Kismet finished her breakfast and sat at the kitchen table to scribble a note for Nyx and Angel. They were both still sleeping upstairs. Despite herself, tears rolled down her cheeks, blurring her vision as she wrote. No matter how things turned out, she appreciated everything they had done for her.

The vision she had of Ivy standing in Julian's living room distracted her.

Kismet took a moment to gather her thoughts again. She debated telling them what she saw, but what good would it do? Her skin became cold and clammy. Between this and the impending council meeting, she hardly slept most nights. It was now or never... So, it would have to be never.

Nothing good can come of spilling secrets. There's no telling what can of worms I might pop open.

The last time they spoke prior to the meeting, Daisy requested to reveal the results privately, whatever they may be.

The morning sun burned the dew off the lawns as she walked, listening to the birds call. The short walk to Daisy's house seemed to go quicker than Kismet remembered.

Kismet's hands shook as she knocked on the door. Her mouth had gone dry. Daisy answered with a wide smile. Her tangerine aura shone even brighter today.

"Just the girl I wanted to see," Daisy exclaimed. "Come in."

Once inside, Daisy's influence quelled Kismet's anxiety.

Whatever the results are, I can handle it. I've survived on my own before. I can do it again.

Though anxiety lingered beneath the calm energy infiltrating her aura.

Surely she wouldn't be smiling so much if she had bad news?

Daisy led Kismet to the living room. They took up their usual positions with Daisy on the couch and Kismet on the wicker stool. She inhaled the now familiar scent of sandalwood and sage. That alone was nearly enough to send her into a sort of trance.

"I won't keep you waiting on the answer," said Daisy. "The council decided you can stay."

"Wait, what?" Kismet couldn't believe it. She had been so certain of rejection.

"Watcher Liz had nothing but great things to say about you and your work in the library, and I must admit, I've grown rather fond of you as well," she said. Then her tone turned a touch more serious. "Which is why I want to ask, why did Nyx lie to Julian about your powers?"

Kismet winced, but nodded acknowledgement. She swallowed to gather nerve and explained what happened when she went to visit Julian with Nyx and the odd behaviour he was displaying.

Daisy listened intently to Kismet's story. A silence settled between them as she took a moment to think. She marveled at the other woman's ability to keep her face so still. Between Angel and Daisy, she had to brush up on her body language skills, often finding herself struggling to read either of them by facial expression alone. At least Angel tended to be quite expressive.

"Nyx was right to lie I'm afraid," Daisy sighed. "I've covered for you as well."

Kismet's heart lurched. Her fingernails dug into her sweaty palms.

"You've seen something, haven't you?" Daisy asked, keeping her voice low to keep Aiden from potentially overhearing. He was still asleep upstairs.

"I - I shouldn't say," said Kismet. Her cheeks burned and she studied the mug on the coffee table. Tension tightened her chest, and she squeezed her hands into fists. "I shouldn't have, but I used my powers on purpose."

Daisy furrowed her brow.

"I didn't mean to, not really," Kismet said, tears budding in her eyes as she awaited Daisy's wrath.

It didn't come.

"What did you see?"

"When I've shared secrets in the past..." Kismet caught herself. The soothing atmosphere in the living room coupled with the immense pressure inside her chest coaxed her into vulnerability.

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Daisy extended her hand, placing it on top of Kismet's. The older woman's touch was firm yet gentle. Warmth expanded throughout Kismet's body, tingling across the surface of her skin. She slumped, relaxing.

"What happened before?" Daisy asked. Her voice was soft and smooth.

At first, Kismet thought she would resist this question, but the answer was already on the tip of her tongue, slipping away faster than she could think to catch it. She swallowed, saliva scratching her dry throat, and she pried her lips apart.

"When I was thirteen, I was sent to live with a couple. Percy and Jade. For a while, things were going alright," Kismet began. She twisted the ends of her sweater sleeves in her fingers. "Then, one day, I slipped up." The horror she had felt in that moment surged inside of her once again and she started to tremble. "I don't even remember what I said exactly. Maybe I answered something she hadn't spoken out loud, but regardless, Jade caught me. I remember we were in the kitchen cooking supper.

"Jade said that it was ok. She wouldn't tell anyone, but I'd have to do her a favour. I agreed. I didn't think I had a choice. I thought my life was over." She stopped to take a breath. "I was too scared of The Academy. There's just too many stories about Ivy."

