Sometimes it felt like it took forever to get to Bailstow but this particular time it felt like a blink of an eye. Maybe it was because Simon wasn't ready - he wasn't ready to face his father, he wasn't ready for more reminders of what he had gotten himself into, and he certainly wasn't ready for a wedding.

The massive double door creaked open and the sound echoed off the cold stone walls. The castle was dimly lit, as always, with torches flickering along the long corridor that led to the room where he knew his father would be.

When he arrived, Simon stood there in the entranceway. His father didn't rise; Adrian only watched him - not too differently than how he watched him the night he was audience to the breakup of Simon and AngelFyre. Simon might not have known what thi slook was upon first meeting his father but he knew it now: it was the look of control.

Simon tried hard not to think of that night.

"My son returns," Adrian said as he now got up from his seat and walked over to him. He seemed satisfied, not proud. "Simon, you arrive today with cultivated strength having left distractions and everything unworthy behind; all good lessons if you're to lead the coven one day." Ah yes, such valuable rich life lessons that only Adrian Hawthorne could seem to teach.

Adrian came closer, leaning in slightly so there wasn't much space between father and son at all. "You should thank me," he said in a low whisper. Simon couldn't believe his nerve but no, he if was going to break at all, he wasn't going to break so early in his visit. "Right. How could I forget - sacrifices are your specialty. Thanks for the lesson," he tried his best to hide his bitterness, unsure if it was successful or not.

Adrian watch him, almost suspiciously and Simon wondered if he was evaluating the choice of words. Perhaps that was the wrong move as it might have shown that Simon knew too much of his father's secrets. One should only know about Adrian Hawthorne if Adrian Hawthorne shares it. The torches nerby gave a small flicker, a dimming.

All others were already in attendance in the Dining Hall that evening and Simon was unsure how long they had been waiting on him. He had spent the last hours claiming to be unpacking his things and settling in for the couple week's stay but in reality he was trying to regain composure. He was going to need superior acting skills if he was going to fool the toughest audience of his father and he just wasn't sure he could do it - but he had to do it. This wasn't a choice.

After splashing water on his face, he changed into something that was more 'vampire Victorian style' in hope that he would appear to fit in. He walked in slowly when he realized he was the last to arrive but he didn't let that shake him and entered composed - as composed as he could be. It was never easy walking into a room where not everyone wanted you there.

"Well, if it isn't Sebastian" Lilith said with a smile that was more of a smirk than anything. She had been using the wrong name for him since they first met and it was getting pretty old. "Simon, still; as it has been every day of my life. It's okay though, I know change is hard for you," Simon quipped back as he sat down in the empty chair next to his father''s. Gideon gave him a courteous nod, Samael was busy drinking his third glass, and Vanessa gave him the smallest of smiles.

Silencing any more small talk, Adrian stood and it seemed to be understood that everyone was to devote all attention to him.

"My son, Simon, returns, not as a shadow of his bloodline but as its inevitable evolution. He is soon to stand at my side as second in command."

Simon could feel Gideon's gaze turn on him momentarily but by the time he glanced over to him, he had looked away. "Simon marks the dawn of a new era for all of us; and era where tradition and change walk hand in hand. Together with Vanessa - whose loyalty and wisdom have proven invaluable - their union will forge a bond that fortifies us. We have encountered centuries of darkness and deceit and as this family grows stronger, so does the power we wield. Let this dinner be a testament to the future we will build, one formed in loyalty, strenth, and unyielding unity.

To Simon.

And Vanessa

To the coven, forever bound."

"To the coven," they all said in unison. Glasses were raised, and the red liquid inside was shared by all. They drank their doubts, their fears, and their grudges down.

Last to arrive at the dinner and first to leave, Simon retreated back to his room in hopes of finding not only solitude but some sanity. He felt he needed to both take in what his father said at the toasting but also outcast it from his mind all the same or it would drive him mental. What he absolutely knew he must do, and soon, was talk with Vanessa. How was he going to approach this?

There was a rapping at his door and Simon sat up on the bed, thinking initially it must be Vanessa finding him but it was a little too forceful of a knock. No, it was more like Gideon from his senses. "Your father bids you attend to him. He awaits your presence in his study." Yes, just Gideon - but now he was going to have to talk one on one with his father again? This was one of the very encounters he was trying to avoid while he was there. "Thank you, Gideon," Simon replied before giving a deep silent sigh in frustration.

Let the acting commence once more.

When he got to his father's study, Simon knocked on the door four times, hoping it didn't seem too rhythmic as he didn't want to appear tense. Adrian Hawthorne was the sort of individual who analysed every single word and every single movement of another. He had analyzed Simon in great detail before they even first met those many years ago when Simon thought he was being stood up - those many years ago when Simon should have heeded warning and walked away before this entrapment ever had a chance to form.

Upon hearing his father's request that he enter, Simon came through the heavy wooden door. Why were the doorways to the most difficult situations or creepiest of rooms always the heaviest? "You are being distant, Simon. Not like you. Is the wedding weighing on you or is the weight of responsibility finally setting in?"

Simon wasn't comfortable with lying; he never had been. "It's a.....a significant step," he said, referencing both the wedding and taking on second-in-command. "I suppose anyone would feel pressure."

Simon was motioned to sit and he wasn't sure he wanted to. Sitting meant he was staying longer than he wanted but also sitting meant he could try and attempt to look more relaxed than standing up. Sitting was probably the preferred position of prey if a vampire wanted to attack....

Silence followed.

Simon never liked silence.

If he were strong enough, he would wait for his father to speak next but he hated feeling his father's eyes pierce through him, constantly studying him, constantly evaluating him.

"Marriage isn't exactly something I thought would come so.... formally," he opened his mouth. Why couldn't he have just remained silent? Perhaps if he stopped talking, his father would grow bored with him and dismiss him.

"You make it sound like a funeral," Adrian approached closer but did not sit. Simon watched him, knowing that any sign of cowardice would show wrongdoing in the eyes of his father. He tried to stay calm and collected - the way Healer Ashby Ketteridge did in even the most heightened trauma situations in St. Mungo's. "Vanessa is an ideal choice. She's strong, she's loyal. Though naturally reserved, it is evident she feels more at ease in your presence than with the rest of the coven. Most would envy the match."

