The spare bedroom of the farmhouse was in the attic. The last door on the right at the end of the second floor hallway opened to a steep, narrow staircase that led into an open room with a queen size bed, dresser and vanity. Miscellaneous boxes of belongings were stored along the edges of the wall. Gabriel said that the spare room was just in case we had to house anyone the Order of the Phoenix was helping for a short period. I was never crazy about our house being a safe house, but I knew how important it was for the Order to provide safe places for people who supported the cause and were on the run from Voldemort.

Benjamin carried Haiden's body all the way upstairs as if she were as light as a pillow. As soon as he set her down, Gabriel and I stepped in to take a closer look at her injuries. She appeared to have been knocked unconscious; there was a thin cut across her forehead that disappeared under her blond hairline and a significant amount of her forehead was bruising. The back of her head was soaked in blood; she must have been knocked on the back of her skull by a blunt object. Her arms and torso were mangled with bruises, cuts and shards of glass. As I helped Gabriel get the unnecessary articles of clothing off, I noticed that her left elbow was also dislocated.

"That's enough," Gabriel said once I had removed her shirt. Haiden laid on the bed in an athletic top and her jeans. She was a thin, boney creature. Her skin lay tightly across her rib cage. The poor girl looked starved. I was thankful that Carrigan, despite being skinny, was not so thin that she looked like skin and bones. Carrigan was thin and muscular, while Haiden looked like she could break easily.

Gabriel conjured a plastic bowl and extended it to me. I held it for him as he pulled out the shards of glass that were stuck in Haiden's flesh. She looked as though she had fallen head first through a window. As I held the bowl, I glanced at the entrance into the attic, where Benjamin was standing with Carrigan next to him. He looked worried; his arms crossed over his chest while his fingers nervously tapped against his biceps. He bit his bottom lip while his icy blue eyes never blinked. He stared straight forward at the bed while Gabriel worked. Carrigan, however, looked frigid. Her navy blue eyes held no twinkle of compassion or worry. She stood with her hands on her hips while she glanced back and forth between Haiden, on the bed, and Benjamin, standing next to her.

"Can I speak with you?" she said abruptly as she turned on her heel and exited the attic. The stairs leading to the second floor creaked loudly under her, despite her light weight, as she descended. Benjamin didn't say anything, but followed her downstairs. I looked at Gabriel as I bit my bottom lip with apprehension.

"What do you think happened?"

"Have to ask Benjamin," he shrugged honestly as he pointed his wand at Haiden's forehead. "Honestly, I'm more curious about what is going on between Benjamin and Haiden."

"I know. I don't trust her in the least."

"We shouldn't."

"Benjamin does for some reason."

"She could be using him."

I nodded in agreement. "Should we keep her here or move her?"

"Where could we take her?"

"A safe house?"

"That puts the Order in just as much danger as it does to keep her here," Gabriel responded coolly. "We should just heal her and send her back to wherever Benjamin found her."

"YOU CAN'T TRUST HER!" shouted Carrigan's voice from below us. "THAT IS EXACTLY MY POINT!"

I rolled my eyes and released a heavy sigh.

"Perhaps you should go downstairs," Gabriel said slowly.

"I don't want to get caught in the crossfire."

Gabriel laughed. "Me either."

I set the bowl down on the dresser then headed for the door of the attic. I raced down the stairs, hoping to reach the verbal fight before it escalated to the point that Carrigan lost control of her physical powers.

"SHE LEFT ME TO DIE!"

"I'm not discussing anything with you when you raise your voice like that," Benjamin said calmly with his arms folded over his chest. He was the first person I saw when I reached the bottom of the attic stairs. He was facing down the hallway towards me, Carrigan's back was to me. She heard me coming, and pivoted to look at me, her eyes red with anger and frustration. I could tell instantly that she was close to tears, which caught me off guard. Carrigan was not one to cry.

