As we walked into Maggie's apartment, I looked around. It was not as I expected. Although I wasn't sure what I expected.

I guess I was expecting Maggie to be some full on hippie type lady, but she wasn't. She was dressed in a casual thing you would picture the normal mother to wear, not the hippie dress.

"Welcome, Melantha. I'm glad you've finally gotten to me." Maggie said warmly with a smile.

I couldn't help but smile back. She really was a nice little ol' lady.

Maggie offered us all some seats and tea. I declined, but she insisted. She's very persistent with her tea.

"So, what's the plan?" I asked nervously. I hadn't the slightest clue what to do now that I was with her. In my mind I had pictured her taking me into her arms like some lost puppy and caring for me until I felt ready to be a good dog and run wild.

Maggie looked at me carefully, "You're the one who came to me."

"Oh, well. I don't know what it is," I replied meekly. I hated it when I got extremely nervous. It gave me that pukey feeling.

"She wants to be free from the Atrox," Stanton put in helpfully. Maggie set down her tea and smiled.

"Well, that can be done, but at a price," she said solemnly. She was still smiling which sort of threw me off.

"What kind of price? Does it involve killing a poor innocent goat?" I had heard that in the old days that's what you had to do when asking the gods for something big. For some reason they took a liking to you if you offered them a dead goat. I know I would turn the other way if someone offered me a dead goat.

Maggie just stared at me, along with everyone else. It made me sort of uncomfortable so I said, "Just kidding. You know, about the whole goat thing."

Catty giggled and took a sip of tea. I still hadn't touched mine.

"Well, the journey is yours to take." Maggie said suspiciously.

We all sort of sat there in this uncomfortable silence. I still wouldn't touch my tea. Finally Maggie looked like she was ready to talk.

"Melantha, I must speak to you alone. It's a decision only you can make," She said forebodingly. She made it seem like I had to make this life or death decision. It was strange.

Everyone gave each other a glance but wouldn't dare to look at me. It seemed like the Daughters all had their "alone time" with Maggie and had an idea of what was coming. Stanton was the only one to look at me worriedly.

I smiled at him reassuringly while responding to Maggie, "Yeah sure, alone is good. I guess."

Everyone got up and headed out the door.

"We'll wait for you downstairs. Come and get us when you're ready," Vanessa said comfortingly.

"I don't think she'll be coming down any time soon. But I do suggest you wait a while longer." Maggie replied mysteriously.

Vanessa looked questioningly at Maggie but just shrugged and walked out the door.

Maggie turned to me solemnly again, this time without the smiles, "Melantha, I know your life has been hard and difficult. I knew the reason why you came to me here in the first place. Did Serena give you the Dragon necklace?"

"That was for me? Why would you want it for me?" I asked curiously.

"Well, it was to help protect your mind from Blake. I suppose I didn't get it to you in time. I'm sorry for what you had to go through because of my mistake," Maggie replied sadly.

Was she taking what happened to me all on herself? "Maggie, it wasn't your fault I was beaten and stripped of my powers. I knew the risk when I ran away. Besides I don't think anything could have prevented me from Blake," I said reassuringly.

"I know, but it could have been helped." Maggie was really stubborn. I wished there was something I could do to help.

When I didn't reply Maggie started her story, "When Selene blessed you, she also saw the future. She bestowed upon you those gifts in hopes that someday it may help you escape your evil destiny. The Atrox also saw what Selene had seen, but hoped for a different outcome. When he stripped you of your powers, he also thought he had gotten rid of the ones Selene had given you."

I smiled, so my father knew this was coming all along? It didn't surprise me much considering he was almost all-knowing. Almost being the operative word there.

"But he didn't I still have my Selene given powers? What's with that?" I asked, rudely interrupting her.

"Yes well, only Selene can take away the powers she blessed you with. But now my sweetheart, you have an important decision to make. Do you absolutely want to be untied forever from the Atrox?" She asked with a tone so serious it scare me. What was she hinting at?

"Yes, any life is better than this one. I feel like dirt. The only follower who is talking with me is Stanton." I paused, I was about to divulge further in the situation but quickly decided against it, "Anyways, I feel like some lowly regular person. I'm not used to it. I don't really care for the feeling."

"You aren't a regular person, Melantha, and you know that. Stanton loves you along with the other Daughters. I want you to know If you do decide to stay with us, that although you'll have a difficult life, you'll have people who will love and care for you," Maggie looked sympathetically at me.

"What are you talking about? You make it sound like I have two options here. Either live a troubled life or die?" I asked defensively.

"Well, that is because those are your choices. You can choose to go and join Selene or stay here and face having to deal with your father again. The choice is completely yours. If you do stay here, you'll never be completely free of the Atrox. If you really do want complete freedom, then you will choose to join Selene. The decision is yours," Maggie said in this annoyingly all-knowing sort of way.

I just looked at her with my jaw dropped. Was she serious? She made both offers so tempting. She couldn't be serious could she?

AN: Alright, I have to say something just in case it really is happening. I'm also writing another story and in that story the main character is very neurotic. I've noticed that me and my other stories are being infected with the neurotic act. So if you have noticed Melantha becoming a bit more neurotic these last few recent chapters then I'm sorry, I'm trying hard not to do it, but when working two stories at once it's difficult... I just thought I'd let you know that lol...