

**Power**

The Hero Chronicles

By Tim Mettey

Copyright © 2015 by Tim Mettey  
All rights reserved.  
Published by Kenwood Publishing Group.

KENWOOD PUBLISHING GROUP  
www.kenwoodpublishinggroup.com  
Cincinnati, Ohio

If you purchased this book without a cover, you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as "unsold and destroyed" to the publisher, and neither the author nor the publisher has received any payment from this "stripped book."

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrievable system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of the publisher. For more information regarding permission, write to Kenwood Publishing Group, Attention: Permission Department, 11060 Kenwood Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45242.

ISBN-10: 0996725105  
ISBN-13: 978-0-9967251-0-1
"A person's a person, no matter how small."

—Dr. Seuss
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank God, my family, my friends, the staff of Matthew 25: Ministries, and the fans of The Hero Chronicles.

Our disabilities do not define who we are, they make us stronger.
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter 1: Quiet Place

Chapter 2: Museum

Chapter 3: Why

Chapter 4: Family

Chapter 5: Questions

Chapter 6: Green Lake

Chapter 7: Welcome

Chapter 8: Fireworks

Chapter 9: Construction

Chapter 10: Visiting Grandma

Chapter 11: Crime

Chapter 12: Escape

Chapter 13: Macaw

Chapter 14: List

Chapter 15: Migration

Chapter 16: Home

Chapter 17: First Day, Again

Chapter 18: TABs

Chapter 19: Class

Chapter 20: Too Far

Chapter 21: Pledges

Chapter 22: House

Chapter 23: Abomination

Chapter 24: Mistake

Chapter 25: Tulips

Chapter 26: Gift

Chapter 27: Kip

Chapter 28: Leaving

Chapter 29: Old Man Marker

Chapter 30: Deckhand

Chapter 31: Scotland

Chapter 32: Valcary Hill

Chapter 33: Arriving

Chapter 34: Family Vault

Chapter 35: Dinner

Chapter 36: Logen

Chapter 37: Challenge

Chapter 38: Now

Chapter 39: Death

Chapter 40: Proof

Chapter 41: Panel Discussion

Chapter 42: Old Vault

Chapter 43: Second Challenge

Chapter 44: Keeper Siegel

Chapter 45: Lamb

Chapter 46: Gone

Connect with the Author

About the Author

The sounds of spring surrounded me as I sat on the ornate stone bench; its cool, smooth surface was soothing no matter how long I sat there. This bench, this place, was somewhere I visited a lot. Even though my seat was made of stone, I still found it comfortable and familiar, like a broken-in couch or recliner. Surrounding me on all sides were several young trees, just starting to bloom. Birds at play were singing and bouncing from branch to branch around me enjoying the warmth of the sun. On the bench next to me was the black and white swirled stone that had summoned me to the Chriō Trials. I had left it here at my parents' graves after one of my visits. Only here did I feel the strength to think about what might lie ahead for me and the others at the Trials.

My hometown of Mt. Vernon, the place I had fled from after the earthquake so many years ago with my Aunt Cora, had once again become our residence. But I didn't feel at home here, not at all. The closest I got to feeling a sense of home was sitting here in front of my parents' graves, in the Mt. Vernon Cemetery. Some might think it was morbid that I would feel so at ease and at peace here in a cemetery, but to me it was a place where I could escape everything, all of the thoughts and pressures of my new life. No talk of Seekers trying to kill me, no meetings about the Trials that I would soon have to endure and no thinking of my eventual death because of my great Final Sacrifice. Also, here I wasn't the 4th Thusian, the One who had to lead the 3 other chosen Thusians against the 3 Seekers in a battle to the death. This had become my only safe place, my timeout, my refuge. Nobody ever bothered me here; they just let me be, and that's how I liked it. This time away allowed me to clear my head and only think about things that I wanted to, with no interruption.

I looked back, and Cora was still sitting in her truck, waiting, like she always did. The first couple of times I came by myself, driving my dad's old Bronco, but Cora insisted that she drive me here, no matter how long I wanted to stay. So this had become our routine most days.

My stomach began to rumble. The lunch Cora had packed was calling to me. But before I would eat anything I wanted to talk a little more with my parents. Talking to them as if they were here with me helped me to focus my thoughts.

"Hi, Mom, Dad. The other families that have loved ones buried here planted trees kind of like the one by your headstones. It's really starting to look beautiful—not a place of misery and death, but more a place of celebration. Some people have even put in decorative paths and flower beds," I said.

I paused as I searched for words to explain how I was feeling. I opened the bag sitting on the bench next to me and retrieved my gourmet sandwich since I was starting to feel a little sick. I took a bite and continued, "I don't know if I can do what is asked of me. Cora says that you both are with me always and will be with me every step of the way, but sometimes I feel so alone, helpless, you know? Like no one in the world understands me." I let out a grief-stricken sigh, taking another bite.

"I miss you both. I wish you were here. I feel like my soul is lost, I'm being pulled in every direction. I'm still not too sure about going away to Vanderbilt for college either. What if the Seekers follow me there? The life of a Thusian is hard enough, but now being part of The 4 makes it seem like everything is too much for me to handle. And now I have to go prove myself at some stupid Trial and—" I put my sandwich down and lifted my hands to my face. I could ramble on about this for hours, but it wouldn't change a thing.

I slowed down my breathing, taking a couple of meditative breaths and then sat straight back up, pulling myself together.

"Cora said that you always wanted me to go to Vanderbilt, Mom," I continued. "I guess it's not going to be all bad. At least Elle will be there, and a couple of my friends from Winsor and Mt. Vernon. Eric got a football scholarship and his girlfriend, Livi, got an academic one. Mark and Heather are going there too. You both know Mark and his family, of course."

I picked up the lunch sack and dug through it until I found a small water bottle at the bottom, unscrewed the top and took a drink.

"The past couple of months have been nice, not having to worry about being attacked by the Seekers. Not having Xavier and his two crazies plotting to kill me has been a relief, but at the same time, it's making me think more about the Trials. Why go through the Trials to prove that we formed The 7? It just doesn't make sense, when we all already know we did. Bernard already confirmed it. Why do we have to go through with it?"

I took another drink.

"You both know, I never wanted to be famous for saving anyone, and I certainly never wanted to be a part of any of this. I just want to be normal. Is that too much to ask?"

Cora honked the horn twice. I turned and waved to her, gathering my stuff. It was time to go.

"I'll be back again later. Love you guys."

As I walked to the truck, I noticed a thunderstorm forming on the horizon. The tops of the dark, ominous clouds seemed to be lifting higher and higher toward the heavens. Even with the sun out, I could see lightning flashing in the storm, illuminating the clouds in the most violent yet beautiful way.

"Looks like a bad storm is moving in," I said, getting into the truck.

"Yes, I see that," Cora said, putting the truck in drive, never looking at the approaching storm.

Every time I came here with her, I asked if she wanted to join me at my parents' graves, but she always thoughtfully declined my offer. I wasn't sure if she didn't want to be upset around me so she could be my rock or if she just wanted to have some time alone. Whatever the reason, she was still here for me, as always.

"So, have you talked to Elle lately?" Cora asked. "I miss her."

"No, not recently. We agreed not to talk for a while, just in case someone was listening in on our conversations like before," I said, feeling the empty place in my heart ache, longing to hear her voice even for a brief moment. But for her safety, this is what we had decided to do, and this feeling would have to be a welcome one because it meant she wasn't in harm's way.

"Do you know if she's coming back to visit anytime soon?" Cora asked, pulling out of the cemetery. She knew why Elle wasn't around, so I wasn't sure why she was asking.

"No, Noel just got to Winsor a few weeks ago. Elle wants to get her moved in and settled before she visits us."

After the attack last year at Vanderbilt in Chase's flat, Elle somehow felt personally responsible that Noel had gotten hurt so badly. Cora and I tried to explain that Noel was her Thusian bodyguard and that it was her job to protect Elle no matter what. But Elle didn't care; she still felt responsible. I would have been angry about having a guard placed with me without my knowing, but not Elle. To her, Noel was a friend, and nothing else mattered. When Noel started to recover from the attack, Elle made up her mind that Noel would move in with her in Winsor.

**

After Cora and I got home, the storm moved in over our house. I was lying in bed, flipping the blank silver coin that Genevieve had given me over my knuckles, listening to the rain falling against the roof. It sent a comforting pitter-patter sound through the roof and into my room.

"What time is Mark coming over tonight?" Cora called up to me from somewhere downstairs. "I'd like to see what else he has been able to figure out."

"He should be here soon. You know—" I had begun to yell over the noise of the storm but stopped because she appeared in my doorway.

"You know, his dad isn't too happy about how much time he's spending here with all of us. He thinks we're bad influences on him, which is funny because Mayor Siegel makes money off of dead people," I said with a little contempt and sarcasm in my voice.

"I'll make us some dinner while we wait for him to slip out of his house." She didn't respond to what I said, but I knew she agreed.

"Cora," I said calling her back into the room before she went downstairs.

Something had been bothering me for some time now, and I knew Cora would be able to talk me through it, if anyone could.

"Am I supposed to be doing something more?" I asked, sitting up and propping the pillow against my headboard and then leaning back on it.

She looked puzzled by the question.

"I mean, should I, or we, be doing more things to, you know to help, the, ahh...world or something with our talents? You know, like fight crime or something like that?" I said, rambling.

A beaming, radiant smile came to her face, like one I used to see from my mom when she was proud of me for something. She came over and sat down next to me on the bed, putting a hand on my knee and giving it a pat.

"You're so wonderful. I'm so proud of the man you are becoming." That wasn't the answer I was looking for.

Seeing my look of frustration, she answered, "We're doing what we're supposed to be doing. This isn't like the movies or a comic book, where the bad guys are broadcasting what they're going to do so we can come to the rescue. And no, a police scanner wouldn't work either."

She laughed as if she had made a joke.

"If we went looking for ways to help, it would be fruitless, a waste of time. We would probably go months before we were even able to help anyone." She took a deliberate deep breath. "The real heroes are the people who risk their lives every day, like the military, police...oh, you know all of this already; I'll save the speech. So if one day you decide to do one of those jobs, then of course you would be able to use your talents more often, kind of the way Coach Moore did as a firefighter.

She paused and looked at me very seriously. "Nicholas, don't confuse the real world with the magic of movies. You're doing exactly what you're supposed to be doing right now. The only thing you should focus on is going to school—"

I interrupted, "What about the Trials and Xavier and—"

Cora continued, "Going to school and the Trials are the two things you should be focusing on now, you're right. After that, we will worry about Xavier and Grey. Because we, and I do mean we, will be able to stop whatever evil they are up to when the time comes."

The phone rang and I quickly answered, hoping it was Elle. But it wasn't.

"Hey, Nicholas. Sorry, I can't come over," Mark said. "My dad won't let me leave the house. He's being a little more crazy than usual."

"No problem, Mark," I said, disappointed that he wasn't Elle. "I'll talk to you later."

"Yeah, I hope I can come over soon."

I hung up the phone and told Cora that Mark wasn't coming over because of his dad. That didn't surprise her, because Mayor Siegel was, in her words, "a two-faced, annoying politician."

**

"Cora, do you mind if we stop by the Mt. Vernon Museum on our way home?" I asked the next day as we were driving home from the cemetery. Cora and I had been exploring different parts of Mt. Vernon ever since we had decided to stay here.

"Riley's expecting us at home," she said. "You know how he gets when we change what we're going to do."

Riley had become overprotective of Cora almost to the point of ridiculousness. He was so upset that he wasn't with us when we were attacked at Vanderbilt. Every time I brought it up, he changed the subject. I think he was more upset that Chase had been there instead of him. Even though there was no way Cora would ever fall in love with Chase, it still bothered Riley.

"But, if we're quick, then I don't see any problem with stopping," she said with a mischievous smile.

She turned down the decorative red brick road that led back through an ornate and pristinely maintained lawn and garden, which surrounded the massive estate. The museum sat back from the road. We drove by a large bronze plaque that said it was dedicated to everyone who lost someone in the earthquake. This was the most frequently visited site in Mt. Vernon other than my old house, and it was about time that I found out what it was all about.

We drove around the football-field-sized parking lot for a while, looking for a place to park. We only succeeded after a school group came out and freed up several spots in the middle.

"Are you sure you want to do this now?" Cora asked, sounding suddenly uncertain.

"We will just go in for a minute. It was your idea to get fully acquainted with Mt. Vernon, remember?"

She nodded, but I could tell something was still wrong and that she didn't really want to be here. A loud clap of thunder rumbled. Another spring storm was firing up because of the clashing warm and cold fronts. It was like the storm was warning me not to go in. But I wanted to see what was in store for me, no matter what. Especially if this was one of the ways that the Thusian Council was profiting from the public. Since I was a member of the Council, it was my duty to be well-informed.

We walked up a marble white staircase, which looked like it belonged outside the gates of heaven. I kind of expected Saint Peter to be waiting at the top to let us in.

"Hello, and welcome to the Mt. Vernon Museum and Discovery Center," a middle-aged woman with white hair said from behind a Plexiglas window like at a movie theater.

"Nicholas and I would like to just look around," Cora spoke up.

"You can either get a day pass or a three hour pass. The rates are behind me," she said with a smile.

The day pass was $75 and the three-hour pass was $50. How could it be so much? It was just a museum. The art museum in St. Louis was free.

"We just want to look around," Cora said, sounding as shocked as I was that it cost so much to get in.

"If you are a resident you can get a season pass for $150. It will give you unlimited access to everything we have to offer here, including first chance to get tickets to any of our events. Are you both residents?"

"We certainly are," I responded forcefully, making her look at me.

The lady did a double take. "Oh my, I didn't mean to offend you both. Please come on in," she said, getting up off her stool and going out a side door and then opening the door next to us for us to enter.

"It's such an honor to have you here Mr. Taylor...ah...Keller..." she stuttered. She then bowed to us as if we were royalty, as Cora and I walked past her into the front lobby.

The main lobby area was enormous. It had a large dome over it with several skylights, and there were several shops selling souvenirs with Mt. Vernon on them. There was also a line to one side for some sort of ride, and on the other side there was one for a movie. Both Cora and I wandered around, ending up in one of the many shops. I picked up a miniature cemetery Christmas ornament. It was creepy. Why would anyone want to put that on a tree? While I was trying to think of who might want this, I heard loud talking coming from a different part of the shop.

"Are you kidding me?" Cora was saying, in a very demanding voice. She was holding up a framed picture of me holding Mrs. Rush. "You are profiting off of Nicholas and this tragedy? How dare you! I want to talk to the manager right now," she said, pointing her finger at the poor teen cashier who looked frightened.

The girl quickly went over to a door that was next to the customer service desk.

"Cora, what's the big deal? I expected to see this, didn't you?"

"I did, but using your likeness without our permission is not right. Nobody asked us."

I tried to calm her down, but it didn't work. She had her arms crossed and her face was bright red. She wanted answers, and the manager was the only one who could give them to her.

The door opened, and I recognized the man who came out as one of the Council members. I couldn't remember his name offhand, but he was very familiar. He was tall and lanky, as if he had been pulled and stretched by a taffy machine. He had on a red sport coat and tan slacks. His pants were just a little too short, exposing his white socks.

"Nicholas, Cora, it's so good to see you," he said, extending his hand. I took it and we shook.

"Why are you selling this stuff? It's wrong," Cora said more calmly, maybe because she recognized him as a Council member and didn't want to cause us any more issues with them on account of the upcoming Trials.

"Nicholas knows why," he said, looking at me like he wanted me to answer the question for her.

What was he talking about? I shrugged my shoulders, having no clue why I would know. He motioned for us to follow him over to his office. He shut the door once we were all inside.

"You are aware of what's going on here, right?" he asked me, looking very intent.

I looked at Cora, not sure what to say or how to answer. I knew that the Thusians made money from museums all around the world, but that was it. Sidney Reese from the Council had mentioned it cost a lot of money to run them, but that's all I knew.

"Excuse me, what's your name?" Cora asked before I could answer.

"I apologize, miss. My name is Sal Warner," he said, straightening out his legs as if they were hurting from sitting.

"Mr. Warner, I'm upset that you are using Nicholas to make money. I can stomach using terms like 10-10 Hero and other references, but having a framed picture of him from the newspaper seems like... well, it just seems wrong."

He looked at me as if he was expecting me to jump in again and give my thoughts, but I had no clue what he was thinking.

"Nicholas, you know what's going on here?" he asked again, like this time I would say something.

"I'm sorry but I don't know what you are talking about," I answered, puzzled.

His face dropped, as if he couldn't believe I didn't know the answer. He stood up, opening the door to look out and closing it again as if he were expecting someone to show up.

In a hushed voice he said, "You should know what's going on here, Nicholas. If you don't, then I can't tell you."

He opened the door and said in a loud voice, "It was so nice of you to drop by. Please feel free to walk around and let me know what you think of the place. We have spent much time and effort to make sure things are just right. And Nicholas, I look forward to seeing you at our next meeting."

Cora and I walked out of the office, confused. Cora seemed less upset, probably because she was wondering what in the world he was talking about.

We wandered to the back of the room to a large corridor where a group of students was being escorted by a tour guide into the exhibit. On the walls were different pictures of people and places. Each had a little story accompanying it, explaining what had happened in the picture on the day of the earthquake. My brain was in such a haze from seeing all of this stuff. It made it hard for me to think about what Sal had said or, actually, what he hadn't said.

Cora nudged me to snap me out of my trance. I looked straight ahead. In front of us was a small blue house that had collapsed. The whole room around it was painted black with only spotlights shining on the destroyed home.

"Can anyone tell me what this house was?" the tour guide asked, walking over to the front of it.

"It's a house destroyed in the earthquake," someone answered from the group.

"Yes, that's right, but can anyone tell me why we have this particular house on display and why it's so important?"

"Is it the house that the 10-10 Hero lived in?" a young child answered.

"You are on the right track, but remember, Alexander Nicholas Taylor Keller's house was not destroyed. You can still see it on our city tour. Anyone else?" the tour guide asked.

No one said anything this time.

"This is the house where Joseph Taylor, the 10-10 Hero's father, died saving the Hall kids, all three of them."

Several people made sounds like that was going to be their next guess.

"Joseph Taylor was a member of the Mt. Vernon Fire Department and was the first to respond to this house during the earthquake. The children's mother was outside. She'd been injured by a falling branch. Joseph Taylor went in without any backup or help from anyone else. He rushed through and saved Madi and Stephen, ages three and four, and then went back in and rescued little Carsyn who was only a year old. He got him out the front door right when the first major aftershock shook the New Madrid fault line again. A piece of the framing struck him in the chest, piercing his heart as he carried little Carsyn. Even with this injury, he was still able to get the baby out to his brother, sister and mom." Most of the spotlights on the house dimmed, leaving just one fully illuminated.

"Out of twenty firefighters in this city, all but four died during the earthquake, saving others. Heroes, every one of them."

She waited a second to let that soak in and said, "Now if you will follow me."

The crowd moved out, allowing me to see everything fully. In front of me, the single spotlight was on a full cardboard cutout of my father in firefighting gear. I actually remembered when that photo was taken. It was right after Easter, and we had gathered at the fire station for the annual Easter lunch with the families. That year all of the firefighters had to get pictures taken for a directory that the town was putting together. My mom and I were sitting with a couple of other families when my dad came out, ready for the picture.

Cora laid her hand on my shoulder pulling me back to the present. "Let's go; there's no reason to stay here. I'm sure Mark is already at the house with Riley and Genevieve."

I didn't look at her; I continued to stare at my dad's cutout. Next to him was another one, but this one was of the Hall children. Each one of them had freckles and was undeniably related. I stared at each one of their faces, trying to commit them to memory.

"Dad was a hero," I said, walking past the building and following the tour. I knew I didn't have to go on but I wanted to. I was curious. Maybe this place would shed some light on other questions I had about that day which had never been answered.

Next we entered an even larger room than the last one. It was triple the height and just as wide. In front of us was a tattered commercial building with nearly all of the glass windows shattered out of it. Parts of the building were twisted and bulging. How was it still standing? I thought. The group that we had been following was on a platform at least three stories tall overlooking the entire structure. Cora followed me up a series of ramps, and we settled in behind the crowd again to listen.

"This is the building where Beth Taylor saved her co-worker, Lisa Miller, and friend, Ester Theasing."

I pushed up through the group without even thinking. The first image I saw was a picture of my mom on a plaque attached to the railing, which became blurry because of the tears that suddenly formed in my eyes. I wiped the tears away before anyone noticed.

Inside the structure were three cardboard cutouts. One was hanging out the window, being pulled up by the second one, while the third was already going down the stairs that could be seen through the broken building.

"Beth Taylor freed Margaret Miller, who was pinned underneath a beam that had fallen on her. And here you can see Beth Taylor holding onto a dangling Ester Theasing, who fell out of a broken window. Once Ester was safe, Beth continued to search the building and eventually died later, when one of the aftershocks hit. And this entire museum," she held up her hands and said in a loud voice, "everything here was paid in full by Ester and Henry J. Theasing. They wanted to show their gratitude to such an amazing family, and you all will be happy to know that half of all the proceeds go to a college fund that sends any child who was orphaned during the quake to school, free of charge." Everyone began to clap as they followed her down to leave.

I was in disbelief at what I was seeing and had just heard. I had only heard stories about how my parents had died, and yet all this time, the actual places were here in this museum for anyone to see. Everyone who had visited the museum knew more about my parents' deaths than their own son did. And on top of everything, Ester was one of the people my mom had saved. Why hadn't she mentioned that or any of this? My head began to pound.

The past and present swirled around in my mind along with flickers of anger and sadness. I grabbed ahold of the nearby railing to steady myself. Cora tried to move me, but I couldn't release my hands. My grip was so tight that my knuckles were turning white and I felt like I could easily bend the railing if I wanted to. My mind began to overload.

"Nicholas," Cora said putting her hand gently onto mine. "Everything is okay. Your parents are heroes. These displays are evidence of that. I'm not sure why Ester hasn't shared any of this with us, but we will get our answers, I promise."

She pried my hand off the railing and led me down the ramps to the ground floor. I walked over to the building that loomed above me. I climbed over the rail and reached out to touch the broken building. I looked up at my mom holding onto Ester Theasing. The cold steel against my hand was like ice, sending intense chills through me like wave after wave of calmness.

Cora helped me back over the railing and led me through a narrow tunnel to the next room. I froze, not able to move. In front of me was E. H. Green School...but it couldn't be. Why couldn't it? I asked myself. I had just seen the house and building where my parents died; why not have my old school sitting in here for everyone to see, too. This was different from the other two rooms. There was a path that led through the broken parts of the school with a glass wall protecting it. As I began to walk in, I was transported back to the day of the earthquake.

**

"Someone help me, please." I heard a voice penetrating the chaos of the crumbling building; it sounded like Mark. Sparks were raining down from the ceiling, and broken pieces of the school were everywhere. I darted forward as I saw Mark on the ground ahead of me, trying to drag himself out of some concrete rubble.

"Don't move, I'll help you," I yelled to him. I tried to help him up, but he wasn't able to stand.

He screamed in agony, "My leg!"

A piece of metal was sticking out of his shin, and it was lodged into a larger piece of the wall, holding him in place.

"Mark, this is going to hurt." I found a loose wire nearby and tied it around his leg like a tourniquet to slow down the bleeding. Then I pulled his leg free of the metal.

His screams were drowned out by another earthquake that began to make the building sway back and forth again, rumbling so loud it felt as if my eardrums might explode. I picked Mark up and got him out of the building.

"Did you see Tina or Ms. Rush?" I asked him frantically.

He didn't answer, still in too much pain. He was in shock. So I ran back into the building in search of them. The school was now in even worse shape. All of the lockers that had fallen over were covered with debris. The school had become a maze of destruction.

"Tina!" I yelled as loudly as I could. I didn't hear anything other than the school creaking and groaning. So I ran in the direction that I thought Ms. Rush's class should have been.

The shaking stopped for a moment, and that's when I heard sobbing. The cries sounded like a wounded animal caught in a trap. I climbed over several piles of concrete and found the source of the crying. A wall had toppled over and onto several desks. Underneath the desks was a badly injured Tina. She was covered in blood. Her face had several cuts on it, which were bleeding heavily, matting her hair in a thick braid of blood and dust. Where she wasn't bleeding, she was covered in a gray chalky powder.

"Tina, hang on! I'm going to get you out of here," I said, crawling into the space where she was. She didn't respond to me. She just continued to cry. The desk that was protecting her was buckling from the weight of the wall. Another aftershock would make it collapse, crushing us both. From the inside I couldn't pull her free because a large piece of concrete had her pinned down. I moved to the other side to get a better look. I could just see her legs sticking out. I knew this would be the only way to free her without causing the wall to collapse.

I grabbed onto the concrete piece that was holding her down and pulled with all of my might. It shifted just enough for me to grab her legs and pull her free.

Bracing part of the wall with my back, I grabbed her legs and began to pull her out. She began to scream at the top of her lungs, a high, blood-curdling scream. She was in agony, but this was the only way I knew to save her. I scooped her up and navigated my way through the broken school to safety.

I laid her down next to Mark, who was now being attended to by several teachers and students. Then another aftershock hit, which felt as strong as the first earthquake. The school began to collapse.

An image of Ms. Rush flashed through my mind. I had to get back in there. A couple of people tried to grab me to prevent me from going back in, but I pulled free and sprinted into the building. This time pieces of the ceiling were raining down all around me, exposing the blue sky with several of those rainbow clouds. A couple of ceiling pieces nearly hit me, but I was able to avoid them, almost as if I had a force field protecting me.

I arrived at the place where I had found Tina, and shouted, "Ms. Rush, Ms. Rush!"

I waited for an answer, but there was no response. Everything was still shaking; the remaining walls were caving in. I had to find her before time ran out.

I began to yell again, moving farther in toward her classroom, and that's when I spotted her large wooden desk. It was covered in metal, wires and broken walls.

When I got to it, Ms. Rush was under it. She wasn't moving at all. How was I going to get her out of here?

"Please help me," I shouted out.

"You can do this, Alexander," I told myself, "because if you don't, she will die."

I reached down and pulled Ms. Rush up, putting my arm underneath her limp body. I was barely holding her up, using all of my might. I started to climb through everything, trying to make my way out. It was difficult. She was so heavy, and the landscape of the school was treacherous, just waiting to swallow us both. One wrong move and we would both die. I was halfway to safety when the shaking intensified even more.

"Run," I told myself. And with that I began to run, clinging onto Ms. Rush. I braced myself to be crushed, but I wasn't. We were outside. I looked back and realized we had just cleared the building and in one final exhaustive groan the building collapsed.

**

"Nicholas, Nicholas, are you okay? We can leave here if this is too much."

Cora's question brought me back to the present. "I'm fine, but let's get home."

Mark was already inside talking with Riley and Genevieve in our family room when we got home. I didn't really feel like having our typical question and answer time with him, but this was something that had become part of our routine now and I just needed to get it over with. Mark had a lot of knowledge, but he had a hard time putting it into words, as if his mind could never fully process what he was reading.

"Where have you two been?" Riley questioned once we entered the family room, sounding concerned and annoyed.

"Yeah, it's been a real hoot here without you," Genevieve said sarcastically, propping her feet up on the coffee table in front of the couch. She was wearing short shorts, a spaghetti-strap tank top, and a ball cap—barely clothed, of course.

"Riley, we can talk about that later. Have we missed anything?" Cora responded, putting her purse on the coffee table and then sitting next to Genevieve.

Riley and Genevieve were supposed to find a house to move into, but Riley couldn't find anything that he considered suitable for their needs. I think the real reason why he couldn't find anything was because he wanted to stay close to Cora and keep an eye on her. He didn't want to leave her alone here, just in case Chase might show up. Not that Cora would ever give Chase the time of day. It was more to make sure Chase knew to stay away. But even with Riley around, the few times Chase did show up, he was oblivious to everything.

A flash of lightning lit up the house and was followed closely by some low rumbles of thunder that seemed to go on for a couple of minutes, shaking the house with its deep reverberation.

"Mark, do you have any useful new information?" Riley asked in a normal voice, not whispering. Walter had made sure that the house had been swept of any bugs so we could have complete privacy, or as much as possible with our house being a revolving door for pretty much any and all Thusians at any time.

Mark had all of the books out on the floor as usual. He picked one up and said, "Yeah, I know more about what book Xavier is after. Bernard thinks it's the original bloodline, contained in the Silver Scroll. He refers to the fact that he thinks it has been put with a past Keeper's journals, but he doesn't mention which one or where it may be."

We had always thought that was what Xavier wanted. At least we now knew that if Bernard didn't know where it was, then Xavier probably didn't know either.

He picked up a different book and said, shaking it, "All the references to the 4 Thusians and their fight against the 3 Seekers are limited to this one book. But, as you know already, the fights will put brother against brother and sister against sister. This is the only way to bring balance back to the Thusians' way of life, once and for all."

"We know all of this stuff, Mark. Even though it is said in different ways, it's still the same crap. Who cares about what book Xavier is looking for, or about the royal rumble?" Genevieve said, but not in her usual sarcastic tone. She was serious, taking on a similar demeanor to Cora when she wants to command the attention of a group. In the past two months, Genevieve had seemed to become so much older to me. She still wore some questionable outfits like she had on today, but at least now she didn't do it all the time.

"I'm worried about the Trials and what it means for us and Nicholas," Genevieve continued. "Any new information on that?"

"I'm sorry, but I don't know anything else yet. I'm still trying to make sense of how Bernard writes. He's very scatterbrained and cryptic, so if there is something deeper in any of the books it will take me more time," Mark said, sounding frustrated with his lack of usefulness.

He picked up a couple of different books, as if somehow they might reveal to him the answers he had not gotten yet, and became lost in them. Then he abruptly said, "Bernard didn't think the Trials would actually happen, because he believed that when The 4 was formed, they would do it in secret and work behind the scenes. So there wouldn't be any need for the Trials," he said.

Guilt washed over me, as it had done so many times before, because I was the only reason everyone knew about the formation of The 4. People had died because of my big mouth. I don't know why I was The 4th, but if it had been up to me, I would have picked someone better than me, which in my mind was pretty much anyone else.

I looked down at the ground, closed my eyes, and began to listen to the light rain outside.

My stomach turned a little, and breathing became difficult. I was far from getting sick or having a panic attack, but I still took a couple of Tic Tacs and popped them into my mouth, thankful to taste the cool vanilla mints.

Cora reached out and grabbed my hand, forcing me to look at her.

"So Mark, can you tell us anything else?" Cora asked, sounding positive and upbeat, trying to change the mood.

"I think Xavier also wants Abram's journal. Abram was the first Keeper. Bernard mentions him a lot and says that Abram's journal contains the complete structure of how the Thusians were supposed to work and operate as a whole. Bernard says whoever possesses his journal could help many or kill many. If Xavier got this journal, he could use it to hunt down even more Thusians and hit them when they least expect it."

Mark picked up one of the journals, thumbing through the pages.

"Do you think Ester has any of these books?" Cora asked.

"I doubt any Keeper would let that information get out easily," I said.

"He gave the journals to Nicholas as if they were nothing special," Genevieve said with a little sarcasm. "Why wouldn't the other Keepers do the same thing?"

"No, Nicholas is right," Cora said. "Think what he went through in New Orleans to get the last of the journals; they almost died. The locations must be a secret that we have to discover. Bernard never made anything easy, and neither would any of the other Keepers."

"Could it still be at the Thusian Vault somewhere, or even in his little guard house? Maybe we could get Michelle Lightfoot to help us look for it," Mark said, without looking up from the book he was holding.

"No, it's not a very big place. We can't ask Michelle to help, or really anyone else. We can only trust the five people in this room," Riley said.

He was right. It was the five of us now, nobody else.

Rain began to pound the house. "I'll be responsible for getting all of the Shrouds together for the Trial and also setting the date that we should leave for Scotland," Cora said loudly over the rain. She leaned forward to retrieve her purse, pulling out her pink planner and flipping through a couple of pages, making some notes.

"Genevieve and I need to go back to our hometowns to see who from our families are coming with us to the Trials," Riley said.

"No, you're not," Cora said, looking up. "That's not what we discussed."

"Cora, I have to see if my cousins are going to come, and Genevieve has to check on Ashlyn and her grandma. Every Thusian who knows what and who he is has to be there. Any Thusian who does not attend would be in serious danger, not only from the Seekers but also from the Council. I don't want to leave anything up to chance with our families. I'm sure the Council and Xavier are both looking for ways to exploit us. What better way than to use our families?" Riley said, getting up and walking over to where Cora was sitting. He got on his knee so he could put his arm around her.

"Does Ashlyn know about any of this?" I asked.

"Not really sure, but I do know that most of the things I thought were true have been lies or half-truths. So who knows?" Genevieve said. "Because if Bernard knew my parents, then who knows what my grandma knows and what she has said to Ashlyn."

"When do you leave?" I asked, looking right at Genevieve. I wasn't sure how I felt about her going by herself either.

As soon as we made eye contact, she looked away bashfully and answered, "August 1st. But don't worry about us; you will be going off to Vanderbilt before you know it to start your college life."

The next day both Chase and Ester showed up unannounced. Cora had warned me not to ask Ester about my mom's death right away. She was sure there was a reason why Ester hadn't told us the details. Cora wanted to see if she could figure it out first. I understood, but it was hard for me not to say anything. It took a minute for me to get that question out of my head. After seating them in the family room, I went in search of Cora, who was sitting on my parents' bed.

"Chase and Ester are here," I said quietly from the door.

Her expression told me she had no idea why they were here either. "What did they say? Are we supposed to gather anyone for them?" she questioned.

I shrugged my shoulders, "Not sure. I left them waiting in the family room."

She got up and quickly went down the stairs. I followed but stopped at the bottom of the steps. If I didn't have to go in there, that would be better. My self-control had never been very good, and I wasn't sure if I could stop myself from asking about my mom.

"Ester, I'm sorry, did we have a meeting today?" Cora asked, walking into the room.

"No, Chase and I were talking this morning over a cup of coffee about Nicholas."

Hearing my name, I walked into the room and sat down next to Chase.

"We thought it would be a good idea if Chase asked you some questions about your talents, since you seem to be one of a kind when it comes to being a Thusian."

Cora gave me a nervous look. "Well, I'm not sure what he can really share," Cora said, standing up to let them know with her body language that they were not welcome at the moment.

"It's strictly for archival purposes," Ester said. Chase nodded his head with a small smile on his face. He didn't look like he was too sure about all of this either.

Riley and Genevieve walked in the room, as if they had been waiting for the right moment to interrupt us, and for once I was happy they did.

"Did I hear you say you wanted to question someone about their talents?" Riley asked, obviously eavesdropping on our conversation. He walked right past us and took a seat on the couch next to Chase and me. Chase instantly moved further down the couch away from him as if they were opposing magnets.

"You heard correctly," Ester said. "We both think it's a good idea to document any new or unusual Thusians, for the records," Ester continued. "Thusians have been doing this for as long as I can remember," she said to Riley. "You of all people should know this; your parents were Thusian Historians, right?" But before he could respond she said, "It's a shame they aren't here now. I bet they could shed a lot of light on all of this."

She sounded sincere, but there was something else in her voice that I couldn't quite figure out the meaning of.

"What do you think, Dr. Letterby? Do you think it's a good idea?" Genevieve asked, walking past him and brushing his cheek with her hand. She looked like a snake charmer trying to gain control over a cobra.

"Well, I, I'm not sure," he stammered, unable to pull his eyes away from her as she sat down across from him.

"Nicholas," Ester said to me. "We're only interested in finding out what you can do so we can compare your talents with others throughout history. This has to be a difficult and lonely journey for you, and this might somehow be helpful."

"Maybe you can start with why you never told us about how Beth saved you during the earthquake," Cora said. Great, now she was acting impulsive like me. We were a real stable pair.

"Beth saved you?" Chase asked, sounding shocked.

"What else haven't you told us?" Riley asked.

We all waited for her to respond. She sat up, clearing her throat. She took out a handkerchief and dabbed a newly formed tear in the corner of her eye.

"I haven't mentioned it before because I assumed you all knew. Why did you think I opened the account in your name and gave you all that money to go into hiding?"

"Because you thought the Seekers would be coming for Nicholas," Cora said.

"I did feel that way," Ester said. "But normally, I would have called in Walter to handle a situation like that. He would have worked with the right Thusians to protect you. But I wanted to do more for you...because of what you, I mean your sister, did for me."

She dabbed a couple more tears and continued, "So when I came with Chase to talk to you, I thought you knew. It was covered pretty well in the news. It was never my intention to hide anything from either of you."

She turned to me and said, "And Nicholas, I did not want to bring it up because I didn't want to upset you unnecessarily. I loved and cherished your mother."

"Ester," I said, "I understand. There's no reason to apologize." For the first time I saw Ester differently. The cold, calculating persona that she projected seemed to crumble away, revealing someone who was capable of warmth and compassion.

"Ester, what you did for Nicholas and me was so generous. Thank you for helping him to have a somewhat normal life. I can't imagine how things would have been with Walter and his protection. At least we both have had this time together," Cora said, getting up and hugging her tightly, which Ester gladly returned.

"Can we please stop all of this? I think I'm going to be sick. Let's get on with why you're here," Genevieve said, tapping her foot on the ground impatiently.

"Nicholas, I think it would be good for you to talk about your talents with Ester and Chase. It is possible that it could help us," Cora said.

Riley, Genevieve and I all looked at Cora as if she were crazy. Sure, we just had a touching moment, but telling her all about my talents seemed dangerous. Even though Ester had opened up to us, I didn't think this meant she was all of a sudden part of the team.

"All four of us have been through a lot together, and I do believe we can all benefit greatly from this discussion," Cora said, turning to me. "Answer any of their questions; it will be no different than when Joy Lemmins asked you all those questions during registration at Winsor. You remember how painless that was, right?"

I did everything in my power to not make an expression that would let on to anyone that I understood what Cora was really saying. She more or less wanted me to be "nothing special" and blend in right now. She had said that to me so many times before, and I knew that's what she wanted me to do now.

"Okay, where do we begin?" I asked, with a smile.

Chase began to ask me different medical questions, everything from my Realization of Talents to my physical reactions during events. This questioning lasted for an hour. All of my answers were simple and to the point, never really saying anything too unique or elaborating too much, just enough to be believable. I tried to focus on things I did that everyone knew.

During Chase's questions, Ester slowly started to look more and more unimpressed with my answers, checking her watch and sighing frequently.

Right after a question about whether I had any strange food cravings, Ester interrupted. She'd heard enough. "Nicholas, we appreciate you answering these questions, but it seems like you have very limited knowledge of your talents, and that luck has played a bigger role in your escaping from and dealing with danger. I think we can go, Chase. No reason to share with them about Thusians who have had multiple talents over the years." She stood as if to leave.

Wait, I want to hear about those Thusians, I thought. Ester knew I needed to see what made me so different from the others. She was using this as bait to get more information. I realized I would have to indulge her to some degree if I were going to get anything out of them. She knew how to play this game.

"When I was attacked by Grey last year, I could problem solve quickly. I knew how to get everyone out of danger, minimizing any loss of life."

She sat down. "Explain how," Ester said.

Cora's astonished expression was all I could see, with her jaw almost on the floor. I ignored her and continued, "I was able to figure out in a split second, while fighting with Grey, that he was only after me, and that if I wasn't around anyone else then he would only come after me."

"Was there any physical sign that this was coming on or any mechanism that triggered this? You know, like an alert?" Chase asked, writing down all of my words feverishly.

"My physical talents were being used to fend off his attacks, so I guess it was triggered during that. Not really sure of the changeover to mental talents."

I tried to look only at Chase because I could feel Cora and Riley burning holes into the side of my head, angry about what I was sharing.

"I'm guessing that when your physical talents were pumping you full of adrenaline, it somehow affected the dopamine in your frontal lobe, allowing you to process the situation and giving you a way to access a mental talent, which is unheard of. Normally the two talent systems barely work together, acting independently of each other. It's incredible if you are able to use them fully together." He went on talking, but trailed off so none of us could hear what he was saying, all the while continuing to write.

This went on for a couple of minutes until Riley said in a thick Irish accent, "It's your turn to share some information, don't you think?"

"Of course," Ester said. "I think we should focus on the Thusians that are still living right now. It doesn't make sense to dwell in the past."

Ester opened her purse, took out some lipstick and reapplied a bright red shade with the help of a compact mirror. Then she continued.

"I'm sure you are mostly interested in Grey and Xavier because they are the ones that most people talk about and the two you have had to deal with. Let's start with Grey, shall we? He has a handful of physical talents. He has a shield talent; he can take quite a beating and still keep going. The part of this talent that is quite unusual is that he can shut down a part of his body that has been damaged to compensate for any kind of injury, as if you were turning off the electricity to a room in the house, so everywhere else can keep going. So it takes a lot for him to be beaten."

The fire in my stomach burned intensely when I heard that, because last year when I took on Grey, I broke his arm. He had still been able to come at me full force. Now I knew how.

"And obviously he has the standard physical talents of strength and speed. And as far as we can tell, he lacks any special mental talents. He has to follow a plan and is not able to make quick decisions, or really any decision for that matter, which you have witnessed when Xavier sent him after you. When you changed things up, adding a different variable that wasn't planned for, he couldn't quite keep up."

"So he's just a weapon. Just point him in the right direction and let him go?" Genevieve asked.

"That sounds about right," Ester said and continued, "Now onto Xavier: He has both mental and physical talents, and he has so many talents that it's hard to count them all. In each situation where we have had to deal with him, he has surprised us by showing additional talents. From what we can tell, he's one of a kind."

I began to feel as if I were being sucked into the couch. An uncontrollable sinking feeling came over me. I tried to shake it off, but I couldn't. I braced myself as if I were actually sinking in quicksand.

"But he's not like Nicholas," Ester said, and her words made the sinking sensation stop. "He can't use both mental and physical talents together as smoothly. We have seen situations many times where if he had not planned for something, he aborts the plan in order to regroup."

I realized Ester was wrong about this; Xavier did adjust to things. In New Orleans, he used Walter against me.

As if hearing my thoughts, Ester continued, "I know it may seem as if he's able to use the two talent categories together, but it's because he thinks through every plan or situation prior to executing it. He knows what he will do in every situation, taking in every possible variation. He's a chess player who already knows what he's going to do before you even make your first move.

My stomach sank even more. How could we possibly plan for everything? With so many different things happening and changing, it seemed like an impossibility to win against him. I never planned anything. I just reacted. No wonder I was in this mess right now. My impulses were uncontrolled.

Ester continued to talk but I didn't listen. Every time Xavier attacked or planned something, I barely survived. These were all tests to see how I would react. How can I beat someone who is so willing to sacrifice anyone, at any time?

I put my hands over my face, leaning forward and resting my elbows on my knees. After listening to Ester, Xavier seems unbeatable.

If ever I'm going to have a panic attack, now would be that time, I told myself, but luckily it didn't happen.

A car horn began to blow repeatedly outside. It took me a second to regain some composure from thinking about Xavier. Everyone was now at the window. In the driveway was an orange hummer with a lot of chrome, which belonged to Seth, Eric's older brother. On top of the roof, posing for a crowd of tourists on the street was Eric. Everyone was snapping pictures of him as if he were their favorite TV star walking the red carpet.

"Thank you, thank you," he shouted. "I have to go now and see my best friend, Nicholas Keller. I think you may know him as the 10-10 Hero. And don't worry, I'll be back out here later," Eric said to the rapidly growing crowd, as a tour bus pulled up. He hopped down off the truck, doing a somersault as he hit the ground and then popping up to his feet like an acrobat in a circus. He brushed off his shirt, straightened out his clothes, and began to slowly walk up the driveway. Ester and Chase didn't wait for him to get inside the door. They walked out the front door, brushing past him.

"Some entrance," I said, shutting the door behind him. Cora, Riley and Genevieve remained in the family room.

"It was pretty spectacular until Ester Theasing ruined it. She said she was going to call my parents," Eric said, like a child getting into trouble.

I tried not to smile or laugh, but I couldn't. "Let's go up to my room before you go and do anything else crazy."

Eric followed me slowly, making sure to see every part of my house he could. I forgot he had never been here before. He was soaking it all in, I guess trying to imagine, like so many other people, what it was like for me during and after the earthquake.

"Do you know there's a statue of you?" he asked, picking up one of the models off my desk once we were in my room.

I shut the door and said, "Of course I do. But I doubt you came all the way to Mt. Vernon to tell me that."

"Yeah, I wanted to see if you would be my roommate at Vandy? The football team wants to place me with all the jocks, but I'd rather hang with you."

That would have been great, but I doubted that he could room with me even if I wanted to, with all of the extra security and stuff that was going to be in place. Also, I didn't want to expose him to any more danger than he already faced just by being my friend. Elle was the one I always worried about keeping safe, but I realized that I needed to think of others now too. Being around me was not safe for anyone.

"Why did you wait so long to ask me? We've talked a couple of times and you never mentioned it. I filled out the paperwork weeks ago and have my roommate already. We're past the deadline."

"But you're a big shot. I think they would bend the rules for you, right?" he sounded like a little kid.

"I'll see what I can do, but I can't promise anything. If we can't be roommates, we still can hang out," I said, trying to reassure him the best I could.

"Cool man, I knew you wouldn't let me down," he said.

We moved on to talk about school, Livi and football. He had been going back and forth from school for a while now, getting ready for the upcoming season. After talking for a while, I found out the real reason why he wanted me to move into the dorm with him. All the new guys were getting hazed. He didn't explain what that meant or really even complain about it. But there was something in his voice that sounded like he wanted me there to help. He had to move in a month and a half before I even got there, and he wasn't looking forward to it. Maybe I could mention something to Chase or even Walter to help Eric out before I get there. I'm sure they could help.

"Before I forget, this is for you," he said, handing me an envelope.

"What's this?" I asked, turning it over and opening it.

"It's a little party, my Rite of Passage. My brother did this right before he went off to boot camp and now it's my turn."

It was an invitation to go to some lake for the weekend. "It looks like fun," I said.

Cora called Eric's mom right after Eric left. She got all the details and even was arranging for herself, Genevieve and Riley to go along as chaperones. And it turned out that Elle was already coming and bringing Noel.

I decided to take this opportunity to call Elle about the trip. Not being able to talk to her was driving me crazy. This would give me a chance to see how she was doing.

I picked up the phone and dialed.

"Is Elle there?" I asked.

Her mom answered, "Nicholas, it's so good to hear from you. We sure miss you around here." It was highly doubtful Mr. Canan did, but it was still nice of her to say.

"I've missed being there."

"It's nice to talk to you. I'll get Elle. She and Noel are on the back porch."

A minute went by and a beautiful, gentle voice said, "Hello?" The sound of her voice was an instant tranquilizer that calmed my soul.

"It's so good to hear your voice," I said.

"Don't you think it's a little reckless, you calling me? Just in case—"

I interrupted, "We're fine; no one is listening. Walter made sure of that. I just wanted to find out how you were getting to the party."

There was no answer on her end. The phone made a clicking sound and then began to hum.

"We can't tell you how we are getting there. You know that," Noel said.

Elle had put me on speaker phone.

"I just wanted to make sure you both were going to be safe," I said, annoyed that we were now having a group call.

I knew that Noel wanted to protect Elle, but it was frustrating.

"Nicholas, don't worry about us," Elle said. "Noel and I will be safe. It's important that you focus on yourself. That's the most important thing to me."

"I'm fine," I said.

"Then you don't need to worry about us," Noel said angrily, like somehow I was challenging her.

"Elle, can I talk to you alone?"

There was another click and Elle said, "Okay, we are off speakerphone."

"I just miss you," I said. "It's so good to hear your voice. I want to hold you."

"I miss you too. We'll have a lot of time together over the school year."

The way she said that made me feel like she was hiding something, like there was some secret. I added this to my growing list of unanswered questions. There was no point in asking her about it. When Elle wanted to tell me, she would.

June went by quickly without much excitement. The only thing we did was to take both Genevieve and Riley to the museum so they could see it for themselves. When we showed up, Sal Warner was there to greet us, offering to take us around. I still thought about what he had asked me. Don't you know what is going on here? That question was one I wanted answered.

Before we knew it July had arrived and it was time for Eric's party, so we all packed up the truck and headed for Green Lake, Wisconsin where the party was going to be. I hoped that this was going to be a normal, fun weekend, but I wasn't holding my breath.

Cora spent most of the drive looking in her planner, making notes, and Riley and Genevieve didn't say a word in the back seat. I watched the signs go by on the highway as I drove. For the first time that I could remember, I really took an interest in seeing where we were going. I didn't have the sick feeling in my stomach or need to down pack after pack of Tic Tacs. Before, these signs were just reminders that we were moving, escaping something. This time I was doing neither.

A couple of hours into the drive, I pulled off at an exit so we could get some food. A sign a few miles back, which Genevieve had pointed out alerted us that this was the exit for a world-famous restaurant.

I pulled into the parking lot. There was a large sign on the building that read "Restaurant" in plain black letters, nothing fancy. Finding a spot to park was difficult; it was packed. We parked near a few semis in the back.

"We're in Farmer City," I said, pointing to a city sign on the road.

"I guess the food has to be good here," Cora said, taking Riley's hand.

