"Why is it you guys are always babysitting me?" Elise shouted at Raze. He shook his head almost apologetically before saying anything.

"Your mother and father have spent all their time since they met protecting the Underworld. They made peace, and they hoped the new peace would give them the chance to raise a family. You are that new hope, Elise. They love you."

"If they are so worried about me getting hurt, sheltering me is doing nothing to teach me how to take care of myself." She trembled angrily. "I can handle myself." She sat with her arms across her chest, staring out the window. Tears of silent rage ran down her cheeks. For a moment, she had tasted the freedom of running alone through the night. She couldn't really describe it, but everything in those few hours alone had felt right. And now the detective would know she was a minor, and if he saw her again, he would treat her differently. The whole idea didn't seem fair to her, but Elise was content for the moment to let sleeping dogs lie. It wasn't Raze's fault. Indeed, she had been happy for an excuse to get away before the detective asked too many questions. "I'm sorry, Raze. I appreciate you coming to get me." Much to her relief, he was headed straight toward the city, toward her brother. She knew her mother would be ready to dress her down as soon as she walked through the door of the mansion. Steeling herself, she settled back to contemplate a good retort.

"Raze is bringing her here," Eric explained, ignoring his mother's impatient pacing and the way his father was hunched forward with his head in his hands. "She's a big girl, our Ellie. I think we don't give her enough credit sometimes. She's completely unscathed, I assure you. The only person she ran into was a detective investigating the case. Raze said she handled him admirably."

"She could have blown our secrets! She could have been killed by the sun!" Selene shouted wearily in return. Eric had wisely placed his parents in a room devoid of ready weapons, as his mother would have found something to shoot at if she had the chance. He didn't want to talk back to his mother, but he was growing frustrated of her broken arguments. Eric looked pleadingly to Michael.

Michael managed his feet, standing in front of his lover as she continued walking. She threw her arms around him, resting her head against his shoulder and sobbed. She was relieved her daughter was alive. There was no real anger, just anxiety. Eric decided it was best to leave his parents to their own devices and tend to other matters. As he left, his mother and father were kissing.

"Xanatos, there you are," he said half-heartedly. He was emotionally weary. Eric had passed through the entrance hall, "I want you to lead the team that will do the investigation. I want you to go tonight, and I want it to be handled by a mixed team, none of this race-exclusive nonsense. While you're there, I want you to collect Kaman and some of my sister's belongings. Take only those you know you can trust. I don't want anyone I don't know about leaking the location of my parent's home." Xanatos merely nodded from behind his computer. He was typing away furiously. Eric couldn't resist his curiosity and walked around to see what his adviser was doing. A series of photographs were flashing in the bottom corner of the screen, while in another window, encryptions moved up and down like ripples.

"I'm resetting the security cameras to a new code," he explained. "I figure Selene will want to try her hand at home security. She's the only other person I'll trust with the keys." Eric smiled in his crooked way, gripping his friend's shoulder.

"Excellent. Get her briefed. She'll need something to keep her busy." Xanatos managed a small chuckle before returning to the work at hand. Eric left him to pace the halls of the mansion. He didn't want to rest until his sister arrived. While he knew his mother would scold his sister, he would be relieved to see her safe.

A beep from the phone in his breast pocket heralded a text message. He pulled it out and read the words he'd been waiting for: "Elise outside. Send detail." He hurried back down the stairs and into the entry, where Xanatos was standing inclined against the wall. With him were Selene, Michael, and Brandon, another Death Dealer from his mother's days. Eric nodded, and they all exited together. Selene had a gun. Eric could tell by the way she looked around for prey. The dogs barked eagerly at the car as it pulled up the drive. The gate detail watched as a second car that had been following them down the road turned down a side street. Eric watched it as well, curious as to whom would be driving down a country road in the middle of the night. Not overly fussed, he watched as his sister opened her door. She was dressed in Selene's Death Dealer gear. Despite himself, Eric couldn't help but admire how it looked so right. Xanatos made a quick gesture toward the door, and the entire group, Raze included, made for the relative safety of the inside. Elise bristled defiantly, looking every inch as though she was part of the group assigned her, and not the subject. She'd grown a whole lot in the two years since he'd seen her last. Everything about her lithe form threatened womanhood, from her broadening hips to her high cheekbones. She would not look unlike her mother, though the sparkle in her eye reminded him more of Michael than Selene. The entire court had entered the foyer, curious about their guest. Elise had done well blending in, Eric realised. If she had entered in her usual jeans and sweater, everyone present would have known immediately that she was an easy target. "Push off," Xanatos said scathingly. "You've never seen a detail come in before?" There was a soft murmur, and then the watchers vanished back into the shadows.