"Hey," I said slowly. "What's going on?"

"Nothing," Carrigan said quickly. "Nothing at all."

She shoved past Benjamin and disappeared down the stairs to the first floor of the house. My heart skipped a beat when I heard the front door open and slam shut. For a moment I wanted to go after her, but I quickly remembered that Carrigan needed her space. She needed to take a moment to cool down. When she was relaxed and ready to talk she would return.

"I doubt that was about nothing."

"She is frustrated that I brought Haiden here," Benjamin said easily. "She thinks that Haiden can't be trusted because she left her behind. Is she awake yet?"

"No," I shook my head and took hold of his arm quickly before he could get past me. He looked down at me with a chilled glare. "Benjamin, tell me what happened."

Benjamin tore his eyes away from me long enough to stare past me at the door at the end of the hall. He crossed his arms over his chest defensively while taking a long slow breath. I waited patiently for him to speak.

"I stopped by to see how she was doing," he shrugged innocently. "She's staying in my flat. I'm renting it to her."

"You own a flat?" I said surprised.

"I bought it shortly after I started at the Ministry. I thought it would be wise for us to have a safe place to go in case the house was ever found out."

It was a wise idea, but I was more in shock that Benjamin had been living under my roof when he was financial capable of living on his own. I decided that at the moment, the point was mute.

"You found her like this?"

"She didn't answer the door," he nodded. "I thought maybe she wasn't home and used my key. The place was ran-sacked, as if they were looking for something, and Haiden was in the living room. She was lying on the broken glass coffee table. I just grabbed her and brought her here."

"She wasn't conscious at all?"

"No," Benjamin shook his head. His eyes opened wide with realization.

I pivoted immediately and tore up the stairs towards the attic. Benjamin was at my heels, racing up the stairs behind me. Because Haiden was unconscious when Benjamin found her, he was not able to ask her a security question. It was completely possible that the woman upstairs was not Haiden at all, but an imposter who staged the entire break-in with the soul purpose of getting into my home.

I stopped violently on the steps, causing Benjamin to run into me.

"What is it?"

"What would be the purpose of getting into the house?"

Benjamin shrugged. "There are many—"

"Carrigan," I interrupted impatiently. "Go tell Gabriel what you told me. Make sure when Haiden wakes you ask her a security question. I'm going to get Carrigan."

Benjamin frowned deeply with uncomfortable concern in his eyes. He turned to dash up the stairs, taking them two at a time. I moved just as fast down the stairs to the second floor again.

Carrigan, I thought with Legilimency as I raced down the hall to the staircase that led downstairs. I jumped the last few steps into the foyer, yanked open the front door and raced onto the porch. The front yard was deserted in the setting sun light. I jumped off the porch onto the gravel pathway from the house to the front gate. She was no where to be seen. She couldn't have gotten that far—unless she Apparated. I closed my eyes and concentrated all of my energy on her.

Carrigan. It's an emergency.

"Cadence," Gabriel called as he came out the front door. I turned with distraught eyes to look at him.

"What?"

"Haiden isn't an imposter. She answered a security question."

"Carrigan is gone," my voice rang with alarm as I ignored Gabriel's comment.

Gabriel frowned deeply as he descended the porch steps. His wand was gripped tightly in his hand at his side. He stopped next to me and placed his left hand on the small of my back, as if to comfort me. Just as he opened his mouth to speak there was a flash of blue light south of the farmhouse. A trembling explosion erupted and the ground below our feet shook. The sight was unmistakable—the explosion was created by Carrigan's energy. She was in danger; or very angry that Benjamin had brought Haiden home.

Gabriel grabbed my hand before I could move and Disapparated us from the front yard of the farmhouse. My feet hit uneven ground violently, causing my knees to give. I tumbled over, but Gabriel held me strongly and pulled me against his chest breaking my fall. I yanked my body away from him instantly as I took in the scenery around us.