Riley and Cora had become more open about their relationship now. It was comforting to see them together, but at the same time my heart ached for Elle.

Genevieve and I entered the plain, square, white building right behind the two of them. She seemed bothered by their new public affection, because whenever she saw it, she would make some comment or leave all of us.

"How y'all doin'? How many?" a girl asked. Her blonde hair was teased up.

"We're doing great. There will be four of us," Cora answered.

The girl grabbed a couple of paper menus and we followed her through the busy restaurant. She showed us to a checkered black and white "pleather" booth in the back.

"Shyanne will take care of you, but before she comes over, can I get y'all somethin' to drink?"

She pulled out a pen that had been concealed in her hair. She could have had a dozen pens and pencils up there and no one would ever know.

"I'll have some water with lemon," Cora said, starting to look over the menu.

"I'll have the same, but could you tell me the specials?" Riley asked.

"Oh my, what an exotic accent you have. Where are you from?" she asked.

I had never seen Riley blush, but he did, turning a deep purple color. "Ireland."

Before she could respond, Genevieve said, "I'll have some sweet tea with no lemon."

"And you, honey?" she said, looking at me.

"I'll have sweet tea too, but with lemon."

"Okay then. Shyanne will be out in a minute or two with your drinks and to take your order. She will also tell you all about the specials, dear," she said, staring at Riley and lingering for a moment before leaving.

"What was that all about?" Cora asked.

"Yeah, you started to blush," Genevieve said, taking her napkin and starting to transform it into a paper flower.

"No, I—I wasn't blushing," he said with a cough, and he began to stare at his menu, keeping it just high enough that he didn't have to look at any of us.

We ordered our food from Shyanne, who was the same age I was, if not younger. She was no more than five feet tall with short black hair that curled at the bottom. She bounced around the restaurant, taking care of most of the tables by herself, reminding me of a black-haired Tinker Bell.

Minutes later, our food was brought out, piping hot. It was delicious, as promised. Nothing like Cora's gourmet creations, but just as good. Maybe it was because the hamburger was covered with greasy bacon that tasted heavenly.

"So what do you think Eric's parents have planned for us this weekend?" Genevieve asked with a mouth full of salad. "Because all I want to do is work on my tan."

"I really don't care what we do as long as we can be away from Ester and everyone else," Riley said. "This will give me a chance to plan my visit home." He took a bite out of his BLT that looked like it was a triple decker.

Before anyone said anything else, a fire ignited in my stomach. I turned around to see Shyanne being swatted on the butt by a man in dirty blue overalls wearing a red ball cap. He looked like a giant next to her, even though he was sitting down. He grabbed her around the waist and she tried to push away. In a fraction of a second, I was already by her side, removing his arm and putting her behind me.

He stood up. He was easily a foot and a half taller than I was and outweighed me by a hundred pounds. "Do ya have a problem, boy?" he asked.

The way he called me "boy" reminded me of Oliver. My stomach burned, sending bitter acid into my throat.

"I do have a problem," I said. "You need to show some respect."

The two other men with him stood up, pushing the table to the side. They were all just as big. I felt like I was standing in a forest, looking up at the tall redwoods.

Everything slowed down as the man in front of me was pushed to the table with his arm behind his back. His head smacked the table with a thud, sending food everywhere and his hat flying across the room.

Genevieve had a firm hold of him, keeping him in place. The other men sat down immediately.

"Now, I think you owe someone an apology," Genevieve said, putting more pressure on his arm that made him groan in pain. He struggled against her grip but it was useless; he wasn't going anywhere.

"I'm s-s-sorry, miss," he barely got out the words because his face was still plastered to the table.

"Now that wasn't too difficult," Genevieve said, letting him go.

He slowly stood up, turning to look at Genevieve, sizing her up. He cowered, feeling her power. He walked out and the rest of his table followed.

Genevieve and I went and sat back down and began to eat like nothing had happened.

"So how's your food?" Genevieve asked Cora and Riley, as if she had just gotten back from the restroom.

"Better now," Cora said with a smile, and Riley nodded and laughed. The two of them didn't even look like they had moved from their spots, knowing that we could handle the situation.

Shyanne came over to the table and said, "Thank you so much. My manager has picked up the bill for y'all. Thank you."

We all finished and left. Most of the tables gave us a round of applause as we walked out. But to us this kind of thing was normal.

Once back on the highway, Cora wasn't interested in her planner anymore. She wanted to talk. "I'm very concerned for you, Nicholas," she said.

"You're always concerned, Cora. That's what you're good at," I said with a laugh.

"No, it's about you and Elle."

I looked in the rearview mirror; both Riley and Genevieve were listening to music with their earphones in. I wasn't sure if they really didn't hear what she said or were just pretending.

"I think there are bigger things to worry about, don't you?" I whispered. I didn't want to have this conversation. I'm sure it was going to be a "Marcus, love of my life" talk about how we "can't have real relationships." I had heard it a million times before.

"Of course there are bigger things. But I'm afraid you're heading for a split between the two of you that will be far worse than if you just ended it now."

"Cora, it seems like you and Riley are doing okay?"

"It's different, you know that. We're both Thusians, and we have the same interests in protecting you and getting things worked out. Our bond is because of that. Elle has been lied to and manipulated so many times," she said.

I slowed down the truck, getting ready to defend myself, but she said, "I don't mean you have done any of those things. I just don't want to see her being treated like a pawn in the Thusian game. She's been through a lot, and I don't want her to resent you for what she has been exposed to. Even if she says she's okay with it now, she won't be."

I resumed the speed limit, not looking over at her. She had a point, but what was I supposed to do now, end everything? I had worked so hard to keep her in my life any way I could. Ending it felt wrong and impossible.

"It's not like I can say, 'Elle, I don't want you around.' She wouldn't put up with that. She's pretty strong-willed, you know. She's going to do what she wants, regardless of what I say, or you or anyone else."

Cora began to speak but I cut her off. "You know, I'm pretty sick of having this conversation with you over and over again. Mind your own business," I snapped. I couldn't believe I just said that.

"What's going on?" Riley asked.

"I'm sorry, but I'm just trying to prepare you," she said in a motherly tone. "And once the Trials are over, who knows where it will take us? She has to be ready to be without you, because we will be fighting for our lives. She has to be safe," Cora said.

"How can I keep her safe after the Trials? She has to be with me for that to happen. Do you honestly think that the Seekers will say 'We had better stay away from Elle, because Nicholas isn't around'? Our relationships make us stronger and give us something to fight for, remember?"

"I know I sound like a broken record but you need to distance yourself from her even more now. This is the only way that you'll be able to take care of yourself and her. If they don't see her as a real way to get to you, then she'll be easier to protect. Why did you both agree to not talk often? For her protection, remember. I'm saying the same thing," she said.

I gripped the steering wheel tightly, trying not to lash out again. Surprisingly, no one spoke, which was good. It allowed me time to collect my thoughts and cool down.

The town of Green Lake was a nice little town with a lot of quaint shops, all centered around the lake. It reminded me of Tatesville, minus the humongous lake nearby.

"We need to get onto State Route 23 up ahead and drive until we see a sign for the Green Lake Conference Center," Cora said, looking at a small map on the back of the invitation and then handing it back to Genevieve, whose hand was extended to take a look too.

We drove for about fifteen minutes along Route 23. Big, white puffy clouds littered the deep blue sky, making it look like an ocean covered in fluffy foam. Tree branches reached over the road, concealing some of the view. Up ahead on the left was a sign that read "Green Lake Conference Center" and underneath that was a sign for a golf course. We turned left into the brick and iron gated entrance and drove along a winding, scenic blacktop drive that went through the middle of the golf course. I allowed my thoughts to wander, thinking about my date with Elle at Hunters Green golf course in Winsor. Maybe we could spend some more time doing the same thing here, just her and me. With the whole weekend ahead, I'm sure we could steal away for an hour or two.

Two cars I knew very well were parked up ahead on the side of the road: Eric's VW Beetle and Seth's large, orange Hummer. Eric and his dad were standing on the side of the road.

In unison, both of them were making an over-the-top flagging motion for us to pull over as if they were air traffic controllers. I never really paid much attention to Eric's dad when I saw him during football games, but now I could see where Eric got his personality. They were having such a good time acting crazy together.

"Hello there. I'm Edward Iery. My wife and I will be your hosts for the weekend," he said, leaning into my rolled down window. "We have a lot of awesome things in store for all of you. And Cora, thank you so much for bringing the Moores up here to chaperone. Didn't get many volunteers for this, as you could imagine."

Cora leaned over. "No problem. It's my pleasure, Edward."

In front of us, Eric was giving me a big thumbs up when his dad mentioned the Moores.

"Here are the directions to the house where we are all staying. And this is the itinerary for the weekend. The rooms have already been pre-assigned, so once you get there, make yourselves at home. Sam should be there already waiting for you. We'll be having dinner at the house around 6:30, once everyone has arrived."

He handed the papers to Cora through the window.

We continued to drive and came out near a large resort next to the lake. It was the size of two Mt. Vernon High Schools, freshly painted white and trimmed in navy. We turned left in search of the Christian Writing House that was on the map. We passed several large homes on the left that all looked very old but were in perfect shape, obviously well maintained. Up ahead was a big, boxy, two-story horseshoe-shaped house that was painted off-white with brown trim. Standing out by the road, waving to us, was Eric's mom, Sam.

"Welcome to Green Lake Christian Writing House," she said. "Just park on the side of the house. There's no need to drive this weekend. Everything is only a ten-minute walk away. You're the first ones here," she said with a big smile.

"Our family has been coming up here for years. We used to come with our church, but now it has become a summer vacation for us ever since the boys were little."

I parked the truck as Cora flipped through the info packet.

"I found our room assignments," Cora said. "They have divided up the guys and girls by floors. Girls are on the bottom floor, and you two are upstairs," she said, pointing to Riley and me.

Genevieve hurried past us and into the house in search of her room.

We carried our bags into the family room, which had a couple of large couches. Everything was old but well kept up. The original brown carpet perfectly matched the trim of the house. At the back of the room was a wide staircase, which led up to the second floor. Riley followed me up, in search of our room.

We found one of the empty rooms at the top of the steps with four beds. My name was on the closest one. Riley went past me in search of his name, but it wasn't there.

"I'll go search the other rooms. I'm sure Eric didn't want Coach Moore in here while you all talk about Genevieve," he said with a smirk.

The house quickly began to fill up with people. Chad and Amber arrived together, and then came Livi, Matt, Erin and then Levi. Even Melissa and Erin showed up. The only two who were missing from what I could tell were Elle and Noel.

We all settled into the dining room an hour later. It was like old times, as if my junior year at Winsor was happening all over again.

"Elle called and said they'll be here in fifteen minutes," Mrs. Iery said. "She wants us to go ahead and eat."

Eric grabbed a handful of mashed potatoes and shoved them in his mouth. Both his parents laughed at him.

We began to pass around the food. In between bites of chicken, I noticed that Livi was giving Genevieve an evil stare. It wasn't obvious, but I knew all of her looks because I had seen them when Eric was messing up. Genevieve wasn't doing anything, just eating, minding her own business. She wasn't even dressed provocatively, just wearing a summer dress. So I guess the look was because she was here. I wondered how Elle was going to feel about her being here. If Livi was already upset, then I was sure Elle wouldn't be thrilled either.

Near the end of dinner, Elle and Noel came in. It had been so long since I'd seen her, my eyes teared up when I saw her radiant, crooked smile. My angel was here. I got up and took her bag, giving her a kiss on the cheek. Her perfume was faint but still there, sending a familiar, welcome wave of dizziness through me.

"Hi, honey. I'll take your bag to your room," I said.

"I've missed you, Nicholas. Thanks."

Hearing those simple words made me feel invincible, that everything would be fine.

I grabbed Noel's bag too. She didn't look happy to let it go, but she did, and flashed a fake smile. I found the room with Elle's name, but it had to be a mistake. Both she and Noel were sharing a room with Genevieve and Cora. Genevieve's stuff was right next to Elle's bed and across the room were Noel and Cora. I set down the bags on the beds and came out of the room, confused.

"You know you are sharing a room with Cora and Genevieve?" I whispered into her ear as she quickly ate some food.

"I know," she said.

"But that can't be what you want, can it?"

"Nicholas, this is how I want it. Relax, let's enjoy this weekend," she said, grabbing my knee and giving it a squeeze.

What in the world was going on? How could she want to be next to Genevieve?

"Okay kids, listen up," Eric said, calling to us from the family room.

We all went in there. Elle settled next to me on a love seat. I put my arm around her and she immediately put her head on my shoulder. Eric sat down, and his mom stood in front of a large picture window with the lake behind her.

"Thank you so much for coming. It sure means a lot to Edward and me that you came up to help celebrate Eric. He's our baby, and we're going to miss him when he goes off to Vanderbilt. This weekend is going to be packed full of activities that I hope you all will enjoy. We've worked hard to make sure this will be a weekend you'll never forget. I want to thank Mr. and Mrs. Moore, along with Cora, who have agreed to chaperone. You all are young adults and we trust you—"

"You shouldn't," Eric said, interrupting her. Everyone laughed.

She continued with a grin, "Thank you for helping out. As you can see, Eric needs all the help he can get." Everyone laughed even louder.

The night concluded with a big bonfire in front of the house. The sun set on the lake right in front of the house, giving the illusion that it was swallowed by the water. Once it was completely below the horizon, little lights from boats began to bob up and down on the lake.

The night became darker and darker, and the fire was now the only source of light. It lit up the neighboring houses, throwing shadows everywhere. Elle and I huddled around the fire because the wet, cool air from the lake was blowing in, sending a slight chill through us.

All around the blaze, everyone was busy chatting. I was the only one not taking part in a conversation. I didn't feel like talking; I just wanted to soak it all in. Sitting here with my group of friends and family was a breath of fresh air.

**

The next morning came too early for me. We had spent most of the night out by the bonfire, going to bed in the early morning hours.

"Boys, time to get up," Mrs. Iery said from the other side of the door, giving it a couple of solid knocks.

"Seriously, Mom, we are tired," Eric said, throwing something across the room and hitting the door with a dull thud.

"Eric Iery, don't make me come in there and embarrass you in front of your friends," she said with a funny but serious tone.

"Okay Mom, I get it," he said, trying to sound more awake than he really was.

"Eric, you better listen to your mommy, or she's going to go get Livi," Chad said, sitting up and throwing a pillow across the room, hitting him.

"Yeah," Matt said, rubbing his eyes.

I got up first and grabbed my stuff, going into the bathroom to get ready before anyone else did. The shower felt amazing. I couldn't believe how much water was coming out of the shower head. It felt like the entire lake was rushing through the pipes. The warm intense pressure of the water covered my body. The smoky smell of the bonfire that was infused into my skin slowly faded away. I turned around, allowing the full force of the water hit my back, which felt just like a mini massage.

I must have been in the shower for at least thirty minutes because I was the last person to arrive downstairs, which resulted in a round of applause from everyone.

Elle's smile was the biggest of all. I winked at her and went over to the counter to get some food, ignoring everyone.

"Sleeping Beauty, are you all cleaned up, bright eyed and bushy tailed, ready for the day?" Eric asked.

"Yes, I think I'm ready for the day," I said, taking my plate to the table and sitting down next to Elle.

Halfway through my plate of food, I realized who Elle was talking with on her other side. The way she was talking I assumed it was Noel or Cora, but to my surprise it was Genevieve. Why did she want to talk with her? She had arranged to sleep in the same room with her, too. What was going on?

"Okay, boys and girls, we have a lot of fun things in store for you all today," Eric said, standing and holding a piece of paper. "We're going to spend the day out on the lake. We have lined up Sunfish sailboats, jet skis and a speed boat for parasailing. And yes, all of you have to come because I said so." He gave a sheepish grin.

"I'm not going to make you do anything you don't want to do, but at least you can go along for the ride. You can sit on the dock and watch all of us have fun. And now a message from our sponsor," he ended, sounding like a radio person and pointing to his parents.

They stood up, "We've assigned an adult to each activity because we have to have someone over 21 with each group for insurance reasons," Mrs. Iery said.

"Mrs. Iery and I will be doing the speed boat and parasailing," Mr. Iery said. "Cora and Mr. Moore will be with the Sunfishes since they have both used small sailboats before, and Mrs. Moore will be part of the jet ski group. All of the boats and jet skis will dock and leave from the marina. We have all day, so don't rush. You'll have plenty of time to do everything more than once."

"Lunch will be provided on the dock around noon," Mrs. Iery said. "So make sure you don't get too far away from the shore. It's a really big lake and if you aren't paying attention to where you are, it may take you hours to get back. That reminds me of a story about how Eric's dad and I went canoeing—"

"Okay, Mom, we get the point. Don't go too far, got it. Let's get out of here," Eric said. He stood and almost everyone followed. I ran upstairs to put on my swimsuit, sure I was going to get wet.

When I came back down, both Elle and Genevieve were waiting for me. My heart skipped a beat seeing them together. I froze for a second just short of the last couple of stairs. They were smiling and talking about something. Whatever was happening between them was not good—I was sure of it.

I continued down the last couple of steps, acting like I hadn't even noticed them. They didn't stop talking to each other as we walked outside together and down the road. They were busy discussing some book about the Amish that Elle had been reading, and Genevieve looked like she couldn't get enough of it, asking to borrow it when she was finished. Elle took my hand as we headed to the dock.

On the road halfway to the dock, Noel was standing with her back to us, looking out over the lake. When we got up to her, she began to walk with us but didn't join in the girls' conversation. She didn't look happy at all, probably bothered that Elle and Genevieve were acting like "besties," too.

On the walk there, Elle kept squeezing my hand, still talking to Genevieve, but making me know she was still with me.

The sun was out and started to warm up the day nicely. I began to watch a couple of speed boats zig and zag back and forth with skiers being pulled behind. The lake was peaceful with very small waves, not choppy. The soft sound of the water washing up onto the shore was faint like a baby's coo, which I found peaceful and relaxing.

"So what do you want to do first?" Elle asked me as we began to walk down the wooden dock that looked old, but sturdy.

"Not sure," I said.

"Is something wrong?" she whispered in my ear.

"What do you mean? Everything's fine," I responded, trying to sound convincing. The last thing I wanted to do was get into a conversation about Genevieve.

Elle paused, allowing Genevieve and Noel to go on ahead. "I saw you stop on the stairs to watch Genevieve and me."

"Oh, I thought I forgot something," I lied.

"So it wasn't because we were talking?"

"Maybe a little," I said.

"We're good friends; we have been talking a lot since the attack, pretty much every day."

I could feel anxious butterflies start in my stomach. Along with the nerves was also anger. We had agreed not to talk for Elle's safety, and Genevieve knew that, too.

"Genevieve and Cora are coming to Vanderbilt in September," she said quickly, seeing my thoughts becoming stormy. But as soon as she said that, my head became even more confused, not sure what she meant.

"That sounds fine," I said, still baffled. "Once we're all settled in, I would like for them to come for a visit too," I said.

"No, not to visit, but to stay," she turned me to face her.

"What do you mean?" I demanded, shaking my head.

"They're coming to live with Noel and me during the school year. Both Genevieve and Cora have enrolled in school. Cora will be going to graduate school and Genevieve will be an undergraduate."

I didn't know what to say. Elle and I were supposed to spend this time alone until I had to go to the Trials, with a minimum amount of interruption. Sure Noel and Mark were going to be there with Eric and Livi, but Genevieve and Cora would mess things up for us. And I'm sure Riley wouldn't just stay back. He would be coming also.

"Did Genevieve force you into this?" I asked, feeling a sudden burst of hatred for her. I wanted to go push her off the dock.

"No, it wasn't her idea; it was mine. At first she wouldn't listen to me but I convinced her."

I was in shock. I couldn't say anything. Why would she do this?

"Don't worry, we'll still have our time together. I just thought it would be best to have more Thusians around you, just in case things got 'interesting' at school."

I pulled her off the dock back onto the shore.

"You know that we are in a ceasefire and there is no way the Seekers will try anything or go against the rules set forth to govern the Trials?"

"I know, but I'm just making sure you're as safe as you can be, and this is another way to accomplish that." She flashed a crooked smile and tilted her head. She melted away my anger, but I still didn't like it. I couldn't be mad at her for wanting me to be safe because I always wanted that for her.

I leaned in and kissed her. Her soft, silk lips pushed back, giving me a bigger kiss than I was expecting.

"Does that mean I'm forgiven?" she said with a mischievous look.

I didn't say anything, nodding my head with a smile. Past her, Noel was standing alone with her arms crossed, waiting for us. For the first time, I saw her as an ally. I doubt either of us could convince Elle to change her mind, but maybe the two of us could come to some type of arrangement, something that would protect Elle from all of this. Because if Elle thinks more Thusians being around is a good thing, then she hasn't been paying much attention to how things have been going.

We spent the rest of the day playing on the water. Even considering what Elle had sprung on me, I still had a great time. The afternoon sun fell slowly into the water, and just after 6:00 p.m. we all headed back to the house to eat.

Mr. Iery had already started to cook dinner by the time we got back. Chad, Matt, Levi and I helped him grill the meat he was preparing. He had thick T-bone steaks and halves of chickens cooking on the massive charcoal grill. His method of grilling was a lot different from anything I had ever seen before. He had two big bowls filled with different spices and liquids. About every five minutes he would flip open the hot grill, which would emit a large puff of smoke billowing toward the sky. He would have us hold the bowls while he used a utensil that looked like a mini mop to soak up the mixture and then coat the steaks and chicken with it. This process went on for a while, resulting in a lot of smoke and crackling from the grill.

While he marinated the food, we talked football. Mr. Iery loved football, almost as much as Henry Theasing did. He asked Chad a million questions about how the Tennessee football team did this past year. Chad answered every question, sounding like he really liked talking about it.

It turned out that Matt and Levi were both going to play for Ohio State. Mr. Iery was impressed with the football program where they were going to school, turning his questioning to the two of them.

After an hour or so, we helped bring the meat in and set it on a table that had several large bowls of side dishes arranged from one end of the table to the other. I could definitely tell that Cora had been cooking. A couple of the dishes looked like they came out of a Martha Stewart magazine. Along with the side dishes, the table was already set for dinner.

We all gathered around the large table. Mrs. Iery said a prayer and we began to eat. Sure enough, Genevieve sat right next to Elle again. They were carrying on just like before. Cora was on the other side of the table talking with Riley. Noel didn't look like she really cared what anyone was talking about, just nodding and smiling every once in a while if someone said something to her.

"We have a surprise for everyone tonight," Mrs. Iery said. "After dinner there is a fireworks show on the lake for the 4th of July celebration, and we get to watch from Judson Tower," she said, full of excitement.

"Mom, I don't think they know what Judson Tower is," Eric said with a mouthful of food.

"Do you all remember seeing a large tower surrounded by trees from the water today?"

We all nodded. It was hard not to notice a thirty-story stone tower with a large triangle shaped roof made out of some dark rustic red tile towering over the trees. It was only missing Rapunzel with her long braided blonde hair flowing out of a single window at the top.

"That's where we get to watch the fireworks from!" She looked at her phone and said, "I don't mean to rush everyone, but we only have forty minutes to get there. We had better get a move on."

We finished up quickly and began to walk to the tower. The trees, which had to be over one hundred years old, were slowly rocking back and forth, dancing in the lake wind. Elle and I walked hand in hand, alone this time. It looked like all the couples had paired off and the rest of the group was walking up ahead.

"Elle, hear me out before you say anything. I know you think that Genevieve, Cora and Riley being at Vanderbilt will keep me safer, but it won't make any difference. Walter will make sure that everything is going to be safe so—"

She put her head on my shoulder, stopping me from continuing. I didn't know if I should pursue this conversation or stop. I didn't want to upset her, but I had to talk her out of this idea. But I guess it would have to wait.

A man with a large lantern was standing outside the door of the tower. He had a big bushy beard and was wearing a maintenance uniform.

"I've unlocked the door and lit some of the small torches for you. Stay near the wall, and when you get to the top of the spiral staircase, get ready for an incredible show. You'd better hurry; the fireworks are going to start in fifteen minutes," he said.

We ascended the old tower, each step creaking and groaning from our weight. At about every other floor was a burning torch. These were more controlled, looking almost like they were electric instead of real fire.

At the top of the staircase was a door that we walked through, revealing the most amazing and beautiful view. Judson Tower was the tallest point in the whole area from what I could see. Not even the large trees were close to reaching up here. A full moon shone above the lake, illuminating the waves. We all circled around the tower to take photos and to try to see everything we could.

A loud whistling sound shattered the peaceful night. A rocket with small white sparks coming off of it was climbing high into the sky. Then it exploded, sending out golden fire that looked like a willow tree.

From our vantage point, it was as if they were lighting the fireworks underneath us. If we had wanted to reach out to grab one, I think we could have. The amazing light show went on for a long time, each as incredible as the one before it. Often a bunch of the explosions were planned at the same time to create a colorful, bright landscape that spanned the entire night's sky. Each sent an intense loud bang that shook my insides.

I felt an unusual twinge in my stomach and a familiar fire sprang to life. In front of me, the fireworks slowed down, stopping mid-explosion. I looked to see what was causing this Thusian reaction, but I couldn't see anything up here around us. Everyone seemed fine. The white flame that helped me see in the dark rained down over everything, showing me the threat. A single rocket strayed away from the show and was heading in our direction. If it exploded anywhere near us, it would burn almost everyone up here. Even if we got to the other side of the tower, it still could reach us. Everyone I knew and loved was up here. With that thought, I began to rush around to grab people. Riley was also pulling people down behind the half wall to shield them from the explosion. I pulled Elle down who was already being grabbed by Noel. I grabbed Mr. and Mrs. Iery as I turned to see the rocket regaining speed, coming at me. I was now the only one left standing and the only person that could shield everyone if it exploded up here. I braced myself for the explosion, but right before it did, I was pulled down. Genevieve was now standing in front of me. The rocket exploded, sending red and blue sparks at the tower. As they reached Genevieve, time froze. Her silhouette was illuminated by it exploding behind her. The whole time her eyes were fixed on mine. She didn't look scared but actually looked at peace. The sound of the rocket suddenly hit my chest, making everything move at normal speed. I pulled her down next to Elle and me, but not before she was hit by some of the hot shrapnel. She had taken most of the impact, shielding us.

I looked at Elle, who was staring in my direction. I realized she wasn't looking at me, but at the person who had a hand on my shirt, Genevieve. She had saved me from getting hit by the rocket directly. Everyone was frantically checking on each other. The back of Genevieve's shirt was covered with burn holes, but her back had only red marks. Cora gave her a sweater to hide the holes and to save her from any questions.

"Is everyone okay?" Mr. Iery asked, going around to all of us.

"Let's go before they take another shot at us," Eric said, half-serious and half-joking.

I tried to stay next to Elle, but she was more interested in Genevieve. Noel was right by Elle, as if tonight confirmed her feelings that I needed more people around to protect me. Cora was repeatedly asking Genevieve if she was okay, and she just continued to nod her head to let us know she was fine.

I cornered Elle right before she went into the house, grabbing her hand and taking her to the lake so we could talk.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

She didn't look at me; she just gazed out over the lake.

"Elle," I said, trying to get her attention.

"Your safety," she paused clearing her throat, "is the most important thing to me. And there is no way that I can protect you like that." I expected her to look upset when she was saying this, but to my surprise she looked happy. "The decision I made to have Genevieve and the others come to Vanderbilt is the right one. Your safety should come first."

She put her hand on the side of my face and caressed my cheek, soothing my mind, which was trying to disagree with her.

"I know you want to take care of me and protect me, but I want to do the same thing for you," she said. "If I'm not able to protect you or help you, then I'm going to surround us with those who can."

How could I argue with her? Elle was right, but not about me needing protection.

I could handle myself but I would need help with watching over her. With all of The 4 on campus, my mind would rest a little easier. The only thing that worried me now was the relationship that she and Genevieve had forged.

All four of us were in my truck heading back down toward Mt. Vernon early the next morning. I didn't really get to talk to Elle because she and Noel left right as we were coming down for breakfast. She had mentioned something about getting back because of her dad, but that was all she said.

"You know, I'm bothered by something," Cora said.

"What?" Riley asked.

The two of them were in the back seat cuddled up to each other.

"When Sal asked Nicholas at the museum if he knew what was going on there, it was cryptic. He looked shocked that Nicholas didn't know what he was talking about."

"It's a place that makes money off people's pain," I said. I didn't care what he meant. My life was full of big questions, spinning out of control. What was happening at the Mt. Vernon Museum was really far down the list.

"Well, whatever the reason is, it bothers me," Cora said, looking out the window, becoming lost in her thoughts.

We had entered an area of heavy construction as soon as we got out of Wisconsin, heading into Illinois. It looked as if the state was trying to add a whole new freeway alongside the one we were on, with massive cranes and bulldozers everywhere. We were crawling along now, going no more than 10 miles per hour, bumper to bumper. The Bronco was struggling to produce cold air conditioning at this slow speed, so we rolled down the windows to at least get some airflow. But unfortunately there was very little wind and the afternoon sun was beginning to beat down on all of the cars waiting in this line. We could see the heat radiating off the road.

I fumbled around in the glove box, looking for my pair of black aviator sunglasses that I had gotten when we fueled up, finally finding them with Genevieve's help.

About an hour into the traffic, near Rockford, Illinois, it began to pick up, almost reaching the speed limit of seventy MPH. The construction was still heavy, but it didn't look like there were any lanes blocked.

I looked over at Genevieve who had her hand out the window, moving it up and down in the wind. How long have you been talking to Elle? My mind asked her, but it failed to leave my lips.

The sound of a bomb going off shattered my thoughts. My talents went into overdrive. All four of us came to life, up on the edge of our seats. It didn't take long to see what had happened. A truck carrying large metal piping struck part of a new bridge that they were in the middle of constructing, sending its load everywhere. Cars and trucks swerved, crashing into different things.

I slammed on my brakes, and we all jumped out of the truck, heading straight toward the chaos that was still unfolding in front of us. Even with my talents, everything seemed to be moving in fast forward. I hadn't seen this much devastation at once since the earthquake. Cars in front of us had crashed into one another, bursting into flames. Parts of the bridge were falling where the pipes had hit it, and people were scrambling everywhere, trying to help others.

We dashed into the madness. The first thing I encountered was a car door dented in, while a girl my age was struggling to get out. I ran by and yanked on the door, which popped opened. I weaved in and out of several other vehicles, quickly removing any part of the car that was pinning someone inside. Luckily there weren't any serious injuries that I could see yet. When I got under the bridge, I ran even faster because of what I saw. The truck that had been carrying the pipes not only took out the bridge, but it had also veered off the side of the road and was now partially hanging off of it, looking as if it would fall down the steep incline. Different pieces of the pipes were scattered all over the road next to it.

Riley and Cora went a different direction to help, so Genevieve and I were there by ourselves. I went straight for the truck. I took off and jumped onto the empty truck bed where the pipes used to be and slid down to the cab. The way I was moving seemed not to affect the stability of the truck. I maneuvered to the side of the cab and opened the door and found a woman slumped over the steering wheel. She wasn't wearing her seat belt, so she had been knocked out, blood trickling down her head. I flashed back to how Oliver looked when he had slammed into the lake. I grabbed her and pulled her from the truck and then jumped. Just as I landed, the truck tipped over, falling to the ground below. Where was Genevieve? My mind yelled so loudly that it sent me into panic mode. Was she on the truck?

Time resumed its normal pace, and through the smoke of a burning car nearby Genevieve appeared, holding a baby. Her eyes were bloodshot; she looked horrified with her face frozen in fear.

I ran over. "Are you hurt?" I screamed to her.

"There was nothing I could do," she said in a monotone voice, not breaking her ghostly gaze.

I tried to take the baby from her, but she held onto him with all her might, keeping him close to her chest, rocking back and forth now.

Both Riley and Cora found us once the police and fire departments showed up. Cora was finally able to take the baby from Genevieve, but she was still mumbling the same line over and over again.

Cora gave the baby to a woman in full firefighter gear, and she rushed him to the back of an EMS vehicle.

We all got back into my truck. I slowly backed up to get out of the way of the massive response by emergency personnel. I was able to drive through a small field and get to a side road to continue on.

Cora had an arm around Genevieve in the back seat, trying to comfort her from whatever memory was tormenting her.

"Pull over. I'll get us some drinks," Riley said, pointing to a small gas station up ahead.

Once stopped, he got out and went in. And as if someone had pressed play, Genevieve began to talk. "I followed Nicholas to the truck on the edge, almost falling down to the ground below, but there was another vehicle hanging over too, just dangling. It was a small black car that had half of its side shaved off like a hot knife went straight through it. I went to that car because I knew Nicholas could handle the truck. I saw a woman barely hanging onto the side of the car. She was pulling hard at something when I arrived to her. She yelled out, 'Please, God, give me strength.'"

I was about to jump onto the car to help her, but she pulled free a little baby boy, holding him in her arms. She took a moment to look down at him and then she tossed him to me. I caught him just as the car fell, taking her with it. I'm not sure if she was his mom or if she was a bystander, but her brown eyes are etched into my mind. I wasn't able to save her."

Her eyes began to water intensely. She rubbed them and took a deep breath filled with gentle sobs. I reached back and put my hand on her head, running my fingers through her hair. She leaned forward so I could keep doing it.

"That woman was a hero and so are you," I said.

"Without the two of you, that little baby would have died," Cora said.

I climbed into the back seat to be with her. My heart ached thinking of what she had witnessed and gone through. I held her close to my chest, so she knew she wasn't alone. Riley drove the rest of the way home with Cora joining him in the front, quietly filling him in on what had happened.

Our journey as The 4 was only just beginning. What else would we have to face in the years to come? What other horrors would we have to endure?

Back home, Genevieve mostly stayed to herself in the basement. Riley and Walter had created two separate bedrooms down there one weekend, complete with their very own bathrooms. I tried to go down to check on her, but she never said much, so we just sat in silence. I noticed she was collecting different newspaper articles and putting them up on her wall. I wasn't sure what their significance was, but most of them talked about different types of crime.

When she did talk, she told me she was planning to go visit and check up on Ashlyn, but that was it. She was being very vague. What happened on the way home from Green Lake had changed her, and I wasn't sure when or if she would recover.

A couple of weeks later, I found her in my room, standing at the window, looking out into the darkness of the night's sky.

"Genevieve, is everything okay?" I asked, surprised to see her.

"I'm fine," she said, not turning around.

I shut my door and moved closer to her. In her hand was the silver coin that she had given me. She was moving it through her fingers in a fluid pattern, making it look like it was part of her hand.

"I want you to know that I didn't ask Elle about us coming to Vanderbilt with you guys. She talked to Cora about it before I could object. I know that was going to be the last time you could have time alone with her before the Trials," she said, still not looking at me.

I put my hand on her shoulder, and she turned toward me. Her eyes were penetrating.

"I don't blame you; in fact I think it's good for you all to be there. We all need normalcy. You would go crazy here without me," I said with a grin.

The corner of her lip curled up ever so slightly and she said, "I think you've got it wrong. You'd miss me."

I smiled. We stood there in the window looking out at the night's sky.

I don't remember going to bed that night but I do remember the nightmares that came when I was asleep. It was the accident all over again, but this time we were in the middle of the accident, part of it as it happened. Both Cora and Riley were pinned under a large part of the bridge, unable to get free and Genevieve was next to me, lying on the ground, not moving. I tried to get to her, but I was trapped too. No matter how hard I tried to move, it was useless. Then the darkness descended from above like a murder of crows, making it impossible to see anything. I yelled out in frustration and from somewhere, an invisible hand touched my face, slowly moving up and down on my cheek. The feeling soothed me to the point that I was no longer in the middle of the accident. I was floating.

I woke up the next morning, refreshed, feeling good. When I made my way downstairs, Cora told me that Genevieve had left early that morning to go check on Ashlyn. I had no idea what her plans were. I went down to Genevieve's room to see what she was up to, but her room was empty, cleaned out. There was not a trace that she or anybody had ever stayed there.

Riley was going to leave later that afternoon. Riley had told Cora all about his trip, but I didn't care about it as much. I was only worried about Genevieve.

Over the next couple of weeks while they were gone, Cora shared Riley's plan with me. He was going home to check on his parents' house and bar to see if there was anything his parents had left behind that could help us during the Trials. He doubted any of his cousins knew anything about being a Thusian because their father had died at an early age, and he knew that his parents never shared anything with them about their heritage. But he still wanted to make sure.

Now my days were occupied with watching tourists come by the house. Some of them would wave at me or yell up to me if they saw me. Everyone wanted to get a glance of the 10-10 Hero. It didn't help that Mayor Jacob Siegel had regular tours going by the house that seemed to intensify as the summer went on. Mark brought me over a map that his dad had put together. It had every hotel, gas station and restaurant in town on it, along with the important places that had to do with the earthquake. And right in the center was my house with a big gold star on it. If there was a buck to be made, he would make sure to capitalize on it.

Cora became noticeably upset while Riley was gone, retreating to the safety of my parents' room, only coming out to fix food for me. The first couple of days she had made enough food for a big group. I did my best to eat most of it, but I could only do so much. This seemed to make things worse for her.

Even the regular visits from different Thusians seemed to lighten up. I would have thought that with the Trials looming over us, Ester would be here every day making sure I was all set, but she wasn't. She did send a message that she was pushing back our next Council meeting, but besides that, silence.

"Nicholas, you really need to finish your Vanderbilt forms. Did you get them done?" Cora asked while we were both sitting in the kitchen eating breakfast. This topic was the only one that Cora insisted on talking to me about.

All ten pages of it had been sitting in my room on my desk since graduation. I was already accepted at Vanderbilt long before any talk of filling out forms. It was just a formality to make it official, I guess.

"Cora, Nicholas, where are you?" Riley said, bursting into our house and running to find us. He sounded alarmed about something. I sprang to my feet. The fire in me ignited, burning hot in my stomach, like it had been waiting to come alive again.

"What's wrong?" I shouted.

"Riley, we're in here." Cora scrambled to her feet to go get him.

"It's Genevieve. She hasn't answered any of my calls and her grandmother said that she hasn't been there for weeks," he said frantically.

I began to calm down when I heard what was bothering him. Genevieve never went by any of the rules. What made him think this time was any different?

"What's the big deal?" I asked, walking into the family room. "It's not like Xavier can go after her. We're all safe until the Trials, you know that." I propped my feet up on the coffee table, grabbing the remote and turning on the TV.

He stepped in front of me and said, "I'm not afraid of what has happened to her but what she might be doing. You know she went searching for her sister, right?"

We both nodded, with Cora joining me on the couch. I still didn't see what all the fuss was about. We hadn't freaked out when Cora couldn't get a hold of him in Ireland for a couple of days. Sure, Cora was nervous, but nothing crazy like this.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Several images appeared and vanished, like faint memories barely becoming clear. Elle and Genevieve were the only two people I could see. The longer I kept my eyes closed, the clearer Genevieve became to me. I didn't feel like she was in trouble, but I became concerned a little. My mind was trying to tell me something, but I couldn't focus. I opened my eyes.

"Riley, why are you so worried? If Genevieve hasn't checked in, there's a reason for it. It's not like she follows rules," Cora said.

"She may do her own things, but she would never ignore a call from me or not check in. We agreed to check in once a week, no matter what. This is something we always did, even when we were looking for you two. We have to go find her."

"So, where do we start?" Cora asked, getting up.

"Grandma Pereira's," he replied.

**

Genevieve's grandmother lived in a small town right outside of Newark, New Jersey, called Clinton Hill. Riley didn't tell us much about the place, only the name. We left under the cover of night. Cora made a quick call to Chase and had him arrange for us to use his plane to get out east quickly and quietly. There was a big gathering at the museum, which happened to coincide with us leaving. So we used the increased number of people in the city to make our escape to the small airport right outside of town.

Chase's jet was sitting in an empty hangar. Chase and his pilots got on the plane first. He told them he had to visit a patient in New York. Once the pilots closed the cockpit door, we snuck on. Normally, Chase had several young, beautiful flight attendants taking care of his every need; at least that's what he always bragged about to anyone who would listen. But on this trip, they were absent.

The only other person who knew we left was Mark. He had picked us up at our house and dropped us off at the grocery store in town, which is where we met Chase, who then drove us to the airport.

Once we arrived in New York, we hid in the back of the plane until everyone was gone and the morning sun rose. Chase had left an old, tan Toyota Prius for us to use. He had wanted to get us some fancy sports car like a Tesla or a BMW, but we didn't want to draw attention to ourselves. The simpler, the better.

The drive to where Genevieve's grandmother lived took longer than expected. We got turned around several times because Riley refused to use anything other than a paper map. Finally, we made a quick stop at a gas station and Cora asked for directions, which got us there much faster.

Once we started to get closer to where she lived, I noticed that the surrounding area began to deteriorate rapidly. The buildings began to look run down, and on every corner there seemed to be a group of people just hanging out. From the back seat I could see Cora looking back and forth with creases in her forehead, obviously concerned.

Up ahead on the sidewalk, something was going on that was drawing a small crowd. As we got closer, we could see what was happening. A group of men were backing down the sidewalk quickly, like some invisible force field was pushing them back. Riley pulled past them, and to my surprise, that force was an old lady with a walker, swinging it back and forth, hobbling after the group and trying to hit them with every swipe. She was yelling something at them.

Riley pulled over so we could watch through the back window as she chased them away. A couple of times it looked like she got a piece of one of them, knocking them to the ground, surprising them with how fast she was.

"You know what? I think that lady is Genevieve's grandma," Cora said.

"I think you're right," Riley said. "She kind of looks like her, from what I remember."

He picked up a little piece of paper. "Her house number is that one, 734." He motioned to the door next to us, which had a large silver bell on it, like I would expect to find back in old England. "Let's see if she comes back here."

The whole row of red brick homes were attached to each other. Rusted old metal rails lined the stairs that went up to the doors, attaching loosely to the building. Out of all of these row homes, it looked like Grandma's was the nicest, but that wasn't saying much.

The old woman was now slowly coming back down the sidewalk, with the group of guys completely out of sight. If she was Genevieve's grandma, it wouldn't shock me at all, because that is definitely something I could picture Genevieve doing when she was older.

As she got closer, we could see that she was wincing as she went along, as if the pain from walking was unbearable.

Sitting here reminded me of when Walter and I went to New Orleans. I hope this isn't a trap that Xavier has set up, I thought. He always seemed to be one step ahead of everyone. I know all Thusians and Seekers were not supposed to act against one another until after the Trials, but I still don't think we could just assume it was safe all the time.

"Look, there she goes. It's her," Riley said.

"What are we going to say to her when we get up there?" I asked.

"We'll ask for Genevieve. No need to lie," Cora said, getting out of the car. We followed her out onto the sidewalk.

The woman made her way up the stairs and went through the door.

We crossed the street and Riley reached out and rang the bell. The door swung open and a walker came flying out, stopping just short of hitting Riley in the stomach.

"Who you?" she asked in broken English. Her accent was unrecognizable.

"We're looking for Genevieve. Have you seen her?" Riley asked, letting go of the walker.

"She's good girl. My power is broke, come on," she said.

She promptly turned around and hobbled down the narrow hall. The three of us walked in and I shut the door, locking it. I had no idea what she was talking about, but I'm sure we were about to find out.

The inside was nicely decorated, like a neatly kept historical house, frozen in time, preserved from a period in the past.

When we caught up to her, she was in her kitchen, which was covered in lime green accents. Everything from the dishes to towels to salt and pepper shakers were green.

"Here, electricity," she motioned to a panel on the wall that exposed a bunch of breakers and wires.

She pointed at it and Riley went over to it. He flipped a couple of switches and then music from one of the front rooms came on, slowly at first and then got to full speed. This brought a big smile to her face.

"Tank you," she said, grabbing the back of his shirt and pulling him to her. Riley was caught off guard as she spun him around and gave him a big hug and a kiss, pulling him down to her level. Cora and I both laughed. The hug lasted as long as the kiss. I guess she hadn't had much company lately.

Riley pushed away; his face was cherry red. He cleared his throat and said, "Excuse me," his voice cracked, "where's your granddaughter, Genevieve? I need her to sign off on this service call."

He stepped back next to Cora, hoping not to be groped again.

"Ash and her, Tri-Villas," she said, turning her back to us and going over to the sink.

He mouthed the words, not looking happy, "I know where she is."

After two plates of chocolate chip cookies we left, leaving Grandma Pereira listening to her records in the front room.

"How do you know where Tri-Villas is?" I asked, shutting the car door.

"Because," Riley said, starting the car. "That's where Genevieve and I searched for her mom's killer before we came looking for you, Nicholas."

Cora didn't talk at all as we drove to Tri-Villas. She was probably upset, thinking the same thing I was: time may have passed, but very little had changed with Riley. He still had secrets. Why didn't he tell us they went looking for Genevieve's mom's killer? He wasn't lying to us, but he hadn't told us everything, and some of what he had left out was important. And since we had no idea what to ask, it seemed like he was keeping things from us. I guess we should be happy because at least he knew where we should look for her, but it was still hard to swallow.

The surrounding clouds were ominous with their gray highlights and deep shade of blue running throughout. All I could feel was despair creeping in.

**

"Where are we going?" I asked, hurrying after Riley and Cora along a bunch of buildings that were falling apart, a lot worse than Genevieve's grandma's neighborhood. We had left our car in a strip mall parking lot and had walked at least twenty minutes to this group of buildings.

Riley didn't answer me. He put his finger up to his mouth and continued on. He crept inside the closest doorway. There were only a couple of working lights down the hall, flickering with an eerie yellow glow onto the peeling moldy walls. The carpet was pulled up in sections, with large holes in the parts that were still down. The carpet was black, and I couldn't tell if that was its actual color or if it was because of the filth.

Riley passed by an elevator that had several dents in it and was covered in graffiti. He entered into a stairwell next to it. In this dark place, a comforting memory surfaced, which made me smile a little—Elle and I had spent a lot of time alone together under the stairs at school. But that memory was erased when I saw a rat peering out from under an old radiator on the wall.

Cora whispered, "Are you sure she's here?"

Riley didn't answer again but nodded, walking up the rusted metal staircase. We walked up to the fifth floor. We stopped in front of door 512. Riley put his hand into a burned-out light next to the door and retrieved a silver key and unlocked the deadbolt of the door. He slowly opened it and peeked in just far enough to see. I glanced around to see if anyone was watching us. No one was.

He opened the door slowly, and it creaked loudly. He then moved in against the wall waiting for us to follow before he shut it.

How could Genevieve be here?

"Follow closely," he whispered, sliding along the wall into the first room, and we both did the same. I didn't feel like anyone was in here but I didn't trust myself to do anything other than what Riley said. The inside was just as dark as the outside hall. I prepared myself, getting ready for anything. Genevieve may need my help; she could be in terrible danger, I told myself repeatedly. With those thoughts, the apartment lit up with a pulsing white flame, showing me all parts of it. I passed both Cora and Riley and sped through the apartment to find her, going from empty room to empty room without hesitation now, completely focused, seeing everything crystal clear. The last room at the end of the hall had a mattress on the ground under the only window in there. Around the mattress were some empty fast food wrappers. No one was here.

I flipped on the light switch. Cora and Riley came in behind me.

"Now what? I don't think Genevieve has been here for a while," I said, kicking over an empty cup.

Cora sat down on the mattress and started to go through a pile of papers that had been covered by some of the food wrappers.

"This was where she was staying," Cora said, holding up a photo that was in the pile. It was an old wrinkled photo of a much younger Genevieve with people who had to be her mom, dad and sister—an early family portrait. They all had big smiles on their faces.

"She's been here recently; she would never leave this picture behind," Riley said.

"I guess we will wait then," I said, walking out of the room in search of any other clues to where she could be or when she would be back.

The apartment had nothing in it, completely empty except for the room where we had found the photo. Riley went into the main room and loosened a floor panel. He pulled out some granola bars, money and water. He explained this is where they stashed everything while they were here the last time. This was their safe house.

Riley posted himself at the front door and Cora and I looked out the windows that had the best view of the surrounding area. My window had a fire escape attached to it, with a view of the dilapidated park at the center of this complex.

There was a small group of young kids playing on the swing that looked like the only usable piece of playground equipment. I couldn't believe they were allowed out unsupervised in this neighborhood. This was their home, why wouldn't they play there? I questioned myself. If I grew up here, then I would probably do the same, not knowing any differently.

The afternoon sun was barely peeking above the far buildings, with only some of the light reaching the ground. The street corners in front of the buildings began to fill up with people. They were just standing around talking, most of their attention focused on something near the middle. The children on the playground had also started to watch the group nearest to them.

Then, like a herd of deer spooked by a predator, the children went running in the opposite direction, heading to the closest building. I looked back to see what sent them fleeing. And there, standing in the middle of the group, was Genevieve.

Seeing her instantly sent adrenaline throughout my body, launching all of my Thusian talents into overdrive. I pulled the window off its hinges and was climbing down the fire escape before I knew what I was doing. I was used to things slowing down around me and being able to move quickly to where I wanted to go. But I had no control over myself. I was on autopilot and the only thing on my mind was getting to Genevieve. I had to get her to safety. Nothing else mattered to me, and my body knew that.

Several cars had arrived to where they were gathered, surrounding them, acting as a barricade.

