man and a girl. They shared raging inferno hair color and had yellow eyes. The man went along quietly, laughing to himself while the girl screamed into the air and had to be led around by two men to keep her from going too far into the air.

>A You sissies! Why don=t you find something better to do huh?! You pure blood yo-yos! Go play fifty-two pick up or whatever it is you do for recreation! Golf! Go play your golf!=@

ADear, have a look at this.@AWhat?@ The man looked at the television and saw the screaming girl in the

background as her father smiled on down the path. The man couldn=t believe his eyes. AWho are they?@

AThose are the missing Spellbinders dear. The father and daughter.@AAs you can see, they are quite dangerous and have a peculiar sense of humor.@AYou know honey. They remind me an awful lot of a younger, rampant man from his

youth before he decided to become civil.@The man only watched the news in shock. Raphael did look quite a bit like himself as he

had been in his youth. His own fiery hair had grayed and silvered over the years and his bright eyes had dulled but there were the unmistakable similarities.

The man was suddenly on his feet. AWhere are they now?@As if the newscaster had heard him, he stated, AThe two criminals are being held in the

London Wizarding Jail where they will await their sentence until tomorrow morning.@The older woman stood up and took her husband=s arm. AJohn?@AEliza, call Fredrick. Tell him to have the car readied and call the home in London. I

want everything prepared for our arrival. We=re going to see if it=s true.@Eliza smiled and, after kissing John=s cheek, she hurried off to fetch the butler. This

might be the moment of a lifetime=s searching over. All over if they made it in time.

I sat in the cell with my dad, staring out the window, watching as men worked hard to build the gallows. Great.

ADad?@He looked up from the book they had given him. I don=t see how that book could be

any good. It was about the Salem witch trails. I had heard about that and I didn=t like it, even if it had happened a hundred years before my time.

AAre we really going to be hung?@He studied my face then stretched to look out the window without getting off his seat. He

most likely saw it because he relaxed and met my gaze once more. AIt seems so, Mikki.@AMm. Super.@ I returned to staring out the window.This was the first time I had ever been to London before. Hard to believe it was my last.

And the day after my birthday too. Death to the virgin. Oh well, many people died young. I was just getting added to the list. WHY WAS I THINKING THESE DARK THOUGHTS!!!!!! I must be off my rocker!

ASo is Daimon going to be there?@ dad asked casually.

ANo. I asked my guard to make sure he stayed at home. I don=t want him doing something stupid. I feel it=s better that he lived and got on with his life and not become a freakin= criminal! But no, he has to be all >everything=s going to work out, Mikia. I=ll save you, Mikia.= To freakin= Michigan with that! I want him to stay pure-blood clean notC@

AIt=s okay, Mikki.@ My dad got up and sat down on my cot, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. AI would have done the same for your mom.@

I felt better but couldn=t smile. Who smiles when they=re in prison? Rephrase that, who smiles in prison who=s completely sane? Ah well. My father returned his attention to his book after squeezing my shoulders and I looked to the cloudy sky. It looked like it was going to rain. For once in my life, I wished that someone could save me. That someone could intervene in this hopeless cause. That my dad and I wouldn=t die, charged guiltily. I hoped that someone would save us. Please let it be so.

There was a crash from the upstairs bedroom in the Foster household. Mr. and Mrs. Foster sat in the family room, a little tense by their son=s rampant behavior. When the I.S.I. had brought him home a few hours ago, they had specifically said to him that he was to remain in the home until after the trail. Daimon, surprised by this and immediately suspicious, had asked who had given the order. The gentleman in the front had said the general but Daimon became quite angry and, after locking himself in his room, began throwing stuff around, breaking probably priceless antiquities.

Another crash sounded upstairs and Mrs. Foster looked up, nervously. AOh, can=t we do something? He=s going to completely wreck his room and hurt himself!@

