The next morning, I woke up with a hole in my shirt.

The crystal had burned through the cloth on my chest and had left a red blister on my skin.

I sat up and yawned. I hadn't fallen asleep till the early hours of the morning and judging by the sun, I had only been asleep for a few hours.

I moaned as I pulled on a sweatshirt to hide the hole. I had a huge headache. I should really sleep more...God is Scott rubbing off on me this much? I stood up and immediately felt dizzy. Great. I walked down the hall, dragging my feet behind me.

When I opened the door to Scott's room, I saw him passed out on his bed. I wasn't surprised. He always looked exhausted these days.

"Scott." I said and jogged over to his bed. He was out cold, no pun intended. "Scott!" I tapped his forehead, which was freezing. "Wake up, I'm bored." I poked his cheek but that didn't do anything either. "SCOTT!" He must have been really tired because even that did wake him up. So, I jumped onto his bed and landed on him.

Scott shouted in panic and ice shot out of him. I was thrown from his bed onto the floor. I felt a burning sensation past right across my upper arm and my body instantly exploded with goosebumps and chills as I rolled across the wooden floor.

Scott hit the ground next to me. "No, no, no, no, no." he said and absolute panic and fear flooded his face. He helped me sit up. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah. Y-You missed." I pulled the sleeve of my sweatshirt up to where he had grazed me. There was a small bit of skin that had been blackened by frostbite and the skin around it was tinged blue.

"Oh my gods." Scott sighed with relief. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into a hug. "Don't ever scare me like that again. I could actually hurt you next time." He said in a barely audible tone.

"Ok." I whispered into his shirt.

He was taking deep breathes, trying to calm himself down. But apparently that wasn't working because he held onto me tighter. "Scott?" I asked quietly and looked up into his face. Tears were forming in the corner of his eyes, but they froze as they fell. He brushed them from his eyes and bit his lip. "Oh, Scott don't do this." I said and wrapped my arms around his neck. "I'm fine."

"Yeah, but you might not be the next time." He said and his voice broke.

"There won't be a next time." I reassured.

"Yes, there will. I promise you there will be."

"Stop it!" I said and slapped his arm. "If there is we'll deal with it then, ok?" I stood up and immediately my head started to spin. The same voice from the night before filled my head and it felt as if my forehead had been pierced by a knife. Magic spiraled down my arms against my will and circled my wrists like snakes, hot like heated metal.

Scott stood up and caught me before I fell. "Woah, what was that?" he asked. As soon as Scott touched me the voice faded.

"I- Nothing. Just- just a headache." I said and forced a smile onto my face. Scott frowned.

"Uh huh..." he said and tapped my temple lightly. "Then why is your magic going on the fritz?"

"I don't know! You're asking the wrong person!" I snapped and pulled my arm out of his grip.

Scott bit the inside of his cheek. "You should probably get ready." He said, rubbing the back of his neck.

"For what?" I asked.

"I'm announcing to the city and empire what's going on...I have no idea what's going to happen." He said nervously. "Only some of them are aware that I'm back. And almost none of them know about eh..."

I cringed. "That's going to be fun."

"Mmm." Scott exclaimed and cracked his knuckles nervously. "Where's the crystal?" he asked suddenly.

I pulled it out from underneath my sweatshirt. It pulsed rapidly and Scott's eyes narrowed. "Huh." He said and reached for it, but I took a few steps back. "What is it?"

I pursed my lips. I didn't want him to have it. I don't know why.

"Erin, I think you've had that on for too long." Scott said and held out a hand for it.

"Scott- Scott have you ever thought about letting him out?" I burst out, holding the crystal tightly with my right hand.

Scott blinked. "What!? Are you crazy?" he asked.

"If you were able to convince me maybe-" I started.

"No." Scott cut off. "Xornoth went over the edge. There was no saving him, Erin." His look was stern and...maybe even a little scared. He snatched the crystal from my hand. "I don't want you holding this anymore."

"Wha-" I started and grabbed at it, but he held it above his head. "That's not fair!" The voice was repeating the same thing in my head, over and over. Get it back.

"What has gotten into you?" Scott asked. "First Xornoth now-"

"I miss him, ok?" I snapped and crossed my arms.

"You- you what?" Scott stuttered.

"I miss him." I said. "Why can't we bring him back? I don't care if we have to throw him in prison."

"Because he will break out and I know you'll choose him over me." Scott confessed, and his voice broke. "And then I'll have to deal with that again along with- with-" he made a helpless gesture. "I don't know if I can do this anymore..." He whispered to himself and slid to the floor with his head in his hands.

