*To Give Or Not To Give*

Phoenix sat in her father's study and took out the journal he kept, the journal she had been caught reading one day.

Anthrax is in trouble.

Something has happened to him. I do not know since he isn't telling me. But he's got shadows in his eyes. He's got a wariness that is not like him.

I haven't seen his son. I wonder if he lives, or if he died soon after Nysalis. But Anthrax isn't himself. I want to help.

Neclord is on the move. I am certain he has his gang going around killing innocent people. I can't allow Soleil to play at the park. I can't give her happiness when she could be taken or killed any moment. Not when her brother is on the way. Not when Anthrax begged for my help with Zegrath. To help hide the boy, who would be around six or seven now. I said I would. But when I said he could hide too, Anthrax said it was impossible. My friend…

Phoenix closed the journal at the sound of a knock, placing it in a drawer. "Come in."

Elliot walked in. He closed the door gently and looked around. "Nice room."

"My father's."

He didn't seem surprised. "Phoenix, can we talk?"

Phoenix stood and walked around the desk to the couch, gesturing for Elliot to do the same. When he was seated beside her, she tucked some hair behind her ear and took a deep breath. "Elliot, some things can't be shared. Some things can only be shared in pieces."

"I don't want to know what you aren't comfortable sharing," he said softly. "I just want to understand why you are the way you are."

She gave a sad smile. "There is a lot that goes into that explanation, but the main reason is Neclord, leader of the Ironshades."

She told him about that night long ago, about a man who went against orders to save her life, about watching that man getting beat up for it. She shared with him that she had been hidden away, somewhere safe, for fifteen years. But she wouldn't share where. Then she got to the hard bit.

"When I bought you, Elliot, I wasn't lying when I said I didn't want a servant." She grabbed his hands and squeezed. "I wanted a companion, a friend, but more than that, I wanted a brother because I lost mine."

Elliot's eyes widened with understanding. While he had loved her more intimately,, she had loved him in a different way, had protected him the same way she would protect a sibling. It made sense why she was hiding her pain, her weaknesses. "Phoenix, while you are stronger than me, I'm not as fragile as a four year old."

"No, you're not. I know that, have seen it when we went on our errands. But it doesn't change my instinct."

He nodded. "What about Onyx? What happened with him? Why did you leave?"

Phoenix closed her eyes. "I left to protect you, and to hide. I was injured and needed to heal."

"But you continued to hide even after being healed."

"Again, I was protecting you."

Elliot shook his head. "Onyx could have used me against you! He could have killed me!"

Phoenix nodded. "I know! Trust me, I know!"

"Then why?"

"If I had come back, if I had brought you with me, then everything I have worked for would have been lost."

"What do you mean?"

Phoenix gestured about. "Everything in the house, Elliot. Each piece of furniture that wasn't bolted down was stolen. It wasn't just the jewels. Everything of my family's possessions were taken and sold for money."

"So I am just someone you placed here to guard your heirlooms?" he asked, taken aback.

She shook her head, going to the bookshelf and taking out a book. She grabbed a few pieces of folded paper and went back to sit beside him. Handing them over, she said, "Not just guard, Elliot."

Elliot unfolded them and blinked down at the will with everything in the house going to him if she died. He felt his stomach lurch. "You thought you were going to die?"

"At some point, yes." She wiped her eyes. "I haven't just taken you in, made you do chores and go with me on errands because I wanted my belongings back. I wanted someone I trust to have them and not sell them for money when I'm gone."

Elliot looked up at her. "I can't accept this."

She shrugged. "That's why I never told you. But I don't trust anyone else, Elliot."

"What about Aurora?"

Phoenix shook her head. "I don't know her, Elliot. I don't know what she would do with the house. I know you well enough that you wouldn't do that. You don't greed for money or power. Only peace, which I haven't given you."

Onyx opened the front door to the knock and found a familiar face. His eyes darkened. "What are you doing here?"

The man smiled, grey eyes glinting. "You don't have what I want."

"I'm not trapping an innocent creature!"

The man raised a brow. "Innocent? How are any of those creatures innocent? How are we?"

Onyx crossed his arms. "I won't do it."

The man sighed. "Where is Phoenix?"

"Why?"

"We had a deal. I'm hoping she won't go back on hers like you did."

Onyx clenched his jaw. He didn't like this person. Something was wrong about him. Something more wrong than Neclord. "What is he doing here?" Ecthrois asked, stepping up behind Onyx.

"Phoenix."

Ecthrois shook his head. "Whatever she's doing, she better be careful." Sighing, Ecthrois crossed his arms and leaned against the doorframe. "Go. I'll watch him."

Onyx went upstairs to the closed door of the study he knew Phoenix was hiding in. He knocked.

He only waited a moment before she opened. "Someone is here for you."

"Who?"

Onyx clenched his fists. "The one who helped you escape."

For a moment, she didn't seem to know who he was talking about, then recognition lit her blue eyes. "I'll be down in a minute."

