The digital clock above the front entrance of 'Charmed, I'm Sure' displayed 1:03 p.m. when Kevin closed the cover of the eighth book his sister had given him. Stretching with a loud grunt, he yawned deeply to clear the fog in his brain. Picking up his coffee, he took a sip and wondered just how many servings he had consumed, having lost track since early morning.
Setting the cup aside, he tapped the cover of the last book and looked at his sister. "Is it really true that many hauntings and unexplained occurrences around the world are actually demons, ghosts, and poltergeists either summoned or escaped from Hell and its seven rings?"
Closing her own tome, Cassie shrugged. "There are some, yes. Not nearly as many as the texts would have you believe, though. The Mothman of Point Pleasant, West Virginia? The Jersey Devil? Most likely myth and fairy tales."
"Most likely, but not for certain?"
"Magic, even the most benign, is volatile and uncertain, Kevin." She leaned forward. "Not every witch or warlock can manipulate the higher magics, and most who can, shouldn't. It's not just about having power, but also about understanding it. To respect it." She exhaled heavily. "It makes me wonder about the kid who summoned Charlie by accident. He must have had the gift, but not the knowledge."
Reaching for yet another volume, he inquired, "Did you find out anything more about him?"
"Only that he recovered. I didn't want to give the Virginia coven any opportunity to track me down, so I haven't pried any further."
"I'm glad he's okay, at least." As he flipped through the pages, another troubling thought crossed Kevin's mind. "How many demons do you think are used to commit crimes? Or harm or kill someone?"
"There are no accurate statistics." His sister's tone turned heavy with distaste, "But most practitioners who summon demons to Earth aren't philanthropists."
Scratching his chin, he pondered an idea. "Perhaps Charlie and I need to open our playbook up, go after loose demons, and return them to Hell."
She softly admonished him. "Let's get current things under control first, Kevin."
"You're right." Kevin lamented as he absentmindedly flipped the pages. "I just can't ignore this now that I know it exists."
A chime sounded as the shop door opened, and a family entered: a couple and their two small children. Cassie straightened up and smiled warmly, switching into her shopkeeper persona. "Welcome, wayward souls. Do you require guidance?"
Shaking her head, the mother smiled. "No, thank you; we're just browsing."
"Of course, please take your time and call upon my wisdom should your curiosities bloom."
The woman nodded politely as she and her family turned their attention to the various charms, incense, and books.
Kevin smirked. "Poetic."
"I enjoy welcoming curious visitors into my realm." Cassie watched fondly as they looked around. "Most often, they're just everyday tourists, looking to browse or purchase a cute trinket. However, there are rare occasions when someone enters my shop with the glow."
"The glow?"
"Mmhmm. Their aura. It's like with Charlie. I can sense her before seeing her because her demon energy glows and pulses through the ley lines." She arranged the books on the counter absently. "On rare occasions, I'll get the same sense of energy from someone who visits the shop. Most of the time, they are unaware of their true power, and I relish the moments when I can help them discover the wonders of magic." Cassie gave him a wink with the last of her words.
"I saw that," Kevin chuckled softly. "But I'm with you now, sis. I'm really sorry for all those years I mocked you or thought your ideas were silly. I regret not standing up for you to our parents before you left."
"I was never angry with you, Kevin, just sad." Her expression softened. "I missed you the most when I left, but I couldn't deal with Mom and Dad's pestering anymore. I needed to forge my own path."
"I know. I was a bit surprised when you chose to join the service. I would have expected you to live a nomadic, hippie lifestyle traveling across the country."
"The thought did occur to me." A melancholy shadow crossed her face. "But this shop has always been my dream, and to see it come true, I would need to find the discipline and emotional control I lacked at home. All the preaching about God and about how witchcraft was evil was going to drive me insane."
"I remember the shouting matches with Mom."
