Author's Note:

Hey guys! Notice something different around here?

Thanks for diving into this story. I know that it is well overdue, and I had a lot of fun to writing it.

Thank you so much for your patience, and I hope you are able to find something in this story that resonates with you.

Your feedback means a lot to me—so what did you think? Just a quick comment or review would be awesome and super helpful!

Keila, thank you for both reviews! The fic about Jazmine and Riley will come later. For now, I'm focused on The Embered Eye and Huey Freeman's Guide to Dating, which is coming after final edits are completed.

Happy Reading!

- Miss Ace Thank You

Chapter One

"That glow, that's in her eyes.
Gives you visions in your mind…"
- Janelle Monae

This chapter is dedicated to SwagSammich78. Wherever you are, thank you.

Huey stared blankly at his granddad, trying to determine why he, of all people, had to go and check on Jazmine.

"Because I said so!" Granddad shouted, turning from their living room window to yell at him. "The least you could do is go check on the girl!"

"I have soccer practice, remember?" Huey sidestepped him, snatching his duffel bag before Grandad could protest. "I'm sure she's fine. If you're so worried, why not see for yourself?"

"Because I asked you to go over there and check!" Granddad hollered, peering back at the house from their window. He turned to face Huey again, his eyes filled with worry. "Please. She's been a little too quiet, lately. Something could be wrong."

"Granddad…." Huey draped a whistle over his neck. "I'm telling you. She's fine."

He wasn't lying. He'd seen Jazmine on Caesar's Instagram story last night, dancing with friends at a crowded house party. She was probably fast asleep, recovering from a fun night out.

"So, you've seen her." Granddad kept his eyes trained ahead, his sarcasm crystal clear. "And if the authorities asked any questions, you'd be able to corroborate their story."

"Fine." Huey grumbled, mashing the button down on his car remote. "I'll swing by if it makes you feel better. Just let me put my stuff in the car."

Granddad nodded, glancing back across the street. "Thanks, boy. Stay outta trouble and be careful on that road! Don't have that loud music blasting, either! Drive like you have some sense!"

Huey nodded and put his phone on silent, using his thumb to delete yet another text message from his ex-girlfriend, Brooklyn. Deciding it was better to walk, he climbed out the car and headed to Jazmine's, not surprised when she didn't answer the door.

"Jazmine." He called her name again, a bit surprised he didn't hear anything. There was no music, no television, no activity in the kitchen, not even an echo from her squealing on the phone. Seemed odd for someone like Jazmine, who hated to sit in silence for long. "It's Huey, your neighbor. Just stopping by to make sure you're good."

He knocked again, but there was no response, just still, unnerving quiet. Maybe she'd spent the night at Cindy's, he decided.

He turned to leave, heading off to his car, when it hit him….

Cindy had made plans to surprise Jazmine with the sixteenth birthday of a lifetime. Thanks to her newfound relationship with Caesar, he knew for a fact she was on the other side of town, making sure her parents' rental property was clutter-free before the party planners, vendors, and Caesar were put to work.

"Jazmine, you in there?" Huey made his way back to the house, cupping his hands over his eyes and pressing them against the window. When he didn't hear anything after knocking a few more times, he snatched the spare key out of Tom's decoy rock and twisted the door open. "I'm coming in!"

For some reason, the door was stuck, scratching loudly against the hardwood floor. As he made his way through the living room, nothing seemed too out of place. He took note of what looked to be Jazmine's phone near the door with several missed calls from Cindy, including one from two minutes ago.

Deciding it was best not to touch it, he slowly crept up the stairs, reaching into his back pocket to check for his gun. He slowly inched towards her bedroom, peering inside to see if she was okay. When he didn't see her there, he kept walking, taking a few short strides towards the steps leading toward the attic, which had a tiny ladder hanging underneath, as if someone had climbed it.

"Huey?" He heard Jazmine mumble behind him. "What are you doing here?"

"Ahhhh shit!" He jumped, looking over his left shoulder to gawk at her. "Jazmine, what the hell? When did you get over there?"

"If you haven't noticed, I live here." She pointed out, gazing at him like he'd lost his mind. "What's your excuse?"

