Rachel awoke suddenly, as if from a nightmare, but she was unable to recall if she had dreamt at all. A panic set over her as she questioned whether finding Orin Fen again was a dream, and a quick scan of the room proved otherwise. Everyone else was still asleep, so she tried to sit up as delicately as possible. That's when she saw Serpantha, Zina and Calen were both gone. Not that she cared for the last one. Without making a noise, she crept through the room, hearing voices she decided to eaves drop hiding herself by pressing against the wall by the doorway into another section. Weirdly, one she'd never noticed before.

She nearly blew her cover when Serpantha said in a raised voice, 'Just shut up.'

Calen's voice rang, but it was whiny and childlike. 'I'm making a valid point—'

'I've had enough!' Serpantha burst. 'I don't care to hear what you have to say in your defence, because you don't have one. I have tried everything with you. I've tried reasoning, I've been nice and I've been cruel. Nothing works.'

Calen made a noise like she was going to shout, but she quickly retracted it and instead asked calmly, 'Works for what?'

'You need to grow up Calen.'

'That's rich coming from you,' Larpskendya murmured. Rachel found herself inadvertently smiling at hearing it – she hated that.

'Those of us who raised the dead should be quiet,' Serpantha quickly commented before going back to Calen. 'You need to grow up and get a grip. We've been doing this same stupid dance our whole lives, and I'm so sick and tired of it. And just when I reach the finish line and think I've got my reward you restart the race. Now we're stuck here both of species dead, the woman I love killed herself out of loneliness and my children are suffering or dead.'

'I take no responsibility for that,' Calen said arrogantly. 'You said yourself if I hadn't had done what he said he would have made me, it was the only option.'

'Then maybe take responsibility for their daughter killing herself convinced she was entirely alone.' Serpantha said, becoming calm. 'No one was ever there for her, we were all caught up in what you were doing. He run himself half-insane trying to get back whenever he could just to see if his daughter was OK, which she never was because she frequently spoke of wanting to die. The best he could offer was an hour's comfort then away for days. I will never forget the image of him screaming and crying over her body and me having to hold him back. I—'

'I get it, just shut up.' Calen said, sounding genuinely upset.

He didn't. 'Or what about Toyé who died in my arms unrecognisable from injuries. She had been with someone nearly her whole life, but she could never have children. Guess what I found out when you could see her from the inside?'

Rachel found herself wanting to cry, but she was more confused to why this was emotionally affecting Calen.

'I get it.' Calen repeated, more shaken this time. She didn't know whether it was the emotion in his voice or what actually happened that was affecting her, but she, too, found it unusual that it was affecting her at all. 'What do you want from me?'

'Nothing anymore,' Serpantha said carelessly. 'If you want to go join my father I'm not keeping you here.' There was a long, uncomfortable pause. 'You don't like that do you? You know what's good for you and you aren't stupid you know what you want – you just want to start a fight because you crave it. Now, if we would like to put millennia of war behind us we can be a bit mature and work together. Understood?'

'Yes.'

'Are we all done yelling?' said a raspy voice: Lyrai's.

'Yes.' Serpantha said sharply.

'One thing I don't understand is why bring children?' Lyrai asked.

'Otherwise they're in the hands of my father any other time-wasting questions?'

'Ignore him,' Larpskendya said annoyed. 'He's lashing out at everyone because he hates his own life.'

'Don't act superior because you're too caught up in a girl to care about anything else.'

Calen interrupted, becoming braver. 'You preach about not fighting and acting mature but this entire time all you have done is argue with each other. But I suppose I'm wrong again.'

'She has a point,' Zina spoke up. 'I'm used to you both bein' hypocrites but getting angry ain't gonna help.'

'It's how we resolve things,' Serpantha defended. 'It's a family tradition to put everyone in one room trying to work out what to do until someone makes a snap decision that will either succeed or kill them. It's what we've always done.'

'How's that method working out for you?' Calen asked bluntly.

Eventually, all there voices blurred as everyone fought with each other, yelling to be heard over everyone else.

Rachel's head began to hurt so she decided to reveal herself, and gradually as they all noticed her stood there with a blank face they all stopped. 'You can't imagine how comforting it is to hear the people you trust you life with arguing like that.' She then noticed the pile of guns and knives on a table in the centre of them all and asked nervously, 'What's that?'

Esimi and Volüsa shifted into the room carrying more weapons to add to the pile. 'Oh you're up,' Esimi said cheerily.

'You can't use magic you said so yourself!' Rachel panicked.

'They already found us,' Esimi explained. 'Just because they find us doesn't mean they'll find a way in. But they're making there own way in, so we need to defend ourselves.'

'How did they find us?'

'We did it on purpose. We need their materials.' Esimi shrugged. 'Now do you know how to fire a gun?'

'What? No!' Rachel was almost offended. 'Why would I ever want or need to?'

'Now,' Esimi said as if explaining to a child.

'Heiki can fire a gun it'll be fine.' Volüsa said.

Rachel creased her brow. 'No she can't.'

