"Can we hold up for one minute?" Ray shouted, his feet skidding on the pavement as they rounded the corner. "Where are we going? And this... this thing you just said—that it's going to happen again? I need answers now!"
"Ray, you need to calm down," Rouna snapped, though her own voice was trembling. "I know you care about Elisabeth, but you screaming isn't solving anything. We have to follow him. They're connected."
Ray went quiet, his chest heaving. That's the thing, he thought bitterly. I feel like I've already lost her to Jason before I even had the chance to confess. I'm the only one who deserves her, but first, I have to save her. He looked at Jason and gave a stiff nod. "I'm calm. Let's go."
As they sprinted away from the school, a shadow moved behind the corner of the brick building. Jude watched them go, a dark smirk playing on his lips. "Well, well. Where are they off to? I'd better follow. I have a good feeling about this."
Inside the safe house, the air was thick with tension.
"I can't get her involved," Frank said, his voice strained.
"You know we have no choice," Manny countered.
"What choice?" Jason's voice cracked as he burst through the door, Ray and Rouna hot on his heels.
Frank jumped, his eyes wide. "Son! You scared me. When did you get back? And who..." He trailed off, recognizing the faces. "Wait—Rouna? And Ray?"
Manny let out a dry, hollow laugh. "Wow. You kids grew up fast. I remember when Jason used to make fun of you, and Elisabeth would always jump in to protect him."
Ray looked confused. "Wait... I met Elisabeth when we were young? Why can't we remember anything?"
"You all better sit down," Manny said, pulling out a chair. "We've got a long story to tell."
"Honestly, we need to know," Rouna whispered, sinking into a seat. "I've never been so confused in my life."
"I'll start," Frank began. "Back when Manny, the Queen, Jay, Irish, Ash, and John were all close... we were a circle. There was a prophecy that two people of different kinds would fall in love, and it would be their death. I knew Jason carried the Mark of Filima, so I tried to keep him away from the others. I wanted to break the cycle."
"But then," Manny interrupted, "I found out Irish had a child."
"Who is Irish?" Rouna asked.
"This story gets harder to tell when you remember how dark it turned," Manny sighed. "Irish was a Phoenix. She gave birth to a girl named Melody. She and Jason became inseparable. When Melody turned fifteen, Irish told me the truth: Melody had the Mark of Filima, too."
"We didn't know Jason had already marked her," Frank added darkly. "The prophecy unfolded. Melody burned. She burned so bright she lost control. She began to drain every Phoenix in existence. They all came for her, intent on killing."
"Oh no," Rouna gasped. "Don't tell me... Elisabeth..."
"If we don't make it in time, the same thing will happen," Manny said. "Back then, only Elisabeth's mother and I were left. Melody had already accidentally killed her people and her own mother in the fire. When she realized what she'd done, she gave up."
"We knew the only way was to 'reborn' them," Frank said. "Ash cast the spell."
"Wait—my mother?" Rouna stood up.
"Yes, your mother, dear," Manny said.
Jason's eyes filled with tears. "Melody told me... she said she held too much pain to continue living. She couldn't live with the guilt of her mother's blood and her people's blood on her hands. I tried to grab her, but she cut her own throat. I screamed until my lungs gave out. I saw my father, he told me not to cry, and then I woke up. I was reborn... and broken. Until I saw Elisabeth. I knew the moment I saw her that she has the Mark of Filima."
"Wait—you knew?!" Rouna yelled. "And you didn't say anything? You're so selfish!"
"I failed as a father," Manny whispered. "I wish I could have done things differently. If I had, Elisabeth, her mom and I wouldn't be the only Phoenixes left. I should have known she was marked. But we need a plan. We need Ash."
"NO!" Frank shouted.
"Why? Why do you need my mother?" Rouna demanded. "Tell me the truth! I'll never heal if something happens to Elisabeth because of a secret!"
"There is so much you don't know about what happened forty years ago," Manny said, ignoring Frank's warnings. "Ash is... she was forbidden being. Years ago, she had an affair."
"Manny, do not do this!" Frank lunged forward, but he was too late.
"Jason is your brother, Rouna!" Manny shouted. "Your mother and Frank had an affair!"
The room went deathly silent. Jason stared at his father in pure disbelief.
"What?!" Jason and Rouna screamed in unison.
Ray clutched his head, his face twisting. "Everything is so messed up! AHHHHHHH!"
"No! No, no, no!" Rouna backed away, hitting the wall. "You can't be my brother! NO!"
"Please, calm down," Manny pleaded.
"Stay the hell away from me!" Rouna shrieked.
Jason stood in the center of the room, his mind spinning out of control. His world wasn't just breaking—it was shattering.
"Wow, Dad," Jason whispered, his voice shaking with a mixture of grief and fury. "I can't even look at you right now. You spent my entire life making me feel like everything was my responsibility. You kept me isolated, kept me from even having friends... but the one thing I will never forgive you for is keeping the fact that I have another sister ."
Frank moved to speak, his hand outstretched, but Rouna struck back before he could utter a word.
"Do not call me that!" she hissed, her eyes flashing. "I am not your sister. In fact, this entire thing is insane. I'm out of here."
"Rouna, wait!" Manny called out, but she was already halfway to the door.
"Don't worry, sir," Ray said, casting one last confused look at Jason before turning to follow her. "I'll bring her back."
The door slammed shut, leaving a heavy silence in the room.
"It was for the best," Frank insisted, his voice cracking. "You guys have no idea what happened in those years—why I had to hide it, and why none of you remember anything. The only reason you even remember Melody is because you begged me to leave you with that one memory."
"All I hear are excuses!" Jason shouted. "Did you even think about Lily in all of this? Did you think about anyone but yourself?"
"Of course I did!" Frank snapped back. "I love you all so much. Everything I did, I did to keep you safe."
"Wow," Jason let out a hollow, bitter laugh. "The 'Father of the Year' award goes to Frank Williams. Truly impressive."
"Enough!" Manny roared, slamming his fist onto the table.
"I leave you guys for a few years and you're all still bicker," a new voice drawled from the shadows.
They all turned to see Sara leaning against the doorframe. She rolled her eyes, her expression bored despite the chaos. "Men. You never change, do you?"
Outside, Jude leaned against the window frame, having heard every word. "Wow. Family drama," he chuckled to himself. "I guess I'd better get going. It's almost sundown; I should check on Elisabeth. Funny how Jason is a literal magnet for chaos."