"Curtis! Are you down here?"

None of the candles are lit, and when I try to breathe fire into them, the spark doesn't last. I cling to the edge of the wall as I walk slowly down the steps into the artifact chamber. I've spent hours down here, but this is the first time it feels. . . eerie.

"Curtis," I call. "This isn't funny."

My foot hits the flat pavement and I scroll my eyes around the large room, I conjure light to all of the candles, and the room becomes brighter. It's clear that Curtis isn't here, and I don't have time to search the entire castle for him. I approach my mother's spell book that he left open on a table, when I go to grab it, the pages start flipping. The book closes itself. And then a soft wind travels around the room, blowing out the light. It's silent and my heartbeat starts to accelerate. There is suddenly a small creak from the corner of the room and in the shadows of the corner, I see the outline of something terrifying. I move backwards towards the steps as the creature stares at me. I begin shaking as I relight the candles, but the shadow is gone.

I walk around the room slowly, keeping my eyes on that corner as my trembling hands reach out for the spell book. When I look back, I am greeted with the inhuman face of a demon. Its eyes are giant holes with no colour, its skinless jaw breaks as it expands to the entire width of its head, letting out a low frequency growl that impales my head with pain. Black blood drips from its muscle-torn mouth as its razor-sharp teeth of hundreds snap at my face. I scream. The creature's claws, with thin, bendy nails, wrap around the book and it drags it along the table. It's then that I realise I've seen the creature before, weeks ago in the library. It attacked me and I believed it was a hallucination, a product of Vienna's reach. But I can feel how real it is. Even when I resurface my demon side, the creature doesn't fade. It springs itself over the table and leaps at me.

I fall to the floor, scurrying backwards. The creature's back snaps as it stands straight, its head starts twisting in a sinister set of notions when my hands turn blue. The creature halts its attack, breathing shallowly at my hands. And then the lights turn out again.

I am plunged into blackness, and I can't see anything. It grabs my legs and pulls me along the floor on my back. I squirm and scream, trying to kick my way to freedom. Its claws dig into each of my shoulders, impaling me to the floor. Even in the darkness, I can see into its eyes. It sticks them directly over my face, forcing me to look inside. It growls at me again, louder this time. Inside the creature's eyes, I see the burning bodies of millions. Their cries of agony, their hopeless attempt at trying to survive, their souls banished to a world of darkness and misery. I scream so loud that I fear I'll lose my voice. It is a scream of pure terror, and the creature likes it.

I am trapped in that state for what feels like years. There is no escape from it, it feeds off of my fear, my power, I cannot close my eyes, no matter how hard I try. A bright green light suddenly lights up the room and the creature releases me, its head twisting towards the steps. It squeals at something and then vanishes.

I pat down my whole body in a frenzy, feeling violated and powerless. I manage to sit up, with sweat dripping down my skin, and I meet the eyes of a pale white Curtis who holds up the amulet in a state of shock.

"Curtis," I whisper. "Thank god."

"That was a demon," he says quietly, his eyes fixated on the air. "That was. . . a demon."

"Yeah and he wasn't very friendly," I say. "Did the amulet do that? Scare him away?"

"I. . . I think so."

The light returns around the chamber and I slowly get to my feet. Even though I know it's gone, I still check the corner.

"They can't be in our world for more than a few seconds," he says. "And they're not strong enough to physically attack in their own form. But it did. What happened, Theresa? Why are you here?"

"Amara is dead," I pant. "We killed her. She ambushed us at the Red Camp. We got the humans out and I think they're safe."

"You think they're safe?"

"I went back to Arizona," I say. "and I. . . I've taken her place."

"She's dead?" he mutters. "No, this is bad."

"I need to take the amulet back with me. There's a council, and they think the amulet can help us."

"If Amara's dead then the demons will get stronger. You've just erased their biggest threat; they have no reason for delay now. And if you take her place, they're going to come for you first."

I stare at him. If he's right, then killing Amara might have just been the biggest mistake of our lives. I was powerless against that demon, it rendered me mortal, it tried to enter my soul and destroy it. If just one could do that, then how am I supposed to defend myself against all of them?

"What do I do?" I demand.

"I decoded your mother's spell book," he says, walking towards the table. He picks it up and flips through the pages, he shows me a passage at the back. "I know how your ancestors killed their Elder. But, they didn't kill her at all."

"What?" I say.

"They used dark magic to create a spell that took away her powers, your mother called it the mortal spell. If an Elder is separated from her magic, and the magic is placed in something strong enough to hold it, then the Elder can never regenerate. They placed the Elder's magic inside this amulet. She became mortal and lived the rest of her life as a human. The Harmons then hid the amulet so no Elder could be capable of using it or destroying it. It is the only way to truly stop an Elder."

"Are you telling me that. . . Amara can be resurrected?"

"I'm surprised she hasn't already," he says. "But only an Elder can resurrect another Elder."

"I can't bring her back," I say, laughing at the thought of it. "It's not happening. And I'm not descended from a god. I don't have that kind of power."

