Deceitful Discoveries [MAX/ ALY/ EMORY/ AURORS]

[Rowena Jones]

It was her nightmare come true. Of course he’d come. She’d been a fool to think otherwise but she’d hoped. She’d wished so desperately that one good thing could happen for her and damnit she’d almost succeeded. Her sister, that evil, seemingly all powerful witch hadn’t guessed at Max’s true part in the prophecy. But now, here he stood, and there could be no other conclusion, not with that glowing gaze.

It seemed like a past life that she had spent all those hours admiring those wonderfully emerald eyes, laughing and so oblivious of the pain to come. With that familiar green replaced by blue, it felt like another nail in the coffin of those good times. No longer could either of them claim the innocence they had had just a year ago. This nightmarish fate had swept them along and apart and she had never felt more distant than she did right now, this close to him.

Rowena felt distant from the battle that raged on around her. Who was she here? She’d willingly met with her sister and it was not time yet. Not yet. She still had things to do before she could go. But she could not harm those who had come to fight. She was on their side ultimately. She was a lonely island in the storm, the thunder and lightning of Dark and Light crashing and colliding on all sides but never touching her.

But of course, Max. She could feel him and Merlin, it was more than she’d ever felt before. He’d grown so much in their time apart, as had she, but she’d never been meant to fight, always been so bloody awful at it. The magic she possessed, that had been released all those months ago, still felt so alien, so wrong to her.

She’d been a Healer once. The thought of taking a life still made her heart wince. She’d done it once, or so she’d thought. Could still feel that sickly slime of bright red blood as she plunged a knife in and in and in, the soft flesh giving into the onslaught unable to protect the precious contents within. It had been a lie of course. Rosalie was still very much alive, but the memory, although false, remained in her head.

Darkness swept in around them then and Rowena could feel the chill it brought, hear the distant screaming and the whisper of those nightmares that had haunted her those months back. Hundreds and hundreds of eyes following her, the voice of a thousand people taunting her. And then it was gone, chased by the brilliant blue light of Patronus.

She should move. She should leave. She was of no use to anyone here. She couldn’t fight, wouldn’t do it. There was a plan and it would work and it wasn’t ready. But she couldn’t bring herself to go, not without knowing that they, oh who was she kidding, that he was safe.

It was a stalemate. Neither side seemingly able to make enough headway. But Rowena couldn’t help the yell of protest that escaped her as she watched her sister send several dark spears of pure, hatred and darkness at those who attacked her.

“You promised. You can’t hurt them!” But of course her sister hadn’t been completely stupid either. She’d only used the words mortally harm. There was plenty of grey area in those words. Rowena had wanted to rectify it, but she’d been anxious to get the promise sealed before the truth could be revealed. Her sister had been in an equal rush, but Emory’s appearance had clarified why. She’d known even then that they’d had company.

And it appeared as if her scream had reminded the Dark Lady of her presence, for suddenly Rowena felt her magic seized in a tight grip and there was no time at all to fully understand what had just happened before it left her in a moment that left Rowena winded and emptied in a way that would have been almost blissful had she not realised what her sister had done.

There was no denying it this time. There was no hallucination this time to take away the blood on her hands. It didn’t matter that the searing power the Dark Lady had released upon the Druid would have left no blood left to stain even the ground upon which he’d stood.

She could feel it filling up again, that murderous power that she hated almost as much as she despised herself in that moment. She’d done this. Her magic had hit Emory as surely as if she’d guided it herself, had hit him in all it’s power, burning through any shield, boiling him from within. The clatter of Emory’s wooden staff as it finally hit the ground echoed through her and Rowena knew she would never forget that sound for as long as she lived.

But before she could even begin to decide on her next move, a move in which she fucked her whole plan and just killed her sister right then and there, the Dark Lady took control one again. Rowena struggled this time but this magic had always been linked to her emotions and she had so little control over them right now that the fight was over before it began.

“Take care of the Shield for me little sister, I have a Staff to retrieve,” the bitch purred as chaos ensued. Rowena could do nothing as her power left her again and went for Max.

[Emory Williams]

Emory watched in disbelief as his attack withered away. It couldn’t possibly be. And yet… it had to be. It couldn’t be coincidence. He knew who they fought. And at the same moment that realization hit him, he realised two other things. One, Eden was so so close to him, and the second was she was not close enough. There would be no last embrace and he would never tell her the words he’d harboured in his heart for so many weeks now.

