Hey guys and gals.

Only got 1 review for my last chapter :(

I dedicate this chapter to Danielle Salvatore because she's reviewed every chapter and asked me a couple of questions which I hope this chapter answers. Except 1.

P.S. WE ARE OFFICIALLY AT THE HALF WAY POINT IN THIS STORY. I'D LOVE TO WIN THE BET AGAINST MY BROTHER AND GET 50+ REVIEWS BEFORE ITS FINISHED!

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The Truth Lies Within Hidden Allies

I was in my dream, yet again. It's like in and out with this place. It was very different though.

All the mist was gone. The grass didn't feel fresh under my bare feet, it was dry. The grass was an amber colour. I looked around by pivoting at where I stood. I stopped. I forgot that I can still get dizzy in these dreams.

After, what seems like, a couple of minutes, the Roman marble bench appears. The bench was a little different this time. The carvings of men working changed to Angels and were bordered with gold. Whoever this was liked luxury. I walked over and sat on the Roman marble. I think as I sat, out of no where, there were cushions on the bench. Luxury? As I look away from the cushions, I notice that from here, in this environment, I could see the pillar of light I saw in the first dream Crimson spoke to me. The clouds were gone. It was pure light.

I decided to get on with what I came for.

"SIRERA! Sirera, I need to speak with you? Come out now!" I shouted so hard, I stayed absolutely silent afterwards. I didn't want to wake up with a sore throat again.

"Jeez Nora! You don't have to shout!" I turn to my right to look at the source of the British accent with the most soft, caressing tone I've ever heard in my life.

There was a girl, about my age, with long wavy blonde hair that shone gold from the light. She was wearing black mini shorts that were made to look torn and a black bikini top with gold swirl patterns. Her arms, like her brother and the others, had two long scars running down both arms. Here eyes, unlike everything else, were the deepest blue. They were the blue of a sapphire and looked like the only thing that hydrated the grass and her around here. Her wings, like everything else, were gold. This girl, I gathered, was Sirera.

"Sirera." I gave her a short quick nod and tensed. I hadn't forgotten her brother passing on the death threats. Who wouldn't?

"Oh please, Nora! Drop that silly official business look and just relax. I'm not going to do anything to you. I don't know why Alaric told you those things. I wouldn't harm you." Sirera came over and sat next to me and started to stroke the soft coverings of the cushions. She looks at me, smiling.

"Alaric was lying? You aren't going to kill me." I stutter. Maybe he was also wrong about Crimson?

"Alaric was lying about that," she looks over at me and continues, pausing between moments, "but he was only doing that to…because he thought it was unfair on me. On the other hand, he wasn't lying about the Haile. The Haile is not doing you any favours Nora. It's doing the exact opposite. It's what's making you cranky. Making you have arguments. They aren't side effects, it was what it was made for. Your gifts and notes from Patch changing, all a hallucination. Note on the window also a hallucination. The good feeling is a trick to make you wear it more. The ring," she pointed at my finger. I looked down to admire the ruby, until all respect for it shatters ", is actually just a lump of rock." I was confused.

"But that is what rubies are. Rocks." Minerals actually but that's is what they're known as.

"No, not that kind of rock. That is actually a lump of marble. It's been charmed so anyone who looks at it, especially you and your Guardian Angel, will see a ruby. It's really a cheap thing." She waves it off. "That band isn't even silver for God's sake, its aluminium. The cheapest metal on the market."

Is she just trying to make me feel bad on purpose? I cover the ring, as if to protect it.

"Nora, your feelings and opinions have been clouded by Crimson. I know what that is like and I don't want you to experience that too." Her eyes widened to emphasize that fake-

"Nora, I'm not lying to you. I'm looking out for you and protecting you. I'll even show you. Give me your ring." She holds out her hand, waiting for me to place the ring there. "Oh, for crying out loud, I'm not going to break it. I'll give it back if you like the way it truly looks." She puts a hand on heart and a hand held for a pledge. "Scout's honour."

Scouts what? Never mind. I suppose I should just go along with it. It's the only thing she'll ask for anyway. I take the ring off my right hand and hold it out. Sirera takes it and holds it out in her palm so it's easily visible to me.

"I can remove charms. I can also, like Crimson, make charms. But I'm not as strong as Crimson. So, if I make a charm against this, then it will go back the way it was. But if I remove the charm entirely, then it won't turn back and will show its true form. Got it?" She looks at me with wide eyes.

"I think so…" I give her a unsure look.

"Alright, in simple. If this ring was really a ruby, then it will go back looking like a ruby if I try to charm it with something else. I'm not strong at making charms at all so it won't last. I am however, an expert in removing them. If this ring isn't a ruby and made to look like something else, which I know it is, then it will stay that way. Ready?" She keeps her gaze on me. I nod, completely understanding her now. We both look at the ring.

From the peak of the ruby, a light like a star started to spread light around it. Cracks were being heard everywhere. When the light disappeared, all that was left was an ugly looking piece of marble on a cheap looking metal which was I gathered, Aluminium. Sirera handed it back to me.

"So if it is a ruby, it should turn back round about now." She started to smile, as if to say 'I told you so'. I look at the ring, hoping to prove her wrong.

But nothing happened. Absolutely nothing. Sirera was right. Crimson was tricking me. Playing me for a fool. I widen my eyes, tears ready to fall and open my mouth in shock.

"Oh, Nora, please don't cry. Do you believe me now?" She said the question slowly.

"Yes. Tell me everything." I look at her directly in the eyes, on the brink of sobs.

