Aideen was never so relieved to see both Elodie and Kira storming past her various friends, angry but alive.

Elodie had stopped texting her after Aideen had sent a text explaining that the Paladins might have survived, and it was unlikely, and why on Earth was Elodie asking this? 

It didn't take a genius, merely a cynic, to assume the worst. 

And as for Kira— since Kira was in the same place, Aideen had tried to get ahold of her as well. But Kira hadn't replied.

"We need to talk," Elodie said.

"Now." Kira's eyes glowed gold as she said it, truly terrifying and dragon-like in her expression.

"Excuse us a minute." Aideen pushed her locker closed, and followed the girls to an alcove in the hallway made especially for teenagers to chat in. "I'm so happy to see you guys, I was so worried—"

"I needed you," Elodie said, crossing her arms over her chest. "I ran into Paladins."

Kira looked to Elodie. "Is that who those guys were?"

"The Paladins?" Aideen blinked. They were myth, legend, just like Abraxas Ananta and his four sons. The idea that they would still be around was unthinkable. That they might exist still in their modern world. 

"Yeah, they stopped my dads in the road, kept demanding I get out of the car," Kira said. "It was so scary, I had no idea who they were—"

"That's nothing," Elodie interrupted. "They stalked me into the bathroom and tried to attack me with knives. I had to jump out a seventh-story window."

"What?" Aideen nearly dropped her messenger bag. "How are you still—"

"I managed to hover, but that's not the point," Elodie added hastily. "The point is, why didn't you tell us they were still around?"

"Because I didn't know." Aideen's throat went dry. "No one told me, either."

"Then either the Council of Crowns didn't want us to know, or—" Kira stopped, and hunched, trying to hide behind her friends. 

"What's wrong?"

"Don't look—"

Elodie did, and quickly looked away, her dark brown eyes wide and frightened. "There's a boy over there— he was one of the ones who chased me out the window."

Aideen looked in the general direction. Immediately she spotted the well-worn leather jacket, the floppy brown hair, and sparkling dark blue eyes. 

"Who, the cute guy?"

"He's not so cute when his lady friend threatens your dads," Kira muttered.

"Don't look at him!"

"Don't look at who?"

Kira whirled around, dropping her books and nearly hitting the lanky blonde guy who had approached from behind. Her hand flew to her heart. "Galileo! That wasn't funny!"

"Sorry." He pushed up his apple-red glasses and knelt down, helping her pick up her books and papers. Aideen looked into the crowd— the cute guy was gone. She and Elodie helped Kira, who now looked significantly paler, and seemed to flinch in every direction. 

"I'm really sorry about that," Galileo said. 

"Who's this?" Elodie asked, exchanging a look between the new boy and Aideen.

"Oh, I'm Galileo Schuyler, I'm Kira's neighbor," he said. He looked to Kira. "Sorry, I just— I remembered that you wanted me to walk you to class. We've got about six minutes till first bell."

"Oh, yeah, right." Kira tucked a reddish-brown strand behind her ear, exposing her purple tentacle-shaped earrings. "Sorry, guys— I'll see you at lunch?"

"Yeah," Aideen agreed. "We'll talk later."

"Why didn't you tell me the Paladins were still around?" 

Felecia looked up in surprise. "I beg your pardon, young lady? That is not how we talk to one another in this house—"

"My friends were attacked this weekend," Aideen said, slamming down her messenger bag. "After Dr. Gershwin's presentation at Skycroft. They even saw them at school."

"Are you sure they were Paladins?" Felecia asked. "There are some wannabe groups—"

Aideen's jaw dropped. "You never told me that, either! Why didn't you ever tell me the dragon-hunters were still around?"

"Well, you were little, and I wanted you to think it was an accident—"

"Oh my—" The wheels were turning in Aideen's head. "They murdered my parents, didn't they?"

Felecia hesitated a moment— before making her decision. "Yes. They did."

"I—" Aideen spluttered, backing away. "I can't believe you!"

"Aideen Elaine—"

"No." Aideen shook her head, backing away. "I can't believe you wouldn't tell me any of this! What if they'd come before now? Would you ever have told me?"

Felecia hesitated, and that was all Aideen needed for confirmation. "I can't do this."

"Just where do you think—"

Before Felecia could finish her command, Aideen stormed out of the Wentworth house. She had no direction, no aim. Only the need to get away, to be restless.

Aideen walked through the door to the used books and records store that Felecia had told her used to be a favorite of her mother's. 

Her favorite section was of historical murder-mysteries, and she looked through the old paperbacks, her fingers trailing along the worn spines and faded titles. Her hand finally came across a book that she wanted just as a hand reached for it, callused and with a few scars.

She retracted her hand in shock, and looked to see the cute guy from earlier. 

"Sorry," he said, smiling pleasantly. "You can have that one. There's plenty here I haven't tried yet." 

"I— thank you." Aideen took it down from the shelf. "I saw you in school, earlier today. Are you new?"

"Yeah, my family moved here this weekend," he said. "Our work brought us here."

He looked around before looking back to her. "What's your name?"

She didn't want to say her name. So she said that of her mother's: "Elaine."

"Nice to meet you." He reached his hand to shake hers. She hesitated a moment, before accepting.

He's a Paladin!

A part of her was screaming. But another part of her wanted to go along with this. It felt like a scene in some other girl's life. Not hers. She was supposed to be a Pendragon. Not the love interest of some monster-hunter.

But nonetheless, she did.

"I'm Ansel." 

"It's nice to see you around." Aideen smiled. "So you like murder mysteries?"

"I'm not usually a reader, don't have a lot of spare time, but when I can, I do." He shoved his worn hands into the pockets of his even more worn-out jacket. "Come here often?"

"My mother used to come here with me." A lie— with an element of the truth. 

"What happened to her?"

"Car crash, she and Dad both went at the same time." Aideen managed a sad smile. 

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be, it was a few years ago."

A silence drifted over them both, and the boy checked his watch. "I'm sorry, Elaine— I've got to go."

"I hope to see you again." Earnest and bright, Aideen couldn't help herself. 

He smiled again. "I hope for the same."