His eyes widened as bright golden light raced towards him and instinct had him shielding. Then there was pain, awful unimaginable pain and a heat that he could not escape.

And then there was nothing.

[Max Kameren]

It was all so very much. Max’s skills had progressed with practice enough that he could move and duel, if not explicitly craft spells, but when actually put into practice it became quickly overwhelming. The animatronics at the Dueling Dragons didn’t have auras. They couldn’t feel surprise, terror, anguish, or pain. But now all those elements swirled in the center of Max’s chest as he tried to make sense of them, his eyes wide and pulsing blue-white. The power he had been given was more than he bargained for. Now he found himself struggling to keep up.

The shield popped and drew the first three backwards. With a silent twist Max was between them, apparating into the center of the fray in an attempt to put space between the Dark Lady and those he needed to protect. In his mind he felt Briar and Eden burst into action and acknowledged them; as they moved white patronus light swirled at their heels, building up to form a shield that would protect them from attack.

He felt the shadows close in and pushed back, gritting his teeth when met with the resistance but thankfully his strength held and the cloaked figure’s magic was kept at bay. When the darkness met light they met in a stalemate. Emboldened, Max turned his eyes upon the figure and the white flames around her brightened, growing taller to try to cordon her off and close in in an attempt to capture her.

Then, a falter. Dread surged through the party of aurors like an electric shock, seizing Max and momentarily weakening his force. Suddenly he was back in the Catacombs, staring blankly forward as Warghollow’s knife tugged the flesh along his cheekbone. Wondering what, if anything, would be left for his loved ones to find…

“You promised. You can’t hurt them!”

It was her voice that did it. In a moment Max snapped out of it, snapping the spears of darkness the woman had forged in half with a twist of his own and sending a surge of adrenaline through the lines to energize Eden, Briar, and Emory to push through the pain. He felt Briar emboldened, Eden marching forth.

Max had felt Emory pull out his family’s staff, felt his pride and the surge of power that went through him as his fingers tightened around it. He’d felt Emory’s attack, felt it fail, and felt the sneering twist of glee burn white-hot through the Dark Lady at the sight of him. The Catacombs had told him what that feeling meant.

Emory -

It was too late. The Dark Lady unleashed a firestorm on the Druid that shattered Max’s defenses. In a flash everything was heat and burning and pain, so quickly that Max was blindsided. He yelled out in agony, falling to his knees and for a moment Max’s defenses failed and the field of battle flickered out into darkness. Through Emory’s eyes Max saw everything; he felt the pain, but deeper he felt his thoughts. Pain. Failure. Pain. Realization. Pain. Recognition. Eden. Then the same bitter ether pop he’d felt so many times at St. Mungo’s, the remnants of the man so intertwined with his family disappearing and pushing Max back into his own aura.

It all happened so quickly that Max only missed a few steps, his hands tightening into fists in the grass as he pushed through the pain to rebuild his woven protections. Shields burst forth from him and flew to their marks, protecting Eden, Briar, and Rowena before rebuilding himself.

The barrier he’d been constructing to ensnare the Dark Lady had been shattered by her attack on Emory and was lost. There was no rebuilding it, not with the power she’d just exhibited that Max’s defenses did little to protect against. It was a different kind of attack, an entirely different kind of magic with a distinct signature Max knew all too well.

From where he kneeled in the grass Max’s head snapped up, glowing eyes locking with Rowena as the battle raged around them and he whispered into her aura: What have you done?

[James Malcom MacDougal]

Briar kept up a low growling string of swearing as they all converged on the center of the conservatory. Four people was not enough—three! Eden had to bring her little fling, and of course he’d broken from hiding and ruined their chance. Civilians! He muttered more curses as he shot curses and jinxes at the dark lady between conjured patronus, hoping to catch her when she was occupied with the silvery guardians.

A spear of darkness wrapped around him, rocking Briar to his core with dread. Fear. He faltered, forgetting his best memories, losing focus as he started falling into the dark. Briar struggled, reaching for that memory, feeling it slip away through his fingers like water. Briar closed his eyes, forcing himself to breathe deeply, to empty his mind. He sank down, suddenly grasping the memory in his fingers and holding on desperately. A shield of bright light burst from his wand, driving away the darkness around him before coalescing into his patronus.

