Eris stood at the forefront of the Burning Ceremony. A magical burning was one of the ways to ensure a Vampyres death if their diet included blood. Those of the Dark had a sick sense of humor. Only three things could kill them for sure. A magical burning, decapitation, and, of course, ripping out their hearts. Eris and Selene had learned that the hard way when they had killed the original Coven Master.

Behind him, to his left, he spied Selene, her head down, black hair falling in strands over her face, slowly slipping out of her loose ponytail, obscuring it. In its current state, she looked disturbed and beaten. He watched her raise her head and look at him. Eris jerked his eyes away, returning his gaze towards the fire. He saw Hetiro looking at him while he talked to Gabrielle. He hoped Hetiro had not been attempting to wriggle himself into his mind like a worm. He watched the pair of them more intensely now. Gabrielle opened her mouth to speak, but Hetiro spoke first, seemingly answering her thoughts. Eris grew uneasy watching them over the flickering flames of the fire that licked the air.

“Why must this ceremony take so long,” he muttered to no one in particular.

“This cannot be rushed, Eris,” answered Nivette, stepping up to his side. “We can’t risk that he has even one drop of human blood in his system that can breathe life back into him. At least this will ensure his way to the Farplane.”

“I just want them gone.”

“They will leave when all is done,” muttered a different voice. Eris turned around and stared at Selene, who continued to watch the fire. Eris wondered why she looked so sad. It was strange, but she almost looked, impossibly, older. No, not older. She looked defeated. He looked up at Nivette, who was already walking away.

“I know,” began Eris, eyebrows pinched together by worry. “Selene, are you all right?”

“It doesn’t matter right now, Eris. We’ll discuss it later.”

“Can you look at me when you talk, Selene,” he said in a lighthearted tone, trying to lighten the mood.

“No.” The curt answer took him by surprise. It was unlike her, cold and distant. Hurt took hold of him and made him wonder what he did to deserve this attitude. His heart skipped a beat, and he looked back through the flames at Hetiro, who was staring at him unwaveringly. Eris hoped Selene did not know of his recent activities. His stomach began to churn at the thought.

“Selene—”

“Shut up, Eris, and let the ceremony be. Right now is not the place for me to ask what I need to ask.”

The uneasy feeling in his stomach grew, knotting his insides. Turning back to the ceremony, he watched the fire burn.

***

Eris sat in his dark bed chamber with its bleak-looking stone walls. He sat there, gripping the edge of his bed, glad the Garrison had left.

The door slammed, and magic filled the air. He could feel the tendrils of energy in the air vibrate before settling against the walls. Eris looked up at the fuming and formidable-looking Selene. Her fists were clenched so tightly he could see the bone underneath.

“Tell me it’s not true.”

“I will once I know what I am denying. I’m not a mind reader like Pietro.” He smiled at the flicker of her stable resolve shatter. Regret quickly followed when her hand flew across his face. The impact itself felt like needles were raining across his face. The nails, drawing blood, seemed to soothe it, ironically.

“Now is not the time to be smug and arrogant, let alone a pompous spoiled brat!” She screamed the last part, causing his eardrums to throb. “Now tell me Axel was not innocent. Tell me that you did not kill any of those people! Tell me you were not working with Shadowlings to set him up!”

Eris maintained his calm, but the guilt squeezed his heart tightly. He watched her for a moment, watched her body shake with anger, and her purple eyes turn bright, blood red with fear rather than rage. Not once in his life had he ever really lied to her…

Until now.

“None of that is true, Selene.” He stood up and looked her in the eye, placing his hands on her shaking shoulders. “Where did you hear that?”

“From Axel. I thought I had killed an innocent man to protect you.”

“Have I changed that much that you would believe that? Do you really think me a cold-blooded killer?”

Selene stared at him for a brief moment before looking away. “You’ve been acting strange lately. I didn’t know what to think. And when he said something about Shadowlings, how could I not believe him? Not many know of your relations to them.”

