Faye counted the dragging hours as the dance started and students arrived. She danced a couple of times with Tom and watched Jenny from the corner of her eye. The girl wasn't enjoying the dance at all, looking at Faye as though she was a spider that could launch at her at any given second.

Faye had to restrain herself from the temptation to pull the fire alarm and cut the dance short. There was a lot of effort put into the whole thing and she didn't want to be the one to kill it for everyone else. She was nervous as she waited through the long hours, anxious for the people to fizzle out and go home. She didn't touch the food and was sitting with her fifth cup of hot coco, watching the beautiful display. The fog machines were working wonders, the thick white misty fingers dancing past the feet and shins of the dancers. The candles on the tables added a golden light to the room and the blue lights from above illuminated blue snowflakes in eerie beauty.

Her mind kept straying to the task at hand. Her hands itched to grab that ring. Just one touch – Jenny didn't even have to take it off her finger. Faye just needed to put her fingertip to it and Julian would be right there.

She sent another quiet prayer of relief and thanks that she'd added the twist in her creation way back then. She would hate to think what would have happened if she'd decided not too at the last moment, but Faye had known enough about the shadow men to know there was always some underlying trick beneath everything.

When Faye had spoken out her claim, they'd all been caught off guard. It had been tempting to cut out all their names from the stave, she admitted, because they were all equally guilty of taking Julian away from her.

They'd been equally fearful when she pointed out she didn't necessarily have to take any of their lives and true, Faye wouldn't have wanted to be near the Shadow World if she'd carved Julian's name back into the stave. Revenge would have been at the top of his list and she grimaced to think what evil he would have come up with. Something nightmares were made of, certainly.

But Faye didn't opt for either choice they gave her. There would be no point in wiping out their entire race and it would serve no purpose but to bring Julian back to his prison of darkness if she'd carved his name back.

Instead, Faye claimed back what was rightfully hers. Her own life. She knew the shadows were watching her, even at that moment. She would have given anything to see their reactions when they realized what she was about to do. Everyone won except for them. So much for humans being intellectually retarded, Faye thought snidely. She was free, and before the sun rose the next morning, Julian would be on her side gloating in freedom.

Silly, blinded, dumb boy, Faye shook her head again and sighed when Tom pulled her close. If he'd just come to her all this could have been avoided, but then again they probably wouldn't be in this ideal situation either.

Faye was prepared for what lay ahead and she studied Tom for a long moment. She'd need to warn him, though, and make things crystal clear to him before Julian showed up. It would be easier to reason with Tom, she knew. What condition Julian would be in physically and mentally was beyond her imagination, and that made him a walking time-bomb, at least for the first few hours.

She would hate for him to snap. They weren't in the shadow world anymore – whatever he destroyed here wouldn't magically repair itself again.

It felt like forever before the students gradually began to disappear. It was quarter to one in the morning when the last group finally left. Faye didn't waste any time and locked down the gym doors securely behind the retreating backs of the students.



The small group of friends were congratulating a pale and shaking Jenny on a job well done. Silence roared when Faye yanked the plugs from the walls and the fog machines stopped and the music ended abruptly.

Faye wiped her palms on her legs and walked over to them.

"Tom." Faye smiled at him sweetly.

He pulled her to him with a warm smile and she cupped his face gently as they kissed. When they finally broke apart, Faye could tell the others were still struggling to get used to seeing Tom with another girl.

"Okay. Look. Tom." Faye breathed in deeply. "There's something you need to know."

Jenny stared at her fearfully.

"I came here, to this town, for one sole reason. To resurrect Julian." Her words carried clearly through the gym.

There was complete silence then.

"He's not going to like it much and as far as I'm aware, you two don't exactly see eye to eye." Faye sighed. "He's very… territorial so it would be best if he doesn't know about you and me for a little while."

"Wait… what?" Tom's features crunched up in bewilderment, and something like fear seeped into his gaze as he took a startled step away from her.

"I don't know what he's going to do and I don't know what exactly he's capable of here but… the thing is if he strikes out there's not much I can do about it. We're not in the shadow realm anymore and runes don't work as well here as they do there."

"R-r-r-resurrect J-Julian?" Michael repeated the words in stammering terror.

Faye looked at him and nodded.

"How do you even know about him?" Dee demanded, frowning from Jenny to Tom and then finally at Faye.

Faye smiled in response.

"She created him." Jenny said quietly.

For a brief moment everyone stared at her before they backed away from Faye wearily.

"It might be a very good idea to keep your distance. Stay out of his line of sight and keep quiet. Just until I get through to him." Faye licked her lips.

"What if you don't get through to him?" Jenny asked uncertainly.

"Well then this would be a very bad idea, wouldn't it?" Faye replied and motioned with her hand. "I'll be lenient toward you, Jenny. Put the ring on the floor and hide with the others. And don't come out until I say you can."

"You don't know what you're doing." Audrey said, her voice clipped. "You don't know how evil he is…"

"What he put us through… I can't even begin to put into words…" Tom shook his head, confused and terrified.

"Right. Just like he can't put into words how sorry he is for doing those things to you in the first place." Faye arched her eyebrows. "I think sacrificing himself for your sake screams out a very heart-felt and meaningful apology, don't you?"

"I can't do this again…" Jenny sobbed and Faye watched in dismay as Dee put her arm around the girl comfortingly.

"Jenny, please. Bear with me here. He won't hurt you."

"We won't let you do this. Whoever – whatever you are." Dee glared at Faye.

"Ooh. Low blow." Faye pretended to wince as she clutched at her stomach and then straightened, smiling broadly.

"I can't face playing another game…" Jenny shook her head. "Please, don't make me do this again…"



Faye snorted. "A game? What - to abduct you to the Shadow World and make you his ice queen? Don't be ridiculous, Jenny. He can't get back to the Shadow World even if he tried."

"You don't know that…"

"Of course I do." Faye flashed her a cheeky smile. "I created him, after all."

"We won't let you." Dee repeated firmly and Faye felt annoyance flare up inside of her as Tom took a stand behind them.

"I didn't ask for your permission." Faye said begrudgingly, then glared at Jenny and her voice rose. "And don't you dare lie and say you wouldn't have done the exact same thing, Jenny. You wanted to save him but you didn't know how. I'm here to save him because I can."

For a moment their eyes locked and all they could do was stare at each other. The others were milling around them like a flock of lost sheep, fear etched on their faces.

Slowly Jenny pulled the ring from her finger, carefully went down on her haunches and placed the ring gingerly on the floor before gracefully straightening up again, her gaze never wavering from Faye's.

"I hope you're right." Jenny whispered quietly.

Faye pursed her lips and waited until they all melted into the shadows in the far corner of the room before eyeing the ring on the floor in front of her. She hoped she was right, too.