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I stare at the dagger in her chest; a warm light seems to glow from it. Her skin looks as if it’s shining. I watch as the brown in her hair begins to fade into a pure white.

A moment later, her eyes open. But they’re not the eyes that I’ve always seen.

She stares at me, a kaleidoscope of hues—pink, blue, and purple shine in her irises. But I still see my sister, I still recognize her.

Kai holds his breath, waiting for her to say something.

She sits up slowly and her eyes scan the room. “He’s gone?” she asks quietly.

“He’s gone,” Kai confirms.

She looks at him as if seeing him for the first time, and tears spill from her eyes. She wraps her arms around him as her chest heaves in sharp gasps.

We sit there quietly for a short time, allowing her to let it out. Kai holds her tight. She finally lifts her head, wiping her face.

“Calli is okay.” I speak aloud to Jack still in my ear, when I realize there is no feedback. I pull the earpiece out.

It’s broken.

Looking up at me, she speaks softly, still hiccuping from crying. “Did you see what I saw?”

“Ashur… He has been watching us, all of us,” I say plainly.

“Ashur has been missing for centuries…” Alok says from behind me.

“This whole time… He’s been with us.” Calli visibly shivers as she gazes at the grimoire in Kai’s hand.

“Damn good hiding place. He’s wanted by the council for breaking the laws of reality,” Kai says, eyeing the book.

“What laws?” I ask.

“He is the titan of time and space, his brother Solan, of light and order. He tried to bring back the human he loved and cracked the veil between this world and the next.” Kai stands. “No one knows what that did, exactly, but he has been missing since it happened.”

“Holy fuck…” Calli says, visibly shaken.

“We need to get rid of the grimoire,” I say plainly.

“We can’t. The celestial council is after it, and the both of you. We may need it, and the information it has.”

“And risk him escaping?” Calli spits out.

“He can’t. Not without the right circumstances. Old magic and the intention to free him,” Alok says. “I doubt any of us have that intention, but we know he is there now. If we could talk to him—”

“How the hell do we do that?” Calli asks, looking down at her hand, moving up her arm. Taking in the faint shine catching in the right light, over her now nearly translucent skin. “Why am I so pale?” she asks, genuine curiosity in her tone.

I ignore her, contemplating Alok’s words. I have no information on this threat, or any idea what our next move should be. I look down at my hands and up my forearm. My scars and tattoos all appear like they’re glowing deep red.

I feel like I got a taste of what I can do, and this is something I never saw coming. I imagine I’m harder to kill. The corner of my mouth lifts. At least there’s one benefit.

Kai speaks up again. “An omnipresent pocket titan may come in handy, is all I’m saying.” He waves the grimoire in the air.

“Fine,” I say, turning my head, and rip it out of his hand. “But it stays with me.”

I look down at the grimoire; I hear no whispering. Only silence.

I don’t know if I should take that as a good or bad thing.

“Calli?” a small voice calls out from the entrance.