"Yeah." Her face fell. "Anyway, the service helped a lot with many aspects of my personal life and growth. But I missed you so much. I spent a lot of years regretting how I up and left you. Then I heard you joined straight out of high school."
"What can I say? You inspired me." Taking a sip of coffee, he winked at her.
"Too sweet, lil brother." Cassie grinned again. "Though I knew that with the different paths we took, it would be almost impossible to see you. Imagine my surprise when I was called to join your unit. I was really excited."
Kevin fidgeted. "Yeah, until…"
"I'm sorry!" She jumped in, reaching across to touch his arm. "I didn't mean to bring that up."
"No. It's okay," he said. "I'm grateful you were there with me that day; your voice in my ear was the only thing that kept me sane." Frowning, he added, "But I never meant for you to resign. That was my call and mine alone."
"I left with you because I was sickened by Tag's actions, and I wouldn't be able to trust any senior officer again." She withdrew her hand and straightened. "Plus, you needed me. The others chose to finish their tours because they felt it was the place they most needed to be. But none of them faulted you, Kevin. I hope you believe that."
"I do," he assured her with a firm tone. The subject brought his team to mind. "How are the others, by the way? Have you talked to them recently?"
Tilting her head, she breathed out slowly. "It's been close to two years since I spoke to any of them. I keep tabs on them through the Frequencies, though."
Kevin hummed curiously. "What are they up to?"
"Brute runs an auto repair shop and co-owns a wrestling school of all things. He's also invested well and is quite wealthy."
He chuckled, "I'm not surprised by that. Any downtime we had, he was either reading, working with the grunts to improve their skills, or playing the stock market. How 'bout Snapshot?"
"Snapshot put his talented eye to work and has a photo studio in Boston. He also works with Hollywood on occasion."
"Bet he has fun with that. All those hot models." Kevin finished with a low whistle.
"Yeah, well, it probably explains why he's still single." Cassie sighed.
He caught the shift in her mood and opted to change the topic. "Shrapnel?"
She perked up with the switch, "Shrapnel works for the NYPD in the bomb squad and helps with the local homeless shelters and runaways." Then she beamed proudly about their last member, "And as for Panther, she's married with two kids, teaches part-time, and keeps herself active in the reserves."
"Nice!" He exclaimed. "I'm glad they're all doing well for themselves."
"Very much so, and they're never far from my thoughts." Cassie sighed wistfully and studied him. "Speaking of nomads, you really should stop being one and call them."
He gazed up at the ceiling, thinking of Charlie. "Accepting Charlie as my partner reminded me of how important being part of a team was. I wish I'd asked them to join me, but this was my burden to bear and my repentance to seek. I didn't want to put that weight on them."
"Any of them would have done so without a second thought," she said with conviction. "But I'm glad you didn't exclude me. Being your ears has always meant a lot to me, lil brother, and with my sources and powers paired with your skills and strategy, we've made one hell of a team."
"That we have." He acknowledged with a wink.
Cassie leaned forward earnestly. "I just hope you'll accept repentance before it's too late."
"When." He smirked. "Not if. After we take down Bible—and we will—I want to take Charlie somewhere special and lose time with her."
"Did you…" His sister paused, glancing toward the stairway. "Did you tell her about what happened?"
Kevin nodded solemnly. "She knows, yes. It was difficult because everything came back so vividly when I shared it with her, but in a way, knowing I had someone who understood me helped ease the burden off my shoulders slightly."
"I can tell you're different." Cassie blew out a breath with a sense of relief. "The little brother I remember is coming back. Charlie is your soul, and you need to tell her how you feel."
"I intend to," he promised. "Hopefully tonight. But we've gotten off track here. What else can you—?"
He paused as the family's mother approached the counter.
"Excuse me?" The mother smiled at both of them kindly, understanding she was intruding on a private conversation, "But we're wondering about the different incenses?"
"Of course," Cassie beamed brightly as she stepped around the counter. She patted Kevin's shoulder, "I'll be right back."