Yes, so perfect..... so perfect that there was no choice and no AngelFyre. Even on his end, Simon wondered if his father would ever choose someone like him as second-in-command if he wasn't part of the bloodline.

Nothing about this situation was ideal for anyone.

"I'm aware," Simon replied casually, quite proud of himself. "She's everything expected in a partner." And Vanessa was amazing, far more amazing than she ever realized, but she wasn't the one that Simon would marry. No, far away from these castle walls was AngelFyre McCubbin, his true soulmate and that bond, that pull, that faith that they held in God and each other would somehow bring them back together.

"But not necessarily everything you expected. Not necessarily every ....thing or every .....one you wanted." His father's words were sharp and yet calm at the same time. Simon knew he was now getting to the heart of the matter here.

"Expectations shift. You have taught me that," Simon replied. He could feel it, his father was somehow going in for the kill without ever coming a step closer to him.

"And yet, in all these plans, all these changes, all these ....shifting expectations - you haven't told Maggie. Odd. You live under her roof, eat at her table, confide in her more than you do most You would think she wouldn't want to know her nephew is soon to be bound to another and formally bound to this coven? I would have heard more than a whisper, Simon. That woman disapproves of me, she disapproves of this coven. That woman does not stir, she storms. If she knew, she'd be pounding at my door. I wondered if you were perhaps .... keeping something."

"What would I keep, father? The wedding is planned. Vanessa knows. I've done what has been expected of me." He needed to direct this conversation away from Aunt Maggie. No, there was going to be no bringing her into this.

"I've done everything asked of me. You taught me to go where duty leads," Simon added, again. saying too much.

"Tell me, this girl you were seeing...." his father began and Simon could feel his heart beat faster. Don't bring Aunt Maggie into this and DON'T bring AngelFyre into it. "...what became of that?"

"As I said, I've done everything asked of me, father. I have distanced myself from those memories and those moments." Those were the truest words Simon had spoken while there in his father's study. He and AngelFyre had been apart all summer and it was causing him true heartache.

"Some moments and memories have a habit of becoming fate, whether we approve or not," his father's eyes were upon him.

Simon looked up. "Fate is rarely kind to those in our bloodline, yes? But we make our own course, don't we?" Simon was done playing this game and stood.

"Yes, we do. And we suffer for it when we make the wrong turn," his father replied, as if knowing he was the one still holding all the cards here. "I trust you will choose wisely, Simon. There's still time.......to set things right," and with those words Adrian motioned for the door as if this long-winded conversation threat was over.

"Always, father. You'll see," Simon said before exiting the study.

He needed to speak with Vanessa. Simon went to her bedroom door and asked that she meet him in the Library. It seemed like the perfect place where they could perhaps talk freely. It was away from the other parts of the castle that the vampires most frequented and perhaps the books could act as a shield against any prying eyes or ears.

There were important matters to discuss.

Simon packed up his enchanted satchel, ensuring he had something to write down notes with and set off. Before he would arrive at the Library, he wanted to confirm the location of all the other vampires so he could trust that all were preoccupied and no one would be spying. His father was in his study still appearing to research something, Gideon was typing out something on the typewriting in his office, Samael was tending to a new creation, and Lilith was perfecting her violin.

"I was hoping you'd have a moment," Simon asked quietly as he entered the Library. Vanessa smiled at him gently. “For you? Always. What’s on your mind?”

“I just spoke to my father about the wedding…..” he began hesitantly. This wasn’t easy, attempting to discuss his discontent for something that was to happen to the two of them when one might look somewhat forward to it and one wanted to ensure it didn’t happen at every cost. But Vanessa invited him to sit down and seemed to want to hear what he had to say. “You’ve been nothing but kind to me, Vanessa and I thank you for that. You're the only ally I have here. You're the only one I can trust. I hate to, but I have to ask - …. Can you help me find a way out of this?”

She was quiet and Simon searched her face, hoping to get a hint of her emotion. Was she upset? Was she angry? “I knew this was coming,” she said finally; softly.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” Simon said defensively. “I never wanted to.”

He watched as she shook her head. “You haven’t. You’ve always been honest with me. That means something. Besides, I know you still love her.” Vanessa knew all about him and AngelFyre and she always had.

“I do. She’s my soulmate and besides, this marriage would be wrong for both you and I.” An arranged marriage was rarely one’s happily ever after.

“Then we’ll figure something out,” Vanessa assured him, and she leaned closer toward Simon and placed her hand over his, squeezing it softly.

“Maybe I could……claim I’m unable to bear children. You’ll know that he’ll want his bloodline passed on. Maybe that will make the marriage seem useless?” she shrugged. Simon wasn’t sure how the logistics of that would work since it wasn’t like Vanessa saw a doctor regularly as a vampire and she seemed to realize that it wasn’t necessarily a winning idea with a sigh. But at least they were thinking!

“Or…..,” Simon paused to think on this a moment, “we could propose an alternative successor. You and I could unite and nominate Gideon to be a more successful second in command. We could try and persuade my father to….” but Vanessa’s gaze seemed unconvinced and he now was the one to sigh.

"....Don't think it'll work?" he finished and she shook her head. "If your father hasn't chosen Gideon as his second in command after all thes eyaers, I highly doubt he was ever going to." She had a very good point.

A rustle, perhaps the night's wind through the corridors could be heard from somewhere within the corridors and Simon glanced behind them but no one was there. They were still alone.

The two were quiet while their conversation became lost to their thoughts.

"I'm just a half vampire; blood or not - I don't even understand why he'd want me to second in command."

And that's when Vanessa stood up slowly. "Simon....you're only half vampire," she said, staring forward. "A Vow of Sacred Duty," she whispered and looked over to him, her eyes more hopeful than he had ever seen them to be. Simon didn't understand the statement but was curious and stood with her.

"You can honor vampire tradition and appear noble AND buy some time. Vampires can take ritual oaths for spiritual binding like....like...." she paused, "like monkhood or priesthood."