I crossed the street, weaving in and out of cars. The last thing in my way was a small, red, rust covered sports car. I hurdled over it and landed a couple of feet away from the group. The white flame descended on the group, making everything crystal clear for me. Nothing was hidden from my view. Genevieve started to kick one of the people. She made contact with his chest, sending him staggering out of the group. Everyone backed up a step to give her more room so they could try to take her down. They didn't realize I was there yet.

Two of them were pulling out what looked like guns and one of them was reaching for a long metal pipe. I entered the group and was now right beside her. She didn't look shocked to see me. She went after another one of them, landing an elbow to the unlucky guy's nose with a loud cracking sound.

My body tensed and moved with very precise and fluid actions. I still had no control over what I did, but I knew the objective: eliminate the threat. Not one of them moved as I tore through them. Some had not even had a chance to look at me, still gazing at where Genevieve was. I went through, chopping them down like trees, making sure that they wouldn't be able to follow us.

When I finally stopped, only Genevieve and I were left standing in the middle. Everyone else was on the ground, reeling from the beating they just took. It wasn't until Riley showed up with Cora right behind that I gained control of my body again, still tense from the fight. My muscles pulsed and burned.

We dragged Genevieve off, down a side alley; I lagged behind just in case anyone tried anything else. Then two gun shots rang out. The gun sounded like a loud firecracker, but the sound was drawn out because everything slowed down, making it more like a loud, low hum that ended in a crack. I pushed everyone out of the way. Even with everything slowed down, one of the bullets was still moving fast and struck a wall just past us. I could barely see its trajectory. It wasn't as slow as I thought it would have been. I'm not sure I would have gotten out of its way if it had been on target.

We entered one of the buildings, following Riley. We scaled a couple of flights of stairs, and entered the first empty room we found. Cora, Riley and I barricaded the door with whatever we could find.

"What are you doing?" Riley yelled at Genevieve, turning his attention to her. "You could have gotten yourself killed out there. You're lucky Nicholas showed up when he did."

"I'm looking for my sister," she said, sliding down the wall into a sitting position. That's when I first saw a small wet red spot on her shoulder, soaking through her shirt. One of the bullets must have struck her.

I slowly pulled her shirt off her shoulder to expose the wound. She had been shot, but the bullet hadn't penetrated very deeply. I could still see the shiny end of it. The bullet popped out with very little prodding. Cora gave me a small bandage that she had fished out of her purse. Genevieve didn't flinch as I pushed against the bandage to stop the bleeding and I pulled her shirt over it to hold it in place. She just had a blank look on her face, as if she were in a coma.

Riley continued with his rant, "Does finding your sister mean going into the most dangerous part of Philly and having a full-out war with the scum of this town? I heard reports of some vigilante taking on crime around here, but I had no idea it was you."

"It wasn't me," she said.

"What if you had died in this little escapade?" he asked rhetorically. "How does this have anything to do with finding your sister? We've been here before and we both agreed never to come back," he said, showing her the picture we found of her family.

She stood up, grabbing the picture out of his hand, putting it against her chest and closing her eyes. Cora put her arm around her, placing her hand over the wound to keep the gauze in place. Genevieve didn't fight her; she welcomed the comfort, laying her head down on Cora's shoulder as they both sat against the wall. I ripped off a piece of my shirt and tied it around her shoulder.

I could hear angry voices coming from outside. As it got louder, Riley began to pace back and forth in front of the only window.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Riley whispered in a strained voice.

Riley walked over to Genevieve and kicked her foot to get her attention. "I'm talking to you," he said, but Cora answered back.

"Enough. We will have plenty of time for you to be an idiot later. I think we have a bigger problem right now, don't you?"

I looked out the window. She was right. The crowd was being whipped into a fever pitch, with a lot of yelling and screaming. The growing mob looked like it was at least fifty guys and growing by the minute. Most of them were holding some type of weapon—some had guns, others had knives and a couple had bats. They weren't coming to find us; they were coming to kill us.

"We need to get out of here and escape, or at least get to a new building," I said. "They know where we went."

Unfortunately, I could see from the window there was no clear way to escape. On every road were a couple of cars that were set up like barricades. Even though they were criminals, it seemed like they were well organized. I was guessing all the exits out the back would be guarded also. Sure I could take a lot of the guys down, but I didn't want to try my luck at dodging more bullets, and there was no way to guarantee the others' safety out there. And Genevieve's injury would slow us down. The surrounding woods might give us cover, but on the way in here I had seen that there was a river that ran right up against this complex. The only way in and out was to use the road.

"They will have to break up into smaller groups to search everywhere if they want to find us before morning; this will thin them out, giving us a better chance to escape. If a group finds us, we'll have a lot easier time dealing with them," Cora said, standing up and then helping Genevieve, whose eyes still looked like they were somewhere else, glassed over. "Nicholas is right. We need to get to a new building."

Riley looked out the door and we all went down the stairs to the back exit. In both directions were groups of people, waiting, but luckily no one was guarding the back. We moved along the wall, using the shadows to conceal us. Next to the buildings were a lot of trash, old cars and dumpsters littered everywhere. We crawled among it all, which concealed us. We got to the next building, but that was as far as we could go. There was nothing that could hide us if we tried to get to the next building and the gap was just too big. We climbed slowly up the stairs entering into this one. Then Riley went up the inside stairs first, and we followed until we reached the top floor. The building was a lot larger than the other ones, with at least three times the number of apartments per floor. Cora led us down the hall to the end, opening a door to a vacant room, as if she knew where she was going. It was full of junk, but it looked like it hadn't been lived in for some time. Once in, Riley quickly closed the door, locking it and putting an old couch in front of it.

"We need to wait them out here. Night time will be our best chance to escape," Cora said. She walked over and grabbed Riley by the hand and led him into a different room, leaving me alone with Genevieve.

"So, how's it been?" I asked, half-serious and half-joking, hoping it would snap her out of her trance.

It took a minute for her to process what I said and then she cracked a small smile and said, "Everything has been just peachy. I was taking a nice, leisurely vacation in Philly's nicest areas before we head to the Trials. You know, a little R&R."

I laughed, glad to see that she was still herself.

"So what's all this about?"

She didn't hesitate this time. "Ash left my Grandma's a year ago. She's been hanging out somewhere around here. I was trying to get information from that group before you interrupted," she said with a bigger smile.

"But why would she come here?" I asked, not sure how Ashlyn knew who killed their mom. It's not like Riley and Genevieve would have told anyone that stuff.

"Not sure. I've been searching for her for a while now. She didn't start here. She's been working her way around, hanging out with different groups of thugs. And finally, I tracked her here; I was as shocked as you. She has always been one step ahead of me, though. She never stays in the same place too long."

"You know we have to get out of here, right? When Ashlyn wants to be found then she will be."

She had to know I was right. She looked at me for a brief moment, just long enough to gaze into my eyes. I continued to stare at her, and my heart began to fill with compassion. The look of vulnerability was something I rarely saw in her, and it was attractive. I couldn't indulge those feelings, afraid of what it could do to me and Elle. I had to stay focused. I left her side and went over to the window, pretending to look around, hoping it would suppress my unwelcome feelings.

Cora and Riley joined us a while later. We began to watch out the windows as the group continued boiling over with people. There was a small army down there. The crowd had grown so big that it had begun to spill into the streets. Sure enough, smaller groups started breaking off, forming search parties, like Cora had predicted. It reminded me of when Andy and I had crashed Marshall's party. If only we were all back there. I would let Genevieve put those high school boys in their place; that would be fun to watch.

"What did you do before we got here?" Riley asked. "They seem way too enthusiastic for just a first time run in with you and Nicholas."

"I've been searching for Ash for a while now, and may have ruffled some feathers along the way," Genevieve said, getting up and joining us at the window.

"Ruffling feathers? Are you kidding?" Riley said. "Someone in this area has singlehandedly been taking down gang after gang."

"What are you talking about, Riley?" I asked.

"This is the very reason why I wanted to take it slow with you, Riley Lorcan Riddock Moore. You don't tell me everything," Cora said, resentfully, crossing her arms, still peering out the window.

"Before you lovebirds have a quarrel, we have a small problem outside right now. Let's take care of this and then, Cora, you can kill him at your leisure," Genevieve said sarcastically. It was refreshing to have her back. Everyone eventually laughed, lightening up the mood. Finally, it seemed like we were all back to normal, ready for whatever we had to face together.

"Riley is referring to the fact that my sister has been infiltrating all of the gangs in Philly, trying to find our mom's killer. Or at least that's what I think she's been doing. And I'm afraid that in order to gain their trust, she has done horrible things. Once she has all the information she needs, she has no problem ending their..." Genevieve didn't finish her thought. She didn't need to; we knew what she was going to say. "And because I've been asking questions about her, they assume I have information about Ashlyn's whereabouts or something to help stop her."

The hours crept by slowly, as the crowd outside gradually diminished. This was good and bad. Good that there would be fewer people to confront once we made our break for it, but bad because the search parties were looking for us right now, getting closer.

We had discussed all our options for escape, over and over. I had closed my eyes and tried to focus my thoughts several times to try to get some type of clarity on what we should do, but nothing was coming to me. It was as if my mind somehow shut me out and I was on my own, my Thusian side abandoning me. I could feel my chest become heavy with doubts and fear but it never went further than that. No panic attack.

What if something happened to me? I thought. What would happen to Elle? I took some comfort in knowing that Noel would stay with her and would never leave her side for any reason. I grabbed my Tic Tacs and started to eat them one at a time.

The sun had now completely set behind the building across the way. We cleared the door, ready to make our move. We would get outside and make our way toward the road out of here using the darkness as our cover. It was the best plan, even though we all knew we were going to have to fight our way out.

Just as we were about to leave, there was a small knock on the door. All four of us took defensive positions, ready to spring into action.

Riley pointed to the window where the fire escape was. Cora and Genevieve went over to it and slowly opened the window. Riley joined me at the door and there was another knock. But this time it sounded more urgent, but it came from the lower part of the door.

Right above the door knob was a long narrow crack. I got down on my knees to look through it. Looking back at me was a little girl no more than six or seven years old. I pushed Riley out of the way, unlocked the door and opened it.

"My mom sent me to get you," the little girl said, offering me her tiny hand. "You need to come with me right now if you want to be okay." She took my hand and pulled me. Her skin was the color of rich dark chocolate and her hair was pulled back into neat black braids. Her light brown eyes told me to trust her, so I went.

"Come on, we have to go," I said to the others in a hushed tone.

We went through one hallway and turned down another one, and then through a door that looked like it led to a utility or storage closet, with no numbers on the outside. The little girl closed the door behind us, trapping us in a small, confined area. She then knocked a rhythmic pattern on the wall next to the door, and I heard sounds of bolts being unlocked from behind it. As soon as the sounds stopped, the drywall that made up this wall was pulled back and to the side, revealing a soft yellow light and the silhouettes of some people.

We followed her in, ducking through. The room was filled with children and young women and men; no one was much older than twenty. Most of them were wearing ripped clothes with stains. A woman came to the front to greet us. She was slender with a thin, pale face. Her short black hair was pulled off to the side of her face with her bangs partially covering part of her face. Her green eyes were so caring and warm. She looked like the oldest of this group, maybe the same age as Cora. There was something about her that made her a bright light in this dark place.

"My name is Sarah." Her voice was rough and low, giving the impression that she had been through a lot and was much older than she looked.

She motioned at the entrance behind us and two boys began to secure it.

"Would any of you like something to eat or drink?" Before she could finish the sentence, two of the children went running off into a different room, bringing back a couple bottles of water and some packs of crackers and cheese.

We all took what we were offered and began to devour it. It had been quite a while since we had anything to eat or drink. I hadn't realized how hungry and thirsty I actually was.

The group that was in the main room slipped into different parts of the apartment, most of them disappearing from sight, but some lingering in the corners nearby.

"You can stay here as long as you'd like; you'll be safe. The gang that runs this area has been recruiting a lot more members over the past couple months, so our numbers have grown as more people seek refuge. Word on the street is they are getting ready for some kind of war."

I looked around at the few who remained in the room; Sarah saw me and said "Everyone in here is someone I rescued to keep them away from that lifestyle."

"Why don't you just call the police? I'm sure they would help," Cora asked.

Sarah smiled politely. "They have tried to help before, but the kids were just returned to their families. No one who lives around here would ever say anything about the gang because they don't want their families to be hurt or worse. Macaw runs a very tight ship."

"Who is Macaw?" Riley asked.

A couple of the teenagers in the room made a disgusted sound when Riley mentioned his name.

"He's the devil," Sarah said with venom and contempt. "A while ago he was just a petty drug dealer, but he went on a killing rampage, taking out anyone he thought did him wrong. Some say that he has killed over a hundred people. He doesn't care who he kills, including women and children."

"How could someone kill that many people and not be arrested?" Cora asked, sounding shocked.

"Because he's like a ghost," a little girl who was sitting in the corner of the room said. She was wearing a tattered blue dress. Her pale white face and sunken eyes looked like she hadn't seen the sun in a while.

"Sarah, thank you so much for taking us in. We won't stay too long before we leave," I said. "We wouldn't want you to get mixed up in this."

"It's no problem; this is a safe place for all, a sanctuary. I picked this floor because this is where Macaw's mother raised him and now it's considered off limits to everyone."

"How did you know where we were?" I asked.

"I've been here for a long time. There's very little I don't know," she said.

That wasn't really an answer, but I guess it was good enough for now.

"Have you seen a girl who has tan skin like mine but has a reddish tint in her hair going by the name of Ashlyn or Ash?" Genevieve asked.

"Yes, we all know her. We think that's why Macaw has been recruiting so heavily. We think she is a key member of the rival gang. Wherever she goes, death follows."

Before Sarah could say any more, I interrupted her.

"Could you give us a few minutes to talk, please?"

"Of course. Make yourselves at home," she said, walking out of the room with everyone following.

"Genevieve, this is ridiculous," Riley spat at her angrily again. "We're supposed to be getting ready for the Trials. Have you forgotten that? We can't be chasing after your sister who is trying to get to this Macaw person. We don't have time for this."

Genevieve grabbed his shirt, pulling him to her. "You took me away from her when I was a teenager, no older than some of these kids in here. So don't you dare lecture me. And we both know that this Macaw person is the one who killed Mom." Her voice was calm and direct, making her point. She pushed him away and began to cry.

Cora was the only one who could comfort Genevieve. She didn't want any of the rest of us around so I settled in front of the window on a chair, keeping watch.

Now that it was getting late, the only light was coming from a couple of sparse lamps that actually had bulbs in them scattered throughout the complex. Everything seemed to be a shade of gray, without any color. Small groups of people continued to move like blobs, oozing from place to place in search of us.

"Sarah, how can we get out of here?" I asked. "We have to leave sometime. If we can just get outside, the darkness should make it easier for us to escape."

She walked over to the window and looked out. "We need to wait until 11:40 p.m. That's when the police department sends two or three squad cars through this area to patrol. They don't linger long, so we will have to be quick. As soon as they start their drive through the complex, you four will have a one or two minute window to escape, because everyone seeks cover until they've left. I'll lead you through one of our secret passages that will bring us down to the side of this building. From there you will be able to take a storm drain that goes under the river away from here."

"Do you think that will work?" Riley asked, sounding unsure.

Sarah smiled and said, "Of course it will. This is how I sneak out to get us food and supplies. I've been doing it for five years, at least twice a week."

Riley and Sarah started to discuss how it would work. I stared out the window, not listening to the plan. I was trying to take in every different part of the surrounding area just in case we had to change our escape route. I told myself that we were all in danger, closing my eyes to picture it. The white, fiery light descended onto every surface, showing me exactly what I needed to see. I glanced over at Genevieve, who was sitting on the floor in a corner of the room with her back against the wall and her head on Cora's shoulder. Cora was still taking care of her, trying to make her feel better. Around the two of them hovered a group of kids, all really young. The children were lying on different parts of Cora and Genevieve. These kids were looking for some affection from anyone; they didn't care how they got it, just as long as they did.

Seeing all of them living like this made me forget about escaping. It became the furthest thing from my mind now. All I could think about was these kids. What kind of life was this? Sarah was doing her best, but they still needed more help. Were there more of these kids hiding somewhere else around here? My heart began to feel heavy, like the weight of the world was now residing inside it. I closed my eyes, exhaled and thought to myself, when I'm in position to help these children one day, I will come back.

The five of us were now standing in what looked like a makeshift kitchen in the apartment. Several rusted folding chairs and a beat up card table had been moved to the side of the room. Sarah was removing a large, thick piece of painted white plywood that was up against the far wall. She pulled it away with help from some of the older boys, exposing a small passage, which had several metal cleats on the far wall that could be used to climb down.

"This used to be an old trash chute; we'll use it to climb down. It's a tight squeeze in a couple of spots. You'll need to turn your head a certain way to fit, but don't worry, you will get through. We'll end up in the cellar," she said, looking at us.

"Genevieve, will you be able to make the climb down with your injured shoulder?" Sarah asked with a concerned look.

"No problem," Genevieve said, lifting her arm above her head, only slightly grimacing.

Sarah nodded at the boys holding the plywood and then she entered the wall. A small fire lit inside me.

One by one, we entered the narrow passage, following Sarah down; Riley went first, then Cora, and then Genevieve. I was the last one in as we began to climb down. The entrance was immediately sealed up. It was dark in here and had a strong smell of mold. It nearly took my breath away.

Over the years, I had seen so many movies where people tried to escape using the walls and it never worked out well. I tried to think of something else. A lump formed in my throat because nothing good came to mind.

Several times we stopped because we could hear the groups looking for us in the building.

In the room next to me I heard a couple of the guys questioning a family about us. The children were crying while the mother begged for them not to hurt her kids. There was so much shouting, but that didn't stop me from hearing a small voice.

"God, please don't let them hurt mi mama. I promise I will be good," the little voice said over and over, in a rhythmic prayer.

I felt responsible for this, even though this reign of terror had been going on well before we got here. My hands began to tremble. I turned and grabbed hold of a board that was part of the wall in front of me. I squeezed and it crumbled in my hand as if it were made of sand. I did the same thing to another board with my other hand. Rage began to build in me, fueling the fire, and a bitter taste of acid crept up the back of my throat. That's when Genevieve grabbed my leg. I looked down at her and she had bits of the wood in her hand. She was shaking her head back and forth to warn me not to do anything. But how could I just sit back and let this happen? I put my hand up on the next board to remove it so I could push through the wall. And just then, the screaming stopped and a door slammed shut. The little child's prayer stopped.

"Everything is okay, mi Vida," the mother said in a thick Spanish accent.

I let go of the board and slowly began to climb down. My inner fire dwindled, but it was still smoldering, waiting to come alive again.

The basement had a single light in the corner that revealed Sarah unlatching a window and then checking her watch.

"When you get outside, you need to run away from the nearest light pole toward the darkest part of the woods. This will give you enough cover to make it to the storm drain. You will hear the water ahead of you; just follow it. This will lead you to another complex about a half a mile away called Wilmington; it's a lot safer there. The highway is right next to it."

How could I just leave them? I thought. They need our help. But what could I do? There were hundreds of gang members and only one of me. I would only make things worse for Sarah and the kids.

"Okay, go now," she said.

We all climbed out the window. Once out, we got ready to go, but Genevieve was gone. I turned to see her running as fast as she could right to the center of the complex, the opposite way of our escape. The fire in me roared to life and I sprinted after her, gaining ground quickly. Riley and Cora were coming too, but were far behind. I was able to catch Genevieve before she got too deep into the center, grabbing her arm.

"Let go of me! He's the one who killed my mom," she said, seething with anger, trying to pull away.

A man wearing a black trench coat was standing alone, smoking a cigar near the center, right next to the playground.

I tried to pull her back away from him, but I couldn't. I needed the others' help. She was determined.

Just as they reached us, Genevieve managed to loosen my grip and continue forward. I didn't follow this time because time had slowed and I saw we now had a bigger problem. We were being surrounded by a group of people that was quickly increasing in size. This man was the bait for the trap and Genevieve had fallen for it.

I caught Genevieve again, only feet away from this man.

"Well, well, well. Look what we have here," the man said to Genevieve. "You look different than how people described you—no red devil eyes or hair that looks like it's on fire. Sorry, but you won't be causing me any more trouble now," he said, pulling out a gun.

The mob closed in on us. We had to make our escape now or we would have to take them all on.

Then everything stopped completely, not just slowed. The cigar smoke looked like several black ropes that fed into little clouds around his head. Behind him, a person was heading right at his back. It was a younger version of Genevieve; she looked exactly like her, except for the reddish tint running through her hair. This had to be Ashlyn.

Her hand was extended, carrying something that was shining. It looked like a modified Belos with spikes on it, but how did she have a Seeker's weapon? It was heading right for the back of Macaw's head. I pushed him out of the way and his gun went flying out of his hand. I went for the Belos, and Genevieve did the same. I caught Ashlyn's hand, avoiding being cut, but Genevieve caught it by the blade and ripped it away from her as if it was a pretend knife. I jerked Ashlyn to the side by her arm, knocking her to the ground away from him.

Time resumed.

"What are you doing? He deserves to die. He killed my mom," Ashlyn yelled at me.

"Ashlyn," Genevieve said.

They locked into a gaze of disbelief, neither looking away. But the moment was broken when a group from the mob broke off and was now upon us. I was able to handle the first group with ease.

With each strike I landed, I could feel Riley behind me making sure the attacker wouldn't get up.

I circled back to Genevieve and Ashlyn. Cora was now holding Macaw hostage with the Belos to make sure his thugs stayed back.

Ashlyn was now yelling at Genevieve.

"How dare you!" she yelled.

"We have to go," Riley shouted over her, looking at the crowd closing in on us.

We had taken out the first group, but there was no way we could keep this up with so many, and what if one of them managed to get a shot off? Without seeing the direction from which it was fired, it could hit one of us, regardless of how much time slowed down for me.

We had all backed up to a fence at the edge of the playground. Different scenarios started to play before me and right as I got to the one that would give us the best chance, everyone in front of us scattered. Behind them was a group of men and women dressed in blue with black vests that read "Police." There had to be thirty of them in full riot gear.

Ashlyn ran up to Macaw, who was still being held by Cora, and kicked his leg, snapping it and making him fall forward away from Cora, finishing him with a hand to the nose. He slumped forward, not moving. And then Ashlyn disappeared over the fence. I couldn't tell if she killed him or not but this was not the time to find out. The four of us scrambled away from the crowd, over the fence to one of the side streets. In the distance, I saw Sarah waving to us. When we got to her, she shoved a set of car keys into my hand.

"My car is the blue one down the street. You need to get out of here. I called the police before we left. I needed to do something more to clean up my neighborhood and this was the best opportunity. Now go," she urged.

We didn't have time to thank her. Minutes later, we were speeding down the highway, heading to the airport.

"Nicholas, wake up. You don't want to sleep the day away," Cora said, throwing something at me. I had only been home for a couple of hours after the flight back. The clock read 10:00 a.m. in a mocking red glow. Why was she getting me up? She knew I was tired. I thought we all deserved to get some extra rest after what happened.

Seeing Ashlyn take out Macaw had been disturbing. She didn't show emotion; she was just cold. On the way home, I tried to talk to Genevieve about it, but she wasn't in the mood. She laid her head down on my lap the whole way back. I didn't push her off or even make her move, even though it made me a little uncomfortable. She needed me and I had to be there, so I suppressed any objections. I just rubbed her head until she was sound asleep.

I went downstairs. Cora was sitting at the kitchen table, writing in her pink planner. "Are you hungry? I could make you some waffles or an omelet or something?" she asked.

"I'm good," I said.

"Have you filled out your Death Rite list? It's not going to go away, even if you ignore it. I don't want James Caldwell to start showing up unannounced."

"I don't care who's on my list; it's morbid. You fill it out," I said. Then I did my best Ester Theasing voice, "Nicholas, thank you so much for joining the Council. Please fill out a list of people to take over for you when you die a horrible, gloriously painful death, your Final Sacrifice."

Cora laughed, "You have to do it. You chose to be on the Council, remember?," she said, sounding just like my mom. She closed her planner and stood up, going over to the sink to wash out her coffee cup. I hadn't even filled out my college packet yet. Why did she think I would fill this out?

"Doesn't James Caldwell coming over bother you?" she asked me. "Because he's going to start showing up here, instead of just calling."

"No, actually, I would like him to come over, just to see his anguished look each time he sees that I haven't done it."

She laughed again.

The main reason I didn't want to fill it out was because I didn't like thinking about sacrificing my life for some stranger. Sure, it may be a friend or family member, but it would most likely be a stranger. I felt like if I refused to fill it out, then none of it would happen. I could somehow have a normal life with Elle, away from all of this Thusian stuff. Plus, after going through the museum and seeing how my parents died, I didn't want to think about death.

I sat down at the table, and Cora fished out a yellowing piece of paper that was the size of a legal pad from a folder on the counter. The paper was thick with different shades of yellow veins running through it, looking handmade. In large swooping cursive strokes my name was written on top, with the title Death Rite List above it. There was another paragraph below it but I didn't read it. I just didn't care.

Above the writing was a large black stamp that I had seen on most of the really important Thusian documents and books. It was round with a roughly cut diamond in the center. I turned to ask Cora what the symbol was all about, but I stopped myself. Did I really want to make this process any longer?

I began to write down names. I just listed pretty much every Thusian that I had some relationship with, starting with Cora and ending with Noel. Even though I didn't like her much, she would do.

"I'm done," I said, pushing it across the table.

Cora walked over and picked it up.

"Seriously, you have pretty much put everyone on here who is either part of The 4 or is more or less part of our group. And you even listed Walter, who's already on the Council."

"And?" I asked, not sure what her point was.

"Ester will never go with this list, you know that." But before she could continue, I interrupted.

"I didn't want to do this," I said angrily. Not at Cora but at the situation.

"Very well," Cora said, leaving the room and coming back with something I had never seen before. She was carrying an old thick black candle with parts of it melted. In her other hand she carried a brass colored stamp that was shaped like the letter T, as big as her palm. And on one of its ends there was a rough, round engraving.

She took a pack of matches out of a fire engine cookie jar where my mom always kept them. She put down all of the items on the table and picked up the Death Rite List, folding it into three even sections, concealing the list under the folds. She lit a match, and lit the end of the black candle, making sure that the wax from it dripped onto the paper to seal it. When there was enough wax, she blew out the candle, took the stamp and stuck the end into the wax. She waited for a brief second, then pulled it away, leaving a symbol, the Thusians' mark. The symbol had swirls of black, blue and red in it.

"There, now at least no one will be able to open it until that time comes."

"What is this?" I asked, picking up the stamp.

"I used our family's official Thusian seal that has been passed down through generations. I don't think many have them anymore; they've mostly been lost over time. This will prevent any tampering. Once the seal is used, any Thusian who doesn't abide by what is written can be put to death," she said calmly, with a smile.

**

The middle of August was unbearably hot. There were no large trees around the house to block the sun or to sit under like we had back in Winsor, so I was forced to find refuge in the house most of the time.

I was perched next to the front window, watching cars and busses go up and down the street. From where I was seated no one could see me, but I could see them. About every forty-five minutes a group would pull up in front of the house and get out, taking pictures. Some would pose along the metal fence in front while others took pictures from the street.

"Are you ready for school?" Riley asked, coming into the room and grabbing the morning paper from the coffee table.

College was right around the corner. I wasn't sure if I was ready for it because I didn't really know what to expect. The only thing I knew was that I was going to be spending some time with Elle, and that's all that mattered. I tried to ignore the fact that everyone else was coming to Vanderbilt too.

"I guess so. Haven't given it much thought," I lied.

"I wish that Genevieve would get ready to leave. She needs the distraction."

"What do you mean? Every time I'm around her she seems okay," I said, not sure what he was referring to.

"Of course she does. But around everyone else she is nonresponsive, like a zombie. It's like we aren't around."

"Don't you think you should cut her some slack after everything she went through? It's not as if she had a storybook reunion with her sister. She has a lot going on. She needs time."

He let out a sigh of exhaustion and left, which was good. I didn't feel like listening to him go on about how Genevieve needed to fall in line and get ready for the Trials. The Trials would be here soon enough, and then she would be right back in the thick of things.

The day slipped away in front of the window. Later that evening, a soft hand brushed my neck, snapping me out of my daze. I turned and saw Genevieve. She was standing right next to me. She was wearing an off-white silk blouse with no sleeves that stopped short of her stomach. My eyes were staring right at her midsection.

"What's going on?" My voice cracked in the middle, making her smile.

"Have you talked to Elle lately?" She asked.

"Not since we got home from Green Lake," I said, not really wanting to talk to her about Elle because I was sure they were probably talking every day. "What's going on? Riley said you've been acting weird."

She took my hand, pulling me out of the chair and over to the couch. We sat down with our legs touching.

"I don't know what's wrong with me. When I was on my own looking for Ash, I began to like it. No one to report to, no questions to be answered. I could do anything."

"But what's going on now?" I asked, still not sure where she was going with this conversation.

Her tan cheeks darkened with embarrassment. "I was just trying to get you to notice me," she said, standing and letting go of my hand.

Notice her? What was she talking about? This had nothing to do with what I asked or what was going on.

"I remember how good it felt being with you during the snow storm. I was hoping to get some of those feelings back. So I could feel normal again, like—"

"Genevieve," I grabbed her hand, sitting her back down. "You know how I feel about this subject; does this have something to do with seeing Ashlyn and avoiding it?"

"No," she said, upset. "I am trying to find myself again. I don't know where I belong anymore. I'm lost." She began to cry.

"You belong with us. You are a part of The 4."

She began to shake her head no.

"That's not what I mean. I want to be with you. But I love Elle so much and I know how happy she makes you. I don't want to make things bad between the two of you. And here I am, doing it now. I don't know what's wrong with me."

Genevieve leaned in. If she was any closer, she would be against me completely. I gave her a simple hug of comfort and stood, walking away and leaving her alone in the room.

What had Elle done? Was inviting them to Vanderbilt really the best idea?

I was watching an old movie, The Guns of Navarone, after I finished cutting the grass. I was desperate for any distraction, trying to kill time until it was time to leave for school.

"People will start showing up around 7:00. Make sure you're cleaned up and ready. I'm going to start making food," Cora said, walking by the family room.

Not only were all the Council members coming over for a meeting, but Cora, Genevieve, Riley and Noel were invited too—or as Riley put it, "forced."

Everyone arrived promptly at 7:00.

"Noel, I'm glad to see you're doing so well," Cora said, offering her a plate of assorted finger foods.

I wished she had brought Elle, but that was a selfish thought.

"I feel bad for not asking you at Green Lake. Are you doing okay, you know, with the injury?" Cora asked, motioning to where she was cut by the Belos.

"I'm feeling fine," she responded, taking some of the food. "And do me a favor: tell Chase to stop calling me and coming over to check on me. I've told him I'm completely healed and okay. He doesn't need to keep checking up on me."

She walked out of the kitchen and into the family room. Both Cora and I looked at each other, because that was news to both of us.

We followed her out, setting trays of food on a table I had placed by the front door.

I sat down, ignoring everyone. Cora had told me that she thought this meeting would focus on how they were going to keep me safe before the Trials. Why have a meeting at all? I thought I was safe.

"I think for Nicholas' safety we should have a guard assigned to him, maybe Dane or someone," Ester said.

"Are you kidding? We have spent more than enough money on his safety already," James Caldwell said. "We might as well spoon feed him too. We have never in our history spent this much money protecting a single Thusian. We do have safeguards in place that we could use."

"That will not do," Ester said.

"We don't need any guards," Riley said. "We'll be fine on our own."

"The only reason you were invited is out of courtesy, nothing else," Ester said to him.

The two of them got into a heated debate. Riley was yelling while Ester remained calm but she was still arguing with him. Several others joined in but I didn't care. I zoned out, not caring what was decided. It's not like I had a choice in this.

"Ahhmm," Walter interrupted their debate and snapped me out of my trance. "I will handle this," he said and neither of them spoke, apparently okay with him working things out.

As soon as he said that, the meeting ended. Most everyone went ahead and left, but a few stayed behind, because apparently we were about to have another meeting. All I wanted to do was escape.

"So what's this all about?" I asked Cora, sampling some of the cheese ball that she had saved back for the second meeting. It was neatly garnished with a radish and some green onions.

"Not quite sure. Ester put this one together. I guess it has to do with the Trials. She wants to make sure that everyone is on the same page," Cora said, taking an empty tray and going into the kitchen. I followed.

"Aren't we supposed to be The 4? Everyone else has just gotten in our way," I said, helping Cora fill up a tray with more food.

"You know Ester really cares about you. She has been making it her own personal mission to make sure that you get out of the Trials alive. She may come off as uncaring, but that's not the case. And now that we know how Beth saved her, everything makes sense."

"I guess." I still wasn't happy with what was going on or the fact that Cora brought up my mom.

Ester, James, Chase, Walter, Clare Winters, and Mayor Siegel were sitting in our family room. I hadn't seen Mayor Siegel during the first meeting. He had been a lot less welcoming to us once we moved here. His big speech about asking for forgiveness was nothing but a show for the people at the church during the dedication. I think he was still mad we had told Mark all about being a Thusian. We didn't tell Mark anything until he accidentally discovered he was different when he saw one of Bernard's journals. But we couldn't exactly tell his dad how he found out and that he was the next Thusian Keeper. So Genevieve told Ester that she told Mark, taking the blame. Needless to say, Mayor Jacob Siegel was not too happy with any of us.

"Cora, Nicholas, thank you for being such gracious hosts. The hors d'oeuvres are simply divine," Ester said and began to clap lightly. Clare joined her. James and Mayor Siegel didn't even respond to what Ester said. They just continued to gulp down the plate of food as if eating was the only reason they had come.

"With the Trials coming up and Nicholas leaving for school in a week, I wanted to gather all of the individuals who are crucial to making sure the Trials go well, including our travels there. We have to make sure that everything goes smoothly so we can meet up with the Sils in Scotland without any incidents."

"What's a Sil?" I asked.

"The Sils are a group of people who have been entrusted with taking care of the Thusians while we are at Valcary Hill. They are servants. Each family of Thusians will be assigned to a single Sil, who will take care of all of their needs while we are at the Trials. They cook, clean and make sure that the Trials can go on without interruptions of any kind."

"Are they Thusians?" I asked, thinking it was odd that a group of people knew what the Thusians were all about.

Ester answered me quickly, sounding disturbed by the thought, "Not in any way." She paused and took a deep breath and said, "They are simply housekeepers—that's it. The original Council put together the Sils after the Keeper tradition was eliminated. Back then there were a lot more functions and events at the Hill, so they needed a full time staff to ensure that things went smoothly. Keeper Wren was the last Keeper to live there close to the end of his life along with some other Thusians, but now it is only used to resolve conflicts. The last time it was occupied by all of the Thusians was about a hundred years ago, if my history is correct."

I nodded at Ester, knowing this was her version of the truth. Because nobody ever explained things as they really were, except Xavier it seemed.

"Now, back to the Trials. We all know that Nicholas and Cora didn't complete The 4 thus completing The 7," she said, sounding kind of threatened. "The reason for this meeting is to make sure Nicholas leaves Valcary Hill alive," she said, looking at Clare.

On cue, Clare spoke, but not before James snickered. "I have gone to great lengths to make sure that we can have a resolution without your death, Nicholas, because in the past that was the only way this could have been resolved, without confirmation of The 4. But I have to make sure everyone understands I cannot guarantee that there will be no deaths." She said, sounding concerned.

Hearing that didn't bother me at all. I had been prepared to die for some time now. Isn't that what we are all supposed to be waiting for anyway?

"Based on my research at the Vault over the past couple of months, and from talking to some of the elder Sils, I feel that a timeframe of one month for the Trials will be an acceptable length. If we were to go by the old guidelines, then this could last for a very, very long time, because there's no format. The three trials have to happen without any planning. One set of trials lasted two years, and no one here would want that. Nicholas and the others can hide out and wait for the time to expire. This will meet the requirements of the Trials, while keeping everyone safe."

"Safe, ha, that's a joke," Mayor Siegel said. "We have to take our families to some 'trial' all the way to Scotland just because a bunch of clowns think they have formed some group talked about way before any of us were even born. Who's going to keep us safe? We're going to be in a confined area with The 3 Seekers, and the ninety-seven other Seekers looking to prove themselves worthy to Xavier, hoping to join his band of merry killers. Can we make this any easier for him?" He sat back in his chair, out of breath and red-faced.

I was ready for Ester, or even Walter, to put him in his place, but James did. "Don't be so dramatic. You know we will be wearing our Shrouds and nobody besides the Sils will know who we are or what rooms we will be in. So you and your precious little family will be absolutely fine. The 3 would never create a situation where they would have to sacrifice their own lives. That's why we all go together. It's our insurance policy. And you can't be that stupid to think that they don't know who most of the Thusians are around here anyway. If they wanted to, they could come up to your door and kill you on the spot. So get over yourself, you high and mighty blow hard."

"But we will be all in one place, like sitting ducks," Mayor Siegel said, sounding offended.

"I thought you would want more Thusians to die, so you can come back here and bury more people, making even more money off the 10-10 tragedy than you already have. I'm surprised you haven't been working on how to generate another earthquake," James responded with a big grin. Then he turned his head to look at me, "Just so we're clear, I don't care what happens to you or any members of your group. All I care about is following protocol. And Clare's suggestion about the length does not conflict with any of the rules that have been communicated to me."

"Ester," Mayor Siegel said, looking past James, "what am I supposed to do about bringing my oldest? His leukemia is making him too weak to travel right now. My wife could barely get him to the University of Louisville to be looked after by his new doctor, Dr. Beverly, who Chase has been kind enough to set us up with. What if he can't make the trip?" he finished, sounding concerned, which surprised me. He didn't seem like the caring type.

"Everyone who knows about their Thusian heritage has to go. There are no exceptions," James said while he was getting up and going to get more food to replenish his plate.

"I wasn't talking to you, you windbag. I was talking to Ester. She is head of the Divine Council; you are just a secretary."

"I wouldn't worry too much, Jacob," Ester said. "We have a couple dozen Thusians who are in just as bad, if not worse, shape as your son, and they are coming. Chase will make sure that every single one of them is well taken care of. I wouldn't be surprised if under his care many of them, including your son, get better."

The whole room was now staring at Chase. He smiled and nodded, liking the fact that she was stroking his ego. "Absolutely, and your son has already shown improvement with Dr. Beverley under my direction," he said. "Not to mention both of Walter's medics, Williams and Hale, along with me, will be caring for him at the Trials. Walter has made sure they are on medical duty, throughout the Trials, not part of his security team. So your son is going to be in good hands." He gave a smug look like he was posing for a cover of one of the tabloid magazines that he often was pictured in.

"Walter, can we talk about security now?" Ester asked, changing the subject.

"Yes, of course," he said, standing up, pulling out a piece of paper and unfolding it. He was an intimidating figure if you didn't know him. He towered above everyone and was the size of an ox. But since he had been my dad's best friend and also my protector over the past year, I had come to know him as someone who cares very much about making sure I'm safe along with everyone I care about. My previous doubts about him, due to his being part of the 100 Seekers, had been extinguished because of his care and loyalty to me and to my friends and family.

"Because of the Trials, we have seen a one hundred percent decrease in the activity of Xavier and the Seekers. They are honoring the traditions of the truce during this period leading up to the Trials so far. Both Xavier and Grey have been seen out in the open many times, doing nothing of any consequence. Xavier has visited Haiti, South Africa and now is somewhere in Cincinnati, Ohio. Grey on the other hand only visited Washington, D.C. He's now in the small town of Woodlawn, Illinois, spending all of his time at his family's house. He frequents the Winsor Museum often. With them in clear sight, I have been able to focus on securing everyone's transportation for the Trials. I do have a small team still trying to determine who the third Seeker is. The clues took them east, but the trail went cold a week ago." He flipped over the paper and continued.

"As for Nicholas' safety, I can only guarantee it here or at Vanderbilt University," Walter said, putting down the paper and turning to look right at me. "Just because everything seems safe doesn't mean it is."

I glanced around the room and everyone was staring at me.

"You're right, Walter. You have been incredibly thorough, but we still need to be cautious," Ester said.

"Yeah, we don't want anything like the Red Day Incident to happen," Mayor Siegel said.

"What's the Red Day Incident?" I asked, sure that no one was going to elaborate further unless I questioned.

"It happened nearly twenty years ago," Ester said. "It was Friday, April 13th, to be exact. A large group of Thusians gathered for a family outing. It was one of our most prominent Thusian families, the McCoys. This family had been responsible for generating the majority of the Thusians' vast fortune before me. More than one hundred Thusians were there enjoying themselves, young and old alike, when the unspeakable happened: the Red River Dam in Missouri, a mile upstream, had a catastrophic failure that sent a towering wall of water down onto the small town of Ruskin where the McCoy family was. We later discovered that an unknown Seeker was responsible for its breach. Every single one of the McCoys perished that day."

"Why would they all meet like that out in the open? They had to have known that was just an invitation for The 3?" I asked.

"Because, Nicholas, the head of The 3 at the time, Jeremiah McCoy, was there. No one would have believed that someone would try to kill Jeremiah, especially not another Seeker."

The only person making any sounds was Chase, who sounded like he was crying to himself. Not a full sob but a small whimper. Why was he so upset over this? He was probably just scared.

"Because of that, we never take anything for granted any more when it comes to anyone's safety," Walter said.

"Then why have the Trials?" I asked "We don't know who that Seeker was who caused the failure. Maybe he is waiting for another opportunity?"

"Because we have to. You've left us no other choice, with your big mouth and your lies," James spat out.

I stood up reflexively, which resulted in Walter standing up to block my way to James.

"We will all be safe there," Ester said, trying to reassure me.

"If anyone tries anything, we will be ready," Walter said, putting his large hand on my shoulder. I sat down.

"Now, let's move on to the preparations," Ester said, taking out a small silver box and setting it on the end table next to her. She pressed a button, and a woman's voice said, "What can I do for you, Divine Governor?"

"Please connect me with Sidney Reese," Ester said in a very friendly fake voice.

"As you wish."

She had her own operator? How big was the network of people who were part of the Thusians' communications?

There were a series of clicks, and then Sidney said, "Hello, Ester."

"We're having a meeting and I thought it would be good to get the latest information on how the migration preparations are going."

"I'm in the middle of working on that currently. Do you want everything that I was going to share with the Council at the next meeting or—"

"Just give us a basic overview for now," Ester interrupted.

"The system for reaching out to all Thusians has already begun. We have made it random to ensure that everyone is safe and feels that way during their migration time to the Chriō Trials. The total time to migrate the whole population will be two weeks, if everything goes as planned. Current cost estimates for bringing everyone to the Trials is going to be about twenty-one or twenty-two million dollars. But these estimates do not include any Thusians who need special arrangements made for them—medical or other—to make sure all who need it get the highest level of care."

Jacob Siegel shook his head, still upset.

"Maclin McCabe, as most know, cannot be exposed to any outside contaminants. His needs and transportation will be very expensive. So I feel that we will be looking at a total of thirty-six to thirty-eight million just to get everyone there. The cost of the return trip and hosting everyone is what I'm working on now." She stopped talking briefly, taking a deep breath. "We could be looking at nearly two hundred and fifty million after all is said and done."

I was stunned. It was going to cost that much? I looked around and not one person even batted an eye at the cost. Not only was I responsible for everyone having to go, but now, all of this money was being spent too. The money could have been used to help people instead.

"Have you included in your budget my additional safety costs?" Walter asked.

"Yes, why do you think it's so costly?" she answered, and then said, "Ester, can I please get back to work? I still have a lot to do."

"Of course," Ester said, pushing the same button again to end the call.

The next day, Genevieve was sunning herself out on the front lawn. I'm not sure if the cars were slowing down to look at our house or at her. I grabbed a jacket and threw it at her as I was going down the driveway to get the paper. "Good gracious, girl, put some clothes on. That can't be called a bathing suit." The small pink bikini, which barely covered her, was a shock even to me, and I was used to her by now.

I was up at the door when she answered back, "I can wear what I want. If you don't like it, look away."

Once inside, my head began to spin. I felt a wave of panic come upon me so quickly I wasn't prepared. I grabbed onto the wall, fishing out a pack of Tic Tacs. My vision became foggy, I blinked several times trying to clear it, and saw Elle. The only thing I knew: I had to see Elle. I didn't care that I would see her this weekend at school. My body was telling me it had to be soon.

Cora and Riley both tried to talk me out of it later in the day. Not that they thought I was in danger, but they felt it was important that I should stick to the plan.

At 10:00 that evening I left the house. Riley insisted on coming with me, but I wasn't going to have him ride along, so I agreed to let him follow. Seeing Genevieve out on the lawn had triggered my need to see Elle, but why the near panic attack? Was it because of their newfound friendship, or because she was complicating my feelings for Elle again? The emotional rollercoaster I was on was making me uneasy, and I was looking for a place to get off.

I parked a couple of houses back from Elle's, and Riley pulled in behind me. I was already out of my truck and circling around her house before he had a chance to get out.

Her house was dark, just as I hoped it would be. I would hate to run into her dad and try to explain what I was doing here. As I got closer to her window, something was different. Over the top of the window was a curved, decorative metal gate, blocking me from crawling down and in. I looked all over the back of the houses and every window now had black, decorative iron gates over it. All I wanted to do was come here and see her, but now her home was like Fort Knox.

"Can I help you?" someone asked from the other side of the house in a hushed voice. It was Noel.

"Yeah, I want to see Elle," I said, trying to see if there was a latch on the window cover to open it.

She came over to me, followed by Riley.

"Nice. Those bars look impossible to get through. Looks like you have upgraded a lot of the Canans' security," he said, grabbing hold of the bars and trying to shake it.

"Let's go out to the street before we wake up her parents," Noel said.

I didn't want to go, but I figured I didn't have a choice. Noel was my best chance to see Elle, so I had to play by her rules and act nice.

"Sorry for coming over without calling. I wanted to see Elle. I was making sure she was safe and okay," I said. After I said that, it sounded stupid. Of course she was okay and I just questioned Noel's ability to keep her safe. "I mean, I wasn't thinking clearly and came over here haphazardly."

She smiled and said, "You should've called me. You're lucky I was up when I heard you both pull onto the street. Next time you're trying to be secretive, don't drive that orange airplane," she said, pointing at the Bronco.

She was right about how loud it was.

"Anyway, I want to s...I mean, may I see her?" I asked, trying to make it sound like a question, not a command. See, you catch more flies with honey, a distant voice in my head said. It belonged to my Grandma Taylor, my dad's mom. She died when I was young, but I still remember her repeating that phrase whenever I got upset about things.

She was right; it worked. "I'll go get her. Wait here," Noel said.

"Wow, look at you. It seems that drive did you some good," Riley said.

I leaned up against the truck and stuck my hands in my pockets, waiting.

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"Being nice. You were pretty nasty to us before you left, just telling us what you were going to do. I'm glad to see you wised up."

I sighed. "Yeah, I'm not sure what's gotten into me."

"Could this have something to do with Genevieve going to Vanderbilt?" Riley asked, coming over next to me.

I didn't answer at first. I wanted to think about what I was going to say, but nothing came to my mind.

"I know Genevieve makes things difficult for you, Nicholas, especially the way she acts around you. The four of us have a bond that is strong, but don't confuse it with something it's not. Believe me, Cora and I have talked about this point a lot."

Just as he finished, two people came out the front door and hurried over to us.

Elle was in a pair of red flannel pajama pants and a plain red tank top. She launched herself at me, and I grabbed her, giving her a hug that made me feel incredible. My soul was finally able to rest, being here with her.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, kissing my neck.

I opened the door and we both got into the truck.

"I had to come see you; I know we talked about not seeing each other, but I couldn't wait another day."

I pulled her over to me so she was now sitting almost on my lap. My heart was pounding. Being here with her made me feel alive again. This is what I needed. I needed her.

But this euphoric feeling didn't last long. My truck door was being pulled open minutes later. I caught and held it, moving Elle to the other seat with my free hand before I let it open.

"Nicholas, I have to get Elle inside now," Noel pleaded, sounding desperate.

Something was wrong, really wrong.

I opened the door, scanning our surroundings. Down the street, a group of people, all dressed in black robes with the hoods pulled down over their faces, were coming from the opposite direction. They moved from front yard to front yard, slowly using the unlit houses as cover. But I could easily see them.

"Noel, take Elle and get her inside. Riley and I will take care of them," I demanded.

She didn't hesitate at all. She moved quickly to the other side of the truck and got her out. Elle looked at me. She wasn't scared. She looked like she wanted to stay, but with her here, I wouldn't be able to adequately fight, always being scared of something happening to her.

Noel and Elle ran to the front door and were inside before I had a chance to blink.

The group was still heading toward us. They weren't here for her, they were here for me.

"Let's go down the middle," Riley said.

"Sounds fun," I said. "Just like a bowling ball."

I clenched my fist, ready to charge. I was actually feeling excited for this confrontation. My body was craving it, as if I had been starving and this was the only thing that could cure my appetite.

