Like he said he might be, Theo was gone when I woke up. But I knew by the indent next to me on my bed that he was there, and it wasn't all just some elaborate dream that my overactive subconscious had conjured up for me.

I spent the weekend doing homework and revision — as the teachers had been ramping it up as we neared the Year 11 Mock GCSEs. After the two weeks off that we had for Christmas, we had two weeks' worth of back-to-back mock exams.

I severely struggled to focus on anything when it came to revision. Usually, I did fine. But now, with a dozen other issues — most poignantly, the threat of the hunters arriving any day soon — whirling around my head, it was difficult to understand why x was worth finding, why the dates of battles were so important and why on Earth stock exchange rates fluctuated so goddamn much.

I doubted that Theo was getting much studying done either, what with Victoria hovering around and the hunters on their way. But, then again, maybe he was revising, as he hadn't texted me all weekend.

Speaking of Christmas, there's another pointless holiday, much like Halloween. It's only a good holiday if you're religious or a young child — once you're older it pretty much loses all its magic. And, being supernatural, I didn't think there was much point in looking for a god.

My mother strongly believed that Christmas time is family time, and that was the only reason we tried to make an effort. Though chances were, both my parents would be working throughout my entire two weeks off and only have Christmas Day off so they can make amends with family members. Not that they ever tried to make amends with me.

One of the best parts about Christmas was that I got to see my Uncle Rob. He was married to my mum's sister before she died. Like my mother, and now like me, my Auntie Hestia had the Phoenix. But it ended up killing her.

One hot summer afternoon, at their house in Bridstain — a big city about 30 miles south of Lake Oldoy, and an hour's drive — my uncle was trying to fix an old car of his when suddenly the diesel caught fire. The next thing that he remembered was my aunt pushing him out of the way, and she caught fire instead of him.

I don't know how long she burned, but instead of regenerating or healing when the flames had died away, the Phoenix kept burning, scorching her insides.

She died before I was born, but I think it was another one of the reasons my parents hated me having the Phoenix. But it was also the reason that I was given the middle name of Hestia — to remember my aunt.

My uncle then dedicated years of his life researching and following mythology to try and help supernatural people where he could.

The summer after I inherited the Phoenix, he took me to the small fishing village of Longyearbyen in Svalbard and began teaching me everything he knew, despite it being not much.

Uncle Rob was like a father to me — he did a better job of it than my actual father did. At least he cared. I wondered what Uncle Rob would think of Theo and the hunters. Though come to think of it, he'd probably ship Theo right back off to America.

Yeah, I think I'll avoid bringing up Theo whenever I next see Uncle Rob.

It was on the Sunday of that weekend that my mum actually had a proper conversation with me. We'd hardly talked after she'd helped me out with Jack; we'd fallen back into little to no communication.

"Ember?" She interrupted my thoughts by knocking on the study door.

"Yeah, I'm revising, Mum," I grumbled back.

"No, it's not that," she hesitated until I turned to face her.

"What is it?" I asked impatiently. "I need to get back to studying the Battle of the Somme."

"Honey, you know you're looking at a Business Studies textbook, right?" She pointed out.

Okay, so I wasn't revising History, or Business — or anything, for that matter. My brain was too pre-occupied with Victoria and the hunters to focus on something as meaningless as revision for GCSE Mocks.

"I'm about to move onto it," I stated, somehow sounding a whole lot more convincing than I was feeling.

"Well, the thing I'm here to tell you about is your Uncle Rob—"

I cut her off, "Is he okay? What's happened?"

"Yes, he's fine — struggling with his hip, but nothing else." She fidgeted before pulling up another chair and sitting down next to me.

"Mum, just spit it out." I sighed.

"Well, your father and I are a little concerned about... my— the Phoenix," she faltered, casting her eyes away from me. "We're worried it's getting out of control."

"It's fine — I'm fine," I insisted. "I know how to control it."

"I was cleaning the house yesterday when I found these." She pulled out a handful of pencils from her pocket. Not just any pencils, my pencils, my scorched pencils — the ones I used to control my anger and ended up burning. "You should have told us you were having trouble with control, sweetie, instead of bottling it up — that will only make things worse."

My eyes narrowed as I retorted, "How? How could I come to you? You despise me for having the Phoenix. You despise me for even being alive."

"No, Ember," she said firmly and leaned closer to me. "We never despised you, and we never could. If anything," my mum admitted, "we were worried about you — constantly, okay?"

"Okay," I mumbled, unconvinced.

"If anything," she continued, "I despised myself, for having the Phoenix in the first place."