What was his excuse?

"Granddad was worried about you." He managed despite his embarrassment. "He claims you haven't shown signs of life in days. I tried knocking, but you weren't answering."

"I guess that's fair." Jazmine smiled brightly, as if it were perfectly normal he was there. "Thanks, Huey. You're sweet to come by and check. Please let him know that I'm perfectly alright."

"-You're 'perfectly alright'?" He stared at her, shocked.

They'd long since grown apart, but something was off.

Her eyes looked dull and lifeless despite her acting like she was excited to see him, and she just seemed distracted, like she was off in a different world somewhere.

"You sure you're good?" He asked her. "Did something happen at that party you went to last night?"

"Don't be silly, Huey." She gave him a sleepy, faraway look, not even bothering to cover the cropped pajama top revealing her bare abdomen. He gulped and averted his gaze. "I'm fine."

He didn't believe her. Jazmine had nearly ripped a guy's head off for staring at her stomach one day in class, and it had only rolled up to show a sliver of skin. Now, she was acting as if she could care less that he could see her abdomen. She hadn't so much as blushed.

"Relax, Huey." Jazmine's giggle sent a chill down his spine. "I thought you'd outgrown that conspiracy stuff?"

"Sober up." He rolled his eyes at Jazmine, tossing her a bottle of water. "I just airdropped you my number."

She blinked nonchalantly, as if possessed by a different person. "Cool." She shrugged.

"If you don't feel better in two hours, call me." He continued, staring at her from his spot in the hallway. "Please don't do anything stupid in the meantime. I'll be back to check on you after practice."

"No, don't!" She exclaimed, suddenly seeming more like herself. "I, um, have stuff to do. Cindy is-"

He knew all too well what Cindy was up to. She'd scared the entire town into silence, threatening murder if Jazmine's birthday bash was ruined by someone who couldn't keep a secret.

"Say less." He turned on his heel, glancing back to where she was sitting on the bed. "I'll just swing by for a minute, make sure you're not dying or anything like that. I won't be here for long."

"Right." Jazmine nodded awkwardly. "Thanks."

"Drink up." He motioned towards the water bottle again, making sure she'd twisted it open. Once he saw her take a sip, he made his way downstairs, setting her phone on an end table near the couch and heading out the door. "Alright, I'm gone!"

Little did he know, so was she.

Jazmine's eyes opened to a blinding, white light.

She squinted, rolling to her side with a groan. A little while ago, she'd been in her attic reading jaw-dropping articles about her birth parents' deaths. Now, her entire body was sore and angry, reminding her that before she'd ended up here- wherever 'here' was -she'd lost consciousness.

"You always were a natural." A stunning girl with a bright, blue glow remarked. She was lighter skinned, with green eyes, long black hair, and a knowing look, hinting at a wisdom beyond her years. "What brought you to the in-between?"

Jazmine shot up, startled by her presence.

"Why am I in the in-between?" Jazmine fidgeted with the edge of her cropped pajama top, tugging it down. "Am I dead?! Is this hell?!"

The girl seemed to transition between solidity and translucence as she moved closer, scaring Jazmine more. "Relax. Try to breathe."

"Because I swear, I only snuck out with Cindy a few…okay a lot of times. I was young when I died! Cut me some slack!" Jazmine rambled, nervously sliding backwards. "How long have I been dead? Four years? Four centuries? Four decades?"

"You always were a drama queen." The girl rolled her eyes at her. "You've been asleep for a few hours, not dead. Don't trouble yourself with the details."

She couldn't help it. A little while ago, she'd been running for her life. Now, she was standing in the in-between, talking to a ghost with a dim blue glow like it was something she did daily.

"I'm honestly surprised you don't remember me." The girl moved closer, nodding with a faint smile. "Nothing rings a bell?"

"Nope." Jazmine squinted, trying her hardest to remember where she knew her from. "Nothing. Maybe you have the wrong person."

Before the spirit could open its mouth again, a bright, golden light beamed in the distance.

A woman faded into view. She was older, with deep set wrinkles, long grey hair, and beautiful, kind green eyes. Jazmine instantly felt safe, a nostalgic warmth spreading inside her.