Vanessa left his side as she went further into the Library and Simon followed, passing row after row of endless books and she finally stopped when she got to a section of gold-bound books. She surveyed the spines carefully and pulled one out, leafing through it, backtracking, and then flipping a few pages. Simon noticed it was called Of Blood and Shadow: A Compendium of Vampyric Rites and Lineages. “Here it is! The Vow of the Hollow Path.” And she read, “...a rite taken by half vampires who have not yet fully accepted their vampirism. You can claim to have taken this vow to understand your dual nature.”

Simon didn’t quite follow and his blank expression must have told her such. “The Vow of the Hollow Path is a journey of solitude and self-reckoning, it’s a trial of balance between blood and breath, predator and person. You can take this vow to confront and understand both parts of you and until you complete the Rite of Balance, you must remain unbound, unable to lead - unable to form bonds or attachments; unable to take leadership. To do so would risk endangering others or compromising the path itself. This is all about a steady soul. And those who walk the path are seen as noble and deeply spiritual, and to interfere with one's journey is a grave dishonor."

Did that mean he'd be untouchable to his father? It sounded as such.

"So my father..." he spoke at a whisper because this was such important and sensitive material. Vanessa nodded, "He cannot publicly oppose it. It's protected by the Old Accords, ancient laws respected by all the covens." Simon moved the book closer to him. "This is absolutely perfect!" he couldn't believe it and skimmed over some of the text, not paying much mind to the small subtext at the bottom that ushered warnings: some do not return whole, the Rite of Balance is not always kind, beware false balance offered by those who fear your freedom.

"You're not going to be able to fake this, Simon. The spirits or the Path itself reject those who take it only for convenience or manipulation," he nodded. "It's to futher understand myself, yes? AND it'll help us out of this situation." She nodded.

"I'm going to do this. I'm going to do this and then he has no choice but to obey. Let us waste no time." Everything, in time. - Now was the time for rebellion. Now was the time for salvation. They consulted the book on where The Vow should be taken - a secluded, sacred place like a forest clearing where light and shadows met; a place "between worlds."

So in the moonlight, the two set off to find such a place and in the stillness of hte night they came to the edge of a clearing in the forest where each tree threw a long dark silhouette across the grass. Faintly he could see his own shadow as well, moving as he moved. Unlike shadows in the daytime, the one under the moon was delicate.

He watched it for a moment, feeling as though it were his silent twin but then allowed the silence of the night to take focus. After glancing to Vanessa, he drew in a slow breath and closed his eyes before saying the sacred phrase aloud, "In shadow I was born, in light I was raised. Between these truths, I walk - hollow, yet hope to become whole. I vow to bind myself to no path, until I find my own."

Simon opened his eyes when he felt the breeze blow on his face and he wasn't entirely sure if that was coincidence or something more. He then walked to the small lake near the forest clearing and knelt down at the water's edge. With his own pocketknife, he pricked his finger before dipping it into the water and then cast his attention downward toward his reflection. This was symbolic of facing both his bloodline and his human reflection.

The Vow of the Hollow Path had been initiated.

And being so far from the castle walls, neither Simon nor Vanessa could hear the repeated echos "a way out of this, a way out of this, a way out of this," "soulmate, soulmate, soulmate," and "figure something out, figure something out, figure something out," from the black raven belonging to Lilith but others certainly could. The moon dimmed briefly.

In his dream, Simon found himself at the edge of the dark lake, the moonless sky above creating a hushed, isolated world where everything was quiet, everything was still.

Down below the surface, something stirred but not the water itself; a pulsating. It was almost as if there was a ghost caught beneath the ice. He knelt down closer to get a better look and saw his reflection - his own face but sharpened, with eyes that gleamed, the cheekbones and jawline even more sculpted, his mouth more in a smirk than a smile. It was as if Tim Burton had attempted to make a version of Simon Kincaid.

The reflection seemed to study him, view itself as more superior and stronger than Simon. "Blood to water, reflection to flesh. You called me, Simon. I have answered. Look at you, still wearing that same tired skin; still pretending you're not mine."

"I remember the first time you tasted blood nearly a year ago. I don't mean shamefully hiding it in fruit juice thinking that would somehow dilute the horror of it all - blood is blood. It is what you need, Simon. It is what you want. You took one taste and you wanted more. You still do."

"This vow you have taken - this vow you have chosen - do you know what it is you seek? You say you chase balance but no, that is nothing more than a softer word for hesitation. Your human side, your pathetic side - in teaching you mercy, in teaching you regret..... you think those are virtues but they are chains."

"Do not protect this humanity, you think you have. You're only hiding. Come, embrace me and I promise that you will never go back. You'll love it as much as you love the blood that nourishes you."

Simon was tired of hearing the reflection's voice and feelt anger. "I am not your enemy, Simon. I am your inevitable. You can attempt to keep me hidden but I am there deep within you."

Simon didn't want to hear anymore and took a step back from the edge of the water. "You're wrong," he finally spoke to the eerie reflection but it was in a voice that wasn't entirely convincing. The reflection stared at him - that isolation filling the space. It remained patient, silent, almost certain. "We'll see," it hissed.

The reflection fades and then there is another pulsating from the water. A bright silver-blue light streaks across the expanse and his dhampir eyes blink from the sudden change in light. Now, a full glowing moon shows all that is around him - the trees, the grass, the plants.

The weight of the vampiric reflection is gone but something still remained. It was a presence that wasn't cold or cruel but aware. Simon turned his attention back to the water and saw someone new. This was him again, but also not: tired eyes, younger, sadder. Simon wasn't sure he wanted to interact with this reflection, this version of himself, not after what had just happened in moments prior but he gathered up the courage. "Hello," he said to it. At least this version didn't seem so predatory.

The reflection didn't answer back but merely watched him. The moonlight scatters across the lake, bathing the reflection in it's brilliance and Simon realizes he still at the edge of the forest clearing, where light and shadow meet. He attempts to step forward but he is unable to move, unable to enter into the light.

The other reflection appears once more beside the other and Simon now sees a side-by-side comparison. Both are him and yet not him. The scene glitches, a visual distortion like he was watching a movie where a moment where everything shifted and was barely-perceptible for a moment.

And when when that quick moment subsided, Simon was left standing at the water's edge, standing where shadow and light met - trees, grass, plants surrounding him but otherwise all alone.

The water on the lake's surface was motionless and no longer mirrored anything.

