Jason sat in bed watching his ResoScreen. Classes had been postponed until the Dimmer was lifted. A Dimmer put everyone on high alert. It only happened when an entire Coven was called into the city, which meant that there was a serious murderer on the loose. It also put businesses and people on a curfew. Five hours after the high moon rose, businesses were ordered to be closed, and an hour after that, people were ordered to be home. By the time the first moon was on the horizon, only Military personnel were allowed on the streets.

“How can you not have any food,” called a voice. Jason rolled his eyes and got out of bed in a feeble attempt to try and prevent Ettore from destroying his fridge.

“I forgot to go grocery shopping. Besides, you’re an Immortal Shadowling; you don’t need food.”

Ettore tossed his head back dramatically. “Ah, how true, but I like to eat when bored.”

“Selene said she would pick up some food and drop by later, okay?”

“Not quick enough.” Ettore closed the fridge door with a thud. “You realize her brother is on her tail thirty hours a day, nine days a week, right? It’s pretty hazardous for her.”

“Well then, why can’t you or Vega pick up food?”

“We could, but then who would keep an eye on you?”

“I think I’ll be fine for half an hour.”

“Hmm, maybe, but Eris has his own Shadowling friends. My sister is one of them. I still don’t know how she tricked Negal, but go figure.” Ettore shrugged, crossing his arms and leaning against the silver kitchen sink counter.

“Well, the Oath binds them, so I should be safe, right?”

“We’re not taking that risk, so Vega is busying herself by watching your friends. Shira is a slippery one.”

“Oh yay,” he muttered sarcastically. He returned to his bedroom, but knocking on his door stopped him. Jason exchanged a questionable look with Ettore when Vega appeared near the doorway smiling.

“It’s your comrades. I would open the door.”

“What?” Jason ran to his door, waving the lock open. Ettore and Vega stood together, their bodies already fading into the wall. “No, stay. I told them about you two.”

“Oh dear,” said Vega while Ettore laughed. Jason sighed and opened the door. Cecilia and Nicholas rushed in, and Jason shut the door just as quickly.

“Hey Jason,” said Cecilia, a little out of breath.

“My man.”

“How the heck did you guys even get here? We’re under curfew!”

“Darkling District,” said Cecilia matter-of-factly. “We snuck down there, then came back up here. It was a pain, but look,” she exclaimed, holding up his brown weather-beaten bag. “We have your bag from the other day!”

Jason rolled his eyes, snatching his bag. “Really? My bag? Cecilia, what’s going on?”

“They’ve been out doing research,” said Vega, stepping into the hallway. Ettore joined her.

“Holy crap! A real Shadowling!” Nicholas laughed. “That Selene knows the coolest people. Nice to see you again, man.”

“Same here ‘my man’.” Ettore laughed. Cecilia chuckled along with him. Jason stared at them, annoyed.

“Cecilia,” he said, his tone cold and firm. “What are you doing here?”

“Don’t be mad, but we went through your bag, and I found and read the letter your mom sent, so I did some research. I think I know how to get you out of the proposal.”

“Proposal?” questioned Ettore. The fear in his eyes made Jason’s blood run cold.

“His mom is making him propose to Miranda,” answered Nicholas.

“That is not good,” muttered Vega, her black eyes wide.

“Tell me about it. Wouldn’t want to be him right now.”

“I’m right here, Nicholas.”

“Right, sorry my man.”

Jason sighed, rubbing his temples, tired and annoyed. “Let’s sit down.” Jason headed to his living room. Vega took the seat next to Ettore. Cecilia sat beside him, pulling out some papers and an old leather-bound notebook.

“Okay, so I found out a lot. I did some research on Miranda’s side of the family, okay. Selene had every right to kill them. They were seriously unstable. The town’s law enforcement already investigated Katherine’s brother and nephew. It’s speculated that his wife was just another one of his victims, probably the first. He told an officer that she had left, but, like the many other women seen, they were only ever seen entering, never leaving. After Selene killed him, a royal Guard named Uriel did some investigating to prove her innocence. There were bodies of women under the house. All dead. He killed those women with his son. That’s what the official report says.”

“How did you get that stuff?”

“My brother James is an Enforcer, remember. I had him dig up these files and make a few calls.” Cecilia swallowed and pulled out more files. “Anyway, my point is that family, her family, was deranged and seriously unstable.

“Katherine’s sister poisoned her husband. It was never proven, but everyone knew it. All their marriages were arranged, and no one wanted to marry into this family because they were considered…well unsavory. But they had titles, so arranged marriage it was. But their partners saw it. Katherine’s sister, the husband she poisoned, he left a will, leaving everything to his kids. He stated his wife could have nothing but a weekly allowance to take care of his children.

“That woman abused her children. When Selene killed their mother, they personally asked to speak on her behalf at her hearing. They loved her. She was their savior. I mean, that woman did unspeakable things to them, her own children.

“Katherine was different, though. She was only their half-sister. Her father was a Reborn; she had the same gift Miranda does and used it in the same way. She wasn’t like her brother and sister. She had good qualities, and she cared about other people. Look, this is her diary.” Cecilia held up the notebook that was worn and leather-bound. “She loved Pietro, but he didn’t love her, and he constantly, painfully, made her aware of it. The only reason he had two children with her was because of his drunken stupors that she welcomed because then he would actually want to touch her and actually welcome her into his bed. Jealously made her kill him. Pietro broke her and used her. He was—”

“Intrusive, arrogant, cruel, and obnoxious,” finished Ettore. “Never understood why Selene loved him. He treated her better than anyone else, which might explain it.”

“In any case, he was quite cruel to her. It is awful to murder him the way she did, but it was his own fault. It’s his own fault why she stabbed him twenty-three times and slit his throat.”

Jason swallowed down the bile in the back of his throat, imagining himself at the end of Miranda’s knife. “Why are you telling me this?”

“Because you aren’t Pietro and should not suffer his fate.” Cecilia took his hands in hers. “Miranda loves you, and despite her faults, she’s a good person, you know this. If you love her, marry her, but if you don’t and have even the slightest feelings for Selene, you will end things with Miranda. You need to choose. You’ve only got a month—”

“Look,” interrupted Jason. “I already kissed Selene to try and figure stuff out, but it only complicated things.”

“You kissed Selene?”

“Oh no,” muttered Vega, putting her hand to her mouth.

“Oh crap,” said Ettore, who was now rubbing his temples.

“Jason, you only have until the Silmarine Solstice!”

“Thanks for the reminder,” he snapped, pulling his hands away from Cecilia.

“Don’t break her heart, or else she’ll turn into Katherine, and you’ll suffer like Pietro, and Selene will die because she cares about you and will get revenge. She has no more passes, Jason.”

“Yeah, I know,” muttered Jason. He looked out the window at the steady rainfall tapping against his glass, obscuring the world outside.

One month.