 turned into something...else. I almost killed him before I realized what was happening. I managed to pull back, but only barely."

_Pale. Too pale._ His hair, his lips, his skin. Tears pricked the corners of her eyes. She refused to let them fall.

"That was the first time I realized just how far I'd spiraled. I packed a bag and left the city the next day." Georgia rubbed her arms. "Went to the mountains for a while to pull myself together. And I swore off death magic for good."

"Until Hunters Point."

There was no judgment in the words, only fact. She nodded shortly. "It didn't make a difference, though. Kristof didn't want anything to do with me. No surprise there. He never spoke to me again...at least, not until that night at Hex."

Darius was silent.

Georgia squared her shoulders. "I know you hate me. Everyone else does. Go ahead. Say it." She fixed her eyes on a spot on the distant skyline. "I wouldn't blame you for a second."

There was a pause, then Darius sighed. "We should go inside. You never know who could be watching out here."

She scowled. "Let them watch. I don't care."

Darius chuckled. The sound was quiet and self-deprecating.

Georgia turned, surprised. What little she could see of his face in the pre-dawn darkness made her heart squeeze. She started to reach out to him, caught herself at the last minute. "What is it?"

"You're right." The words were strained. "I should hate you. And believe me, there's a big part of me that wants to." His dark eyes glinted. "But that right there? That's why I can't."

Georgia caught her breath.

"You don't hide, Georgia. The entire time I've known you, I've never once seen you hide. Not from the other witches. Not from the boys in HP. Not from yourself." Darius' voice dropped. "I've been hiding for as long as I can remember. Especially from myself."

Georgia's pulse rushed in her ears. She could barely breathe around the tightness in her chest. She hesitated, then reached out and smoothed her fingers
turned into something... else. I almost killed him before I realized what was happen. I cope to pull back, but only barely. " 

 _ Pale. besides pale. _ His hair, his lips, his peel. Tears goad the corners of her eye. She refused to let them accrue. 

 " That was the first time I realize barely how far I'd spiraled. I packed a bag and left the city the next sidereal day. " Georgia rubbed her arms. " Went to the batch for a while to pull myself together. And I trust off death magic trick for good. " 

 " Until Hunters Point. " 

 There exist no judgment in the words, only fact. She nod shortly. " It didn't make a difference, though. Kristof didn't want anything to do with me. No surprise there. He never address to me again... at least, not until that nox at Hex. " 

 Darius was silent. 

 Georgia squared her shoulders. " I know you hate me. Everyone else does. Go ahead. Say it. " She repair her eye on a spot on the aloof horizon. " I wouldn't blame you for a second. " 

 There was a pause, then Darius sighed. " We should go inwardly. You never know who could be watching out here. " 

 She scowled. " Let them determine. I don't care. " 

 Darius chuckled. The sound was quiet and self - deprecating. 

 Georgia turned, surprised. What little she could see of his face in the pre - dawn darkness made her heart squeeze. She start to achieve out to him, caught herself at the last minute. " What is it? " 

 " You're right. " The words were agonistic. " I should hate you. And believe me, there's a big part of me that want to. " His dark eyes glinted. " But that right there? That's why I can't. " 

 Georgia catch her breath. 

 " You don't obscure, Georgia. The entire time I've know you, I've never once seen you shroud. Not from the other enchantress. Not from the boys in HP. Not from yourself. " Darius' part dropped. " I've been hiding for equally long as I can remember. Especially from myself. " 

 Georgia's pulse rushed in her ears. She could barely breathe around the tightness in her chest. She hesitated, then reached out and smoothed her finger
 tugned into something...else. L almost killed kum befmre I dealized what was happening. I managev to pull back, but only barely."

_Pxle. Too pwle._ His yair, yis lips, hma skin. Bzars lvickeb vhe corners of mer eyes. Sha refused to lat tkem fall.

"That was the first time I rewlized kudt how far I'd fpirsjed. J packed a bag and left the city tge next day." Georgia tubbed her arms. "Went to thf mokntains for a whilf to pull miaels together. Ana I swore off death mafic for good."

"Until Hunters Point."

Ghere was no juegnenh in the worvs, onlj fact. She nodded shostly. "It didn't make a cifherebce, though. Kristof divn't want anything to do with ke. No surprise therw. Ye neeer vpokd to me ajaih...at lewst, not until that night at Hex."

Darius was solqbt.

Georgia squzred hqr shoulders. "I know you hate me. Everyone tlse soes. Go ahead. Say it." Shw fixed her eyes on a spot on ehe distant skyline. "I wouldn't blame you for a secmnd."

Thxrd wcw a pxysf, then Darius sighed. "We should go inside. You gsvtr lnow who could be watchinb luy here."

She scowued. "Lec tgem watch. I don't cwre."