"Mum, it's not your fault — you can't blame genetics," I protested; it was inevitable that her child would eventually inherit the Phoenix if she had a daughter. But I guess she could've placed the blame on not having a son — how patriarchal.

"For centuries, the Phoenix has resided in the women of the Milburn family." She clasped her hands onto mine.

My dad, having been an orphan, decided to take my mother's maiden name when they got married instead of using his foster family's surname. That's how the Milburn name had passed down from my mother to me — though a name is irrelevant when it comes to powerful genetic codes.

"In some women, it remained dormant, in others it raged so out of control that it killed them," my mum explained and placed a cautious hand on the side of my face. "You don't know this Ember, but when Hestia... died, the Phoenix in her has been slowly flowing over time into the only viable Milburn woman that could hold the Phoenix — you."

"So..." I shivered even though I could feel myself heating up. "I have Auntie Hestia's Phoenix as well as yours?"

She nodded, tears beginning to glisten in her eyes. "Rob only worked it out a few weeks ago, and I'm sure he would've told you as soon as he saw you anyway. But you, Ember, because of the fact you have inherited all the Phoenixes of the Milburn women, you are unfortunately at risk the most due to the sheer power that you possess... But that same power gives you the ability to control it."

"What does this mean?" I asked the most important question that came to mind, tears beginning to glisten in my own eyes too.

"It means that you're powerful, my brave girl." My mum took me in her arms, and I felt young again. I felt like my mum loved me.

"But dangerous as well," I stated, drawing away.

"Yes, but you can control it!" She insisted, excitement rising in her. Maybe her sister's and her own inability to control it meant that she was eager to see it controlled by her daughter.

"What now?"

"Your Uncle Rob has got a job working as a shipping clerk in Longyearbyen, and he now lives there, so now you can visit him any time of the year!"

"You— You're sending me away?" I gulped back tears.

"No, honey, never," she declared the blatant lie. "But this way, you can learn to control it... And I shouldn't be telling you this, but about those hunters that are after Theo—"

My eyes widened; I hadn't told her anything about that. Regardless of the fact I would've struggled to find a moment to confide in her, I highly doubted I would've been able to trust her with it.

"Yes, I know all about that." She waved it away, smiling. "Wednesday's dad and I have weekly catch-ups with a coffee and a casual conversation about the supernatural world."

I smiled back and laughed slightly. There's no such thing as a 'casual conversation about the supernatural world.'

"Anyway, these hunters?" She said, picking back up her train of thought. "Wednesday has predicted they'll arrive next week, then it's only a matter of days before the hunting starts."

Shit.

"So, you are sending me away then?" I narrowed my eyes — I could already feel the distance growing between us again. We never could get on for long until she or I said something to damage the temporary harmony.

"No, it's optional. Until you lose total control." She worried at her bottom lip, her misty blue eyes glazed with concern — though I was unsure of whether it was concern for me or concern for herself.

"When you say 'lose total control'..." I hesitated, "You mean hurting someone, don't you?"

"Yes. Or hurting yourself." My mum nodded, worry and concern etched into her tired face. All my life, relatives and close family friends had always told me how similar I look to my mum — and I couldn't help but sometimes wonder if I'd look as tired as she did once I was her age. But then again, I wasn't entirely certain I'd live that long.

It's kind of a miracle if a dangerous supernatural lives past the age of 30. I may not have known heaps of information about the supernatural world at that point, but I knew that much.

"I'll keep that in mind, whilst I try and revise for my Mocks." I closed her off again; she wasn't telling me anything that I didn't already know.

"Don't shut me out, Ember," she warned and arched a perfectly pencilled-in eyebrow. "It'll only make things worse for yourself."

"So, will Uncle Rob be coming here for Christmas still?" I asked, swiftly changing the subject.

"No, he wants to stay in Longyearbyen. And there are plans for you to visit him over the Christmas break." She let out a long, light sigh and I could tell she was refraining from yelling at me. "He wants to stay there so that he can be there if you need him."

"When, not if — right?" I corrected, crossing my arms across me and dismissing the mention of 'plans' for me to go to Svalbard during Christmas.

She merely nodded her head.

"You can't just check in and out of my life when you want to!" I exclaimed, voice rising. "You think I don't know how dangerous I am? I remember what happened to the baby!"

"Ember, stop." My mum trembled slightly.

"No, we never talked about it," I insisted, "We—"

"You were too young." She cut me off and stood up, turning to my door to leave.

