Maya stared out at the sprawling remnants of Miller's Field, the setting sun casting a fiery glow over the charred earth. The memories of what had happened here were still raw, but she found herself drawn back to this place time and again, as if the ground held answers she was desperate to uncover.

Angelo, perched beside her on the hood of his truck, took a bite of his burger, his eyes never leaving her. "So, what's the real plan here?" he asked, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "I know you didn’t just offer to help Clarissa out of the goodness of your heart." He took a long sip of his drink, the straw slurping noisily as he tried to drain the last of it. "You’re trying to help Jason, sure, but there’s something else going on, isn’t there?"

Maya nodded, her gaze still fixed on the horizon. She chewed thoughtfully, then swallowed before she spoke. "Clarissa and Harper live above the flower shop," she began, her voice low and measured. "With them out of town, and me running the place... well, I've got the keys."

Angelo raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued. "So, you’re planning to snoop around their apartment, find out what connection Clarissa has to your mom, maybe uncover whatever else they’re hiding. And if Austen James doesn’t want Clarissa knowing you’re a James, then she’s definitely got some records on your family stashed away somewhere—probably in the Brew, but more likely at home. And now, you have full access."

Maya turned to him, a small smirk playing on her lips. "Exactly."

Angelo let out a low whistle, impressed. "You know she’s probably got the place booby-trapped with all sorts of magical security, right? She doesn’t trust you."

Maya shrugged, unbothered. "I’ll figure something out."

"Maybe you can just—" Angelo wiggled his fingers in the air, a playful grin tugging at his lips. "James magic them away."

Maya chuckled, shaking her head at him. "You’ve taken all of this way too well."

Angelo shrugged again, his expression nonchalant. "I figure the whole 'You’re a wizard, Harry' moment was about as surprised as I’ll ever be. Unless, of course, the James family turns out to be a bunch of glittering fairies who grant wishes by belching the alphabet. Then I might be shocked."

Maya laughed, a genuine sound that felt good after everything. "That sounds awful. I’d hate to be that."

Angelo grinned, leaning closer. "It could be fun." He let out an exaggerated belch, earning himself a light smack on the back of the head.

"I’m eating, you jerk," Maya scolded, but there was no heat in her words. She took another bite of her burger, her gaze drifting back to the darkening sky. After a moment, she sighed. "I just hope he’s okay."

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The smile faded from Angelo's face as he placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Jason’s tougher than most people think. He’ll be alright."

Maya nodded, though her hands clenched tightly around her burger. The scars on her palms were a stark reminder of everything they’d been through. And everything that was still to come.

Gale stood at the edge of the forest, the thick fur cloak draped over her bare shoulders as she gazed up at the dappled sunlight filtering through the leaves. The warmth on her skin felt foreign, almost unwelcome, after the cold darkness she’d endured for so long.

A smile slowly curved her lips, a rare and unsettling sight. Austen James had failed. When the searing pain had ripped through her, she’d known instantly what was happening. She’d been prepared to die, to have her life snuffed out along with his. But then, just as suddenly as the agony had started, it had ended. And with it, Austen’s life.

He was dead.

She wondered which of his children had managed to do it. It wasn’t Maya or Jason—those two were still here, still breathing, while Austen was nothing more than a memory. Geneva and her husband had fled with that boy of theirs, clearly unaware that their flight was in vain. They must have thought Austen would come for the son he’d fathered in a moment of weakness. But Austen was gone, and their running was pointless.

Idiots.

Even if Austen had survived, he would have hunted them down. Now, with him dead, Gale had to rethink her strategy. Everything she’d done up until now had been with the knowledge that Austen James was alive. His death changed everything.

The arrival of Allen and Teague complicated things even further. Their Covens had never been allies, always vying for power, and the pact Austen had made regarding her daughter still hung over her like a dark cloud.

But for now, none of that mattered. What mattered was that Austen was dead. Finally, dead.

A rough, grating sound echoed through the woods, and it took Gale a moment to realize it was her own laughter. It felt strange, almost foreign, as if she hadn’t laughed in years.

Unsettled by the sound, Gale pulled the wolf-head hood of her cloak over her head, feeling the familiar transformation begin. Her routine had been thrown into chaos over the last few days, and she was still adjusting to the new normal.

Back in Harvest Grove, Maya's days had taken on a new rhythm. Her father was working long hours, so she rarely saw him, and while she missed him, it was probably for the best. She was hardly home herself. Angelo had taken to picking her up in the mornings, their drives to school becoming planning sessions for whatever they’d tackle that evening after Jackson's Potts closed for the night.

Angelo was the planner, something Maya found surprising. He’d outline their options—whether to continue searching for the Burns' book, dig through the Jacksons' place for anything related to the James family, or explore the seemingly endless network of caves that Angelo had dubbed the "James Caves." Sometimes they’d decide to hang out with Dawson and Sam instead, but those evenings were rare.

After school, if Angelo had practice, Maya would hitch a ride with either Sam or Dawson to Jackson's Potts, where she’d take over for Peggy. Peggy had four kids and a cranky grandmother waiting at home, so Maya didn’t mind covering for her. Sam and Dawson often stuck around, Sam cracking jokes while Dawson tried to help out. Maya appreciated the company—being alone didn’t appeal to her much these days.

But even with all the distractions, one thought lingered at the back of her mind, persistent and unsettling.

What if this was just the calm before the storm?