A/N: This chapter is a little different than all the rest of them. It is purely focused on Caley. I wanted to write it because a lot has been going on with Caley in the first half of this book. I'm going to use this chapter to reflect back on all of that and show her feelings about it. There isn't any action, but this is probably the best character development you will ever find (not to sound cocky). So read on, readers!

I stepped out of my shower, dried myself off, and pulled my bathrobe on.

I walked in front of my mirror and reached forward, wiping the glass of the foggy condensation that had formed on it. I looked in the mirror now, which had fogged up again. I sighed and reached out, turning the vent fan on. While the condensation evaporated, I ran a brush through my hair.

When the fog disappeared and the mirror was clean again, I reached over and turned the fan off.

Then I stood and faced myself and what I had become.

The girl in the mirror had no make-up on. Her hair was still wet and unstyled. She was wearing a plush baby blue bathrobe and nothing else. This is the person that I was looking at.

The first thing I noticed about her was that she was taller; much, much taller than she was a year ago. She had grown a lot. Her posture was different. She stood up straight, her back stiff, her shoulders set back, her chest forward. The way she held herself showed a difference in her attitude, in her behavior. She was more confident now, more aware of herself. She had changed.

The next noticeable thing about the girl in the mirror was that her skin seemed almost as if it were glowing. It was difficult to discern whether this glow was beautiful or eerie. She seemed to have an almost radiance about her that was magnetic, beautiful, and frightening all at once.

Her skin was smooth and soft, almost like a newborn baby, although she was far from. There were no blemishes, no discolorations, no scars or bruises or birthmarks. Just pale cream colored skin that had hints of pink tints in all the right places.

Next was this girl's hair, which was now slowly drying naturally with the air. It was a soft blonde color, not harshly yellow, but not quite palely bleached. It was the perfect mixture of hues: light yellows and even lighter browns. It fell over her shoulders and rested just above her mid-back. It had grown longer. No more did the girl have front bangs. Instead, her hair was parted slightly off to the side, waves caressing her heart shaped face. It fell beautiful in silky soft waves all down her back, just adding to her simple beauty.

Possibly the most striking feature of this girl, however, was her eyes.

They were the bluest of all blues. Bluer than the ocean. Bluer than the sky on cloudless summer day. Bluer than sapphires, and more beautiful as well. They sparkled, but not in the innocent way that little childrens' eyes do. They sparkled in an almost strange way, a mixture of mischief and knowledge; a knowledge that was both dangerous and life-changing.

They stuck out, her eyes, as the focal feature of this girl. At first glance, one was immediately drawn to them, becoming enthralled at once, unable to look away, unable to fathom what lay behind them.

Who was this girl? Who was she? Why was she so different from the girl I had known just a year ago?

Exactly 365 days ago, my mother died in my arms. I watched as she closed her eyes, saying she was tired and telling me not to wait up on her. I watched, helpless, as the life fled away from her in front of my very eyes.

A year later, here stands the girl who watched her mother. Here stands the girl who cried hopelessly through nights on end, never quite being able to get the pain out of her heart. Here stands the girl who lost everything in one person, in one summer. 

She stands here, that same pained girl, completely changed. She knows now of all the lies and deceit that had provided as the foundation of her life. She knows now of her mother, the only one she ever loved. She knows now of herself, what she needs to do, who she needs to be.

I stood and looked at myself, shocked at how different I looked. I was stronger, that was for sure. But there was something else there, something else that made me sad.

I had always been independent. I never liked having to rely on others because of constant fear of being disappointed and hurt. But I thought that after making a few friends at Trinity that I would have left that stark independence behind. Instead, I had amplified it.

At times I found myself becoming vulnerable. These moments usually only occurred when I was with Trey. The rest of the time, I was completely closed off.

Why was I like this? Why was I so distrusting? Why was I so afraid to get hurt?

Because I had lost my mother and the whole time she was dying, something could have been done to save her. She shouldn't have died. It shouldn't have happened.

He should have been there.

I shut others out and hid behind a mask of sarcasm and fake strength because my father, my own flesh and blood, the person that once my role model, had lied to and deceived me. He had said he loved my mother. If that was true, why did he leave her? Why did he let her die? Why didn't he help her find the spell to break the curse?

But no matter. It was my job now. I turned my back on my father just as he had turned his on my mother and me. If he could forget us so easily, then he wouldn't be so memorable, either.

It was now on my shoulders. It was me that had to find a way to break the spell. I was the one that would have to fight for it. I was the one that would have to join the revolution to make magic might and mortals subject to it.

I was going to be the double agent. And I was going to be successful.

How would I hide it from Trey, though?

Trey. He knew me so well. He was the only person I could truly let my walls down with. He was the only one I could trust.

But I couldn't tell him. I had to lie to him. I had to lie to the person that cared so much about me. I had to lie to the only person I cared about besides myself.

Why did I care so much? Did I love him?

I was starting to think the answer was yes.

They talk about these feelings of lust and love in all romance novels and movies. The serene feeling of being around a significant other. The butterflies and fireworks that erupt when kissing them. The feeling of mutual trust and companionship.

Was I in love with Trey?

And if I was, why couldn't I admit to it?

Because it was who I was. My annoying quality of being self-serving and independent. My obnoxious pride. Those combined wouldn't let me tell him my true feelings.

There were many times where he had come very, very close to telling me, but I stopped him. I would change the subject or divert his attention with a kiss. I was afraid to hear him say it because, well...I was afraid I wouldn't be able to say it back.

It was just who I was.

There a few things I was one hundred percent certain of.

One was that I was completely on Elijah's side. We had already figured out how I would meet up with him for training. Over the remainder of my summer, I had mastered Transporting so that I was able to successfully do it myself. I also learned a number of defense and battle spells: ways to immoblize my opponent, weaken them temporarily, and blocking spells from attacking me. I was both physically and magically stronger and it showed in the hardness of my eyes.

With that, I was definitely going to take up the role of the double agent. After talking more in depth about my role with Elijah, I became more assured. I knew it would be difficult, maintaining a facade of beng on the good side. But I was getting better and better at shutting people out of my mind. I was already so good at closing people off from myself. Elijah told me I had to transfer that was of thinking to my mind, so that I could close it off. That made the process easier.

Another thing I was certain of was that I was going to continue on with minimal contact with my father. I would keep up the silent treatment that had endured between us over the summer. It would be easy. I would finally have the distraction of school.

The last thing I was completely certain of was the way I felt about Trey. I knew the feelings that grown between us over the course of the summer were too strong to ignore or leave behind. Despite Elijah's attempts at setting me up with Gerrard, I knew my heart truly belonged to Trey. Nothing would change that, no matter how hard Elijah or anyone tried.

Of these things I was completely certain. But there was one thing I wasn't sure of.

Would I be able to do it?

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A/N: It's not long, I know. It wasn't meant to be. But there was a lot of character development going on. Now you know exactly what Caley has been thinking and what her stance is on all of her little situations. She's grown a lot since the beginning of Book 1, I can say that much. Now, whether it's for the better or worse, we'll explore through the rest of the series.

As always, comment and vote!

Let me know how you liked the chapter! I know it was different, which is why I want your opinion.

P.S. One of my favorite chapters is approaching very, very quickly. It may be the next one, but it will probably be the one after that. I think the next one I'll put them back in school. But we'll see.

Stay tuned!

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XOXO