ALet him steam, my dear.@AButC@AI talked with the officer after Daimon had gone and he told me that it was actually a

request.@AA request? From whom?@AThe Spellbinder girl. She had told him that she didn=t want Daimon at the execution

and asked that he make sure he stayed here.@Mrs. Foster put a hand to her mouth. AYou don=t mean heC@Mr. Foster nodded. AHe knows it wasn=t the general=s order and he=s vexed over

it.@AOh dear. Our poor boy. He loves her, doesn=t he?@AIt was obvious from his letters from school, darling. It=s too bad Ms. Spellbinder does

not see how wrong she is in not having the boy there but I=m glad she did so.@Mrs. Foster said nothing, deeply saddened in her heart. Another crash sounded and she

cringed. Finally, Mr. Foster sighed and turned on the television.AWe are coming at you live from London=s Wizard Square where we are about to

witness the criminal=s execution.@Upstairs, Daimon took a vase and chucked it at a wall then turned angrily and sat down

on his bed, flicking at the tv in his room, turning it on. The newscaster was on the scene as crowds of people stood around anxiously. They hadn=t seen enough actual criminal trials it seemed. Daimon sat quietly and watched the screen as the camera focused on the jail doors. Out came Raphael, followed shortly by his daughter, Mikia. Mikia saw the crowds and literally hissed at them. You could hear it from where the camera was. It sounded like a dragon. She began yelling as her jailers forced her down the row toward the gallows. She screamed at the

sky, at the people, she even made faces at the cameras. Daimon gritted his teeth. How could she do this to him?! How?!

I stood next to my dad, shouting rude remarks, without the profanity, at everyone who listened. That would be everyone in the crowd. A man stepped up onto the platform, one I didn=t recognize but hey, I didn=t know anyone in the crowd. One more person didn=t matter. He looked down on us from his high state.

AWhich one will go first?@I laughed. He wanted volunteers for the gallows? Who would willingly offer to do that?My dad stepped forward. AI=ll go first.@I gave him a look of shock. ADad, are you crazy?! Who really volunteers to go first in

dying?@AI don=t know which would be worse, Mikki. Watching your face as I die or watching

your face as you die. I=d prefer not to watch you die at all. I want my last moments of life to see you alive and well.@

I was going to freak out now. I watched my dad climb the steps up to the noose and started hyperventilating. ANo!! You idiot! You aren=t supposed to die! Let go of me, you monkey-brained, space aliens. Don=t do it dad!@

They tightened the noose around his neck. He gave a radiant smile but all I saw was darks and white. Tears filled my eyes to the point that they made it impossible to see. I pulled against my two guards but they didn=t loosen up. My dad closed his eyes and the guy in charge pulled the lever. The door opened, a bright light shot through the air, and sliced the rope, making my dad fall to the ground. Everyone stood shocked then turned in the direction of the spell. I didn=t really care at the moment who had shot the spell. My dad was kind of suffocating.

While everyone was busy, I jumped up and kicked the guards in the tenders. They crumpled to the ground. I jumped again and brought my arms in front of me before running forward to loosen the stupid noose.

ADad! Are you okay?@The noose loosened up a little and he gasped. AAm I dead yet?@I laughed a little hysterical. ANo. You aren=t dead. You=re alive. You were saved,

dad!@ASaved? By who?@AI don=t know. I don=tC@AGreat shot dear!@ I didn=t know that voice.AWho the blazes, are you, sir?!@ I recognized that voice as the general=s. He didn=t

seem entirely happy.I tried to help dad sit up but it=s kind of hard with suppressor handcuffs on.AI am John Spelmore.@Murmurs traveled through the crowd.A...W-well what do you think you=re doing sir? We=re in the middle of a hanging!@AYes I know. I=m here to stop that.@More murmurs. I looked at my dad. We were about to be saved?AWhat?! You can=t do that! These are dangerous criminals here!@AWho have they killed?@The general didn=t respond. In fact, he was silent for a long time.AThat=s what I thought. Eliza dear, go help them out.@

But a woman was already in front of me, kneeling down. She was older, maybe late fifties, early sixties. She had a kind face and warm eyes.

AHello child. Are you alright?@I looked at her a second then nodded. I was majorly surprised.AHere, I have the key. Let me help you two out of those handcuffs.@The woman, probably Eliza, put a key into the hole of my cuffs and they opened,

clattering to the ground. I immediately went back to unworking the stupid rope from my father=s neck.