"Find it," he says. "The amulet might not allow demons to come close to whoever is wearing it, but there is a big world out there. Trust me when I say, I would rather have Amara wreaking havoc than them."

I sigh. "If I do that then the truce with the Slayers will never even start. Sam will probably kill me and Amara will take the amulet for herself. It was just one demon. . . maybe we still have time."

"The demon came for you," he says. "If he can't get to you, then he'll go after anyone you care about. Sam can protect us here, but you need to protect your people."

"The covens aren't my people," I say. "I don't actually know who my people are." I wander over to a chair and I take a seat, placing my head in my hands. "I discovered something today, about who I really am, and I don't know what it means."

"Are you referring to the fact that you are half Slayer?"

I stare at him. "How did you-?"

"I wish I could take credit, but it wasn't me that made the connection. Sam came to me with the idea the day you survived transportation. I told him he was nuts, he believed me. And then you saw through his invisibility shield on the bridge, and ever since then, I've been making it my task to go invisible around you. You always saw me. You didn't even know you were doing it; it was a natural reflex."

"Why didn't you tell me?" I whisper.

"Because I didn't want to scare you. We didn't have any proof. It was just a suspicion. If you've engaged with your Slayer side on a bigger level then that could be how the demon sensed you were here. They can track us."

"Does firing lightning from my hands qualify?" I laugh nervously.

"Yeah, that'd do it."

I fall quiet and he reads my worries with his own concerns. He begins to circle me slowly, and I know he's about to deliver some brutal honesty that I don't think I can handle.

"Theresa," he whispers.

I take a deep breath. "Yes?"

"You have to choose a side. I know you've taken the Elder position to free the mortals, but once you receive that coronation, there is no going back. In the eyes of the demons, you are declaring war. We will be forced to fight you. Sam will be forced to kill you. This is a very serious decision that you can't make lightly, and you certainly can't make it just to correct Amara's mistakes."

"Can't Sam do something?" I say, wiping away tears. "Can't he stop them?"

He shakes his head, glancing at me sadly. "Sam can't defy them. They own him. His life, his soul, everything."

"So then they'll own Sophia too," I say. Curtis widens his eyes. "Sam made the announcement today. She's next, Curtis."

My revelation renders him speechless. I've never seen Curtis afraid, until now. He loves Sophia, and that's obvious, but this is the moment he learns he's lost her. I didn't want to be the one to tell him, but Sam declared it like it was the biggest honour. It isn't an honour, it isn't good, and deep down I know it's the last thing he wants for her.

"What if I don't choose?" I say. "What if being a part of both worlds is what I'm meant to do?"

"You have to choose," he whispers as he stares at the floor. "You can't declare yourself as both Slayer and witch, even if it's what you are. You are something that has never happened before. The demons will want to turn you and control you; the angels will want to punish you. They will tear you in half."

"But Sam wanted me to be Elder. He said we can work together to start a truce between both species."

"Sam is foolish," Curtis hisses. "He's in denial. He thinks he can delay the demons and convince them to stay hidden. The witches have no idea about what's coming and I think you need to inform them."

"If I become Elder, if I sacrifice my Slayer side and become a whole manifestor, then what are my chances? Will it be for nothing?"

"I don't know, Theresa. I don't know what the best choice is. I don't think there is one. Maybe we're all doomed and we just have to accept it."

"I won't accept it." I stand up, and he eyes me cautiously. "I am half witch, half Slayer. I am descended from the demons and I am descended from the angels, and that amulet recognises that. It trusts me. It wouldn't even let Amara take it from me. You, and everyone else, tell me to choose, but I think the amulet is telling me something else. It's telling me that both species can fight together, they can live in peace together, and I am living proof that that they can even. . . love each other."

"What you feel for us isn't love," he says. "It's just messed up DNA."

"I was referring to my parents but thanks for that, Curtis."

"If you want to protect us, then do it as an Elder that sympathises with Slayers. Not as one of us. If you declare that to the witches, it won't do you any good. It'll cause confusion, panic, unnecessary rebellions. Who knows? If you're not a threat, maybe the demons will leave you alone."

I blink at him. He's distracted now, and I've caused that. I don't think he even knows what he's saying. I don't know how to snap him out of it. Curtis has always been neutral when it comes to magic and witchcraft, and that's why he's the only person I can trust with my decision. But this isn't helping. I'm at a crossroads, my entire life is spiralling out of control and I can't anchor it.

"Help me, Curtis. Please."

"I can't help you. When the others return, I will have to tell them that I saw a demon inside our home. Sam will be furious; he will go down there to confront them and. . . he might not come back. If they remove him, it's over. Everything will change. It's already changing."

"Then tell me how to kill them."

"You can't kill them," he says. "You can only banish them. And even then, you'll need Amara's help. You both have to use the amulet, a pure Elder and the one it chooses to bear it. It's written in the first journal."

"I have to choose the lesser evil," I whisper. "If I do it, how would I...?"

"First, you'd need to be recognized as an Elder. Not just by the amulet, or the covens, but by your ancestors. Then, you'd need to perform a ritual using a personal item of Amara's, preferably her DNA. In one of the journals, they found the most effective way was a hairbrush. The journals will guide you on how to use your manifestation. But, there's a catch."