Tilting his head in acknowledgment, Kevin grabbed another book and opened it. He started scanning the chapter list while waiting for his sister to come back.
Seconds later, the door's chime rang out once more. Cassie called out, her voice tinged with concern: "Kevin, you have a guest."
Turning on the stool, he nodded in greeting at Amanda as she made her way through the store.
Amanda offered Cassie a gentle smile before moving to the counter next to him. Adjusting her purse strap, she greeted him with a simple, "Hey."
"Hey." He noticed the bags under her eyes. "You didn't get any sleep, did you?"
"I caught a few winks this morning." Amanda leaned on the corner of the counter. "How about you?"
"More than I expected." He pushed the book aside. "It was a rough night, and the hangover this morning didn't help."
"It was a drinking-to-forget kind of night, wasn't it?" she murmured, wishing now that she'd done the same thing.
"Yeah. Even though the kids are safe," He held his hands outward a bit, giving her an apologetic, chastised expression. "I fucked up and made things worse for you."
"You promised to call me if you found them, not go all kamikaze," Amanda's jaw tightened as she scolded him. "If I hadn't shown up when I did, you could have been killed. How did you get so distracted?"
Kevin paused and found himself unable to correlate the right words to cover for Charlie; instead, he shrugged. "I'm human? I miscounted the number of sentries, and one got the drop on me."
"That's bullshit, Kevin. You don't mess up. That mind of yours is a puzzle-solving machine on overdrive." Her frustration boiled over, and she decided right then she was through with the games. "No. Something's been different with you since that night in West Virginia, and now that I'm suspended for covering your ass, it's time you gave me a straight answer."
"They suspended you?" He cringed. "Why?"
"Why do you think? Stefon didn't buy my story that I could take out the warehouse on my own. Not that I expected that he would, but he knows I called you in and that you were the one to canvass and eliminate the various threats before the task force showed up."
"Amanda, I'm sorry," Kevin started.
She waved him off. "Don't. I knew when I called you that I was risking my job and your life. I did it for the kids, and I'd do it again. But Stefon knows I called you, and we both know there's no way you cleared the warehouse on your own, which is exactly why I'm sure you're working with someone else."
She moved closer, her voice dropping to an intense whisper. "You're good, but not that good. It's fucking obvious, Kevin."
He let out a weary breath, "Amanda, it's not easy to explain."
Refreshed from her shower and comfortably dressed in her usual black T-shirt and ripped blue jeans, Charlie hurried down the stairs to join Kevin and Cassie in the shop. She was eager to speak with him and let him know she felt much better after their conversation the night before, hoping he would rejoin her in their bedroom tonight.
When she reached the shop's door, she stopped short. Her ears picked up Amanda's voice on the other side, hearing her tell Kevin about being suspended and her suspicion that he was working with someone.
For a brief moment, she felt a surge of pride for being that someone, but then he went into denial mode, trying to convince Amanda that he was working alone. She had done as he asked, stayed hidden, and she understood why. But now? Something snapped. She wasn't irritated at hearing his denial; she was pissed. And she was tired of hiding. More importantly, she was tired of hiding from Amanda Sims. She wants answers? Fine! I'll give her answers!
Amanda glowered at Kevin. "Explain it any way you want, but stop lying to me!"
He lowered his eyes and grimaced. "You wouldn't believe me, anyway."
"Don't you dare! I lost my job because of you," she hissed, throwing her hands up in frustration. "I managed to get your gun registration changed to my name and convince Ethan to call off Stefon's dogs. I did all that. For you! So I think it's damn time you tell me the fucking truth for once."
Before he could respond, the side door opened, and Charlie entered, catching Amanda's attention.
Kevin dropped his head and cursed, "Oh, shit."
Charlie immediately fixed her eyes on Amanda. They stared at each other for three seconds before Amanda spun back to face Kevin. "Who is this?!"