We were standing at the edge of a six foot deep crater in the earth. The land south of the farmhouse had once been undeveloped field and swamp, but now, the 500 square foot crater scarred it's natural beauty.

"Where is Carrigan?" I asked looking around with confusion. I turned away from the crater to look out at the surrounding the field. I shielded my eyes from the setting sun, hoping to see my daughter's silhouette standing against the sunset.

"There!" Gabriel pointed. I turned my head so quickly, following the direction of his arm, that my neck cracked violently. I groaned as he jumped down into the crater. I followed his lead, landing cat-like on my feet.

Gabriel was already moving across the rocky dirt towards the center of the crater. As I followed him, I saw what he had pointed to. In the middle of the crater, two bodies laid covered in dirt. Gabriel got to the pair before me. He snatched up Carrigan's limp body like she was a rag doll. My heart plummeted into my stomach as I approached him, holding back tears out of pure fear.

"She's alive," he said softly as I felt for a pulse. "I can feel her breathing."

I nodded. "Alright." I turned my attention to the other body that lay at our feet. It was a woman, who appeared to be in her twenties, dressed in all black with long blonde hair that was pin straight and fell to her bottom. As I stood over her, studying her features, she looked vaguely familiar to me. There was something about her cheekbones and the curve of her jaw. I stepped forward, crotched down and felt her wrist for a pulse.

The moment I touched her, she lurched to life. She threw her free arm out and grabbed me around the throat; with a swift pull, she tossed me over her body, away from Gabriel and Carrigan. Her strength was surprising considering the injuries she must have sustained from the explosion that created the crater.

My body rolled across the dirt, knocking the air out of my lungs. When I stopped rolling, I sat up instantly, ready to jump to my feet but I froze instead. The blonde haired woman was standing upright in the center of the crater with a foreign weapon pointed at Gabriel and her wand pointed at me. As I studied the weapon in her hand, I recalled seeing it somewhere before; perhaps when I was a child living in America. It was a metallic black color and shaped like an awkward looking 'L.'

"What the hell?" Gabriel muttered as he glanced at me.

"Who are you?" the blonde asked as she stared at Gabriel. Her long straight hair billowed in the cool evening wind. Her posture was rigid, strong and commanding. I studied her as I slowly began to stand up. Her amber brown eyes looked just as familiar to me as her face. I felt as if I knew her from somewhere or sometime in my past.

My movement called her attention. She immediately turned to me, stepping forward with her wand yielding towards me. I raised my hands carefully in surrender.

"Relax," I said slowly. "You must know who we are—"

"No," she interrupted. "If I knew, I wouldn't ask. Who are you? And why the hell did that stupid bald bitch attack me?"

I flicked one of my hands, like I was swatting a bug, and the blonde girl went flying across the crater. Her body slammed into the crater wall and collapsed on a mound of dirt. I called her wand and foreign weapon to me with another quick swish of my fingers. I swooped down, picking them up in my hands. With a snap of my fingers they disappeared from sight. I pulled my wand from my boot and pointed it straight at the young blonde, who was shaking her head and trying to stand.

She flipped her long hair out of her face as she fiercely glared at me for disarming her.

"Call my daughter a bitch again and I'll break your jaw," I said coolly as I walked towards her. The young woman didn't move. She simply continued to glare at me, as if wishing I would burst into flames. Her hands were clenched tightly closed into little fist.

"Now," I continued as I stopped directly in front of her. "Who are you?"

She didn't answer me, which made my stomach twist with discomfort. I didn't want to hurt her unless I absolutely had to. I pressed my wand tip into her neck, just below her jaw line and repeated my question. "Who are you?"

"Quinn," she said slowly as she stared me straight in the face as if challenging me to call her bluff. I silently said the spell for Legilimency as I stared at her to see if she was lying.

"Juniper Quinn Tullius," I said softly with a nod.