Simon woke.

Adrian had requested that Simon see him once again and this time he was to dress nice and join him in The Throne Hall. Simon had seen this room only in passing and only had been in there out of mere curiosity. There was a central platform and ornate seating of various levels and the room felt open. It always felt like if the coven were to put on a Shakespeare play, this would be the place for their performance. Simon had thought about that. Perhaps King Lear would be fitting.

Simon wanted this over with - whatever it might be - and set out earlier this time so not to be the last in atttendance but alas, all others in the coven had arrived before him. Lilith, Gideon, and Samael were seated at the second tiered seating on the left and Vanessa stood near a small high table. Adrian looked up from a paper as he entered.

"Simon, my son," he said as he motioned for him to come closer. Something about it felt mor like beckoning him than welcoming him. "You are here tonight amongst the coven and we will begin, as is tradition, with the rehearsal of your binding." Simon looked to Vanessa. She needn't look at Simon, she already had since the moment he had entered. He could read her eyes though and they told him that she hadn't prior knowledge to this. "This union is no mere arrangement but a weaving of both power and purpose. And once this ritual is rehearsed, you will take your place as second. The Divine Accord of Succession awaits." Simon watched as his father raised the paper in his hands. "Once signed, it is sealed. Do remember, you do not inherit my power, you accepet the burden I allow you to carry."

And Adrian handed over the paper to Simon so he could preview it. For some reason, whenever Simon had to so much as sign a waiver at a trampoline park or whatever, he read all the print. While he had no intentions of signing the paper that now rested in his hands, he still was curious and took in the words:

THE DIVINE ACCORD OF SUCCESSION

On this, the Twentieth Day of the Waning Crescent Moon,
In the Year of the One God's Sovereign Will,
By the authority vested in Adrian Hawthorne, First of the Sanctified,
This decree is written and made eternal.

Declaration of Intention
I, Simon Kincaid,
Son by blood of Adrian Hawthorne,
do hereby accept the mantle of Second Throne within the sacred ranks of The Chosen Ones of One God.

I submit myself wholly and without reservation to the divine purpose of the One God,
To the guidance of the Sanctified, and to the eternal edicts of the Accord.

My will is to be bound to the Order;
my blood to its rites;
My life to its cause;
And my soul, in time and judgement, to be weighed as one chosen.

Out of Submission
By blood spilled and sealed herein,
I swear upon my Eternal Vigil:
- To obey the voice of Adrian Hawthorne, First of the Sanctified, in all matters temporaral and eternal.
- To preserve and protect the purity of the Chosen.
- To take Vanessa Varon in sanctioned union,
And through her, strengthen the sacred bloodline and hte Order's dominion.
- To forsake all prior bonds of the heart, the flesh, or the world.
- To accept the consequences of apostasy, betryal, or abandonment.

Let my word bind me, and my blood mark me.

The document was to be made official at the bottom with the Sealing of the Blood.

Simon shook his head as he got to the bottom of it. No, no, no, HELL NO.

His eyes rose from the paper to Adrian. "Father, I cannot wed Vanessa. Nor can I sign this Accord," he said, his eyes meeting his father's as if to silently say he wasn't afraid of him.

Lilith muttered something that he couldn't make out but Simon wasn't going to falter. "I have taken The Vow of the Hollow Path." And with those words Lilith and Gideon leaned in to one another to speak and Simon continued to stare into his father's cold eyes. "It is...." he began but was cut off.

"I know what it is," his father said a little too quickly, perhaps hinting at his anger although it did not show in Adrian's face. A little more calmly he added, "The Hollow Path....a convenient excuse cloaked in ancient tradition, is that not what it is for you, Simon?" His father walked closer as the lamps that lit the room dimmed, his eyes remained focused on Simon. It reminded Simon of the night he broke up with AngelFyre and he saw him within the shadows. "You may walk your path, if you must but no journey lasts forever. The vows you resist, the power you deny, they will claim you whether you like it or not."

His father leaned in closer, his voice dropping. "You will fall into place Simon. You would do well to remember - there are consequences for every wrongdoing."

Adrian stepped back to address the coven. "For now, we allow this vow yet make no mistake - our legalcy does not endure weakness, nor accept insolence. Disobedience will be broken."

Adrian Hawthorne did not push for the wedding rehearsal to happen, he did not push for the document to be signed, nor did he dismiss the coven. Instead, Adrian Hawthorne stormed out of the room.

Simon was quickly beginning to realize that the Hollow Path was long and arduous. There was fasting, meditation, isolation. All he wanted to do was encompass himself in his room and shut out the world, pretending that a harsh reality didn't await him. Perhaps in sleep he could find silence and not feel the hard pangs of hunger.

It wasn't that easy though. Adrian knocked on his door that first morning, demanding he make his presence with the others. He did so again the next, and the next. Simon would stumble his way to the feasting table with the others, watching as they lifted their goblets of red nourishment while he continued to have none - growing weaker each time.old

He was to be 'walking' the path, as his father had put it, and he wasn't going to find it while he laid on his bed and fixated on the ceiling. He wanted to get away from the coven, going where they couldn't follow - out into the light of day. However, the heat of summer would only grow him weaker more quickly and he didn't need to add being overheated to his list of afflictions.

By now, he wasn't quite sure how many days had now passed since he ate - human food or otherwise and he found the castle's stone corridor walls created a labrytinth, unable to tell one corridodr from the next. It was astounding that he found his way to the Library.

Simon made his way towards the back of the Library to a private little nook and sat down, unsure what had lead him there but something felt right about this space. He sat down in a chair near a small little wooden table and looked over to it, glad to be taking rest. The table had a drawer and he looked over to it, wondering what a vampire would put inside such a space - perhaps notebooks and pens? Simon opened it to reveal something wrapped in a worn piece of cloth. He pulled it out and unwrapped it to reveal a music box.

The wood of the box seemed old, there was a small crack in the side, but it was the rose carving that caught Simon's attention and he brushed his hand over it. He then opened it to see what was inside and while it was empty, a tune began to play.

His mother.

