“What?” She eyed the group back. “What?!” She repeated when they said nothing. “Maybe it was an anchor for all the other spells.” Dee huffed her face was becoming flushed and beads of sweat were forming on her face.

Maddy could tell she was pulling at straws. Why use it as an anchor for other spells in the first place?

“This is dumb.” She reached for his hand and pulled them both into a stand, “Come on we can talk about stuff without these guys.”

He didn’t move. “There you go again. Why do you keep suggesting we leave?”

“Yes, Dee,” Greyson grinned, casually standing to his feet. His back muscles rolled as he stretched. "Why do you keep suggesting that?”

The lights in the ceiling seemed to shine brighter. He glanced out the window to see the moon had been completely blocked out by heavy rain clouds.

“Because…” Dee stalled, crossing her arms and pursing her lips. “This is all clearly too much for Maddy. None of you understand how sensitive he is.”

His brow twitched. He could feel his stomach bubbling and his head throbbing but he knew it wasn’t from whatever spellbinding he was under. “Dee, please don’t tell me how I’m feeling.”

The rest of the group turned to face him. Bill quirked his head quizzically, Taiyo kept his face neutral, and Dee sucked in a heavy breath through half-closed lips, but it was Greyson’s smirk that caused his chest to start pumping at double speed.

While he was ahead, he continued, “I know you’re just looking out for me, but what is it your father want me to forget.”

Dee’s lower lip quivered as she spoke, “I- I really don’t know. Daddy always said it was to keep your powers in check, forgetting what you’ve done might have been a way to take away your pain.”

“Or your control,” Taiyo said with a narrowed-eye expression.

“Exactly,” He paced the tiny space, and Maddy watched carefully as the fork he was still holding onto bounced against his lips. “What is it you’re afraid he’ll find out?”

The sky grumbled above them as large globs of rain pelted down onto the roof.

A knot formed in his stomach as Greyson stopped right in front of Dee.

“Nothing!” Dee said taking a step back.

“You’re lying.” Greyson took another step forward toward her. His eyes grew as dark as the clouds outside.
Lightening flashed through the windows.

Greyson’s figure looked overbearing and sinister compared to Dee, like the big bad wolf about to snatch up Little Red Riding Hood.

He’s not the big bad wolf. You are. The thought came to Maddy like a snakebite, quick, painful, and likely to spread.

“Step back!” Dee jutted her chin up at him, her long hair falling off her shoulders and flowing down her back.

“You’re too close!”

Thunder roared from a distance.

“Stop…” He tried, but his voice wasn’t strong enough.

“That’s funny just a few days ago, you couldn’t get enough of me.” Greyson flashed a wicked smile. “Did you make a promise with Mommy and Daddy to keep me busy? To keep Maddy away from me?”

Another flash came from the sky as the rain came down harder.

“Or maybe you thought of that last one on your own.” Greyson pressured. “Maybe, you thought if he finds out the truth of where he came from he’ll leave you?”

Dee sucked in a breath. Her pupils grew wide.

“You don’t want him to know about the Boarder to Nellz because you’re afraid that he’ll realize there’s a whole fucking world out there where he’s not the only one of his kind.” Greyson was relentless. “Where he’s probably got family.”

The blood in Maddy’s veins ran cold.

Dee shook her head violently and grabbed the side of her chair for support.

Bill stood up and walked around the table, “Hey, she said back off.” He pushed his arm against Greyson’s chest.

Greyson yanked Bill’s arm away, never breaking eye contact with Dee, “You’d hate that, wouldn’t you? Being here left all alone, having no one to dote on you, to love you.”

“No!” Dee shouted as the sound of thunder cracked through the air.

“Bingo.” Greyson grinned.

And then Dee threw up all over Greyson’s boots.