Then the general=s voice intruded the air. ABut they kidnaped three young adults! That=s a crime!@

AUnderstandable but not something to be hanged over. Besides, where is the proof? Who were the kidnaped?@

AMr. Daimon Foster, Ms. Catalina Dumos, and Mr. Laurence Mitchell.@AAnd what do the abductees have to say?@AThey don=t know what they speak of. Their memories have been altered to think that

they willing went along.@AYou=re a big fat liar!@ Everyone was staring at me but like I cared. ADaimon sent

letters to his parents telling them that he was safe and well! Don=t you remember that conversation? We just talked about how you stole those letters from the expressway to make his parents worry and send out a missing person=s report! You pickle nosed, banana-brained idiot!@

AWhy you littleC@AYoung lady do you have proof to what you say?@I nodded stiffly. AHe has the letters in his pockets and if you scanned the three

Aabductees@ brains, you=ll see that nothing is wrong with them aside for the fact that they should have stayed home in the first place!@

Mr. Spelmore held out a hand to the general for the letters. The red-faced general hesitated then pulled out a bundle of letters. Ones that I had never before seen in my life except just yesterday. I felt slightly nauseated by that sight.

Then my sight flickered.I blinked a few times. What was that? That couldn=t be anything good. I ignored

whatever that flicker was.Mr. Spelmore looked at every one of the letters= addresses then turned to me, walking

over slowly. ASo Ms. Spellbinder. Are you particularly close to the abductees?@I paused. I guess I was now but the question was tricky because I wasn=t before the

whole trip to find my dad started. AWell I wasn=t before, I mean the latter two had been like everyone else at school before I left, snotty and didn=t like me from what I could read. But what can you expect? Everyone was taught to treat me as an outsider which I rightfully am.@

Mr. Spelmore patted my shoulder. AIt=s alright dear. We=ll talk about this later.@Dear? Later? Say wha? I looked at my dad, confused. He shrugged. He, like me,

didn=t know this guy or anything about him. Well, he might have learned a little but forgot it all the next day like myself.

AAlright well this is enough public display. Since there are no real charges, I will take the two in my custodyC@

AMr. Spelmore! I really can not allow you to take such dangerous criminals intoC@AThe man may very well be my son, you idiot!@Silence ensued. If it had really ever started up again in the first place.

AThat would make his daughter my granddaughter.@Everyone stood frozen. Well except for the crazy=s wife and she just smiled and patted

my arm gently. I slowly turned my head and stared at her before returning my attention to the old man. General finally came out of his stupor. ASir. Before you take enemies under your wing, I must ask that we test your theory here and now.@

Mr. Spelmore sighed. AAlright you fogie. Mr. Spellbinder,@ he turned to my father who was now propped up on his elbow. AMay I have a sample of your daughter=s blood to test with my own?@

A...Pft. Why do you need my permission? She=s got her own tongue to answer you with. She can answer the question herself.@

I was still frozen in shock at the possibility of a grandfather. Could that even be true?AMs. Spellbinder.@I shook myself out of the trance. Mr. Spelmore held a blade handle out to me. I stared at

it cautiously. The only knives I touched were kitchen knives and elemental ones that I made myself. This object was foreign to me.

I took a deep breath and gently wrapped my fingers around the hilt. It was cold to the touch. I didn=t like it. Where was the fire when I wanted it?

I was about to roll up my left sleeve but immediately saw the bandage and put it back. No need to explain to every single magical person in the world. Besides, it was too good of a work that Daimon had done. I wanted to keep it on for as long as I could. It was all I had left of him at the present.

I rolled up my right sleeve and stared at my bare palm. Was I ready for this? I was gonna have to be. No one would leave me alone otherwise. Carefully, I touched the length of the blade to my skin. Again, ice cold. I cringed as the icy steel pierced my flesh and warm blood rushed to the surface.

I stared at the wound I had created, slightly nauseated, before looking up at the old man. He smiled and wrapped his fingers around my wrist.

AGood girl. Now, just pour a little into this vial.@No more than ten drops went into the tiny tube before the guy let me go and I pressed my

other hand over the wound, healing it instantly. I had to breathe carefully. That had hurt a little worse than I had thought. I looked at my hands. They were covered in blood like I had just killed someone. Now there was a nice thought.

AOh here darling,@ Eliza, my maybe grandmother, stepped over and wiped the blood off my hand with a nice white hanky. ALet me take care of that.@

AOh it=s fine ma=am. You don=t have toC@ANone of that child. I will have none of that. Let the old lady do what she wants to.@I bit my lip. That=s right. Don=t fight the elderly. They have obnoxious ways to get

their way.ASo sweetheart, how=d you get that injury?@ she whispered.My heart seemed to stop for about ten seconds. Literally, I felt slightly dead at that

moment in time.AGlass.@AProfessional work. You must have some physician friend.@I smiled a little then my eyes scanned the crowd vainly. Daimon wasn=t here. He

couldn=t be. I had made sure that he wouldn=t be. He=d probably found out by now and was steamed over it. He was probably very ticked at me.