"I remember you." She moved towards her. "Your name's Katherine. You helped me a lot with my powers."

"Yes, little one." The woman smiled, looking her up and down. "Though I suppose I'll have to call you something else, now. You've grown quite tall."

"It really is you!" Jazmine grinned, biting back squeals of delight. "You were my personal nightlight until I turned eight! This is insane!" She laughed. "I thought I was just dreaming about being a witch. All of that stuff was real?"

"It was." The woman nodded. "We spent a lot of time training you in the ancestral realm."

"And you…" Jazmine narrowed her eyes at the girl next to her, the memories flooding back. "You're her daughter, Leilani. You bullied me into learning about my history. You died when you were around my age, got betrayed by your lover Bartholomew, and lost the great war between good and evil five hundred years ago. You're the strongest witch in history, and nobody else has come close to being as powerful as you were."

The girl smirked, as if satisfied she'd remembered. "Guilty as charged."

"So that makes me a witch?" Jazmine suddenly felt as if she couldn't breathe. "You guys said my powers would always trend weaker. I thought The Regime bound my powers because of it?"

"Wait, you didn't reactivate them?" Leilani's eyes widened. "We thought you summoned yourself here."

"How would I do that?" Jazmine snapped, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I didn't even know I was adopted until last night! Now, I'm re-discovering everything. Including the fact that I'm a witch!" Jazmine freaked out and clutched her chest, suddenly on the verge of a panic attack. "Oh my God, I'm a witch! I'm a power-having, spell-using, straight-out-of-a-comic-book witch!"

"- And a medium." Katherine added, nodding. "You can see the dead, hear them, talk to them. It was a huge problem when you were younger. Probably why they bound the ability in the first place. It nearly drove you crazy."

"So now I'm like that kid on The Sixth Sense?!" Jazmine shrieked, nervously stroking her hair. "Nope. No disrespect, but this isn't a good idea. Having powers was cute when it was some fun, silly dream, but I have normal plans this summer! Plans that do not involve talking to the dead and witchcraft!"

She was interrupted by a clinking nearby, as if a group of people were shuffling together with metal pots and pans. In the time it took Jazmine to look up, a mass of cloaked figures suddenly whooshed past. They stood bunched together, in a single file line, while Jazmine flew back, astonished.

"What the hell? Where did they come from?" Jazmine clutched her chest, sandwiching herself between the two women.

"The Regime." Katherine and Leilani bowed. "What an honor."

"Thank you." One of them floated to the forefront, seeming to hover closest to her. "We felt it pertinent to come and see for ourselves. It appears we have a situation."

"You think?" Jazmine folded her arms across her chest. "Can't you just…bind the weird ghost powers like you did before? I really want to go home now."

"We're afraid not." Another figure floated forward. "We're not sure why they've resurged."

"It's the prophecy." The air crackled as Leilani glided to the center of the floor. "All bloodlines, including Jazmine's, are integral to its success. It was similar back when I was the Child Once Prophesied. The younger witches were granted their powers early, as a form of protection in case good did not prevail."

"Excuse me, what?!" Jazmine felt her heart leaping out of its chest. "What prophecy? What does that have to do with me?"

"It has nothing to do with you." Katherine intervened, frowning at Leilani with a hurt expression. "Jazmine was never meant for war. We promised her parents we'd protect her."

"Wait. You two knew my parents?" Jazmine gasped. "Do you…know what happened to them?"

"My mother and I tried to find them before-" Leilani shuddered and closed her eyes. "I'm sorry, Jazmine. I really am, but by the time we found them, it was too late."

"Are you sure?" Jazmine felt her heart sinking with every word. "They're magical, right?" They could've gotten out, somehow."

Katherine's voice was grim as she shook her head. "Magic doesn't always protect you from death. I'm sorry. Thaddeus got to them before we could intervene ."

Jazmine glanced around at everyone else. "Who is Thaddeus?"