We moved into the next yard, getting ready to advance. Seeing us made the group break into a jog, heading for us. Time slowed, but before we could move, a person all in white came barreling from across the road, slamming into the group. It was Grey. Bodies went flying everywhere, as if an invisible hand pulled them into different directions all at once. Both Riley and I stopped. Grey went back through the group, flattening anyone who was still standing.

"Is that who I think it is?" Riley asked.

"Yeah, I'm not sure what's happening."

Grey turned and slowly bowed to us, and then ran back the way he came. The group of cloaked figures slowly helped one another up and disappeared back down the street.

We waited until the last one was out of sight before we moved. Noel ventured over to where we were standing.

"Nicholas, I think it's best if you leave," she hissed at me, obviously blaming me for all of this.

I walked over to her. "Listen to me," I pointed my finger in her face. "You are nothing more than a bodyguard. I love Elle and care for her deeply. If we don't spend time together, she will get restless and she will start to do things that both of us would rather her not do. None of us will be able to stop her, I think you know that. So don't you dare pretend you know what's best for her, because you don't. Protecting Elle doesn't mean locking her away. Elle is stronger than you give her credit for," I said, out of breath.

She didn't flinch at what I said at all. She just listened, maybe knowing it was true.

**

"Nicholas, are you packed up?" Cora asked, coming into my room.

"Yes, for the thousandth time," I said, sitting on my bed and debating whether I wanted to visit my parents' graves one last time before I left for school tomorrow.

"Good. I have somewhere you may want to go before you leave."

"Where?"

Winsor High School. Today is the dedication of the new school. Joy Lemmins called last night to see if we could come. I didn't know if we should or if you would want to."

"Sure why not? This whole summer has been a bunch of random stuff anyway. I might as well keep up with the trend," I said.

"I know that's what it feels like, but I promise once you get to school things will get better and make more sense. The last four months have been hard on all of us. I know it seems like we are in a holding pattern, but things will get better."

I smiled and got ready.

**

I couldn't believe I was sitting at another dedication. At least I wasn't the center of attention for this one. I was up front sitting on a green and gold padded folding chair, surrounded by a lot of students, both past and present. Oliver was sitting next to me with Eric on the other side and Livi was next to him.

I looked around at the incredible number of media personnel that had shown up for this occasion, which I didn't miss. I guess this was the conclusion to the Winsor soap opera, which I was glad to not be a part of anymore.

The chairs were set up where the school bubble had been last year. In front of everyone was the new mecca that Ester and Henry Theasing had created. It was not only massive, but almost completely made of glass and steel. It looked like a modern work of art. It was beautiful. I guess I should have expected this. They never did anything subtly.

I scanned around me, looking in vain for Elle. Her dad and mom were in the back, but she and Noel weren't here. After the other night, I doubted that Noel was going to let her leave the house before they left for Vanderbilt.

"Thank you so much for joining us on such a glorious occasion," Superintendent Spears said with a big grin. He was wearing a green sport coat, which made him look like he was either a winner of The Masters golf tournament or a big leprechaun. "Winsor has gone through a lot over the years, but we always persevere." He paused and the crowd cheered loudly. "Now, it's my great honor to introduce two very distinguished people who have made sure that the mighty Winsor Cougars will not miss a beat: Henry J. Theasing and his wife, Ester Theasing."

"Thank you so much," Henry said, grabbing the microphone. "We're so proud to be a part of such an incredible community. Without the combined efforts of everyone here, this school would have been left in ruins with no hope of redemption."

Oliver leaned over to me, "I think he's laying it on kind of thick for the cameras, don't you think?"

"Yeah," I responded. "Did you expect something different?"

"Guess not," he chuckled.

"Now, it gives me great pleasure to dedicate the school, the home of the mighty Winsor Cougar."

Superintendent Spears brought up three pairs of scissors to cut a thick gold ribbon behind them. A choir began to sing "America the Beautiful" when the ribbon fell away. Up against the school, two people were struggling with a rope, pulling hard on both ends of a banner. I leaned over so I could see who they were. It was Coach Stenger on one side and Joy Lemmins on the other. Coach Stenger's side fell away, partially revealing the name on the building "Aaron Michael Miller" and "Winsor..." Joy Lemmins was still struggling with her rope. Coach Stenger went over to help. They both yanked on it and it came free. But as the banner fell, revealing the rest of the large sign and the words "High School," Joy Lemmins fell off balance and hit Coach Stenger. He toppled over into the rose bushes right next to them. Realizing that everyone was staring at her, she stuck her hands up to point to the sign, ignoring the struggling Coach Stenger.

In a shocked voice after seeing Coach Stenger fall, Henry said, "I present to you Aaron Michael Miller Winsor High School." Green and gold balloons filled the sky, and everyone cheered and laughed.

The dedication of this new school brought an end to a chapter of my life, and now a new one was beginning.

The moving truck was all ready to go, along with a small convoy of vehicles that was escorting me to college. This might have bothered me if I hadn't all of a sudden gotten the flu overnight. The aches and pains that came along with it were in full effect. Every bump and jostle of the truck made me wish I had taken something stronger than just aspirin. Chase promised once I was at Vanderbilt he would get me feeling better in no time, but that was a long time from now.

"Are you excited about going to school?" Riley asked, driving and eating a BBQ sandwich that smelled horrible. I needed my Tic Tacs to calm my sick stomach.

"I guess," I said, closing my eyes and reclining my seat as much as I could.

"I think this is going to be good for you and for us; even though Genevieve has still been acting weird when I'm around. I have no idea what that's about."

"It could be that she's still upset about seeing what her sister was capable of doing, and that she never did get to talk with her. And it's not as if you were supportive," I said, not opening my eyes, steadying my breathing.

Riley took a big, loud drink of his pop and cleared his throat. "I guess that might have something to do with it. Similar to you, Genevieve never had much of a normal life. But for Cora and me, we at least had a somewhat normal life until after high school."

"Can we stop talking about this? My head feels like it's going to explode," I said, coughing a little from a tickle that had formed in my throat.

The three and a half hour drive to Vanderbilt took almost double the usual amount of time because of the long caravan. Genevieve, who was driving their teal green truck, forgot to fill up ahead of time, so we had to stop to get gas a half an hour in, which was the first of many more stops.

Dane freaked out when we all stopped the first time. "What are you doing? You are supposed to stay in formation and only stop for an actual emergency. We have a plan; everything was detailed in my pre-trip briefing," he shouted at Genevieve, who was filling up her car and paying no attention to him at all. She was actually striking up a conversation with a couple who was gassing up their minivan next to her.

I got out and started to walk around, letting the sun warm up my skin, hoping the feeling of sickness would evaporate.

"Do you need anything? I'd be happy to get you something to drink, like Sprite or Ginger Ale. My mom used to always give it to me when I was sick," said the young man who was driving with Dane.

He was a head taller than Dane but looked like his twin brother, minus the long dreadlocks. He was dressed in an all-black military uniform with some sort of pattern that seemed to pull in the color of the surrounding area. I stopped looking at it, afraid it would make me throw up.

"Are you related to Dane?" I asked, shaking my head "no" to his offer of getting me a drink.

"I sure am. I'm his little brother. Well, not actually, but our families were close when we were young. We lived in the same little town."

"What's your name?" I asked, hoping for some distraction.

"My name is Pietro, but everyone calls me Piet."

"Piet, shouldn't you be doing something?" Dane yelled to him.

"Yes, sir," he said with a kind of half salute.

"It was an honor talking with you, Mr. Keller." He did an awkward salute to me and headed quickly back to the vehicle.

"I hope he wasn't bothering you," Walter said, walking up behind me with Cora by his side.

"No, he was just seeing if I needed anything."

"That was so nice of him," Cora said, leading me over to a tree to get me out of the sun.

"He's ambitious," Walter said. "He really wants to prove himself to Dane. He thinks the world of him and would walk over hot coals for him."

"Of course he's a Thusian, right?" Cora asked.

"Yes, there were a couple of families in their village that were, but unfortunately, Dane and Pietro are the only two left. When Dane was visiting Bernard one summer, there was a large fire at a garment factory that employed half the town. There weren't many casualties, only seven, all Thusians. That's why more people didn't die; the Thusians kept going back in to save others. Pietro was in school when it happened or he would have perished in the fire," Walter said, folding his arms and flexing his large biceps.

"Okay, let's move out," Dane yelled.

Genevieve had moved the truck back in line. Everyone was ready to go.

I got back in my truck. I wasn't feeling as bad now, distracted by Piet's story. There were so many stories like that one that I hadn't heard, so many Thusians with their own struggles and conflicts. What I had been through started to sound like the norm for being a Thusian. But what about Sarah and the children she was protecting? Was she a Thusian? I'm sure there were countless additional stories like hers and Piet's all around the United States and even more around the world, where the realities are even harsher.

Nicholas, what you're going through is a small price to pay to help these people, I told myself. The people who risk their lives every day need your help. If you can do something about it, then you have to. At first I thought it was my voice saying those things, but it occurred to me that it sounded too old. It was my dad, as if somehow he was with me. The thought of him helping me along the way was comforting.

We entered Vanderbilt campus and I saw the familiar statue of Cornelius Vanderbilt at the entrance. The shrubs around the base of the statue were a vibrant green color and the lawn was freshly cut. Underneath a large tree further back was a group of students sitting together, some reading and others talking.

"Now remember, while you're here, I will come and stay with you from time to time to see what's going on. But other than that I will be just off campus with Walter and Dane, making sure that security is operating efficiently," Riley's voice trailed off.

"What in the world is going on?" He said, slamming on the brakes, sending me into the dash, nearly hitting the truck in front of us.

In front of Dane's vehicle, blocking us from going any farther was a group of people. Everyone got out to see what was happening. And unfortunately we saw a couple of people with cameras. What did the media want? Were they waiting for the 10-10 Hero to get to campus?

I followed Riley up to the front, but stayed just far enough back from the crowd.

"No, no, you aren't listening. I have a petition signed by two hundred fifty parents of incoming freshmen who don't want him here," said a man in black dress pants and a white dress shirt, handing it to Cora.

Some of the people around the man were taking pictures and others were just watching. No one in the crowd looked as enthusiastic as he did.

"Nicholas was accepted, just like your sons and daughters. If this is a problem, then shouldn't the chancellor be here too?" she asked.

She waited for a response but it was a rhetorical question.

"Now," she said, her voice becoming very serious and demanding, "if I happen to hear from anyone that you have taken this any further or harassed him, I will—"

"You will what?" he interrupted, trying to act tough.

"I will pay you a visit. And that goes for anyone here. If I so happen to see any pictures or even read one single word about this, I will come pay you a visit," she repeated, ripping up the petition and throwing it into his face.

She looked slowly at each person, making sure she made eye contact with them all. Genevieve was off to the side, laughing. She was eating this up, enjoying every bit.

I walked back to the truck, pretty sure that Cora had taken care of it. I just wanted to get settled in so I could start resting and feeling better.

The convoy started to move again to the front of my dorm. Walter and Dane's team got me unpacked and moved in quickly.

An hour later I was sitting on my couch in my new dorm room watching TV while Chase examined me.

"This will help. It's Tamiflu. It should knock it out in a day," he said.

Looking around, Chase leaned in and asked me a question in a hushed voice, "How has Noel been?"

"Why?" I whispered back, not sure what the quiet voice was about. I listened closely for his answer, maybe he was about to share something I didn't know.

"Oh, I just wanted to check on her. She hasn't been answering my calls anymore," he said as if he had never experienced someone doing that to him.

Cora, Genevieve and Riley walked in, and Chase gathered his things and left. The four of us were the only ones left in my dorm room. Genevieve was sitting next to my feet on the other end of the couch and Riley and Cora were standing by the door talking about something.

"Are you ready for this?" Genevieve asked, putting her hand on my feet.

"I guess. I don't really feel like I have much of a choice."

"I know what you mean. I don't know what to expect either, like my life is spinning out of control. I was hoping for more answers, but—"

Before she finished, Noel and Elle walked in. Elle came running over, leaning down and giving me a hug and a kiss. Suddenly I didn't feel as sick.

"We'll leave you guys alone," Genevieve said, getting up and walking out.

Nobody else left. Everyone started to talk about school and what was going to happen now that we were here. Riley started to go over some safety protocols. I tried to pay attention, but I just couldn't concentrate and eventually drifted off to sleep.

Mark arrived later in the evening, with some men I had never seen before. They were all dressed in suits, and we watched as they moved his stuff into our room and left without a word. Mark didn't talk either; he retreated to his room, shutting the door. I didn't know if I should go see what was up or give him some space. We all continued to talk, and I waited to see if he would come out. An hour later, he emerged with a smile.

"Who else is coming to school here? My dad said that some of your friends from Winsor are attending?" Mark asked. I could have sworn I had already told him.

Elle answered, "Eric's playing football and Livi, his girlfriend, will be coming too."

"Why?" Noel asked angrily.

"Didn't you know this already?" Cora asked Noel.

"I knew about Eric, but I didn't know she was coming," Noel said, with no emotion in her voice.

I wondered what the big deal was about Livi attending, but I was too sick and not in the mood to really care.

"Not sure if you heard, Nicholas," Mark said, "but Heather from Mt. Vernon switched from the University of Cincinnati to here and a friend I knew from camp a long time ago, Cole Hartel, will be coming, too," he added, walking over and joining us. "He's a Thusian too. He's related to Alice Gordon, the counselor from Mt. Vernon."

"So do you guys know where all your classes are?" Elle asked. "Genevieve and I have a lot of the same classes."

Really? Could she make things any more complicated for me? I liked it better when they couldn't stand one another. This whole best friend stuff was killing me.

"Cora made sure I knew," I answered. "She never misses an opportunity to talk about 'her' Vanderbilt."

"It's because I want to make sure you're prepared," Cora said, blushing slightly, brushing her blonde bangs out of her eyes.

"Do you know, Mark?" I asked.

"I'm good. Got the lay of the land when I took my tour a couple of weeks back."

The day turned into night and everyone left, except for Elle.

"I better get back to my room to check on Cora, Genevieve and Noel. I still have some things to straighten up," Elle said, giving me a tender kiss on my neck, which gave me chills that weren't because of the flu. "If you need anything, call me."

I nodded.

"I mean it, young man," she said, giving me a motherly look and walking out the door.

"I'm glad they're gone," Mark said, walking out of his bedroom. "I mean..." He came in and sat in a chair, looking really upset.

"I know what you mean. It's good to be alone to recharge."

"That's not what I mean. I don't think that I'm really the next Keeper. Sure, I can read Bernard's journals, but that's it. I know some basic things and can make some simple observations, but nothing else. Maybe I should just translate the books and give them to you. You're the 4th, the One who is supposed to lead the others against The 3. It makes more sense to me that you should have all the information."

Even with the flu, I knew Mark was just feeling like I did most of the time—useless, only going on instinct.

"Mark, you're no different than me. You think I have things figured out? You're wrong. Most of the time, I'm going with my gut, that's it. I often make the wrong decision. The four of us have no idea what we're supposed to be doing. I believe we all serve a purpose. If there's one thing I've learned after all these years, it's that I, we, can't do this by ourselves. You're a key part of this puzzle, the one who will eventually lead us. I have faith in you," I sat back, winded.

"I didn't know that's how you felt," Mark said, showing some relief.

"We're all in this together. But now, I think I'm going to bed."

"Sure thing, Nicholas. Hope you feel better in the morning," he said with a smile, clearly feeling better about things.

In the comfort of my room with all of the bolts locked on my door, I drifted into a deep, hard sleep, with the darkness that usually filled my dreams thankfully absent.

The next morning, Mark and I were up early. I was feeling a hundred percent better, with only a little stuffiness left from the flu.

We were determined to go get our books before the store got too busy. We were wrong; it was already buzzing with hundreds of students who all had the same idea we did.

"I guess the early bird got the worm," Mark said, looking at the long line to get into the bookstore.

"Yeah, I guess," I said. "Isn't that Heather?" I pointed to one of the cash registers that had a long line, reaching all the way to where we were standing. Apparently she had gotten a job working in the bookstore, which at this moment looked like a very convenient job to have.

"Yeah, let's go over and say hi," he said.

She looked the same as she had at Mt. Vernon, but instead of a red streak, she had a blue one running through her hair. Peeking out from underneath her black campus bookstore shirt was a tattoo on her arm. I couldn't see exactly what it was, but it looked like some sort of wing and anchor.

"Hey guys, how's it going?" she asked, checking out the next person in line.

"Fine, how are you?" Mark asked.

"Doing good. Just trying to get through this never-ending line of freshmen freaking out and buying everything they can get their hands on," she said.

The guy she was checking out had his arms full of supplies and books. He looked offended by her comment.

"Seriously, you aren't giving me that look, are you? I'm not the one who's buying a campus guide and map, when you can get one free online," she said to him.

She shifted her attention back to us. "Glad to see you made it, Nicholas."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"You know, with the whole planned boycott of your arrival. All around campus people were talking about it. It was a big joke. Someone is always upset, protesting something on college campuses, so I guess it shouldn't have come as a big shock."

"Cora would never let me miss a day here. They wouldn't stand a chance against her," I laughed.

"Yeah, his aunt took them on by herself. She's also back to get her Master's degree," Mark added.

"Everyone knows that Mark, Cora and Nicholas are famous here. He's the 10-10 Hero," she stopped and looked at me. "Sorry, didn't mean to say that. Still sticking my foot in my mouth, as you can see."

"No problem." I changed the subject. "So, we're trying to get our books for our classes. When should we do that? Is there a better time?"

"Give me your schedules."

We both handed her our copies we had printed out.

"I'll get them for you and charge them to your school accounts. You'll have them before your first class."

"Are you sure?" I asked, feeling badly, not wanting her to have to do that for us.

"I get some perks by working here. I'll have one of the boys who have been eyeing me pull them."

"Thanks, Heather," Mark said, beginning to walk away.

"Yeah, thanks," I said, turning to catch up with Mark.

Heather dropped off the books later in the day just as she had promised. I introduced her to both Elle and Noel, who were on our couch talking about an art history class they were both not looking forward to taking. Genevieve and Cora were with Riley, scouting out the campus.

"Elle, it's so good to meet you. Nicholas talked about you a lot when he came to Mt. Vernon," Heather said, walking right in and sitting down between the two girls.

The three of them began to talk about all sorts of things, never staying on one subject too long. It was as if they had all been friends for years. Even Noel was talkative. Elle and Noel were beginning to fill Heather in on different professors they liked, places where she could go to study and pretty much everything else.

Both Mark and I were there, but not participating in the conversation. From time to time, Elle would give me her crooked little smile to let me know she knew I was there, but the others acted as if we were ghosts.

There was a knock on the door. I got up and answered it.

Chase was standing in the doorway. He was dressed in a very formal, tight navy blue suit, like he was going to a wedding or a funeral.

"What's up with the suit?" I asked.

Chase always looked like he stepped out of a GQ magazine, but this was just a little out of the norm for him.

"All the deans met for our annual luncheon before the school year begins and, of course, they had me speak again. I'm just here to check up on you." He leaned in and whispered, "You don't have to slum it here in the dorms like all the other students. You can come down to the first floor and share my flat with me. We're family, you know?"

I wondered if he knew how condescending he sounded.

"No, I'm good here," I whispered back.

"Very well, but you know the offer is always open."

"Thanks, Chase."

He walked in, standing next to the girls on the couch. Not one of them even looked up at him. He took a step closer and still no one said anything. I kind of felt bad for him; he looked desperate for attention. Who was I kidding? He needed this dose of humility. It was good for him.

"Girls, Chase is here," I said, shutting the door loudly.

Elle stood up and gave him a big hug. He grabbed her and gave her one of his bear hugs.

"It's so good to see you, Chase. You remember Noel, right? And this is Heather," Elle said. Of course he knew Noel. Elle was lying for Heather's sake. It sounded awkward and clumsy. Was that how I sounded when I tried to cover things up?

"Nice to meet you, Heather, and yes, I remember Noel. How are you feeling?" he asked, looking right at Noel.

She didn't say anything—it was such a weird question.

"You mean because of the early swine flu that was going around some of the college campuses?" I asked, trying to smooth over his awkward question.

"Yes, of course that's what I mean. Luckily, Nicholas, you only had the run of the mill flu. Good thing I checked you out personally, better to be safe than sorry," he said with a big hearty laugh.

"Chase, do you need anything else? They all seem healthy," I said, because he just continued to stand around us with his eyes fixed on Noel.

"Oh yes, indeed, I wanted to make sure you know that you have to be at the Greek informational meeting tonight. Cora and I want to make sure that you're going to be a TAB, Theta Alpha Beta. Your aunt and I were proud TABs and you will be too, you will be a legacy. I wouldn't want to let down my brothers by not having you be a part of it. You may be just as important as I am one day," he said, walking to the door.

"It's so good to see all of you again," he said, slipping out the door and shutting it behind him.

The conversation was now about fraternities and sororities. The girls were not sure they really wanted to pledge this year. Elle talked about how she had planned on rushing last year, but then it didn't feel like it was going to be her "thing." But everyone decided to go over to the Commons later to at least hear what it was all about.

**

On our walk over to meet up with the girls, Mark had a lot to say.

"You know something that has been bothering me about the journals?"

"Besides the fact they are useless?" I said.

"No, not that. More the fact that I can read them."

"You're the next Keeper, so of course you can read them," I said, thinking that was a mystery we solved a while ago.

"No, what I mean is, what if I was a Seeker or had family members who were? That would be bad, right? So that got me thinking about the journals. Maybe there's nothing in there that would help a Seeker too much."

"And?" I asked.

"And if that's the case, then what's the point of them?"

I shrugged my shoulders.

"I think the journals are guides, but the real information is in the other books. Like the original journal and the Silver Scroll."

"How does this help us?" I asked.

"No idea," he said.

"I think you might be on to something. Maybe there are some clues in the journals or a pattern that will help us discover their location," I said, trying to encourage him.

He smiled and we continued to walk.

Can things get any more out of control? I thought. Was there any purpose or real direction to head toward? Focus on the Trials, a voice that again sounded like my dad said inside my mind, which was comforting.

Elle and Noel were waiting for us next to a couple of large, dark bricks the size of a person that were buried into the ground. I guess it was supposed to be some sort of art piece.

"Hey guys. Heather's already inside with Livi and Eric," Elle said.

I hadn't seen or talked to Eric in a while. He'd been so busy with football he barely had time for anything else and I hoped he was okay with me not trying to get us to room together.

Walking into the Commons felt like the first time I walked into Winsor's lunch room on the first day of school. Butterflies swirled around in my stomach. I had a tight grip on Elle's hand, which definitely helped. I wasn't sure why I was so nervous because I actually had friends and family here. I guess I was having a normal feeling, something that was foreign to me.

"There he is...Nicholas Keller!" Eric yelled across the cafeteria.

Hearing my name made the butterflies multiply and increase in activity. Eric had changed a lot. He was completely shaved bald and was bigger, more like Chad. This made him look more sinister and mean, not the class clown that I knew he was.

"What's up? I asked, glad to see he didn't seem upset anymore about his dorm situation.

"Just waiting for you, bro. We're going to tear up this school, now that we are together again."

"Sit down, Eric. Let them get their food and eat," Livi said from behind him.

Like Eric, she had changed a lot from the last time we saw her at Green Lake. Her formerly long straight red hair was now noticeably shorter. Her skin was now sun-kissed with a tan and she had makeup on. I mean, I guess she had always worn makeup, but now her eyes looked darker. She looked intimidating, reminding me of how Genevieve carried herself.

We all got dinner and joined Eric, Livi and Heather. Everyone sat down except Noel. She looked at the last remaining seat next to Livi, and instead of sitting there, she grabbed a chair from a neighboring table and put it on the end of our table so she could sit by Elle. I wouldn't have thought anything of it until I saw Livi give her a nasty look. As fleeting as it was, it was still given. What was that about? Probably another person Noel had alienated with her lack of charm, making Livi not like her.

"Nicholas," Noel said, "Do you want to go up and get some dessert with me? Elle's not into all the sweets, but she tells me you have a sweet tooth."

What in the world was she talking about, sweet tooth?

"Sure, I'll take a look," I said, getting up, having no clue what this was about.

"Dude, while you're up there, get me a slice of pie," Eric said, shoveling in a towering spoonful of mac and cheese.

I walked up with Noel, who was uncomfortably close to me.

"I'm warning you now. Just because you are here on campus doesn't change anything. My job is still to keep her safe. Elle is my responsibility and you aren't going to do anything to endanger her—you or Genevieve."

"Are you kidding? She's my girlfriend. And I'm far better at protecting people than you."

I was faster and stronger than Noel and she knew that. I was grateful she was looking out for Elle, but this was crazy, threatening me like this.

She grabbed several desserts, putting them on the tray. "You might be better in some ways, but the fact that you came here shows that you don't know what's best for her. Wherever you go, death follows. And make sure you give this message to Genevieve: just because she's rooming with me doesn't mean I have to talk to her."

When was I going to get off this crazy train? Everyone wanted me not to be with Elle for one reason or another. Riley thinks she'll cloud my judgment, Cora thinks I need to leave her if I love her, Noel thinks I'm endangering her, and Elle thinks I need to be with someone who can protect me. The only person right now that I think would want me to stay with Elle was probably Genevieve. And that was just messed up.

I thought more about what Noel had said when I got back to the table. Maybe I should start planning a life without Elle. It might be better for her to be here, away from me and the Trials. Who was I kidding? I could never be away from her for a long time. After the Trials, Xavier and Grey would start looking for some way to gain an advantage over me. And the only one who would come to mind was Elle. She'd have to be with me, no matter what anyone thought or wanted.

"I'm glad to see we have so much interest this year for our Greek houses," Chase said over a microphone from a small stage, flanked by Cora and that jerk, Dylan. "These houses have persevered over a hundred years, providing our fellow students with meaningful ways to serve while making lasting friendships. If you're so lucky as to be selected, then you will be part of this proud tradition and family." A loud applause followed. Mixed in with the students wanting to join the fraternities and sororities were current members wearing their Greek t-shirts.

The crowd started to chant, "Doc Hollywood, Doc Hollywood."

Chase acted like he was trying to quiet them down, but in reality he was enjoying it. "Please, please this is not about me," he said, putting his hands up to have them stop.

When it got a little quieter, he continued, "Now I have to admit that my fraternity, the TABs, voted me the most influential and important brother to ever be a part of the fraternity. And while I doubt that's what's in store for you, I still hope you can obtain just some of the accolades I have." Everyone began to clap again and cheer.

Why couldn't anyone see he was such a snob and always arrogant?

"Why didn't Genevieve and Riley come to this?" Mark asked, looking around. "I should have stayed away too. I don't fit in with this crowd."

"I don't either, but we have to enjoy the college life, don't we?" I said, patting him on the back.

"Nicholas, I'm so happy you made it," Chase said, finding me after the opening remarks in the crowd of people. A group of girls followed closely behind him.

"I want to introduce you to the president of the TABs. This is Dylan and this is Courtney," Chase said. Cora was noticeably absent.

I couldn't believe that Dylan was the head of the fraternity that Cora and Chase wanted me to rush. How in the world could I be around another bully?

"High School, it's so good to see you again," Dylan said with a wide grin, taking my hand and squeezing hard. I wanted to squeeze back and show him again that I was not to be messed with, but I didn't.

"It's good to see you too, and it's nice to meet you, Courtney," I said, shaking her hand. Courtney was short with dark brown hair. Her face looked like she was still in high school, but the way she held herself and dressed made up for that baby face—she looked very old, like someone in their fifties.

"Dylan, take care of Nicholas. Cora and I want to make sure that he gets all of the benefits of being a TAB, after he rushes of course," Chase said, putting his arm around Dylan.

Dylan didn't say anything. He just nodded his head with a strange grin on his face. Whatever he was thinking couldn't be good for me.

The first day of classes was uneventful, which was great because I hadn't slept well at all. No bad dreams, but I tossed and turned.

I found out that the TABs didn't have rush week at the same time as all the other fraternities and sororities. Theirs wasn't until after Homecoming in October. If you wanted to join, then you had to take the chance of not being selected by the others, showing true commitment. It was either be a TAB or nothing else. So I had to wait, which was what I had been doing a lot of lately.

Our group, including Cora, Riley and Genevieve, did everything together and, of course, Elle and Genevieve were inseparable. It seemed to bother me more than anyone else. Noel seemed to have moved on and was content with being the third wheel. But she wasn't really the third one, I was. Elle and I spent most of our free time together in my dorm room, but when it came to doing things with groups, she was with Genevieve. I tried not to be upset, but as the semester went on, I began to resent them both. I couldn't help it. It was eating me alive. At least we were able to go see Eric play a couple of football games. It wasn't much better at the games, but the fact that their attention was on Eric and the team and not on each other was a small improvement.

Eric wasn't the starting quarterback yet. He was second string behind a senior named Drift Wilson, who was headed for the pros. Eric looked like he would be the starting quarterback next year. I thought that Eric was probably as surprised as anyone that he had managed to do so well in football. He only started playing to get his dad off his back.

"Have you decided what you want to be for Halloween this year?" Elle asked when we got back to my dorm after one of the games.

I had been studying my notes for my human physiology class. It was a junior class but I had tested out of a lot of the basic science classes already. This class seemed interesting to me because perhaps if I knew how the body worked, it would help me understand my Thusian talents, giving me an edge over Xavier. Chase informed me that this was a very sought-after class, and he was instrumental in getting me into it.

"No, I haven't given that much thought. Aren't Halloween costumes your job?" I asked with a little laugh.

"I think it would be safer if we didn't go to the Halloween party," Noel said, walking into my room.

"We don't have to worry about that stuff right now?" Elle said to her.

"Just because we haven't seen any Seekers, doesn't mean we should relax. They could be learning our routines and taking notes, just so after the Trials they can do what they want with..."

Noel walked to the window. We both watched her, waiting for her to complete her thought. She paused and turned around to face us. "Out there, we have dozens of Thusian guards watching over the campus and even more that we are unaware of planted throughout. And don't think for one minute that any of them are thinking 'we can relax.' Because if they do, their life is over," she said, crossing her arms.

"Noel, you need to keep your opinions to yourself," I said.

"You don't have to try to scare us. We know there's danger," Mark said, walking out of his room.

"I'm not trying to scare anyone; it's the truth. In the last five years alone, Xavier and his lot have been responsible for over fifty deaths of my brothers and sisters who were sworn to protect all Thusians, not to mention the thousands who have died in the process. I'm not trying to scare you; it's a fact."

Then Elle surprised both Mark and me. "Noel, you're right. We should be cautious," she said. "We need to make sure we do everything we can to be careful and to protect the ones we love."

**

Elle and I were outside our dorms, sitting on a bench, waiting for Eric, Livi, Cora and Genevieve to show up for the Halloween party. The others were just going to meet us there. Elle had gotten us rental costumes this year. We were going to be Superman and Wonder Woman.

As of a couple of days ago, we weren't planning on going to the party. Not because of me or Noel, but because of Elle. Cora tried to convince her that it was going to be fine to go to the party, but she wouldn't change her mind. But when Genevieve finally said she thought it would be fun, and she doubted seriously that it added any type of danger, Elle agreed to go. My resentment of their friendship continued to grow.

We sat there in our costumes watching a large crescent moon on the horizon that was partially blocked by some of the oak trees on the campus. It was beautiful, peaceful. I pulled Elle close to me, momentarily forgetting about my anger.

"What are you two dressed as?" Elle asked Cora and Genevieve, who were coming up the sidewalk.

"We are flappers from the Roaring '20s," Cora said, kicking up her heels and doing the Charleston. Their outfits were caramel colored knee-length dresses. Around the bottom was a type of fringe that danced with every movement they made. Cora's dress covered most of her body, but didn't have sleeves. And of course, Genevieve's had a plunging neckline that almost went down to her belly button, with a long gold chain around her neck. I really doubted if they would have shown that much skin back in the 1920s, but it was Genevieve.

Several round clouds shaped like gigantic bowling balls rolled toward the moon as we sat in silence. Eric and Livi came walking up to us, both looking like they came out of the movie Grease, one of Cora's favorites.

"There he is...my man," Eric said. I didn't like the way he said that. It sounded as if he was getting ready to tell one of his bigger-than-life stories. "Do you know what I saw at practice today?" Eric asked us.

We all shook our heads, having no idea, and I really didn't want to know.

"Coach Montgomery showed the entire team some old Winsor High School football games. And guess who the star was?"

"Who cares about that stuff? Let's get going," I said, knowing for sure this had to do with me.

"You should care, because it was all about you, my Winsor Star. He broke down all of your techniques and made some changes to our defensive strategy because of the way you played linebacker. And I quote, 'He attacked the ball like he was possessed, like he knew what was going to happen before the offensive line even moved.'"

Elle squeezed my hand, giving me some reassurance.

"You know Cooper and Collins, Dylan's friends on the team? They didn't look too thrilled to make changes this late in the season. But don't worry buddy, I stuck up for you," Eric held up his hand to give me a high five and I reluctantly did.

"I love your costumes," Livi said, fortunately changing the subject.

The girls all began to talk about the party. I hung back with Eric and listened to him go on and on about football. I eventually tuned him out and walked along in a daze.

I saw Walter, Riley and Dane talking next to the entrance to the party at Freedom Hall. All three of them were dressed like Roman guards, complete with swords and shields, and without a doubt, the equipment and weapons were probably real.

They didn't say anything to us as we entered, acting like they didn't know who we were. Once inside I saw even more Roman soldiers. These had to be part of Walter's Thusian guards. Dressed in a full gladiator's outfit near the food table was Piet.

"It's good to see you, Piet-atus," I said, making his name sound Roman.

He smiled, "Nicholas, it's so good to see you. And the costume is so fitting, Superman," he said with a smile.

"So what are you doing?" I asked, knowing what was happening, but still wanting to hear what he had to say.

He leaned in. "We got information that some rogue Seekers may crash the party, so that's why we're here." He leaned away and said loudly so anyone could hear, "It's great to see you. I have to go find my date. Make sure you check out the haunted house; I heard it's a scream."

He walked away through the crowd with Genevieve and Cora following him. Dylan came walking up. He was dressed as a Viking, or something like that. He was wearing a helmet with two large horns sticking out on each side.

"Ladies, you all are looking stunning as usual and Elle, Wonder Woman, nice. You are the hottest Amazon I know. And you must be Super Boy," he said, directing his attention to me. "Are you still thinking of rushing the TABs?" he asked. But before I answered, he said, "Don't think that just because you were in a couple of gossip magazines that you'll get any special treatment from us. The TABs have high standards, you know?"

He lifted up a wooden cup that looked hand carved and took a big drink out of it.

"Don't worry about me, Dylan. I can take care of myself," I said, wanting to ask how he made the cut, but I held back, which surprised me.

He shot me a nasty look. "I really don't care about you. How could I when you have such a lovely companion?" he said, looking at Elle.

It took so much more self-control not to go after him. Eric was next to me now, just in case I did want to start something.

"Really boys," Livi said, taking Eric's hand and leading him out to the dance floor.

Elle, like Livi, took my hand and led me toward the dance floor. A slow song was playing. She pulled me close. Everything melted away.

She looked up at me and said, "I'm going to miss you so much when you guys leave for the Trials."

I squeezed her, giving her a gentle kiss on the lips and said, "I'll miss you too. Once all of this is over, we'll be able to be together."

"Do you really think things will ever be over, Nicholas? Because I'm not sure about that."

She was right; I didn't know either. Deep inside me somewhere I felt like she was slowly preparing herself for a life without me. And I couldn't blame her.

"Let's go into the haunted house," Eric said while we were all getting some refreshments. The line was long but Eric insisted we go because he said it was "epic." So we got in line.

I watched as Piet and the other Roman soldiers wandered around the party. I'm not sure how they were supposed to find any of the Seekers at a Halloween party, if they were even here.

"Okay, you can only go through two at a time," a man dressed like Abraham Lincoln said.

"You two go first," Eric said, pushing Elle and me to the front.

Elle was all smiles but looked nervous. She wasn't a fan of haunted houses, at least that's what I remembered her saying to me before.

We walked into the first room. It was filled with bloody body parts, and a person dressed as a butcher cutting up a leg. Elle buried her head into my chest. I felt great when she did that; it brought a smile to my face. She needed me to protect her.

We wandered into the next room, which was completely pitch-black. A wave of white fire descended over everything; my Thusians talents just made everything crystal clear. The room was filled with fabric hanging down all around, with two zombies hiding in different corners.

I wasn't really sure why my talents kicked in because it was really unfair that I could see everything. Every time they tried to walk after us I went the other way. It was kind of funny seeing them confused because I could see more than they could. I eventually slowed down before we went into the next room to let them both come and scare us. Elle shrieked and I began to laugh.

"Nicholas Keller, you better behave," she said, holding onto my arm even tighter.

In the next room was a series of chain link fences. It was a maze with a sign that said, "Go through one at a time."

I could clearly see which way to go, but everyone else would have to feel their way along to get out. On top of the fences was a ceiling made out of the same fencing. There was no one in here at all, which I found odd. Maybe it was just a maze. I cautiously walked us in. We were a couple of feet in when a strobe light went off, followed by a loud horn sound. As soon as the horn stopped, the strobe stopped flashing and the light stayed on bright. I wasn't sure why it had just stayed on. I looked from side to side and realized that Elle was in slow motion, time had slowed.

In front of me was a single cloaked figure that moved slowly through the maze toward us carrying something shiny, a Belos.

The light went off and the figure stopped. I could still see everything. With one swift and exact strike, I hit the fencing above us, which sent a ripple through the entire structure. I pushed Elle back out of the room, and when she was clear I grabbed both sides and pulled. The entire structure began to buckle. When the strobe light lit things again, the figure was trying to escape back as the fence began to fall in.

I kicked my foot into the fence, which did the trick. It fell in, hitting the cloaked figure, knocking whoever it was to the ground, pinned by a large section of fence.

Walter emerged on the other side with two others. Time resumed. He picked up the fence as if it was made of feathers, pulled the person out, and then left the way they had come in, with his two other guards following.

"What did you do?" a voice said.

It was Dylan, he was lying on top of the fencing in the corner of the room. A bucket of some red liquid had spilled all over him.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

Looking at him, I realized what he was up to. He was going to dump that red liquid on me when I went through the maze. He didn't look hurt, but he did get what he deserved.

"Do you need help?" Elle asked.

"No, I'm fine," he said, standing up. Then all the lights turned on.

He was covered head to toe in the red gooey liquid. He looked funny, but he was mad.

The rest of our group came in with Riley in the lead. He sized up the situation and led us out. Dane, Riley and Piet followed us outside and took us back to the dorms. Noel was by Elle's side, holding her hand, making sure she stayed close.

Our guards were making sure we got back to the dorms protected, just in case there was another attempt. I wished they had asked me, because I knew there wasn't any more danger. I would have sensed it.

After the Halloween party, we became prisoners here at school. We had escorts everywhere. I think I could have fought the changes, but it was difficult when Riley and Elle thought they were a good idea. I could see that Riley wanted to protect Cora and Elle wanted to protect me, even though she knew I could take care of myself. We actually argued a couple of times about it. And she always ended the arguments by reminding me of the way Genevieve had protected me at Green Lake. It was like her trump card that she used when she couldn't win the debate any other way. And there was nothing I could really say. Sure, Genevieve was there shielding me, but I would've been fine. But in her mind, that situation told her I needed to be protected.

Mark's father visited soon after the haunted house incident, wanting to take him out of school. The two of them argued about it, but Mark stood his ground and his dad eventually left, giving me a dirty look on his way out. Mayor Siegel was already freaked out enough about the Trials, and this latest incident had to be intensifying those fears.

We never heard anything about who attacked us, so Mark and I spent most nights and days studying for finals and pouring over Bernard's journals. Mark tried to teach me how to read the books, but it was useless. I could see what he was talking about, but it didn't translate into words for me.

"There are two places that Bernard talks about a lot. He talks about Cincinnati and also a town called Mountain Center, California. Right here," he pointed at one of the books like I could read it, "it says that he had visited Cincinnati right before the earthquake to meet with some friends. It was one of the few times he left the Thusian Vault. And guess the other place he went—"

"Mountain Center, California," I said, interrupting him.

"Great guess," he said with a big laugh.

He became lost in the journals again, and I picked up my physiology notes and book to study some more.

**

"Mr. Keller, would you please come up to the front?" Professor Langston asked.

Ever since the beginning of the school year, it was like clockwork—every Wednesday she would call me to the front to ask me question after question about the earthquake, which had nothing to do with Intro to Sociology. She was by far my oldest professor, maybe in her late seventies or eighties. It seemed like she really didn't care about teaching anymore. She just put stuff up on the board, which were usually the answers to her tests. Most people would leave her class after they wrote down the notes on the board.

She seemed to wear the same plain tan dress to every class. The only change would be which shoes she was wearing with it, but besides that, everything was always the same.

"Do you remember the old Mainliner Big Boy in town?" She asked.

"Yes, I remember it. My mom would take me there after my dentist appointments. I was always scared to go to the dentist, and the only way she could get me to go was to bribe me by going there afterwards."

She smiled.

"But I don't remember if it's there anymore," I said. I had driven by where it should have been when I went to the cemetery, but I couldn't see it in my mind. It was probably a casualty of the rapid expansion of Mayor Siegel's money-making empire.

When class was over, I began to think about other things from the town I didn't remember seeing, besides the Mainliner. There was a drug store, a donut shop and a small gas station, which used to have the best grape slushy I could remember. I was lost in my thoughts when I bumped into a group of girls standing outside my class.

"I'm so sorry. I wasn't paying attention," I said apologetically.

"No problem, Nicholas," one of them said as I walked by, embarrassed. The group of them all giggled, following me with their eyes.

Piet was just far enough behind me to not look like he was with me, but he was there. I hurried back to the dorm room to escape him.

Mark was at the far end of the room, sitting alone with his face buried in one of Bernard's journals.

"Find anything good in there?" I asked.

"Oh, hey, Nicholas. Still trying to figure out the significance of the cities."

"I'm sure you will, with that mind of yours."

He didn't hear what I said; he was already back in the journal.

I left for lunch, but Mark didn't come. Once I was out the door, I had my shadow again. It wouldn't be so bad if Piet would walk with me, but he didn't. Dane said that he had to stay out of the picture and let me be by myself so that he didn't interfere with my day-to-day stuff. But having him follow me everywhere was infuriating. I don't know what Dane was thinking.

Elle, Heather, and Noel came over to the table where I was sitting, seeming to be involved in some serious discussion.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"I'm trying to tell your girlfriend that Dylan doesn't just want to be friends," Heather said. "He's going out of his way to see her wherever we walk."

"What are you talking about?" I asked, not liking the sound of any of this. Anger and jealousy swirled in my eyes, making everything look red and green.

"Don't worry about anything," Elle said soothingly.

Of course I was going to worry, didn't she know me by now?

"That still doesn't change the fact that he's always around, and I don't think it's a coincidence. He's everywhere we are," Heather said.

Noel was quiet throughout their discussion, not seeming like she really cared about any of this.

"All of the crew at the bookstore has noticed it too," Heather said.

Like somehow he knew they were talking about him, Dylan came walking in with a small group of guys. He was in his football jersey, carrying a football.

"Don't look now, but Dylan is heading this way," Heather said to us in a whisper.

Normally Elle was a tranquilizer for me, but this was about her and I wasn't going to relax. The fire in me roared to life. I gripped the edge of the table, trying to contain myself. It was crazy how much Dylan reminded me of Oliver and the troubles he caused me at Mt. Vernon with Elle.

The four of us continued to eat in silence until one of Elle's professors came over to say hi and right behind him, of course, was Dylan.

"You girls should sit with better company, not a pledge," Dylan said, flashing a big smile.

"Dylan, doesn't it get old acting like an idiot just to impress others? Maybe I can find some ketchup and have you dump it on yourself," I said very calmly, which even surprised me.

"Keller, you know you should mind your manners, talking to the head of the TABs that way. I could make things very hard on you during rush."

Noel spoke up, "Could you do me a favor and leave? I'm trying to enjoy my lunch and I find it difficult with you around."

Elle, Heather, and I just stared at her for a few seconds, and then we all began to laugh. Dylan walked away.

"That was awesome, Noel. I can't believe you said that," Heather said.

"I have to get going," Elle said, giving me a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Me too or I'll be late for calculus," Heather said.

Noel followed Elle and Heather out.

Mark walked in the door as soon as they left, coming over and sitting down.

"What's wrong?" I asked. I knew Mark hated being followed by the bodyguard his dad hired for him, who didn't blend in like Piet. His guard was wearing a black suit and was the size of a small mountain.

"I didn't have a chance to tell you yet, but I talked to my dad today," he paused. "He's expecting me to go with my family during the migration." He leaned in so only I could hear. "He said he doesn't want me anywhere near you when they try to kill you."

Mark looked away like he was ashamed he had just told me that. But actually, I thought he was right. Everyone should stay away from me around that time. I was a walking time bomb. Heck, even some of the fringe Seekers were breaking the rules and trying to kill me now.

"Mark, don't worry about it. You should go with your family; it's the only way we can guarantee your safety. You're so important. The Trials and this battle between The 7 is just the beginning. You will have real work to do because you are the future."

"But I'm the Keeper. I'm supposed to be helping you get through this."

"Whatever happens will happen," I said, "I don't think you can change that. So don't beat yourself up. Because I believe when the time is right you'll have the information we'll need."

"But Riley—"

"I don't care what anyone thinks. Don't worry about them." After we finished eating, we walked out of the cafeteria and everything slowed down. I spun around, surveying any possible threats. A small red and black Nerf football was slowly spinning, looking like it was being suspended by an invisible string. It was going to hit Mark right in the head. I snatched it out of the air and time resumed.

Mark flinched well after I grabbed the ball.

Dylan must have been waiting for us because he and his friends were staring at us. This had gone on long enough. Then something that Coach Hoff said to me my first year at Winsor came to mind, "Bullies can only pick on you if you let them."

I walked over to Dylan and shoved the football into his chest, making him take it. "Do I have a problem with you? Because I'd hate to have to put you in your place in front of everyone," I said.

He didn't move; he was frozen like a statue. I could see the muscles in his arms begin to tense; he was about to hit me. I grabbed the football back quickly to let him know I was aware of what he was thinking, hoping to scare him by my sudden movement.

Why did bullies seek me out? Didn't they know that I had bigger problems than worrying about them?

He grabbed the football back and left, not saying anything.

Both Piet and The Mountain came up to us.

"Nicholas, are you okay?" Piet asked.

"Of course. Just tossing a football around."

The difference between what I thought was going to happen and what was actually happening was major. I had in my mind that the pledges for the TABs would be put through a series of initiations meant to embarrass and degrade us as much as possible, kind of like I had seen in movies. But it was the opposite. We were paraded around campus, going from party to party as if we were celebrities and the most important part of the TABs. The total number of pledges, both girls and boys, was nineteen. Chase and Cora told me that they never had a set number of how many they would induct. If everyone was qualified, then we would all get in, but if none of us were good, the same applied.

"Why do I have to get so dressed up for a dinner?" I asked, messing with my bow tie, trying to get it straight.

Cora was dressed in a flowing, pearl white, floor length gown. She had changed her hair color to black, and it was pulled up in a tight bun. She looked as if she had just stepped off a silent movie screen.

"Because before they accept new pledges, everyone has to go to one last dinner to see how they interact with all the current and past TABs," Cora said, straightening my bow tie.

"This whole week has been all about nice dinners and parties. I've barely had time to study," I said, looking at myself in a full length mirror in Chase's flat. I was wearing another one of Oxford's finest suits, but this one was dark brown with pinstripes. Over the past week, I had more or less moved in with Chase. It was easier because of all the different functions we had to attend. As the Faculty TAB representative, he was required to attend also.

Mark ended up not rushing with me; he wanted to spend more time alone with Bernard's journals. He wasn't really alone because the guard we referred to as The Mountain moved in while I was away. So Mark stayed in his room, only coming out to go to class and meals.

Livi ended up rushing the TABs also. Eric told me it was always her plan to rush. And Livi sure looked the part. At every event, she was dressed amazingly and was social in all the right ways. Most of the time, I stood next to her so I could hide, and it worked beautifully. We had never been really close, but she was at least someone I knew, aside from Chase, who was always the center of attention when he attended an event.

Cora turned around and stepped back. A single tear appeared and rolled down her cheek. "Wow, Kip really outdid himself. That suit is magical. It's amazing how it fits you, as if you were born to wear it."

"Thanks, Cora." I looked at myself again in the mirror.

"Where have the girls been?" I asked.

Elle, Noel and Genevieve hadn't been around much this week. I tried once or twice to track Elle down, but with everything else that was going on, I just didn't have much time to find her. Even when I called, I got nothing but her voicemail.

"Your mother would be so proud of you. I wish she was here to see you," she said, ignoring my question about the girls.

I said, "She's here, and she would be so proud of her little sister."

She buried her head in my chest, squeezing me tightly.

"Cora, I know this may not be the best time to talk to you about this, but..."

I waited for her to pull away. She wiped away her tears and asked, "What is it?"

"Is all of this worth it? What if we just went into hiding like we had planned to? Last year and the years prior, I felt like we had a purpose, a reason to keep going. But so far this year has been about nothing, really. We don't have any information about the Trials or even where the books are. I thought after we found Mark that everything would become, well, easier. But instead it seems to have gotten worse. It's not his fault but..."

She brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes and straightened herself up. "I've been feeling the same way. You know that I always like to have a plan, even if it's not mine. And we've been just bobbing along. But I do think we're headed in the right direction. I feel it deep inside. I can't explain it; it just feels right."

She grabbed my hand. "You need to keep doing what you're doing, no matter what. There will be an end to this. I know it."

"But does it involve me joining a fraternity?" I asked.

"Yes, it does. You are making your aunt and Chase proud," she said with a wink and a smile.

**

I was standing in a large ballroom somewhere on campus. They had ushered us into a couple of vans with blacked out windows, so we had no idea where we were headed. Livi and I had been in the middle seat. She had looked as nervous as I was feeling. She fidgeted with a silver bracelet on her arm, constantly moving it around.

Now we were both standing in the middle of a sea of people. I actually recognized a lot of the guests; some were celebrities and others were politicians. Livi must have recognized a lot of them too, because she was looking from side to side. Chase, of course, was walking around with a group of people that followed his every move, still the center of attention. And to my surprise, Dylan was almost as popular, which made me feel a little sick. Seeing him walk around like a pseudo-celebrity was nauseating.

Off to the side were Piet and Dane, both dressed as waiters. Next to them was a pair I hadn't seen in some time—the Swedes were here too, dressed the same way and waiting on the guests.

One of the senior TABs came up to me and extended his hand. Up until now, the only person we were allowed to talk with was Dylan. It was a pledge rule.

"Hi, my name is Desi Zane, but everyone calls me Zane."

I didn't say anything at first, not sure if this was some stupid test set up by Dylan to make sure I didn't get in.

"Nicholas, you're allowed to talk here. This is not only a party but also an induction ceremony. This year all of the pledges got in," he said.

Livi said, "It's nice to meet you, Desi. I'm Livi."

"Please call me Zane," he said with a smile.

"So what are we supposed to do here?" I asked.

"Well, you have a lot to do," he said. I gave him a confused look.

"Haven't you noticed the unusual amount of people watching you?" he asked.

I shrugged my shoulders, not really sure. But Livi jumped in and said, "Yes, there's been a lot of attention given to Nicholas."

"She's right. Most of the special guests have been asking if you would meet them. Dylan, of course, has said that you are unable to because of TAB pledge guidelines, but there's no such thing. So I came over here to start introducing you, if you don't mind?"

I looked at Livi, and by my look, she understood that I was terrified.

"Zane, may I walk around with you and Nicholas?" she asked, but it sounded more like a statement than a question.

Zane didn't bat an eye and said, "Of course."

Livi linked her arm through mine and whispered, "Eric would die if he knew that he's going to miss out on you being fancy, you know. Too bad he didn't have time for a fraternity this year. He would eat this up, leading his buddy around to meet all the important people."

She sounded almost as excited as I would expect Eric to be.

"May I have everyone's attention, please?" Chase's voice echoed over the PA system set up in the front of the room.

"I want to thank all of you for attending our annual induction ceremony for the incoming pledges. Congratulations."

Everyone who was pledging became noticeably happy, because it meant we had all gotten in.

"But before we welcome our new class, I would like to introduce a family friend, Mr. Nicholas Keller."

A bright spotlight hit me, blinding me. I held up my hand to block the light. Chase was motioning for me to come forward. Livi led me up to the front.

The three of us stood there. Chase continued to talk, and like so many times before, I didn't hear a word he said. I became lost in my swirling thoughts, which pleaded for me to run and hide. But my body didn't move.

After a couple of minutes, Chase began escorting me around with Livi right beside me. I snapped out of it when I was shaking the hand of a guy who was as big as Walter; he even had the same dark skin. It was Todd Remmy. He was my dad's favorite football player, a linebacker for the Cincinnati Bengals.

"Mr. Remmy, you were my dad's favorite player," I said quietly.

He nodded. "Nicholas, I have to say that I'm a big fan of your family, too. You know, our kind have to stay together," he said, winking at me.

Chase laughed so loudly that it startled Livi who jerked my arm. "Yeah, I guess you were pretty 'talented' too, Todd, along with some others here," Chase said and they both laughed.

Talented? Thusians here? With that thought, I looked around at all the people. And for the first time I realized that this room probably had more Thusians than I ever imagined. I guess with our talents, it would make us stand out, like the way I was thrust into the spotlight after the earthquake.

"Chase, can we get our pledges back over there?" Dylan said with Zane in tow.

"Don't be ridiculous, Dylan. This isn't just any old pledge. Do whatever you're going to do with the others. He's going to skip it. There are so many more people for him to m—"

"But all pledges have to go through the induction ceremony, Dr. Letterby," Dylan said, looking annoyed.

"Give me a break. We never used to do it when I was head of the TABs and as the TABs General Advisor, I'm saying it's okay. You are going to go on without him and his friend, here," he said, offering his hand to Livi who took it with a smile.

"Of course, sir," Dylan replied reluctantly.

Chase turned around to greet the next group waiting to talk to me. Dylan gave me a look that could have burned through a wall. I returned his gaze without looking away, to let him know I wasn't intimidated.

"What are we supposed to do now? It's past midnight," one of the newest TABs asked as he took off his jacket. I wasn't sure if he really wanted an answer or if he was just trying to break the silence since it was so quiet. The new TABs were still in the large ballroom, but the guests had been gone for over an hour. The nineteen of us stood at the center, waiting for something. Dylan had told us to wait here until he came back, but this was getting ridiculous.

Livi and I had been off to the side of the group, talking about a bunch of things: Eric, Elle, the TABs and even the people who were here. But those conversations were over and we now stood with the rest of them, like cattle grazing in a field.

The door opened and Dylan entered with Courtney.

"Congratulations, new TABs," Dylan said. "You have been accepted into the most exclusive fraternity and sorority in the country. You are embarking on a rare and amazing path, and you don't even know yet what that means. Not only will you have access to incredible opportunities here on campus, but also outside of campus."

Then Courtney spoke, "TABs put our brothers and sisters before everyone else, always. So if you ever need anything from someone, all you have to do is ask. And if it's possible, it will happen. You'll also extend the same courtesy when asked."

"What does that mean, exactly?" Dylan asked, walking over to a nearby table that had a large gold book on it, which hadn't been there before. "This is the Book of Favors. Each and every one of you will be able to go through it and look at what wonderful and amazing opportunities are available to you now."

Really? Another book? I thought.

He opened the book to a random page and put his finger in the middle and read, "Please contact me at any time if you would like to come see any of my concerts. I'm currently on my European tour. Just let me know how many and I will take care of the rest. Love and music, Hope Frey," he finished reading.

Most everyone gasped, some more than others. I knew she was a famous singer but that was it.

"And the book has so much more. It's a wealth of resources and it's ever-changing. Anything you can imagine is in here. It's as old as the school. But once you use a favor, you have to add yourself to the book. Most of you have nothing like this to offer, but you can offer services like tutoring or even helping to cut someone's grass. It doesn't matter how big or small it is. If you use a favor, you have to give a favor, and all favors are equal. For the rest of your life you will be able to use the Book of Favors whenever you want. There are four copies of this book—one here and the others are in Asia, Europe and Africa. But don't worry, you can get an electronic copy on any of your devices."

"Now, we're going to break you all up. I'll take the girls and Dylan will take the boys," Courtney said.

We followed Dylan out the door into the night. We followed behind him for fifteen minutes, walking along a red-bricked path that looked hundreds of years old, which led to a large white house that looked just as old. Even at night I could see it was weathered, but in all the right places. The large wrap-around porch was filled with different types of seating. Most were antiques.

Dylan turned to us and said, "As freshmen, you are only allowed on the porch. During gatherings, you may come in to the TAB house, but only on the first floor. That's it. You have to earn the right to go anywhere else. And just because some of you think you are special, like Nicholas Keller, it doesn't mean anything to me."

My face burned with anger. I stared him down, not breaking eye contact. I wasn't going to show any intimidation, but it didn't matter because he didn't look at me.

"Welcome, TABs," he said, changing his tone to a happier one. "Your future is bright. Now go on home and get some rest. We'll see you all back here for lunch tomorrow."

I followed a couple of the guys back to campus and I realized we were just off the main area, back behind a couple of buildings that were attached to main campus. Walking home, I found humor in Dylan's attempt to bully me. I guess I would have to get used to it. No matter where I might go, either with Thusians or non-Thusians, people are going to view me as a threat and be intimidated. So if I didn't choose to find the humor in these things, I would spend a whole lot of time being upset, and that was not going to make things any better.

Off to the side I saw Piet, of course.

**

The next morning, Elle, Noel, Riley, Genevieve and Cora ended up in Mark's and my dorm room. Genevieve and Elle were engrossed in their own conversation for most of the time until I explained to them all about last night. Cora was smiling the whole time, nodding her head like she was reliving that very night. I don't even remember her being there.

"I have to say that sounds lame," Genevieve said.

"Jealous," Cora said with a smile and a wink.

"Were you even there?" I asked her.

"Actually, I never made it inside. Riley and I had some other things to attend to," she said.

I didn't ask her what kind of things, because if it had been important I'm sure she would have told me.

I excused myself and started walking to the TAB luncheon that was being held at the fraternity house. I didn't know what to expect when I got there. I was hoping it had nothing to do with Dylan and his stupidity. I just wasn't in the mood for any of his antics today.

I was greeted instead by Zane and another one of the upperclassmen whom I hadn't met yet.

"Nicholas, it's good to see you." Zane extended a hand. Once I shook his hand, he pulled me in and gave me a quick pat on the back.

"This is Ben," he motioned with his head to the guy behind him. This guy was bigger than both of us, possibly a member of the football team.

"What's up?" He asked the rhetorical question that all guys ask.

Zane looked back and forth, like he was making sure no one was around.

"Follow me, Nicholas. I have something to show you."

"What about the luncheon?" I asked.

"There's no luncheon anymore for you," Ben said.

I had a feeling something was about to happen, and I wasn't sure if I really wanted to find out what it was.

"It's all good," Zane said.

I apprehensively followed him around to the side of the house that was covered in bushes. From where we stood no one could see us. Is this some sort of trap? I asked myself, which resulted in a little wave of adrenaline, but not enough to ignite any of my talents. The fire wasn't burning in me. The further we crept toward the back, the more both of them looked around. They definitely didn't want to be seen or followed. I looked around too. We had even eluded Piet for the moment.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"Quiet, we'll be there soon," Ben said.

In between two of the bushes was a small gap that we went through. Once we cleared it, I realized we were behind the TAB house, but far enough away that nobody would be able to see us if they were out back. The land between where we were and the house was covered in a garden and some other tall hedges. The only part of the house that could really be seen from where we were was the very top of it. I would have never guessed there was this much yard behind the house.

We walked past a couple more large flowering bushes and were now next to an old white woodshed that looked older than the house, if that was possible. I followed them into it.

"Nicholas, wait here," Zane said, shutting the door, which made everything go dark. Only a small amount of light peaked in through some of the cracks in the walls.

Where did he think I was going to go? It was dark, and my Thusian talents weren't helping at the moment, so I stood still.

Both of them went around the room and made sure all the windows were covered completely. Ben made sure the door was locked, using every single lock available. Zane went over to an old metal gas can that was among other canisters and jugs, removing the handle to reveal a small dial that glowed brilliant blue. It was strange, but it looked familiar to me. Ben was on his other side and lifted up a small wooden box that had another oddly familiar dial, which was identical to the other. They both nodded and turned the dials at the same time.

Right then, a bright white light came from the ground, underneath a couple of broken down cardboard boxes in the center of the room. Everything was flooded with luminous white light that was so bright, it reminded me instantly of going down into the Thusian Vault.

"Let's go," Ben said removing the boxes.

"Hurry, Nicholas," Zane said, walking into the light and then disappearing in it.

I didn't feel as if I was in any type of danger, so I followed.

I blinked my eyes repeatedly to get my bearings and realized I was on a steep metal staircase that was covered by fencing, kind of like in the haunted house. We were walking down through a cage of some sort. Zane wasn't cautious at all; he took two or three stairs at a time, as if he was on a playground.

At the bottom of the steep metal staircase, which was at least three flights down, was a steel door that reminded me again of the Thusian Vault. Ben and Zane pushed on several different areas of the door in unison. They did that for a while until finally we heard a series of clicks coming from the other side, and different symbols shone from the door. Finally, the door slid down into the ground.

What I was looking at now had to be an illusion. My eyes had to be playing tricks on me. There was no way any of this could be real.

Ben walked in. Zane stopped short of the door and turned to me and said, "I know this may be a shock, but you'll get used to it. We all had to."

I stood there stunned, peering in at an exact replica of the Thusian Vault. I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

I walked inside, and the door shot up out of the ground behind me. The walls and decorations were all the same, down to the little detailed carvings in the ceilings. But one big difference was that this room was completely made of some shiny silver metal. Sitting around the mini vault were at least fifteen or twenty students. I recognized all of the guys from the fraternity and a couple of the girls from the sorority. And to my shock, Livi was sitting among them, right next to Courtney. What was going on? The world of Thusians kept getting more complicated and weird, as different parts of it were revealed to me. How little I knew.

Every single person came up to me to shake my hand and welcome me, each telling me what an honor it was to have me as part of the TABs. It was hard for me to focus on what they were saying because I was so fascinated with how much it looked like the Vault and that Livi was down here with us.

I kept looking around. Another difference was this vault had incorporated a lot more technology. There were TVs, computers and some other things that looked like ghosts floating in midair; I didn't really know what they were. It was incredible. I could stare at the holograms all day. On the far end, where the large rock wall would normally be with its cascading water, was a large piece of glass. The only reason I knew it was glass is because I could see some reflections on it. Trapped somewhere inside the pane of glass was a picture of what the other altar looked like, but with more vibrant colors that glistened with a shimmer of water cascading over it, but the water wasn't real.

"Pretty neat," Ben said, seeing what I was looking at. "It looks just like the other altar, but without all the mess. At least that's what I've been told. So what do you think?" he asked.

"It looks exactly like the other one, but this one seems more alive, if that makes any sense," I said, hoping he knew what I meant.

He smiled big and puffed up his chest like somehow he was responsible for this element down here.

"Where are we?" I asked. Some of the girls next to me laughed.

But before I could get an answer, Zane said loudly, "Please, take your places." Everyone around me scattered to sit down in different types of chairs, which were set up in a complete circle in the middle of the room. There was one empty seat next to Zane, who was at the top of the circle in the same spot where Ester sat in the real Vault. On the other side of him was Courtney. She was wearing a running outfit as if she had just finished working out.

Was I supposed to sit next to Zane? I had a flashback to being a new student at Winsor or pretty much every new school. All eyes were fixed on me, watching my every movement. I quickly sat down next to him.

"Zane and I are so happy you accepted the invitation," Courtney said. "My name is Courtney Grace. This is Zane, whom you already know. We have been co-leaders for the past two years of the Thusian TABs. We will eventually be looking to some of you in here to take our place after we graduate."

Livi was a Thusian, it suddenly dawned on me. How in the world did I not know this? Was she another plant by Walter or did she happen to just be in the same school with me? I needed answers. That was now the only thing I could focus on.

"You can never tell anyone about what you see or learn down here. Nobody can know what we do. No Thusian that's not a part of the group, not even the other parts of The 4, Nicholas. And not even the new Keeper. Nobody can know. This is how it has been for hundreds of years."

"How do you know all of this?" I asked, interrupting her, alarmed that she knew about the Keeper, not sure if they knew it was Mark.

Zane answered, "When the Council started to form the 100 Seekers a long time ago, Keeper Wren put together a group of twenty-four of the brightest Thusians that he trusted to help stabilize the Thusians, no matter what the Council might decide. Their sole purpose was to work behind the scenes, aiding Thusians in their time of need. We operated in the shadows, never telling anyone about who we were for a long time. But the TABs decided to tell the current Council about us when we were established here in America. They told the Council that we were focused on building and designing the Thusians' unique structures. But you must already know this because of what Letter you are."

Letter? What is he talking about? I thought.

"But we're also responsible for the systems and processes too, no matter what kind. Any computer, government, or even plumbing system—the Council puts in a request and it goes through you to us," Zane said.

"That's the exciting part," Courtney said. "We've always worked with a Letter on the Council. But we've never before had the chance to have a Council member with your Letter be a TAB. It's so exciting.

"Why am I here?" I asked, feeling a panic attack starting to flare up. It had been so long since I felt that horrible sinking feeling, but all at once I broke into a sweat. I had no idea what they were talking about. Maybe asking them why would help clue me in without telling them I was clueless.

"You are here because we thought with your Letter it made sense for you to be part of the Thusian TABs," Courtney said, like I had just asked a stupid question.

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"What do you mean?" Zane asked, standing and walking into the middle of the group.

"I have no idea what any of this is about. Chase and Cora wanted me to pledge to this fraternity. But that's it."

"The Thusian Architects and Builders have been very effective over the years in helping the Thusians work behind the scenes," he said, like he was trying to spark a memory of what they were talking about. "Since you took over for Reed and his Letter..." he paused and looked around at everyone. Lines appeared on his forehead, showing the level of concern he had for what he was discussing. "Well, Courtney and I thought that it would be good for you to join us."

The room began to focus in on me, and my breathing became difficult.

"How do I know this isn't a trap? How can I trust any of you?" I asked, trying to regain some composure, hoping to cue some of my Thusian talents.

"You can't trust us until we have earned it. But that goes both ways," Livi said. Hearing her say that caught me off guard. Why was she speaking? Both Courtney and Zane nodded their head at her as if she were somehow in control here.

Courtney walked over with a thin sheet of metal that had an embossed silver stamp of the Thusian symbol on the back. She handed it to Zane and pointed to a section.

He began to read from it, "The help that was given to Alex Taylor and Cora Keller was exactly what should have been done. I applaud the leadership of the TABs in taking such swift and decisive actions in protecting them from Xavier. With Alex's heroics, they would be in constant danger. So I burden this group with the continued protection of these two for the rest of their lives. If and when they need help from the TABs, it should be given. I know that this is not the main function of the group, but I do believe that building a plan for their continued protection is in the realm of your responsibilities. While other Letters from the Council may disagree, I have decided this without the Council's approval. Sincerely, Kip."

Zane handed the sheet back to Courtney, looking up at me. Was this the same Kip from Oxford that made the suits for me? And how was he on the Council before? The only way a Council member was replaced was in death.

"The past TABs were instructed to protect you and your aunt." All along I had thought it was Ester and Chase, but it was the TABs instructed by Kip, who helped us.

"What is all of this talk about Letters?" I asked, fumbling for the first question I could manage to ask.

Courtney spoke, "You still don't know what that means?"

I shook my head.

"I don't know what we're going to do," she said, sounding like all hope was lost.

"All you have to do at the next Council meeting is to request a Reading of the Letters," Livi said. No one said anything, as if she was the only one who knew what she was talking about.

"Livi, how do you know these things?" I asked. She ignored my question. "Okay, if she's not going to answer me, then I'm going to start asking as many Thusians as I can about these Letters and who the TABs are," I stood and turned to leave.

"We don't exactly know what the Letters are," Zane said with exasperation.

"We've all been discussing whether you should have been part of the TABs anyway. Our newest member," he said, pointing to Livi, "told us that it would be a great opportunity to have someone from the Council and to finally hear exactly what the Letters are. That's something that we've been trying to find out for so long. But no Council member who works with us will discuss the Letters. We think the Letters have something to do with the different responsibilities that the members have, but that's just a guess."

"Everyone here," Courtney said, "was actually hoping you could tell us what they are for and what we are to do next."

"If I did know, why would I want to help you?" I asked, not sure if this was in my best interest. Sure, the past TABs had helped me because of Kip's instructions, but I had other things to worry about right now, like the Trials.

"Because we can help you during your Trials. We know how Valcary Hill is laid out. And this knowledge can only be obtained by a TAB or the Letter we report to, and that's you," Zane said.

"And if you discover what all the Letters mean, including yours, this information will be yours and possibly help save the lives of all four of you and others you care about," Livi said.

I would do anything to protect everyone else.

"Okay, what do I need to do?" I asked. Several people let out a sigh of relief.

"You must make a request for the Reading of the Letters. That's it. Everything else will happen on its own. And hopefully, after that, you will learn what your Letter is and you can share that information with us," Livi said.

"Nicholas, you're in a very unique position. We all believe that you're the One who has formed The 4, completing The 7. But not only that, you are also part of the Council and now part of the Thusian TABs. Once you make the request, you will see for yourself how big things are and what you mean to so many. You will bring order back to the Thusians, aiding the new Keeper."

"Who are you, Livi?" I asked again, hoping this time she would answer.

"I'm Livi Renee Bell-Armstrong and I'm a guide."

"Bell? I know that last name," I said, not sure how I did.

"Because I'm sisters with Noel, Elle's bodyguard."

I got back from the TABs Vault and everyone was in my dorm. I walked past them and went into my room, locking the door behind me. Elle tried a couple of times to come in, but I didn't even open the door for her. Everything that happened was too fresh and I knew that I would probably tell them what had happened if I talked to anyone. So I didn't. Eventually they all left, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

I knew Zane and the rest of the builders wanted me to ask for the Reading of the Letters, but why did I really want to help them? Sure, they said they could help me, but what could they really help with? The layout of Valcary Hill would be helpful, but how much? I don't think Ester and the Council were going to be too pleased with me for asking for the Reading of the Letters. Making members of the Council mad was not in my best interest, especially with the Trials coming up. I think having the Council support us would be more beneficial. So I would have to either pretend I did ask for it and make up something, or avoid the TABs.

As if somehow the Divine Council knew what I had been asked to do, there was a meeting called. James showed up the next day and informed me of it. It was going to take place here on campus the next day.

Genevieve saw me leave, heading to the meeting. That morning she asked several times if she could walk with me, but I knew, and so did she, that it was not a good idea, even if she only wanted to give me support.

I watched the large puffy autumn clouds slowly move through the sky as I walked to the meeting. The leaves on the trees were all the beautiful colors of fall. Reds and oranges had set the trees on fire, creating an incredible scene that rolled on and on throughout the campus.

A small black helicopter landed in front of me, no doubt one of the members arriving. As I got closer, I saw more and more people positioned around the red brick building, all trying to act as if they belonged, although no one was pulling it off.

I walked in the door, and in front of me was Clare Winters.

"How have you been? Anything exciting happening?" She asked such a loaded question. Did she mean besides the fact I was about to go and face the Trials? Or everything else?

"Things have been quiet," I lied.

"Really, quiet?" she questioned with a smile. "From what I hear, you have been pretty busy, shutting down one of the largest gangs in the United States and putting up with some silly little Seekers."

"I mean—" I began to say.

Clare interrupted me, "Nicholas, I'm just kidding. The four of you are certainly living up to what most people think The 4 should be doing. Keep it up," she said with a wink.

I quickened my step to put several feet between us. I didn't want to talk about any of that, even if she was impressed with what we had done.

"It's spectacular," someone said from behind me once I had entered the room.

The old frail voice belonged to Virgil May.

"What's spectacular?" I asked.

"I love coming to Vanderbilt and seeing the old buildings," he said in a hushed voice, looking off in the distance at a wall that was as plain as any other one you would see in a conference room. The only thing on it was some plain old picture, which I doubted he could even see the way he was squinting.

"Do you know what that is?" he asked, pointing to the wall.

I shrugged my shoulders.

"That wall represents all of the people who have sacrificed their lives for others. Each rock represents those sacrifices, and the lights between them signify the inner light that makes Thusians who they are."

He was talking about the wall down in the Thusian Vault. Did he really think he was there? What was wrong with him? He was losing his marbles.

He pointed up at the very top part of the wall and said, "I guess the one at the very top is you. A lot of Thusians have been waiting for this day for a long time, Nicholas. I'm so happy to be a part of it. You're going to do great things, all four of you. Your dad would've been so proud."

I nodded my head and walked away from him, as I saw Walter enter. I had a bone to pick with him.

"Hey, Walter, we've got some things to talk about."

"Yeah, I'm sorry I haven't been able to visit. I've been busy setting up the new security at the Thusian Vault and the migration is—"

"No, I'm referring to Livi Bell-Armstrong," I said in a whisper, but still in an angry tone, making sure he knew I was upset.

He pulled me off to the side, away from prying ears. "Before you get all mad, the Armstrongs have lived in Winsor all their lives."

"Is it a coincidence that she started dating Eric or was she supposed to date me?"

He looked away, not sure how to answer.

"You have got to be kidding. Seriously, Walter? She's one of your guards."

"Nicholas, I know you are upset, but remember who you are and what you are a part of. I don't think everyone here," he looked at the wall and the ceilings only with his eyes, "should know your private affairs," he whispered.

He was warning me not to say too much because people were always listening, but I was still mad. I walked away angrily, taking a seat around the large wooden table. Everyone else took their seats. The only two people absent were Michelle and Sidney.

"Michelle, can you hear me?" Ester asked, placing the silver communication box on the table.

"Yes, I can," she responded.

"And can you, Sidney?"

"I can," she said, her voice coming out of the same little box.

"It's so nice to have a Council meeting before the Trials. We've been through a lot, and we are hard at work making things safer for all of us. As you may know, we have been adding extra security to the Vault, and I have to say it is remarkable from what I've seen. Walter, you have done an incredible job, along with our new caretaker, Miss Lightfoot."

"Without Walter, this would be a much more difficult task," Michelle's voice came out of the box.

Several of the Council gave a polite golf clap.

"I just got back from Scotland to make sure that everything is going to be ready for the Trials," Ester said.

"Excuse me, Ester, but do we know when the Trials will take place? I need to know to make sure I have my affairs in order," Clare Winters said, several others nodding along.

"Actually, that brings me to my first order of business," Ester said, and right on cue James stood up.

"Before we can proceed with picking the date, we have several important points to decide. First, I would like to open up for discussion; should Shrouds be required for all attending Thusians during the Trials?"

The question sparked instant debate. Everyone was talking over each other, most sounding as if it should be required. I really didn't care if we did or not. Actually, I thought it would be better if we could see who everyone was so we could defend ourselves if needed against Xavier and Grey. The last thing I wanted was one of them sneaking up on any of us in a crowd of hooded figures.

The discussion died down and a man at the end of the table said, "I call for a vote to make it mandatory to wear the Shrouds. It was the tradition of Thusians long ago to wear them and we cannot break with tradition." I leaned forward and saw it was one of the most well-dressed men on the Council; he was always impeccably dressed in a suit and tie. His name eluded me.

"I second that. Not only is it our tradition, but I would like to keep my identity safe from any of those Seekers. I'm not part of the Trials so I don't think I should have to reveal who I am," Sidney said through the box.

"All those in favor, raise your hand or give me an 'aye,'" James said.

More than half of the Council raised their hands, and Michelle and Sidney both said "aye."

"All those against wearing them, raise your hand."

Only Walter and I did.

"All who abstain?"

James and Ester raised their hands.

"The motion is carried by a vote of eight to two, with two abstaining. We will require that Shrouds be worn during the Trials.

"Next order of business: should we require Thusians who do not know about us, but are part of a family who does, to come? This would force everyone to tell their family members who are in the dark about being a Thusian."

I remembered finding out that my parents had kept this life from me and how it made me feel when I found out. The feeling of being lied to for so long welled up inside me and I spoke first.

"They should tell them and bring them. I was one of those who didn't know about any of this, and I think we should require it," I said loudly, standing up where I was. I didn't wait for any more discussion. "I call for a vote that all should be required, do I have a second?"

"I second it," Walter said, beaming his brilliant white teeth at me.

"All of those in favor, raise—" but before James could finish, everyone raised their hands, agreeing with me and both Michelle and Sidney said "aye."

"Michelle, how long do you think it will take to alert all of the Thusians of the new requirements?" Ester asked.

Michelle said, "I think it should take me one or two months, so by mid-December," she said.

"Sidney, will this affect the Migration?" Ester asked.

"This will do very little to my preparation," Sidney responded.

"Okay good, we will set the Trials for the last week of December. That will give everyone enough time to make arrangements to get there," Ester said. "Does that work for everyone?"

"I call for a vote to have the Trials start on December 27th," James said, and it was passed unanimously.

"Before we get to our regular business," James said, sounding as if he was trying to hold back some delight in what he was about to say. "Should we require anyone who knows about the Thusians but is not a confirmed Thusian to come to the Trials?"

I couldn't have heard him correctly. No one said a word. That would mean that Elle would have to come. That would put her in the very danger that I was trying to keep her away from.

"I don't—" I started to say, but was cut off.

"Who knows how many people know about us, and how are we supposed to find that out? It's not like we can go around to everyone and see what they know. That's ridiculous," Clare said, sounding a lot like I imagined she would sound while presiding over a trial.

"I agree with Clare. We can't do that," Ester said.

"But the exception to this should be Elle Canan. She has an intimate knowledge of the Thusians and what we do. By virtue of that knowledge, isn't she a Thusian now?" James said, and I noticed several of the Council members nodding their heads in agreement.

"Elle Canan cannot come. She may know about us, but she's not one of us. It would go against everything to have a non-Thusian there. It would be an abomination," Ester said, looking angrily at James.

No matter what her reasoning was, Ester was right, but unfortunately from the look of some of the other Council members, she and I may be in the minority. I wasn't going to sit here and let them call this to a vote. I had to do something.

I stood up and said in the calmest voice I could muster, "I request the Reading of the Letters."

Everyone stared at me. What had I done? This seemed like the only thing I could do to block a vote, to stop Elle from being forced to come to the Trials.

No one spoke; it was as if I had just yelled at the top of my lungs some horrible offensive curse word that left them all in shock.

"Nicholas has requested the Reading of the Letters. This is the first time that it has been requested in America by any member of the Divine Thusian Council. The Reading of the Letters will begin in five minutes. Please prepare yourselves," Ester said emotionlessly like a robot.

I didn't know what I was supposed to do. Everyone around me was doing something, getting out papers, planners and devices. I pretended like I knew what I was doing.

"Nicholas, before we begin, please explain to the Council why you think that the Reading should happen?" Ester said.

How was I supposed to answer this? I was just stalling. "I don't want to share my reason," I said, hoping that somehow this would be good enough.

James let a loud grunt of displeasure, but he didn't speak.

"Very well then, I would like for each member here to please state your Letter and also include the number of people that report directly to you. This is part of our law when the Reading of the Letters is requested," Ester said.

"I am the Letter of Justice," Clare Winters said. "My job is to uphold the Thusian way of life through the justice system all over the world. And when it's not obtainable through traditional methods, then I work with the other Letters here to make sure justice is carried out. I have roughly three hundred and twenty-two who report to me, with only a few being actual Thusians. Most of them are judges and politicians. But that number goes up and down quite often. I'm headquartered in Washington, D.C."

I looked around at different members of the Council, each looking apprehensive about sharing their Letter.

Walter started next. "I am the Letter of Defense," he said, sounding strong and confident. "I'm charged with the protection of all Thusians, to make sure that they are able to reach their Final Sacrifice without any outside forces interfering, namely the Seekers. I have one hundred and twenty-four Thusians spread out over the world, and most of them have hundreds who report to them directly, in all levels of different militaries and agencies. I have a special group of Thusian guards who have been trained specifically by me to deal with Seekers and to keep everyone safe around them. I will not share how many or where they are now, for their safety," he said.

"Nicholas requested this Reading of the Letters," James said to Walter. "I'm not thrilled about it either, but you have to give all basic stats. Walter, you know that."

"It would jeopardize too many lives, especially with the Trials coming up, if I share how many or—"

"Walter, you don't have to say where they are located, just how many are part of your secret group and where you are based out of," Ester said.

"I have a thirty-two member team and I'm based out of Geneva," he said with a deep tone, relaying his displeasure with this. What had I done?

One by one, each person talked about which Letter they represented. As each of them spoke, I could see more about how the Thusians were laid out. We all represented a part of the Thusian government. And it seemed as if we were the most powerful group on earth. What made us so powerful is that we were everywhere. It was amazing to learn how many other non-Thusians were actually part of the Thusian governing body.

Sal Warner explained that his Letter was Safety. He operated safe houses for Thusians under the guise of museums all around the world. But when I saw him, why did he ask if I knew what was going on there? Why would I know his Letter?

"Nicholas, I believe it's your turn," Ester said, interrupting my thoughts.

All the Council was looking at me.

"I'm not sure what Letter I am. I never received any instructions from Reed Godfrey on what I was supposed to do when I was put on the Council," I said.

"You expect us to believe that?" James said. "You just got done requesting the Reading of the Letters. If you didn't get yours from Reed after his death, then how did you know how to make the request or what the Letters were?" James spat at me with contempt.

What was I supposed to say? How I was going to cover up how I knew about this or why I had done it in the first place?

"I don't have to answer that, James," I said, trying to sound like Cora when she demanded no one question her. "I am the Letter of something that can't be discussed with anyone here. I did receive my instructions and they were to never share this information."

Everyone around me began to talk quietly, discussing what I had just said. I couldn't tell if my bluff was going to work or not.

"You have to, you little shi—"

Ester stopped James from finishing. "Nicholas does have the right to keep it from us, if it was put in his Letter. I think that everyone in here would agree that Nicholas has been a very important part of the Thusians and the Divine Council, and we should respect him as such."

James and a couple of members, including Sidney were saying, "He has to. He has to."

I glanced at Ester and she gave me a look that told me to have patience.

"Since we don't have any other business and the migration details are in everyone's packet, we should call this meeting adjour—"

"I beg your pardon. Don't you think we should finish the motion that is already on the floor?" James said with a smug look.

"Elle is a non-Thusian. She can't be included," Ester said angrily to him. "She's just a pawn used by Xavier to get to Nicholas. That's it."

"Ester, you just made my point perfectly. Xavier has never directly attacked a non-Thusian. Everyone here knows that. And because of that fact, along with her intimate knowledge of us, she should come. So I call a vote to make Elle Canan attend the Trials."

"James, you are wrong," I said. "She needs to be away from all of us."

Ignoring me, he said, "And how do we even know for sure she's not a Thusian, isn't that correct Michelle?" There was absolute silence.

Over the small box Michelle said, "James is correct about that. There is no way to know for sure. The fact that Xavier attacked her does make it seem likely that she could indeed be a Thusian."

"Then I call a vote," James said again.

**

Clare waited until everyone left the room. Most had voted in favor of Elle attending the Trials. Why had things gone this way? I was slumped over with both elbows resting on the table and my hands partly covering my eyes. I felt as if I just kept sitting here, eventually things would change to the way I wanted them to be.

"Nicholas, how did you know about the Reading of the Letters? I know for a fact you weren't being truthful with us," Clare asked, looking sympathetic but intrigued at the same time.

"I learned about it when I was reading in the Vault last year," I said, hoping she would believe my story.

She examined me closely and said in a whisper so only I could hear, "When you tell that to the next person, be more convincing."

Then in a louder voice she said, "I'm glad you called for the Reading. We all needed to know what the others were doing. For too long we have all gone unchecked. In any good governing body, checks and balances are key to being successful."

"If you're looking for more answers about your Letter, start with Sal Warner. His Letter directly impacts you," she whispered again. She picked up a large leather handbag and left the room.

On the walk back to the dorm, I started to feel sick. I took hold of a nearby tree around the side of the nearest building, trying to steady myself, but it was no use. A panic attack was on its way. I bent down, and everything started to spin. But right before I lost consciousness, a pair of hands grabbed me, making sure I didn't fall, and set me down gently.

I'm not sure how long I was there, but I slowly became aware of who was with me—Piet. He didn't speak; he just stayed by my side.

After my skin cooled and was feeling closer to normal, with a whole pack of Tic Tacs in my mouth, I stood up. Seeing that I was better, Piet disappeared, out of sight but I'm sure not far away.

I slowly walked back to my room. What were Cora, Riley and Genevieve going to say about all of this? I had made things worse for us, attracting more attention to myself. Now I had messed up our plan to go to the Trials, forcing Elle to be involved.

"Hey, Nicholas," Zane said, waiting outside my dorm.

"What do you want?" I didn't feel like dealing with him and the TABs.

"I was just coming to see how the Council meeting was. Did you request it?" he asked, leaning in to make sure he didn't miss a word I said.

I was glad he did because I wanted him to hear exactly what I was about to say. "Yes, I did. It has caused a lot of problems for me and the people I care about. Your special group of TABs better stay out of my way from now on, or I'll expose all of you, telling them you all were the reason I called for the Reading of The Letters," I said, looking directly into his eyes.

"Come on, man, you have to know we weren't trying to cause trouble."

"Trouble? Trouble? Is that what you think I mean? Because of you, I now have to take Elle to the Trials."

I knew that Elle's going had nothing really to do with the Letters, but to me right now it was all the same.

"I will do anything to make it up to you, I promise. Just name it."

"It's not like you can help me with the Trials or keep Elle safe so—"

He interrupted, "I think I can help with both. I'll show you what I mean, trust me." He stuck out his hand for me to shake. I had nothing to gain or lose, so I shook it and walked away to meet the firing squad.

To my relief and surprise, no one was upset or shocked.

"Thank goodness, now we don't have to sneak her there," Genevieve said. "Elle and I have been trying to figure that out for a while now."

"You've been doing what?" Cora asked, taking the words out of my mouth.

"You can't all be that naïve can you? Elle was always going to try to come. I figured it was better to help her than for her to try something that might get her or us killed," Genevieve said. So this whole time their friendship was about getting her to the Trials. That was both comforting and scary.

Mark came walking in. "I think Genevieve and Elle were right to plan for her to come. What if during the Trials, Xavier sent someone after her? He wouldn't break the rules, but who's to say someone else wouldn't do it for him? A bunch of Seekers have already tried to attack you guys."

We discussed what our next step was going to be. Elle and Noel joined us, and Cora told them what happened. I looked down, not wanting to make eye contact with Elle. She came over and sat next to me, taking a tight grip of my hand.

"I'm happy I'll be with everyone, officially now," She squeezed my hand. "I can't be much help sitting here on campus."

"I'm not happy with this at all," Noel said.

"Really, what gives you the right to talk?" I asked. "I think you've been forgetting to tell all of us something, right? Another secret?"

Everyone looked at me, waiting for one of us to talk.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she said.

"You don't? Well, maybe your sister can tell us all about it."

"What's he talking about?" Elle asked.

"Livi is her sister," I said.

"You mean the same Livi who's Eric's girlfriend?" Mark asked, sounding like he was happy he was able to make the connection.

"Yes, the very one," I said.

"Noel, why didn't you tell me about any of this? I've been friends with Livi since eighth grade," Elle said, sounding confused and hurt.

"I lived with our father and she lived with my mother. We were both trained by Walter when we came of age, but it was strictly a coincidence that all of this came about this way. No one knew Nicholas and Cora were going to move to Winsor. Not until the TV cameras showed up did we know it was him," Noel said to Elle, ignoring all of us, pleading her case.

Elle stood, pulling me up and taking me out of the dorm. She led me outside to one of the large oak trees. She leaned up against it and pulled me to her. Her warm breath sent chills down my spine. We hadn't been close like this for a long time. A distance had been building between us. Not because we didn't care, but because that's how it had to be. Or at least that was what I was telling myself.

A couple of the red and orange leaves began to fall down around us. I kissed her forehead, and she began to shiver. I took off my jacket and wrapped it around her to keep her warm. With all of my talents, why couldn't I do something to save us from all of this? If I was going to have to die, then at least I should have the right to spend my remaining days with the girl I loved. But even if I had wanted to take her away, I knew she wouldn't let me go. She wanted to be by my side to face whatever was coming. She even went so far as to befriend Genevieve, and that alone should have clued me in that she would do anything to get what she wanted.

"Elle, I would like for you to come with me to visit my parents' graves this weekend. I think it's time," I said, kissing her.

I was increasingly nervous about this day. Of course my parents were on my mind, but today was the first time anyone other than Cora had been with me when I visited their graves.

Mark and I met Elle and Genevieve at the bottom of the stairs that led out of the dorm. Noel was nowhere to be seen. Mark was going to go home to be with his family. Cora and Riley stood off to the side, having a serious conversation about something. Three shiny black SUVs, complete with tinted windows, pulled up. Walter, Dane and Piet were driving. I got into the first one that Walter was driving, and Elle and Genevieve followed me. The door shut, and the three of us just sat there together. It was incredibly awkward in there with the two of them. They both looked at ease, but I was far from it.

"Are we doing anything special afterwards?" Genevieve asked.

"Not sure," I answered. "I just want to go to the cemetery and visit my parents' graves."

"Genevieve, are you going to be okay?" Elle asked.

I wasn't sure why she asked until Genevieve answered.

"I'll be fine. In my mind, my mom died with my dad a long time before her actual death. The only thing that makes me upset now is what Ashlyn had to go through and has beco..." She didn't finish her sentence. Elle put her arm around her to comfort her.

How in the world could I really have been this self-absorbed? Both Genevieve and Riley had gone through traumatic experiences too, not to mention thousands of others. I was so wrapped up in myself I hadn't even considered them.

The vehicle stopped. The door opened and Noel got in.

"Elle, I thought you were going to wait for me," Noel said, shutting the door. We began to drive again.

"Sorry, I was talking with Genevieve and I...I'm sorry," Elle said.

The trip went quickly. The cold autumn air was swirling around, carrying leaves that had already fallen. The trees had dropped a lot of their foliage in anticipation of the winter. I still didn't understand why Noel and Genevieve had to come if they were just going to wait in the SUV. Elle was becoming more and more of a mystery to me as time went on.

After dropping Mark off at his house, we drove to the cemetery. Elle had a tight grip on my hand as soon as we got out. She didn't speak; she just stood close to me. I led her over to my parents' graves. The cemetery had a couple of people in it, but they were probably just my guard detail.

Once we were in front of the headstones, we stood for a minute. Elle released my hand and set down a couple of white tulips she had brought with her. Cora had told Elle that tulips were my mom's favorite flower.

"Mr. and Mrs. Taylor, I'm Elle Canan," she said. "Your son means the world to me. I love him more than I think I could love anyone. He's remarkable in every way. Not only is your son a hero, but he's also kind, compassionate and my best friend. I would and will do anything for him. I promise."

Her eyes became red and full of tears. I put my arm around her and pulled her near me. I gave her a tight hug. I was moved by what she said and I could feel tears filling my eyes.

She leaned away, straightening out her long black jacket.

"What is it?" I asked her.

Not looking at me, she answered, "We need to talk about us."

"What about us?"

She took a deep breath and said, "I can't protect you like Genevieve can."

I put my hand up to her cheek and ran my fingers down it. Her skin felt like cold silk. "Elle, we've had this conversation so many times before," I said with dread.

I turned her to look up at me. "I don't need protection or help. I need you to be safe, and that is most important. The only thing we should discuss is how we can keep you from coming to the Trials. Maybe Noel could pretend to be you or something."

"I'm going," she said with force. "If I can help you somehow, I want to be there."

"I don't deserve you, you know that right? I put you in danger all the time and somehow you are okay with that," I said, grabbing her waist and pulling her in close, kissing her on the neck.

"And you befriended Genevieve," I said.

"I have really come to like her. She has gone through so much to get to this point. And after what she witnessed Ashlyn do—it almost killed her. She hasn't slept a full night since then. I'm not sure if you have noticed, but she hasn't been looking well. Chase even said he was worried."

I was so consumed with all of the stuff I was going through that I hadn't even noticed someone else's hardship. Someone who was now supposed to be part of my family?

The autumn clouds became streaked with dark veins running through them. We walked toward one of the black SUVs where Noel was waiting. Elle walked up to her and gave her a big hug. And just like that, anything wrong between the two of them was gone. I smiled to myself because I knew firsthand how magical Elle's hugs were.

We all went back to Mt. Vernon for a quick Thanksgiving break and a low-key birthday before exams. But with more time, I became obsessed with the questions that plagued my life. I paced around like a trapped animal, asking the questions that had no answers. I was looking forward to getting back to school.

When Mark and I got back to the dorm after the break there was a stack of folders lying on my bed.

"Mark, what's all this stuff?" I asked.

"Not sure," he said, coming into my room from the common room.

I picked up the top folder and it read "Professor Green's Tests and Exams." Each folder was dated with a different year.

"Who's Professor Green?" Mark asked.

"He's my physiology professor," I said.

"Then where did these come from?" he asked, picking up a couple of the folders.

"Who knows? It's probably from the TABs," I said, "but it doesn't matter. I don't need the help."

I grabbed the stack and threw them all in the trash can.

"How's studying going for you?" I asked Mark.

"It's okay."

"Okay?" I asked, shocked to hear this from someone with total recall. I would have thought it would be easy for him.

"I know, you'd think school should be a breeze, but it's not at all. Just like my troubles with the journals, I have to be able to comprehend and put pieces together, and it seems like I'm useless at that." He stopped and whispered, "I'm as good of a Keeper as I am a student."

"You're going to do great on your exams, Mark," I said, but he knew what I really meant.

**

"You have exactly one hour to complete the exam. Make sure to put your name at the top. I know you're all excited for this to be over, but learning is the reason you are here, need I remind you. Now begin," Professor Green said, starting a large countdown clock that could be seen throughout the lecture hall. It began to count backwards.

I stared at the exam, blinking. Could the exam be this easy? I knew everything. I'd have to slow down to make sure I didn't make a stupid mistake. At the forty-one minute mark, I was finished. I even went over it a couple of times to check my work. Walking down to turn in my exam, I got so many shocked looks, as if I had done something wrong. Professor Green gave me the same look. I laid it down and noticed that mine was the first one on his desk. Professor Green continued to stare at me as I collected my stuff. I could feel his eyes on the back of my head.

I walked back to the dorm where Elle and Cora were waiting for me on the couch. Mark, as usual, was in the bedroom going over the journals. Genevieve and Noel were absent, which was a welcome sight. There was no need for me to feel awkward when Genevieve and Elle huddled up, talking as if they were best friends. I had actually started to be okay with their friendship, because it seemed like it made both of them happy, but I still never knew what they were talking about.

"How was your exam?" Elle asked.

"Easy," I said.

"I'm so happy to hear you did well. Professor Green is known for his impossible exams," Cora said.

"You know, Chase is the only one who ever aced his class. One time, when Chase was taking one of his exams, he found a mistake. When he brought it to Professor Green's attention, he told Chase there was no mistake. But Chase petitioned it to the head of the department and it turned out Chase was right. After Chase went on to med school, Professor Green made his exams much harder. He's a real piece of work," Cora said, pulling a piece of stray hair back behind her ear.

There was a knock on the door, and Cora answered it. It was Chase.

"Umm, hey, Cora. Is Nicholas here?" he asked.

"Yes," she said as he followed her into the room.

"Nicholas, you have been accused of cheating by Professor Green. You have two options: you can have a peer-led discussion to determine your guilt or you can have a trial with the deans of the different schools?"

"Nicholas is no cheater," Elle said.

"Chase, you need to take care of this right now," Cora said.

"I've tried, but someone came forward saying they gave Nicholas the exam answers."

"Dylan," I said.

"Yes, Dylan is the one who would be overseeing the peer discussion. How did you know?" he asked.

"Of course he is," I said.

That's why I received those folders, I thought. It was all one big trap.

"I'll go with the dean discussion," I said, angry and ready to fight this.

**

I was in the building that was used mostly for the medical school. It reminded me of a hospital because almost everything was made of white materials. The floor and columns were polished marble with rich black and gold veins running throughout.

I opened a tall, ornate wooden door and saw a long table with ten different people sitting behind it. I only recognized Professor Green and Chase. Everyone was stone-faced, showing no signs of support. Even Chase wasn't showing any emotion. There was a single chair in front of the long table. I walked up next to it.

"Nicholas, you have chosen to have a hearing in front of the deans and not your peers. Is that correct?" asked a man in the center of the group, who was dressed in a dark red suit like he was the devil.

"Yes," I said nervously. Even though I had not cheated, I still felt my nerves creeping up. I wanted to reach into my pocket and grab my Tic Tacs, but I resisted.

"Professor Green says that you were given test answers prior to your physiology exam, resulting in your getting a perfect score. The next closest test score was a 77%. A student came forward right as the class concluded to inform him of the cheating," the man in the red suit said.

"Dr. Letterby has already informed us that you refuse to tell us who gave you the test, is that correct?" A woman next to the man in the suit asked. She too was wearing a suit, but hers was as black as a starless night.

"As I told Chase, I didn't even look at what was given to me, and to be honest I have been given a lot of things over the past couple of months. So I can't be certain who or what was given to me," I said.

This wasn't a lie; it was just enough of the truth. I wanted to tell them it was Dylan, but I had no proof.

"Well then, the only way we can be sure about whether you cheated or not would be to quiz you, testing your knowledge of the subject," she said, looking down at Chase.

He cleared his throat and began to mumble. I couldn't make out what he was saying. And from everyone else's confused expressions, I don't think they could either.

"Could you speak up?" the woman said.

"So sorry, Dean Williams," Chase said.

"Nicholas, I will be quizzing you on Professor Green's exam that was given and also other questions pertaining to the subject. This will show if you actually have command of the subject or if you just memorized the exam questions," he said, looking more nervous than me.

He began to ask me question after question. Each of the questions had been changed around from the exam, but I knew them all.

Even Chase began to see how easy this was for me as time went on. A couple times he asked me to elaborate about an answer I gave. He would then ask a follow up question or two, but it was now as if we were having a conversation about a book or movie we both liked. This went on for twenty minutes or so. We were interrupted by Professor Green.

