Jade was still locked in the nursery, but during the last weeks she felt more at home than ever before. 

Célia and Sebastian visited her more often, sometimes even joined by their parents. The Valdez adults were still careful around the girl, but they had realized how wrong they treated her after the ceremony. They sometimes allowed her to join the dinner table, slowly bringing her back to a social life. It was a small step, but Jade appreciated their efforts. 

The family Valdez was healing and so was Jade. 

Now that her life had turned towards the better, she gained hope that maybe she could preserve the darkness that used to lurk behind hidden corners. Jade had discovered music as way to cope with her loud thoughts, helping her stay calm focused. 

She had time to learn how her emotions were linked to her powers, even if that meant for her to suppress her anger. It was something she still struggled with and she sometimes woke up in the middle of the night, bathed in cold sweat, cracks shaking the room all over again. 

Sebastian would sit beside her from time to time, teaching her how to stir her thoughts since he had years of experience of his own. The two grew closer, sharing stories of their relatives and sometimes comforting eachother when things got too much. 

Jade hadn't thought of her father for months, pushing away the boiling feelings that came up when she did.

That man never visited, even after Hugo Valdez alerted him about the events at the birthday ceremony and that the family had to keep Jade away from the village. 

Jade was fine with that. She was happier than ever, without him in her life. 

But as if somebody jinxed her, one specific day spun her back like a tornado, unescapable, tearing her away form the new life she had formed. 

While she was comfortably snuggled into a blanket on her bed and reading a book Sebastian had given to her, Claire and Hugo Valdez stumbled through the door, looking more desperate than ever before. 

"Jade! Please, you need to help us. Mrs. Connery had an accident, something happened with a wild animal! All we know is that she's bleeding out and she's got a broken rib.", Hugo explained breathless.

"Our medical development isn't as far as we need it now. But we know what you can do. You can help her" With pleading eyes, Célia's mother approached her. 

Her quick explanation was burning inside Jade's head. The process of the information reaching her brain was like a little explosion.

Jade stood up, her blanket falling from her shoulders like a queen's cape. Slowly. Carefully. 

"So my father did marry her." 

It wasn't a question.

Mrs. Valdez looked uncomfortable. She knew how Jade thought about her father. 

Hugo Valdez on the other side didn't grasp the tone of her statement. "Yes and now she is hanging on the last strand of life. You are our only hope!" 

Jade clenched her fist and walked out of the room into the dimly lit hall. 

To the exact spot were it all started. 

"You want to tell me, that I should save the woman that replaced my dead mother, and was the reason my father pushed me away like I was some stupid piece of garbage" 

Jade turned around to face Célia and her brother who appeared next to their parents.

 "Maybe, you can forgive him. Like you forgave me" Célia tried to reason with her friend. Of course the girl thought it would be that easy. 

Sebastian glanced at his sister. She could mess up things pretty fast if she didn't watch out. Comparing Jade's father with Célia was as if one compared a dagged to a butterknife. 

Jade looked at Célia, her expression unreadable. Sebastian tilted his head a little, trying to read her trail of thoughts. 

She wanted revenge. She wanted to hurt her father like he hurt her. But she didn't know where that dark path would lead. She'd read enough books to see how things could end for her. 

 With a tired sigh, Jade nodded.

"Bring me to her"

With resolved strides, Jade entered the village. It's been a long time since she last came there. The older houses had lost their colour, replaced by new facades and windows. The cobblestone streets had been renovated so that people could safely drive over without getting heart-rythm problems. 

The citicens had crowded around the market, as if they awaited a great spectacle. A young woman with long, snow white hair lay on the ground, her pale face drenched red in her own blood. 

Her eyes were closed in pain. And her chest heaved with swallow breathing. A man kneeled over her, trying to stop a gashing wound from bleeding. His face had creases signaling his aging, and his eyes were filled with worry.

Jade crouched on the opposite side, looking him straight in the emerald-green eyes. 

"I just want to make this clear. I don't do this for you. Because you are dead to me. But my reputation isn't.", her voice was dripping from disgust.

Her father didn't reply and just stepped out of the way, crossing his arms in front of her chest. When Jade placed her hands on the deep, fleshy wound, the bystanders gasped. Some even stepped back in fear. They all knew what Jade was capable of.

This was her chance to prove that she could be a good person, no matter what her powers said about her. 

Sebastian stood beside her, his hand carefully rested on her shoulder. "Everything will be fine. You're the strongest person I know and we practiced to control your gift. You will save her."

Taking a deep breath, Jade closed her eyes. She focused on all the positive energy inside of her. 

She thought of her best friend and all the happy things they've done together. Of her mother, who had been playing and singing with the little six year old girl, that was growing up to become Jade Connery. She thought of Sebastian.

A smile fought it's way up her cheeks. And with this, the energy around her changed. The wound of her father's wife slowly sealed. The aura around her was warm and glowing, like Jade had formed her own little sun. 

Suddenly, the voice of her father sounded in her head. "Don't disappoint me, little one"

That destroyed it. Her happiness disappeared, whisked afay like a spiderweb. Her mind snapped.

Her anger raised her emotions and it got cold. The hearth around her whisked out. 

"Watch it, Jade", he threatened. 

"Shut up! I don't want to hear your voice anymore!" Her voice cracked like the pavement beneath her. 

Jade cut off her father's words. She hated him. She wanted to get him out of her mind. The way he just replaced her mother, after she died. She didn't even care about what he did to her. This was about her mom. 

"Jade..." 

"Get out of my way! After eyerthing you did to me! What you did to mom! And you still have the nerve to talk to me like this!? I fucking hate you!"

Something sounded like a bone cracking. 

It went silent. Her father backed away, looking shocked. Breathing heavily, Jade looked down at her hands. They had cramped from a gentle touch into a clawlike grip, blood dripping from her fingers. 

They were dirty from the wound she was supposed to heal. But instead, it looked like pulsing veins emerged from the deep cut. Black cracks grew over the fragile body.

 The young woman on the ground didn't move anymore. Jade's eyes widened. 

She was dead. 

Jade hadn't saved her. 

She'd done something terrible.