"A high-level demon." A third cloaked figure spoke. "Very clever. He's been around since our origin, dead set on finding the Child Next Prophesied. At one point, he'd falsely believed that child was you. That's why-"

"My parents went MIA before they were murdered." Jazmine finished his sentence, her shoulders slumping. "I saw the articles. They left me at the fire station before running into the woods. My weakness made me a liability, didn't it?"

"Honey, no." Katherine pulled the teen into her arms, rubbing her back until Jazmine was slightly less wounded by the details. "Your parents adored you. It was a dangerous time for all female witches. Other babies your age were not as fortunate. They did what they did out of love."

Jazmine bit her jaw, frowning. "If you say so."

"I know so." Katherine paused, gazing at Leilani. "You'd be amazed at the things parents do for their children. I tried to give my life for mine."

They all fell silent for a moment, knowing that Leilani's death had been incredibly hard on her mother. Katherine had spent the rest of her life heartbroken, begging The Regime to return the daughter she'd lost before the battle had even begun.

Leilani spoke again, breaking the silence. "Whatever was reawakened in Jazmine will only get stronger from here. We should proceed with the ceremony tomorrow night."

"Bad idea." Jazmine folded her arms across her chest. "Tomorrow is my birthday. Cindy and Alyx aren't idiots. They'd notice if I was suddenly missing from my slumber party. What if they find out what I'm doing and get hurt?"

"You'll have to learn to improvise." Katherine's hand waved forward, causing dazzling gold symbols to fly around them. "Your powers will force you to make tough decisions. Making up stories is the fun part."

"She's right." Leilani pointed at Jazmine, sighing. "The Great Igniting, though inconvenient, will strengthen your power significantly. It'll be your job to protect it, no matter what the cost."

Jazmine frowned. "And when my powers aren't enough, then what?" She lowered her head, averting her gaze. "Do I end up dead like you?"

Leilani's voice faltered. "Jazmine-"

"This goes beyond power, Jazmine." The cloaked figures' voices sounded like amplified mumbling, ringing around the landscape of the in-between. "Once you complete the ritual and call upon the flames, fate will deliver the calling within your soul, the path to your true destiny."

"Those flames are dangerous!" Leilani objected, glancing back at Jazmine with worried eyes. "She's not powerful enough to summon them."

"But we are." Katherine nodded assuredly, squeezing Jazmine tight. "We'll help with whatever she needs. There's no need to worry."

Jazmine thought to herself for a moment, soaking it all in. "Don't I have a say?"

"Unfortunately, you don't." The main figure tightened beside her. "There aren't a lot of rules to this sort of thing. You'll have to let things flow, I'm afraid."

Jazmine was starting to like this less and less. Letting things flow sounded crazy. It didn't seem smart to go into this without a plan.

The cloaked figure spoke again, as if reading her thoughts. "We've seen what happens when a young witch is burdened with too many rules. Kelsey was almost destroyed by them."

Leilani nodded, sighing. "It's true. She had a tough time handling everything on her own. She was a powerful witch that lived in another universe, in another time."

"Hold up. There are other universes?" Jazmine's jaw dropped. "What?"

"Yes." Leilani said, her laughter echoing in the distance. "Several of them, actually. It's more of a time travel thing. I don't know much about it."

Jazmine didn't know what to say. Time travel? Different universes? Having powers? It was mind boggling, even if she tried not to show it.

"Kelsey didn't forget her powers like you did. It was a huge burden to her, not being able to tell anyone about her gifts." Leilani explained. "Eventually she found love with someone she'd been with in a past life-"

Jazmine felt lightheaded. "Seriously, is there a packet on all this stuff?"

"Oh now she wants to know." Leilani teased, lifting her chin.

"The point is." Another figure stepped forward, glancing between Leilani and Jazmine. "Kelsey had it hard. Her soulmate was killed by a vengeful spirit, so her guides reversed time. They never ended up together, afterward. She had to watch him fall in love with someone else once things went back to normal."

"So, instead of tweaking the rules to avoid unhappy endings, you're doing away with them completely?" Jazmine cocked a brow at the cloaked figure. "How bad was it? Didn't she have friends, a love life, a pet?" She shook her head, confused. "I mean, what made you stop making rules? Did she die or something?"

