Okay….let this be a disclaimer for the rest of the story because I am really getting tired of writing this. None of these characters belong to me; they belong to the wonderful author, Brandon Mull.

Seth's POV

What was Kendra doing? I had asked her to give me a little time to get into the house, and she was standing there with a thoughtful look on her face. It wasn't that hard to make a decision, you know. I guess she was just being Miss Goody-Two Shoes again.

I sighed. "Kendra, I would like to come inside before Christmas!" I yelled up at her.

"Well why don't you come in through the back door?" Warren's voice said in my ear.

I scowled up at Kendra. She had probably gone and told them. I knew I shouldn't have trusted her, even if she is my sister. We are polar opposites.

I followed Warren inside for what I knew to be the talking to of my life.

Well, I guess it wasn't so bad. Basically, I just ignored Grandpa and Grandma's rambling on about how "irresponsible" I was and "how I need to be more like my sister" and a whole bunch of questions about where I had been sneaking off too. That, I didn't answer. I needed to go there, so that I didn't hurt any member of my family. I wanted to tell them about everything that had been happening, but I couldn't. I just couldn't.

Kendra's POV

I had seen Warren come up behind Seth, and saw him look up and glare at me. It took me a minute to realize why he had- he thought that the moment of silence had been me going to get them. To tell them. To get him in trouble. But I hadn't! Why couldn't he just cut me some slack? Why? Who had my brother become? Some demon of the night that hated everything that had to do with the light?

I had watched Seth the whole two hours that he was being yelled at. His face was calm, even serene, but I could almost see the storm raging within him. I wondered what had happened to him these past few months. He had gone from happy go-lucky kid to…something indescribable.

I wished I could do something to help him. But at the same time, he did need to become a little more responsible. I felt divided. I didn't know what to do.

Seth's POV

After all of the yelling (finally, yes, it was over), I went upstairs to practice my newly discovered abilities.

I went into the corner and concentrated on lowering the temperature. I felt a sudden chill, and I knew that it had been me. It was awesome being able to do things like this…I wondered what I would be able to do once I got my magic under control.

"Seth…um…are you in there?" I heard Kendra ask.

I didn't reply, not wanting her to hear me, nor see me.

"Seth...I have a feeling that you are in here, but you are shadow walking. So, just let me say this. I don't know what is going on with you, I don't know where you go every night, I don't even know if you are my brother any more. But I just want you to know that if you ever need someone, at all, I'm here. I've always been here. So if you need me-"

"Stop, Kendra." I said, stepping out of the shadows. "Just stop. I know. I am just going through some stuff, and I really feel like being alone nowadays. Yes, I am still your brother, even if it doesn't seem like it. I…" I trailed off as I heard Grandpa yelling up at us from the garden.

We both looked out the window and saw something, well, unexpected. Nero was standing in on the edge of the garden with a long rope in his hand. Attached to the rope, though, was the centipede I had seen on Midsummer Eve.

Nero held up the rope to me and said:

"For you, Seth."