"If you call me Juniper, I will break your jaw," she hissed with cheek. I couldn't help but smirk. "If you knew the answer, why did you ask?"

"Wanted to see if you would lie to me," I said back sharply. I stepped forward closer to her body. She stood her ground. With my wand still pressed into her neck, I grabbed her left arm and pushed up the sleeve.

"Looking for something?" she asked with bite.

Her arm was blank pale white flesh. I looked her straight in the eye. She had a smug smirk on her face.

"What are you doing in my field?"

"I was walking," Quinn replied defensively. "Your daughter appeared out of no where. The next thing I know I'm lying in the dirt of this damn crater with you standing over me."

"Avery," Gabriel said calmly from across the crater. I was surprised when he used my code name from our old days at the Ministry. I turned my head slightly over my shoulder to see Gabriel putting Carrigan down, on her feet. She was awake; the girl had perfect timing. She could confirm Quinn's story.

"Mom?" Carrigan questioned as she stood up straight and looked at me with perplexed eyes. Gabriel held her arm, guiding her forward, towards me and Quinn. "What are you doing?"

"What happened when you Apparated to the field?" Gabriel asked.

"I made it out here just in time," Carrigan said looking up at him slowly. "As soon as I arrived, my energy got the better of me and exploded."

"You caused the explosion?" Quinn's voice was utterly shocked.

Carrigan blinked as she stared at the young blonde, but did not say anything.

"You're lucky to be alive, Quinn," I said softly while pulling my wand away from her neck. "Now, get the hell out off my property."

"Gladly," Quinn said. "Give me back my weapons."

I studied her carefully and glanced at Gabriel for his opinion. He wasn't looking at me though. He was staring straight at Juniper Quinn Tullius.

She's looking for something. Carrigan's voice rang in my ears. I looked at her simply out of habit. Carrigan frowned slightly as her eyes opened wide with surprise. Her hand jumped to her throat as if she were choking.

"What is it?" I asked as I touched Carrigan's shoulder.

"Why were you walking through the field?" Carrigan asked Quinn.

"Why did you blow it up?" Quinn snipped back.

"Because I was upset that my friend brought home a girl that I don't particularly care for," Carrigan replied honestly. "I lost control of my physical powers because I was so emotional. I Apparated to the field so when I blew it up I wouldn't kill anyone."

"Well, you almost killed me."

"But I didn't," Carrigan said quickly. "Answer my question."

"I have a feeling," Quinn said very slowly as she looked between Gabriel, Carrigan and me. "That you already have the answer to your question. Who are you people?"

"My name is Carrigan Coleman—"

"—Carrigan," Gabriel warned. She ignored him though and continued to speak.

"This is my mother, Cadence Coleman and my step-father, Gabriel Quintin," Carrigan replied. Quinn stood up straight as her arms dropped uselessly to her side. She frowned deeply and glared at Carrigan, as if trying to determine if she was lying or not. "I'm sure you know who we are now."

Quinn's eyes turned away from Carrigan for a moment to glare at Gabriel who was standing to her side. I studied the expression for a few moments, curious as to why she was so interested in glaring at Gabriel.

"What are you looking for?" Carrigan questioned stepping forward.

Quinn turned her attention back to Carrigan with high eyebrows.

"My weapons," she said cruelly. Her amber eyes flashed to me. "Where are they?"

I snapped my fingers and Quinn's weapon and wand appeared in my hands. I threw them forward onto the ground in front of her feet. "Get off my property," I hissed. "If I find you on it again, I'll kill you myself."

Quinn smirked at me. She kept her eyes on Gabriel and I as she knelt down slowly to pick up her belongings. Silence fell around us as she put her wand in her boot and her foreign weapon under her cloak on her belt. Gabriel moved towards me, stepping behind me and placed his hand on my shoulder as if we were afraid I would chase Quinn out of the crater if she didn't move fast enough.