Briar opened his eyes, assessing the damage. Eden was standing, but Max was on his knees. Emory was fallen, his form unmoving. Briar’s eyes flashed to the Dark Lady, who was building up for another attack. Max had conjured up his shield again, but he was looking away, at his girlfriend. “Max!” He shouted, flinging his wand hand wide, throwing Max to the side. It felt like lightning was building, the very air felt prickly just before the Dark Lady discharged her attack at where Max had been kneeling, bloody moon-calfing over his ex!

[Eden Fletcher]

Bloody hell there was so much changing light it was like a muggle disco had suddenly appeared. All that was missing was dance music and it would be panic at the disco. Seriously, the different colored light was distracting. One minute it was pitch black, then it was blazaing white then blue. White light kept trailing her. Eden knew it was protection from Max but it was still a bit weird having her own personal shield from her friend. Eden tried to ignore the changing lights and kept firing off spells, hexes and curses determined to get to Emory. That crazy bitch had her eye on him and he didn’t have protecton. Eden was confident that the ritual promise of protection for her and Max would keep them relatively safe. After all she couldn’t be mortally wounded. Shadows slithered out of corners deflecting the spells. Merlin’s sweaty balls. Eden bit her lip as she continued to fire spells. What would it take to trap this bitch?

Vines erupted out of the earth and Eden grinned. Yes. Keep the toadstool still. Perhaps a hundred stunning spells and vines would keep her contained enough for Max to do his thing. Emory was a sight to behold and Eden almost stopped to watch as he pointed his staff. But then the plants just died. Decaying faster than Emory could summon them. Healthy vibrant vines blackened with decay and then crumbled into dust in seconds. Fear spiked through Eden and she faltered eyes drawn to the decay. Horror flooded through Eden and she couldn’t think of the next spell. What kind of creature was this? What monster could kill so quickly? Decay. Decimate destroy instantly. It was like her touch was death itself. Was this death itself in the flesh? Were they fighting Death?

Eden flinched as dark spears erupted out of no where. Max’s shields took the brunt of the spears, deflecting the darkness. Eden grinned. Good job Max! Eden fired off a few more spells, glancing over her shoulder to flash an encouraging smile at her friend. Merlin’s beard he rocked this. Eden was amazed at Max’s power, how he could protect them all with just his mind. It wasn’t something anyone else could do not even Curse Kameren.

Then the shield flickered, falling a bit and trendils of the magic broke through encircling Eden. Despair washed over her and she just stopped. Her wand arm lowered and she just stood there frozen staring at a peeling wall. She wasn’t outside anymore. She was in a stuffy room, laying on a hospital bed. She was a little girl again and her mother was talking with the doctors. Insane. Delusions. Paranoid. Medication. She was insane. A sad little girl who was powerless. She didn’t have visions. She didn’t save the world. She didn’t save anyone. There wasn’t anyone to save. She was just a poor little girl haunted by the death of her father. Driven mad by the senseless killing. Images of her father being stabbed to death melted away as warmth flooded her. Eden wasn’t alone. She had Max. Max was real. This was just a fucking lie. Eden smelled the sharp tang of dead leaves. She shook her head, dispelling the images. That hadn’t been real. That had been the darkness. Eden lifted her arm and fired off a curse. She sprinted towards Emory. She was so close to him now. He was only a few yards away. The monster stood over him cackling like a fairy tale witch. All she needed was a broom stick and warts. Eden imaged the darkness to be a wizened old crone with no heart. The evil would be vanquished. The heros would win. But this wasn’t a fairy tale and before she could reach Emory a firestorm encircled him. Fucking hell. Enough with the pryotechinics, Eden thought as she prayed that Emory was fine. Max could---a scream froze Eden’s thoughts. She knew that scream. Max. Eden stood there torn caught between her best friend and her lover. Eden turned slightly, watching as Max fell to his knees his expression of agony disappearing as darkness consumed them all. It lasted a second, maybe too and then shields erupted from Max like fireworks. He was fine. His magic was working. Emory needed her more. That firestorm had to bloody hurt and that fucking bitch was going to get what she had coming. Enough was bloody well enough.
Eden turned towards Emory as he dropped to the ground. Not moving at all. He looked so strange. So pale. There was no color at all. He’d been flush with the heat of the battle a few minutes before. He looked gray. Okay, so maybe he wasn’t looking his best. But he was fine. He was just stunned. That white light probably just knocked him out. Maybe he was covered in dust. Emory wasn’t dead. Eden would have seen it. She would have known that he was going to die. She was a powerful seer. Perhaps the most powerful in a century. She would have seen his death. He was not dead. Just seriously hurt and that fucking knobsucker was going to pay.
A shadow pulled Eden’s attention and she looked up at the monster reaching for the staff. Rage filled Eden. That was not going to happen!