"Well, she had friends, and she was coming around to the whole love thing, I guess. But you know, now that you mention it…" The figure contemplated. "I'm not sure. Her soulmate became a detective, got assigned to her kidnapping case, and remembered everything again. Even ended up leaving the Intensive Care Unit to save her. Still not as crazy as what happened at Coney Island, though. That was crazy."

"Forget Coney Island! Kelsey got kidnapped?!" Jazmine wailed, pressing her face into her hands. "I can get kidnapped because of my powers?"

"If you're not careful, yes." The being flippantly waved its invisible hand and shook its hooded head at her. "I'm sure it all worked out fine."

"You're sure it all worked out fine?!" Jazmine tried to steady her wobbly legs. "You're telling me you have no clue what happened to her! That doesn't make sense! One girl died! The other girl is missing! You guys don't have a great track record at all!"

"Relax." Another figure in the distance shrugged, indifferent to the panic in her voice. "He never said that we know everything. You always have a choice."

"Not helping!" Jazmine puffed out her cheeks, fanning her face with her hands.

"I guess she does have a point." Another figure nodded. "We never got an update on Kelsey. We should check on that, see what happened."

"Good idea." The main figure snapped. "We'll make it our first order of business."

"Not so fast." Jazmine clasped her hands together and leaned on Katherine's translucent shoulder. "What about me? Why'd you come down here if you knew you couldn't help?"

"For contextual purposes." There was another loud clang as the cloaked figures surrounded her in a flash. "You will be tested heavily, perhaps more than any witch your age. For what reasons, we do not know. All we can tell you is that help is on the way."

"Help from who?" Jazmine felt the air around her thicken, the rush of something mysterious weakening her again. She fell to her knees, her eyes fluttering open and shut. "What's happening?"

"From an old friend." The cloaked figure whispered, nodding as she fell back with a gasp. "It'll all make sense, soon."

Before she could ask what he meant, everything went black, and her eyes popped open. She looked down at her legs, noting that they were still sore before hopping to her feet.

"So, you're a witch?" She muttered to herself. "At least you're not powerful like the other two. You'll get through this. It'll be fine."

Who was she kidding?

It would absolutely never be fine again.

She sighed, glancing down at the manilla folder on the floor, thinking of her parents and their sacrifice. She lifted it, skimming through the pages before slamming it shut and climbing out of the attic, swallowing back tears.

She stumbled into her bedroom, gasping when she noticed the spell book from last night sitting upright on her desk.

It flipped open, the pages turning with remarkable speed, until it revealed one she hadn't seen before, glowing and full of text.

"To summon the flames of hell." She read the words aloud, even more nervous about what it all meant. "This spell will blah, blah, blah…...wait. Is this for the ceremony tomorrow?"

She was interrupted by a loud beating on the door. No doubt from Cindy, who was determined to ensure this was their best sleepover yet.

"Hey, hoe! I got intel on Operation Vince! Open up!" The girl hollered. "We have official best friend business to discuss!"

The book forgotten, Jazmine zoomed down the stairs, only stopping to grab her phone off the end table in the living room.

She wrinkled her nose.

"Okay, wait. Why did Huey Freeman airdrop his number to me?"

Soccer practice sucked.

Huey had spent all afternoon yelling at the team for slacking off. And when that hadn't worked, he'd forced them all to keep running until they dropped.

Literally.

"Oh Captain, My Captain!" Brooklyn grinned, tossing her long braids behind her. "Nice job out there, today. I think I only heard you cuss someone out once, for a change."

Huey skipped the pleasantries, scowling at her. "What do you want?"

"You know." She rolled her eyes, her hand on her hip. "It's funny. I could've sworn you meant it when you said we could still be friends."

"I lied." Huey kept his tone curt, gripping his keys in his hand. "So, if that's all you wanted, then-"

"I need an invite to Jazmine's party!" Brooklyn blurted, standing tall and unashamed. "I'd ask myself, but I didn't know if it'd be weird, considering our recent breakup and all."

That got Huey's attention.

"What for?" Huey's eyes widened. "Do you two even talk?"