"It has been a pleasure," she said with a sweeping bow. Her long blonde hair twisted in the air and flipped back with a sharp flick, like a whip, when she stood up straight. Before another word could be said, she ran forward past Gabriel, Carrigan and I. With her running start, she was able to leap up the crater wall. Her hands grabbed the edge of the crater. With her upper body strength and help of her feet, she was able to climb out of the crater with ease. I was impressed by the action, but did not say so out loud.

"Do you know what she was looking for?" Gabriel whispered as he looked at the opposite side of the crater where Quinn had just disappeared.

"Her father," Carrigan replied instantly. "Her thoughts were easy to read. She wasn't blocking me at all."

Gabriel and I both looked at Carrigan with surprise. "Her father?" I repeated quizzically.

"Yes," Carrigan sighed as she ran her hands over her head.

I looked up at Gabriel with concern. He shrugged innocently, unable to ease my concern. "I'll run her name when I go into the Ministry tomorrow. See if anything pops up. I don't know what else we can do."

"I don't like that she was on our property—"

"I don't either, Cadence, but right now there isn't much to go on," he retorted. "Especially since you let her leave."

"What was I suppose to do?" I snipped back.

"Stop it," Carrigan snapped loudly. "Both of you."

I frowned deeply and looked to my daughter, who looked exhausted as if she had just been in a long physical fight. I touched her shoulder, as if to comfort her. "I'm sorry, darling," I whispered with apologetic eyes.

"Let's get you to the house," Gabriel said. "You're beat."

"Is Haiden still there?" Carrigan whispered with dark eyes.

"Yes," Gabriel replied. "She was beaten up pretty bad. I had to repair her skull, it was cracked, four of her ribs and her elbow was dislocated."

"Is that all?" Carrigan cracked. "Didn't put up much of a fight."

"You don't know what kind of a fight she put up, Carrigan. You weren't there," Gabriel's voice was stern and defensive. Carrigan glared at him as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"I see," she whispered. She turned away from him with her arms crossed tightly over her chest. She began to walk away without another word. Gabriel sighed with exacerbation and rolled his eyes.

"What the bloody hell does that mean?" he questioned as he looked at me.

"That she isn't talking to you," I whispered as I walked by him. I tapped his chest with comfort before walking away.

"Mom, can you give me a boost?" Carrigan called as she looked up the crater wall. I smiled and shook my head. Carrigan was definitely not talking to Gabriel now. Gabriel muttered something behind me, but not loud enough for me to hear. I smirked slightly when I reached Carrigan before giving her a boost out of the crater. Gabriel was kind enough to help me up and out of the crater before climbing out himself. Carrigan led the way home, walking at least twenty feet in front of us, no doubt because she was mad at Gabriel for defending Haiden.

At the house, Benjamin and Haiden were sitting in the front room waiting for us to return. Benjamin immediately stood up when we entered the foyer. I was the last one to enter and closed the door tightly behind me. Gabriel removed his flannel shirt, revealing a black tee shirt, and without a word made his way to the kitchen. I was sure he was going to pour himself something strong to drink.

I looked at Haiden, who had remained sitting on the couch as we entered. She stared at the floor, looking dismal and damaged. Her arms were crossed her over torso and she was carefully stroking the bare flesh on her upper arm, as if to comfort herself. Despite Gabriel's work to heal her, she still looked pretty beaten up with cuts on her face and arms; the cuts were no doubt from when she fell or was thrown on the glass table in Benjamin's apartment.

"Carrigan," Benjamin said when he saw her. "I'm sorry."

Carrigan stood still, staring at him, waiting for him to continue. Benjamin however didn't say anything else, he stood up straight and awkwardly stared at Carrigan, expecting her to except his apology. Carrigan rolled her eyes when nothing else was said and moved out of the foyer down to the kitchen. Benjamin stepped after her.

"You're not going to say anything!?" he snapped. "You're such a child!"

