**DISCLAIMER: The concept of the Night World belong to L.J. Smith, not me. But my characters, namely Elise, the Morgan twins, and Sinael are mine. Please don't steal them.**

A/N: I know it's a little short, but it's an important lead-up. And reminder: This takes place in the Night World universe but before Circle Daybreak is formed and therefore before the Night World books take place. Please send some feedback or review! Enjoy reading!

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"In love the paradox occurs that two beings become one and yet remain two."

~Erich Fromm~

Amulet of Artemis

by: The Silver Princess

9

They returned happily to the Morgan house. "Perhaps you should do another Seeing now that we know a little more," Leilani suggested.

Trying to look put-upon, Xander agreed. Elise leaned forward in her chair to absorbedly watch as Xander Saw.

"What's he doing?" she whispered to Leilani, not wanting to disturb his trance.

"He stares into the center of the flame and invokes his Sight and then he, well, Sees."

"Oh, that was a great description. Everything's crystal-clear now," she said laughingly, as she sat back in her chair. Absentmindedly, she asked aloud, "How could I be descended from all the . . . whatever they are?"

"Well, I guess that the different Elements must have, just, kept on marrying into your family until you were born."

"I wish I knew more about my parents," Elise said sadly, wrapping her arms around herself.

"Goddess!" Leilani exclaimed. "Stupid, I should have thought of it before."

"What?"

Leilani turned to her best friend. "Some herbs don't require magic to activate, but to grow. And I happen to have some dream-thistle powder with me, completely usable by humans. You can find out memories from when you were abandoned. Come on." Leilani grabbed Elise by the wrist and dragged her to another room, even as the blue-eyed girl was trying to make sense of what she had said.

"You mean, your magic plant can help me remember my parents?"

"Yes!"

Elise stopped and stared around the study, a room she'd never been in before. So this was where the twins kept all of their witchy supplies. There were shelves lining every inch of every wall, crammed with twisted ancient vials, highly polished and gilded bottles, and the worn and cared-for flasks. There were amulets and charms littered all over, some stuffed in boxes. And, an enormous bookcase of the most ancient-looking tomes she'd seen outside of a museum. It was unnerving to see such antique and powerful materials in the hardwood newness of the room.

As Elise stared openmouthed, Leilani deftly rummaged through the densely packed shelves. "Ah, here." She pulled out two small clay bottles, one plugged with red wax, the other simply a thick wad of tissue paper. "Come on." She led Elise to yet another room, a bedroom. "Lie down." Catching the look on Elise's face, she added "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

Doubtfully, Elise sat on the bed and watched her friend pour some fine white powder from the bottle with tissue paper into the one that had been capped with wax. She handed the bottle to Elise and cheerfully said, "Drink up." Swishing it round, Elise examined at it as Leilani left the room; It splashed around a little; there didn't seem to be much in there. Here was her chance. Her chance to see her parents, to figure out if any of this earthquake nonsense was true. Her eyes solemn, she took a deep breath and with a grimace, gulped it down fast. Strange, it tasted kind of like liquid cinnamon and sugar.

Her eyes became heavy. With a large yawn, she stretched out on the bed. She purred like a cat; the bed was so comfortable. Maybe I'll just take a little nap while they're doing their witch stuff, she thought drowsily. Eighteen-year-old Elise closed her eyes.

*           *           *

And baby Elise opened her eyes. Her mother was cradling her. With wide childlike eyes, she looked up at the woman carrying her. So that's where I get my nose, she thought, as she stared at the creamy skin. She looks a lot like me, except for her coloring, she realized. I wonder what her name is.

As if sensing her daughter's thoughts, her mother looked down at her. Gently, wisps of her chestnut hair tickled Elise's face. She giggled. With gentle chocolate eyes, her mother brushed them away.

Arms tensed around her as her mother jumped, startled by a nearby noise. The pounding of her mother's heart was loud and rapid next to Elise's ear, and her chest began to rise and fall faster as her breath quickened.