AIs he here now?@I looked at Eliza who was glancing between me and the crowd. AAh, no. I didn=t want

him to see my, uh...@Eliza nodded. AI understand. It was very sweet of him.@I smiled sadly at our hands. It was sweet of him but I couldn=t tell him that and I

doubted that he=d listen anyway.AHm, interesting. You two!@ Everyone but Eliza jumped at John=s sudden

exclamation. Two men stepped forward suddenly. AHelp Raphael and Mikia Spellbinder to my car. Now!@

John Spelmore swept around and walked, from what I could tell, elated, back the way he had come. Eliza patted my cheek before following her husband. One man took my father=s arm and draped it over his shoulder, supporting him as he pursued the elder couple. The other guy attempted to help me to my feet, by supporting me under the elbows.

ANo, no. I can do it myC@I couldn=t get up farther than my knees which was where I was still positioned. Now

that couldn=t be good. My sight flickered again. That probably wasn=t good either.ACOn second thought, I might need a little help,@ I conceded. Man, did I hate

conceding to anything.The man walked me to the car to which I sank into the seat automatically.AMr. Spelmore! I believe you should have an escort to protect you from these

viciousC@ASteven! Don=t forget how you got your position,@ growled John.General Steven scowled.AGood. Fredrick, drive!@A few seconds later, my sight flickered again and I was out like a light.

AMs. Catalina Dumos is here to see you.@I looked up from where I sat on my little window seat. I had a room of my own. It was

like five times the size of my room on the ship. I had a huge four poster bed, a walk in closet, every girl=s dream. Every girl=s except mine. I had a family now. Father, grandparents, was no longer a felon but there was something missing from all my grandeur. I knew exactly what it was too but I was too scared to face it head on.

I nodded at the maid. AYou can let her in.@The maid curtsied and opened the door wider for Catalina who stepped through in

something I totally remembered well of her. Always looking her best for the simplest of things. Right now, I was dressed like I had just gotten out of bed, which I technically had. I hadn=t bothered getting out of my pjs for two weeks now. Only for the bare necessities did I change.

AMikia! Oh it=s so good to see you!@ Catalina rushed over and hugged me, to which I did back but did not rise from my seat. I wasn=t moving a square inch from this seat. AYou=re well, I hope? Nothing has happened to you right? Why didn=t you call me sooner?@

AJust trying to settle down a little bit and yes, I=m...well.@AGood gracious, Mikia! You look positively unwell! What=s wrong? Can I help?

What happened?@I motioned for her to have a seat then slowly took my knees into my chest. ACatalina.

I=m such an idiot. I made a huge mistake.@ALike what?@

ASo, the night we all got found out, I asked the guard in charge of me to make sure Daimon didn=t go to the trial.@

AWhy not?@ABecause he would have done something stupid I tell you!@ALike what your grandpa did?@AYeah but he had a legitimate reason for that. Daimon couldn=t have pulled it off.

Someone doesn=t get unhanged just because you love them.@AThen you haven=t met my Uncle Howie. He=s a kick. So?@A...I=m pretty sure that he knows who really stuck him at home by now. It would have

been kind of obvious with my reason but whatever.@AWhat was your reason?@AI told the guard to say that it was the general who gave the order if Daimon happened to

ask.@AOoh. Ouch.@I nodded.ASo what am I supposed to do?@I gulped. AHow, uh, have you heard from Daimon recently?@ANo. He hasn=t kept in touch since we all split up.@I groaned and banged my head against my knees. AIt=s worse than I thought.@AAnd again, what am I supposed to do?@I looked straight at Catalina hoping that the answer could appear without me trying.

AWell, I was hoping that you could patch things over for me before I come out of hidingCI mean, my room.@

AIt couldn=t be that bad.@I shrugged.AHave you called him?@A quick shake without making eye contact. I was in worse shape than could have been

possible.AHave you at least gone to see him?@Again a shake. I was scared to death. What was I supposed to do?AWell there=s the problem. Mikia, how do you know that he=s mad at you?@AIt would be kind of obvious and he=d have a full right. I did force him behind even

when he swore that he=d stay by me. It was almost like I was saying that >hey, we=re not together anymore.= I hurt myself when I did that but I was kind of hoping that he=d be able to get over it.@

AMikia. He loves you. How could he get over that or even forget it?@AOh the >love= bit again. Stupid Love sticking its rocks in my perfect little stream.

