I spent the next hour bawling in tears as David tried his best to console me. I couldn't understand what had just happened. Did I cause Vierre to change like that? Was all of this my fault? I looked around the restaurant, as we were now back inside. The staff did their best to see to David's injuries, though they recommended that he go to the clinic. Then they served me tea; I guessed as thanks for saving their establishment from Vierre. But everything just felt lost on me. I felt numb and broken inside. Despite the warmth of the mug, it did nothing about the chill beneath my chest.

Remorse and guilt washed over me like the torrential downpour outside. I should have acted sooner. He’s a monster now in spite of me. My whole body shook as I stared down into the tea. I imagined the blackness of the tea as the blackness that had now corrupted his heart. Wasn’t there something I could have done?

"You shouldn't blame yourself," David whispered as he watched me from across the table. "It's not all on you, Kairine. Some of it is my fault too."

I shook my head. "You're the one who wanted to save him!” I choked as I sobbed, tears dripping down and soaking through my dress. “And now that is obviously impossible!" I felt my chest and throat tightening as though an asthma attack could come on at any moment.

"That's true. . . But you saw what no one else did. . ." said David, rubbing my shoulder. "In a way, you kind of predicted this would happen. . ."

I threw my head into my hands as I sobbed even more. Somehow the thought that I had predicted this would happen made it all worse. "If I knew this would happen, then why couldn't I do anything to stop it?!"

"Kairine. . ." he replied, though he seemed unsure of what to say. "Even with all of your amazing powers, you can't stop everything that you predict. Some things are just out of your control. This isn't your fault. . . This is a choice that he made."

A choice he made—for some reason, those words stuck with me. This was Vierre's decision, even if  it was the worst choice he could have made. Did that really mean that this was his fault alone? Didn't we hold some responsibility? Was there more we could have done to steer him away from this course? I should have done more to help him. Maybe then he wouldn’t have turned out this way.

I looked up at him with a sudden thought. "Where's the book?" I asked him. The last I knew, he had taken it with him from the library to keep anyone else from making a similar terrible choice.

"It's safe. . . Don't worry about it," he replied. "Vierre's not getting near it."

"Evilon. . ." I corrected him. That was what he called himself now. Vierre, as we knew him, was officially dead. Where did I go wrong? What could I have done differently? More tears dripped onto my dress as I clenched my fists tightly. This is my fault. Maybe he became the monster I always thought him to be. "Might as well have a funeral. . . There's no coming back from this. . . What he's changed into."

David laughed nervously. "Do you want to go to another funeral, not even a month after your dad's?"

I choked on a laugh. He had a good point; it was a little too soon after Dad's funeral. Though our memory of Vierre's former self was unique. We were the only ones who knew him before he changed. "I wonder if we could find his family. . ." I said, deep in thought. "They deserve to know what's become of him."

David nodded. "I'll look into it," he said, getting up and reaching out his hand. "For now, let's get you home. . . So that I can apologize to your godfather for the absolutely abysmal date."

I laughed again as I took his hand and stood on my feet. "This isn't your fault. As you said, none of this was within our control. This was Vierre; or, Evilon. This was his choice."

"Still. . ." he said as he looked around the restaurant. "The next date will be a lot better, that I can promise."

I couldn't help but chuckle. "Awfully presumptuous, aren't we?"

"A guy can hope. . ."

Just then, a man approached us. He was wearing a fine, noble suit with a black jacket and a white shirt, and had tousled brown hair that matched his coffee-brown eyes. I assumed he was the manager. "I would love to say thank you both so much for fighting off that monster. . . The next time you come to dine with us will be entirely on us!" he announced.

"Oh no, that's really unnecessary. . ." I began. But David cut me off.

"We might take you up on that. Thank you, sir."

The manager bowed to us, and I bowed in return. When he was gone, I eyed David, who was peering back at me. He shrugged. "Kairine, once in a while, you've just got to say thank you and move on. . . When people want to thank you for helping them out, just let them."

I rolled my eyes. "It's wrong, in my opinion, to take advantage of those we help. . ."

"That's what you think it is?"

As we reached the door, I turned back to him. "Isn't it?"

"Maybe sometimes it is, but not all the time," he responded. "This was a pretty major thing. Vierre could have done a lot of damage here had we not led him outside. People could have been hurt."

I sighed. I agreed to disagree with him and left it at that. He might have been right about how much damage Vierre could have done had we not done something. But it still felt to me as though we were taking advantage of the restaurant's gratitude—maybe I was wrong—I didn't really know. I did appreciate his perspective. It was just how I felt.

Once outside, David abruptly froze. As I came up beside him, my mouth dropped at the sight before us.

The large sandstone brick I had used on Vierre had somehow ended up on the hood of the automobile. "So. . ." started David. "Whose driving is worse, yours with those powers, or mine?"

I glared at him and shook my head, saying nothing. I suppose we were walking home now. . .