Simon didn't know how, but a connection could be felt to his mother. It wasn't only that she loved roses and this box had a rose carving, but the song. He closed his eyes, a distant memory coming to him of his mother humming the same tune as she helped him sleep. He opened his eyes and closed the box just before a splash of red came down upon the rose. Love, loss, longing all overwhelmed him.

He wiped the box clean from the fallen tear and wanted to take it with him. Had it once belonged to his mother? It didn't matter - it wasn't his to have. He cherished the long forgotten memory that it brought him but wrapped it back up in the cloth and returned it to the drawer.

"Well done, Simon," he heard his father's voice and quickly turned to see him standing before him. "You have completed your Vow of the Hollow Path."

Had he?

Simon wasn't so sure.

"The Rite of Balance is not a trial of force - it is a test of inner harmony. But here you are, in this Library - a place of knowledge, of hidden secrets, and you have found self-discovery in your mother's music box. The small wooden table is the private hidden corner of your mind where memories hide. The box tied your heritages together. This song has reminded you that time is a privilege and not a guarentee. You are now ready to move forward. The coven, Vanessa, your place as heir - all now await your resolve."

Simon did his best to process all of his father's words.

Had he really completed The Vow of the Hollow Path? Had finding the music box been his Rite of Balance?

Simon paused, "....Strange place for something so delicate - almost as if someone knew I'd find it."

Yes, the more Simon thought of the moment, the more the intimacy felt constructed. The timing was far too conviening and the placement was too precise.

Simon had not completed the Rite of Balance.

He was still walking that long and arduous Hollow Path.

That next day, Simon ventured out of the castle, needing some time away from the vampires within and was glad that the sun provided him solitude for now. He felt a little lost and a lot confused as the Path offered no instructions, only that the Rite of Balance would appear and he would find clarity. .....But what was the Rite of Balance? Was he waiting on a vision? Was it something that actually existed or just vampiric folklore? At first he thought perhaps it was the unsettling dream from the other night but no, he still felt lost; still felt confused. He didn't like this path of darkness, this path of unknown - but he also hoped that the Rite of Balance would wait to present itself because if it presented itself too soon, wedding plans could continue. Would his father know when the Rite of Balance had been completed? Would he?

He walked on, unsure what he would find or when he'd find it - and that's when he found the wounded deer.

It was lying on a bed of fallen leaves with blood coming from a gash on its front leg. Simon didn't even have to see the blood to know it was injured as the air was thick with the scent.

It was a scent that beckoned to him and Simon felt the hunger instantly and stepped back. Every instinct within him told him to take advantage of the situation that was set out before him but he remained still; observing the situation.

The deer didn't move and watched him. She was afraid. She was afraid and helpless - just like some of the patients he saw at St. Mungo's during his internship.

Simon knelt down to the ground slowly, but not hesitantly - because he had control of the situation. Somehow it had washed over him, an understanding: this was the Rite.

"This is the Rite - I accept it," he said aloud, unsure if there were certain steps one should follow in this situation. There really hadn't been any instructions on how to perform the Rite of Balance, only how to begin The Vow of the Hollow Path. Simon was clueless, but something about those words made it sound official enough.

Maybe the Rite of Balance was happening, maybe The Vow of the Hollow Path truly was a thing; because in that moment it felt as if time had stopped. All the trees stopped their swaying and all the birds had stopped their singing. The clouds above probably froze from their sweep across the sky and all that seemed to matter; all that seemed to exist; was Simon and the deer.

The scared little deer who was still staring dead center on to the half vampire in front of her, as if she knew just how vulnerable she was in not being able to flee and understood just how much she was tempting him. Since starting his journey on the path, Simon had decided fasting might somehow sharpen his senses or bring him to the Rite more quickly; but in doing so it made him terribly vulnerable - especially in this situation.

But still through the hunger, Simon didn't feel the urge to attack. No, the Hollow Path wasn't testing him for which part of him was 'more:' vampire or human - it was testing his choices.

He pressed his hand to the deer's side, the blood running through his fingers. Luckily, the wound didn't seem too deep and Simon rifled with his other hand through his satchel and grabbed hold of an elastic bandage that he kept with him in his first aid supplies. One never knew when you were going to need one. Once some healing salve was on, he placed the bandage on the deer - snug enough that it would control the bleeding but loose enough that when it was time to come off, it most likely would just up and fall off to the forest floor and not cause discomfort.

Simon could already tell that the salve and/or bandage effort was working because the deer seemed to be relaxing under his touch. It no longer was feeling threatened and it no longer was feeling pain.

About him and around him nothing was seen but somehow it was felt that the Hollow marked his choice. The hunger had not left - it was still there gnawing at him but he had looked past it; he had looked through it. The Rite of Balance never asked for him to be pure; it asked him to choose.

It was Healer Ketteridge, Senior Healer at St. Mungo's that had said during his internship earlier that summer: "You, son, have the instincts of a predator and the heart of a healer. That is a rare sort of balance. You'll do more good than most can imagine - because you understand what it means to hold power and choose compassion."

It truly had meant more than Simon realized.

No voice confirmed this moment and no light spread across the sky but something inside Simon shifted - settled. His choice had been made, his lesson had been learned, and the Hollow, at last, was still. The Path was no longer his to walk - it had led him here and it was finished.

Simon became aware again of his surroundings; the wind brushing against his face and rustling the leaves above him to create a soft sort of melody. Maybe this was the sort of song that the centaurs heard and felt. His attention turned back to the deer and he could see that the creature's breaths were now steadier and, as if the wind gently told it to rise, the deer pushed itself up with an unsteady leg and then stood. Her dark eyes met Simon's in a clear, alert, almost grateful sort of gaze. It was as if there had been a silent thank you passing between them.

Then the deer took off into the safety of the forest and in its grace, in its speed, in its determination. Simon knew that it would be okay.

And he smiled a soft smile.

So would he.

Simon was tired of being shackled by his father’s chains disguised as a legacy. He had connected with his father all those years ago in hopes of a parental bond but was left with nothing but disappointment and despair. He was only there currently to ensure AngelFyre’s safety and he thought all seemed to be going well enough - she was safe and Adrian’s attempts at both a coven marriage and a leadership contract had been placed on hold. All seemed to be going well enough but what Simon didn’t know was that secrets in a vampire’s lair can have wings.