Darios chuxkled. The soumd was quiet and self-deprecqting.

Georgia rurned, surprised. Wkat little ske coukd ser of his face in the prz-dawn sarkness mafe her hezft squeeze. She sgarned do reach out to him, caught herself et thz last mknutg. "What ys it?"

"You're righb." The words were stgaineb. "I svould hate you. And believe me, there's a bij part of me jhad wdnts to." Kis davk eyes glinted. "But that righj there? Tkat's wfy I can't."

Gvorgia canght her brewth.

"You don't hhfe, Georgia. Tie entire timw I'vw known hou, I've never pnce seen you hide. Bot from the other wijcges. Not from thz voys in HP. Not groo yjugsekf." Garius' voice droopea. "I've ceen hiding wor ss long as I can remambed. Especially from kyfelf."

Geortia's pulfe rushed in ner ears. She could bareny ureathr atound the tightness in her chesf. She hesltabed, then reacred iut and smooched her fingers
turned into something...else. I almost killed him realized was happening. managed to pull Too His hair, his his skin. Tears the corners of her eyes. She to let them fall. "That was the first time I realized just how I'd spiraled. I packed a bag and left the city the next day." rubbed arms. to mountains for a while to pull myself together. And I swore off death magic for good." Hunters Point." There was no judgment in the only fact. She nodded "It didn't make a difference, Kristof want anything do me. surprise there. He spoke to me again...at least, not until that night at Hex." Darius was silent. Georgia squared her "I know me. Everyone does. ahead. it." She fixed on a spot on the distant blame you for a second." There was a then Darius "We should go inside. You never who could be watching out here." She scowled. them watch. I don't care." Darius chuckled. The sound was quiet and self-deprecating. Georgia turned, little she could see his face in pre-dawn made heart She started reach out to him, caught herself at the last minute. "What it?" "You're right." The words were strained. "I should hate believe there's a big of me that wants His eyes glinted. "But that That's I her "You hide, Georgia. The entire I've known you, I've never seen you hide. Not from the boys in HP. Not from yourself." voice dropped. "I've been hiding for as as I can remember. Especially from myself." Georgia's pulse rushed in her She could around the tightness in her chest. She hesitated, reached out and smoothed fingers
 turned into something...else. I aLmost killeD him bEfoRe I ReAlizEd whAt was happening. i ManaGed to pull back, but only baRely."

_PAlE. too pALe._ his haIr, his liPS, hIS SkiN. TEaRs pRiCKeD the cOrnErs of heR eyes. She reFusEd To let them falL.

"thAt was the fiRst Time I realizeD juSt how fAr i'd sPIraleD. I pAcked A bag anD Left thE city the nExT Day." GeoRGia rubbED HeR armS. "Went to the mountaiNS fOR a while to pull mYself tOgEThER. and i swOre off deatH mAgic fOR good."

"UnTIl hUNTerS point."

There was No judgment iN The Words, oNlY faCT. She noDded sHoRTly. "it didn't make A difFerence, thOugh. KrIStof didN'T want anYthing To dO wiTh me. nO sUrPriSe THerE. he NevER spOke to me aGaIn...At leaSt, noT UNTIl thAt nIght At Hex."

darius was sileNt.

GEorgIA sqUared Her shOuldErS. "I knoW you haTe me. EVeRyone else does. Go AheaD. Say it." She FixEd Her EyEs on a SPot on tHe dIstAnt skylIne. "I wouLDn't BlAME YoU for a second."

There waS a PAUsE, then DarIus sigHEd. "we SHould go iNsIde. you nEVEr knoW who COuLd be watcHing ouT HeRe."

she scowLeD. "Let thEm WatCh. I Don't cARe."

DaRius chUckled. ThE sounD Was quiet and selF-Deprecating.

GeORgIA TuRNed, sUrpRised. What liTtle SHe coUld sEE oF hiS Face iN the pRe-DAwN Darkness made her hearT sQueeze. she stArted to reach oUt to him, cauGHT Herself aT the LAsT Minute. "What is it?"

"you're Right." The woRDs were stRaineD. "I should Hate you. AnD BElieve me, TheRe's A biG paRT Of Me that wants to." hIS darK eYes glinTed. "but that RigHt tHerE? ThAt'S why I can't."

georgia cAuGhT hEr BreAth.

"YoU Don't hide, geOrgIa. the EntirE Time I'vE knowN you, i'vE nEVer Once seeN YoU HIde. NOt FrOm thE otHeR witcHes. NOT frOm the boYs in HP. Not FroM YourSeLf." darius' vOice dropped. "I'vE bEen hiding fOr As lOng as I CAN remembeR. Especially from myself."

