“This is... amazing.” Eliane’s voice was barely a whisper, awe dripping from every syllable. She stood rooted to the spot, her gaze locked onto the massive James family crest carved into the stone wall of the cavern. Its intricate design seemed to pulse with life, radiating power so intense that she could feel it vibrate in her bones. When Maya had told her they needed to get out of the house, that there was somewhere special she wanted to show her, Eliane hadn’t expected this. She hadn’t expected any place to dull the ache in her heart, but somehow, surrounded by this ancient energy, her pain seemed muted—held at bay by the magic swirling around them.

“How could a place like this stay hidden for so long?” she breathed, her fingers reaching out to touch the cool stone.

Maya, standing beside her with a thoughtful expression, gazed up at the glowing crest. “It’s spelled. Only the James blood can find it.” Her words were soft, reverent. “Before, Angelo couldn’t see it, but now, because of...” she paused, rubbing the inside of her palm with a furrowed brow, as if the word for their connection eluded her, “...our bond, he can. I guess that’s how it works.”

Eliane’s gaze flicked to her sister, noting the strange glow that emanated from Maya’s skin, casting her in a soft, ethereal light. It was as if the very magic of the place was drawn to her, clinging to her in a way Eliane had never seen before. Not even Casandra, with all her dark magic, had ever wielded this kind of power. Maya’s magic... it was something entirely different. Like a fire—warm but untamed.

“Do you feel it?” Maya’s voice broke through Eliane’s thoughts, her eyes wide and full of an almost childlike wonder. “The power?”

Eliane nodded, her lips barely parting to speak. “And the connection,” she whispered. “It’s like—”

“Coming home,” Maya finished, a soft smile spreading across her lips.

Eliane stared at her older, shorter sister, blinking in surprise. “Yeah. Exactly that.”

Maya’s grin widened, relief washing over her features. “This place belongs to us. To the James family. Only those we allow in can find it, let alone enter.”

Eliane couldn’t help but think about Maya’s mother, the woman with the icy blue eyes and unsettling knowledge of everything. “Your mother seems to know an awful lot,” she muttered, still haunted by the memory of the woman.

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Maya’s expression darkened. “More than I do, for sure.” She sighed, hugging herself as if trying to shield against invisible threats. “I don’t trust her, but I don’t have much of a choice. She’s been the key to unlocking answers I’ve needed all my life, and there are still so many more questions that only she can answer.”

Eliane knew that feeling all too well. The betrayal of finding out your parent wasn’t who you thought they were. Charles had been her father in every way that mattered, only for her to discover he had killed Casandra’s mother to manipulate the Coven. And yet, despite all that, she had kept Casandra in the dark about it. The weight of that secret pressed heavily on her chest even now.

Maya winced suddenly, her hand moving to her shoulder as if in pain.

Eliane’s eyes narrowed, concern flashing through her. She stepped closer and noticed the edge of a gauze bandage peeking from beneath Maya’s shirt. “What happened to your shoulder?”

Maya blinked, almost as if she had forgotten Eliane was there, then offered a wry smile. “I got bitten.”

“Bitten?” Eliane’s brow furrowed. “By what?”

“My mother.” The nonchalance in Maya’s tone was staggering. She chuckled softly at Eliane’s horrified expression. “I’ll explain later. It’s... complicated.”

Eliane just stared, trying to wrap her mind around Maya’s world—so much darker and more twisted than she had ever imagined. “So, what are you going to do now?”

Maya shifted, leaning back against the stone wall beneath the James crest, her arms crossed loosely over her chest. “Shouldn’t I be asking you that?” she teased lightly before her grin turned serious. “I’m throwing a party. It’s gonna be wild.”

Eliane blinked. That was... unexpected. “A party?”

Maya nodded, her smile more mischievous now. “At the Brew. Jason and Sam’s idea, but they roped me in to take over. We all need a break. With everything happening, it’s easy to forget we’re still kids.” Her smile faded slightly as she looked toward the cavern ceiling, her voice lowering. “I should be losing my mind right now. But... freaking out doesn’t help anyone, does it? I need to stay focused, get my plans in place.” She looked back at Eliane, something fierce in her eyes. “When Howard Allen and his Coven come for us, they won’t know what hit them.”

Eliane’s heart thudded in her chest at the intensity in Maya’s gaze. “Why don’t you just leave town? Disappear?”

Maya tilted her head, considering her sister’s words. “It’s tempting,” she admitted, her voice soft. “But if I run, they’ll follow. I’ll spend the rest of my life looking over my shoulder. Besides, running gives them the power. And I’m done letting them control my life.” She shook her head firmly. “I’m standing my ground. With my friends. With you.” Her eyes softened, a sad smile tugging at her lips. “I wouldn’t make it alone.”

Eliane felt a flicker of shame rise in her chest. She had run. She’d abandoned everything, everyone, because she was scared. But Maya... Maya was staying to fight.

Despite everything, though, Eliane couldn’t shake the feeling that Maya didn’t realize her own strength. She didn’t see the power she held. Dark magic wasn’t new to Eliane, but the way Maya controlled hers—it was different. It didn’t consume her the way it had consumed Casandra. It didn’t pull her into a trance or twist her into something she wasn’t. Maya’s magic lived alongside her, not in opposition to her. It was terrifying, yes, but also... beautiful.