Lilith’s pet raven, Tenebris, had echoed some phrases he had overheard during an earlier conversation between Simon and Vanessa - ones that when repeated, triggered Adrian’s realization of the truth behind what was unfolding within his castle. Simon didn’t know it, but his father had felt betrayal. His son was defying him and what was a king without control?

As Simon set about taking The Vow of the Hollow Path in hopes of completing his Rite of Balance, Adrian was busy making new plans: familiar, yet different. Adrian Hawthorne had made sacrifices before: each year, one amongst the village was chosen to be sent skyward in fire, bearing a message to be heard by God; begging that the gates of Heaven be opened for those forever left in the shadows. Adrian had heard the story of God’s sacrifices throughout his long life - the son of God, crucified for humanity. In Adrian’s mind, perhaps it was time to show God what true sacrifices looked like: a son; his son - not in honor but in obedience.

As night fell, Simon retreated to his room, the weight of the day lifted from the successful completion of the Rite of Balance. Peace settled over him, but it was brief. The moment his back met the bed the calm began to unravel. He had planned to reach out ot AngelFyre through their binding mark but the familiar hum, that soft sort of static that lingered when they weren’t actively sharing their thoughts had vanished. It hadn’t faded, it was gone. Silent.

Something was wrong.

Panic set in quickly and Simon knew he had to find a way to contact her - somehow. If he could reach Anders, his father’s driver, maybe they could get to the nearest town, somewhere with reception so he could make a call. Maybe he could manage this without his father ever knowing. His thoughts scattered in every direction. He needed a plan. AngelFyre was nearly 850 kilometers (528 miles) away with a large stretch of the United Kingdom between them. He was stuck - stuck inside this old, isolated castle that was buried in silence.

Still, maybe the quiet would break. Maybe the comforting static would return. Perhaps this was just some sort of glitch brought about from whatever power the Rite of Balance still stirred within him. He kept waiting for it to appear - any moment; but that ‘any moment’ turned into several moments and those several moments turned into what felt like forever.

Simon left his bedroom, taking his enchanted satchel with him and wound his way down the castle’s corridors toward Vanessa’s room. He needed her help; maybe she knew how to reach Anders. This was crucial information and he hoped that she would be able to provide. When he knocked, Vanessa opened the door sooner than he expected. Her eyes widened in surprise. “Simon!” she said and glanced down the hall. “I was just about to head out.”

He nodded, not wanting to delay her but also knew he had to ask her about the information. She glanced down the corridor the other way and Simon followed her gaze, curious to what she seemed so attentive toward. She held a few belongings in her hands, and when she looked back at him her expression held so much sadness or perhaps worry. She had been crying - perhaps she missed her family. “I need to contact Anders,” Simon whispered.

Vanessa tilted her head, confused by this. “Anders? Your father’s driver? He’s human, Simon. It’s….the middle of the night Besides, he doesn’t need to be here,” and Simon watched as something seemed to shift in her expression; maybe a realization. “Anders,” she repeated and smiled before stepping forward and wrapping Simon into a hug .“We need Anders,” she said, the words more definitive. Simon wasn’t sure what had changed her mind but there was an urgency in her embrace.

“I will get Anders. You need to stay away from the others,” she instructed firmly. She pulled back from the embrace and her fingers rose to his face, brushing gently along his cheek. “Something is happening,” she whispered to him. “I’m not entirely sure what yet - but I don’t think it’s good. It can’t be what I think it is. It’s too horrific….”

“I’ll get Anders,” she said again. “Avoid the others at all costs,” she warned. Simon didn’t tell her about the lost connection with AngelFyre; he didn’t have time. She brought both hands now to her belongings and dashed away.

So what was he supposed to do now - just return to his room and wait? He was overwhelmed and needed something - anything - to distract his mind. He made his way to the Library, retrieved the music box from the wooden table where he’d discovered it earlier that week, and slipped a few books into his satchel, fully aware he wouldn’t read a single page tonight. He was far too anxious for that.

He had to do something - but what?

Perhaps there were some modern conveniences in his father’s study. After all, his father maintained investments in the human world; surely there had to be some way to stay in contact about them. A phone line maybe, or even a working computer.

At every crossroads in the corridors, he paused to scan the shadows to make sure that no other coven members were in sight. Why was he supposed to avoid them? He didn’t know, only that Vanessa had warned him and he trusted her judgement.

When he reached his father’s study, no light spilled from beneath the door indicating that the room was empty. Simon slipped inside quietly, lighting a few torches to chase back the darkness. He then set out to rifle through the cluttered shelves and drawers. He was desperate to find some way to reach the outside world, to reach AngelFyre.

There had to be some way to break the silence of this isolated castle.

His fingers brushed over a solid black rosary, its beads cold and heavy. There was a journal filled with some kind of encrypted codes and there were detailed ledgers tracking investments in the human world. There was one file that bore his name: SIMON KINCAID. Simon snatched it without hesitation, flipping it open to reveal medical records and all photographs of himself. Much of what he found was confusing, but some of the items were stuffed into his satchel anyway. He didn’t care if his father didn’t have them anymore.

Beneath a stack of documents he found a sealed black envelope and some official manilla office envelopes. Those too went into the satchel. In one of the desk drawers was a pendant with a rose design and he added that to the growing pile in his satchel.

He still was finding no modern convenience and no hint of why Vanessa cautioned him.

Simon froze as the heavy oak door creaked open behind him. Please let it be Vanessa, Please let it be Vanessa....

“You should not be here. You should not tread where you do not belong. It seems you have difficulty grasping that - difficulty knowing your place. Fear not, Simon. I have devised a fitting role for you. Come, and follow me to the Throne Hall.”

Simon shook his head, silently rejecting his father’s request. “It’s late - very late. I was just returning from the Library and planning to head to bed but I thought perhaps you might have more books on our family heritage, like the one you gave me. Still, it’s late - very late. I should get some rest,” he added with a nod. He knew though that his father was far too perceptive to be fooled so easily. His father’s gaze showed that he was unimpressed by the attempted excuse. “Rest can wait. You will come with me to the Throne Hall.”

When they arrived at the Throne Room, all the torches were lit and Simon could easily see that Gideon was there, seated on his throne off to the side with his fingers around the armrest. When they entered and Simon came closer, Gideon’s eyes looked away for a moment.