"I think I know what the catch is," I say.

"Even manifestation must be balanced within nature. To bring someone back from the dead, a life must be sacrificed. And also, those that they brought back, they didn't last longer than a week."

I sigh. It is the most common balance of all, a life for a life. Is any life worth sacrificing for Amara? No. But is a life worth sacrificing for the world? Yes. I don't know if I'm suffering after-effects from the dark spell I cast, but I'm considering it. I hate myself for it, it's the part of me that I never wanted to embrace. We all have a dark side, no matter how hard we try to suppress it, and mine is now alive.

"This. . . life," I say, choking down on it. "Does it have to be a witch?"

Curtis smiles sadly. "They sacrificed Slayers, Theresa. I guess it could be anyone."

"Bag me those journals. Everything."

Curtis nods and walks around the room to gather the books. In the minutes that I have spare, I approach the table. I pick up the green amulet, observing its light glow as my fingers graze over the crystal. I place it around my throat once again. It is the safest place for it, until I decide what to do with it. I shift uncomfortably as a warm blanket surrounds me, placing me in a bubble of false security. My mother's spell book is the last thing to be bagged, and I drop into Curtis' rucksack before he zips it closed and passes it to me. I fold the strap around my shoulder, and there's only one thing left to say.

"Whatever you decide to do, don't do it for us," he says. "Do it for everyone."

"Thank you, Curtis. For everything. I'll miss you." I embrace him for a short moment, and it's like hugging a younger brother. I have to hold back tears as we part. "Tell Sophia that I'm sorry. Tell her that one day, I hope she can forgive me."

"I will."

"If I do become Elder, then you are always welcome in Arizona. If something happens here and you need me, then don't hesitate to come. No matter how much time has passed, promise me that if the unit is in danger, you will find me."

"I promise," he says.

"Goodbye."

"Goodbye, Theresa."

I hold my breath as I conjure my portal. I'm scared to leave him. What if the demon comes back? What if Curtis goes looking for it? I won't ever forgive myself if something happens to him, and neither would Sophia. But I can't stay here forever. He made that pretty clear. I have to choose, and before I do that, there's one more person I need to see.

I stumble through the portal and my boots crunch against leaves. I glance around the familiar trees which provide shelter from the light rain that begins to fall. It's darker here now, and the sun is almost set, I must have been in Arizona a lot longer than I thought.

I hear the cheers from the camp and the sound is the happiest in the world. I clench a hand to my chest as I watch the humans from afar. The unit is there, along with the new additions, and the news of Amara's death is spreading joy to all of them. I see small glimpses of Milasia and Megan, but the others are out of view. I wait on the floor beside the tree, fiddling with some leaves and sticks.

After several minutes, David walks out from the trees. I smile at him, but he looks worried about something, almost sad.

"Hey," I say. "I knew you'd be tracking me."

"Why are you out here?" he asks. "Why aren't you with the others at camp?"

"It's complicated," I say. He takes to the ground next to me and starts playing with the laces of his shoes.

"What's in the bag?"

"Just some books," I say. "Nothing important. I wanted to talk to you about something."

"Okay."

"I have to go away. I'm leaving to go back to Arizona, and I wanted to say goodbye."

"Why?"

"Because you don't need protecting anymore. You're safe now, Amara is gone, forever." I choke on my own lie. "You can leave the camp. You and your dad, you can do whatever you want, go wherever you want."

"What about the witches?" he whispers.

"They won't be a problem anymore. That's why I have to go back to Arizona, to make sure it stays that way."

"I don't want you to go," he says softly. "You said you'd protect me, that you'd keep my secret."

"David, I will always keep your secret, okay?"

"But you can't protect me if you're not here!"

"I'm sorry," I say. "You're too young to understand, but one day you will. When the time comes that you have to make the biggest decision of your life, to embrace who you are, then you can come find me. I will always be there for you, I promise."

I stiffen as he lunges at me. His tiny arms pinch around my stomach and he lightly sobs against my chest. I pat his head gently, my own tears well my eyes.

"I have to go now," I say, wiping my face as I stand up. "Take care of those people up there. You're their protector now."

"Will I never see you again?"

"Never say never. Not in this world. Go now, before they come looking for you."

He hugs me one last time, before he turns and runs towards the camp. He's upset, and that's understandable, but I didn't realise just how much it'd take a toll on me. When David vanishes around a corner, I suddenly realise a face is staring at me from the clearing.

My heart aches as Sam looks directly at me. It takes all of my strength not to crumble to the ground. He's too far away to tell if his eyes are still full of shame, but if they're not, then I know that this moment means something huge for both of us. It is the last time we will look at each other just as us, the same two people who have looked at each other for months. The last time, before everything changes. Before the universe yanks us apart and our only purpose is to hurt each other. In the distance of his face, I know he knows. I can sense it.

The portal returns, and its shimmer gently touches the rim of my body. I hold his eyes for as long as I can before I can take them no more, and I step into the portal.