When I opened my eyes, I found myself sitting on the plaid couch in Fletcher's present-day living room. I felt queasy and unstable. One look at Micah's green pallor told me he was experiencing the same side effects.

Fletcher released our hands and walked into the kitchen. When he returned, he was holding two tall glasses of fizzing ginger ale. He handed each of us a cup.

"So that was the infamous Brianne?" Micah asked, taking a sip.

"That was her," Fletcher said with a small smile.

"I've heard so much about her from the other protectors, but I'd never seen her before," he said. "Alexis, you look so much like her it's unnerving."

I glanced down, feeling my face redden. I wasn't sure how I felt about being compared to my biological mother. I was grateful, I supposed, because my mother was a beautiful woman. But she had also been a disreputably atrocious person. I hoped our shared appearances was where the comparisons stopped.

It was overwhelming to see my biological mother. I hadn't even known that Abigail wasn't my mom until a few days ago. Now I was learning all of this new information about the woman who gave me life, but was a stranger.

It was strange to hear her premonition, to learn that she'd seen this very moment many years before it happened. She knew I would come to Fletcher for help. She knew she wouldn't be here to help me herself because she was going to die. Even the idea of leaving me alone in the world wasn't strong enough to keep her from the darkness. The notion made my stomach churn.

"So, she was pregnant with me when she had the premonition?" I asked, remembering my mother's swollen stomach.

Fletcher shook his head. "No, you were a playful toddler by that time. That was your little brother she was carrying."

My breath caught in my throat, and I felt as though I'd been punched in the chest. Micah nearly spit out his ginger-ale.

"My... brother?" I choked.

"Are you telling me that there was another Galloway kid?" Micah asked, sounding just as shocked as I felt.

"Oh, yes. Brianne and Samuel had another child. A son named Caleb."

The room was silent for a moment.

"I have a brother?"  I whispered in disbelief. I had grown up as an only child, so the idea of having a sibling was amazing.

"Why have I never heard about this?" Micah asked, outraged. "As Alexis' protector, I'm supposed to be briefed about everything!"

"You are given all information pertinent to your witch, and anything necessary for her training. The protectors must not have felt that this information was relevant," Fletcher said with a shrug.

This didn't appease Micah, who continued to mutter obscenities under his breath.

"Where is he now?" I asked.

The idea of meeting him sent a thrill of excitement coursing through me. There was someone else out there who could actually relate to the things I was enduring. Maybe I wasn't as alone as I thought I was.

"After your parents' execution, the two of you were kidnapped by Malin soldiers. We planned a rescue mission, but that went south in a hurry. Unfortunately, Caleb died during the battle," Fletcher said solemnly.

I felt as if I'd been stabbed in the chest.

"There was a lot going on that day," Fletcher continued. "Everyone was battling everyone- friend against friend, brother against brother. No one knew which side the others were working for. It was complete chaos.

"There was supposed to be a liberation team to rescue you and Caleb, but information had been leaked to the opposition from someone on our side, so we were ambushed from the start.

"Abigail was the only one who was able to make it to the cellar where they were hiding you. She could only take one of you at a time because she needed one free hand to use her magic. It was a tough decision, but she took you first, knowing that you were more likely to wander off than your newborn brother. You were a very curious child," he said with a smile.

"When Abigail came back for Caleb, he was gone. Abigail looked for your brother for as long as humanly conceivable, but at some point, a fire had started. It devoured everything in its path. It was impossible to see anything through the smoke, so she had to leave.

"We returned once the flames subsided, but the house was in ruins. Everything was gone. All that remained was ash, the bones of a baby."

His voice was barely audible now. Tears glistened in his dark brown eyes.

"Abby was devastated. No one blamed her, of course. She did everything she could to save you both. But she felt responsible. Brianne was her best friend, and she felt as if she failed her by not saving both of her children. I don't think Abby ever got over the guilt she felt for Caleb's death," Fletcher said with grave shake of his head.

"Are you telling me that my brother was killed? My brother, who was just a baby?" I asked, astounded. Tears pooled in my eyes at the cruel demise of my unknown sibling.

Micah hook his head in disgust. "Why would someone do something so horrible?"

"There was a lot of controversy in the coven when planning the rescue mission. Many people were opposed to saving either of you. They were afraid of you because Brianne and Samuel were so powerful. Many people died trying to stop your parents."

"What does that have to do with Alexis and her brother?" Micah spit.

"Well, the you were both the product of two very evil witches. Many worried that your parents' combined magic would breed the two most powerful creatures Kapanathy had ever seen, that the evil within your parents would be inherited by you."

"So they were willing to murder children on the chance they could grow to be evil?" Micah asked. The harshness of his voice made it clear that he was opposed to this idea.

"You have to try and understand the fear that people felt," Fletcher said. Micah gives him a look of revulsion. "By that time it was rare to find anyone in our country who hadn't lost a loved one to Brianne and Samuel's darkness. I'm not condoning the idea- I didn't like it either. In fact, I was one of the few people who opposed the plan. But it took every ounce of power and resources that we had just to keep your parents at bay. They were very dangerous in the height of their power."

"That's no excuse. Children can't help who their parents are. I mean, Alexis was almost a victim of those extremists, and she lost her brother in the process. I'm sure she agrees with me. Alexis?" Micah asked.