I opened my eyes wide in surprise at the comment. Carrigan just ignored Benjamin and continued to the kitchen. I suppose it was possible that she was more upset with him than Gabriel.

"Benjamin," I whispered with a low sigh. He looked at me with aggressive crystal blue eyes. His body was tense with frustration. For a startling moment I thought he was going to throw his fist through my wall.

"No," he said quickly. "You don't get to defend her behavior. Not when she is being unreasonable."

I crossed my arms over my chest and glared at him viciously. "I get to defend her behavior when ever I fell it deserves defending. You can't blame her for not trusting—"

"Hello Aunt Cadence," Haiden said coolly, interrupting me. I frowned, I was just about to say her name. I stood up straight and stepped forward to open the front door again.

"We need to talk."

Haiden looked at me with raised eyebrows. "Okay…"

"Both of you," I said as I looked between her and Benjamin crossly. "I need to talk to both of you."

Benjamin sighed as he crossed his muscular arms over his chest. He stepped forward to usher Haiden out onto the porch. I followed them out, closing the door tightly behind me to give us some privacy outside as the sun set. Haiden pulled her arm from Benjamin's grasp with annoyance then turned her mismatching blue and green eyes to me. She glared at me with impatience, before she could speak her mind though, I turned my attention to Benjamin.

"I don't know what is going on between you and Carrigan," I hissed. "But whatever it is you have to remember that you are the adult, Benjamin, not her. I know she can come off as mature for her age, but she is a fourteen year old girl who has been through numerous traumatic experiences right after the other. You don't get to call her childish because she is a child and she is going to act like it. You also can't blame her for not trusting Haiden, especially when she feels betrayed that Haiden left her to die." I turned to look at Haiden who had opened her mouth to speak. "I don't care what you did. Only you two were there and know what happened. I can't pass judgment on either of you. But I'm going to side with Carrigan because she is my daughter. End of story."

"She's not upset because I trust Haiden and she doesn't," Benjamin snapped loudly, his frustration obviously getting the best of him. "She's upset because Haiden and I have a relationship. She doesn't like the fact that we're friends. She's jealous and she's using what happened to cover up her emotions."

I stood up straight with surprise. Benjamin looked mildly embarrassed as he looked away from me. He turned and paced down to the end of the porch in silence. I didn't know what to say. Haiden folded her hands in front of her.

"What did you want to talk to me about?"

"Tell me how you ended up unconscious in Benjamin's flat," I said changing subjects easily.

"I've been staying there since I got out of the hospital," she said coolly. "I was mediating before dinner today and I had an episode. I haven't had one in a couple of weeks." She paused for a moment as she rolled her shoulders back and pushed her long wavy half of hair over her shoulder. "I had a vision that connected me to Voldemort. Within a moment of the vision being complete, a Death Eater Apparated into the flat. Somehow, while I was connected to Voldemort, he figured out where I was and sent someone to come after me."

"Why didn't the Death Eater kill you?"

"I killed him first," Haiden said matter-of-factly.

I nodded my head slowly. "What did you see?"

Haiden hesitated for a moment as she crossed her arms over her chest. I could see in her eyes that she was debating if she should be honest with me.

"Haiden?"

She frowned and exhaled with exacerbation. "I saw Voldemort kill you and Gabriel." Her voice was a little uneven as she spoke, as if she was truly uncomfortable and scared of the idea that Voldemort would kill me or Gabriel.

The color left my cheeks and my heart stopped for a moment. I recovered quickly, however and stood up straight with a complacent expression on my face.

"Aunt Cadence?"

I blinked and looked back at Haiden with heavy, tired eyes. "Yes?"

"There is something else," she said slowly. She glanced down the hall towards the kitchen. "There was another woman there. A skinny blonde haired woman."

"What about her?" I asked as visions of Quinn, the blonde I just met, flashed in my mind.

