A/N: Hello, everyone. I'm so sorry I'm late. I had a hard week, but I should have remembered to update. Anyway, it's here now. This chapter's a little slower, but the plot'll pick up next chapter. I hope the characters aren't OOC, because I'm still not sure about all of them.

Enormous thanks to NeversideFaerie and isabeljones2000 for your kind reviews. I immensely enjoyed them both. :)

Be the reason someone smiles today! :)

"Tom?" Michal called as they stepped through the door. "Little late, aren't you?"

"Funny, Dad. I brought someone."

Michal came down the stair, shrugging on a light jacket. "A girl," he remarked, smiling down at Shira. "To what do we owe the pleasure?"

"She's a wizard, Dad, and her magic works against the Nekross!" Tom explained, excitedly.

Michal regarded Shira with interest. "Hang on," he said, "But magic doesn't work on the Nekross, no magic does."

"That's what I'm saying, Dad, her does. It was amazing, she took down Varg like that," Tom went to snap his fingers, and then laughed. Benny joined in.

"Yeah, actually, exactly like that." Tossing his coat on a hook, Benny moved into the kitchen.

"Can I get you anything to drink, Shira?" he asked, pulling out a soda for himself. Shira smiled, but shook her head.

"No, thank you though." she turned back to Michal. "Since Tom didn't mention my name, I should probably introduce myself. I'm Shira."

Michael shook her hand. "Charmed." He looked behind her to Tom. "I suppose you all will be moving into the Chamber?"

Tom nodded. "Yeah, I think so. Shira should meet Gran, and I think we should start making a battle plan. Heading out?" He asked, nodding towards Michal's jacket.

"Yeah," his dad replied. "Smoke detector's out, and I figured I'd run out and grab another one before someone has a chance to start a fire. Lovely to meet you, Shira," he said, smiling, as he passed her. Clapping a hand on Tom's shoulder, Michal walked out the door.

Tom touched Shira's arm. "The Chamber's over here."

Shira followed Tom, and Benny abandoned his soda to bring up the rear. "Chamber?" Shira asked, staring in bemusement as the door opened to reveal the bathroom. "You do your anti-alien plotting in the loo?"

Tom grinned. "Nope. Just making sure no one's in there. Otherwise, it can get awkward." He closed the door, and knocked twice. "Chamber of Crow, open to me, reveal yourself, on the knock of three," he chanted quietly, and knocked once more.

He opened the door, and gestured for Shira to lead down the torch-lit tunnel. She stepped through, slowly, staring around in disbelief at the impossible space. Tom and Benny followed, giving her space, and watching her reaction with fond smiles. After a moment, Benny tapped Tom on the shoulder.

"If she's a wizard, you know, one properly raised and everything, shouldn't she know about Chambers?" He asked curiously, glancing at Shira's awed face. Tom shrugged, smirking slightly.

"It could be that she's just never seen one so cool. Other families Chambers reflect their taste and personality."

"Oh, so you're dim, dirty, and dramatic, then?"

"No, of course not, Benny, we're cool."

Benny rolled his eyes, grinning. "Yeah, right. I like my version better."

"Well, just don't let Moon hear you talk about the Chamber that way, whatever you do. He'd have a fit."

They passed from the tunnel into the main room, and as they did so, something in the very foundations of the Chamber trembled beneath their feet, sending shivers of foreboding up Tom's spine.

Something was very wrong.