Simon waited for words to be exchanged between the two but none fell and he wasn’t stupid enough this time to break the silence. After what seemed like far too long, the Throne Hall doors flung open and Lilith stormed in. “Found her sulking just beyond the gates,” Lilith said as she tossed her gaze over her shoulder to Vanessa. “We can now begin now that we’re all finally present and ready.”

But they weren’t all present. Samael wasn’t there in attendance.

Vanessa followed quietly behind Lilith, composed and Simon was impressed by her performance because he knew she was worried - although she didn’t look it. No one questioned her lateness, at least not aloud. Adrian’s gaze was too focused on Simon to worry about her.

Simon blinked. Ready for what? His eyes turned from her, to his father, then to Gideon, then Vanessa. Vanessa met his gaze with a look that said she was just as lost as he was - but was also filled with fear.

“You are not ready,” Adrian corrected, his words aimed at Simon, not Lilith. His father walked closer to him. Was this the initiation ceremony? Were they going to force him to become second in command of the coven tonight? “For what?” Simon asked, hoping for clarification since this entire situation was starting to feel far too vague. It seemed as if Adrian knew what the plans were and so did Gideon and Lilith, but it was about time Simon and Vanessa be brought out of the dark.

“To be mine. To be a part of this coven,” his father answered, his voice expressionless. His father was walking closer toward him still, approaching him, and so were Gideon and Lilith. The others were closing in on him but Vanessa did not move.

Gideon stepped behind Simon and seized him firmly, locking his arms in place, as Lilith came closer, a sharpened blade in her hand - one of the many from her deadly collection. Her raven fluttered down beside her, landing lightly on the floor. “A way out of this, soulmate, figure something out,” it croaked, echoing the warning it had once whispered to Adrian.

He knew. His father knew.

Simon quickly looked over to his father. “Your little soul-bonded fantasy with the girl continues, does it not? That will come to an end, very soon.”

…Was AngelFyre in trouble? Is that why the communication between them was silent? Was she in danger? Was she hurt? Was she trapped? Was she even still …. ?

Simon thrashed in Gideon’s hands and felt the blade fall within him.

“Or what?” Simon growled, his voice strained through the pain. His focus was nowhere near his wound, but on her, AngelFyre, and the silence between them - on the danger she might be in.

“You do not belong to her. You belong to me. You were to be an obedient boy - marry at the ball, become my second in command. That was to replace the messenger ceremony since I lost my messenger this year. Seems, if no wedding and no change in leadership is to happen, I should have to go back to my original plans. I need a messenger. If God demands blood, I shall give him yours.”

Adrian lunged first, his fangs bare and eyes burning. Gideon followed, always obedient to his coven leader and best friend. Then Lilith leapt upon him and Simon felt nothing but a blur of claws and fangs and fury.

Simon didn’t fight - he ran, barely escaping with his life.

He took off down the long corridor, staging as he went, his breath ragged, and the blood was warm on his side. He hoped that he was losing the others in the labyrinth that was the castle but they knew these halls better than he ever could.

Collapsing into a dark corridor, Simon clutched his side and was found by Vanessa.

“Simon, you don’t have time. AngelFyre, she’s not safe. Your father found out and had Samael take her. She’s in a shelter near the village. Go. Now.”

Simon watched her for a moment, grateful for the friendship and trust they shared.

“Go to her! I’ll handle this.” Simon had no idea how she would and hoped she wouldn’t put herself in danger with the others but she was already running down the corridors in the opposite direction.

Simon slammed his way through the first heavy castle door and then did the same through the next, stumbling onto the steps outside. Pink and gold streaks stretched across the sky as dawn began to make its appearance, calling to him to follow them towards the shelter he hoped to find. The brighter stars still sprinkled the sky above.

He arrived at the village and it seemed that all were still asleep with the exception of a few lights seen here and there in the home dwellings. “ANGELFYRE?!” Simon screamed. “ANGELFYRE?!” he continued through the village, running as fast as he could through staggered steps. His voice cracked with panic and exhaustion.

Someone came out of one of the doorways, looking startled at his appearance or perhaps from him being there at all but Simon ignored them. He ignored them and he ignored each stab of pain as he ran, scanning everything he could see in hopes of finding her and grateful that the rising sun was giving him better visibility.

He ran past the last of the dwellings and into the shadowed woods beyond the village. Somewhere had to be the shelter Vanessa spoke of. “ANGELFYRE!” he called out, surprised there was any voice left within him. He fell to the ground, exhausted and in pain attempting to win and overtake him. How much his body yearned for him to rest but his mind cursed at him to get up and that’s when he realized he could hear the faint buzz of static within his mind. ….The binding mark!

“ANGELFYRE!” he called out, through the mark and then found himself rising from the ground. There was no response, but he was certain he could still hear the faint static and if so, tha meant she was alive! “ANG…. ANGELFY…” it was harder to speak now. “ANGELFYRE!” he called out, and while it didn’t seem possible, he started to run again.

Simon broke through some tangled underbrush and movement from above caught his eye. Percy, his small and determined owl, was diving and weaving through the branches of the trees in a flurry of feathers in a fierce mid-air battle with a raven. Was that Lilith’s raven? Just behind Percy, unmistakable, was Archimedes, AngelFyre’s owl, swooping in to assist. The two owls attacked with precision. Simon hated that they were in danger but this also meant that if Archimedes was here, AngelFyre couldn’t be far. He continued on.

The shelter emerged through the trees - an old stone barn, weathered but still strong. It’s walls were moss-covered and it almost camouflaged in with its surroundings. This barn was on the outskirts of the village and seemed to be the only building around. It was abandoned and forgotten by most but to Simon it was his last hope - this had to be where AngelFyre might still be safe.

Simon slammed into one more heavy door as he burst into the shelter. There, against a cold stone wall, he saw AngelFyre, her wrists locked into place by heavy restraints that tethered her tightly and cut into her skin. Simon’s heart shattered and he dropped to his knees and reached for the chains. Her breath was slow and uneven and her ocean blue eyes seemed glazed and unfocused.