'You went missing from Earth and Eric happened to find the place Heiki lived. There was a gun next to her bed and there was even a practice room.' Volüsa said smugly.

'What?'

'It was a massive place,' Volüsa continued. 'All concealed cos the outside looked like a dump, but it was state of the art. Expensive food, clothing, furniture, everything – stolen obviously some things still had security tags on them she hadn't gotten round to taking off yet. TV was stolen too, it was a massive flat screen it was gorgeous.'

Rachel looked disgusted, not knowing what to say. 'Didn't he care?' she finally asked.

'No,' Volüsa said casually, sorting through the weaponry. 'He already knew, she'd steal food for them on there walks and stuff, it was established. She never told you cos she knew you'd have a bad reaction.'

'In her defence,' Esimi added. 'there are worse things she could be doing, and is this really the time to be angry about petty theft?'

'Let's see what she has to say.' With that, Rachel stormed off to wake Heiki.

'That's the last time I try to be nice,' Volüsa said bitterly once she had left the room.

'Relax she probably just needs something to be angry about.' Zina commented.

Rachel ran back into the room, all anger turned into concern and panic. 'She isn't waking up something's wrong.'

There was a collective look around the room of trying to decide who should deal with it. After a few seconds, it was Serpantha that spoke up. 'Esimi, Volüsa, Calen stay here.'

He and Rachel rushed to Heiki's side and Rachel sat on the end of the bed looking to Serpantha for answers. The others quickly followed to watch to try and see what was going on, trying to watch as subtly as possible.

'Are you aware of Heiki's lucid dreaming hobby?' Serpantha asked casually.

'She mentioned it once or twice,' Rachel said in confusion. 'I know she's done it before.'

'Any idea where I'm going with this?'

Rachel thought for a moment. 'It isn't possible.'

'Nor is time travel or coming back to life last time I checked.'

'Someone explain.' Zina said.

Serpantha turned around. 'Lucid dreaming allows you to control what happens in a dream. She's gone to talk to my father and now she won't wake up. You can put the rest together yourselves.' Turning back to Heiki, he added. 'Any ideas what to do are welcome because I have none.'

Zina ran out and grabbed a gun from the table, and rushed to Serpantha's side.

'You can try it,' Serpantha shrugged.

Before Rachel could object or ask what they were about to do, Zina fired the gun right by Heiki's ear and the bullet pierced the wall, spilling dirt and dust onto the floor.

'Making a loud noise? Seriously?' Rachel said, clenched fists.

'Worth a try.' Serpantha muttered, and he held is hand out towards Zina. 'Give me a knife.'

Serpantha took the knife and held it delicately to Heiki's neck, the amount of care he had didn't match with what he was about to do, but all Rachel could do was watch open mouthed. He made a small triangular cut in her neck, and put his hand over it to stop the flow of blood.

Venibilles had woken from the shot and watched in shock as for all he knew Serpantha just cut her throat. He got the courage to speak and shakily asked, 'What are you doing?'

Serpantha began the process of magic leaking, and Heiki's eyes sprang wide open and pushed away from him. Serpantha quickly healed the wound and Heiki sat upright, breathing heavily. Nobody spoke until she did. 'I need to talk to you,' she said panicked.

'What is it?' Serpantha asked gently.

Heiki sat cross-legged, relaxing more, and Serpantha joined her, sitting next to her. Heiki struggled to get words out, but when she finally could she didn't stop. 'I spoke to your father and he told me the entire truth about everything, I'm pretty desensitized to horror films nothing scares me or freaks me out I've been watching them since I was five but this disturbed me—'

'Heiki, calm down, it's ok.' Serpantha said slowly.

Heiki took a deep breath and continued, more coherently this time. 'I said he could have myself, Rachel and Venibilles if he brought your mother back and he agreed…but you woke me up so I don't know if it'll still happen. I—I… If she does come back she will be able to explain because I don't want to go over it.'

'Heiki you aren't making any sense.' Rachel said as kindly as she could. 'And why would you do that? Do you have any idea how stupid that was?'

'The kind tone doesn't soften the insult,' Heiki said, becoming more vicious. 'I just thought she would know better than anyone what to do. She lived with him, she was in on this, we could use her.'

Serpantha stood up and addressed everyone. 'She has a point I don't think you've done anything wrong Heiks.'

Heiki quickly jumped in, not finished in her disjointed rambles. 'And you and Larpskendya are only maternal siblings, uterine, your father killed his.'

Serpantha looked at her directly and said calmly. 'Shush, I know, just relax.'

'Wait what?' Rachel asked in unison with Venibilles. By this time, Calen Volüsa and Esimi had made there way into the room and were equally curious.

'Perhaps that one should fall to me to explain.' A new voice said.

Everyone turned to see a Witch standing in the door way with a long purple dress, waist length dark hair, an elfin face and a small frame that only became fuller at her hips. She was beautiful, and had remarkable resemblance to Rachel.

Her and Serpantha smiled at each other, and she said. 'This room's a bit crowded.'