I=m becoming a freakin= reservoir because of it.@AYou=re talking a language I don=t understand.@I sighed. AI know. But really how could Daimon still love me after the hurt that I

shoved through his chest?@Catalina was silent. I was really stressed over this. I pulled out the amulet and played

with the chain while staring out the window. Green fields, green grasses, green trees. It was all so green here. I hated it. Next the sky would turn green and I=d go crazy!

AMikia, where did you get that?@

I checked my fingers. AOh, Daimon gave it to me on the day that we, um, were...torn apart.@

Catalina smiled. AOkay that=s it then.@A...What=s it?AIt will all turn out for the better. Now, do you have anything eye catching?@Catalina was up and walking towards my closet before I knew what was going on.AWhat exactly are you doing? Why would I need anything >eye catching=?@AWell, it=s always good to add some flair. Mikia don=t you have any dresses?@ACatalina, if I had any dresses they would have been torched in my sleep. I haven=t

worn a dress in eight years since the school uniform and I don=t plan on starting.@AOh well. You still have some pretty nice things in here. Here,@ she threw some

clothes at me. APut those on.@AWhat for?@AYou are going to see Daimon.@AButC@AYou need to look nice and besides, you want to get back together with him right?@AYeah butC@AThen you need to face the problem head on and not hide up in your bedroom all day

long for the rest of your life.@AButC@AIt=s time to face Daimon. You=re going to see him. No ifs, ands, or buts about it.@

I rang the Foster=s doorbell. Why was I here again? I looked back at the car that I had borrowed from my grandparents. They were happy to see that I was finally out of my room and going outside. Catalina was my support crew from the back seat of the car. She waved me on with a smile. I was too freaked out to smile.

The door opened and there stood Mrs. Foster.AHello Mrs. Foster. Is Daimon at home?@AYes he is but he won=t see anyone.@AAre you sure he won=t see me?@AWho are you?@I was confused for a moment then laughed. ARight. I=m sorry. We=ve never been

properly introduced. I=m Mikia SpellbiBmore. Mikia Spelmore.@AOh! Yes come in, come in!@She led me down a hall and up a large flight of stairs. That took about twenty minutes.

Stupid big houses.AHe refuses to see anyone and doesn=t open the door for any reason. Not even for

meals. But he might for you. We=ll just see.@We stopped outside a door and Mrs. Foster knocked.ADaimon. There=s a visitor for you.@ATell them I=m not seeing anyone and to go away,@ said a tired voice on the other side.Mrs. Foster sighed. ASee? He=s become so reclusive.@I stared at the door a moment longer. I was so close. Would I just turn back because he

wouldn=t let me in? The answer was no. Catalina wouldn=t even let me back in the car. No, the only way from here was forward through the door. I took a deep breath then turned to Mrs. Foster. ADo you mind if I try something?@

AOf course.@AI would like to apologize ahead of time if you find this offensive.@AAnything to get him out of that room.@I nodded then returned my attention to the door. AHey knucklehead. Open up.@There was a pause. AWhat did you say?@AYou idiot, open the door, okay? I=ve come all this bleepin= way to see you so you

better open up this door rightC@The door swung open revealing a haggard looking Daimon. Like he hadn=t been

sleeping.A...now,@ I whispered. I swallowed hard. Unfortunately, that had been way too easy.

AHey Daimon.@He stared at me blankly then glanced at Mrs. Foster. AThanks mother.@She nodded. We watched as she turned and walked down the hall. I couldn=t help but

feel nervous now. It was just me and Daimon here. Yikes.ASo. How=ve you been Daimon? I have to say you don=t look too great.@He laughed. AUnfortunately, you don=t look much like a beauty queen yourself.@I laughed too. AOh, isn=t that the truth?@We both paused in awkward silence. After a moment, Daimon stepped back. AYou

want to come in?@I looked from him to his pitch dark room. ASure.@I stepped in, feeling a sense of foreboding. Then Daimon shut the door and I tensed. Ah,

I hated the dark. My eyes soon adjusted though and I was able to see the entire room a little. There were broken objects scattered all over the floor. Shattered vases, torn paintings, broken pieces of furniture.