He didn't answer, instead giving Charlie a 'why did you come in here' stare.
Cassie suddenly appeared beside them, and she was not happy. "Guys, take this upstairs," she hissed. "You're causing a scene!"
Pursing his lips together, Kevin nodded and stood up. He gestured for Amanda to follow him, approached Charlie, took her hand, and led them to the hallway.
Shutting the door behind him after they'd all stepped out, he turned to Charlie. "I know you could hear us before you came in. Why?"
She folded her arms over her chest in defiance. "I'm done hiding."
Letting out a defeated breath, Kevin nodded in forced agreement.
Amanda studied them both. "Okay, who is she, Kevin?"
Charlie snapped. "I'm right here, so ask me yourself." In that instant, she accepted that her jealousy was very real, very strong. She pushed it down and added, "Sorry, I'm just tired of being kept in the shadows. My name is Charlotte. I work with Kevin."
"Work with?" Shocked, Amanda examined her appearance, noting how small and fragile the woman looked. She could not fathom how such a petite young lady could possibly help Kevin in any way.
Her voice carried an irritable tone when she turned on him. "Kevin! She's a child! What the fuck are you thinking?"
"I'm not a child!" Charlie glowered. "Do I look like a fucking child to you?"
"Sorry." Amanda apologetically held up her hand and clarified, "But you're young and don't look like you're trained for what Kevin does. How the hell have you been helping him?"
Charlie turned to Kevin, and the expression she gave him revealed what was about to happen. "Do you trust Amanda?"
"I do." His words carried the permission that she unknowingly yearned for, even though she had already made up her mind.
Redirecting her gaze to the FBI agent, she shared a thin smile, "I'm not just some girl, Amanda. Will you please join me on the roof?"
"The roof? Why?" Amanda eyed the young woman suspiciously.
"There's something I want to—no, need to—show you." Charlie explained, adding with a hint of trepidation, "Just don't scream, okay?"
"Wha—?" Amanda stuttered.
Kevin understood how she felt. Motioning for her to follow them, he trailed behind Charlie up the stairs. Once they reached the roof, Kevin moved aside to let Amanda join Charlie in the center of the dojo. As she did, he reiterated his girlfriend's warning. "Amanda, whatever you do, don't scream."
She appeared confused and gave him a questioning glance.
Charlie's voice brought her attention back. "Amanda?"
She turned back to the young woman. "What?"
Drawing a deep breath, Charlie exhaled slowly. Though she wanted this, there was a definite hesitation in how to explain it gently. With a quick lick of her lips, she began, "Six months ago, Kevin found me, injured in the forest outside Gratton, where he was hunting the Pry brothers."
Amanda spun to Kevin. "Six months? That night at the hospital, was she with you?"
He raised his hands, urging her to calm down. "Please let her explain."
She gritted her teeth, feeling a bit betrayed by the revelation. "Six months…" Amanda turned back to Charlie. "Go on."
"When he found me, I had no memory of who I was. Technically, I still don't remember who I am, but Cassie has been working to help me regain my memories. But Kevin? He treated me very well. He dressed my wounds, gave me new clothes, and kept me calm."
"He's excellent at taking care of those in need." Amanda nodded, a slight smile ghosting her lips subconsciously.
"He is." Charlie agreed. "I then asked how he'd found me. He explained why he'd been in the area and that he was tracking the Pry brothers, who'd kidnapped those two young girls." Charlie's expression darkened. "When I heard what they would do to them, I felt something inside me snap."
Amanda's tone was weary. "Snap?"
"Yes." Charlie took a deep breath. "Then this happened."
Before Amanda's eyes, Charlie unleashed her demon form, exposing her horns, eyes, teeth, and tail. To emphasize her true nature, she finished with a demonic growl.
Gasping loudly, Amanda took two steps back and reached for her piece, which was no longer there. She jumped with a sharp squeak as a pair of hands grabbed her shoulders to keep her still.