Daisy nodded, understanding. "Ivy doesn't exactly do herself many favours in that regard. She tries, but it's hard for people to forget what she's capable of."

"I'd heard all these boogey-man type stories. So, you can understand why I didn't want to go," Kismet continued. "All I wanted was to be normal, like everyone else. So I agreed to do anything Jade asked of me. We grew close during that time, or at least it felt like we had, but it wasn't real." A tear escaped, hot against her cheek.

The pressure in Kismet's chest gradually released, but it swirled into nausea. She trembled, becoming cold. A wave of tingly warmth emanating from Daisy, bringing Kismet back into her body.

"She made me read people's minds and dig up all their secrets. Jade took me to parties, her friend's houses, everywhere. At first I liked it. The more I could tell her, the better. She loved the details. The most awful, horrible things made her happy, and I hate to say it, but I was happy too." Kismet choked on her words and propped her face in her free hand, sobbing. "I saw the worst things. The worst. People's minds are complex, beautiful places but some are darker than others. Everyone thinks terrible things from time to time, they don't mean anything by it, it's human nature, but some people are..."

"I can only imagine," said Daisy. She leaned close to Kismet, patient and waiting. "I'm fortunate to not be privy to the details."

"It's awful," Kismet said, wiping her eyes with the heel of her hand. "But the worst was that Jade collected these secrets and she used them against people any way she could. She manipulated them, or pitted them against each other for her own gains. Then it all came to a head when she spilled the wrong secret and - and one night the neighbor's husband murdered his wife because she'd been having an affair.

"After that, Jade got scared and told the authorities what I could do. Some people in suits came. They waited for me after school, and of course I knew they were there to take me away, so I ran. I lived on my own for a while. I had to use my powers sometimes to survive, but I tried not to unless it was absolutely necessary. It took me years, but I finally got an apartment and a job. I tried so hard to stuff it all down and forget everything."

"I'm so sorry that happened to you," said Daisy. She continued to radiate warmth and the terrible knot in Kismet's chest loosened. "I hope one day you can see your abilities were not the problem. You were a vulnerable little girl that was manipulated by someone that was meant to love and protect you. They're a very precious thing and I'm so sorry they were never appropriately trained or appreciated."

"How do I know it's not gonna happen all over again if I tell what I saw?" Kismet asked, sniffling.

"Whatever you say will be kept in this room," said Daisy. "I can promise you that much at least. Whether or not you choose to tell me anything won't affect anything between us, ok?"

Kismet closed her eyes to think, taking deep, calming breaths, and made up her mind. She recounted her visit with Nyx's parents and how she rifled through Jay's memories. Kismet told Daisy about Ivy pleading with Julian to take Angel in, how they argued and Jay conceded.

Shame barbed the words, catching them on her tongue, but once she began to speak, the pressure of holding it all in relented.

"I'm so sorry," Kismet pressed her face in her hands. If there were a way to rip her abilities from her body, she would do it with her bare hands if she had to.

Daisy got up from her spot on the couch to embrace her. Instantly, Kismet sunk into her arms. The older woman stroked her hair and let her cry, though Kismet felt the gentle push of Daisy's influence comforting her like a blanket over her shoulders.

"Have you said anything to Angel or any of the others about this?" Daisy asked when they pulled apart.

"No," Kismet said.

Daisy sighed and leaned into the couch cushions. "It was only a matter of time before things got dredged up anyway. The truth has a way of doing that, doesn't it? It worms its way to the surface sooner or later. I tried to warn Julian. He couldn't hide this forever, but he never listens." She shook her head. "Look, I don't know what you've all realized, though certain recent events have made me suspicious, but it's none of my business. Frankly, I hope it all comes out. I wanted Julian to tell the truth from the start. Now he'll reap what he has sown as far as I'm concerned."

"Should I tell Angel?" Kismet asked.

"Use your discretion, but I think Angel deserves the truth. I'll speak with the others," Daisy said, but her eyes narrowed in thought. "Julian won't like it, but honestly I think the shoe has dropped. It'll be best to get ahead of it."

Despite wanting to keep her distance, curiosity nudged the edges of Kismet's mind, but she would not pry. If Daisy and the others could be the one to tell him, that would be the proper way of things. She'd keep it to herself until then.