ALove what you=ve done with the place,@ I said, turning to face Daimon.AYeah, I just felt in the mood for a change.@My heart sank. Shoot. That must have been my fault. AI=m sorry.@ADon=t be. You didn=t break anything. I did.@I still felt guilty.AWant a drink?@AWhat? Oh no, I really don=t care for the stuff. Doesn=t sit well with me.@

Especially with my stomach tying itself in knots.AOh. Water then?@I shook my head. AI=m not really thirsty.@ Even though my throat was like sand paper

at the moment.AOkay. So,@ Daimon took a seat in a chair close to him. One of the few that hadn=t

been shattered. AWhat are you here for?@Alright, stalling time was over. AWell, you see, I wanted to tell you something. But

before I do that, if at any time you feel the urge to send me flying for the stars or just kicking me out, just tell me and I=ll leave, not looking back.@

Daimon nodded. AProceed.@I took a deep breath, rubbing my freezing fingers together, looking around at my

surroundings. Was there anyway to get out of this? Was I willing to turn around without him? I had no way of answering those questions.

AI=d like to apologize to you. I knew perfectly well your intentions on that day but I wasn=t ready for you to give up your safety in order to keep me safe. I was foolishly trying to

protect you from yourself but I should have let the chips fall instead of trying to catch them and put them where I wanted them to go. I=ve made a bigger mess than it would have been had they fallen by themselves. I=m sorry.@

I paused for a moment, wringing my fingers while staring off at his curtains. He didn=t say anything and my nerves got to me.

AOf course, you have every right not to except my apology and then I=ll take that and leave you alone so that you can move on. I=d have to give this back to you first but I would go and you wouldn=t have to deal with me ever again.@

Daimon stood slowly. A...You=re right. I do feel something.@I nodded. AOkay, well, I=ll just leave you alone then. I won=t come back. Here=s

your grandma=s charm back. I=m sorry to have hurt you.@I went to lay the amulet on a table but a hand stopped me and I turned into Daimon. I

attempted to step away but he had his arms around me within moments.AMikia, why did it take you so long? Why didn=t you come back sooner?@ABe-because I was scared!@AWhy?@AI was scared of how you=d react! I was scared of how you=d feel and if it had all

changed! This is new to me and I=m scared to death that it had changed and I would feel hurt. Of course, that would probably be nothing compared to what you felt but it would hurt nonetheless and I wouldn=t have the strength to go anywhere andC@

Daimon lifted my face as I was chattering then pressed his lips against mine. I couldn=t think after that. It was hard to believe that I had been so desperate for this. I found that parts of me were moving without permission.

Finally, after about a minute, we stopped to breathe. I was slipping out of Daimon=s grip because I was so exhausted. Daimon lifted me into his arms and placed me onto the bed, sitting beside me.

AWow. That was better than anything.@Daimon laughed. AApparently. All your muscles turned to jell-o afterwards.@AJust been a little stressed out lately.@AIt=s completely understandable.@ Daimon leaned over and pulled gently on my lips

with his own. It was short though so when he moved away, I felt a little disgruntled.AHey you, get back here.@ I was too tired to even lift my arms.ADon=t worry, Mikia.@ Daimon pushed some of my hair out of the way, smiling at

me. AI promise that we=ll stay at each other=s sides from now on but you=ll have to excuse me for a couple minutes.@

I pouted. AWhat for?@AIf we=re going to go outside, I need to change.@That took a moment to process but my eyes widened shortly. AOh.@ I began pushing

myself up off the bed. AThen I=ll just go wait outsideC@Daimon pressed his hand on my shoulder, keeping that part of me pinned down. AWhere

do you think you=re going?@My eyes flashed to the door. ATo wait outside the door! You just said that you were

going to get changed!@AYou aren=t leaving this room without me.@I laughed nervously. ABut it=s a little inappropriate for me to be in here as you=re

changing. In fact, it=s inappropriate of me to be in your room. Why the heck did I come in here

again?@Daimon shrugged. AI asked you. Besides, who cares about inappropriate?@AI do!!!@AThen don=t look >kay? Cause you=re not leaving this room without me.@ He

laughed again. AYour body is probably screaming at you to stay still anyway, isn=t it?@I stared into his dark blue eyes and realized I probably wouldn=t stop at the door. I=d

be willing to run for miles to tell everyone that everything was back to normal. Yeah, best that I stay here. I slowly let myself rest against the cushions again. ANo, it=s screaming at me to give you your privacy, ya dope.@

AAh, I=m too happy to care about that sort of thing.@AWell, you should. We=re not married or anything. To heck with it, we=re not even

engaged! This is just really wrong.@AThat doesn=t matter now. Boy, I=m hungry. I should have the cook make something.