Eris pulled her into his arms, laying his head on the top of hers. It was a comforting thought, knowing that she would kill for him, to protect him. Tightening his arms around her, he spoke, “Selene, unlike you, I don’t normally befriend and hang out with Shadowlings.” Each lie he told broke his heart. This was his sister. “But if you believed it, why did you kill him?”

“I promised Dad I would take care of you.” Her head shifted, and he looked down at her tearful purple eyes. For a moment, she looked more than human. She looked innocent. “I’ll be in my room if you need me. See you later, brother dear.” She hugged him tightly, burrowing her head in his chest before giving him the softest kiss on the cheek. The touch was so faint, like feathers brushing against his skin, it could have been imagined.

***

Selene sat in her room, trying not to cry. Every time she blinked, her eyes began to sting as the tears threatened to come. She had the sinking feeling her brother had just lied to her. What had become of him? Furiously, she rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand and wiped the tears away. Selene tried to compose herself as best she could, slipping off her shoes and ripping off her corset.

She caught her reflection in the mirror in the dark corner of her room. But it was the light that drew her to stare. In the center of her bosom, attached to the center of her bra, was the marble of light pulsing with its own life. Selene plucked it from its spot and threw it up in the air, holding it with a spell.

“You haven’t forsaken me, have you?” said Selene in a weak and heavy voice.

Never, my dear. You have simply been put in the middle. I am trying to fight the destiny others have in mind.

“Did he?”

There was a pause, an echo of silence in the air, in her thoughts before she finally responded. By then, the silence had already answered her.

Yes. But don’t fret; either way, you will save the souls of those you love and cleanse them of all darkness.

“Just a pawn in a game,” she muttered before snatching the marble from the air and placing it back near her heart.

Selene quickly changed into a black loose tank top and some purple shorts she usually wore. She buckled her dagger back onto her thigh before grabbing her only black sweater that she rarely wore. Staring at the heavy oak door before her, she thought about what she was doing. But she had no other choice.

Taking a deep breath, she picked up her head, held it high, and went to the Hunters Chamber.

It took a moment for her to enter, knowing that everyone was waiting for her. This was the only safe place. A place no shadow could enter. A place safe from her brother. Although, that had not been her original intent.

Closing the door as softly as she could, she made her way to her seat, ignoring the stares but answering them with the simple phrase, “he killed them.”

“Are you sure,” asked Eno.

“Yes,” she answered, sitting down. “I saw the look in his eyes. He killed them all.” Saying it aloud made the world feel heavy and made her want to collapse and die. Every fiber of her being felt like it was shattering, ripping apart her spirit. “He killed them, and I killed an innocent man, the only proof we had.”

“Can’t Hetiro read his mind,” asked Jeanette.

“No. He said it’s shrouded in darkness, keeping his thoughts hidden.”

“Is Gabrielle holding you responsible,” asked Blake.

“No. They all believe my life is in danger.” She swallowed down the bile that rose up her throat and looked away. “Pietro was Reborn. His name is Jason, and he’s a Touched Born with the same gift. I have been—we’re friends. Eris knows he exists.” Selene scanned the room, noting the fear in their eyes. It was fear for her life.

“Does Eris know you’re friends with him?”

“I don’t think I’d be here right now if he did. I’d be locked up, maybe dead. Of course, Jason’s death would be a certainty.” The thought broke Selene. She collapsed in her grief, burying her head in her hands as she cried. “What happened to my brother?”

“Oh, Selene.” Selene felt Jeanette wrap her arms around her and pat her head like the older sister she thought of herself centuries ago. The embrace had so much comfort; Selene could not push her away.

“What now?” asked Dimitri.

Selene pulled away from Jeanette, wiping her tears before looking at her comrades. “Now we watch ourselves, we watch him, and we act like we know nothing. I made a deal with Gabrielle. If we find evidence or suspect Eris has done anything else, we are to inform on him.” Everyone nodded, understanding what this meant, while she repeatedly asked herself the same question. What Darkness had taken over Eris?