As we finally arrived back at the apartment, it was late. The clock in the middle of the Palace District square read nearly midnight. Seth was sitting up on the sofa, glaring as I stepped through the door, his arms crossed. "Before you say anything. . ." I started as David came in behind me. "Vierre attacked us." I hoped that would get him to understand how wrong he was about him. But he actually surprised me with his reaction.

He bolted to his feet. "What?!" he exclaimed as he made his way over to me. "Are you alright?!"

"Yes. . . I'm fine," I replied as I looked up at David. "We were able to lead him out of the restaurant and fight him off, but Seth, he's changed. . . Transformed, rather."

"Congratulations!" David exclaimed as I immediately shot a look at him. "Your prodigy is now a lich!"

Seth glared at him, as did I for a long time. Was this really the time for him to make jokes about it? But there was one other question that burned in my mind. "David. . . What's a lich?"

"Bad news," replied Seth as he continued to stare at him. "Tell me everything."

When we had finished telling him about everything that had happened, he leaned back in the recliner as he stared off into space. It felt as though time had stood still as I waited for him to say something, anything. I almost felt as though he were staring right into me, his gaze piercing into my soul. . . but then I realised he wasn't looking at me at all. He wasn't looking at anything.

Finally, the words passed through his lips like a whisper on the wind. "I'm sorry, Kairine. . . You were right all along."

I could scarcely believe what I was hearing. Was he finally apologising for not believing me about Vierre? My heart almost stopped in that moment as I waited for him to say more.

Finally, he leaned forward in his chair as he stared right at me. "Liches are incredibly dangerous. . . Once, long ago, there were nine such creatures, more powerful than any other," he said to me. 

"They were known as the Undead Kings. . . But they are long gone from this world. Thank the Gods too. They are evil beyond words. What Vierre has become is essentially something stuck between life and death. He's not quite alive, but he's not dead either, if that makes sense. His soul has been corrupted beyond imagining," he continued as he sighed. "Kairine. . . Understand me when I tell you this. As much as you might blame yourself for what happened, it isn't your fault. It's obvious you were right about him all along. He craved power, and he was going to do anything to get it."

He abruptly rose from his seat and headed for the exit. "Wait. . ." I cried. "Where are you going?"

He looked back at me with a fixed, unreadable gaze. Don’t make me read your mind. Please. "I have to report this to the Council and Fae'roh. . . They need to know that there's a lich in our midst," he said as he then looked at David. "As of now, you are enrolled in Almahna Academy. I want you to stick by her like glue. She is under your protection. It is clear to all of us here that he's after Kairine. For whatever reason, she is his target."

When Seth was gone, David and I looked at one another. Something about the entire situation had him really spooked. I had never seen him like that. He seemed to pay particular attention to the 'lich' part. "Well. . ." he said, shrugging. "Looks like you're definitely not getting rid of me now."

I shook my head. "Not that I wanted to, anyway. . ." I replied, though I didn't know why I had just admitted that. Peering back toward the window behind us, I looked to the moons. "To be honest with you. . . I feel safe with you. I always have. There's just something about you, like a calming presence. Being with you makes me feel safe," I said, smiling faintly. "This might not have been the most ideal date. . . But I had a good time. I blame Vierre for how it ended."

He simpered back to me as he gently took my hand into his. "I did, too. . ."

I stood to my feet as I gazed at him. "Do you mind staying over for the night? Given everything, I don't think Seth would mind. . ." I whispered. "And it would help me sleep better tonight."

"Not at all Just might want to keep your sister away. . ." he replied, pointing toward the hall. As I looked, there was Zoe, peering out from behind the corner. "I'll stay on the couch. Don't worry about me."

I gleamed as I turned back to face my sister, who had now come out of hiding. "What's this about you being attacked?" She questioned as I approached.

I pursed my lips as I glanced at her. Not knowing what to tell her, I also really didn't want her storming off after Vierre. Though I knew her threats were always hollow and that she never meant them, I didn't know what she would do in this case. I was attacked by a madman who wanted me dead. She might very well decide to go after him, and that would only get her killed. A pain shot through my heart at the thought of that. I’ve lost enough people. I really can’t lose her too.

"It was Vierre. . . He's back. . ." I said finally, deciding the truth was best. "Please don't worry about it. I'm fine. David saved me."

She observed him as he peered back at her with a slight smile. Then she turned back to me. "Maybe I've been wrong about him. . . Maybe," she replied, crossing her arms. She began to turn away when suddenly she whipped back around and wrapped her arms around me. "I'm so glad you're safe."

I was taken aback by her sudden affection, and at a complete loss for words as I cracked a smile, hugging her back. Then, just as suddenly, she tore away in a huff and charged off. I smirked, knowing that wouldn't last. Though it was nice while it lasted.

"Not that she will ever admit it," said Seth's voice from behind me. As I turned to look at him, he gave me a half-smile. "She was worried sick about you all night."

I stared back at her bedroom door in disbelief. Maybe she cared more for me than she let on, and there was a tender, caring heart under the gruff and tough exterior after all. I chuckled at the thought as a smile spread across my face. It told me one thing: there was a chip in her armour.

And I was determined to get her to take down the wall once and for all.