Declan

Declan was a traitor. Or at least, that's how he felt, listening to Bella and Gideon discuss the best ways to convince Lux to follow their plan. Because he knew how desperately Lux wanted to avoid this fate, but he wasn't willing to watch her waste away.

"How much time do you think she has left?" Bella asked. She had her elbows propped on the dining room table, and her face pressed into her palms. The angel rubbed her back in comforting circles, but his lips were pressed thin.

They were asking him. Of all the people in their daughter's life, Declan was her most trusted friend. Even after the things he'd done to her in the name of protecting her, she had confided in him.

"I don't know. I think it all depends on how often she uses her magic," he answered, unwilling to divulge her theory about their relationship. He could only imagine explaining to a girl's parents that having sex with their daughter might save her life, and on the off chance that he got her pregnant, their child would be condemned to death for the crime of existing. Yeah, he would pass on that one.

"She seems better around you," Bella said, lifting her head to study him. He could see the calculations running in the stormy depths of her gaze. Perhaps no explanations were needed, and- his pulse stuttered- perhaps Bella agreed with her daughter.

"I have noticed that her symptoms seem to abate when I'm near her," Declan conceded, shifting in his chair and looking up at the ceiling.

"What do you mean?" Gideon pulled out a chair and sat. "Do you feel anything different when you're around Lux?"

"Yes, I do. It's hard to explain since a sorcerer's magic differs from a witch's magic. We don't really have our own innate source to pull from. We use the magic in the things around us. When I'm near Lux, I swear I have my own source. Or it's hers, and she's sharing it with me. I feel complete. But it's even more than that. Something inside of me reaches for her."

Bella flinched and looked at Gideon. He nodded and said, "Declan, what I'm about to tell you cannot leave this room. There are two things at play here: both incredibly rare but similar. Are you familiar with the concept of soulmates?"

The young sorcerer snorted. "Yes, I'm familiar."

"But you don't believe. That's fine. I've always had the knowledge that such things exist, but I didn't truly believe it until I met my soulmate." The look Gideon gave Bella was filled with so much longing and heat, Declan was forced to look away. "Amongst supernaturals, it's the magic that is the first sign. It recognizes its mate first."

Declan thought of the way being near Lux had immediately felt right. Perfect. He couldn't argue. "But you said there were two things at play."

"This is going to be complicated."

"Witches and sorcerers are unique because they have two parts to their souls- a human half and an angelic half. It's why sorcerers and witches can't be together. It causes an imbalance in their offspring."

"An imbalance?"

Gideon exhaled, the sound thick with suppressed tears. "I think this might be what's wrong with Lux."

"But you're not a sorcerer," Bella pulled her hand from his and study the angel warily. "This is the first you've mentioned this."

"No. I'm an angel, and your soul is half human, half angel. It's your angel half which is mated to mine. Children of soulmates are powerful. It's something about the unity they're born from. When a witch and sorcerer reproduce, especially soulmates, the unity in one half of their soul fights against the other half. In every instance, they've become corrupted and had to be put down. It's like something is fractured inside of them.

"For Lux, it's her angelic side that is so much stronger than her human side because it's the angel half which is united and fighting against her human half. I wonder how much a channeling stone will even help her. In the past, they only provided stability for a short time. But I think both Declan's human and angelic halves are mated to Lux's. They are true soulmates in every aspect."

The silence was suffocating. Declan clenched his hands together and stared at the wall. Too many thoughts were fighting for dominance in his mind. Lux was right. Being together could save her. Soulmates. Children. Gideon's theory was the answer to everything. The answer to saving Lux, the answer to how they could be together, and the answer to why everything made so much sense when she was near him.

He ran out the front door, ignoring the shouts of his elders. There was only one person he needed to speak to, and she was hurting right now. She believed everyone was willing to destroy her to save her, and he had to tell her she was right. That being together was the only solution. The one he'd wanted from the moment she'd said it out loud, but he'd been too ashamed to admit the thrill it gave him.

"Declan, wait up." Audra jogged to his side, the worry on her face halting him.

"Is everything okay?" he asked, his eyes moving between her and the path to the guest house.

"No, it's not. Travis and Hanish haven't come back. They were supposed to be home before dark, and that was an hour ago."