Her voice seemed to travel through the room like a fresh breeze, it was calming and made her seem so welcoming. It put everyone else at ease but Heiki, as from what she had seen her outward appearance wasn't reflective of what she was capable of.

She walked over and hugged Serpantha tightly and said, 'I'm so proud of you.'

Releasing him she went to Larpskendya and held his hands and said sadly, 'You look just like your father, and I'm sorry I was never there for you but you did better than most people would on their own.'

'It's true then?' Serpantha asked.

His mother turned around and walked to where everyone could see her. 'Yes. If the story is too difficult for Heiki to tell then I will.' She looked to Larpskendya. 'You're named after your father. He was my closest friend, and we fell in love. I was unlucky enough to become pregnant several months into our affair, and I sat on the beach outside our house with Larpskendya, my Larpskendya, and I remember telling him everything. But he showed up and he killed him without using a spell. I don't think that image will ever leave my head. Once the work was done he held the knife to my throat and he made me promise things wouldn't change, and he kicked me in the stomach. Larpskendya was still alive, just barely, and I was hunched over him. He used the last of his strength on me before passing.'

Zina leaned into Larpskendya and held her arms around him, leaning on to him in attempt to be as comforting as she could.

'That's also why Toyé was born so soon after,' his mother quickly added. 'He always was a bit possessive over what he felt was his.' She turned to Serpantha. 'That's also why when he came back and found out I had named him Larpskendya he was so angry. And although I appreciated you standing up to him and telling him he should have been there, it was one of the few times he somewhat had a right to be angry. But I didn't care.'

'That isn't all of it though.' Heiki said firmly. 'It's all coming out now you might as well say it.'

'I'm not entirely innocent,' she said earnestly. 'When we first met, I was around Calen's age, I was young and naïve and full of life. My father was ruler and we lived in that house, and I played courtship games with every man, and they all wanted me.'

'Of course they did, you were pretty, had magical power and high status.' Heiki added.

Ignoring Heiki's comment, she continued. 'Your father wasn't a well known figure, and where he was known it wasn't for the right reasons. Just like Serpantha he was short as a child, and don't get me wrong he had powerful magic but he didn't know what to do with it. He came to my balcony one day and we talked, and we gradually fell in love. A century or so passed and everything was fine, I would see him whenever he wasn't fighting. I genuinely loved him. And I still do, I still do, I still love that part of him because I know it's still there. Perhaps that's why I stayed despite his abusiveness.' She paused. 'Magic leaking was new, and he told me about it.'

'Magic leaking is no where near new don't let this be going where I think it is,' Serpantha said, tensing up.

'He made it sound so romantic. He said what if we could live forever together. It's no new news war sends people crazy, you either end up wanting to kill yourself or kill everyone around you. He told me so sweetly that everyone dies and I will have to deal with it one day. It's a testament to how manipulative he is that he convinced me to kill my mother, father, my brothers and my sisters who all happened to be staying with us that night in that big house. If we used spells people would know so we used swords and knives. He told me it was OK, they wouldn't know a thing, and he encouraged me through it. With only a sister left, I was covered in blood and I remember the tears washing the blood off my face, I came to my senses. I told him I couldn't do it. He just held the knife to me and told me I was just as much of a monster as him now.'

There was a long pause where she couldn't look anyone in the eye, and Serpantha merely said, 'Go on.'

'The cabinet we have that holds all the drinks, that used to be in my parent's room, after getting rid of the bodies there was some blood we couldn't clean. We moved that cabinet to cover it up, I'm sure the blood's still there. We would have children and then once they got older, we would take their magic and kill them. We'd make everyone forget they ever existed and we would change our identities. When we had you, Serpantha, we decided to settle down and have a real family for once, we had you an Áraliná, but once you reached adolescence he wanted to do the same thing again. I didn't, I'd thought it wrong for a long time but I was too scared to leave.'

'So then you started breeding like Catholic rabbits,' Heiki said. 'creating another family farm for more life and power.'

'Yes.' She nodded. 'I told Larpskendya everything, he said he would help me and we could have a family. But that opportunity never came, and he poisoned me when he left which is what I died from. Not that I actually died, I went to that white hole and it's where I've been this whole time.'

Serpantha was oddly calm. 'How did he do it then?'

'He realised Larpskendya had power. So he used it, an infant has no defence against being used for magic. Their magic combined opened up the white hole. It's probably why he had nightmares as a child so often, as their magic was mixed.'

'That's a lot of information to take in in one sitting.' Venibilles said, unable to move with shock.

No one knew what to say.

Calen was the first to speak up. 'And you were ranting about how bad I am.'

Serpantha turned to her, and while his tone remained quiet there was significant anger in it. 'At least my mother is regretful and above all a nice person.'

'I can fight my own battles you know,' his mother protested, and then her tone became meaner. 'Grow up or leave my family alone. Your choice.'

Before another word could be said, the entire room shook violently and sound like thunder echoed all around. An explosion. Once it was over, Serpantha said, 'Stay here.' And ran out, grabbing a gun on his way.

'No,' Heiki said plainly, even though he couldn't hear her, and she ran out, grabbed a gun and followed him.