“Didn’t your mother ever teach you not to take something that isn’t yours?” Eden snapped, her voice cracking with rage as she unleashed fire at the darkness.

[Alyson Bludwyne]

Her sister’s power was addictive. Alyson had had tastes of it before, with her first attempt all those months back, but it hadn’t been awoken to it’s full potential then. Now the energy that she could control at her fingertips made her giddy. It was a shame really that she hadn’t been able to get to the Druid personally, she would have so liked to drain the life force from him, taste that sweet green of the earth fill her veins like he’d so willingly given her in his attack. It was a waste really but battle was not the place to use those particular abilities. There was just too many other things going on.

Speaking of, she needed that staff.

“Take care of the Shield for me little sister, I have a Staff to retrieve.” Alyson purred, guiding the glorious power once more in Kameren’s direction. Fighting with his former lover should keep him occupied enough. She only needed a moment.

The ashen corpse of her former Herbology teacher was at her feet seconds later and she reached for that precious object. The fool hadn’t even realised what he held, she was sure of it. They wouldn’t dare bring such an item for this very reason. Alyson still couldn’t believe her luck. Everything was falling so prettily into place.

“Didn’t your mother ever teach you not to take something that isn’t yours?”

Alyson paused and glanced in the direction of the girl’s voice just as fire raced towards her. The Shadows billowed up once more and she was gone in an instant, only to reappear close to her attacker.

“My mother taught me that all this belongs to me,” she purred into Eden’s ear as she brushed her fingertips on the other witch’s skn. The icy touch of death followed as even the brief contact began to suck at Eden’s lifeforce. “Even you my dear.”

Rowena’s damn promise meant she couldn’t actually kill the annoying chit, but it didn’t mean she couldn’t have a little fun first. She twisted Rowena’s magic again, growling at the slight resistance she felt this time and sent it once more towards the Shield, simultaneously summoning shadowed creatures to swarm the Auror.

And in that split second opening that distraction provided, Alyson focused her attention on the girl. Darkness raced for her, swarming over Eden’s body, looking for any way in, bringing with it the sensation of drowning, falling, suffocation, blindness, a moment without end.

There was little time to do more, but that brief taste of life hadn’t been enough for the Bloodborne so she tempted fate for one last gift that night. The Dark Lady reached for the seer, grasped her neck with bony fingers and opened the gates to her birthright. Glorious energy followed through the connection as she cackled with glee as the girl paled and aged.

A few seconds was all she had and then she had to return to defending against those cursed patronus. But it was enough. She’d gotten far more than she’d expected from this meeting. She returned to the staff, purred with pleasure as she picked it up and felt the power it held. Without pause to see what mess she’d left her sister with, she disappeared.

[Max Kameren]

The split second of paralyzed connection between Max and Rowena was interrupted by Briar. With a flick of his wand the auror jerked Max violently to the side, sending him rolling away from the Dark Lady’s attack. The surprise put a stutter in Max’s concentration and momentarily this light of his defenses dimmed.

Max got his bearings and pushed himself up; he could feel his energy flagging, his defenses starting to wane a split-second behind their attacker. At his full power they were evenly matched, but she had more experience than he did. With only three – now two – auras to bleed into Max didn’t have the support to maintain for long. Sooner or later his defense would fail without a second wind.

Then he looked up and saw the shadows descend on Eden. He felt the blinding anger of his best friend’s aura, brave and foolish and firey as she lashed out. He felt the icy touch and web of dread that branched out from it; across the porcelain cheek of one of the people Max gave most to protect.

Then came that feeling. The twisting, red fury he’d only felt before in the Catacombs when Warghollow threatened his family. Max’s response now was as it was then: reflexive, swift and ferocious. His eyes narrowed and the pulsing glow refocused into a bright blue beam, and with a twist of his heel he silently apparated between the two, releasing a burst of patronus light from his chest like a flash grenade.

But his attack was for nothing. The Dark Lady had already sauntered away, picking up the staff and disappeared in triumph.