"Why do you care?" Brooklyn cast him a sideways glance. "I talk to Jazmine more than you do. And if you're thinking of going there, don't. Last I heard, she had her eyes set on Vince this summer. My girl's got taste."

"If she's hanging around your superficial ass, she doesn't have as much as taste as you think." He told her. "If you want to go so bad, ask 'your girl' yourself. Now if you'll excuse me, I've gotta go."

"You're not excused." She hissed, whispering loudly. "Seriously, Huey! Help a sista out! I need that invite! It's life or death!"

Huey turned to her, softening slightly. "This really means a lot to you, doesn't it?"

"Yeah." Brooklyn sighed, tilting her head towards him. "It does. It could make or break my social career! I'll never live it down if I'm not there."

"Well, in that case." Huey turned on his heel. "No."

"Huey!"

"No!"

"But-"

"No."

Ignoring her daggerlike glare, Huey headed for the parking lot, slowing when he saw Caesar walking beside him.

"That was cold, Huey." Caesar remarked, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Brooklyn must be devastated."

He turned to see Brooklyn laughing with some football player, her finger twirling in her braids as she looked him up and down .

"She definitely seems heartbroken." Huey deadpanned, already over his ex and her antics. "You still going to Jazmine's party tomorrow?"

"Hell yeah." Caesar chuckled. "You know how Cindy gets. She doesn't want anyone screwing this up for Jazmine. Plus, between you and me, I think it's sweet. Tom and Sarah won't be back for another two days, and yes, the reason is exactly what you think it is."

"Two days?" Huey was incredulous. "Damn. They're getting divorced, right?" He thought back to Granddad mentioning it over dinner. "That sucks."

"Yup." Caesar nodded. "That's why Cindy wants it to be extra special. She took the news pretty hard."

That wasn't surprising to Huey. "I can tell. Granddad had me check on Jazmine today, and she seemed out of it."

"I'm surprised you actually did it." Caesar snorted, staring at his friend. "You, Huey Freeman, laid eyes on Jazmine Dubois? Voluntarily?"

"Yeah, it was weird. She seemed really messed up from whatever ya'll were doing last night. Even dropped her phone." Huey said sharply. "You really shouldn't leave her alone like that. She could've been hurt or worst under the influence. Statistics don't lie! Read about it. Children of divorced parents are more likely to-"

"Don't worry so much, Dad." Caesar teased. "Are you sure this isn't about how fine Jazmine's been lately? She filled out, got that hair under control, and have you seen her dance? Whew!"

He paused, whistling. "Homegirl definitely ain't ten no more! She was dancing just like this."

Caesar stopped in the middle of the parking lot, swaying his hips from side to side as he wiggled his butt around. The soccer team laughed, hooting and hollering from their cars.

"Don't you have a girl?" Huey raised a brow as Caesar continued his reenactment. "I mean, don't get me wrong, anyone is better than Cindy, but still…her best friend?"

"Jealous?" Caesar smirked, taking a bow for their clapping teammates. "Anyways, I gotta level with you. Jazmine did head out with me and Cindy last night, but I keep a close eye on them when we're out. Jazmine didn't drink anything at that party. Not even a water."

That got Huey's attention. "Hold up. Are you sure? No food or water?"

"No and no." Caesar looked concerned. "How was she acting?"

"Like she was happy to see me." Huey said, puzzled. "She wasn't being her normal, reactionary self. She had on a crop-top, and she sat straight up in bed, like she didn't even care that her whole stomach was out."

"Maybe she's trying to be less self-conscious." Caesar shrugged. "Besides, it's not like you two have a great relationship. She was probably shocked to see you, considering the whole breaking and entering thing."

"Yeah." Huey nodded. "I'm probably overreacting."

"Probably." Caesar laughed. "Remember when you tried to save Brooklyn from getting high in middle school? Whole time she was taking NyQuil for her sinus infection. And then there was the time-"

"Please stop." Huey rolled his eyes, hopping into his car. "I'm just glad that Jazmine's good."

"Me too." Caesar nodded, heading to his own car. "I'll see you later."

Huey put his car into gear, trying to ignore the eerie feeling settling into his bones. But for some reason, he couldn't take his mind off of Jazmine, not even if he tried.