“AngelFyre, I’m here. I’ve got you,” he said, feeling both relief and rage within him. He used that rage to grip the chains and pulled, again and again until there was a crack that filled the space.

Simon caught her before she could hit the ground, pulling her into his arms and holding her with gentleness and love. She was warm but weak and he held her tightly. Her head rolled to his shoulder and rested against it and some strands of her long beautiful hair fell across his face. “You’re safe now,” he whispered, kissing the top of her forehead. Inside, he was apologizing. This had been his fault. He should have listened to her long ago.

They fled into the morning. With AngelFyre in his arms, Simon needed to get her far away from the horrors that transpired there and to safety. Maybe Vanessa was able to get in contact with Anders and he was waiting with a car or carriage ready outside the castle.

Into the forest he went and just before reaching the village, at the ridge, he could see that the castle was burning, engulfed in flames. Black smoke was rising to meet the clouds and a wave of murmuring could be heard from the village below. One by one, villagers gathered into the square, their faces turned towards the smoke build from beyond.

Simon turned, shielding his eyes from the rising sun that pierced through the trees. The bright light hurt his eyes and burned against his skin, a constant reminder of his dhampir nature, and made it hard to see clearly. He hoped and even prayed that everyone inside the castle had escaped. They might have been cruel and twisted, but no one deserved to perish in a fire.

The harsh sun made it impossible to see any details.

The harsh sun.

It was then that it hit him what sunlight meant for vampires. Simon lowered his head.

Even if they made it out, they’d perish - either swallowed by the flames or scorched by the sun.

The castle, a monument to what seemed to some as an immortal bloodline that ruled in silence for generations now crumbled in fire and light. There had been no survivors, the Ministry of Magic had told him.

They had arrived within the hour, members from The Department of Magical Catastrophes and a few from The Department of Mysteries. This wasn’t merely a fire, it was the end of something ancient.

There were mediwizards there and they had already fixed up Simon and some were still tending to AngelFyre and Simon kept his eye more closely on that then watching the last of the castle burn. Anders approached. “I stayed because it was a job,” he began. “For a long time, that was enough but I always knew that something wasn’t right in that place. Those fancy walls were a fortress of cold blood and colder hearts. You weren’t like that though. I realized that from the beginning. You were a light in all that dark; never quite like them. You were never cruel, never hungry like they were. I think Vanessa saw that, too. She believed in something better and she saw it in you.”

Simon didn’t want to hear about Vanessa. Not now.

“I was scared, every day. Looking at it now…….I’m relieved. It’s not because they’re gone, I didn’t hate them, not even your father, but because it’s over There’s no more fear, there’s no more pretending. The weight that sat on everyone, like the castle itself, is gone now. You’re free. You don’t owe that bloodline anything, Simon.”

And in those words the last tower of the Hawthorne castle collapsed into ash.

Simon glanced away from the castle now to watch the Ministry’s Oblivators, hard at work. They had gathered up a lot of scared and confused villagers. They had once thought the village was all there was, that the vampires, their leaders, were divine. There was a lot of work to be done ahead, full memory reconstruction, histories rewritten, new identities with backstories woven into their minds. They would be relocated to different parts of the United Kingdom with all family units staying together. Thanks to The Department of Magical Integration, they would be eased into the real world. The only shadow that lingers for them is a dream of a castle on fire, though they do not know why.

“Mr. Kincaid?” a voice called out and Simon glanced over. “Mr. Kincaid, I’m Senior Liaison Monroe with The Department of Magical Law Enforcement. This is Asset Examiner Harris. We’re sorry for your loss.”

Simon blinked, trying his best to focus but everything about the events that had recently happened were a bit of a blur. “Per magical inheritance law, and as your father’s next of kin - and only surviving blood relative - you are now the legal heir to the Hawthorne estate.” Simon’s eyes glazed over the burned castle ….could one call this an estate anymore? As if understanding his thinking, Asset Examiner Harris continued. “That includes all titles, holdings, vaults and accounts registered under Adrian Hawthorne and Hawthorne Trust Holdings.” He presented Simon with a sealed envelope and a leather pouch. Simon glanced inside to see several small metal canisters. “Those contain what remains of those that perished, one for each. They’ve been identified and marked. ….Ashes of the coven,” he said, his voice dropping a little.

“You may choose what you do with them in your own time. The bloodline ends with you, Mr. Kincaid. And so begins whatever comes next. Best of luck to you.”

Once AngelFyre was okay, the two took a moment to gather themselves, staying nearby in case The Ministry had any further questions. “I’d like to walk through the village….. Take one last look at the castle - what’s left of it. I won't be long,” he said quietly and she offered him an encouraging nod. He kissed her gently then turned away to be alone with his thoughts.

The Vow of the Hollow Path and its Rite of Balance - real or folklore? It had begun as a way to understand himself more fully, understand the world around him. The original purpose of his enacting it was to stop a forced marriage and to stall taking on a leadership role in the coven. That was obsolete but Simon did find himself still unbalanced. He was grieving an uncertainty as he walked through the empty village, handlers now tending to the animal livestock so they could find new homes. Simon entered Clara’s home and gathered a few things into his satchel that she might like to have.

Making his way to one of the many rose gardens on the outskirts of the castle grounds, he stopped. Simon removed the leather satchel given to him earlier that day from his bag and despite little time passing, he was reading to let the ashes go. There was only one that he couldn’t let go of so easily.

Simon felt a little unsure in his place in a world where his bloodline was gone but with the coven gone, so were their traditions. It was time to begin anew and Simon decided he would create his own ritual and claim his own identity.

One by one he opened each container and scattered the ashes into the earth except for the last, he held that canister close for a moment. Once all ashes were buried beneath the roses, Simon stepped back until he was beyond where the flowers grew.

He lit two fires, one to his left for his vampire self and one to his right for his human self and then stood between them. “There is nothing left here for me. There is no father to praise or punish me. The Rite of Balance wanted me to choose a side, vampire or not, leader or pawn, but I am what’s left when everything else burns. I am what survives.”

“I am Simon Ezra Kincaid, son of God, dhampir.”

With the ashes settled in the ground, Simon straightened and looked between the fires again. “I will not choose sides as they commanded. I will walk my own path from lessons learned from the ashes of the old and with my Faith close to my side.”