But I wasn't paying attention. I was more preoccupied by idea of the brother I never actually had, yet felt as though I had lost.

It was alarming to have my worst fears confirmed, to know that my parents' dark magic could be running through my veins. Even the members of their coven wanted me dead because they feared the same thing. Considering that they were practitioners of good magic who didn't believe in manslaughter, Caleb and I must have been a real threat for the idea to even cross their minds.

What if it were true? What if, after years of trying to do the right things in life, I still ended up going dark like my mother and father? And what about the fact that I had a little brother? Thinking about what happened to him makes me sick. The fact that I had found a sibling and lost him in a matter of minutes was almost more than I could handle.

"Lexi, are you alright?" Fletcher asked softly, concern in his soft brown eyes.

"I'm fine," I said. But my voice sounded distant, thick from unshed tears. "I'm just a little nauseous from the vision, I think. Can I use your restroom?"

"Of course. It's the second door on the left," Fletcher said, pointing down the hallway that divided the living room and kitchen.

I stood and made my way across the room, passing Micah, who was eyeing me with a mixture of concern and apprehension.

I walked into the bathroom in a haze, sitting down on the edge of the green, footed bathtub.

I'm never going through this vision thing again, I vowed, as my stomach lurched.

I placed my head in my hands, trying, in a futile attempt, to stop the room from spinning. The movement made me queasy. I fell to the floor, kneeling by the toilet as I wretched loudly and violently into the bowl. Once, twice, again and again, I vomited, my body wrenching itself of nutrients and fluid, until I was left dry heaving into the ceramic basin.

When there is nothing left to expel from my body, I myself so weak that I slouched to the ground. I lay with my feverish cheek against the cool tile floor, too tired to stand up. My heart pounded violently inside my aching head. The bathroom went dark, and I soon slipped off into unconsciousness.

My eyelids fluttered open as a rasping sound filled the room.

"Alexis... are you okay?" Micah's deep voice called from the hallway.

"I'm fine," I said, sitting up feebly.

I tried to lift myself off of the floor, gripping the edges of the sink for support.

"Are you sure? You've been in there for a long time."

"I'll be out in just a minute," I said, urging him to go away; I didn't want anyone to see me like this.

I watched his shadow under the bathroom door as he lingered for several seconds, unsure. But then his heavy footsteps faded, as he receded back into the living room. With a sigh of relief, I looked into the mirror above the sink.

I hardly recognized the woman looking back at me. Though only a few days had passed, I looked older, aged before my time. I was covered in dirt. It stuck to my face, forming layers of sweat and grime. My skin was worn and weathered, making me look several years older than I really was.

Although our journey had been short, I could already see a slight difference in my face. It has lost some of its roundness, making my cheekbones more prominent through my malnourished body. Her normally fair skin has given way to a darker pallor from being in the sun for so long.

My bright hazel eyes, that had once been filled with light and laughter, were now staring back somberly, trepidation reflected in their gaze. They were encased with dark circles from sleep deprivation and the anxiety of the last several days.

With a sigh, I turned away from the haunted woman in the mirror.

Finally resigning that I couldn't stay in this bathroom forever, I turned the doorknob and walked quietly into the hallway. A few feet from the living room, I hesitated at the sound of my name.

"Lexi isn't like other witches, Micah," Fletcher said.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"She's new to the craft, so she's already vulnerable. Add that to who her parents were and the things she witnessed as a child, and she's much more susceptible to the darkness than normal witches. Are you prepared to protect someone so easily swayed?"

"Are you implying I'm not capable of being her protector?" Micah asked irritably.

"All I'm saying is that it's part of a protector's job to help his witch make the ethical choices, and to use their power for good. As the prophet said, there will come a time when Lexi will be torn on which way to go. When she's in that situation, the dark side will try to draw her in. There are so many factors working against her that there's a very good chance that it will succeed."

Micah clenched his fists. "I know my responsibilities, and the risks associated with them. I have confidence in Alexis to make the right decisions, and I'm going to help her at any point where she may have doubts. I took a vow to guide her to the best of my abilities, and I'm going to do that. I know we can get her through the dark times. Together."

His supportive words touched me so much that tears began to well in my eyes. Even though I barely knew Micah, I was so grateful to have him in my life, especially now, when I felt like I didn't have anyone else. At least there was one person it seemed that I could trust. Exasperating as he may be at times, I truly believed him when he said he would never betray me, even if I were to turn dark.

My insides quivered at the thought of the tainted blood that ran through my veins, the powers that I'd inherited from people who were monsters. I didn't want to hurt people like my mother did. I wanted to be good, but what if I wasn't strong enough to fight the temptations?

I shook my head. I couldn't think that way. If Micah could have faith in me, why couldn't I have faith in herself?

At that moment, I resolved that I wasn't not going to be like my biological parents. I wasn't going to let their actions influence my life. I was going to be my own person, someone who recognized the righteousness in others and herself, a person independent from the influences that have and would continue to sway me. I was going to be a virtuous person and witch, regardless of the commitment it might take.

I ran my fingers through my hair to smooth any strays, and pinched my cheeks to bring some life into them. I stood up a little straighter, and with my head held high, I walked into the living room, ready to accept my future and meet it head-on.

Thank you for reading! If you are enjoying this story so far, don't forget to vote! :)

© Dawn Norwell