Do you want anything, Mikia?@I didn=t respond. Daimon had walked off toward another door and I immediately turned

my head away to, once again, stare at the curtains. Besides, who could think of eating at a time like this? I paid attention to the bright light filtering into the room and how it cast strange shadows over everything. As I sat there, I could hear some kind of commotion. What was going on outside?

I carefully pushed myself off the bed and stepped up to the curtains, peeking through the one side to the drive below. I groaned. All around the car were people with cameras and microphones. ANot them.@

AWhat=s wrong?@I motioned out the window. APaparazzi.@AReally?@AYeah. They=ve been bugging us for weeks now. Ever since the trial and the results

came out positive that we were related to the Spelmores. It=s insane.@AWell, you and your dad were reclusive criminals before and now you=re both free

pure-bloods. Of course, you=ll make some buzz.@AHm. The pure blood thing isn=t all tru-ah!@I jumped away from the window and found myself up against the wall. Daimon looked

at me surprised.AWhat=s wrong?@I pointed a shaky finger at him. AD-Daimon. W-would you please put a shirt on?@He seemed confused at first then smiled. ASo you=ve never seen a guy without aC@I pinched the bridge of my nose, keeping my eyes shut. ANO! Never in my life! I was

kind of hoping that I wouldn=t but you know sometimes life doesn=t listen to your plights. Could you please put a shirt on?@

Daimon rested his hands against the walls to either side of me. ADoes this embarrass you?@

I laughed. ADaimon, if this could even possibly embarrass me, I=d stay away from situations likeCjust put a shirt on!@

ACome on, Mikia. Let me see your beautiful eyes.@He took my hand and pulled it off my face. My eyes flickered open and for a moment

rested on his bare chest. I looked up immediately. AAh shoot.@AWhat? Don=t you like what you see?@

I laughed, maybe a bit hysterically. AThat=s not it. If that was it, I=d probably be shoving a shirt over your head myself.@

AThen what=s the problem? Too embarrassing for you?@I stared just over Daimon=s head fixatedly. AIs this a trick question?@ACome on Mikia,@ Daimon grabbed my chin and pulled my face down so that I stared

into his eyes. AThen tell me. What=s the problem?@ADaimon, this is so inappropriate I can=t even tell you.@Daimon stared at me then kissed my lips. AYou know Mikia, I can=t get enough of you.

After the trial, I was still upset. Upset that you didn=t come. I felt like something was missing. Then you came. Hearing your voice outside my door, oh man, my heart soared.@

ADaimonC@AI couldn=t believe it was true. I had been ready to give up.@ADaimonC@AAnd to touch you, the urge was overpowering. To hold you now, it was like a dream

come true. I feel like a piece of metal being dragged to a magnet. There=s no way for me not to touch you, to have you in my arms uncontrollablyC@

ADaimon!@He paused. I had to calm down now.ADaimon, as interesting as this conversation is, it can probably wait until after you=re

fully clothed.@Daimon opened his mouth again but I intercepted him. AYou can tell me all about it

later, kay? Just go get a shirt...@ my fingers brushed his skin and I pulled them back sharply. A...on.@

Daimon put my hand against his chest and pulled me into a loving embrace. My brain temporarily stopped working. Then Daimon pulled away again, smiling devilishly.