“Eden!” With the fading of the figure’s painful aura Max spun clumsily to his friend’s side, taking her by the shoulders and looking her over with wide eyes that still shone like crystals in the sun. He didn’t know how to take down his defenses and in any case likely couldn’t with the heat of battle still coursing through him. Through their open connection Max tried to push through energy but found little left to give, the lights around them from his shields dimming until the full moon and Max's eyes were all that lit the battlefield.

He stumbled back, his chest moving rapidly as he tried to pull shallow breaths into his lungs. So much power and adrenaline coursed through him still and his eyes darted between the three remaining auras that blazed in his mind, unsure what to do next.

It had all gone so terribly, terribly wrong.

[Rowena Jones]

With the sounds of death ringing in her ear, that damn awful clatter of wood on stone and Max’s agonized shout, Rowena could feel the familiar madness creeping in. It was all too much. She was supposed to be home by now, the promise secured and Max safe. But instead there was blood on her hands. She killed Emory. And by the whisper into her aura, Max also blamed her.

…What had she done?...

There was a spark. Under all that despair and confusion and anxiety, there was a burst of anger. It was so familiar, an emotion from months that felt like years ago, but Max Kameren had always been able to get under her skin and it seemed that even in the heat of battle nothing had changed.

What had she done?! Her?! She’d spent months planning this evening and he’d come in like a bull in a china shop. Her carefully constructed plan had been blown to smithereens by her ex who just couldn’t stay away. He just couldn’t trust that maybe, just maybe her idea would work. It had been like that at Hogwarts whenever they’d had to work on a project together, it had been like that at Mungos when she had devised a treatment plan and it continued to strategies of War.

And now he kneeled there, those blasted glowing eyes meeting hers with such accusation. Oh no. This evening may have turned into a huge disastrous mess, but this was not wholly on her this time. How dare he blame her for this when he had brought these people with so little preparation and knowledge of what was happening! He’d gone off one little note and not stopped to think of the consequences. Rowena had plenty enough to hold herself accountable for without Max adding this mess to the list.

Unfortunately, anger was not the best thing to be clinging to when a Dark Witch was controlling emotionally charged magic. With the order to ‘take care of the Shield’ and all that frustration, Rowena didn’t even have a chance to stop the golden light from flying straight at Max.

Her anger fled in the millisecond she realised what was about to happen. Would it kill him as it had done Emory? Her sister had promised not to mortally harm him but this was Rowena’s magic… she hadn’t even thought about that. Her magic wasn’t supposed to be used by her sister until the time was right.

They didn’t get to find out as the auror Max had brought saved them both and threw Max aside and out of the way. Her heart started again as she realised he was ok, but it was not over yet. Her sister had gone for the Staff… there was only one reason she would be so interested in it and Rowena almost snapped at Max in anger and despair. Why would they bring such an object to this fight?!

She’d been searching for the elusive final puzzle piece for months. Hadn’t realised it had been so close all along… she supposed none of them had known but now their enemy had it.

And then Eden, foolish Eden stepped in. Thank Merlin she’d thought to include her in the protection ritual. Not that Max would ever let anything happen to his best friend. Something the Dark Lady knew as well apparently. Her attacks against them suddenly increased and nightmarish creatures crawled out of the dark. And then that now familiar yank on her magic, but Rowena pushed against it this time. It did little, the ritual bound her to obey… but her reserves were low, her attack this time was weak.

It was still enough for her sister to hurt Eden and even as Max apparated to her defense releasing an attack unlike anything Rowena had seen before, the Dark Lady seized the staff and left them to pick up the pieces.
Rowena’s legs felt shaky and she so wanted to return back to the safety of her home. Wanted to curl into a ball in the middle of her too big bed and try to forget this whole evening. But fate had other plans and as she prepared to twist and apparate away, she caught a glance of the sad group who had tried to defeat the Evil that had plagued their lives for so long. Eden; pale and aged, Emory; ashen and unmoving, Briar; worse for wear and Max… something was up. His breathing was too fast, his eyes too wide…

Fuck. It may have been months and she may have never felt less the Healer, but it appeared that for tonight at least, she would have to step back to the past. She strode towards them, pushing aside her own exhaustion as she had so many times during those long shifts at the hospital.

“You… I don’t know your name. You need to take Eden and Emory to Mungos.” She said to the auror. Not that they could do anything for Emory anymore but they wouldn’t leave him here. Nor was she sure Eden would leave without the body. Rowena summoned the dregs of her magic and quickly charmed her shoe to become a portkey. “Take it. Now. I’ll look after Max.”