"Rowena, is everything all right?"

Daddy. And suddenly there was a man leaning over her. So here was where she inherited her golden hair and liquid cobalt eyes.

"I thought I heard something in the trees," she murmured. "The woods are too quiet, and they are frightened to speak to me." Hurt was an undercurrent beneath her fear.

Her father nodded once, a quick jerk of his head and moved from Elise's vision. "Benedict!" Rowena hissed anxiously.

Elise heard rustling, and her mother fidgeted fretfully, glancing around with fitful frequency.

"It was some animals. Their tracks lead the same way we're going," her father's deep voice explained.

"Running," she whispered: statement not question. Her eyes closed. "I miss my home," she admitted, her voice heavy with wistful longing. "Most of us never leave our birthplace." Moisture glimmered on her eyelashes.

"I know," he said understandingly. He moved close to her, lovingly wrapping his arms around her. With a sad smile, she opened her eyes, and they gazed tenderly, sorrowfully at each other.

"Come on, we have to hurry," she said finally. "The witches won't be fooled for long. They want her," she glanced down at her daughter, "and it too badly to be put off for long. And there's too many to fight them off."

Her father nodded, and the family continued on their way. Baby Elise was completely unaware of what was going on, and with a happy sigh, she fell asleep, cradled in her mother's arms.

*           *           *

And eighteen-year-old Elise woke up. She sat up rubbing her forehead. Xander was sitting at her side.

"Hi," he said, giving her a kiss. "Find out anything?"

"Not much," she answered. "You?"

"Not much. My Sight has never done this before. It doesn't seem to want to show me anything."

Leilani entered with a glass of water. Elise drank it thankfully. "Well, basically all I found out was that my parents were here because," she trailed off trying to think. "They seemed to be running from, uh, witches. I woke up before I could find out anything else." She glanced anxiously at the witch twins, hoping they weren't offended.

Xander said, "It's okay, we understand, After all, most witches aren't exactly the nicest people towards humans. I doubt they'd make an exception even for Elemental humans. Did you hear one of them say how many witches were after them?"

Relieved that they weren't taking it the wrong way, she answered, "No, but my mom made it seem like a lot." She paused as a small ache of guilt rose inside her. "They wanted me," she murmured softly, more to herself.

She didn't know if Xander heard her or not, but he put his arm around her nevertheless, offering welcome support.

"Do you think it . . . Could it be the Hunt?" Leilani asked.

"Maybe," Xander answered dubiously.

"Wait, I'm lost." Elise interjected, waving her hand in front of them. "Human here, you know,"

Xander explained, "About seventeen years ago, there was a large hunt, for lack of a better word. Very hush, hush. It's one of the absolute innermost secrets of Circle Midnight, the darkest of the witches' circles. Most witches actually don't believe it ever happened, that the Circle Midnight witches invented it to further their reputation. Personally, Leilani and I they're blind. Circle Midnight doesn't need any reputation bolstering, and from the rumors…we can believe they were responsible for the Hunt."

"So, Elise's parents were being pursued by the Hunt," Leilani said thoughtfully. Xander opened his mouth as though about to tell her not to jump to conclusions, but she was continuing. "Somehow or another Elise's parents must have somehow affected this place with a power and then left Elise. Now, Sinael has apparently come here for that power that they left. And Elise can somehow can use it to create earthquakes. Is this what we're saying?"

Xander nodded unhappily, "Sounds farfetched, but it's all we've come up with."

A sibilant feminine voice rang out, "This is better than any game I ever played. You're much cleverer than I would have thought traitors could be."

Sinael was standing in the doorway, giggling.

"No, no. Don't bother getting up. I'm just dropping by for a visit. Fascinating, I never knew humans, even Elemental ones, could cause earthquakes. Thanks for the info. I knew this whole spying thing was a good idea."

She disappeared before they could respond. The earth shivered, and the twins looked at Elise. The golden-haired girl shrugged ruefully and said, "Sorry, she bugs me."