Onyx nodded then saw Elliot with papers in his hands, tears in his eyes. He left them and went back down to where the man waited. "Want to tell me what is going on between you two?"

"No. Phoenix can if she wants, but I will not." He smiled. "Besides, you wouldn't be able to do what I want if she refuses."

Ecthrois gave a snarl. "Knowing your kind, it is probably something dangerous."

A tilt of the head. "It could be. It could also be something to help."

Before anyone could ask what that meant, Phoenix appeared behind Onyx. She had on an expressionless face as she gently pushed him aside. "Please, can we have a minute alone?"

"What are you doing?" Onyx asked in her ear.

"Nothing that concerns you."

He grabbed her shoulder and spun her around, finding her gaze. "I don't like this!"

She didn't blink. "I don't care. I will do what I must. If you get in my way-"

"Phoenix," Ecthrois interrupted. She looked at him, surprise and irritation in her gaze. "Whatever this is, whatever thing is between you and this thing, you better know what you're doing."

Onyx saw the change in Phoenix's eyes as she seemed to get what Ecthrois was trying to say. "I do. I wouldn't be doing it if I didn't."

Onyx still held her. "Phoenix, please!"

She turned her eyes to him and now he saw something like concern or compassion…he couldn't tell. "I'll explain. Please let me go so I can finish this."

He did. Something told him she had this under control. More than the man knew. She turned away and walked out of the house, closing the door behind her. He strained to hear anything, but silence was the only thing he heard.

"I may not like her," Ecthrois said, "but she isn't stupid. I do believe she understands what she's doing."

"How?"

"Do you think she would do something she didn't want to do or would endanger her?"

"She put herself in that cage."

"And she said she would never do it again. She said she allowed it once. But she won't allow anyone to trap and try to kill her again. She has changed from that night."

Onyx didn't care.

The door opened and Phoenix walked in. Onyx looked her over, saw no harm, but did see a triumphant glint in her eyes. "What exactly happened between you two?"

She walked into the kitchen, glanced out the windows, then started making food. "Do you remember when he was here and was about to kill me?"

"Not exactly hard to forget."

She glanced at him. "He took something."

"A box."

She nodded. "He was right that day. I had stolen it from a child's bedroom. But I was also telling the truth. It was mine first."

"What is it?" Ecthrois asked.

"Something dangerous, something not." She stopped what she was doing and turned, leaning back against the counter. "A weapon."

"And you gave it to him?" Onyx growled.

Phoenix gave him an incredulous look. "Do I look like I want someone to blow up the world and everything good and innocent in it?"

"You tricked him." Ecthrois said.

She nodded. Onyx blinked. "The box isn't the weapon. Just what holds it. I took the weapon out."

"So, what did you give him?" Onyx asked, finally catching on as the haze of fury began to leave his head.

"I had something similar made while I was hiding. Similar, but not."

"Which means?" Ecthrois encouraged.

"It looks like the weapon. Feels like it too. Even tastes like it!" She shrugged. "The difference is that the weapon he now has will be activated as soon as he touches it."

"How?"

"He will die."

Both men blinked. Then Ecthrois said, "He isn't like us, Phoenix. He can't be stopped by some man made weapon. Only a creature of the Ethereal can stop him."

"Again, I'm not stupid!" She rolled her eyes. When she looked at Onyx, it was with humor. "Remember our game?"

He furrowed his brows. "With the centaurs?"

"It's the only game we had, Onyx, yes."

"What about it?"

"Revos, the one I rode, he is like…" she paused, searching for the word, "…like you were to Neclord." Onyx narrowed his eyes. She didn't notice though. "He was trained in what he does best. Now, he is their leader."

"And what does he do best?"

"You tell me." She crossed her arms. "After all, you are the one who lectured me about them."

"Not that you needed that lecture," he grumbled.

Her gaze didn't waver. "As you said, they're warriors. The best. Revos is at the top. His female deals in powders and potions."

Ecthrois choked on a laugh. Both looked at him. Onyx was wondering what was so funny. Phoenix was staring because she didn't think the man could laugh. When he finished, he said, "We really underestimated you, didn't we, Phoenix?"

She shrugged. "A bit."

Ecthrois turned to Onyx. "She really would have been one of us if Neclord didn't want her dead so badly."

Onyx didn't say anything, but felt joy at the compliment.

Phoenix said, "Speaking of Neclord…"

"No!" Onyx hissed. "Don't start with him!"

She raised a brow. Ecthrois said, "He's a bit pissy because our boss hadn't shared all the details about you."

Onyx turned dark, menacing eyes to him. "I wonder why!"

"I don't care what any of you were told," she said. They looked at her. "And I don't care what reactions you will have about what I'm about to say."

"Why do I get the feeling you're going to do something stupid?" Onyx asked.

"It's not."

"Debatable coming from you," Ecthrois said.

She sighed. "I'm going to get into his office and get some information."