I stared at him in shock. "Who said anything about me choosing him over you?" I said quietly and sat down in front of him. He looked up. "I mean- sure he was the first person to ever want me. But I know you care more than he ever did. He on the other hand only wanted to use me. I- I know that now."

"Really?" he asked.

"All I want to do is talk to him."

Scott bit his lip. "I'm sorry. I can't do that. I- I can't risk it. I've already betrayed everyone...I can't risk letting him out into the world again."

My fists clenched but I didn't say anything. I could feel anger bubbling up in me, but I couldn't tell where it was coming from or why I was feeling it.

"Your mad." Scott said.

"No, I'm not-... Yes." I sighed. "But I get it."

Scott sat up straighter. "I would do anything to get our family back together. But I'm afraid we're the only real pieces of it left."

We sat there in silence for a few minutes, until "Don't you have an announcement your supposed to make?" I suddenly said.

"Right," Scott sighed. "That." I helped Scott up and he grabbed the elven crown off his bedside table. "Time to pretend to be the king they think I am..."

I frowned. "What are you talking about? You're a great king."

"I'm slowly freezing over the entire kingdom and starving the people." He pointed out.

"Oh right." I said. "Never mind."

"Thanks a lot."

"You're welcome!"

Scott rolled his eyes. "Let's go." Once he was changed, we left the palace. We stood in front of it on the path right before the staircase and drop into the city. There was a crowd of thousands of elves underneath. A few had Grimlands cameras. They were broadcasting.

I stood around ten feet behind Scott, so he was the center of attention and so he could get his message across.

At first, he just spoke in total gibberish which I assumed was elvish. He spoke in elvish for a while. I swear I need to learn it soon, so he can't talk behind my back because I had literally no idea what he was saying. After he was done a few elves asked questions and Scott answered them, all again in elvish.

A majority of the elves looked nervous, but the rest just looked plain confused, like me. Then Scott cleared his throat and started in English,

"Citizens of Rivendale." He said. "And all who are listening." He glanced at the cameras. "As you know I have been, away for a few months. And that the kingdom is slowly freezing over. Well, I left because the other empires blame me. A quarrel occurred at the annual meeting and I'm afraid to say all ties to the other kingdoms have been broken."

Murmuring spread through the crowd.

"Knowing the Count, elves will be in danger everywhere so with your safety in mind I encourage you to stay within the empire. In two days', time I will be closing all of Rivendale's borders, no one in or out. I expect an invasion. If you are not willing to fight or have loved ones you want to protect, I advise you escape to a mountainside city or the country of the Elven Empire before then."

"How are we going to protect ourselves against all of the humans?" A voice called out. "They have more advanced weapons and technology. If it's all of them versus us, we stand no chance."

"Well...we have her." He gestured for me to come closer. "Phoenix."

My birth name sent chills up my spine. "We'll protect the city with everything we have. Rivendale will not surrender." I said and looked directly into the cameras. I had a feeling Fwhip was watching. He always seemed to be.

Applause started, even the people who didn't understand English clapped. The English-speaking ones must have translated what I had said.

Scott abruptly turned on his heel and started walking back to the palace. I looked between him and the crowd before jogging to catch up to him.

"That went better than I thought it would." He said. "They didn't react horribly."

"Yeah." I answered. "They did seem nervous."

"Yes, they did. I want you to help with evacuation. It's a big city." He sighed. "I would do it myself, but I still don't think it's safe-"

"For you to come in contact with innocent people." I finished. "I know." I gave him an understanding smile and the corner of his mouth twitched. He wrapped an arm around my shoulders as he opened the front door.

"You know I probably would have gone mad without you." He said.

"I know, I'm amazing." I smirked.

"Yes, you are." Scott admitted with a sigh and elbowed me lightly. Naturally I elbowed him back full force.

"It's not funny when you agree with me." I said and crossed my arms.

"You are so mean, you know that?" Scott said with a small laugh.

"Yes, I'm aware." I sneered.

Scott shook his head. "Somehow I don't know how I deal with you." He said. "You are more than a handful."

"Yeah, I'm like, five handfuls. What would you call that? Quintetful?" I smirked.

"A what?" Scott asked. "That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard."

I stuck my tongue out at him and ran up the stairs to my room. But the voice started to talk in my head as I closed the door.

You should hate him.

Why? I asked myself. He's only ever tried to help...

But how long do you think it'll last? How long will it take for him to hate you too?

I shook my head, but the pessimistic voice kept going.

You don't belong anywhere but in battle.

I slid to the ground in my room as the same piercing pain hit my head. "Stop." I moaned. But the voice didn't. And I started to believe it.