If she tried on one more outfit, Jazmine was going to scream.

There were clothes strewn everywhere—skirts, tube tops, mini dresses, high heels that her best friend had brought over. Cindy stood outside the closet, her foot tapping impatiently on the hardwood floor.

"Girl, come on!" She shouted. "What's the matter?"

"I hate showing a lot of skin, Cindy." Jazmine's voice wavered as she glanced at the bold red dress she'd tried on, avoiding her reflection in the small, full-length mirror. "It makes me feel uncomfortable."

"Well, it shouldn't." Cindy shook her head, her eyes narrowing. "What did you say you were going to do this summer? You're supposed to be working on coming out of your-"

"Shell, I know." Jazmine fidgeted in front of the mirror, pulling the dress down. "It's just…none of these outfits feel like me. It's a sleepover. Why do I need to try on all these dresses?"

"Because." Cindy rolled her eyes at another text from Caesar checking in on them. "You promised you wouldn't spend all summer in the house this year! You're almost sixteen! Act like it! How are you gonna hook up with Vince if he never sees you?"

"But this is more your speed!" Jazmine argued, frowning as she walked out of the closet. "I can come out of my shell and still be myself!"

Cindy seemed to understand. She nodded and reached behind her, revealing a stunning pink dress with short sleeves, cut slightly above the knee. "Try this one."

Jazmine eased into the closet, lightly tracing the fabric with her fingers. She pulled it on, glancing at herself in the mirror. The dress was beautiful. It fit her like a glove, it was comfortable, and it was perfect for dancing. Check, check, and check.

'It's perfect' A voice told her from behind.

She stumbled backwards with a yelp, her heart racing.

"Jazmine?" Cindy knocked on the door. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." Jazmine rushed out as fast as she could. "Just gotta go to the bathroom. Be right back!"

"That's cute!" Another voice exclaimed. "Vince will love it."

She bolted to the guest room and locked the door behind her. The voices grew louder, growing closer as she curled into a ball, tears streaming down her face. "Please, just go away!"

"Happy birthday, darling!"

"She doesn't know yet?"

"Tell William he ain't shit, he ain't never been shit, and he ain't gone ever be shit!"

"To command the wind, you must command yourself."

"Surprisseeee!"

The voices overlapped, overwhelming her to the point of no return. The news of her adoption, her birth parents' deaths, being a witch, having powers—it was all too much to process.

Yesterday, she'd been a normal teenager, planning a scandalous summer fling with Vince Steadman.

Today, she was a freak, curled up and crying on the floor.

"Having trouble adjusting?" Katherine's presence didn't bother her like the other ghosts did. "Just try to relax. They're only excited because you're a new connection with no filter. You don't have to engage. Tune them out."

Jazmine followed the woman's instructions, until one by one, the voices dissipated.

"Thanks." She told Katherine. "It's weird. I feel like I've done that before."

"You have." Katherine smiled. "You've just got to tap into it, accept that your dreams have always been reality. Once you think about it, you'll realize that it's always been in you. You've just got to come out of your shell like your friend said. Gain some confidence."

"Maybe it's safer for me to hold back." Jazmine frowned.

"It's not." Katherine eyed her knowingly. "Being powerful doesn't guarantee a lifetime of misery. You can still lead a happy life. Don't shy away from greatness to be accepted."

"What greatness?" Jazmine snorted. "According to you and everyone else, I'm the world's weakest witch."

"You're not weak." Katherine frowned, easing closer to her. "You didn't get your powers back by accident. There's something special about you. You just need to believe it."

"I don't know." Jazmine couldn't shake the feeling that something was horribly wrong. "Something tells me it's not that simple."

"Maybe not." Katherine began to fade away again. "But what it will be, is worth it."

She went to the sink and splashed more water over her face, relieved when the voices didn't return. She walked over to the door, pausing when it opened by itself.

Maybe Katherine was right. Maybe this was all part of some greater plan, and she was stronger than she thought.

She walked past the door, not noticing someone standing there, watching closely.

Sadly, she'd never really noticed them at all.