"She died," Haiden said quietly. "Voldemort killed her first. Gabriel lost it and went after him. You died trying to stop him…I've never seen Gabriel loose it like that, not even when it comes to protecting you."

I ran my hand through my hair. Her statement puzzled me. Why would Gabriel lose control of his emotions over a blonde being killed by Voldemort? Especially if the blonde in Haiden's vision was in fact Quinn, the woman who had been trolling in my field?

"Any idea when this happens?" I asked carefully.

"No," Haiden shook her head. "And the longer I'm awake the more fuzzy it all gets."

"Alright," I nodded. "Thank you." I turned to go back into the house and paused for a moment. "Do you have some place to go?"

"No," Haiden whispered as she crossed her arms again. Her perfect lips turned to a frown which caused my stomach to tie up in knots.

"Why aren't you going back to Hogwarts?"

"There isn't a reason," Haiden shrugged. "I'm legally an adult witch, I have been for sometime. I don't look like a teenager anymore…I'm just tired of lying about who I am. It's time to be an adult now. And frankly, the Jaspers will know to look for me at Hogwarts."

"I have somewhere she can stay," Benjamin said coming forward on the porch. He seemed to have recovered from his embarrassing outburst. I raised my eyebrows in surprise.

"You do?"

"I have another flat in south London," he replied. "Under a fake name."

"How many of these places do you have?"

"Three counting the one that has been found. Dumbledore asked me to set up extra safe houses, just in case."

"Alright. Then you two will go there tonight?"

Benjamin hesitated. "Yes, I suppose. I'll come tomorrow to see Carrigan off…if she'll have me."

"That's between you two," I said with a shrug as I reached for the door.

"Aunt Cadence," Haiden called quickly. I paused to look at her over my shoulder. "Thank you for helping me."

"It was mostly Benjamin and Gabriel who helped you," I replied. "But you're welcome."

As I walked into the house I heard Haiden say to Benjamin, "I'll wait here. Go talk to Carrigan."

"Just be in a minute," he replied.

He followed me into the house, closing the door behind him. We made our way back into the kitchen where Gabriel and Carrigan were standing, leaning against the counters. Both had their arms crossed over their chest and looked frustrated.

"Am I interrupting?"

"No," Carrigan said quickly. "We're finished." She pivoted away from Gabriel. "I have to go pack."

"Carri, may I have a word?" Benjamin asked as she approached him.

"Depends," she replied as she looked up at him with burning navy blue eyes. "Are you going to call me a child when I state my opinion?"

"Depends how you state it," Benjamin said honestly. Carrigan glared at him still, but was silent, debating if she should give him the opportunity to talk. She placed her hands on her hips, then began to speak sharply.

"You're an ass. And a bloody fool to trust her—"

"That is your opinion," he said softly.

Carrigan continued to rant as if he hadn't spoken. "I can't believe you would trust her over me—that you would take her side over mine when you're my Guardian! You're supposed to be loyal to me, Benjamin, and have my back, no matter what—"

"I am loyal to you, Carrigan," he interrupted with a fierce tone. She stood back and bit her lip as he spoke quickly. "I am loyal to you and you alone. You are the only thing that matters to me—" He glanced at Gabriel and I standing a few feet away, before looking back at Carrigan. "—and you always will. You don't have to be jealous of Haiden. What you have to understand is that I feel I owe something to her. My mother, along with others, took her childhood away and destroyed her. My mother's experiments are the reason that Haiden is sick and has multiple personalities. My mother did that too her. She was supposed to be her Guardian and she abused Haiden and the relationship that they were supposed to have. I owe it to Haiden to at least be her friend because thanks to my mother she has no one. No one trust her. No one wants her. I owe it to her to make up for my mother—"

Carrigan stepped forward and put her hand to Benjamin's lips. "Enough," she whispered close to him. "I understand. I'm sorry."

