After school, Keelia made sure to find Alvis, Delisa, Everie and Jililian and tell them what had happened. “I was wondering where you were for the last half of school!” Everie teased. Jililian and Delisa laughed slightly when Everie said this.

                “It seriously isn’t funny, Everie! Brinely knows that we were down there! He’ll send somebody to get us!” Keelia said.

                “So, Jezebel isn’t working with B7 anymore?” Alvis asked.

                “Correct, but if you call her Jezebel instead of Rachel, there’s a 99.9 percent chance she’ll punch you,” Keelia said. Alvis nodded and continued.

                “Could you take us to Berebandue?” Jililian asked.

                “No. I’d need Rachel, and I’m not sure where she’s hiding from her mother right now. Besides, Brinely probably alerted the whole Shen Drar to tell them that we know where they’re hiding,” Keelia answered.

                “What if there’s another entrance? An entrance that wouldn’t involve Jezebel,” Everie stopped when Keelia glared at him, “I’m sorry. An entrance that wouldn’t involve Rachel to have to be there,” he finished. 

                “Yes. I think I know where you’re talking about,” Alvis said. Everie and Alvis looked at each other for a moment, as if they were talking, but a look in Everie’s eye meant that they knew another entrance that would lead them straight in.

                “No! Alvis, you cannot be serious! You’re in enough trouble already!” Delisa reasoned.

                “Well, Delisa, what other options do we have?” Everie asked. Delisa grumbled about something that had to do with breaking laws but didn’t say anything else.

                “Would anybody care to clue Jililian and I into what you’re suggesting?” Keelia asked. Jililian nodded.

                “Yes please,” Jililian agreed. Alvis looked guilty.

                “Sorry, Everie and I had this great hiding stop when we were little. We would ditch classes and go there (I know! Don’t judge!). One morning we went there was some sort of spell keeping us out,” Alvis addressed Keelia and Jililian.

                “Where?” Keelia asked.

                “About two miles down Silver Creek,” Everie informed. They all decided to meet up early in the morning before school the next week and try to get in the door. Keelia would have to find out where Rachel was hiding and find out if her mother was looking for her.

                When Keelia got back from school that day, she avoided the eyes of every single person in the house. Helbry and Eliza looked at one another when she ran up the stairs and shut her bedroom door. They followed her and knocked. “Come in!” Keelia said and turned around. “Hi guys! What are you doing up here?” she tried to sound her happiest, but it didn’t work.

                “We wanted to talk to you, Keelia. About things,” Helbry said. Keelia prepared herself for the wrath of Helbry, but it never came. She felt the warmth of Eliza as she hugged Keelia.

                “We are SO sorry, Keelia!” Eliza said lovingly.

                “For what? You have nothing to be sorry about!” Keelia said but didn’t object to the hugs.

                “No, we are the ones who should be sorry. We have been ignoring you, just because you brought us the wonderful news that our daughter is still alive, even if she isn’t the same,” they told her.

                “I’m sorry that I’ve only put you guys through misery since I got here,” Keelia said and began to cry. She had wanted a hug from her adoptive parents for so long, and now, she had one.

                “Oh, Keelia! We love you! And we’ll try to help you figure all this out if you help us,” they told her.

                “What about Brinely and Cligan? I miss Cligan so much! He won’t even use colors anymore,” Keelia said dismally. Helbry looked down at his daughter and smiled sadly.

                “I think that all he needs is you and Brinely. If you can change Brinely, you’ll be able to change Cligan.” Keelia’s eyes widened.

                “Where is Brinely?!” she asked urgently.

                “In his room, why?” Eliza replied. Keelia got up quickly and ran into Brinely’s room. She hadn’t ever been inside it before. It was a really depressing room. The walls were gray, and all the furniture was black. Brinely sat hunched over his desk, with vials and corks strewn about.

                “Can you hand me the ice please?” he said, not looking up from his work. She handed him the bottle of frost, which she assumed he meant. “Thank you. Sit.” She sat on the other seat across from Brinely. Brinely had safety goggles on, and didn’t look up.

                “Fern was changed with flames, correct?” Brinely asked. Keelia looked at Brinely in wonder.

                “Are you trying to make an antidote, Brinely?” Brinely pushed back his work and threw aside his goggles. His eyes were red and puffy from crying.

                “What does it look like I’m trying to do? Nothing’s working!” he shouted, but this time he wasn’t angry at Keelia, he was angry at himself. Keelia put her hand on his shoulder, but he didn’t pull away.

