"Well, it was simple." I say to the fan, locking the door to that guilt just for this night. "They let me rogue after I destroyed two of their most important laboratories. When the year started and I began my fifteen, The Ring Master had enough." I gently rubbed circles on their skin, "He needed to subdue me, but keep me as insurance whenever required. That's exactly what he did. He..." 

I close my eyes. Feeling those wires, machines, and whispers phantom around me just for a moment before steeling myself, "He altered my memories. Erased mostly, altered some, like the fact that Arthur had the power of metal manipulation not superspeed. And then he looked for someone willing to babysit me as my parental figure for money and keep their mouth shut."

"And guess who they found?" I grinned. "Richard Grambs, the ever-worthy asshole."

My sisters giggled, "Real lucky, huh?" There was something solemn in Libby's expression, "So that means we're not related... "

My senses alerted, "Don't. Don't even." I kept my voice firm but not unkind.

Avery smiled, "Libby, we've been through this already. We are sisters. Nothing—not blood, not relation, not anyone, will ever get in the way of that, got it?'

Our sunshine-goth gave us a small nod and a loving smile.

"Wait a minute," I raised my hand, looking at Avery, "What do you mean 'we've been through this already'? You two are still half-sisters by blood, right?"

"Oh girl, you have missed so much," Ave snickers. I bit back a sarcastic quip regarding being too busy trying to stay alive most of the time.

"There's this theory that may completely be wrong; Avery is from Hawthorne blood."

The color drained from my face.
Jameson and Avery... Oh hell no.

"You," I point accusingly at my younger sibling, "Stay the hell away from any hot guy with the surname Hathorne. I'll go get you a functioning lock—no a fucking high security safe, for that little heart of yours." 

I said with a little more volume than necessary.
To the sneaky four eavesdropping outside my door.
They heard everything, and I didn't seem to be too affected by that revelation.

Avery swatted at my hand and we were bickering again. Libby looking done with both of us. The night stillness being replaced by our voices.

Everything was as it was supposed to be.
Everything was okay.

I was more than okay right now.
I was happy.

·······•✦•······

a/n: tomorrow is my English finals and technically this counts as English preparation right? 10k words again, people! This took more time to structure than to think about with the plot, really. I had a major writing block for over like ten days in a row, so super sorry for the late update.

I focussed on clearing up many of my own mysteries to the story in this chapter so the content took really long to get right (I had this all planned months ago, the execution was the question). 

I probably should give a fair warning to readers who have stuck with me till now (9K OMG THANK YOU!) This story will not follow the Inheritance Games plot by Jennifer Lynn Barnes entirely.

It will deviate a lot, and I mean a lot. Even little bits of the original plot will be changed as you may have noticed. The point is I hope you guys don't mind my amateur writing skills too much! Suggestions and constructive criticism are always appreciated.

See you guys soon (hopefully)

- coremakii