I had never had a very big family. Not really.

Dad's mother I hadn't seen since Christmas when I was six. She used to get upset that we didn't decorate for any of the Christian holidays. It didn't matter to her that Mom was a pagan and that we didn't celebrate them.

My uncle was a little more involved. But that was it.

It was just us three.

I had no idea what to do with this many relatives.

Breathe Serafina.

Jarec and I were walking to Vivian Hearth's office.

I was a bundle of nerves.

I should have asked Celica if my uniform was straight.

Jarec was quiet. I wished I had some way to tell if he was using telepathy or just had nothing to say.

We arrived at Vivian Hearth's office door.

I raised my fist to knock on the door when I heard something from the other side. It almost sounded like shouting. It reminded me a little of the times I had seen my uncle and Dad bicker.

"Are they always this…" I struggled and failed to find the correct word.

He laughed and without bothering to knock he opened the door.

"We're here!" He announced.

"Um…hi?" I tried. Eloquent Serafina.

Vivian was standing in front of her desk with her hands on her hips and a stern look that made me want to shrink away despite it being aimed at the two men in the room.

One was Reginald Hearth who I remembered meeting before. The other was both familiar and unfamiliar. He looked enough like both of his siblings with the same black hair and green eyes. He had to be Hector Hearth.

I really should have noticed it sooner with how much the Hearths resemble my mother.

Ah well. Nothing I could do about it now.

"She looks almost nothing like Lucinda, doesn't she?" Hector commented.

I had two parents. Of course I wasn't going to be a clone of Mom.

A bolt of purple light shot out from behind Vivian, who had moved her hands to behind her, and then Hector flinched like he had been shocked by static.

How old were they supposed to be again?

Reginald sighed, "Apologies for not saying something sooner. Vivian wanted to follow Lucinda's lead on what you were told."

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"Yeah, that makes sense," I told him. "Certainly better than the alternative."

"Indeed," Vivian agreed.

"Wow this is awkward. I promise the stiffness from her is just her natural expression," Jarec teased.

"Rude," I accused. I mean…he wasn't exactly wrong but still.

"Don't worry so much," he stage-whispered.

Easy for him to say. Also, there was no way that they didn't hear that.

Too bad because my natural state was worried.

"How have your classes been?" Reginald asked. I wished I could tell if he was trying to deflect or not.

"Seriously? Of all the questions you can ask, classes?" Hector reprimanded.

"Where would you like to start?" Reginald countered.

"I don't know, perhaps how they've settled into their new Tower?" Hector rolled his eyes.

And there was the bickering. Oh boy.

I looked over to Vivian who was in the midst of rolling her eyes, then to Jarec to see if this was normal behavior for these two or if perhaps someone should intervene.

Neither of them were helpful.

"That does beg the question how have the two of you been?" Vivian asked.

How honestly did she want me to answer that question?

"It's haunted and spooky and we're thrilled about it," Jarec answered in a deadpan tone.

"Don't start that nonsense again Jarec," Reginald dismissed.

Here we go.

"What he means is that we've seen a few Echoes and come to the conclusion that there's nothing to be worried about." I interrupted because if this was going to be a fight I was going to be on Jarec's side.

"Echoes?" Hector asked and then turned to Vivian.

"That's what they've taken to calling the apparitions inside the Tower," Vivian stated. "I myself have seen and heard a few of them. Apparently when our ancestors decided to call it the Tower of Memories they were being far more literal than we gave them credit for."

Thank you, Vivian.

"Malcarg was known for a great many things, humor wasn't one of them. So that does make sense," Hector commented. "And we both know arguing with her is pointless."

There was a silent stare-off between Vivian and Reginald.

He sighed loudly, "I want no part of this."

"No one is asking you to do anything," Vivian told him firmly. "But they are our coven and we should at least listen."

At least listen? And why did those words feel heavier than the rest of her statements?

What was this really about?

"We've strayed from what I called you all here for," Vivian stated.

There was quiet from the others.

"Being my grandchildren," Vivian began. "There does pose a certain level of risk that comes from the wrong ears hearing the wrong things. I'm worried about particular parties getting word of both of you."

Particular parties? Wait…she couldn't mean…

"I thought he was in a cell somewhere," I commented.

"He is. But he's broken out of cells before," Vivian explained. "And the thing that made him act? Lucinda's first day of attending here. Before the first month was over he had broken out. In two he had found a way to kidnap Lucinda and Ruby along with several other students. My goal is to prevent you two from suffering the same fate."

"So don't tell the whole school," I surmised.

"If he's in prison how would he even know?" Jarec asked.

A fair question.

"Even people with despicable actions have ways of gaining followers. I won't pretend to understand it," Hector commented.

Creepy. People were creepy.

"I understand. My parents already told me to keep Dad's situation under wraps. And you know a lot more about this situation than I do. If you think secrecy is for the best, I'm going to follow your lead."

"Mom says you've always treated him like some kind of bogyman."

"Of course she does," Hector interjected. "Merripen was creepy from day one."

"Here we go again. Maybe don't scare the children with your wild theories," Reginald turned to his brother.

"You're just mad that I was the only one who noticed that something was off about that man."

"Boys." It wasn't aimed at me. But that was a tone that made some deeply ingrained part of me flinch. Fear the Mom Voice.

So that's where Mom learned hers from. Not that she used it much.

This was the Hearth coven?

I could almost see how my mother fit into this strange little puzzle.

But I failed to see how I could ever fit in here.

I had no idea what I was doing here.

But maybe, just maybe, I'd figure it out sometime before I graduate.

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