He thought of the pair. Fae were stronger than humans- more durable, and he'd seen the Hanish fight. He could take care of himself, and so could Travis, if Declan had pieced the boy's history together correctly. He'd wondered about the source of the redhead's strength and fighting abilities, but the ride out to the estate had been very revealing.

"I'm sure they're fine," he said, his shoes crunching in the gravel as he started walking again.

"No, I feel it. Something has happened," Audra snapped, her pale skin flushed. "We have to go looking for them."

"Where are the others?" he asked, scrubbing his hand through his hair. Long ago, he'd learn to never dismiss a witch's feelings.

"Waiting for you to join us near the edge of the field."

Lux would be fine. A few more hours wouldn't hurt anyone. "Ok, lead the way."

                            *****************************************************

Lux

Someone summoned the demon from the underworld to kill me, which means the witch who did it is powerful. But I haven't had time to process that yet. Right after, Declan dropped the staff and gathered me in his arms. I went willingly, and when his lips touched mine, it was everything I'd imagined.

I dare not write too many details about what happened next, but I am a woman in every sense of the word now. I lay awake long afterwards, running my fingers through his raven hair as he slept. I know that we cannot continue this. Our Swearing is to take place soon, and any repeats of this night will mean forfeiting our powers.

Lux closed the diary, unable to continue reading. Declan had lied to her. Not about Leora's feelings- no, his silence had been damning-about his own feelings. She flung the leather book across the room. She'd practically thrown herself at him earlier, and he'd offered some old-fashioned nonsense to take the sting from his refusal. Even when she told him it might save her life, he'd not been willing.

Yet, he'd slept with Leora, and she didn't have to ask, beg, or seduce. Lux scrubbed at her eyes and walked to the small attic window that overlooked the front of the property. In the gloaming, she could make out the outlines of trees against the plum sky, and small pinpricks of light wobbled across the fields. The First Circle was out late.

Over and over again, she felt ostracized. Some of it was self-inflicted- she couldn't handle the pity or powerlessness that overwhelmed her when she was around the other witches, and if she was honest, it wounded her pride. To know that she carried such power inside, only to be unable to tap into it or use it without great harm- it was infuriating.

She beat her palm against the window pane, the old glass rattling. Finding Corrine's murderer had given Lux a sense of purpose, but now that the culprit had been identified as a Bloodborn, Lux was of no use. Now, the diary had betrayed her. Not one part of her wanted to continue reading the words of her ancestor, not when those very words tarnished what she loved.

"Ugh, pity party for one," Lux fussed, spinning on her heel and fleeing the attic room. What she needed was her planner and lists. Plotting and planning had always soothed her and given her a goal to work towards. She'd let the happenings of the last month pull her away from the things that had made her her. Now, more than ever with her mother, father, and even Declan seeking to remove her identity to save her life, she needed to hold true to herself.

"Ouch, watch where you're going, you klutz!"

Eyes watering, Lux focused on the girl she'd barreled into. Sara Elizabeth rose from the ground, rubbing her elbow and glaring. Whether the dirty look was for the collision or because the cheerleader hated her she couldn't be certain. She had, accused the girl of murder.

"Sorry, I didn't expect you to be in the house," Lux replied, resisting the urge to glance at the hidden door behind her. None of the girls, not even Kitty or Travis, knew about the attic room.

"Everyone is out looking for Travis and Hanish."

"What do you mean?" Lux demanded.

"They were supposed to be back before dark, but they're not. Audra is all worked up, but they probably hooked up and lost track of the time."

"So everyone is out looking for them but you. Nice," she snapped, pushing past the girl to get down the stairs. As much as she wanted to hurry, she paced herself. The boost she got from Declan was fading, and she wanted to conserve her energy.

"No, I came back to get you," Sara Elizabeth said with sincerity, following behind Lux. "I saw you in the window, and I thought you might like to join everyone."

Shocked, Lux responded, "Thank you. That was thoughtful."

"Lux, I need to tell you something," the other girl pleaded, grabbing Lux by the hand. Her blue eyes were wide and glittering with a hint of moisture.