She shoved the object in his direction before turning to Max.

“We need to talk,” Without giving anyone a chance to protest, she grabbed his arm and finally left that awful place behind.

[Eden Fletcher]

Death turned to glare at Eden and she just stood there a half crazed grin on her face. Eden should have run. Should have kept her mouth shut but she didn’t. She spewed bravado at the monster as fire raced towards the monster. The bitch disappeared and the fire fizzled in the air. A few stray sparks hitting the dry grass.
Eden didn’t notice the burning brush. The dark shadow was in front of Eden. Shit. Poking a sleeping dragon was not smart. Eden did more than poke it though. She’d taunted the beast.

“My mother taught me that all this belongs to me,” she purred into Eden’s ear as she brushed her fingertips on the other witch’s skn. The icy touch of death followed as even the brief contact began to suck at Eden’s lifeforce. “Even you my dear.”


A scream tore out of Eden when the cold fingers touched her skin. The second Aly’s flesh touched Eden’s images poured into Eden’s mind and then into the shadow. She saw the monster standing over Rowena. Killing her. Tearing her apart Images shifted and Eden saw the shadow’s triumph. What the new world would look like. Demons hunted in day light. No where was safe.
The connection broke and Eden staggered backwards gasping for breath. She was so very cold and tired. She could barely keep her eyes open. She blinked trying to stay awake. She blinked to rid herself of the future she had seen. Suddenly darkness was surrounding Eden and she saw nothing but inky blackness. Was this what death was like? Was she dying? Eden couldn’t breath. Couldn’t move. She was drowning. She didn’t even have her gift to comfort her. Eden had never seen her own death. But maybe this was it?
The darkness parted and a bony hand squeezed Eden’s neck. She made a gurgling sound as she was pulled forward. A scream was ripped out of Eden as energy flooded through her. Before Eden could crumple to the ground Max was there holding her by the shoulders. His eyes were glowing ghostly blue. He looked different with blue eyes. Eden liked his green eyes better. Blue made him look possessed.

“Blue doesn’t suit,” Eden murmured as she tried to give Max a weak grin. A bit of strength was returning to her. She felt like she had done a 15 hour training session at the duel dragons at top speed with no food or sleep for a week before. Her stomach roared like a lion. She was so hungry she could eat a hippogriff.

Worry made Eden forget her stomach as Max let go of her and stumbled back, his breath wheezing. Bloody hell. Was he hurt? Had the monster got him? Eden looked him up and down, assessing for wounds. He didn’t look hurt just spent.
He was gasping for breath like a fish out of water. Eden grabbed Max’s arms to steady him. “Breath,” She said calmly, trying to will Max to just slow down and not freak out.

Suddenly Rowena was beside max barking orders. Eden glared at the witch. This was all her fault. If she had never dated Max none of this would have happened.

You… I don’t know your name. You need to take Eden and Emory to Mungos.” She said to the auror. Not that they could do anything for Emory anymore but they wouldn’t leave him here. Nor was she sure Eden would leave without the body. Rowena summoned the dregs of her magic and quickly charmed her shoe to become a portkey. “Take it. Now. I’ll look after Max.”

“No!” Eden said, her voice more raspy and deeper than it had been. She sounded older. Which was likely because she’d been choked.

“I’m not leaving..” But it was too late. Max had moved out of Eden’s grasp and Rowena had snatched him away.

“Bloody interfering hobgoblin!” Eden shouted at the empty air. With an angry sigh Eden turned to Emory. He hadn’t moved. He was still laying in the same spot. His eyes were open wide and he was staring into the night sky. Dread knotted Eden’s stomach as she rushed to his side. She collapsed next to him, her hands cupping his face.

“Hey Em, wake up. It’s over, the bitch is gone.” Eden said softly, as she caressed his cheek. His skin was so cold and waxy. Too cold. He was too cold. And his she could feel bone. He looked older. His cheeks had sucken in a bit. He looked like skin and bones. All angles. Like he had been drained of blood. Fear rippled through Eden and she rough shook Emory.

“Get up this isn’t funny,” Eden said panic rising as Emory’s body just flopped. Tears welled up in Eden’s eyes as she placed her hand on his chest. Nothing. He wasn’t breathing. Emory wasn’t breathing. Like Papa hadn’t been breathing. There had been too much blood then. Eden had been covered in it when she had tried to wake up Papa. At least there was no blood now.