                “We’ll find a way. I promise. And until we do, I’m your sister. I’ll love you like a brother no matter how much you hurt me. No matter how much you hurt my friends. I will help you until I can get you to realize that you’re fighting for the wrong side. I will help you until you realize that I really do love you. I love my brother,” she said and began to get up, I probably said that I bit sappily… whoops… I hope I didn’t overdo it! Although I am telling the truth. Brinely took her arm and stood up beside her. She looked up slightly into his eyes. She hadn’t realized how tall he was. He smiled a bit, not a haughty cruel smile, but a gentle happy smile. Somehow, amidst all of the things that Brinely had said and done to her, she could tell that it was over. 

                School complications…again. Keelia had never had this much school trouble in her life! She was sixteen, and she had never had drama, bad grades, or anything! Clearly, her school had gone upside down. Keelia and her friends weren’t able to meet the next morning because of a crazy snow storm. The wind had been howling for the past seven hours with a blizzard in the likes that Keelia hadn’t seen in her entire life. School had been canceled, and Keelia couldn’t help thinking that the Shen Drar had something to do with it. Brinely, on the other hand, was loving the home day! His bedroom had become a lab, and Eliza and Helbry weren’t allowed inside. Cligan’s bedroom had grown messy and he had become disheveled. Keelia tried to talk to him, but he would simply close himself off. He had indeed shouted and spoken to her, but he didn’t do it again. Keelia desperately wanted to let Fern and Cligan talk, but she couldn’t find any way to figure out when Fern had an ‘open mind time’. It felt as though whenever Keelia needed to talk to Fern, the monster was there, and whenever she didn’t need to talk with Fern, the monster would be gone! It was infuriating! On top of all of this, Keelia had come down with a bad cold. So, on this howling morning, Keelia was at her desk, wrapped in a blanket, holding a massive cup of caffeinated Earl Gray tea. Her hair wasn’t combed, and her pajamas were still on. It was only nine in the morning. She couldn’t have her friends over, because she was sick, and she didn’t want to get the rest of her family sick. She had been studying the jewel keys trying to figure out how they worked. Brinely had given her some books that he had used while making his failed antidotes, but no one mentioned the keys. A knock sounded on the door. “What is it?” she mumbled; her voice clogged with all the drainage of her nose.

                “It’s Brinely. Can I come in?” he asked.

                “Only if you want to be contaminated! I’m kidding, come on in,” she yawned. Brinely opened the door.

                “Wow, you look…awful! Mom told me to bring you more tea! This time I snuck honey in!” He set down a steaming mug of caffeinated tea.

                “I really shouldn’t be having this much tea,” Keelia said, sliding her old mug next to four others. That made five (almost six) cups of caffeinated tea.

                “The real reason I was here is: Look what I- Where did you get that?” Brinely asked, pointing to the keys, and lowering the book that he was holding. He didn’t look angry, exactly, just confused. He dug in his pocket. “Where did you get it?” he asked once more.

                “Rachel gave it to me, along with hers and her brothers. I’m trying to find out how they work. Are you mad?” she asked hesitantly. He sighed.

                “No, I guess not. I was just stunned that you had four of them!” Brinely said, although he still sounded unsettled.

                “What should I do with them?” Keelia asked.

                “If I were you, I’d destroy them,” Brinely finished.

                “No! They might help us find out how to make one that heals!” Brinely couldn’t argue with that. He showed her what he found. It was a picture that the Shen Drar had given to him.

                “They gave me this when I first joined them. It’s a map of the underground passages. This is where we are,” he pointed to a small dot and then moved his hand across the page, “this is where Barebandue is. Look at where we are! There’s a cave right under us! We should totally find out what it does!” Brinely finished.

                “I was going to tell you, but our gang, Alvis, Jililian, Delisa, Rachel, Everie and I, were all planning to go into Barebandue together this morning. But because of the blizzard we’re going to go on the morning the snow stops. You’re welcome to come with us. But don’t tell them yet, they’ll think it’s a trap, and won’t show up,” Keelia said. Brinely look somewhat offended.

                “Why would they think it’s a trap?” he asked. Then realization spread to him, “Keelia! I’m so sorry that I lied to you! I’d hoped that you’d forgotten! You can totally shout at me for doing it! You can even punch me, too! I completely understand if you want me to…” he trickled off, moving toward the door.

                “When do I have to get it into your brain?” Keelia started, “You’re my brother, I FORGIVE you already! Let it go! It’s fine!” she said happily. Brinely left her the map, knowing that it would help her. She sat down trying to see out the window. The snow was howling furiously and wasn’t letting up. She wondered whether it would help to ask Helbry how long it would last. Would he, as an inspector, know? The Weathertons were clearly doing this storm, Brinely had just told her that when he left. Before she could ask, the power went out and she was left alone in darkness. The Techtons will figure it out eventually, she told herself.