"Not too young enough not to know what I did." I blinked back the tears that were quickly welling up from nowhere. "I killed my unborn sibling. It was an accident, but it still happened, didn't it?"

"Ember, please, stop this!" Tears now ran down her face.

"No. It's one of the main reasons you and Dad don't talk to me," I asserted, not willing to stay quiet that time. "I am the reason my younger sibling was born premature and stillborn."

"Ember!" My mum shouted through the tears. "It wasn't your fault! Still and premature births happen all the time."

"It still happened though, didn't it?" I was crying now, hot, angry tears. "I burned you by accident, then you went into labour early."

Suddenly, my mum's face became stonelike under the tears. With blatant determination, she seethed, "I will send you off to Svalbard myself if you don't even try to control it."

"What do you mean?" I replied, frowning.

She pointed down at my hands with a disapproving scowl on her face. I looked down to see my palms were burning ever so slightly. The flames danced freely — fuelled by my desolation and my anger.

"Get control, Ember. Or, so help me God, I will send you away without hesitation." She gritted her teeth, and then stalked out of my room. As soon as she was downstairs, I ran out of my room to the toilet.

"Please, please — please stop!" I cried as I ran my hands under cold water, hoping the flames would die away.

Glancing at my reflection in the mirror and seeing the running mascara, I told myself firmly: you are a mess. My mother was right about one thing — I desperately needed to get control of the Phoenix, before it hurt (or even killed) me or someone else.

When the fire eventually died away, I grabbed my phone and called Uncle Rob. In Svalbard, it was only an hour ahead in time zones, so it didn't matter. And besides, it was a Sunday — so he wouldn't be working.

"Uncle Rob? Hi, it's Ember," I said as soon as he picked up.

"Hey, how's my little firecracker?" He asked and the sound of his voice instantly cheered me up.

I grinned as I remembered how I got that nickname. It was during a summer in Longyearbyen one year, and I was helping him set up some fireworks for an event. I accidentally set off a firecracker, and neither of us knew how it happened, but thankfully no one was hurt. And ever since then, I guess the name just stuck.

"Erm, I'm okay, yeah," I lied slightly. "How are you, Uncle Rob?"

"I'm fine, Ember — better for being out of Bridstain. You know, Svalbard is truly beautiful in the winter." He breathed out contentedly, and I could picture him smiling widely as he undoubtedly admired the landscape.

"Isn't it beautiful all year round?" I laughed.

"True, but I never normally see it this time of the year." He laughed back before his voice took on a serious tone. "Anyway, why are you calling?"

"Oh, so I have to have a reason for wanting to call my favourite uncle?" I grinned.

"No, not at all." He chuckled lightly. "But I can tell something is wrong."

"You are getting way too good at reading me..." I rolled my eyes but couldn't stay annoyed at my favourite relative. "Well, the thing is, I'm struggling a little with control."

"Has your mum told you about your aunt's Phoenix being within you as well?"

"Yeah, she just has. And that's kind of why I'm calling," I explained. "Because she wants me to come and visit you to gain more control. But I can't just up and leave my life here." I sucked in a sudden breath, "I have GCSEs to sit, friends that care about me, and a boyfriend that needs me here."

"I understand, Ember — honestly, I do," Uncle Rob replied. "I know how hard it can be to leave the life you've always known behind, to search for something that many people don't believe in."

Sighing, I asked, "Any tips for control whilst I'm still in the UK?"

"Erm, one second, I know it's here somewhere..." He trailed off and I could hear the rustling of papers, as my uncle shuffled through his notes. "Ah, here it is! You need to find a reason to remain in control. The Phoenix is a powerful creature, and it needs an equally powerful reason not to burn. But, eventually, Ember..." He exhaled heavily as if the pressure on me was crushing him too. "Eventually, you will end up harming someone because of it. My research here shows that it's practically inevitable."

"Thanks, Uncle Rob," I said, pushing my hair back anxiously.

"Did your mum tell you that you'll be coming here for Christmas?" He checked.

"She might've mentioned it," I responded vaguely and noncommittedly.

"Well, I've already sent her your plane ticket — so maybe I'll see you soon!"

"I'll talk to you later," I told him, once again ignoring the plans that I'd not properly been told about.

"Bye, Ember. Be careful." He hung up.

"I'll try," I whispered to the empty void, but he was already gone.

That night, I couldn't sleep at all. At least I wasn't haunted by nightmares, but insomnia wasn't great either.

I couldn't stop thinking, my mind busy weighing up the pros and cons of spending some time in Longyearbyen with my uncle. Christmas would be fine, sure. And okay, so I would have control, but I would leave behind everyone that cared about me.