"Okay, I think that's enough," he said.

"Nicholas didn't get a single answer wrong. He was even able to discuss some of the points further, far past a basic understanding. I think he may even know more than some of my grad students," Chase said. "In my opinion, he did not cheat. Actually, I think he has a real talent for it."

"Dean Letterby, thank you so much," the man in the middle said.

"Nicholas, if you would please give us some time to deliberate. We will come get you in the hall when we're finished making our decision," he said, motioning toward the door.

After only a few minutes, Chase emerged.

"You've been cleared of cheating," he said.

I sighed with relief. "Thanks," I said, walking toward the exit.

Once exams were over, we all packed up and went home for winter break to get ready for the Trials. Cora had picked up our random migration assignment. What if somehow this migration was an elaborate trap to get all of us together in one spot so Xavier and Grey could kill us? I knew the assignment was random and I didn't think that Sidney would work with Xavier, but how was I supposed to know for sure? I couldn't just accept that my instinct was foolproof. I remembered that story about the Red Day Incident. He thought he was safe, and his entire family died.

Cora's purse was hanging on the banister at the bottom of the stairs. I grabbed it and went up to my room. I turned it upside down and all of its contents rained onto my bed. I was looking for the satellite phone, but it wasn't there.

"Cora," I yelled, shoving all of her stuff back into the bag.

"What are you doing with my purse?" she demanded as she entered the room, looking shocked I had it on my bed.

"I'm looking for the satellite phone. I need Kip's number."

"Why?" she said, grabbing her purse.

"I'm sorry, I need the number so we can arrange our own way to Scotland."

I must have been talking very loudly, because Genevieve and Riley entered the room in a panic, looking like they were expecting Xavier to be in here with us.

"What's up? I was trying to take a nap," Genevieve said, coming over to my bed and curling up on it like a cat.

"Nothing's going on. I just need Kip's number," I said, growing impatient. I could feel an attack welling up inside me. My doubts about the journey and Elle's safety were going to boil over.

Cora asked me again more calmly, "Why do you need his number?"

"Because, I have to arrange for us to go to the Trials in a different way. I know that the museums were all giving out random ways of getting there but I don't trust the way we're going. Something deep down inside me says this way is wrong."

"Let's not jump to any conclusions," Riley said, closing the door behind him.

He mouthed the words, "They could be listening. We haven't been here for a long time. Walter said to assume we're being listened to until he can sweep the house again."

Again my lack of control may have endangered us.

"You're right, Riley. I'm just nervous," I said, pointing at the door. They all followed me outside onto the porch.

The wind was really whipping up the cold winter air. My breath was sending out large clouds of smoke, which were caught by the wind and pulled away.

"I need Kip to set up another way for us to go there," I said.

No one disagreed, probably because they were cold and wanted to go back inside. But I didn't care why they agreed; I just needed to change things.

"I'll call and set it up," Cora said, leaning into Riley and me.

"No, this is my idea. I will," I said to her.

"He won't talk to you," she said.

"He's going to. I won't give him a choice."

**

I was sitting in the family room alone, holding onto Cora's satellite phone. She had given me the number on a small piece of paper. In the background she had turned up some Christmas music to drown out my voice. The three of them were in the kitchen making some holiday cookies, carrying on like it was some big party. Every so often I would hear them say, "Nicholas, pass this," or "Nicholas, help with this."

I dialed the number and sat down in front of the fireplace on the floor. The phone rang once before a man's voice answered the phone with a rough tone, "Yello." The way he said hello caught me off guard. I didn't respond.

"Seriously, Nicholas, if you're going to call me, even after Cora said she was the only one who could, the least you could do is greet me."

All I could manage was a "Hi."

"That's a start, I guess. I need you to go up and get the last Oxford suit that I painstakingly made for you and rip out the inside pocket. I'll meet you there in about two hours and fifteen minutes from now, and don't be late. And Nicholas, the next time you open your big mouth, don't mention my name," he said, hanging up.

I sat there for a moment, not sure how he knew what had happened here, but I knew that question would have to wait until later. I ran up the stairs to my room and went straight to my closet. I ripped open the garment bag with the two griffins on it and pulled out the jacket. Then I tore out the inside pocket. It read "Centralia Museum."

I went into the kitchen and showed them where I was going. Both Cora and Genevieve looked concerned, but neither of them said anything. I went up to my room and grabbed an old jacket that had belonged to my father. It was a warm, brown leather jacket with a four leaf clover on the back. I also grabbed a worn-out baseball cap with a V on it. It was an old Vanderbilt ball cap worn by a great uncle or something that Cora had given me. Genevieve was waiting for me at the door. I smiled at her and put my hand on the doorknob. She grabbed me and pulled me to her, taking me by surprise. It was like she was going to kiss me, but her lips went past mine and she gave me a big hug instead. It took me a minute to shake off her effect on me. I don't have time for this, I told myself.

I drove through the dull winter landscape as fast as my Bronco could take me. The map with the museum's location was on the passenger seat. The drive didn't take me as long as I thought it would, only an hour and a half. Since it was so close to Christmas, I thought there would be a lot of people out shopping, but to my surprise, there was very little traffic. The large, two-story, rectangular brick building looked as if it had been built a hundred years ago. On top of the museum in bold white capital letters it read, "Kohl & Meyer Co." The side of the building had a long concrete wrap-around porch that looked like it was used at one time for truck deliveries. A little bit past the porch sat a dirty green and white train car.

I drove around to the back of the building to wait until it was time to go in. Some snow began to fall, but it was just a flurry in an otherwise only partly-cloudy sky. I left the truck running to stay warm. My nerves were making me feel cold already; I didn't need any help from the outside weather. Time dragged on. I couldn't think clearly at all. Everything was mashed up. All I knew was that I had to make sure Kip could guarantee another way for us to get to Scotland so Elle would be safe. Anger welled up inside my chest toward Ester. How could she not somehow stop this from happening? I should have been mad at James Caldwell, but he had done just what I had expected he would do. I desperately wished the Reading of the Letters had distracted him from the motion requiring Elle to go.

I got out of the truck right on time, heading toward the front of the building. I had become used to constantly checking everything around me, but being in an unfamiliar location made it even more necessary. I was expecting to see Piet, but as far as I could tell, I was alone.

Walking up to the front, question after question came to mind. Was he the Kip on the Council? If so, how was he not on the Council anymore? Did he order the TABs to help us? And what was my Letter? How could someone so out of the picture seem to have so much power?

The inside of the museum looked exactly as I had expected. It resembled an antique shop with lots of different displays featuring the town's history. A girl no older than me was sitting behind a glass display, reading a magazine.

"Can I help you?" she asked, putting down her magazine.

"I'm here to meet, I mean, look around for a school project." I fumbled clumsily with my words, sounding awkward.

"The museum is divided into sections about different parts of our town's history. If you are looking for more information about the Number Five Mine Disaster, it's right over there," she said. "That's what your report's on, right?"

"Um, yeah," I said, nodding as I walked by her.

I looked at a round-faced white clock straight ahead of me. Above the clock was a tan laminated sign that read, "#5 Mine Disaster: Tuesday, March 25, 1947 at 3:26 p.m."

I looked at my watch and it read 3:25 and then immediately turned to 3:26. What were the chances of meeting here at this time?

"So, you're interested in the mine disaster?" a familiar voice asked.

I turned to see him. He was an old man, maybe in his late sixties or early seventies. He kind of reminded me of the man who had approached me and asked me to speak to his wife at the rest stop on the way to Winsor many years ago. He had a rugged jawline and a chin that matched. His skin was weathered, as if he had spent a lot of time outside. He had some hair, all as black as a crow, neatly parted to the side.

He came up next me and pointed at the clock. "My mom and I were at home when the explosion happened, killing those one hundred and eleven men. We heard it from our house, and we lived a mile away. The house shook when it happened. My mom knew immediately that my father was dead. She said she felt it in her gut."

"I'm sorry that you lost your dad that way. Did it happen because of The 3 or was it a Seeker? You know, like the Red Day Event?"

That was the wrong thing to say.

"Bernard was wrong about you; you are not bright. I think plain stupid," he said with more than a bit of anger in his voice.

"So you assumed I was Kip?" He asked.

I was off to a great start.

"And Seekers aren't always the cause of bad things. You should know that by now. Do you check under your bed for Seekers? I don't think so. The mine accident that killed my dad was exactly that—an accident. But I'm sure my dad was trying to save some of his friends down there, right up until the very end."

I had to get this moving in the right direction again.

"I'm sorry for talking about you at my house. Saying your name was a mistake."

"Don't worry about that. No one knows who I am. Ester and the Council don't have any record of me now, because I'm dead. The only one who knew I was alive was Bernard Weathers, but now that he's gone, it only leaves you and Cora. So why am I here, Nicholas? I think we both have better things to do, with it being so close to Christmas."

"We're supposed to leave for the Trials, but I, well, I'm not sure it's safe for us to use the transportation that was set up by Sidney."

"And?" he asked.

"What I mean is, we need to get to the Trials but not the way it has been set up. We need to be cautious. There are already people trying to kill us, so I don't want to give them an easy chance."

"Does this have something to do with Elle having to go now?" he asked.

I wasn't sure how he knew, but it didn't matter.

"Will you help us?" I asked impatiently.

"Of course I will. Actually it has already been taken care of. Here's the address of the safe house for you. When you all arrive, John Marker will be the one taking you the rest of the way. He thinks you're tourists wanting to go to Scotland. You all have to act the part. That's your cover and the only way it will work. So make sure you keep up your end of the bargain. And don't worry, he runs a very private operation. Not many people could track where he is or know what he's doing."

Kip handed me a piece of paper with an address in Maine on it.

"How are we supposed to get to this house?" I asked, putting the slip into my pockets.

"Don't worry about that; just make sure everyone is at your house two days before Christmas."

"Are we leaving then?" I asked.

Ignoring me, he pointed up at an article about the mine disaster and said, "Don't believe everything you hear about Seekers. Sure, they're a horrible lot and should be wiped off the face of the earth, but they're just as lost as we are, trying to make sense of everything. The 4 should be feared, not The 3 Seekers. You have more power and control than any Council or Seekers."

He looked up at the clock that was still frozen on the time of the disaster and said, "Well, look at the time. I better get going."

"Wait, are you the Kip from the Council?" I asked.

"I am, and before you ask any more questions, make sure you know what you want to ask, because I will only answer one more. I don't like questions," he said, sounding agitated.

So many questions swirled around in my mind, some having to do with Elle, some about the Trials, and others I just wanted to know.

"Since I took over for Reed on the Council and he took over for you, what's my Letter and how can I find out about it?"

His serious demeanor changed. He had a big smile on his face. "Maybe I was wrong about your being stupid. You wrapped up several questions into one. Your Letter is the Letter of Museums and everything that goes along with it. And that's pretty much everything. All of the Letters, in some shape or form, report back to you. I'm not sure where Reed put the actual Letter, but I bet Ester probably found it. But lucky for you, I have a backup copy. I keep it at the Museum Center at Union Terminal in Cincinnati, Ohio. Locker 13," he said, handing me a key. "You have to go get this by yourself. No one can know about you going. When you include others in your plans, everything gets complicated. That's why I'm by myself and safe."

He started to walk away. "Have a nice life. Try not to screw it up," he said, turning the corner and disappearing from view.

I didn't move. I felt like somehow I was missing something. Kip was just as bizarre as Bernard, but at least he gave me an answer that actually made sense and a key to go with it.

"Oh yeah," Kip said, popping back around the corner, startling me. "Vanderbilt is an excellent place for you to go to college. I would make sure I spent as much time there as possible. It's so nice and safe."

He pulled up the hood on a yellow puffy jacket he hadn't been wearing before. "Zane and Courtney are so nice, aren't they?" he asked.

"Is there more?" I asked, not sure why he reappeared.

"Interesting question, Nicholas—one I've never been asked before, so I'll answer this as a bonus," he said, zipping up his jacket so only his face was visible. "There are a lot more like me. Actually thousands, if not tens of thousands. My parents didn't know they were Thusians; they were never told, but Bernard somehow knew they were. I was added to the bloodline book by Bernard right before I joined the Council. So to answer that question: yes, there are so many more."

He looked back at the door. "I better get going. Have to get to the grocery store before the gray hairs take all the bread and milk because of the inch of snow coming," he said, walking away.

Back home I shared what Kip had told me we needed to do for safe passage with everyone, but I kept the other stuff to myself. I heeded his warning about sharing too much. Somehow I felt like finding out exactly what the Museum Letter was all about was more important than I even knew but it had to wait.

The weather became bitterly cold. It had pretty much sucked all the life out of any discussion of the Trials and everything else.

Elle had told her parents she was going on vacation with Noel's family for winter break. And somehow it was fine with them. I was half-expecting her dad to show up but he didn't.

Our house looked very plain compared to all the homes and businesses in town. Everyone had decorated with lights and ornaments on the outside. It was as if we were living at the North Pole.

Usually Cora would put up some Christmas decorations, but not this year. She was more concerned with getting everyone ready for the trip.

Chase arrived unexpectedly at our house right after it had snowed a couple of inches. He was covered in snow and looking upset.

"Noel, I usually don't talk this way to a lady, but you are no lady. Stay out of my affairs. If I want you to know something, I'll tell you."

Noel smiled, ignoring what he said.

"It's good to see you again, Nicholas," Chase said, turning and walking out of the room.

Noel walked out after him. "Elle, make sure you tell Nicholas," she said as she passed us.

I looked at Elle.

"We'll talk about it later. Not now," she said.

Cora and Riley had prepared a nice pre-Christmas dinner, though I wasn't sure how much Riley had done. He had probably just set the table.

If Noel hadn't been here, it would have been just my family at dinner. Even Riley and Chase were being nice to each other. I heard a loud thump outside. My heart began to race. I looked around the table to see if anyone else had heard the noise. Everyone was engrossed in their own conversations, not aware of anything. I stood and walked to the front door. I heard another thud. With the second sound, the fire in me ignited. I looked back to see if anyone else was responding. Riley had started to get up, along with Noel. I held my breath and slowly opened the door in anticipation of what was outside.

I saw a figure falling toward me. Everything slowed. The wake of his movement stretched several feet behind him. I reached out and caught him, he was enormous. Riley was next to me, helping me support the person's weight. Time returned to normal. I looked down and realized I was holding a bloody Walter. We dragged him into the room and flipped him over on the floor. Chase was next to me, automatically attending to his wounds with Noel assisting him. Riley and I checked the house and looked out the windows to make sure the threat was gone.

"Walter, who did this to you?" Noel demanded.

"Can't you see he's hurt? Give me some room," Chase snapped.

"Tell me who did this," she questioned further.

"It was the Seekers. They want me to give Nicholas a message: If you go through with the Trials, a lot of people will die." Walter's eyes fluttered and he lost consciousness.

They got him set up in the family room. Chase assured us he would be fine. He had been badly beaten, but his injuries were not life-threatening. Piet and Dane showed up so Chase had to explain everything again and told them Walter would be better by the time we had to go to the Trials. Chase made himself a bed next to Walter so he could care for him throughout the night.

Piet and Dane stood guard at our house, walking around it every so often. No matter what anyone said to them, they weren't going to leave without Walter's direct orders, and he wasn't in any shape to move, let alone issue commands.

After everything settled down, I asked Elle, "What did you have to talk to me about?"

She led me out of the family room and into the kitchen. In a whisper she said, "Noel has arranged for us to go into hiding. She thinks it's best for us to slip away when..."

That idea had crossed my mind several times, but not with Noel, with me.

"Is that what you want to do?" I asked, interrupting her.

"No," she said, shocked. "I want to be at the Trials to help." She sounded unsure about what she was saying.

"Elle, I want you to be safe," I paused, "and the only way I know how to do that is to keep you by my side." I grabbed her and pulled her close to me.

I leaned in and kissed a spot on her neck that my lips always found. She pulled away.

"I'm coming to help you, not to be protected. I can take care of myself," she said.

"I know that," I said.

Later that night, I couldn't sleep. All I could think about was my conversation with Elle. Was she going to be able to help or would I even let her? Would I be too consumed with her safety to be able to focus on anything else? Should she just go into hiding?

I closed my eyes and saw the darkness waiting for me, waiting for me to fall asleep to claim me once again.

**

Walter was feeling much better in the morning. When I got downstairs for breakfast, he, Piet and Dane were already gone. Riley had a chance to ask him a few questions before any of us were even awake.

"Walter said that he was jumped just a block away from here. He was flagged down by a woman who had a flat tire. He stopped to change it and then he was ambushed," Riley said, leaning in closer. "He thinks there were at least ten of them. The next thing he remembers is waking up this morning on the couch."

"There's no way it was Xavier," Cora said. "He would never send a mob. He's more cunning than that. And I doubt that he would ever go against any of the rules of The 3."

"If Seekers are becoming organized without Xavier, then I'm afraid, afraid of what might happen. We should all go on the run," Genevieve said. "What do you honestly think they're going to do to Nicholas and all of us once they have us in a confined area at the Trials? We're going to be like fish in a barrel." She gazed directly into my eyes, showing so much concern. I could feel her soul reach out to mine. For a minute I was trapped, but a thought broke the connection.

"If we don't go, then I'm afraid of what might happen to the other Thusians there. We all knew this was going to be a potential trap of some sort, but we also accepted the risk involved. There's no other way. We can't run from this," I said.

Genevieve was the only one responding to me and it was negatively. She just shook her head back and forth.

"There's more. The woman who flagged down Walter matched Ashlyn's description," Riley said.

"How does he know what she looked like? He can't even remember how he got here. And I think all this is stupid," Genevieve said, storming out of the room.

"We must go," Elle said, walking into the kitchen. "There's no other way, if lives are in danger."

Noel was not satisfied with the reason, but she had no choice. Elle was going.

**

Exactly two days before Christmas, we all packed into a large bus that Kip sent and headed to Maine. It had everything on it that you would find in a house: a full bathroom, bedrooms, and two fully stocked kitchens. The windows were tinted so no one could see in or out. We were in complete isolation.

Our group was made up of Genevieve, Cora, Elle, Noel, Riley and me. Chase had never planned to go with us. I think maybe he was scared to be around us, but whatever the reason, he wasn't going to see us until we got to Scotland.

"So, how far are we supposed to ride this way?" Genevieve asked only an hour into the trip.

Cora answered, "The drive is sixteen hours. We'll stop twice for fuel and then we'll find the safe house, then board a plane or boat to Scotland, depending on this John Marker. Once there, we will travel to an inn close to Valcary Hill, where a Sil will meet us and take us in."

The trip on the bus would have been horrible if Elle hadn't been there. We spent most of the time curled up on one of the couches watching TV, as if we were in her room together alone. I tried not to look around much, because when I did, Genevieve was always staring at me, which made me feel guilty. She knew how much I loved Elle. Still, somewhere inside me I had feelings for her too. Maybe not in the same way, but enough to not want her to go through the agony of seeing Elle and me together.

I was fortunate to fall asleep on the couch with Elle rubbing my head and my back, allowing me to rest without a single bad dream.

Our journey was finally over, and we all got off the bus. I looked around to see where we were supposed to go. I knew that Cora and Bernard trusted Kip, but I still needed to be skeptical, especially since it seemed like no Thusians or Seekers were playing by any rules now.

I looked at the address that Kip had given me one more time. Where was 2022 Fisherman's Bluff? I thought.

Noel and Elle were helping unload our bags.

"We should have gone into hiding," Noel was saying to Elle.

"Don't worry about it. We'll be fine. Nicholas has everything under control," Elle said.

"That's what I'm afraid of," Noel said.

Riley and Cora went in search of Fisherman's Bluff. The rest of us stayed by the bus, watching more and more cars and vans arrive. This must have been a designated departure place for Thusians too. We saw several of them dressed in their Shrouds already with their hoods down in front of their faces.

"Over here," Cora said, pointing to a little parking lot that was down to the left of the cruise ship that the Thusians were heading toward. A small, worn-out sign dangling from a chain read in weathered letters, "Captain John Marker, Fisherman's Bluff." Though someone had crossed out "Captain John" and replaced it with "Old Man."

We headed into the parking lot, which turned out to be connected to a long pier with dozens of large ships tied to it.

The fire in my gut was smoldering just enough that I intentionally lagged behind to see if anyone was watching us. I noticed a group close to the bus. They were pretending to talk to each other, but it was clear they were watching me.

I walked over to them without warning anyone from our group. If these Seekers thought they could intimidate me and my friends, they had another thing coming.

"Really, can you be any more obvious?" I shouted at them.

I focused on the biggest person in the group. He was over six feet tall and was wearing a long black dress coat. His jet black hair was slicked back.

"I'm talking to you," I said, now toe to toe with him. The fire in me raged and wanted me to attack, but that wasn't wise. I needed to just make a point.

"I think you have the wrong pers—" he said, but I cut him off.

"Really, I do? Because I know who and what you are," I said. Riley and the rest of the group showed up next to me.

A slow smile appeared on the man's face. "You sure are brave with your girlfriend here," he said. "I would think you'd be worried for her safety."

I pushed him away instinctively. He fell backward without getting his hands out of his pockets, hitting the ground hard. Then I backed off. He was right, I had to show some restraint. Elle was here.

"Next time, I won't be so gentle," I said, still trying to sound threatening without allowing them to see how worried I was about what he said about Elle.

The group of them went toward a ship and when they were almost there, we made our way toward the pier. I kept my eyes on them, making sure they knew I was watching them, too.

"Way to fly under the radar, Nicholas," Genevieve said after we had walked a while, searching for the address.

"2022 is right here," Riley said, pointing ahead.

The address on the paper was not a safe house, but a slip for a boat.

"You've got to be kidding. There's no way I'm getting on that floating rust bucket," Genevieve said, throwing her stuff down on the ground.

"She doesn't care for you either," an older man came out from inside the ship. He looked as salty and rusted as his ship. He was short and stocky. His features reminded me of a pug, wrinkled and pushed together, just missing the tail. He had a pair of glasses that sat low on his nose, allowing him to gaze right over them at us.

"Who and what are you?" he said, looking us over.

"Kip sent us," I said.

He didn't bat an eye or even move.

"We're looking for someone who is supposed to take us to Scotland. Do you know of anyone who might be doing that?" I asked.

He shook his head like he was disgusted with us. "I'm going to Scotland," he said under his breath, turning away from us and going back into the ship.

"Uhh, now what?" Elle said.

"I say we take the cruise ship with all the other Thusians. I like our odds better there than here," Noel said, picking up her duffle.

"I agree," Riley said. "We can set up some really tight security once we get on."

"I'll be right back," I whispered to Elle.

I boarded the ship and went looking for the captain, which didn't take long. He was sitting at a table right inside the first room, drinking a cup of coffee with a newspaper in hand.

"Excuse me, do you know who Kip is?"

He didn't respond.

"I said, do you know who Kip is? Are you our ride to Scotland?" I said louder.

"I already told you outside that I was going to Scotland. Are you hard of hearin', boy?" He was rude and crass. Maybe he was Genevieve's brother. Without lowering the paper he said, "Don't just stand there with your mouth hanging open. You might catch some flies. Go get the rest of your lot so we can get on our way."

"Kip sure owes me big for this," he said.

I walked back outside. "This is our way to Scotland."

There was total disbelief on everyone's face. I, too, was shocked that this was what Kip had arranged for us, but I shouldn't have been, because I remember Cora had me riding in a postal truck that was delivering packages when I was hiding from the media at school.

Down the dark, mold-laced hallway were rooms with bunks welded to the walls. We divided up: boys and girls. Riley and I were in one room and the four girls in another, which was decorated in gold nautical instruments with an old fishing net draped from the ceiling. After about ten minutes, the boat began to move with a jerk, sending Riley and me staggering against the wall, grabbing anything to keep us upright.

"This is going to be an interesting, fun trip," Riley said.

"I just hope we make it there in one piece," I said.

Noel and Elle were sitting on one of the beds, talking in hushed voices.

"Am I interrupting something?" I asked, walking in and sitting next to Elle.

"Of course you're not. Noel was just going over everything she knew about Valcary Hill and what to expect once we get there."

"Anything new we need to know about?" I asked Noel.

At first she didn't look as if she would answer me, but she pulled a notebook out of her bag and sighed. "No, not exactly. I was just about to tell Elle that once we are there we should stay as far away from you and the others as possible. Elle and I can stay with Livi in our family's room."

"No way. We need to be together. I'm not just going to sit back and do nothing, tucked away and forgotten," Elle said.

"Nicholas and Cora need for you to be safe. If you're in danger constantly, then that will be a distraction to them. You don't want to be the cause of something bad happening," Noel said.

I ran my hand down Elle's back, trying to make her feel better.

"You both are right, but I'm more than capable of taking care of myself." She got up and walked out of the room. I started to go after her but stopped in the doorway when Noel said my name.

"Nicholas, you know she doesn't belong here."

I walked down the hallway to find Elle, all the while thinking about what Noel had said. Cora's words came to mind, if you love her, you should let her go.

At the end of the hallway were two staircases—one going up and one going down. And next to those was a galley with a table to eat at that was just big enough for three people. Cora had already gone through the pantries and was worried about the supply of food. Not because there wasn't enough, but because there wasn't much variety—mostly oats, pasta and cereals.

After I found Elle, we climbed up the stairs, followed by everyone except Noel. Old Man Marker was sitting in a chair with his eyes closed and feet propped up on the steering wheel as we chugged along.

"Aren't you supposed to be awake to drive the boat?" Genevieve said loudly enough to wake him.

He cleared his throat. "I was awake, and it's steering, not driving, lass."

"Thank you for taking us to Scotland. I am so happ—" But before Cora could finish, he interrupted her.

"Now see here, I'm not the skipper, this isn't some pleasure cruise. Kip told me you were going to work for me. This isn't no free ride here."

"What would you have us do?" Riley asked.

"Well for starters, we need someone to do the cooking and cleaning, so the women can do that."

"You sexist pig," Genevieve said.

He didn't look like he had heard her and continued, "The two of you boys are going to help clean all of my lobster traps."

Sure enough, he showed us where to get our supplies and rain suits. Riley and I put on bright yellow jackets and followed him out to the deck in the back part of the ship. There were all types of fishing gear in the back corner, including a mound of bent and battered traps covered in everything from rust to seaweed.

"I got these at an auction a couple days ago. I need you to clean and reshape 'em. Everything you need to get 'er done is in this tool box."

"Are you sure we have the right guy?" Riley asked me, looking at the traps.

We started to clean each of the traps, but after an hour, the waves became bigger and bigger, making our job much more difficult. A large wave crashed against the stern, sending a cloud of ocean spray over us. The cold water penetrated through the rain gear. We worked and worked for hours, only coming in when the lights from the ship were all we could use to see what we were doing.

I stripped off all of the gear and made my way to the galley, where all of the girls were. They had prepared a big meal for us. I don't ever remember spaghetti smelling so good. They had put out a card table with some crates around it for sitting. Elle saw me come in and gave me a quick smile, which melted away the coldness I was feeling.

Before we ate, Cora asked for everyone to bow their heads so she could say grace.

"Please be with us as we make this journey, and please guide our captain for safe passage."

"Amen," a loud voice echoed through the room from the door.

"Thank you for such a lovely prayer," John said, walking into the galley.

"I made a plate for you and put it upstairs already," Elle said.

"I thank you kindly, ma'am, but that wasn't enough food. I'm a man." He pushed his way by me for some more.

While helping himself he said, "I saw the work you did on those traps, if you call it that. You two will need to start over tomorrow. I'm sure you can do better, and girls, make sure to scrub the bathroom really good. I don't want to see any rings in those toilets. I've been at sea a long time and don't have a woman to do any chores for me."

"What, no woman has wanted to be around someone as classy as yourself?" Genevieve asked.

He retreated out the door.

Elle reached under the table and grabbed my leg, searching for my hand, which I gladly gave to her.

**

We headed out to the deck early the next morning. We began to rework everything we had done yesterday, taking more time to get every speck of grime off the equipment and also making sure the traps were as straight as could be.

John came out to see our progress. Even with big waves, he didn't stagger at all. It was as if he had become one with the sea, making him impervious to anything that it could throw at him.

"How long do we have until we reach Scotland?" Riley asked.

"Don't worry about the mule going blind, keep loading the wagon," he said.

We looked at each other, not sure what that meant.

He began to examine the traps we had finished. "It looks like you're doing an average job now, and I guess that will have to do for a bunch of greenhorns." He walked away as several waves crashed over the side of the ship. The water seemed to stay away from where he was, always washing over the part he had just passed.

The ship was rocking even harder than it had the night before, and I began to feel a familiar sickness. The nauseated feeling came over me, but this time so quickly it surprised me. I did everything I could to fight to keep my breakfast down.

I got up from where I was sitting and staggered all the way to the hallway. Luckily I made it into the bathroom just as Cora and Genevieve were coming out with the cleaning supplies.

I made it to the first stall in time. My stomach wrenched so hard I felt as if I was going to turn inside out. A hand was rubbing my back. I wasn't sure who it was; I was too sick to care. The more the boat rocked, the more I was forced to remain next to the toilet.

I threw up so hard that my ribs began to hurt. Someone grabbed me from behind. I became lightheaded as everything around me darkened.

**

"We need to leave him be. I gave him some medicine for his seasickness, but he is extremely dehydrated," I heard John say to someone. I was still groggy, but at least the sick feeling had gone away. All I could feel now was soreness in my stomach and chest.

I tried to open my eyes to see where I was and who was there, but instead I drifted off with the darkness waiting for me. This time it rocked back and forth as if it was on the boat with me, never able to get its grip on me.

I came to in a bed I didn't recognize. It was big and very comfortable. It wasn't the standard rectangle-shaped bed; this one was shaped like a comma. It had a large area where my head was, but then it slowly thinned out toward my feet and had a slight curve to it. I sat up slowly and realized I was in John's room. It was nicely furnished with nautical antiques everywhere. Next to me, on an old, rustic metal and wood end table secured to the wall, was a glass of water, slowly rocking with the boat. I closed my eyes, hoping not to get seasick again, and fortunately I didn't. I swung my legs around and found my pants and shirt neatly placed by the side of the bed. I got dressed and ventured out into the hallway. A couple of lamps lit my way. I didn't hear anything except for Riley snoring. It must have been the middle of the night. I looked in on the girls and could see Elle, sleeping soundly with a crooked little smile, which made me happy.

I made my way up the stairs to the pilot house. And sure enough, John was sitting there, gazing out of the large window over the ocean. Snow filled the beams of light casting off the front. It was snowing pretty hard.

"Finally got your sea legs, huh?" John said, spinning his large leather captain's chair around to face me.

"I guess," I said, feeling kind of embarrassed for getting sick.

"Don't worry yourself about that now. When me and the missus first started out, I got sick often."

I smiled, feeling a little better.

"So you're married?" I changed the subject because I could feel the nausea lingering. I grabbed a full pack of Tic Tacs in my pocket, eating several. I was thankful that Cora, Genevieve and Elle were on the boat with me, because one of them most likely made sure I had a fresh pack with me.

"Yes, I'm married, but she has been gone twelve years now. Died of breast cancer. Cancer sucks," he said, spitting onto the ground.

"I'm so sorry," I said, shaking my head.

"Don't be sorry. We had thirty wonderful years together. If it wasn't for her adventurous spirit, I would never have found my love of the sea. It was her idea to sell everything we owned to buy this here ship," he said, patting the steering wheel as if the ship knew he was talking about it.

"Barbara loved the water, growing up in Nova Scotia." He continued to speak, but what he said became muffled by the roar of the engine. I don't think he was talking to me anymore.

"I better get back down below to get some more sleep," I said.

"You can sleep when you're dead. Come here. I need your help." He motioned me over to where he was.

As soon as I was next to him, he began to teach me everything there was to know about the ship. He went over maps, radio calls, how the engine has little quirks. After what had to be about an hour of instruction, he said, "I'm going down to get some shut-eye. I'll be back in about four hours."

I opened my mouth to reply, but he was already heading down the stairs.

"Don't worry about anything. We'll be in a snow storm for the next day or so and we are in open water. All you have to do is keep the boat on its current heading. Just don't hit any icebergs."

I was alone, steering the ship through a snow storm with no idea what I was really doing except for the brief lesson I had just received. For the first hour or two I held onto the wheel, gripping it so tightly that my hands eventually began to hurt and ache. Relaxing a little bit, I sat up in the captain's chair.

"Why aren't you still in bed?" Elle asked, coming up the stairs, scaring me.

I jerked the wheel to the right and then back to the left to correct my sudden movement, settling back on the course straight ahead.

"Did you hear me? You should still be in bed," she said, more caring this time, not scolding.

"I was feeling better, so I got up and you were all asleep, so here I am."

"But why are you steering the boat? Where is John Marker? It's his ship."

"He gave me a lesson on how to do all of this and then he just left me. I had no idea that he was going to leave me. He said he needed to get some sleep."

Elle put her arm around me, settling her hand around my waist and resting her head on my shoulder. The movement of her hand sent welcomed electricity through me, making me invincible. Any sickness that lingered was gone now with her near me.

"So what do you think will be waiting for us when we get there?" Elle asked.

"I'm not sure what's in store for us. But I'll make sure you're safe at all times. We just need to get through this. That's it."

"I want to help you," she paused and took a deep breath. She was looking right into my eyes; she had me locked in her gaze. I was helpless. I closed my eyes and looked away to gain some composure.

"The best way for you to help me is for you to stay safe," I said, giving her a kiss. The warmth of her lips felt like little pieces of sunshine.

She didn't say anything else. She turned around and leaned against me. We both stared out into the snow-filled night as I continued to steer the ship straight ahead.

We weren't left alone at the helm long. Riley found us and immediately took over steering the boat, saying some choice words under his breath about John. Elle and I went down into her cabin. I cuddled up on the bed, laying my head on her lap as she played with my hair. I quickly drifted off.

"Thank you all for coming with me. This was a great experience," John said sarcastically to us as we got off his ship.

"The only reason he's happy is because you guys fixed his stupid lobster traps and we cleaned this boat for the first time in forever," Genevieve said, pulling her large duffle onto a bench next to the small dock. We had arrived in a small fishing village with several tiny boats scattered along the coast.

"Everyone, let's go. Don't worry about your stuff. It will be there when you arrive." A man in plain, gray work clothes appeared. "The plane is leaving in three minutes with you or without you."

"He's a Sil," Noel said. "I can tell by his clothing."

"Can he be trusted?" Riley asked, moving in front of our group as if to block the Sil from us.

"All Sils are trustworthy. They have a sworn duty to take care of Thusians and Valcary Hill. So yes, they are extremely trustworthy."

"I have instructions to make sure you get there before most of the others arrive," the man said.

We quickened our pace and followed him around some bushes and trees. It was still dark; the sun wasn't even peeking out yet. It was hard to keep up with him. His long strides made it seem like he was jogging. We turned another corner and came to a small airfield, nestled right by the ocean, with only a single runway.

"There's no way in the world I'm getting on that," Genevieve said.

A very old plane sat at the far end of the runway. And sure enough, that was where we were headed.

It looked like a bomber used in World War II or something. It was old but it looked like it had never been used. It shined even without the sun, making it look brand new.

"No need to worry. This plane is more reliable than any of those new private jets," he said, opening and lowering a platform from the back of the plane.

We hurried up the ramp into the belly of the plane. It was mostly hollow. The only things in it were five rows with five seats each secured right in the middle of the floor. They looked so out of place sitting in the middle of the cargo area. The ramp closed behind us and the plane began to move almost immediately. Caught off guard by the sudden movement, we all rushed to the seats.

As soon as we were seated and buckled, the plane accelerated and took off. The sound of the engines was so loud, almost deafening. Once in the air, the loud roar died down enough to hear if anyone wanted to talk, but it seemed as if everyone was content to sit silently in their seats. Elle was next to me, and Riley sat by Cora behind us. Everyone else spread out among the rows. After about thirty minutes, I looked around to see what they were all doing. Riley motioned for me to come back.

"I'm going to talk to Riley," I said to Elle.

As I took off my seat belt and stood up, Elle started reading a book she had pulled out of her purse.

I held onto the seat firmly so I wouldn't be thrown due to any unexpected turbulence.

"Cora and I have been talking about Elle," Riley said as soon as I sat down.

"What about her?" I asked, looking up to see if Elle could hear us. But over the roar of the plane, I doubted she could.

"We are concerned about why Ester didn't stop her from coming to a place where non-Thusians are forbidden to go. I don't want her to be harmed," Cora said.

"I don't either," I responded.

"Ester could've stopped this from happening if she wanted to," Riley said.

"It's not like her to be blindsided," Cora said.

"I think it may be some sort of test," Riley said.

"Before the Trials begin?" I questioned.

"Yes, although I'm not sure what the point of it is," Cora said.

"Maybe we can leave her in a safe house or something," Riley said.

I stood, shaking my head "no" and maneuvering back up to Elle.

Even if I wanted to leave her behind, I couldn't. She would be left unprotected, and there was no way she would agree to it. She'd been plotting with Genevieve this whole time to get into the Trials. If she was there, at least I could protect her.

The plane came to a bumpy landing and this time a side door opened. The same Sil was standing there to greet us.

"Okay now, everyone into the boat."

Some large snowflakes had begun to fall as we got out of the plane. Our escort brought us big, overstuffed red jackets with matching gloves, hats, and scarves. Each fit us perfectly, just as if they had been made for us.

We were on a small river no wider than a couple of boat lengths across. On each side of us were tall, sheer cliffs made out of black and tan rock. The boat was going very fast along the river; one wrong turn and we would crash. But from the way our captain was steering, he looked as if he had done this a million times, anticipating each turn before it came up.

The winter wind stung. Several times I put my hands up to my face to warm my cheeks. I wasn't sure how long this trip was going to be, but I was hoping it would be short. My toes were beginning to get really cold. If I had known we were going to be outside on a boat ride, I would have worn boots instead of my gym shoes.

Then the boat engine shut off, and the boat drifted ahead to a dock that was only visible once we got close to it. A dense fog had descended all around us.

A very slender woman with pale white skin and hair as dark as night stood on the dock, waiting for us. She was our welcome party.

"Hello. Please be careful as you get out and follow me to the inn. You need to get some rest. We'll leave early tomorrow morning. Please make sure when you come down from your room that you have already put on your Shroud so we can make the journey to Valcary Hill without stopping."

We followed her up from the river to a large inn that reminded me of some type of wooden shoe. It looked Dutch, and appeared to be carved out of a single piece of wood. There were no seams anywhere. Our group was assigned to two rooms, which were connected by a shared bathroom.

"Make sure not to leave your rooms for any reason. Food will be brought to you and your clothes for tomorrow have already been laid out for you. If you need anything, please pick up the phone and ask for Aldara. I'm the Kellers' Sil.

"Genevieve, Riley, and Noel, I assumed you weren't in need of yours. If this is not the case, all you need to do is inform me and I will fetch them. Have a good night. See you in the morning."

She shut the door. The door locked from the outside. Noel went to the door and locked it from the inside also.

"Hello, are you in here now?" Chase's voice came from the adjacent room.

Chase and Walter walked in from the bathroom.

"How did you guys get here so fast?" I asked.

Walter answered, "Council members take direct routes here. And I brought Chase with me to take care of any Thusians who might need medical care when they arrive."

Cora didn't waste any time. "Glad to see you two are here, but we need to figure out how to get Elle into Valcary Hill now."

"I don't think she should go; it's too dangerous. I don't care what the Council decided," Noel said.

"I don't want to hear another word about Elle being left behind," Genevieve said. "Cora's right, we need to get a plan together to get her in. Just because she was told to come, we shouldn't think it's going to be easy to sneak in a non-Thusian."

"Chase, Walter—no offense, but I think it's best to not talk about anything in front of you guys when it comes to the plan. The fewer people who know, the better," I said.

"You're right for thinking that. The two of us should go into the other room while you talk," Walter said.

They left us in the room alone to figure things out. I hadn't noticed before, but the room was incredible. It belonged in an old fairy tale with its décor.

Genevieve had gone into the bathroom and came out wearing a skimpy nightgown. "I feel so much better. Let's talk about getting Elle into Valcary Hill."

"Over the ages, it has been used by the Keepers to bring Thusians together for fellowship, kind of like a reunion of sorts," Riley said, opening his dad's journal and reading from it. "They would also celebrate Thusians who had sacrificed their lives in glorious ways. But when the Council and the Seekers were formed, Valcary Hill was used to select the 100 Seekers. After that, it was used for the Trials."

"So how about getting non-Thusians in?" Genevieve asked. I glanced over at Elle and she was wide-eyed. I guess it was easier for her to be brave when she wasn't anywhere near here.

"Mark said that once we're inside Valcary Hill, we'll be in a main room, a type of holding place where all the Thusians will gather. We'll have to get her past the acacia tree. After that, no one can ask if someone is a Thusian or not. Before the Council existed, the Keeper would just stand in the front and ask each person's name, and he knew who was a Thusian and who wasn't."

"This doesn't seem too hard," Genevieve said.

"Wait, there's more," Riley said, annoyed.

"If a non-Thusian was found present, even back hundreds of years ago, they were killed on the spot, cut down where they stood. I'm sure the Council has kept the same tradition. Since everyone wears a Shroud to protect their identity, they will have everyone go one by one and give their names and show their faces to a Council member. At least that's what I think. Mark was vague about that," Riley said.

"I was there when Mark talked about the Trials and everything else. I don't remember any of this," I said to Riley.

"You didn't know because he only told Riley and me," Cora said.

"Why would he do that? I thought we were in this together," I asked angrily.

"Yeah, there are four of us, I mean five of us, that this affects," Genevieve said.

Riley shot her a mean look and said, "Mark was given specific instructions to only tell us—"

"By who?" I demanded.

"Bernard," Cora said.

My mind wrestled with the idea that Bernard, even from the grave, was still playing games with me, keeping me in the dark.

"It doesn't matter now," Genevieve said. "We need to get Elle in safely."

Elle's face had become white as a ghost. She was still sitting up straight like she was ready for anything, but her face told a different story. Genevieve was next to her, rubbing her shoulders.

"Don't worry, Mark has given us a way to get her in," Riley said with Cora nodding her head.

"Jill Lacker will not be attending because her family did not pass down the Thusians' knowledge and she has been missing for over a year now."

"How do you know that?" I asked, sounding skeptical.

"Because she's Mark's cousin."

"But what about when Elle shows her face?" Genevieve asked.

"Simple: we make sure that she's in line with a Council member who doesn't know her," Riley said, sounding like it was a fool-proof plan.

I wasn't too sure about it. It seemed too simple and easy to mess up. But it was all we had right now, and if somehow Bernard was helping Mark with those journals, then I should trust the current Keeper. I also couldn't let on that I had any doubts because that would make Elle so scared she wouldn't be able to go through with it.

"This plan will work," I said, hoping it would reassure her. She smiled and squeezed my hand. Either she believed me or she was pretending and just being brave. All I knew was that if she was somehow discovered, I would make sure she wasn't killed, even if it meant sacrificing my life for her. With that thought, the fire in me suddenly came to life.

Elle and I sat on one of the beds away from everyone else. We were just content to be next to each other. We talked about how we had met and all the craziness that had happened leading up to this point in our lives. We both slept off and on throughout the night, but never at the same time. I watched her sleep and when I would wake, she was watching me.

"Nicholas, Nicholas," a voice penetrated my sleep.

"Is everything okay?" I asked, sitting up in bed, panicked.

"I want to tell you something," Elle said.

I rubbed my eyes and sat up, propping myself against the headboard. Elle was already sitting up.

"You know that I think you should be with someone who can help you," she said.

Not this again, I thought. Why would she wake me up to talk about this?

I rubbed my eyes, trying to make my vision less blurry. "I love you. I don't want anyone else."

"I know. I can give you the support you need, but I can't help you with all of this Thusian Trials stuff. I'm not special like you and Genevieve."

I lifted my hand in frustration, putting it on my head because of a headache coming on. How could she doubt herself as much as she did?

"Genevieve is able to give you the emotional support you need, plus she can protect you in ways that I can't. I know how much she cares for you. Everyone can tell by the way she looks at you and reacts to everything you say and do. It's like you're a couple already. She would do anything for you, like I would, but the big difference is I can't protect you."

"Elle, nothing is going to happen between us," I said, gently taking her hand.

I brought her hand up to my mouth and kissed it. I was trying to reassure her but the gesture was also for me.

The next morning, we heard the outside door to our room being opened. We unlocked our side, and saw Aldara standing there.

"I hope everyone had a pleasant time here. If everyone could put on your Shrouds, I will be taking you to Valcary Hill in a half hour after a light breakfast." A boy in his teens who was dressed like Aldara brought in a tray filled with pastries and fruit.

Riley and Cora kept reminding Elle while we ate that she was to be Jill Lacker. Aldara brought in the Shrouds that Cora had packed for us. Everyone put theirs on. The black, somewhat worn and dirty, long-hooded cloaks did make it impossible to tell who was who, despite the Shrouds being made of loosely woven, almost see-through fabric. The only person who stuck out was Walter. He'd only be hidden if there was another 6'5" Thusian walking around.

"Wearing these things is stupid. It's not like it's going to stop Xavier from doing anything," Genevieve complained as we followed Aldara.

"Thusians wore the Shrouds, not because they were scared of Seekers, but because they were scared to reveal their identities to the Council of the time," Aldara said.

"Why would they be scared of them? Seekers are the threat. Not twelve Council members, even though I think they can be just as bad as Xavier's lot," Riley said.

She responded, "As you probably know, a long time ago the Council wanted to determine the top 100 Thusians, who would be known as the Seekers. Many Thusians believed that if they hid their identity from the Council, it would protect them and their families from going through this cruel selection process of pitting Thusian against Thusian. So more of them began to wear the Shrouds. That's how the tradition of wearing the Shrouds came about."

Aldara opened the door to the outside, revealing some lingering fog, although it wasn't nearly as dense as it had been last night. We followed her out the front door to a thick forest a stone's throw away. A narrow, cobblestone path gradually appeared underneath our feet. As we walked farther, the path weaved in and out of large thick trees as big and round as cars. Vines joined the trees together overhead, adding to the already thick, leafy canopy. Every once in a while, the path was broken up by a large root jutting out of the forest floor. Aldara moved over or around it, never missing a beat. I assumed she had made this trek so many times, committing it to memory. Even wearing the Shrouds, I was cold. We had left our coats behind because they didn't fit under our disguises.

Elle walked right in front of me and slowed down from time to time to make sure I was there with her. I reached out and grabbed her hand to let her know I was there.

Aldara wasn't wearing any type of coat. She was wearing a gray blouse and a long gray skirt. She seemed completely comfortable in the cold woods. As we traveled farther, a thick, dark, leafy green vine began to cover the path.

Aldara disappeared in front of us, going down a steep hill. The path changed from cobblestone to rough, flat rocks, clear of any vines. It was a very crude stairway down. A rolling blanket of fog fell down the hillside over everything, becoming thicker as we descended. Considering how many people had been summoned here, I was surprised I hadn't seen or heard anyone yet. Small trees were growing out of the vines, reaching up toward the sky. The descent ended and all around us were sickly looking plants, each being choked by the vines. It was eerie.

The low-lying fog was now gone, and the cold of winter seemed to let up the farther we went. The air became warmer and warmer with each step, and I became hotter and hotter with each step. The Shrouds weren't helping. Now I knew why Aldara didn't have on heavy clothes. The temperature had to be above seventy degrees.

We left the wooded area and began walking through lush, tall green grass, like in the plains of Kansas. It was odd to see lush plant life in the middle of winter, but it was here nonetheless. Ahead of us were some castle ruins that looked to be in the process of falling down. There was a drawbridge, which looked newer, and around the castle ruins was a moat. Besides the drawbridge, there wasn't much left of the castle. Aldara walked straight toward the bridge. I had dropped Elle's hand once we were in the clearing to make sure that if anyone was watching, they wouldn't get tipped off about who was who. Aldara motioned toward the ruins, extending her arm away from her chest and holding four fingers toward the ground. The drawbridge lowered. We followed her onto the bridge. Thick white plumes of steam rose up from the bubbling water below us. It had to be some sort of natural hot spring.

We hurried to the other side as Aldara stopped and waited for us to catch up. Then the drawbridge lifted and closed behind us. Inside it was as I expected—nothing more than some old, moss-covered ruins. Aldara walked straight toward a large boulder in the middle of the courtyard, which was covered by a group of flowering trees that had taken root and now called this ruin home. She nudged the boulder and it rolled to the side with ease, as if it was weightless. She hurried in and we followed. The rock fell behind us, sealing us in. We walked down a couple more stairs and through a plain wooden door to a large round room that was as big as a football field. It could easily fit thousands of people into it.

"This is the place where you'll wait until the rest of the guests have arrived."