They embraced tightly and quickly. Benjamin rested his chin on Carrigan's head as she clung to him, running her hands up and down his back to comfort him. He kissed her forehead and stepped back, tilting her chin to look her in the eye. I smirked and turned away. Gabriel was standing up straight with a hard expression on his face. I grabbed hold of his hand and dragged him from the kitchen into the dinning room to give Benjamin and Carrigan some privacy.

As we walked out of the kitchen, I heard Carrigan comforting Benjamin. "This is not your burden. You do not owe anything to her..."

Before Gabriel could speak I put my hand to his lips, much like Carrigan had done to Benjamin. "Let it be," I whispered with a smile. Gabriel rolled his eyes but kissed my fingertips delicately.

"Did you two make up?"

"Not exactly," he replied. "She's more stubborn than you and isn't willing to change her perspective."

I sighed. "She just wants you on her side."

"I am on her side," Gabriel insisted. "I am also on Haiden's, just like Benjamin is. She's forgiven him, why can't she forgive me?"

"Because you're her stepfather and he is her Guardian—"

"—he's more than her Guardian. He's about to destroy their relationship and cross a line—"

"The same line you crossed, Gabriel?" I asked crossly. Gabriel stood up straight as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"She's my little girl, Cadence," he said.

I beamed. To hear Gabriel refer to Carrigan as his own daughter made my heart skip a beat. "Always protect her like she is, but know where the line is, Gabriel. She is allowed to have relationships."

Gabriel rolled his eyes. "Would you say the same thing if our son had survived and it was him hugging on a girl in the kitchen?"

"Of course," I smiled as I wrapped my arms around his shoulders. He kissed me slowly.

"Where is Haiden?"

"Benjamin is taking her to one of his safe houses."

"He has safe houses?"

"Dumbledore asked him to set some up," I shrugged. "He said he would come with us to King's Cross tomorrow."

"Do you think she'll be safe?"

"Haiden?" I asked. "I think she'll be as safe as we are now that Voldemort is after her."

Gabriel nodded his head with a sad expression. "I'll speak to Dumbledore about what we can do to help her…see what he thinks about trusting her as well."

"Alright," I whispered as Haiden's vision twisted in my mind. I bit my bottom lip as I debated if I should tell Gabriel about the mysterious blonde haired woman in the vision, and the fact that she had foreseen our deaths.

"I'm going to go do that now."

I frowned as I looked up at him. "Alright. I'm going to help Carrigan pack for school. You'll be late?"

"Shouldn't be too late," Gabriel said as he stroked his cheek. "I love you, Cadence."

I smiled at him and stood on my toes to kiss his tempting lips. "I love you too, Gabriel. Be safe, please."

"Always am," he stole a kiss from my lips before he moved out of the dinning room, purposely going through the kitchen in hopes to interrupt Benjamin and Carrigan.

"Gabriel," I called as I followed him into the kitchen. Both Benjamin and Carrigan were gone from sight. No doubt, Benjamin had left with Haiden and Carrigan had gone upstairs to start packing for school.

Gabriel looked at me with high eyebrows, questioning why I had called him back. "Ask Dumbledore about Quinn. See what he knows about her too."

Gabriel nodded, but said nothing. I gave him a weak smile in thanks before he continued out of the kitchen. I ran my hands through my hair as a soft sigh escaped my lips.

I felt exhausted, mentally, emotionally and physically. I was tried of living in fear of pending death—and I was tried of not being able to trust those around me. I bit my bottom lip with apprehension the more I thought about the evening's events. What if the attack on Haiden was all an act, just so that she could get into the house and feed me that vision? What if it was all a lie and she was setting me up just like Penelope Talon had?

"Mom!" called Carrigan from upstairs. "Can you help me, please?"

"Yea!" I yelled back as I blinked. "I'm coming."

My worries about Haiden, her stories and Juniper Quinn Tullius were going to have to wait until tomorrow, at that moment I had to focus on getting Carrigan set for Hogwarts.