Eliane raised an eyebrow, her expression unimpressed as she sipped her iced mocha. "Who's Prince Smarmy?"

Maya, distracted by the sight of Howard slipping into his sleek Ferrari, felt a pang in her chest that she refused to acknowledge. "That's one of my owners."

Eliane nearly choked on her drink, her eyes wide in disbelief. "Owners? What are you talking about, Maya? What do you mean by owners?"

Maya finally tore her gaze away from the speeding car, her emerald eyes meeting her friend’s in a mix of resignation and defiance. "I mean exactly what I said. Howard, his family, and a couple of other families basically...own me. Before I was born, my dad, Austen James, made a deal with them. He needed something from them, and in return, he traded me."

Eliane’s mouth fell open as the horror of what Maya was saying sank in. "He... traded you? Like some sort of... property?"

Maya’s laugh was bitter as she shrugged, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. "Yeah. He got what he wanted, but when the time came to fulfill his end of the bargain, he tried to back out by killing the other witches. It didn’t work. The deal’s still in place. Eventually, they’ll use whatever power they have over me to take control."

Eliane’s chest rose and fell in rapid, panicked breaths as she grabbed Maya’s hand, her voice thick with emotion. "Maya, I’m so sorry. We didn’t know—none of us did."

Maya’s hand squeezed Eliane’s softly. "How could you? I’m going to fight it, El. I didn’t make that deal. I’m not anyone’s property, and I’m not going down without a fight."

Eliane, looking haunted, let go and leaned back in her seat, staring blankly at her coffee. Her mind was reeling from what she’d just heard.

Meanwhile, Angelo had just finished his phone call with Maya’s dad, who casually mentioned that one of Maya’s sisters had arrived in town. The lack of surprise in Gabe’s voice only fueled Angelo’s growing suspicion that something bigger was at play here. Maya’s dead father seemed to be pulling the strings from beyond the grave, and that was really starting to get under Angelo’s skin.

The rage that had been building inside him for days now was close to boiling over. Everything felt like it was spiraling, and he couldn’t shake the creeping fear that this anger might consume him—just like it had his father.

By the time Angelo made it back to the hospital, Maya was gone. His heart leapt in his chest until he saw her text: If you get back before us, we’re at the Shack. Also, yeah… this girl’s definitely my sister. Confirmed.

As Angelo turned to head to the Shack, he overheard a conversation between two nurses.

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"...and then he just got up and left!" the larger nurse exclaimed in disbelief. "We thought he was on the verge of dying! They were prepping him for an emergency evac to Metropolis, but next thing we know, he’s running out of the ER!"

Angelo’s eyes narrowed. He bolted for the back exit, ignoring the calls of staff to stop running. He burst through the doors, looking around wildly, his heart in his throat. From this angle, he could see the Shack in the distance. Please don’t let this be a trap, he thought, dread creeping up his spine.

He skidded to a stop when he saw Maya and Eliane talking by the Shack. Their postures looked tense. And then he noticed the figure lurking in the shadows.

Grant Hardy.

Without thinking, Angelo charged forward, grabbing Grant by the collar and yanking him from his hiding spot. Grant yelped, stumbling forward as Angelo shoved him, nearly sending him sprawling on the ground.

Maya and Eliane rushed over, eyes wide with shock.

"Grant?!" Eliane was the first to speak, her confusion clear. "What are you doing here? Are you okay? Why—"

"Grant!" Eliane snapped when he just stood there, silent. "Answer me!"

Grant sighed, his gaze flicking between the girls. "I know you're a witch, Eliane."

Eliane froze, the blood draining from her face.

"I also know that you've been hiding the James family symbol under those long sleeves," he continued, his voice quiet. "Maya has the symbol too, right? On both palms? Because she’s the Firstborn."

Maya’s lips pressed into a thin line. How does he know all this?

Angelo stepped protectively in front of Maya, his palm tingling where the star was etched. "You know a lot for someone who should be dying from hemlock poisoning."

Grant’s voice softened. "I’ve built up a tolerance over the years. Enough to put me into shock... not enough to kill me."

Eliane’s voice was barely a whisper now. "Grant?"

He hesitated before finally meeting her gaze. "Your father raised me. He told me that if anything ever happened to him, I should bring you or Cassandra to Maya. He said you were family and that you’d need each other. So even though you killed him..." Grant’s voice broke, but he kept going. "I have to protect you, because that’s what he wanted."

Tears filled Eliane’s eyes, her hands trembling. "So all of this... everything... was just because of him?"

Grant looked away, guilt etched on his face. "I do care about you, Eliane. But I need you to stay here, where it’s safe. Especially with what’s coming."

Eliane’s voice cracked, her tears falling freely now. "What do you mean? What’s coming?"

Grant took a deep breath, but instead of answering, he reached into his pocket and threw something to the ground. In an instant, a sharp, stinging powder filled the air, burning their eyes and making it impossible to breathe.

"Pepper bomb!" Angelo shouted, pulling his shirt up to cover his face. "Shield your faces! Don’t breathe it in!"

Maya and Eliane coughed violently, their eyes squeezed shut as they tried to cover their faces. By the time the dust began to settle, Grant was already gone.

Eliane dropped to her knees, sobbing uncontrollably, her face buried in her hands. Maya knelt down beside her, hesitating for only a moment before wrapping her arms around her sister, whispering softly into her ear. Eliane clung to Maya like a lifeline, her cries echoing in the still air.

Standing a few feet away, Angelo watched the sisters with a mix of awe and unease. Maya’s hands were glowing faintly, the soft light wrapping around Eliane in a protective embrace. Dark magic, swirling like a second set of arms around them both.

The star on Angelo’s palm tingled again, a reminder of the bond that tied them all together. Something deep and ancient. Something dangerous.

This was just the beginning.