Aldara turned and walked away, returning the way we had come. There were several groups of cloaked figures in the room already, but not many. Along with the other Thusians were some people dressed like Aldara, wearing all gray. The room itself was palatial; it looked fit for a queen. It had an incredible mural of the heavens painted on the dome-shaped ceiling, covering it completely. Around the walls were paintings, tapestries and hundreds of different doors. We were underground, but it was amazing to see how much natural light was still in the room. I couldn't quite make out what the source of light was. As we walked around the room, I spotted the entrance to where the Trials would take place, which was narrower than I had anticipated. The acacia tree reached all around the entrance, making the space even smaller. The tree's flowers looked like bright yellow pom-poms. The beauty of it almost hid the thorns that covered all the branches. There was no way Elle could get through, even if she got a Council member who didn't know her. Such a small entrance would force everyone to stand close together, making it almost certain that someone would recognize her.

More and more Thusians arrived wearing their Shrouds. Some were different materials and styles, but all were black and hid their identity completely. The doors around the room continued to open, and only after the room was nearly filled did the crowd quiet down. There were some whispers, but no other sounds. I wanted to tell Cora, Genevieve and Riley that I thought our plan would most likely fail, but I didn't want to chance it.

"Welcome, brothers and sisters." Walking through the entrance past the acacia tree was Ester. She was flanked by James Caldwell and a male Sil.

"I would like to welcome all of you," she said with open arms. "We have some very exciting things ahead of us. We're all here to pass judgment and conduct the Thusian Trials. This has not happened in such a long time. Someone has claimed that The 7 has been formed to bring a balance to the Thusians. We are here to put the One through the Trials to see if he has truly succeeded. These are exciting times if indeed The 7 has been formed. Normally, as everyone knows, these Trials can last a long time, because there's no required time limit for completion. So, we have decided to only have them last for one month. As you know, a world without Thusians would be a world that spins out of control. We don't want that," she said with a small smile, and the crowd seemed happy to hear that.

"Now, before we allow you past the acacia tree, you need to form six lines and slowly walk up to the different Council members. When you reach the front of the line, please give your name, so we can confirm that you're part of the Thusian bloodline. We also ask for you to raise your hoods just enough to allow the member to see your identity. See you inside."

Six people came forward in their Shrouds. They turned and faced the group and removed their hoods. We were in luck. None of them would recognize Elle except Clare Winters, but at least I knew she was on our side. The plan would work. Relief washed over me.

Our group broke up and got into different lines. Noel, who was the shortest in our group, walked by me and headed to the wall. She hugged it all the way around to the front, skipping the lines. She stopped next to James Caldwell, who was watching the people form the lines. He leaned down toward her. He was listening intently to something she was saying. He hurried to the front of the lines and disappeared behind the acacia tree, returning after a very short time with Ester. She had a very intense look on her face. She stood right behind the six Council members who were about to begin the process of admitting people. Noel hadn't moved. What was she up to? Our plan was not going to work if Noel added a new wrinkle to it. At the same time, Riley and Cora left their lines, coming over to us. I couldn't see Genevieve any longer. Cora and Riley stood behind Elle like a shield and I was in front of her.

"May I have your attention please? We've been made aware that there's a non-Thusian here, and someone requested this be announced to everyone here. On these hallowed grounds, all requests have to be shared openly. And because we are bound by those rules, I am required to tell you this now."

With the mention of that, the room began to buzz with shock and disbelief.

"Quiet, quiet," she said, waiting for the room to become silent again. "If a non-Thusian is discovered, then we will deal with them according to our laws."

What had Noel done? My insides began to burn. My mind became crystal clear. Everything around me was muted. I looked around and different scenarios were playing out in front of me. I moved out of line, leaving Elle, Riley and Cora, and walked down the middle toward Ester, taking off my hood.

"Excuse me," I yelled as I walked toward them. Everyone around me moved so I now had a clear path the whole way up to the front.

"My name is Alexander Nicholas Taylor Keller. You are all here because of me, and for that I'm sorry." I climbed a couple of stairs and turned to face everyone.

"I'm the one who claimed to have completed The 4, thus completing The 7. But before we enter, I would like to challenge Ester and the Thusian Council, of which I am a member. Asking us to take off our hoods as we enter to reveal our identities to a Council member is wrong."

Ester stepped forward next to me. "Nicholas, what is there to challenge? We've been doing this for a thousand years. We have to make sure that no non-Thusians enter, and from what we just learned, there's one here."

She knew Elle was here. She was the one who said she had to come.

"Am I correct in saying that all Thusians are welcome here, even Seekers?" I asked.

The crowd gasped.

"Yes, but what's your point? That's why we make sure no one else can see their faces, except for the six Council members." Ester said, laughing like I was making her point for her.

"But who's to say that some Seekers aren't also part of this Council? How can we show our identities to a Seeker, which would give them access to what we look like? Isn't the whole point of these Shrouds to keep our identities secret from the Seekers, keeping us safe?" I said even louder, trying to prove my point, hoping to get some support from the crowd.

"I know none of the Council members up here are Seekers, and it's important to make sure no non-Thusians get through. Can you imagine what would happen if our ways were revealed to the non-Thusian world? Our way of life would cease to exist and all the people we protect and serve would be left defenseless and—"

I interrupted Ester. "But don't you think that the Thusians' Final Sacrifices are more important than any of that?"

"Well, of course I do, but—"

"Because you would be jeopardizing the people you want to protect," I interrupted again. "If everyone were to reveal their faces to possible Seekers, it would put their Final Sacrifices in jeopardy, because the whole purpose of the Seekers is to end Thusians' lives before they complete their Final Sacrifices. I know the Seekers focus on Thusians who don't know who or what they are, but I can tell you I've been attacked many times and everyone here, including me, knows I'm a Thusian." My mind was clear with purpose and logic, and my heart was pumping steadily. There was no way she could get out of this one.

The crowd started to get out of its lines, moving away from the entrance.

She held up her arms and said, "Nicholas has made a valid point and I agree with him. Not that I believe any of these Council members are Seekers, but I do agree Thusians have the right to hide their identities for the protection of themselves and their families. So all you will need to do is give your name to match it to the list. Once you're past the acacia tree, your family Sil will take you to your family vault."

I walked down from the front and got in a line nowhere near Elle. My line went very quickly. When it was my turn to walk up the stairs, James Caldwell greeted me next to Clare Winters, who was laughing when I got up to her. James gave me an evil stare as Clare motioned me past.

I walked under the acacia tree, putting my hood back up once I was on the other side. Standing in front of me, blocking my way, was a person dressed in a black Shroud laced with blood-red threading, and of course he wasn't wearing a hood—it was Xavier.

"Nicholas, it is so good to see you again," he said, extending his hand.

I went at him, not sure what I was going to do when I reached him, but before I did, two cloaked figures grabbed both of my arms.

"Relax, Nicholas. It's a good thing Walter and Dane stopped you. I would hate for you not to be able to go through the Trials. Just in case you didn't know, any act of violence in here is a death sentence, for anyone." He made a slow throat-slashing gesture with his index finger. It enraged me more.

"It's not worth it," Walter said.

I pushed the fire down inside me, gaining control, if not for myself, for everyone else here, including Elle. Too much was riding on me. When this was over, I would get my chance to go after Xavier.

His blond hair was neatly combed over to the side, not like when I saw him in Baton Rouge. He still looked sickly with his skin pulled tightly over every bone in his face, making him look more like a skeleton.

Ester came up to us. "Is there a problem here, Xavier? I can easily make it so you will never leave this place again, because if I suspect anything, I will put you in a deep dark hole. You know the rules. All Thusians will treat each other with respect. Everyone is welcome here, even you," she said, getting in his face. "Don't push your luck." The way Ester said that even made me a little uneasy. She wasn't someone to mess with. She motioned to a Sil, who walked over immediately.

"I was just welcoming Nicholas," Xavier said. He stepped away and bowed to her. Then he turned to the Sil and said, "Mason, take me to my quarters," and they left.

"Nicholas, make sure you stay away from him," Ester said. "I can't, I mean, we can't afford for anything to happen to you. You just need to get through this." Her eyes were sympathetic and warning. She then walked out of the entrance again to oversee things.

"Nicholas, put on your hood and go out. Then come back through in ten minutes. I'll have Aldara take you to your room," Walter said.

"Listen to him, you moron," Genevieve said, walking up to us with her hood still pulled down over her face. "I don't want to explain to Elle why her boyfriend got killed by the one person we were trying to avoid."

I pulled my hood over my face and walked back into the holding area.

I can't believe he was that arrogant to just walk up to me, I thought as I stood near the door in the back of the round room. What was he trying to do? Probably hoping I would do something stupid, which almost happened.

I took a couple of deep breaths, pulling off my hood so I could breathe better. There was no one left in here; I was alone. Aldara stepped through the opening. I hurried over to her, pulling my hood over my face. She led me past the tree. For the first time, Valcary Hill was now all I could focus on, and I was in awe.

We were in an open space that connected to a balcony in front of us, creating a large oval, bigger than the room we were waiting in. The room was made of rough white stones with flecks of other colors in them, each stacked randomly regardless of shape and size. This created an uneven pattern, making the walls look as if they were naturally formed. She led me up to the balcony in the center so I could see over it. On the inside of the oval was nothing but open air, both up and down. Every few feet were large stone pillars covered in vines lining the balcony. Each supported the level above and below it. Aldara led me to the right side of the oval, slowing enough that I could take everything in; I couldn't believe how incredible this place was. I moved closer to one of the pillars, grabbing hold of it so I could lean over and get a better look; it was breathtaking. There were five levels below us and at least a dozen or more above. Each level looked almost identical to the one we were on. The vines stretched all the way down from the sky. Water was falling between the levels like miniature waterfalls, becoming just small drips as it reached the lower levels. I leaned forward even further and looked up. Vegetation and vines were everywhere above us, with small rays of sunlight coming through. I couldn't really tell how high it went up because of the dense vegetation. Down at the bottom, the floor was made of smooth red and tan volcanic rock. Circling the giant pit were jagged rocks, all at different levels, like some sort of stadium seating. So this was where Thusians were made to fight each other to the death, I thought. Along with the rough seating, there were several small pools scattered throughout, with steam rising up into the air. No wonder there was so much plant life. The steam created a tropical climate for the plants to flourish in.

"This is your vault," Aldara said to me, getting my attention. She was standing in front of a door with the word oikoß and with the Thusian stamp over it.

"I tried to show the others from your group to their family-inherited vaults, but they refused, so for now they are in here. I apologize for that, Nicholas," she said, lowering her head.

"Don't worry, Aldara. It's fine."

"I'm sorry for letting you down," she said, not looking up.

I stepped close to her and took her hand. "Don't apologize. You've been so kind to help us."

She whispered, "My job is to wait on your family, no matter what you ask of me. We are bound by our sacred oath to support you in every way."

"If that's your job and you must do what I ask, then I'm telling you to stop acting like you're not my equal, because you are. Just talk to me normally. Do you have a map of this place? I'm not sure I could find my way back," I said, laughing a little.

She smiled. "I can do that, and thank you, Nicholas."

I opened the door and she closed it behind us.

"Your space consists of more than twenty rooms. Your vault is one of the largest for any Thusian family."

"Why do Cora and I have so many rooms?"

"Your Thusian family lineage used to be one of the largest," she said, walking farther in. "I'll leave you to explore. If you need anything, all you need to do is ask out loud. I'll be able to hear your request," she said with a smile and walked out the door.

I didn't see or hear the others, but I knew they were somewhere in this fortress. The inside looked like a castle fit for royalty. All of the stone was polished and the plant life was lush and well-kept. I stayed in the large entrance way for a couple of minutes just looking around, amazed at how big it was. How had my family line gone from filling this up to now only being Cora and me? An empty place in my heart seemed to scream for answers. I had lost my parents and both sets of grandparents. I had no relatives that I knew of. Cora and I were it.

I moved into a large room straight ahead, just off of the entrance. It had so many different styles of art in it, probably spanning hundreds of years. There was also a lot of furniture, further reflecting the age and diversity. I couldn't figure out what some of the pieces were. I walked over to a large, round, multi-colored cushion on the floor with a low, black metallic table over part of it.

"Nicholas, what were you thinking going after Xavier like that?" Cora asked, walking into the main room from a hall across the way, followed by everyone else.

"You could've ruined everything for us," Noel said, walking in side-by-side with Elle.

"You should talk. Why did you go up to the front and get them to announce that there was a non-Thusian there?"

"It was all a trap," she responded. "I was tipped off right before we were about to go up. They all had a picture of Elle, and they were waiting for her. I was alerting Ester so she could protect Elle. I told her The 4 would flee with Elle if they didn't let her in unannounced. As soon as I told her, Ester came up to make sure Elle would get through. If that hadn't worked, I was going to take Elle and run. I'm here to protect her, and I won't let any of you mess that up."

If that's what she was doing then I was grateful, but I wasn't ready to say thanks.

"Thank you, Noel," Elle said, going over and hugging her.

"Who tipped you off?" Riley asked.

"I'm not at liberty to say," she said.

"You need to tell us," he said. "You took a pretty big gamble doing what you did."

"I did what was necessary," Noel said defensively.

"No, Nicholas did what was necessary," Cora said. "And if it hadn't been for him, more people would have been in danger. In the future, you need to tell us everything. If you are truly only interested in protecting Elle, then you should know that if something happens to any of us," Cora paused and looked at Elle, "she would be devastated."

Elle nodded her head emphatically, and a look of understanding came over Noel's face.

"Enough of this for now," Cora said. "Let's explore our home for the next month."

We all walked out of the main room. Elle and Cora followed me as I wandered around the rest of the place. Each of the twenty rooms was big enough for dozens of people, complete with multiple showers and eating areas. You could see how over time the rooms became more modern, with additions that allowed connection to the outside world. I think Zane would have been jealous to see the type of gadgets and gizmos that were in here. Who was I kidding? The TABs probably developed most of it. Several different clear glass screens scattered around the room had control pads. Elle showed me that one was a TV that could be watched from either side. It would flip depending on where the viewer was. But to call it simply a TV was an understatement. It had several other features at the bottom, but I had no idea what they were all for.

"Have you already divided up the rooms?" I asked, staring at the large glass panel, which was showing lions running around on some nature channel.

"Riley has taken the room closest to the center. Genevieve and I are next to this room and Noel and Elle are in here," Cora said.

"So they decided not to stay with Livi in Noel's family vault?" I asked.

"I told them they had no choice," she said.

I was happy that Elle would be close to me, but I didn't know if I could trust Noel's judgment.

"We haven't seen Walter or Chase," Cora continued. "I believe they're staying in their own vaults. Your room is on the other side of this one. I figured you wanted to be close to Elle." She smiled. "Actually, we didn't have much say on where your room was. Aldara made sure you had the room next to us. Not sure why. She told us you were the only one allowed to stay in there, no one else."

I walked down to the next room, which had a large metal knocker hanging on the door. I was expecting the ghost of Jacob Marley to come out of it like it did in A Christmas Carol. I grabbed the door handle and pushed. It opened with ease, but I could feel the weight of it.

Bright light cascaded down from a window that was set high up on one of the side walls. The beams struck several glass and crystal pieces of art, which sent multi-colored light dancing around the room. But the light was only in certain areas, making it seem like the art was put in its place for a reason. My room was completely circular, reminding me of the records room in the Thusian Vault in West Virginia.

Off the main room there were several smaller rooms. One was a bedroom and another was a study and so on. The glass TVs were not as noticeable in here, as they blended into their surroundings. My stuff was placed by the bed with a note next to it that read, "I hope you enjoy the master suite in your family vault," and was signed with a simple A. I was guessing it was Aldara.

"Okay, everyone, let's come back to the main room after we get settled. We still need to discuss some stuff," Riley shouted from somewhere.

I found Elle and together we walked to the main room.

Genevieve was already in there, playing with a glass tablet that was showing some video.

"Where did you go right before we were getting into lines to get in here? You took off and I lost you. What were you up to?" I asked.

"Listen here, Dad. I don't have to report to you every time I do something," she said sarcastically.

I wasn't in the mood for this. "Actually, you do. If you aren't part of the team, then you're no use to me," I said coldly.

She didn't seem to care what I said; she just continued to watch the tablet. I had a sinking feeling that this was going to be the longest month of my life.

**

I was surprised to find Mark sitting on a large round chair that was hanging from a series of chains from the ceiling in the main room.

"How did you find our vault?" I asked.

"I watched for you when you came back in. I recognized Aldara and watched her bring you here."

"How are you settling in?" I asked him.

"Fine, I guess. My dad, uncle and cousins have been making our Sil, Jonas, run around, waiting on them hand and foot. He's already had to get more help from his support. It's embarrassing how they're acting. My mom and brother are locked in one of the rooms with a full staff of doctors and nurses. Chase came by and checked on him a little while ago." He got out of the hanging chair, almost falling.

"Careful, you don't want to get hurt on the first day," I said with a laugh.

"Nicholas, I'm glad you went after Xavier," he said.

"You are?" I couldn't imagine anyone thinking it was a good idea.

"It was good because when Ester came up to the two of you, she said something about rules, which I find interesting."

"Yeah, the rule about not killing each other in Valcary Hill, because every Thusian is welcome—what about it?"

"No, she said rules not rule, meaning there is more than one. I don't remember reading anything about any rules, but we need to find out more about them. I think this could help us. Not knowing the rules will definitely hurt you and the others when going through the Trials."

"Mark, why didn't you share with me—"

But before I finished the question, he answered, "Bernard gave me some very specific instructions on what to share and when. You know I wouldn't do it if I didn't have to. Keeping things from you was difficult."

"I understand, if it's what Bernard asked of you."

I wasn't really okay with it, though. I wished he could just share everything with us. But he had to do what he thought was right, and I had to believe that Bernard wanted us to succeed.

The rest of the day we all discussed different things. Riley and Cora talked about how we were allowed to leave our vaults whenever we wanted to, but decided for us that it was best to keep a very low profile. Whenever we needed anything, we would ask Aldara to help get it.

Mark, Elle and Noel talked about the rules that Mark had now become obsessed with. I tried to listen to both groups, but it was no use. My head was hurting being here and seeing Elle. My biggest fear had come true. All I could do now was stare at her.

After the initial day, it started to become maddening just sitting in these rooms, waiting for something to happen. We had tons of entertainment and any type of food we desired. But we were still confined like lab rats.

I tried to enjoy my time with Elle, but we were never alone. There was always someone in the room with us or around the corner. My nightmares had returned to full strength being here. Worrying about Elle's safety seemed to just feed them, making my nights long and sickening. Luckily Aldara was able to get me more white Tic Tacs, because at the rate I needed them, I would be out of my stash in a couple of days.

**

"Can we help? We're bored out of our minds," Genevieve said with Elle standing by her side.

"Sure, but I'm not really sure what I'm looking for. Mark has me searching for anything that might explain the rules. He has come up empty several times looking through Bernard's journals."

The three of us went through my room, looking for anything to help. Elle was next to me the whole time. A couple of times she would pick up a normal object and pretend like it was telling her something, putting it up to her ear. The first time, I didn't know what she was doing. But after that, she got a laugh out of me each and every time, with Genevieve shaking her head, laughing too.

We never did make any discovery; Mark said the same was true at his place later that evening. He even tried to question his dad and family, but they just ignored him. Only his loud and obnoxious Uncle Leo ever answered him and that was usually an insult.

We decided to keep both Noel and Elle in the dark about anything that had to do with the Trials. I believed the less Elle knew, the better. I didn't want her to risk her life any more than she already was.

"Excuse me," Aldara said. We were all in the front room when she came in. "I would like to know if it's okay for my son Logen to come with me tomorrow to help bring your supper. He has been lonely staying in our room by himself."

I never thought that she may in fact have her own family; I just assumed she was single.

"Of course," Cora said.

"Another favor, if I may. Our Christmas Eve is tomorrow—we are celebrating it late because of everyone's arrival—and it's a tradition to give gifts to others. Would it be okay if Logen and I came down to give you gifts?"

Cora stood up to object because I knew she didn't think it was right to get gifts and not give one in return.

"Cora, I know you didn't plan on this, but my son made these little trinkets and would like to give one to each of you. I have told him all about you."

"Of course," I said with Elle and Genevieve nodding their heads in agreement right next to me.

Aldara smiled big. "Thank you." She turned to walk back out, but then turned to say something more.

"So sorry I forgot, Ester Theasing would like for all of you to come to dinner tonight. You should wear your Shrouds if you are going, but once you're there, the Shrouds won't be necessary."

"We would love to go," Riley said.

She promptly turned and shut the door.

"Are you crazy?" Genevieve said. "We need to avoid all the other Thusians, remember what you and Cora decided for us?"

"We need to get out of these rooms and see what we can discover," Riley said.

"Riley's right. We have to start getting out of here to discover—"

I stopped Cora mid-sentence, shocked that she would agree to go. "Umm, who are you?"

Everyone laughed.

Aldara came to get us a little later. We were already in our Shrouds ready to go when she arrived. Elle suggested that we should all switch Shrouds every time we go out to help hide our identities. It was a great idea, but I didn't want anything to happen to any of them because they were mistaken for me. My objections were dismissed as being paranoid, so I switched too.

Aldara went out the door and turned right, taking us to the other side of the large oval on the same floor. I was surprised to see so many other Thusians out walking around, as if this was a type of vacation. All of them had their hoods up. Several times I overheard groups of them laughing and carrying on. I even noticed two Thusians who didn't bother putting up their hoods. I didn't recognize them and they weren't Council members. How could they be so bold as to not wear their hoods?

When we reached the other side, we all walked through a roughly-cut stone entrance covered in thin vines with the most beautiful purple flowers I had ever seen. It gave off a very strong, sweet scent, like nothing I had smelled before.

"Over here," Ester said. She was sitting at a large wooden dinner table, set with elaborate place settings made of crystal and silver.

"Please take your Shrouds off. No one will see you in here."

We did as she asked. I was the first to take mine off, showing everyone it was okay. When we all sat, I noticed that there were still seats left unfilled. Riley and Cora were to my left and Elle was to my right with Noel by her other side.

"I've invited a few more guests to join us tonight," she said, pointing at the empty seats.

"Ester, thank you for the invitation. Everything is so beautiful," Cora said.

"Well, I'm so glad you came. I was afraid you wouldn't want to come, continuing to hide in your vault," she said with an impish grin.

"I don't get to eat in here too often, you know. I'm the only Thusian left in my family tree. So it does get quite lonely."

"This is your family's vault?" Elle asked.

"Yes, this is," she said. "The other rooms, like this, are also roughly cut out of rock with a lot of jagged edges. That's how my family wanted it. My ancestors were partially responsible for crafting Valcary Hill and they didn't think they deserved to have anything different from the way that it was originally crafted. So I've left everything as they wished it to be. No technology or anything else. The only thing I had to have was a bathroom," she said with a smile.

"Mrs. Theasing, where's your husband?" Elle asked.

Ester's face went stone-cold with no expression. She didn't answer at first, looking like she was unable to speak, but eventually she did. "He's not a Thusian."

She pointed past the side of the table at a small pool of water tucked into the corner, seeming to not want to dwell on her husband. "That's one of the many hot springs that keep us warm during the winter, but the only one that is actually in a family vault. This one is the coolest of the springs, only reaching 105 degrees. All the other ones are in excess of 140 degrees."

"Well, I'm glad to see we're not the first ones here."

I turned to see Xavier and Grey walking in. I jumped to my feet, and so did everyone at the table. Grey shuffled to the side in a defensive position as if we were about to fight. Behind him was Ashlyn, and I heard Genevieve gasp in shock.

"What are you doing here?" Ester demanded, looking stunned to see the three of them.

"I got an invitation too," Xavier said, handing his Shroud to Ester's Sil.

"It's time for us to leave," I said, staring at Xavier and Grey to make sure they knew I wasn't scared at all. They both just grinned sinisterly at me. Ashlyn avoided eye contact with me.

Everyone in our group stood and followed my lead toward the exit. Genevieve lingered for a minute, locking gaze with her sister, but then she put on her Shroud and followed everyone else. I didn't bother putting up my hood once we were outside.

"Please stay, we can take care of this," Ester said.

As we walked away, Xavier said, "I see that you're all changing your Shrouds around to throw people off. Very clever."

Aldara caught up with us about halfway to our vault. "I'm so sorry," she whispered. "I didn't know that he was going to come. His Sil wasn't aware."

Aldara continued to apologize once we got back to our vault. Both Riley and Cora reassured her that we weren't angry with her. The fire in me was roasting me alive, getting worse and worse. I tried to walk around, hoping it would calm me down, but it didn't. Elle gave me space to let me cool down, but I think I would have been better off with her near me, acting as a sedative to this illness. I walked by the main room where everyone was.

"What was that about?" Noel asked.

"Why wouldn't she block them from coming in?" Elle asked.

"And Xavier knows we are switching Shrouds," Noel said.

"She didn't do more because she's the head of the Council. She wouldn't want to do anything to upset Xavier," Cora said. "Remember, she's married to a non-Thusian. She and Henry would become prime targets."

Genevieve was off to the side in a corner. Our eyes locked onto each other. She was not part of the conversation they were having. She looked angry, more than I had ever seen. Seeing Ashlyn with Xavier seemed to be burning her up inside. I headed to my room to take a cold shower, hoping it would help put out the fire or at least make it more tolerable.

"Everyone, I would like to introduce my son, Logen," Aldara said, bringing her son in the next day right after dinner. He had the same pale skin as his mother, but his hair was not as dark as his mom's, and it was all spiked up. When she introduced him, he bowed to us as if he had just finished performing. All the women oohed and aahed over him. He then walked around, handing each of us a small gift wrapped in brown craft paper with a red ribbon around it.

"Logen, how old are you?" Elle asked.

Aldara answered for him. "Logen is five, and he doesn't speak."

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Elle said.

"It's fine. Logen, will you please run out and get the pie that Mommy made for our guests?" He saluted her and ran out of the room.

"Logen hasn't spoken since my husband Luke died last year. Logen and he were out gathering wood during the winter when Logen slipped and fell into the river close by. Luke jumped into the icy water to save him and was able to get him to a branch near the shore. The rest of the men were able to pull Logen out, but Luke was swept away by the current. After that, Logen never spoke again."

I looked down at the small gift Logen had given me.

He entered the room with a large apple pie that reminded me of ones my mom used to make, always in the fall. He had the biggest smile on his face, and I noticed he was missing one of his front teeth.

"Logen has made these gifts specifically for each of you. I told him all about you. Please, unwrap them," Aldara said with Logen nodding and smiling big.

I opened mine and found a small paper Christmas ornament shaped like a diamond that had the word 'believe' on one side and 'hero' on the other. I read it a couple of times. My heart and soul began to fill with confidence and power. How could this little boy inspire me with two simple words?

Aldara walked over to me and knelt down.

"Logen knew about your story well before you came here. We all knew about you. We remember when the earthquake happened so many years ago. The stories of your heroics and then your disappearance circled the Thusians and made their way back to us, even before you got the attention of the world. Logen thinks very highly of you," she paused and took a deep breath. "I know Logen thinks you and his dad are the same type of person, both heroes."

I watched Logen hard at work cutting the pie and putting it onto the plates for all of us. All of my anger about what happened yesterday had vanished. To this little boy, I was a hero like his dad, and that was incredible.

Genevieve came out of the hallway carrying a plant that had red and green leaves on it and set it on a table in the middle of the room.

"Look what I found everyone. It's our Christmas tree," she said, taking the ornament that Logen made her and placing it on a limb. One by one we all went over and hung our ornaments on the tree. Logen's eyes lit up.

Riley, Cora, Elle and Noel played a game of "Duck, Duck, Goose" with Logen. For this brief moment, we were all transported from this place, enjoying ourselves, not concerned about Trials, rules, or any books.

"So have you given any thought to the rules and how we can find them out, or anything else that has to do with the Trials?" Mark asked, entering the vault later and sitting down next to me on a long bench that was covered in brightly colored pillows.

"Actually, I haven't," I said, watching Elle and Genevieve continue to play with Logen.

Before Mark spoke again, Aldara came over to get my plate.

"I bet you're relieved about the first Trial," she said.

"Relieved, what do you mean?" I asked.

She looked up and then around. I realized by the way she was acting that she must have slipped up somehow.

"Aldara?" I questioned in a whisper. "Why would I be relieved?"

She stood there for a minute with a blank look. "Please don't tell anyone what I just said," she said, sounding frightened.

"We won't," Mark said.

"We won't tell anyone," I said, reassuring her.

She whispered, "Anyone here can call all the Thusians together to challenge anything, and in this case, to challenge that a Trial has been completed. I would have thought you had done that already, but that's all I can say," she said, gathering the rest of the plates and leaving with Logen.

"I need to speak to Genevieve, Riley, Cora and Mark by themselves," I said to Elle, who didn't look happy to be excluded.

"What about?" Noel asked.

I gave a look to Elle that we needed our privacy. She hesitated and then said to Noel, "Let's go." She still didn't look happy, but she left anyway.

"Aldara slipped up and said we must be relieved about the first Trial, and when we pushed her further, she told us that any Thusian could challenge that a Trial had already been completed," I said, looking around at all of them.

"What Trial? We haven't been out of our vault yet. The only time was when we went to eat with Ester," Genevieve said.

"Maybe that was some sort of trap, and the fact that we didn't stay was the way we passed the first Trial. It could very well have been the mental challenge, like Cora's talent," Riley said, sounding unsure.

"I don't think it was a trap and I didn't use any sort of talent when Xavier arrived. I just wanted to leave," I said.

"Aldara said we must be relieved, right?"

Mark and I nodded.

"So that's what it has to be," Riley said. "Before we do anything, we need to get more information about the challenge process and also see if Xavier and Grey were trying to trap us." He was sounding more confident as the conversation went on.

"Riley's right, we need to know more," Cora said, turning to ask Mark a question. "Is there anything in any of the journals that would help us learn about how the challenges work?"

Mark began to speak several times, but stopped and blankly stared off into space, lost somewhere in the pages of the journals.

"Boy, he's helpful," Genevieve said, standing up.

"Wait, Genevieve," I said. She sat back down. "What if I actually did complete a Trial? Wouldn't that help us even more? I think having the entire support of the Council and Thusians would help us in our fight against Xavier. So maybe I should try to complete the Trials. So...," I said, hoping someone would talk.

"I support whatever decision you make," Genevieve said first.

"I do too," Cora followed.

"You know I support it. I wasn't too happy with just hanging around for a month and not being any clearer on anything," Riley said, beaming a bright smile.

"I would like to bring Walter in on what we're talking about and tell him what we're going to do. He has knowledge that I think will be helpful," I said.

"I think that's an excellent thing to do," Mark said, snapping out of his trance. "Any time there is a challenge brought to the Council, it will result in a vote, right? So it would make sense for us to get as many Council members on our side. They can influence votes, I'm guessing, with so many..." He drifted off into space.

**

I asked Aldara to find Walter and tell him that I wanted to talk with him. It took her less than twenty minutes to return with Walter, which was great because the Sils knew where everyone was located. I didn't believe they would tell us where the others were, but it was still good to know.

"So how's it going hanging out in your vault? Almost a week over with; you're doing great," he said, extending his hand to shake.

I took it and he pulled me in for a hug.

"Ester told me about what Xavier did. I put Dane on following him around now, just so we can make sure we have no more surprises."

"That's kind of the reason why I wanted to talk. I need your help..." I hesitated, knowing he wasn't going to like what I was about to say. "I...I mean...we're going to try to complete the Trials."

The veins in his neck bulged and the muscle in his jaw went into overdrive. I thought he was going to explode.

"What do you think?" I asked, bracing myself.

"I..." he exhaled, "knew this was going to happen. It's not like you to sit back and just let things happen. You're too much like Joseph. So what's the plan, not that I support any of this?"

"Well, that's kind of why you're here. We need help in forming a plan. You are more familiar with planning operations."

Walter began to ask questions about what we wanted to accomplish. He told us about how things worked here and what the best way to get information was. He answered a lot of questions, but unfortunately created more. All of us were hoping he would expand on what Mark had told us about the challenge and vote, but that was not part of what he knew.

I walked with Walter on the way out of our family vault.

He stopped and turned to me, saying, "Nicholas, I know you won't share with me what your Letter is. But if you did know what yours was, then all of these questions would've been asked of you, not me. Reed was the person everyone went through when we had a problem, even Ester. I know you have a good reason for asking these things and for why you are going about it this way. But your Letter, I'm sure, is the most powerful one of the entire Council."

Maybe I should have spent more time figuring out what the Letter of Museums was all about. A short trip to Cincinnati would have been worth it to get Kip's backup copy of my Letter. But there was no reason to dwell on it. I was here now, and the Trials needed to be my priority, not some stupid Letter of Museums.

The next day we took turns leaving the vault in pairs for an hour at a time, thinking this would be the safest thing to do. We explored every part of Valcary Hill we could get to. We found out that the Sils lived in a different area that was connected by a series of tunnels to the main floor, which we were on. But none of us were able to go back there, because a group of Sils stood guard. We tried to find out where Xavier was staying, but it was impossible. Dane reported to Walter that each time he was able to follow him, Xavier somehow disappeared before they could see which level or vault he was staying in. Dane even had Piet start to follow Xavier too, but he had no more luck.

We also started to eavesdrop on different groups of Thusians to see if we could get any answers about a completed challenge, but nothing. We all doubted anyone would talk about it out in the open, but we were hoping. Cora and Riley even sat outside Ester's vault to see if they could get any answers, but for the hour they were there, no one came in or out.

"This is foolish. Let's go over to Ester's place again to see if we can get any information out of her this time," Riley said.

"Sounds good," I said, paired up with him this shift.

There were several people standing around the balcony overlooking the large pit. We made our way around to where Ester's door was. I couldn't believe I hadn't realized this before, but her place was the only one that didn't have an actual door to the entrance of her family vault. Could she really be that secure in the fact that no one would try to kill her?

Riley stopped just short of the entrance, making me run into his back.

"What?" I whispered.

Just inside her entrance were six men the size of Walter, all wearing the gray of the Sils. They didn't look like any of the Sils I had seen before. They all looked more like large boulders.

Both of us tried to enter but they didn't let us by. We tried to talk to them but it was as if we weren't even there. We waited there for a while, trying to figure out what was going on, but we had no luck. The group just stayed there, not speaking or doing anything with no sign of Ester.

We headed back to talk with the others, and unfortunately, no one else had found anything either. Aldara was elusive now. She never appeared with our food. It would be just sitting on the front table inside our door. Her son Logen frequented our place though, always cleaning up and clearing the dishes.

Since Elle and Noel weren't included in what we were doing, I found Elle playing hide-and-go-seek with Logen a couple of times. That evening, instead of spending time with me, she and Logen curled up in a little nook at the top of a staircase in her room made out of books that was invisible unless you were right by it, reading to him. It was good that she had something else to distract her, because if she had too much time, she wouldn't be content to sit back. I did feel a little twinge of guilt about not including her in my new plan. But this was for her protection.

**

It was New Year's Eve, and Aldara had prepared a big meal, based on a couple of Cora's suggestions. Everyone was there, including Chase, Mark, Walter, Dane and Piet. It was a much needed break from our fruitless searches.

Riley stood up and said, "I would like to do something that I've wanted to do for a long time." He fished in his pocket and pulled out the paper ornament that Logen made for him. He held it up for all of us to see.

"The ornament that was given to me reads, 'Trust,' and at first I thought I got someone else's ornament. But the more I thought about it, I realized that this was exactly what I needed to read. I have not been very open about pretty much everything, with any of you."

"You can say that again," Genevieve said, making everyone laugh.

"I'm still working on sharing things, but if it hadn't been for Cora, then I don't think I would have even tried. For me, forming The 4 was all about avenging my parents' killers and that was it, nothing else. I've been selfish, not considering anyone's feelings or really even caring for that matter."

He stopped and held up the ornament. "I don't think Logen was talking about me when he put 'Trust' on this. He was referring to someone else who makes me want to earn people's trust." He put his hand in his pocket and pulled out a ring with a diamond in the center. He moved away from the table and walked over to Cora, getting down on one knee.

"Cora, Logen could not have said it any better. I trust you more than anyone in this world and because of you, I want to become a better man and be trustworthy. It's been a long time since I trusted someone completely. You are my best friend and I love you. You're the one I want to spend the rest of my life with. Will you, Cora Keller, marry me?"

Cora's eyes began to water. I couldn't tell if she was happy or sad. She looked over at me.

"I asked for permission from Nicholas already," Riley said.

She began to cry. But she was smiling, to my relief.

"Yes," she forced out and then said, "Yes" again.

Everyone got up and surrounded her. Even Chase was congratulating them. It seemed he had moved on from his proposal.

Genevieve hugged Cora and hurried away. I followed her with my eyes as she left. Seeing me, Elle mouthed the words, "Go see what's wrong."

I was shocked she wanted me to. I went after Genevieve and found her in my room, sitting on a couch by the window.

"Are you okay?" I asked, sitting down by her.

"Nicholas, for being the One, you sure are dumb."

"I just came to check on you," I said, getting up.

"I'm jealous," she said. I turned back to look at her. "I'm jealous that Riley and Cora have each other. I'll never have that with you."

I couldn't believe she just came out and said that so blatantly.

"The day we got here you were so focused on protecting Elle. You weren't going to let anything happen to her. I saw it in your eyes when you were up front. You were willing to risk everything. Even when you were challenged by Ester, you outsmarted her. You did all of that for love. And that's something I will never know or have with you."

"Genevieve, you're right! That's brilliant," I said.

"Thanks, I know that. No reason to rub it in," she said, looking at me confused and hurt.

"I'm not talking about any relationship stuff," I said.

Then I said in a loud voice, "Aldara, I need to speak with you now."

"What do you want with her?" Genevieve asked.

"You'll find out," I said, walking to the entrance of the vault.

"What do you need?" Aldara asked, coming into the vault minutes later.

"I need to talk to Ester now. Can you take me?"

"Of course," she said, leading me out.

I guess I should have told the others what my plans were but in my mind this was the way it had to go.

**

We were all on the bottom floor of the arena, waiting for Ester to appear in front of me. Covering the jagged rocks around me were a thousand Thusians, almost all hooded, hushed. Ester appeared on the first floor balcony, looking down at us, with the Council members flanking both sides.

"I hope you know what you're doing," Genevieve said to me.

"It was your idea," I said, knowing she had no clue what I meant.

"Nicholas, you called us together. Please state the reason," Ester said loudly, echoing throughout the arena.

I walked away from the group and pulled off my hood.

"I have called us all together to challenge and confirm that I, part of The 4, have already completed the first Trial."

As soon as I stopped talking, the surrounding Thusians broke into shocked chatter.

"Nicholas, what are you talking about?" Ester said with a laugh, like I was joking. "You haven't been out of your vault very much." Some of the surrounding members of the Council laughed, making my blood boil.

"Before we entered, you told all the Thusians we had to show our identities to make sure non-Thusians weren't among us, correct?"

"Yes, I did."

"But you knew for a fact that one was invited because you and the Council had voted to make this person attend, leaving them no choice. And you can't deny it, because I was there as a Council member, along with several other witnesses."

The crowd surrounding me broke into loud sounds of displeasure toward Ester.

"Quiet, quiet," Ester said, but the crowd refused to listen, getting louder and louder.

Walter stood and held up his hand, and like Moses parting the Red Sea, the crowd fell silent.

"So when I challenged you about revealing our identities, you relented, allowing us to keep our hoods up, protecting our identities." I paused and then said, "This was the first challenge, which I clearly completed. The mental Trial was fulfilled, even if that wasn't your intent, and all Thusians were there and present. They witnessed the Trial for themselves."

Ester had a blank expression on her face. She didn't say anything, and neither did the crowd, all waiting for her response.

"How do you vote?" Ester asked in a loud thunderous voice. "All Thusians who think Nicholas has completed a Trial, please stand."

Slowly, about half of the crowd stood.

Then Xavier walked in behind me with Grey and Ashlyn.

"We think he has," he shouted, sounding both smug and thrilled. Then more Thusians stood, no doubt the Seekers and the wannabes.

James Caldwell stood up next to Walter and began to count, which only took him a couple of minutes.

"From my count," he shouted, "the first Trial has been completed."

Before James finished what he was saying, Ester backed away from the balcony, disappearing. On all the floors above, the balconies were filled with Sils. They hadn't been there before, but they must have gathered to see what was happening. There were so many, it looked like a sea of gray.

I waited for all of the Thusians to leave before I pulled my hood over my head and went back to our vault. I knew that everyone was going to be waiting for an explanation.

As I entered, Riley asked, "Nicholas, why didn't you tell us what you were going to do? Well?"

"I went to find Genevieve after you proposed to Cora, and she came up with it while I was talking to her. So I had to act on it."

"I did," she said, sounding a little shocked. I looked at her and then over at Elle, who was sitting by her. I hoped giving her the credit would help her not be upset about me and Elle. Maybe this would make her feel important. I hated to see her so upset about things that couldn't change. I didn't want to cause her pain, especially now with all of the things going on with Ashlyn.

"Now what's your plan?" Walter asked, beginning to pace around the room.

"I don't know if you all were thinking clearly," Dane said. "Have you forgotten that they tried to kill Nicholas at Vanderbilt a year ago, not to mention the other run-in with the Seekers more recently?"

"Those weren't all Seekers," Walter said. "Some of them were plain old Thusians trying to eliminate you guys. Do you know why that is?"

"Because of the threat of The Unholy 6 being completed," Cora said.

"That's part of it," Walter said, "but the main reason is some Thusians don't want anything to interfere with how things are. They like things just as they are and—"

"Walter's right," Dane said. "There are plenty of Thusians doing very well, profiting off the current system. If Nicholas establishes The 4, then you all threaten their livelihood."

"Some of the Council is scared of what this may mean for them too. If The 4 is verified, then The 7 is what will bring balance to the Thusians and many feel that the Divine Council will cease to exist," Walter said.

"Good, we need to shake things up around here. Right now we all sit around waiting for Xavier to kill us off like he did my parents and who knows how many other Thusians and innocent bystanders," Riley said with a thick Irish accent as he walked over to where Walter was, as if he wanted to make his point more clear.

"They have a very good point, Riley. Bernard never wanted Nicholas or any of you to go to the Trials," Mark said. "At least that's what I think. As you know, he really never discussed it in his journals. But it was clear by how he handled himself that he probably would've wanted to keep as many things a secret as possible. No one knew he was the Keeper until Nicholas told people. He kept that secret for over forty years. I mean, think of it, he used a secret letter trail to send you the letter last year to tell us to go into hiding. I think if he had wanted all of us to come forward, then he would have been more obvious," Mark said.

"Wait a minute, who are you?" Piet asked.

I had forgotten that Piet was in here, and I was getting confused about who knew Mark was the Keeper, but at this point I didn't feel like explaining.

"Exactly, Bernard was hoping to keep things a secret," Dane said with disgust, flipping his dreadlocks out of his face.

"Then why did you agree to help us?" Genevieve asked, standing up and leaving Elle's side.

Right then everyone started to argue.

"Stop it, stop it," Elle yelled. "You all sound ridiculous. You're acting like this is just a matter of making the right decision, but it's not that simple. How can you all be this blind? Who cares about who wants what? As far as I can tell, there aren't any secrets—everyone finds out everything eventually. I support Nicholas; he's the only one who matters to me and should be the only one you listen to. You can take your personal agendas and park them at the door. He's the one who has to face this, pretty much alone, remember? We're just support, nothing else. He has saved all of our lives one way or another. So get over yourselves."

She exhaled, red faced, looking more angry than upset. I had no idea how I felt about what she said. I didn't think I was the most important person. I had needed them all in the past, and I would likely need them who knows how many more times in the future. But I understood her point.

"I'm not sure what the right answer is, and I don't pretend to know," I said. "But something I do know is that I'll need all of you in here. I feel in my gut that I have to try to complete the Trials though. I don't know why, but I do."

I wasn't sure if that was the right thing to say, but it seemed to do the trick, because everyone seemed to agree with what I said after Elle's challenge.

**

The next week everyone tried to help find out what the next Trial could be. Elle and Noel joined in on the search. After her speech, it didn't seem right for her not to be a part of it, even though I wanted her to keep her distance and be safe. I knew Noel would make sure that nothing happened to Elle.

We all worked around the clock to see what we could learn. Mark told us on several occasions to also listen for anything about the rules of this place; maybe that would aid us too.

We had befriended several of the Sils with Aldara's help, but none of them knew anything or were willing to talk about it if they did. A couple seemed willing to help but had no beneficial information. Along with Elle, Genevieve was now leading the charge. She had made friends with some Thusians that were sympathetic to my cause. Some of them even joined in the search; our team had tripled in size. She didn't tell them much about what we were looking for, just enough so we could cover more ground.

None of our searching produced any fruit. We were sure Ester's Sil would have known more, but every time we caught up with him, he claimed to know nothing. Aldara swore he was very honest and would never lie, so if he said he didn't know, he didn't know. The around-the-clock searching was beginning to take its toll on all of us after about five days. Sleep became a luxury none of us were taking part in anymore, getting no more than three or four hours a night. Thusians had come from all around the world, so they were on different time schedules.

"So did you find anything out?" Mark asked Cora and me when we got back from questioning a couple of Sils with Aldara on one of the top floors.

"No," Cora said, "but it seems like most of them are trying to help us. It's as if they all want us to succeed."

I pulled my Shroud off, throwing it onto a nearby chair. "Cora and I tried to find out what Xavier has been doing too," I said.

"Yeah, his Sil wasn't speaking though," Cora said.

"Well, what now?" Genevieve asked, joining the conversation.

"Where's Elle?" I asked.

"She and Noel left just before you and Cora got back," Riley answered. "Yeah, I think they were going to try to talk to the guards outside the Sils' area. They may give some insight to the history of this place. Walter believes they may be a treasure trove of information waiting to be discovered, if they're willing to talk."

"She'll be fine, Nicholas," Genevieve said, lying down on a hanging couch in the main room. I was always nervous when she went out without me.

Both Mark and Aldara came into the room with us.

"We know the Trial will either be a shield or physical one. Those are the only two left," Mark said.

"Wow, Mark, Keepers sure have insight beyond us mere Thusians," Genevieve said sarcastically, swinging on the couch.

"Did you say Keeper?" Aldara asked, sounding stunned.

"Yeah, he's the new Keeper," Genevieve said.

"How do you know this?"

"Aldara, we haven't talked to you about this already? Or you haven't overheard us talking about this?" Cora asked.

She shook her head.

"We know I'm the Keeper because I can read Bernard's journals, the Keeper before me," Mark said, holding up one of the journals.

"May I see that?" Aldara asked.

Mark hesitated but handed it to her. She looked through it and then examined the outside binding.

"Thank you," she said to Mark, leaving.

"Okay, anyway, Mark, didn't any of those books talk about the Trials?" I asked for the millionth time.

"Nothing more than I have already told you. It seems like I'm missing something."

"You can say that again," Genevieve said, not missing an opportunity to be sarcastic.

"What I mean is, I feel like I'm missing one or more of his journals."

I got up, grabbed my Shroud, and headed for the door.

"Nicholas, where are you going?" Cora asked.

"To go look for Elle."

"Nicholas, you know you can't go alone," Riley said.

Genevieve climbed off the couch. "I guess I'll go with you, and when nothing has happened to her again, I'll tell you I told you so."

I wanted to find Elle quickly. I wasn't sure why I suddenly felt more panicked than usual about her safety; she had been helping for a while now. Regardless, I had a feeling that Elle might be in trouble, and my talents came alive. The white fiery light descended onto everything, allowing me to see everyone more clearly, but she wasn't in view. She was supposed to be talking to the Sils standing guard outside of the Sils' entrance, but when we walked by, they weren't there. We walked around each of the levels going down to the ground floor first. I was growing more concerned with each minute that passed.

"So what now?" Genevieve asked me.

The only place they could be was up. I didn't have to trick my talents any longer, because I was actually becoming more and more concerned with the fire inside me growing. We walked through the center of the ground floor, heading to the stairs that went up. To my relief, Elle and Noel were walking down the stairs. They walked by us and sat on one of the jagged seats at the back of the arena. We weren't supposed to let on that we knew each other, but I didn't care. I followed them, with Genevieve in tow.

Before I got to them, I heard a moan behind me, kind of like a wounded animal or something in distress. I pulled off my hood and spun around to see where it was coming from. Everything went into slow motion. Across the way and up two levels, a little boy was clinging to the vines of one of the columns on the wrong side of the balcony. It was Logen.

"Mom!" he cried out.

Several Thusians saw him and were rushing to his aid, but they weren't going to make it in time. He lost his grip and began to fall. His descent was blurred starting from where he had been holding on.

I pulled off my Shroud, running to him. I jumped as high and as far as I could to catch him. I met him in midair, securing him tightly to my chest, with both my arms around him. Time went back to normal and we fell straight down into one of the hot springs.

Instinctively, I held him up in the air so he wouldn't touch the scalding hot water. I knew I had to throw him clear of it because who knew how deep it was? With one hard jerk of my muscles, I threw him to one of the many Thusians near the edge, who caught him as I hit the water. He was safe. I was immediately engulfed in pain. Pain like I had never felt before in my life. The spring was burning me alive, cooking me. The pain became so intense that I began to lose consciousness, falling back and...

**

I wasn't dreaming. I had to be dead. I couldn't feel the pain of the burns that should have been there. My eyes wouldn't open either. Everything was dark, except for a small glimmer of light straight ahead. I struggled to move toward it. I heard some voices.

"Mom, Dad, is that you?" I tried to say, but nothing came out.