"Girls, what are you doing?" Memaw demanded, appearing in the doorway to the parlor. She did not hide her perusal of her granddaughter, but she didn't comment on their clasped hands.

"Sounds like we've got a little search party underway for Travis and Hanish," she answered Memaw, squeezing the water witch's hand gently before pulling away. She hoped the other girl would take it as a promise to talk later. She knew whatever Sara Elizabeth had to say was important if it caused her to break character.

Memaw grimaced. "I never have trusted the fae all that much. I hope he hasn't got Travis into some trouble."

"I'm sure they're fine," Lux said, surprised by her grandmother's reaction. She'd not said anything negative about the sylph when she'd met Hanish. Clearly, an example of prejudices hiding behind a thick layer of southern manners. "But I'm going to join them. See if I can help."

"Do you think that's wise, dear? You should go rest."

"We'll be back. Let's go."

The girls raced into the night, and even though a kernel of fear was forming in her gut, Lux felt her lips stretch wide across her face. Summer evenings had always been her favorite. She loved the contrasts of the world at dusk: Cool blades of grass shooting up between pebbles that clung to their sun infused warmth. The rim of light sitting on the horizon's edge as night's curtain dropped, and the breeze turning the humidity on her skin from sticky to cold.

This was what she was missing when she wallowed in that attic room and bemoaned her fate. If she was to die, she wanted to go with memories of honeysuckle and moonlight, satin skies and velvet fields, and laughter and love. Above all- laughter and love.

"How much further?" she panted, resisting the urge to stop and rest. Sara Elizabeth might be softening towards her, but she didn't want to show weakness in front of her former nemesis.

"They're in the woods now. I don't know how far they've gotten, but Declan gave us all one of these." She reached in her pocket and pulled out a crushed dandelion puff. "Hopefully, I didn't mess it up."

"What's it supposed to do?"

The cheerleader rolled her eyes. "Just watch."

She lifted the puff and blew gently, spreading the seeds into the air. They hovered as if waiting for direction, and Sara Elizabeth placed her hand beneath them. The sapphire gem on her hand flashed, and the seeds shimmered as if coated in pixie dust before barreling off towards the trees.

"Holy crap, that's cool," Lux breathed, running her hand through the argent trail it left behind.

"Yep, now we need to hurry."

They started again, pausing near the woods as they imagined the various snakes and spiders that would slither and skitter across the detritus. With identical deep breaths, they pressed into the gloom, the moonlight extinguished by the thick canopy.

"Will this take us directly to them?" Lux asked as they followed the silver line weaving through the forest. In some places, it intersected with fading lines before whirling off in another direction. "I feel like it's taking us everywhere."

"They must be on the move," Sara Elizabeth said. "Since we cast our spell at a different time, its path is different than the others' because the location has changed. What are they doing?"

She pressed a hand against a tree trunk, the bark rough beneath her hand as she caught her breath. "We could be at this all night if they don't stay in one place."

"Yes, but on the bright side, they're likely alive if they're moving about like this."

"Oh, yes. Such a bright side."

A faint shout to their left and deeper into the dark drew their awareness. A familiar smell of burnt sugar wafted by, drawing the attention of her magic before a blinding tube of light flooded the forest as it surged towards the sky.

"Lux, Lux!" Sara Elizabeth screamed, her hands folding over her mouth as she stared at Lux in horror.

Glancing down at her hands, Lux saw the glow creeping up her arms, the first warning of her magic's impending takeover. Her eyes would be pupilless and the color of mercury. Something whispered that she should let it take over- give into what she now knew was her angelic self rising. Begging for control.

"We have to go see what's happening," Lux said through clenched teeth. The pain of fighting this power was almost too much, but she knew that giving in was just as dangerous as her father's solution to her decline. Lux would be no more.

She surged into a sprint. She no longer needed their magical guide, but it whizzed ahead of her, leading her to the place where the light burned still. With each footstep, she could hear the voices of her sisters. The shouts and confusion. Something terrible had happened- just like the day when Ruby had unleashed the demons. Lux was needed.

The trees thinned out, and a clearing appeared. Her Circle had their backs to her and were facing the light with hands raised. Her mouth opened to announce her presence, but a heavy blow to her head stole her words and sent her spiraling into the darkness.