"Well, part one, the ring, is done. Part two, that Haile. I need to know. Will you believe me when I tell you the truth about what it does now that you have seen the ring?" She presses her lips together and waits for my response.

"Yes, I will believe you. I promise." I nod and let out a long sigh to calm me down.

"Nora, that Haile is making you cranky, angry and hallucinate. It's clouding your feelings for Patch and is another way of finding you from long distances. It also ensures Crimson knows when you're in the dream. And Nora?"

"Yes?"

"Have you been doing anything against your will recently?" Oh, god. It can't be going in this direction. No.

Reluctantly, I whisper "Yes."

"That's the Haile too. Nora, it's Crimson who has been controlling you. Making you do things you didn't want to do. It was him." Sirera puts an arm round me and rubs my right shoulder. Comforting. I thought Sirera was the real 'Queen of Mean' but in truth, she was really nice. I start to sob.

"What else does it do, minus make me a puppet?" I continue to sob, out of no where, Sirera pulls out hard boiled sugar sweets and hankies. I take the hankie but I'm not sure what to do with the sweets.

"You suck the sweets. They get rid of sore throats." She paused, then continued.

"The Haile also make you pay attention to whatever Crimson says and, at his command, makes you feel certain emotions. The lure charm was put on stronger than usual because you are already bonded with your Guardian Angel and you're a Nephil. Hailes don't really work on Nephil, but Crimson is strong and unpredictable and he made that strong enough to fool you. That mark on your arm, the rose thorns. That is also a trick. The more you wear the Haile in sleep, the worse the crankiness, anger and affection for Crimson gets. Eventually you will distant yourself from Patch. You should listen to Alaric and don't wear it at all. You can summon me without it." I pull back to look in her face. She was smiling apologetically as if to say 'I'm sorry I couldn't help sooner'.

"Anything else I should know before I go crazy?" I giggle at that pathetic excuse for a joke. Sirera laughs.

"Yeah, that Haile doesn't protect you from anything, at all!" She stops her laughing.

"I can honestly say Sirera, that I like you and think you are a nice person and I much prefer your approach than your brothers." I start to laugh and so does Sirera.

"Yes, Alaric is and always has been straight to the point and will never understand how a woman feels. Trust me, I know!" She started to laugh again and leaned her head on my shoulder. "You know, I like you too, Nora. I should see you in reality. Be good friends." I countered her, although wanting the same.

"Crimson would never allow it!" Whenever I mention Crimson, there was acid in my voice. I had no feelings for him now. Nothing except and undying hate.

"He would never allow it…if you were wearing his Haile. However…" Sirera reaches into a back pocket of her mini shorts. She pulls out a replica of Crimsons Haile.

Except it was with amber feathers.

"Alaric told me how far gone with the charms you were. I got straight to making one for you. It has no lure charm or nothing bad. All it will do is simply reverse the process of any negative charm that is bestowed on you. With a plus side." I could hear the smile in her voice towards the end. I lean me head on hers.

"What's the plus side?" I raise the eyebrows.

"You can summon me whenever you want. It will be private. Crimson also can't interfere." She lifts the amber Haile towards me and I take it. I take the red Haile off and replace it with the amber Haile. Nothing happened except I felt happier.

"The process of removing the charms takes time. You'll probably have to wait a couple of days before you're normal again." She sits back normal and looks at me. She smiles. Sirera is full of smiles I noticed. That reminded me of something. To stall, I place some stray strands of hair behind my ear.

"Sirera, I know you're trying to help and all, but aren't you meant to be Crimsons Carnet?"

"I'm Crimsons Carnet, yes. I will always love him no matter what. That doesn't mean I'll let him do wrong to others." She gave me a light dig in the arm.

"Prove it though. Prove you're his Carnet." I still wanted to know, for sure, not that I didn't trust Sirera, because I do.

"That's easy. Look at my legs. From what I know, a Carnet pair get the same markings when they find each other. Mine is gold thunder circling my knees."

She pointed down.

She was telling the truth. A circle that went behind and round the front of her knees were in the shapes of thunderbolts. Why'd did Crimson hide these?

"Simple. Crimson hates the marking and never likes showing them. He also hates the fact they're at his knees." She rolls her eyes. She acted like a regular, average girl.

"Boys!" I start to giggle. I'd just imagined Patch with the same markings. Sirera was laughing too. But she suddenly stopped. I stopped to. What was happening now?

"Nora! We haven't got much time left. I've told you all you need to know. I'll see you soon, okay?" She stood up and held both my hands.

"Of course!" I get up and hug her tight. Sirera hugged me back and started to wonder off. I did the same until…

"Nora?" I turn around. Sirera was facing me.

"Yeah?"

"Do what Alaric says. Stay away from Crimson as much as you can and don't put the Haile on. Also, keep Patch close, okay?"

"Okay! See you soon!" I wander off. Holding the red Haile and wearing my new amber Haile. I start to drift…

I'm in my room. I look at the clock to find it's 10:30Pm. I'd slept loads. I lent back in my bed, ready to go back to sleep.

There's a rustling at my window.

I shoot up with a speed I didn't know I'd had, to see a figure sitting at the end of my bed.

"Hello, Nora."

The puppeteer was in my room. Here comes the hate. Lets hope, for my sake, that my drama skills are good.

Dun-dun-duuuuuu!

What do you think of Crimson now?

Would you let Sirera be your best friend or don't you like her with all that gold?

Isn't Nora in trouble now?

Need review to win bet and opinions please.

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Love Ya

Emma 'EePee' Paige