The voices grew louder and louder ahead of me. My body lifted into the air, and I was floating toward the light so quickly that I could feel the air rushing by. Right when I was about to enter it, I was pulled to the side.

"Nicholas, open your eyes. Open them right now," a voice demanded, with others screaming too. Someone was crying. The pain that had been absent suddenly consumed me. I was not only burning on the inside, but also on the outside.

"Nicholas, stay with me." A voice came ripping through the darkness and pain. I decided to give it a try, and strained with all of my might. In that moment, Elle came to me out of the darkness with her crooked little smile.

"He's with us!" a voice shouted. More pain raced through my body, pulsing up and down like my heart was pushing it through me. I bit down as hard as I could to contain the pain, but it was no use. I blinked several times, wanting to go back into the darkness to escape this.

I could now see several faces around me. I didn't recognize any of them except for Chase. They picked me up and the pain multiplied.

I yelled out in agony, "Stop!"

"Nicholas, you have to fight. Keep your eyes open." It was Elle, pleading with me.

I forced my eyes open and did everything I could to keep from succumbing to the pain. I had to fight.

It seemed like hours before I was put down on a soft surface. Chase and a group of people, mostly Sils, worked on me. The pain slowly started to dissipate. They turned my head to work on my shoulder, and that's when I saw Genevieve. She was lying motionless right next to me on a table with a group around her. Chase was moving back and forth between us. Her eyes fluttered; she was unconscious.

"Nicholas, I'm about to give you something for the pain, but it will knock you out."

I tried to say no because I wanted to know what happened to Genevieve, but all the sounds became distorted, and then there was nothing.

**

"Nicholas, how are you feeling?" I opened my eyes and Cora was above me. I tried to move, but pain radiated through me.

"Don't move. You need to stay as still as possible. Chase says you'll be good as new in a week or two. But you have to not move at all."

I tried to ask her what happened, but she interrupted. "Save your strength; we can talk later."

Then Ester appeared over me. "I'm so glad to see you're okay. I've been so worried," she said with a motherly gaze, taking her hand and caressing my face. "Chase said you should rest, which includes not talking. I'll be back to check on you," she said with a smile and disappeared from view.

I was able to move my head a little without too much pain. I tilted it to see if Genevieve was still next to me and she was. But she was sitting up, reading a magazine. She had on one of her tank tops, but below her waist she was bandaged up like a mummy.

A hand moved my head back to look up. It was Elle. I again tried to speak, but she shook her head, putting a finger over my lips gently.

"We'll be able to talk soon. I'm so happy you're okay." She leaned in and gave me a gentle kiss. Her lips felt warm and soft against mine, which were very dry. It filled me with energy, enough that I knew I would get through this.

After Elle, a parade of people came in to see me. Some I knew, some I didn't and others were wearing their Shrouds, all of them bringing well wishes.

After the Thusians, hundreds of Sils all began to come in. Most didn't saying anything, but some thanked me. Aldara and her son Logen were the last to appear above me.

"Nicholas, thank you for saving Logen," she said, leaning forward and kissing my forehead.

Logen had a big smile on his face. "Thank you, Nicholas."

I was stunned to hear his small voice.

"Yes, he has been talking ever since you saved him. God bless you, Nicholas."

When Aldara and Logen left, Riley spoke, but he wasn't in view. "Nicholas, it's me. Mark's here, too, and Cora has never left. Chase isn't going to let us talk to you for long. He says you still need your rest. But we have to ask you something. Did you see someone push Logen off the balcony?"

I closed my eyes to process his question. Did someone push him? Why would someone push a little boy off a balcony?

I opened my eyes and asked in what little voice I had, "Someone pushed Logen?" My voice cracked.

"Logen said that he was watching you and Genevieve down on the floor when someone came up behind him and pushed him onto the other side of the balcony through a gap. He caught himself and was able to hold on just long enough for you to get over to him. But he says he was definitely pushed. And get this—James said Logen shouldn't be trusted because he's a Sil, and from what we can tell, James has convinced a lot of Thusians of this. They say that he was trying to get you to save him because he wanted your attention and jumped."

Once Riley finished, fire began to burn inside me. I could feel my skin cracking as it burned hotter and hotter. The pain was intense and it made me angrier. How could someone think that a five year old would put himself in danger just to get my attention? And what did being a Sil have to do with being trusted?

**

I was now alone with Genevieve. At least that's what I assumed because the room was quiet. I looked around and could tell we were in some sort of hospital room with several pieces of equipment that I couldn't figure out what they were used for. Way more sophisticated than what would be in a standard room like at Bethesda South in Winsor.

Genevieve's bed was suddenly right next to mine now. She leaned over and began to run her fingers through my hair. "Nicholas, relax. We don't think Logen made up the story," she said. "We will find out who did this, but first you have to get better. It's okay," she repeated over and over again.

The fire coursing through my veins slowly died, along with the pain it caused. Then a question came to mind—how did Genevieve get hurt too? I didn't remember her in the water with me. My mind began to swim with questions, and the strain of those questions made me drift off once again.

I was awakened by Elle's voice. "Genevieve, I would like to thank you for saving Nicholas," she said.

I kept my eyes closed. I wanted to hear their conversation because so much of their relationship was still a mystery to me. I also wanted to know how Genevieve had saved me and gotten hurt.

"When I saw Logen fall toward the spring, my heart dropped," Elle said. "But then I saw Nicholas was already there catching him. I should have been relieved, but instead I was even more scared, terrified actually. I know your Thusian talents propel you toward these dangerous situations without thinking of the consequences."

"That's not a bad thing," Genevieve said. "If I remember correctly, he pulled you out of a sinking car."

"No, I'm not upset about that. That's what makes you all so great. I'm not, you know, a Thusian."

I was about to open my eyes and say something, but Genevieve did. "You are important, Elle. We've talked about this so many times. Don't you understand that everything he does and everything he is comes from his feelings toward you? From the very beginning, he has done everything because of you. He's willing to sacrifice everything," Genevieve said, sounding sympathetic like they'd had this conversation so many times before.

"But I'm nothing special like you. When he landed in that spring, you were right next to him, not me. You're the one who pulled him to safety. Nobody else did or could have."

"But—" Genevieve started to say but Elle continued.

"You jumped into that burning hot water and pulled him out, no matter what the consequences were. You risked your life to save him. Without you, he would be dead." Elle's voice trembled like she was doing everything to hold back the tears.

"Elle, that's what Thusians do. We don't think. We can't help it; we just react."

"I know that, but after you pulled him out, you refused to get any treatment until Nicholas was being taken care of, never leaving his side. It wasn't you just being a Thusian—that's love."

"I was making sure he was okay."

"You looked horrified," Elle continued, "like if he was gone, then you didn't want to go on either. I know that look because that's how I was feeling too. Nicholas is the most wonderful and incredible person I have ever known. He's always thinking of others before himself and he always does the right thing, even when it may hurt him. It's a blessing for him to have another person who loves him as much as Cora and I do. I know you'll always be there for him in ways I can't. You're the reason why he's here right now, nobody else."

There was silence. I coughed a little letting them know I was awake now.

"Nicholas, are you okay?" Elle asked, coming over to me.

I opened my eyes to see her over me. She had been crying, but I pretended not to notice.

"How's everything going? Do you want to take a walk?" I asked with a smile.

"Everything is great, and no walking for you, mister," Elle laughed.

I lifted up my arm and put my hand on her face. It ached and screamed at me to lower it, but I had to give Elle reassurance of my love. My arm shook a little and looked like I had a horrible rash all over it, big red blotches and little cracks. But there were no bandages.

"Nicholas, I need to go, but I'll be back soon, I promise. Noel and I are going to check on Aldara and Logen."

A minute later, Genevieve said, "Next time you fake sleeping, you really need to not move so much."

I turned my head to see her and realized that I was sore and very tight, but I could move just ever so slightly without too much pain. I shifted onto my side; I had bandages on different parts of my body, but I wasn't completely covered in them.

"Your girlfriend sure is crazy," she said.

"Genevieve, I want to thank—"

"You don't have to give me the 'thank you' song and dance; you would have done the same for me."

"How long have I been lying here?" I asked, changing the subject.

"Six days."

"Six days? It feels like it was just yesterday that all this happened."

"Chase has kept you pretty drugged for most of the time, so you couldn't move and you would heal properly. I'm able to get up tomorrow; you have another couple of days."

"Doesn't that mean the Trials will be almost over, because of the month timeline?" I asked.

"Nope. Unfortunately they concluded while you were out that if you aren't able to function for a Trial, then time freezes. It has to be a month when you are able to compete. James is the one who put that together. Clare Winters tried to challenge it but when it was put to a vote, James won. Most of the Thusians agreed."

"How's Logen?" I asked.

"He's fine, but there's a lot of craziness right now surrounding Logen and the Sils. A lot of accusations about him making up the story, you know. Poor little guy, he's scared," she said.

"I would be scared too if someone did that to me," I said.

"Ester's been grilling him; she also thinks he's making up the story, because in her words, 'Nobody would try to kill a Sil.' Cora and Riley both think they were trying to kill you or another Thusian by pushing little Logen out there. Mark's convinced it was Xavier, because he thinks there is a rule that states Sils aren't Thusians, so they aren't important, more like slaves or pieces of property. That's why Xavier wouldn't care about killing a Sil or two"

My blood began to burn hearing her say that. My dry skin pulsed with pain. Sils were just as important as anyone, especially Xavier. I became so enraged, I sat up. The pain was instantly horrible, but I embraced it, knowing it fueled my determination to make sure no one else was going to be Xavier's pawn.

"Easy. You don't want to be in here any longer than you have to," Genevieve said, putting her hand on mine and trying to get me to lie back down.

I had felt her hand on mine many times before, but this time it sparked a question. "Who took care of me while I was out?" I asked.

"Chase and a group of doctors and healers."

"Healers?" I asked, not sure what she meant.

"Yes, people from all around the world came in to help you. Not sure what they were doing half the time, but it seemed like it helped you a lot."

"Have you been lying in here with me the whole time?"

"Yes, doctor's orders. And it's a good thing, too, because I've been able to keep an eye on you in case you wanted to jump into some more burning hot springs."

A flood of memories from the week came back, as if someone flipped a switch, allowing me to regain part of my memory that had been absent. Most were of Genevieve taking care of me. Her soft touch, words of encouragement, and just being here next to me was what had gotten me through this.

"Thank you," I said, feeling I needed to make sure she knew I was grateful for her care.

She didn't say anything. She just held onto my hand and looked back down at a magazine she was reading.

Elle and Genevieve's conversation played over and over in my head. How can Genevieve and Elle both love me so much that they are willing to allow the other one to be with me? The thought danced around in my head. It wasn't a happy thought, because they acted like I didn't have a say in the matter. My heart was Elle's, no matter what, and some things just wouldn't change.

The next day I was feeling much better. I was able to take off most of my bandages. There was very little evidence of the severe burns I had sustained, nothing more than blotchy skin and what looked like a very bad sunburn in places.

"Nicholas," Chase said in a hushed voice, helping me remove the last of the wraps, "I can't believe how quickly you've healed. It's unbelievable. Most of my Thusian colleagues have varying opinions about why you've healed so fast. Some believe that the hot springs had some minerals that encourage rapid cell regrowth, while others think there may have been different temperatures at different areas of the spring and you got lucky with a cooler pocket away from one of the vents." In an even quieter voice he said, "I believe that you are the One, you know, the One who has completed The 4. You displayed Genevieve's talents of being a shield."

**

I was weak from lying in bed and not eating much, so moving around was a challenge. I walked out of my room in the vault and saw a door at the end of the hall that I hadn't noticed before. Once I got closer I realized why—a large painting had been removed from the wall to expose the door. I opened it to find a full medical room, where I had been before. I shut the door. Why would my family vault contain a room like this?

Every time Chase came to see me now, he was followed by a group of women. Sometimes he had two with him and other times a half dozen. They all looked different and stunning, they must have all been from different countries. I wasn't sure, because they never spoke, but I had my suspicions because of their appearance and dress.

As Chase checked me over, I laughed to myself several times, thinking about how Joy Lemmins would have died to be in my shoes right now no matter how painful the burns were. To Joy, having hunky Doctor Chase Letterby work on her would be all the pain relief she needed.

Now that I was almost completely healed, I stayed close to Elle, content to do whatever she did. She came in and kept me company during the day, even though she and Noel were still searching for clues. I told her that I missed her and needed her until I recovered completely, which was true, but I was also trying to get her conversation with Genevieve out of my head. Maybe I was trying to convince myself that I was only in love with Elle and that I cared for Genevieve differently. I had told myself so many times before that my heart belonged only to one person, and spending time with Elle confirmed that. The confusion with Genevieve would just have to be lumped into the category with all of the other Thusian stuff in my life that I was trying to figure out.

"I'm going to do it and there's nothing that will change my mind." Cora was almost yelling at someone from outside my room. A door slammed and then Cora came into my room, followed by Riley.

"Nicholas, you have to tell her that there's no way she's going to do this," Riley said.

"Do what?" I asked.

Cora wasn't looking at me. She sat down on the couch.

"If you aren't going to tell him, then I will," he said. "She went to Ester and called a meeting so she can challenge that you completed another Trial."

I didn't see anything wrong with this since completing the Trials was what I was trying to do now.

"And?" I asked, sitting up more.

"There's more. First, she has to go in front of a panel consisting of Council members, prominent Thusians to argue that saving Logen, even though he's a Sil, was definitely proof of using the shield talent. Cora has to overrule thousands of years of traditions and practices to prove that Sils are in fact equal to us. Ester told her that the three Trials have to involve Thusians, not Sils."

Cora stood angrily. "Elle wasn't a Thusian and Nicholas was able to challenge Ester, so what's the difference?"

"Because he challenged whether we had to show our faces, not whether Elle was different from us."

They were both angry, pacing around my room, not looking at each other.

"I just don't want you to be in front of a panel that probably includes Seekers," Riley said, now sounding concerned.

How could anyone argue with Cora? She was right about most things, and even when she was wrong, it was because she had changed her mind. Her talents were mental in nature, so if she thought that she could win this, then I supported her all the way.

"Riley, Cora's right," I said.

"Cora, I'm just concerned about your safety." He walked over to her and gave her a small kiss on the cheek and left.

**

Later that evening, we began to talk about the panel discussion that was going to take place tomorrow morning after breakfast.

Everyone was listening to Mark. While I had been out, Cora told me that Mark had started to make sense of some things in Bernard's journals.

"How do these discussions work?" I asked Mark.

His eyes glazed over, but he blinked several times, shaking his head.

"If the panel discussion is the same thing as the Thusians' Panel Court of old, then I know some things. It's a type of ancient court system used by the Greeks. But for Thusians, it wasn't a guilty or innocent thing; it was a search for the truth. Only the truth will be determined and that is what the panel members are tasked to do, nothing else. No punishment can come out of it. So if someone wronged someone and the truth was confirmed that they did, there was no punishment. It would be recorded in the history book that they committed the act. Of course, others may take it upon themselves to do something, but not the panel. So I'm assuming they are having this panel discussion to determine the facts about how Logen fell and to discuss whether Sils actually matter or not," he said.

Cora was right; Mark was very helpful and extremely focused.

"Then why are they having this if they don't make any real decisions? It's just a waste of time. Cora should just present it to the Thusians as a challenge to see if a Trial has happened, like Nicholas did before," Genevieve said. Almost everyone seemed to agree with her.

She was lying on her back, not looking at anyone, while doing some type of exercise that involved moving her legs up and down. Mark was the only one staring at her naked legs. I guess he wasn't used to her yet.

"Cora has to do it this way because she told Ester her intent," Mark said. "This is the only way the challenge can happen now, and Ester needs the panel to happen. She knows they will not say that Sils are equals."

Mark stood and began to pace around. "Say by some miracle Cora gets a majority to agree that Sils are equals, then Ester would try to make the case that Logen was watching Nicholas and somehow wanted him to save him. So it was staged, not an actual act. She doesn't want you four to succeed."

"Why didn't they have one of these panels before Nicholas' first challenge?" Elle asked.

"I didn't tell Ester that's what I was doing," I said. "I told her I wanted to address everyone."

"It seems pointless to do any of this; you don't need to prove yourselves to anyone," Elle said.

"We are doing this to show the Thusians that we are in fact The 4 and we're going to stop Xavier and the Seekers' reign of terror," I said, standing. "Right now Xavier is plotting something, I can tell." I looked right at Elle. "No matter what's discussed or determined during the panel, we won't let it keep us from stopping his plans."

Cora stood up right next to me to show support.

Riley followed.

"You know I'm in," Genevieve said, standing up on top of the bed. "I didn't come all this way just to look good."

Everyone laughed.

Elle didn't look like she agreed with us completely. Noel had her arms crossed, not changing the stone-faced expression she normally had when we were discussing things.

Mark then explained how Ester might try to manipulate things to her advantage. I clearly got a sense from the way he spoke that he didn't think too highly of Ester. A couple of times he even used Xavier and Ester's names in the same breath. I wasn't going to go that far, but I knew she was only concerned with her own interests.

The next morning, Cora was summoned by Ester's Sil for the panel discussion. Aldara led us down to the main floor where the challenge had taken place before. We walked past the spring where I was burned. Genevieve reached out and took my hand, finding it underneath our Shrouds. Elle was in front of us, but even if she had been behind me, I wouldn't have pulled away because I felt like she'd have understood I needed the support. Unfortunately, it would have probably made her feel justified in thinking I needed Genevieve more than her. In reality, I just needed support from a friend at this moment.

We were led to a rock formation near the front, below the place where the Council had sat during the first challenge. An alarming number of Thusians were watching us from the surrounding balconies. Mark had said this discussion should be kept secret to make sure no one involved might be swayed, but it looked like that wasn't going to happen.

We squeezed by a large rock and ducked into a hidden hole no bigger than three feet square. If Walter was required to attend, I wasn't sure how he would fit through it. Once inside, Ester's Sil grabbed a torch and led us into a large room carved roughly out of the volcanic rock, forming a long rectangular room that was dimly lit. At the other end was a dark, open doorway absent of any light. There were simple wooden benches lining all the walls. Behind the benches were small, baseball-sized holes evenly spaced from each other.

"If you all would please sit, and please, no talking," Aldara said.

We all sat on a bench along the wall while the other Sil lit a single torch at the entrance. He then extinguished his torch, and both Sils walked into the unlit doorway, disappearing instantly from sight.

Once we were seated, I realized the holes were at about ear level for most of us. The torch in the room threw ominous shadows around, which made me wonder if a ghost might pop out at any time. The mood was very tense.

Genevieve's grip became tight and very sweaty. To make matters worse, it seemed as if the small holes behind us were whispering things to us, but not loudly enough to understand. A few times, Genevieve jumped. Elle was seated a couple of people away from me. If Genevieve felt this way, I wondered how Elle was doing.

A couple of minutes later, Aldara came back alone through the opening and walked right up to Cora.

"It's time for Cora to come with me. Have you decided on who else should be a part of this?"

Luckily Mark had told us that she could bring along someone during the discussion. Riley wanted it to be him, which I was okay with. But both Genevieve and Cora wanted me to go, because we had been together so long and I also shared Cora's mental talents. Plus, if I was supposed to be the one who represented all of the talents of our group, I should be present.

We both stood, taking off our hoods.

Aldara pointed to the wall where the small openings were and said, "Behind you are listening paths. Once we are in the chamber, they will open the paths completely, allowing you to listen to all of the discussions that will happen. The chamber will also be able to hear what is said in here. If anyone hears you during the proceedings, then everything is over immediately and they have the right to come to any conclusion at that very moment. Does everyone understand?"

Everyone was silent.

"Good. Cora and Nicholas, follow me. It's going to be very dark. Cora, you'll need to place your hand on my shoulder, and Nicholas, place yours on hers," Aldara said.

We walked up and down different corridors. I was still so engrossed with my own thoughts that I became disoriented, having no idea where we were. After about ten minutes, I could see a flickering light ahead. We passed the light and entered into a bright room filled with lots of people sitting across from us. None of them were wearing their hoods. I spotted Xavier and Grey right away, and even though I should have expected it, I was shocked to see Ashlyn on Xavier's other side. Walter, James and Clare Winters were seated several rows behind them, along with all of the Council. Walter didn't look concerned by Xavier's presence. I didn't recognize anyone else. Any reassurance I was hoping to receive from them was negated by their blank stares.

"Aldara, you are dismissed," Ester said, never looking up from the papers she was going through on her lap.

Aldara turned to leave, but Cora caught her arm and said in a loud voice, "Aldara, I would like for you to stay." The room gasped at her request. Cora continued, "If we're about to talk about her son, she has the right to be here."

"She doesn't have any rights. She's a Sil," James said in a very nasty, condescending tone.

Cora, still holding Aldara's arm, calmly said, "James, I think that's why we're here, isn't it—to determine that very fact?"

There was an empty bench off to the side. Smiling, Cora led Aldara to it and then motioned for her to have a seat. Aldara did and I sat down by her. The entire room came alive with discussion about what had just happened. From their reactions, I doubted strongly that we could convince them that Sils are our equals. We were going to be fighting an uphill battle with very little help.

"We would like to thank you for coming to this fact-finding discussion panel," Ester said. "Like the Greeks of old, we will hear all sides. And let me remind you, no one is on trial, so do not conduct yourselves in that manner. James and Cora will be presenting their different sides of this discussion, but anyone in here is allowed to speak at any time and ask anything. There is no prescribed format, just an open forum. Does the panel understand?"

Almost everyone nodded their head.

"We are here to establish the facts, nothing else. So let us now proceed," she said.

James stood and walked to the middle of the room with his back facing us, only addressing the panel.

"We are here to determine two points. The first is the manner in which the little Sil fell and the second point is—"

"James, I must stop you already," Cora interrupted, but she sounded cordial and nice. She stood and walked over next to him, facing the panel.

"If you're going to keep calling Logen 'the little Sil,' I don't see how we are going to come to any conclusion of facts. You are already labeling him a Sil, which implies they are not equal to Thusians. I do believe that was the second point you were about to make?"

James' body was facing Cora now, but his face was still looking in the direction of the panel. Right past him I could see Ester nod her head, as if to make him understand to go along with what Cora had just said. Ester said there was no format, but from her head nod, it was clear the rules were whatever she determined them to be.

"Okay then. Did the S-s," he stuttered and then said, "Logen jump or was he pushed? And the second point of discussion is if Sils are equal to Thusians."

He looked at Cora this time and politely smiled.

"To the first point: there were no witnesses that saw him get pushed," James said. "That is a fact. We've also heard from a number of people that he has had a fascination with Nicholas. So I'm proposing that maybe he was lying about what caused him to fall in order to avoid punishment. He just wanted to be saved by the 10-10 Hero."

I wanted to jump in when he called me that, but I stopped, sure it wouldn't help Cora.

"There are so many things wrong with this," Cora said in response, walking in front of James.

"For one thing, do we really believe that a five-year-old boy would put himself in danger like that, just to be saved? I don't think so. Sure, kids do things that aren't always safe, but need I remind you that he watched his own father die after saving his life less than a year ago? When Nicholas saw him, he was barely holding on."

I stood then, walking up to speak. "Yes, he was dangling there, so I guess he was just watching me," I said sarcastically.

An elderly woman stood up in the front row. She had long, straight silver hair. She was tall but was bent over, showing her age. Her mouth twitched a couple of times before she spoke.

"What if he just got too close and fell? That could explain why he was hanging on for dear life, that poor little child," her rough voice creaked.

"Excellent point," James said. "Maybe he was curious and fell. That is also a very good possibility."

"But Logen said he was pushed," Aldara said, standing to defend her son.

"You aren't allowed to speak here, Sil," James said with a disgusted look on his face, pointing his finger at her.

"James, you must remember the rule that Ester just stated for all of us. Anyone in this room is welcome to speak. And as far as I can tell, she's in the room. And her name is Aldara, not Sil," Cora said, still speaking in a very gentle tone.

James didn't react to Cora like he normally would when he was wrong. He just stood there, still pointing at Aldara. He slowly lowered his arm and straightened out his Shroud.

"Your point is well taken," a horrible voice said. "We should be referring to them by their names. The word 'Sil' is more of what they are, not who they are," Xavier said. Several Thusians around him nodded in agreement. I wasn't sure if they agreed or were just scared not to agree.

"Since we have no witnesses to whether he was pushed or not, the two most plausible explanations are that he accidentally fell or he jumped on purpose," James said.

"Accidentally fell, maybe, but jumping? That's crazy. What about being pushed, like he said?" I raised my voice at him.

Cora took my arm and brought me over to Aldara. I was thinking she was going to tell me some secret plan, but instead she said, "Sit."

I was shocked. I wasn't going to just sit here. "But—" I tried to explain.

She leaned in, giving me a serious stare that meant I better listen and do what she says. "Nicholas, this not why we are here," she said sternly.

"Does anyone have any further points or questions?" Ester asked.

Not one person said anything. I couldn't believe it.

"Okay then. We need to decide on the fact of what happened. If you think he jumped please raise your hand."

Not one person did, thank God.

"If you think he fell by accident, then raise your hand."

Nearly everyone did except Cora, me, and Aldara. I looked at Xavier and he didn't have his hand in the air, smiling smugly.

The lady who made the suggestion of an accident looked very happy with the outcome of the vote, glancing from side to side, pleased that so many people were voting for her suggestion.

"Okay, there's no reason to ask who he thinks pushed him, because the majority already voted that he accidentally fell. So we will show in the record that the child's fall was indeed an accident," Ester said.

"Now, to our second topic," James said. "Are Sils equal to Thusians?" He finished, laughing out loud like it was some big joke.

"Sils have been serving Thusians for thousands of years and for us to decide that they are equals now would go against our traditions and all of the records we have." James stopped, crossing his arms.

Cora began pacing back and forth in front of everyone. "Can anyone tell me the definition of a Thusian? Better yet, what it says in the records on who we are?" she asked.

This time Walter answered in a very militant voice, "Thusians are put on earth to protect non-Thusians from the evils that this world presents, so one day we can fulfill our Final Sacrifice," he said, shooting a dirty look at Xavier and Grey, who were looking back at him.

"Thank you, Walter," Cora said. "So, from the definition, shouldn't Sils be considered closer to Thusians than non-Thusians? Their knowledge and the fact that they work so closely with us essentially makes them equal to Thusians' purpose of serving others."

"No, a Thusian has talents. The Sils only have knowledge of the talents, nothing else," a young man with bright blond hair at the end of the top row said.

Then the panel erupted into discussion. It was crazy; it seemed everyone was talking at once. I stared at Xavier and he stared right back, seemingly unaware of the heated debate going on around him. My heart started to pound. I could feel my talents wanting to take over my body. My stomach began to heat up and the fire screamed at my body to please let it engulf me.

I jumped up and shouted, "Silence." I had to do something. The room fell silent immediately.

"Then it's a fact that Sils are not equal to Thusians," I said.

Cora smiled. I didn't know why, since I had just ruined her point about us being equals.

James said, "Then we can all agree that Sils are not equal to Thusians."

Nobody spoke.

"Then it's a fact. Thank you all—"

"We're not finished, James," I said, walking by him and Cora to address the panel. "If they're not equals, then they would be considered non-Thusians, wouldn't they? Isn't that a fact?"

Nobody spoke again.

"By your silence, I'll call that a fact."

I realized Cora was never planning to argue against a thousand years of tradition and try to make the Sils our equals. Her plan was much better.

"So this makes Sils non-Thusians, and that's who we were put on this earth to protect, these non-Thusians," I said, with Cora beaming a bigger smile at me.

The room exploded in yelling and screaming. When I looked at Xavier, he didn't have that smile on his face any more, which made me happy. I grinned at him, letting him know I was in control, not him.

The room quieted down after James repeatedly shouted, "Quiet, quiet!"

"If Sils are not equal to Thusians, then isn't it a fact they are considered non-Thusians? And by definition, Thusians should protect all non-Thusians," Ester said. Then she cleared her voice. "If you think that's a fact, please raise your hand."

Slowly, half the panel did. Cora, Aldara, and I raised ours along with them. I could see James counting up the votes. I counted also to make sure we got the same number.

We did it! We had a majority. But just as Ester was about to state the fact, Xavier stood. Almost everyone around him scooted away in fear.

"I'll not be part of this vote, panel. We allowed a Sil to be present here and take part in these proceedings, and I do not think any facts can be concluded while one of them is in my presence."

He got up to leave, slowly passing us, and then vanished into the darkness of the doorway, followed by Grey and Ashlyn.

"This fact is now void because one or more panel members left before the final fact could be verified," James said. "But the first fact will remain intact, Logen fell by accident. Now, if any Thusian would still like to challenge if indeed a second Trial occurred, you may proceed."

As if Riley and Genevieve had both been dying to say something, they yelled through the small tunnels, "We do."

"Then we will set the challenge date. But no one can discuss whether Sils are equal or not equal to Thusians, because some panel members left. This has sealed all conversation about it at the challenge," Ester said.

It was as if Xavier had been waiting to see what was going to happen, and if it didn't go his way then he would void it by leaving. Now we couldn't even talk about the whole Thusians versus non-Thusians topic. It would be up to each Thusian to decide that point in his or her own mind. I was tired of everyone knowing the rules and us being left in the dark. When I finally thought we had an upper hand, we were shot down by something we didn't know about. Mark was right; the rules here should have been one of our priorities.

Aldara grabbed both Cora's and my arms and took us into the darkness. We were quickly reunited with the others and led back to our vault, away from everyone.

"Before anyone says anything, you must understand that what I'm about to tell you could cause me to be killed if anyone found out. But because of who one of you is, I'm willing to take the risk," Aldara said once we got back to the safety of our vault.

"You're all standing in what used to be the original Thusian Vault. There are dozens of rooms that are filled with books here, each as big as the one where you keep the records in the new Vault. At least that's the belief among all of us Sils. The reason why I'm telling you this now is because Xavier's Sil told me that Xavier has been looking for an alternate entrance to these rooms. He has been unsuccessful so far, but we feel he's getting too close. I'm not sure what he's after, but it has to be important for him to continue this search. These Trials have been a way for him to get in to Valcary Hill so he could search for whatever he's after."

"Mark, does this make sense to you?" I asked, figuring he would know if there was some large collection of documents we weren't informed about.

"Well, I have to admit my knowledge is still limited, but it makes complete sense. The room in the new Vault that you described to me couldn't possibly hold all of the information about the Thusians."

Riley stood, and said, "That's why Xavier left the discussion—to stop the panel from voting, buying him more time. He needs to draw this process out as long as possible. He doesn't care about us; he's after the old Thusian library. We know he wants information about the original bloodlines and Abram's original journal."

"That's not entirely true," Cora said. She began to pace like she had during the discussion. "He does care about what we're doing. He's trying to make sure that Nicholas and the three of us are discredited, so others would not think we're The 4. If people begin to believe in The 4, then Thusians would gain hope. Then he would really have a serious fight on his hands, because we wouldn't be alone. He can't afford for that to happen. Fear is his biggest ally. We know he's looking for information, but he also needs to keep us in check. He can't allow Nicholas to finish the Trials."

Aldara, Noel and Elle began to talk. I couldn't fully hear their conversation, but it had to do with the old Vault, and Noel mentioned something about Livi.

Cora, Riley, Genevieve, Mark and I talked about the upcoming challenge. We figured we should try to prepare for that first and then tackle Xavier after that. But we had to slow him down so he would be more focused on us rather than on looking for the whereabouts of the books.

Our plan was simple: we would go without Shrouds from now on. A lot of the Seekers were walking the halls unhooded. So it was time we did the same, but we would take it even further. Immediately following the second challenge, we needed to constantly have some of us out roaming so they would be forced to keep an eye on us twenty-four hours a day. We began to draw up a schedule of who was going to go out and when. Of course, we would always make sure there were at least two of us together; it would be much too dangerous for anyone to go out alone. But we hoped this would be a sufficient distraction for Xavier and his cohorts to prevent them from getting any closer to their real objective.

The night was filled with planning. Aldara invited more Sils whom we had never seen before to assist with the preparations. It was obvious they wanted to help us with the challenge because of Logen's involvement. They seemed interested in what we were planning, but they were more interested in Mark, watching every move he made. At some points, I wasn't sure if they were there to help or to keep an eye on him. Something about Aldara wasn't adding up. When I closed my eyes I could see that Aldara was trustworthy, but a big piece of the puzzle wasn't being shared with us.

I went to my bedroom to lie down and Elle was on my heels, which was a nice surprise. She gave me a big hug and placed a kiss on my neck that sent chills through my body. I wrapped my arms around her.

I awoke peacefully, not remembering when the night ended and morning began. With each passing moment, it seemed Elle and I were cheating time. We were stealing every minute we could to just be together, because I had a feeling that we would soon be spending less time together than ever. It was a harsh thought, but I knew it was likely, no matter what we wanted.

Elle came through the doorway with a tray full of donuts and flashed me her crooked smile, which was a refreshing sight.

"So what do you want to do later?" she asked, still smiling.

"Well, we could sit around all day and then just hang out and do nothing." I pulled a couple of stray hairs back from her face. She was so beautiful, my angel. Moments like these were what I was fighting for, I reminded myself.

"Well, as much as I would like to lie here all day with you now, we can't. Noel and I have a plan to get a better understanding about the layout of Valcary Hill. So while you're at the challenge, we can explore. And yes, I'll be careful."

I sat up. "Are you kidding? You aren't going to do that. It's one thing to be walking the halls, but it's another to go out looking for trouble."

"We aren't going to do anything other than talk to Livi, and see what she can help us with. You know, with Zane and the TABs."

How did she know about Zane and the TABs? I hadn't told anyone. Livi must have told Noel.

Elle kissed me on the nose and said, "I don't need your permission. I'm a big girl and I can take care of myself."

"Elle, you're being reckless. I let you come and—" As soon as I said that, I knew I was in trouble.

"You didn't let me do anything. You are not in control of me," she said, storming out of the room.

I didn't chase her; I wasn't going to change her mind. It was better to let her calm down. I hadn't meant to phrase it that way; it just came out wrong.

"Wow, you really suck at this whole relationship thing," Genevieve said, strolling into my room.

"Are you ready?" she asked. I nodded, standing and stretching to fully wake up. She grabbed me and spun me around to look at her.

"No, are you ready in the head? This challenge is for the second Trial. They aren't going to just say 'Sure, you did it.' You have to be ready for anything that happens, and your preparation has to start now. We have a lot of things working against us. Do you think they are just going to hand over all the power that goes with being the One, just like that? I'm sure Ester wants to make sure before you are declared anything that you are going to play by her rules and keep the Council together. This is as much about power and politics as it is about fighting Xavier."

"It's time," Cora said, walking into the room.

Walter and Dane came in, escorted by Aldara. Both Noel and Elle were gone.

"Are you all ready?" Walter asked.

"Well, we're as ready as we can be," I said.

"I hope it goes better for you than the panel discussion," Dane said, receiving a punch to the shoulder from Walter. "I mean, you guys are going to do great."

"Dane and I will be right next to you guys just in case anything happens. We will make sure you're all safe. Piet and a couple others will be in the wings."

"Walter, we'll be fine," Riley said. "We can watch over ourselves."

"Let's go. You two can flex your muscles all you want at each other as we head down," Genevieve said.

"We should wait for Elle," Cora said.

"We saw Elle and Noel heading toward the challenge with Zane and Courtney when we came up to get you guys," Walter said, "We don't have time to wait."

"Yeah, we need to go now. They'll be fine. And it's probably best if they aren't with our group, just in case something does happen. We should be completely focused on the challenge and nothing else," Genevieve said.

I didn't feel like telling them what Elle and Noel were up to so I just let it go. She was right about them staying away.

We emerged from our vault, following Aldara. None of us was wearing a Shroud. We passed several suspected Seekers who looked happy to see us, like they knew something we didn't.

It looked as if everyone had attended this time, even some of the sicker Thusians were in attendance. Mark was seated behind us. His brand new black Shroud was easy to spot.

Aldara left us to go and stand with the rest of the Sils who had filled the balconies. The Council took their seats in front of us just like before. The last two who entered were Xavier and Grey. They didn't look at us, but sauntered down the middle of the floor like they were proving their own point.

Ester stood and waved her hands to the crowd as if she was the queen about to greet her subjects. "Greetings, Thusians. We're here for the second challenge to determine if indeed Alexander Nicholas Taylor Keller has completed the second Trial. As most of you know, Nicholas saved a little Sil from the hot springs. The child had slipped accidentally from the second floor. We held a panel to discuss and to discover the facts. First, it was determined that the boy's fall was an accident, nothing else. The second fact we tried to determine was if Sils were in any way equal to Thusians."

The crowd let out a loud gasp of horror. She raised her hands to silence them.

"But because we had several members of the panel leave before the fact could be determined, we had to abandon the vote. So, this point will not be discussed by either Cora Keller, who asked for the challenge, or James Caldwell, who will represent the other side," she said with a big smile.

James walked to the center, just as he had during the panel discussion.

"We are here to determine if Nicholas did in fact complete the second Trial, moving him one Trial away from confirming the completion of The 4 and ultimately The 7. So, Nicholas saved a little Sil who fell by accident, and we are asking all of you to decide if that meets the requirements of this second Trial."

He walked off to the side, looking as though he had already won. This made me mad, but we had to try. The four of us walked up together, united.

"James is correct. Nicholas saved a little boy from sure death when he fell toward the boiling hot spring right there." Cora pointed back to the pool where Logen had fallen. "He wasn't considering who it was, just that he needed to save him."

I could see what she was doing. She was setting the scene to show that I wasn't in control of my actions; it was my Thusian side.

"I saw him fall," I said, "and the next moment I was running and jumping to catch him."

"Of course, Nicholas couldn't resist because it was his Thusian side taking over," Cora said. "Because he used his God-given Thusian talent to save someone who needed help and then recovered remarkably. This is the reason why we feel that this meets the criteria of the second Trial, allowing Nicholas to face the third Trial."

"I would like to remind everyone that it was a Sil that he saved," Ester said, standing. "They are our servants."

We stood there in disbelief. She was the one who had said we weren't allowed to discuss whether the Sils were Thusians or non-Thusians. I doubted anyone in here would listen to the rest of what we said after Ester's comment. Even if we tried to argue the other side, it would probably fall on deaf ears now.

From the corner of my eye, I saw someone coming forward to stand with us but I didn't look back to get a better look. Whoever it was walked slowly, making sure that everyone was watching. The fire in my stomach was there, but it was not flaring up. I felt no real danger at this moment. I had no idea whom it was, but I hoped that it was help for us to win this Trial.

The person walked past us, reached up and removed his hood. It was Mark. What in the world was he up to?

The four of us started to move toward him, but he held up his hand to keep us from getting any closer.

"I would like an opportunity to speak, Madam Governor," he said very formally, like he was addressing Congress or the President.

"Mark, you should not be doing this," Ester said, looking confused.

"I have a right to be heard, just like any other Thusian. You know that during these Challenges to determine if a Trial happened, each and every Thusian may speak if they desire. So, that is what I'm doing."

"Mark, what are you doing? Get back over here," Mayor Siegel yelled from where he was sitting. But he didn't remove his hood; he wasn't about to reveal himself.

Mark acted as if no one had spoken. "By definition, a Thusian is supposed to serve and protect all non-Thusians. That's why Nicholas was compelled to save the little Sil, and everyone knows that Sils are not the same as Thusians. They are non-Thusians by definition."

"You have no right to discuss any of these concerns. The panel rules state that any fact not voted on can't be discussed," Ester said to him.

"If that's true, then you broke your own rule just a few minutes ago. But we both know there's no such rule," Mark said arrogantly.

Ester moved to the edge of the balcony. Her face was bright red. I had never seen her this way; she was always in control of her emotions.

"How dare you challenge me? You are nothing but a child, nothing else," she yelled.

"Ester Deborah Theasing, the only daughter to William and Margaret Theasing. Five generations back we get to Thaddeus Theasing, who married Lorraine Smith. Lorraine was a socialite with no Thusian heritage, but Thaddeus didn't care and married her anyway, right?" Mark said.

"That's an interesting story you've made up, but my ancestors were all Thusians, well documented in the lineage book. Michelle Lightfoot has been ensuring it continues to be updated, and the past scribes have done the same," she shouted, but not as angrily as before, more like she was trying to make a point.

"That's the history you want us to know, isn't it? I mean, you're now married to a non-Thusian right? So what's the big deal if your family wasn't pure Thusian?"

Mark stopped talking. He turned around and his eyes were moving back and forth all around him. He wasn't looking in the distance but as if there were words all around him. He closed his eyes and then began to say names out loud. He said 'Ester and Henry Theasing.' The hundreds of names that came out of his mouth after those sounded like gibberish. He never took a breath, just listing off the names.

"Enough!" she shouted to make him stop. "What does memorizing a bunch of names have to do with the challenge?"

He smiled when she asked that. He walked around us, making sure everyone in the arena was watching him.

"That had nothing to do with the challenge, but I wanted you to know that I know your entire bloodline," he said.

"A trick. But who cares? Why are you wasting everyone's time now? We have more important things to determine," she said.

I was kind of thinking the same thing. So far all he had done was draw attention to himself. Riley and Cora looked shocked, and Genevieve looked happy, probably because someone was standing up to Ester.

"My name is Mark Noble Siegel. I am the Thusian Keeper."

When the words left his mouth, the room exploded in gasps, but quickly turned to laughter. Most of the Council was laughing too, including Ester.

"Bernard Weathers, the last Keeper, had already been preparing for the next Keeper." As soon as Mark spoke Bernard's name, the crowd hushed. "I have his journals. Did everyone know that the name Sil actually comes from the Austrian empire? In modern Czechoslovakian, it means 'forces.' The record keeper back in the mid-1800s changed it from the Greek word, Dynameis."

He looked up at the Sils, who were above us. "I am Keeper Siegel, Dynameis. Petra. Diamanti. Aima."

And then in one unified voice, the Sils all said, "Stone. Diamond. Blood." Once they said that, they disappeared from the balconies.

"And because I'm the Keeper, I dismiss the Council and confirm that The 4 has been completed," Mark said in a thunderous voice.

I was in complete shock. I had no idea what to do or say.

"I have protected all of you for so long from the threat of the Seekers and now someone claims to be the Keeper. Whom are you going to rely on—the Governor of the Divine Thusian Council or some boy?"

She didn't deny that he was the Keeper. I was shocked.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Xavier said, coming out right behind Ester, hopping over the balcony, and landing on the ground below. "This has all been very entertaining, I must say, but I don't care about any Council or any Keeper or these idiotic Trials. There is only one fact that matters." He paused for added suspense turning in a circle. "The fact is you all are not dead, yet, and that's because I allow you to live."

Everywhere around us, I could see Thusians moving into position around Xavier. Walter and Dane had taken their places on both sides of him.

He motioned to the side and Grey emerged, dragging two Thusians in their Shrouds.

"As you can see, I have plucked two able-bodied volunteers to act as our sacrificial lambs if anyone tries anything."

The tension in the room was growing. What did he hope to prove by doing this?

"First of all, you allowed a non-Thusian to enter these sacred halls—shame on you. Now you are considering allowing Nicholas to pass another Trial for saving a Sil, who is a slave, nothing more than Thusian property. You have disgraced the Thusians who came before us. And I want everyone here to know that I'm going to make it my mission to personally eliminate as many of you disgraces as possible. I'll be paying each and every one of you a visit, along with your families, and just for fun, your friends too. The carnage will be invigorating, I must say."

Some of the Thusians throughout the jagged rocks stood, pulled off their hoods, and started to clap.

"I know that you think you could take me now and perhaps overpower all of the Seekers in here, but how do you know I don't have Seekers or non-Thusians waiting on the outside? Or how do you know I don't have something planned to kill everyone in here?"

No one moved. Everyone froze, waiting for him to speak more.

"Someone should pay for the sins against our forefathers," Xavier said.

Grey pulled off the hoods of the two being held. My heart nearly stopped—it was Elle and Noel. Grey had a Belos up to Elle's throat and Noel wasn't in any position to fight. She looked badly beaten. Barely able to stand, she fell to her knees. Both her eyes were black, and she was bleeding from her mouth and nose. With one hard thud of my heart, I felt like I was being jump-started. Adrenaline flooded my body. I was focused on Elle and getting her away from them. My mind was clear.

"We're going to kill this non-Thusian in a minute, but we will spare the Thusian because we can't act against a Thusian inside these walls. Rules will be rules. This girl will be the sacrifice that is necessary."

Xavier's words slowed down almost to a long blur at the end. I could see little drops of spit in front of his mouth in midair. Xavier was in front of Grey, blocking his view of me. I moved across the floor, with no one moving besides me. Grey couldn't see me coming. I first struck Xavier in the chest with my hand, feeling his ribs crack from the pressure, but when I tried to strike him again he moved to the side, allowing Grey to see me. I leaped forward and grabbed Grey's hand, pulling the Belos away from Elle's neck. The cold silver blade met Elle's cheek. Seeing a small trickle of her blood caused another shot of adrenaline to race through me. I pulled Elle free and she was caught by Noel, who used her last bit of energy to protect her.

Grey lunged forward, but his movement was so slow, not like at my house a year ago. I quickly stepped onto his bent knee that was extended, using it as a step, and with all of my force I sent my other knee into his chin, feeling it shatter under the force. This sent him hurling up into the air and he landed hard on his back.

Cora and Riley were fighting two Seekers close to me. I went to help them. The three of us worked together like a well-oiled machine, easily taking them out. Genevieve had now joined the fight. Walter was watching over Elle and Noel, keeping them safe. Time went back to normal as a thousand Thusians began to flee the area, knocking over and trampling the Seekers in front of us.

Mark appeared next to us and then suddenly a shield of humans surrounded us. It was the Sils. They were fighting against the Seekers and keeping people from trampling us. There was so much yelling and screaming in pain and agony all around us, but we couldn't see what was happening anymore.

"Secure Valcary Hill," Mark commanded the Sils.

They fanned out in unison. The Sils worked together, eliminating any threat they faced, pushing the crowd all the way back.

"Where's Elle?" I asked, looking around. I tried to run, but I was immediately stopped by Aldara.

"You must stay here while the Thusians flee," she said.

"You can't stop me. I'm going to find Elle," I said.

I immediately saw the horror past her. Blood had soaked the stone floor and several lifeless figures continued to add to the growing amount of blood.

What if Elle was one of them? I ran up to the first one and removed the hood, revealing an elderly woman. Her eyes were wide open in terror, frozen in death. My chest grew heavy and the world began to spin. I fell back and was caught by someone just as I blacked out.

When I came to, I was on the floor of the arena being taken care of by Genevieve. My head was in her lap and Walter stood above me.

"Elle and Noel are safe," Walter said.

I sat up to listen to him, still in a fog.

"Noel took her into hiding, I just got the message," he said.

Cora and Riley were next to us. I tried to say something, but no words came out.

"Where are they? We need to get to them," Cora said. "They need to be protected."

"You won't find them. She has gone underground," Walter said.

"But you're her commander," Riley said. "I'm sure you have an idea?"

"Everyone on a guard detail has their own plans when it comes to taking people into hiding. This purposefully makes them untraceable."

I tried to focus, but it was difficult. I wanted to go after Elle, but something in me said no. I knew she was okay, and right now maybe it was for the best that she wasn't here with us.

"Is everyone okay?" Aldara asked.

"We're fine. What's going on up there?" Riley asked.

"The Seekers waged war against the Thusians as they retreated because a non-Thusian had been allowed to enter Valcary Hill. Keeper Siegel had us push all of the Thusians and Seekers out and lock Valcary Hill down, setting up its defenses. We were able to reduce the amount of casualties inside, but I fear more lives were lost outside. We won't know until morning."

I caused this violence. Why were they allowing us to stay, not pushing us out with the rest of them?

"Xavier and his Seekers killed many today, but even more lives would have ended if not for you, Nicholas, and the rest of The 4."

"What about the Council?" Walter asked.

"They too have been escorted out," Aldara said. "But through a different passage that Ester wanted them to go through."

"So are we some sort of prisoners here?" Genevieve asked.

If there was a tough or awkward question, leave it to Genevieve to ask it.

"On the contrary. You are under the protection of Keeper Siegel."

A little boy came running up to me. Logen knelt down and gave me a big hug.

"Thusians had forgotten why the Sils were here. But Keeper Siegel knew who we were and what we were supposed to do. Now we protect him and the secrets here at Valcary Hill," Aldara said.

She then got on her knees right next to me, leaned down and kissed me on both cheeks. "I will forever be in your debt," she said.

"The Keeper is waiting for all of you," a tall stocky Sil said, walking up to us.

I got up slowly, steadied by both Genevieve and Aldara.

"Well, we had better not keep him waiting." I said.

END OF BOOK FOUR
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tim Mettey serves as CEO and Disaster Relief Coordinator at Matthew 25: Ministries, an international humanitarian and disaster relief organization. Tim uses his many experiences and expertise in responding to disasters around the world to set the background for his The Hero Chronicles series. Tim struggles with and has overcome multiple learning disabilities with reading and writing to create this series. Tim advocates for literacy and education worldwide and hopes his journey can be an inspiration to others. He says, "Our disabilities do not define who we are, they make us stronger."

Tim is the father of four beautiful daughters: Olivia, Cora, Noel and Ashlyn.