"The study," Eric said softly out of the side of his mouth. The group ascended the staircase, aware of all eyes on them. Brandon

"Kaman's not at fault," Elise said immediately. "I deliberately hid myself from him in a direct attempt to sneak out. He was doing his duty securing the perimeter."

"Hiding yourself from your tail doesn't make it any easier for him to protect you," Eric said quietly. "Kaman will be reviewed later. He's off duty until further notice. Not a word about anything." Brandon nodded understanding, walking out and closing the door behind him. "You admit to deliberately losing your guardian in an attempt to escape…" Selene opened her mouth, but Raze gave her a meaningful look. "Which," he continued, "was very poor judgment, Elise. Taking into consideration the fact that you were the intended target of the bombing attack, you took several of our team that could have been investigating leads searching for you. This lack of judgment on your part cost us a lot of valuable time. If we can't find out who did this, there could be another war between the races, and it could be caused by your carelessness." All conviction she'd had of putting up a good fight fled Elise. She hung her head, ashamed. Michael immediately realized she probably hated the idea of disappointing her brother more than anything. "As this is a matter of state, Raze and Xanatos will sit council with me to decide due punishment." Selene no longer wanted to speak. Elise had wanted a taste of politics. Now was the time for her to start learning. "The witnesses may be seated," he continued, and Michael pulled Selene down into an armchair.

"You kneel before the council," Michael told his daughter not unkindly. Elise dropped to one knee nervously. The colour had drained from her cheeks.

"In the matter of the Underworld against Elise Renee Corvin, the council is requested to make a decision on her punishment. Said person admits to shaking off protection and putting the Underworld in danger," Eric announced. Xanatos nodded slowly, recording on paper the words. "The representative for the Lycans has first say. Raze?" Elise swallowed hard.

"I believe due to the age and inexperience of this Hybrid in the world, she should continue to tutor with her educator. As part of her penance, she will be required to attend hearings and record accurately all that is said during these hearings. Also, I require her to take a training course in gun handling and household procedures, so that she might better understand the importance of taking orders within the household. I also decree that her parents have right to install further punishments at their discretion." Eric nodded.

"The representative for the Vampires."

"I feel Raze's reason is sound, but I also feel it important to impress upon Elise the need for discretion. Things spoken here cannot be talked about freely. Court is a dangerous place for a newcomer with no experience. I wish to assign her a bodyguard, a female bodyguard of her mother's choosing to keep her from making mistakes and assure she's safe. If she violates the requirements set forth regarding her guardian, I believe she should be placed under house arrest until such time that further punishment can be assigned."

"As the leading judge in this, my word becomes law. Elise Renee Corvin, I require of you all that was aforementioned by these two fair judges of the council and also stipulate that you are not allowed to leave this house without the accompaniment of at least four specified bodyguards and only then with express permission of myself or our parents. You're hereby dismissed." Elise rose to her feet, saying nothing. Raze and Xanatos left the family to their business.

"You're going to let her sit in on politics?" Selene exploded as soon as the door closed.

"It's the only way she'll learn the seriousness of what we're telling her. Sheltering her will do no good. With the possibility of war on the horizon, she needs to be as prepared as possible. Better to put the smoking gun in her hands than leave it to someone else," Eric answered his mother evenly. "There's no avoiding the inevitable, Mother."

Selene sighed. "You really think the situation is that serious?" she said more calmly.

"There's a growing restlessness. No matter what Father says, there's bound to be some ruffled feathers."

"What's the cause?"

"A young group of Vampires who believe the Lycans are meant to be slaves. You know, I figured that the Lycans and Vampires might want peace after all these years of trying to murder one another."

"Old habits die hard," Selene replied darkly.