Dread filled me when I tried to think about how Theo would react — especially if he supported the prospect of me leaving.

I told Theo about my uncle in Svalbard the next day at school, whilst sitting under the enchanted trees during lunch.

After spending a minute mulling it over in his head, he insisted, "You should go."

"What?" I exclaimed, my eyes widening incredulously. "You want to get rid of me as well?"

"No, not at all." He shook his head and took my hand in his. "But you need control — every supernatural does. Besides, it would probably be safer for you if Wednesday's right about when these hunters arrive."

I looked away from him; betrayed

When I voiced this to him, he shook his head. "I don't want you to go, but I think you need to go."

"I can't believe this — everyone that has ever cared about me wants to ship me over a thousand miles away." I found myself having to blink back tears again — I can't cry in school. "And you won't have to wait too long to get rid of me, because I'll be spending Christmas there as well!"

"Ember, I—" Theo began to say before Wednesday called over to me on her way across the field.

"Ember! I need to talk to you right now," she called, beckoning me over.

"I'll be right back," I told Theo and made my way over to Wednesday. "What's up?"

"I just thought you should know now before you find out in class."

"Find out what?" I sighed.

"I managed to get Eric and his family out of town for the night of the full moon. They're going to stay away from Lake Oldoy from now on."

"Wait, what's happening with Eric?" I frowned, confused. As much as I disliked Eric, I couldn't understand why Wednesday had had to get him out of Lake Oldoy; what the hell is going on here?

"Theo didn't tell you?" She frowned as well, looking over my shoulder to Theo.

"Tell me what?" I snapped indignantly. What didn't he tell me?"

"He..." She gulped, "Victoria wanted him to— to kill Eric."

"What?" I practically shouted, whirling to face Theo — "Why didn't you tell me this?"

"I —" It was his turn to gulp. "I didn't think I needed to..."

"Oh, wow," I replied sarcastically, turning back to Wednesday. "How do you know that they're not coming back?"

"I kinda got Eric expelled from Challis." She blinked as if snapping out of a trance and fully realising for the first time what she'd done. "I got Al to plant test answers and the school sports trophy in his locker."

"I can't believe you didn't tell me," I spat at Theo, both anger and fire building inside of me.

"Ember, what are you doing?" He looked at me with a sort of anxiety I'd never seen on him before; a fear of me and my power.

"What? I'm not doing anything!" I exclaimed before I noticed both he and Wednesday were frowning straight at my eyes. "What's wrong with my eyes? What is it?"

Wednesday handed me a small mirror she had in her pocket. "Look for yourself."

Frowning, I looked into the glass and saw that there was something red flickering in my irises. Instead of being fully blue, I could see fire — fire in my eyes.

"What does this mean?" I gasped, fumbling and nearly dropping the mirror to the floor.

"Another ability?" Theo wondered aloud, just as curious as me.

"Whatever it is, you need to get it under control right now," Wednesday told me firmly.

"I don't know how to..." I whispered, aghast.

"Just don't freak out," Theo suggested unhelpfully.

"Like that's gonna help," I huffed, before suggesting back, "How about you show me your eyes? We're away from school and it's not a full moon — show me your eyes."

"Fine, though I don't see how it could possibly help," he grumbled.

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath and when he reopened his eyes, his irises were fully gold-orange. And they were beautiful.

I moved closer to Theo and gazed into his eyes as I whispered, "They're so beautiful."

But then he looked away, blinked slowly and they were gone. "They're also dangerous."

I closed my own eyes and tried to remember everything that Uncle Rob had taught me about control. Taking deep breaths, I mentally repeated the mantra he'd taught me over the summer. The truth cannot be found without the trust, the truth cannot be found without the trust. I took another breath, no truth, no trust — no trust, no truth.

Eventually, I relaxed, feeling the anger flooding out of my body.

"Are they normal again?" I asked, opening my eyes.

"Yes, and just as gorgeous." Theo smiled, pulling me closer to him. "I'm not going to force you to go to your uncle. Go when you feel like you should."

"Okay," I mumbled against his shoulder.

"You two seriously need to get a room." Wednesday sighed, causing me to blush fiercely and Theo to laugh.

"When these hunters come," I said, pulling away from Theo, "I'll be ready."

"Well, that makes one of us." Theo shifted, "And, no offence, but I doubt you will be. No one's ever ready for hunters."

I glanced at Wednesday, and she simply shrugged, "Yeah it's gonna get pretty crap next week."

Great — I can't wait for things to get even worse.