A...You=re evil.@He smiled. AI try my hardest. Your fingers are freezing, Mik.@I couldn=t hide my embarrassment from either situation. AOh just get dressed already,

you dope! Give me a freakin= break.@Daimon didn=t stop smiling but he did slowly let me go, his fingers trailing along my

cheek as he went to finish adorning himself. The skin prickled where his skin brushed mine. AI think I understand that whole touchy thing. It=s really weird.@

AOf course it is. You=re just barely letting it take over your senses, Mik. You=re not used to having the same weird urges as someone else.@

AOh shut up. I don=t want you explaining the inner workings of my brain.@ACome on, Mikia.@I stared at Daimon. He looked better now with his hair combed, unwrinkled clothes, and

now that he had gotten to have a part in our reconnection. I smiled at him a moment then stared at his shirt. My face colored up at the memory. ADon=t do that ever again, okay?@

Daimon laughed. ANot until you=re ready.@AYeah. Then I=ll be more prepared.@I took Daimon=s outstretched hand and we walked down the stairs. Mrs. Foster was in

the main room and jumped to her feet happily. ADaimon! Oh Mikia, you=re a life saver!@AYour son has happily given me a heart attack, Mrs. Foster, I hope you know.@She became confused at that. She turned to her son. ADaimon, what is she talking

about?@

ANothing mom. She just wasn=t ready for what she saw.@I shook my head exasperatedly. AStupid guys. I=ll never understand them.@Daimon hooked his arm to my side and kissed my head. AMikia and I are going out,

mom.@Mrs. Foster nodded. AI=ll see you later.@Daimon dragged me towards the front door when I remembered what was out there. I

twisted out of his hold quickly. He looked back at me, one hand on the doorknob. AWhat=s wrong, Mikia?@

I chewed on my lip. ARemember what=s out there?@Daimon turned to look at the door then back. AThey won=t bother you, Mikia. I

promise they won=t bite.@I snorted. AI could handle that. If they bit me, I=d burn them. That=d teach them but

no, they take pictures, shove microphones in my face. I can=t handle that! Too much publicity. No, I can=t go out looking like this.@

Daimon nodded knowingly. AOkay. Then go blonde.@ABlonde? Blonde! Yes!@AAnd while you do that, I=m going to get something to eat.@AYes, blonde. I can do blonde. Would that really fool them?@AYou=d be surprised. Mom, can Mikia borrow a pair of your sunglasses?@AOf course dear but why?@AStalker paparazzi. They=re officially on Mikia=s blacklist.@So Daimon went to the kitchen for food, Mrs. Foster went up the stairs to fetch her

sunglasses, and I went to the family room to sit down. I didn=t want to do blonde. Turning invisible was easier than going blonde for me. Catalina had helped me the last time in taking the stuff out. I didn=t really want to go through it again. I wasn=t going to ask Sissy to help me. She was busy enough as it was.

ASo Mikia, tell me, how do you dye your hair? Any bleach or coloring?@I stared up at Mrs. Foster and shook my head. AThat would damage it. No, it=s just a

spell.@AWould you show me?@I nodded. I rubbed my hands together vigorously, golden sparkles falling onto my jeans

again, light stains left behind. Then I rubbed down my hair. I could feel the roots to the ends changing, smoothing out and becoming lighter. Soon, I opened my eyes to see Mrs. Foster slack jawed and wide eyed.

AOh wow. You look very beautiful with blonde hair.@Those same blonde strands fell into my face but I pushed them away absently.AOf course, your red hair looked much more alive. I think I preferred it.@AThat makes two of us.@ I turned toward Daimon=s voice and he came out holding a

sandwich. ABut if it makes you feel better, Mik, I=ll stand with you.@I smiled. It was great to have support. Mrs. Foster placed the glasses on my face then

stepped back.AYou look just like a movie star.@AWill it fool them?@ATrust me, Mikia. They=ll never look farther than the face for you. They look for

things that they recognize. Not for this, cousin Valerie.@We got past the newscasters easily but when they asked Daimon why Fredrick was here

at his house, Daimon merely said that Fredrick worked for his family on Wednesdays. The thing was today wasn=t Wednesday. But the news reporters didn=t catch the lie until after we were gone.

The three of us picked up Laurence then went back to my house. My grandparents were happy to have people over but they didn=t understand why I had left a red head and came back blonde. I had Catalina help me take out all the color again. The next question everyone had was why Daimon wouldn=t let me go. Daimon and I smiled while we replayed the memory. I went red faced when I thought about Daimon=s bare chest and had to stare at the opposite wall carefully.

Of course, with Daimon and I together now, everything seemed more complete. We got together a lot, even without our friends and even if we were expected or not. To my satisfaction, Daimon never did take off his shirt again. Guess he meant it when he said only when I was ready. I was glad. I still wasn=t over the first time. We held each other often and had lots of fun. Really, you couldn=t have found a happier or more perfect couple. And that=s how we stayed.