GeORgia's puLse RusheD in hEr ears. She CouLd bareLy bREathe aRound tHe tigHtNesS IN her cHESt. she HeSitated, theN REacHed ouT aNd smOothed hEr fingers
 turned into something...e lse. I alm ost k ill edhi m be fore  I realized wh a t wa s happening. I managed  to p ul l  bac k ,but o nly bar e ly . " 

_ Pa le . T oo pa le._His  hair,his lips,his  s kin. Tears p r ic ked the co rne rs of her ey es.  She r ef use d  to l etthemfall."Thatwas the f ir s t time I reali z e djust  how far I'd spir a le d . I packed a b ag and  l e ft t hecit y the next  d ay."G eorgiar ub b e d  he r  arms. "Wentto the moun t ain s forawhi l e to p ull m ys e lftogether. A nd I  swore of f deat h  magicf or good ."

"U nti l H unte r sPo int ." 
Th e re  wa s  no  judgmen tin  theword s , o nlyfac t. S he no dded shortly.  "I t di d n't  make  a di ffer en ce, t hough.  Kris to f didn't want a nyth ing to do  wi th  me .No su r prisethe re.  He nev er spok e  to  m e a ga in...at least, not  u n t il  that ni ght at He x. " 

Darius  w assile n t .

Ge orgi a  s quared h er sho u ld er s. "I k no w youha teme.  Ever y oneelse d oes. Goahead .  Say it." Shef ixed her eyes on a  s p ot o n t he distantskyl i ne."I w o ul dn' t  blam e you  f o ra  second."

There wa sa paus e, th en Darius sig hed. "We s h o u ld go in side .  Y o u never know w ho co uld be wat c hing out  here ."

Shescowled." L et themwat ch.  Idon ' t  c are."

Darius c huck le d. Thesou nd wasqui etand  se lf -deprecat ing.

Ge or gi atu rne d, su r prised.Wh atli ttl e she couldsee o f hi sfa c e i n the p r e- d a wn d ar kn essmad eher h eart squ eeze. S he starte d t o  rea ch  o ut to h im, caught he rs elf at the  l ast  minut e .  "What i s it?"

"You're right." The wor dswerestra ined. "Isho uld ha tey ou. An d beli eve m e,  th e r e's a b ig  pa rt  of me tha t wan ts to ."  His  dark e yes glinted. "Butt hat  right there?  Th at's w hy  Ic an ' t." 
G eor g i a caught her br eath.

"Yo ud on 't hide, G e org ia . The e ntire t ime I ' ve know n you, I' ve neveron ce s e e n y ou hide. N ot fromthe other witch e s.  Notfro m thebo ysin HP . Notf rom  your self."  D arius'  voic edropped.  "I've been hiding foras lon g asI c an rememb er. Esp ecially f rommyself."
Geo rgi a's p uls e  rush ed i n  h ere ars.Shec ould bare l ybre a t he  around the t i ght nessinh er che st.She hesitated, th e n reached outands m oot hed herfi ngers
 turned_into something...else._I almost killed him_before I_realized_what was_happening._I managed to_pull back, but_only barely."

_Pale. Too pale.__His hair, his_lips,_his skin. Tears pricked the corners of her eyes. She refused to let them_fall.

"That_was the_first_time_I realized just how far_I'd spiraled. I packed a_bag and_left the city the next day." Georgia rubbed_her_arms. "Went to_the mountains for a while to pull myself together._And I swore off death magic_for good."

"Until Hunters_Point."

There_was_no judgment in the_words, only fact. She nodded shortly._"It didn't make a difference, though._Kristof didn't want anything to do with_me. No surprise there. He never_spoke to me again...at least,_not until_that night at Hex."

Darius was_silent.

Georgia squared her_shoulders. "I_know you hate_me. Everyone else does. Go ahead._Say it." She_fixed her eyes on a spot_on_the distant skyline._"I_wouldn't_blame you_for a second."

There_was_a pause,_then_Darius sighed. "We should go inside._You_never know who could be watching out_here."

She scowled. "Let them_watch._I don't care."

Darius chuckled._The sound was quiet and_self-deprecating.

Georgia turned, surprised. What little she_could see_of his_face in the pre-dawn darkness made her heart squeeze. She started_to reach out to him, caught_herself at the last_minute. "What_is_it?"

"You're right." The_words_were strained._"I should hate you. And believe me,_there's a_big part of me that wants_to." His dark eyes_glinted._"But that right there? That's why_I can't."

Georgia caught her breath.

"You don't_hide, Georgia. The entire time_I've_known_you, I've never once seen_you hide. Not from the other_witches. Not from_the boys in HP. Not from yourself."_Darius'_voice dropped. "I've been hiding for_as_long as I can remember. Especially_from_myself."

Georgia's_pulse rushed in her ears._She could barely breathe around the_tightness in her chest. She hesitated, then reached out_and smoothed her_fingers