Holding her against him, Kevin spoke in a soothing voice. "Amanda, meet Charlotte Morningstar—the Princess of Hell—and my own personal demon."
The sight of Charlie's demon form before her was overwhelming. Whimpering, Amanda turned and buried her face in his chest. Her shoulders trembled so intensely that Kevin had to wrap his arms around her to calm her down.
Charlie exhaled deeply with a mix of sadness and regret, but she also felt a sense of relief that she could finally reveal her true form to Amanda. A hint of satisfaction calmed her jealousy. What woman would dare interfere between a demon and its lover, right? Immediately, she chastised herself and reined in her demon side. She was better than this.
Approaching cautiously, Charlie tried to soothe her with a promise. "Amanda, it's okay. I won't hurt you. Ever. I'm why Kevin can use scare tactics in our mission, and why the Pry brothers are in an institution, not prison."
She gestured to herself. "I'm also the reason those sentries fell so quickly last night, and it was my mistake that almost got Kevin killed."
"No, Charlie," Kevin disagreed. "You did what you thought was right. I understand, and we can put it behind us, okay?"
Relief washed over her features, and Charlie smiled lovingly, "Okay!"
The smile quickly faded as she watched Amanda pressed against Kevin's body. She needed to get the FBI agent to trust her. Stepping up to them, she reached out and gently touched the older woman's shoulder, but Amanda just squirmed harder against Kevin.
He carefully pushed her away just enough for Charlie to turn her around. "Amanda, what I am isn't who I am. I fight with Kevin to save lives; I don't take them." Her voice grew earnest as she explained. "I may appear scary to the bad guys, but I want to look amazing to my friends. I know it's a lot to take in, but will you trust me?"
Swallowing hard, Amanda stared in awe at the younger woman. Realization of what she truly was hit her hard. Leaning against Kevin for protection, she ventured in a tentative voice, "You…you're a demon?"
"Sort of?" she peered up at Kevin, sharing a look. "We think I'm something a bit more than that."
"More?" She really didn't understand.
"We think," Kevin interjected, "that she may be the daughter of Lucifer himself."
That was too much for her! Pushing away from both of them, Amanda walked toward the parapet. Reaching into her purse, she pulled out her pack of cigarettes and lighter. Fishing one out, she shoved it into her mouth, flicked the lighter, and tried to spark it, but her hands were shaking too much.
Charlie stepped up next to her cautiously.
Amanda stared in awed silence as a flame of orange fire appeared at the tip of her forefinger, lighting the cigarette.
Drawing back, Charlie shook her head in playful admonishment. "Smoking's bad for you, you know?"
Ignoring her, Amanda took three long drags in silence, pacing around the dojo while whispering to herself. Kevin appeared concerned, but Charlie understood every word and knew she was piecing things together. She leaned against him, and he wrapped his arms around her as they waited.
As Amanda paced and smoked, Charlie felt that damn itch return, and she rolled her eyes. "Would you scratch my back, please? I've been itching all day."
Kevin obliged, and she let out a soft moan of relief.
After a few more moments of pacing and smoking, Amanda turned to them and noticed how he was holding her. It all clicked into place. "She's more than your partner, isn't she?"
Avoiding the direct question, Kevin responded, "We have a lot to explain." He gestured for Amanda to take a seat in one of the chairs Cassie kept in the dojo.
Amanda nodded shakily, lighting a second cigarette from the remnants of the first. She wasn't inclined to see Charlie's trick a second time. Sitting down, she leaned back in the chair, but she didn't get comfortable.
For the next few minutes, Kevin and Charlie updated Amanda on the recent events, after which he shared Cassie's revelation about Samedi.
Charlie's face appeared stricken at the news. "He killed the girl, didn't he?"
"We believe so, yes, and if he's working for Bible, we may have to deal with other supernatural situations going forward."
"I made a promise…" She felt her fury building, and her eyes took on the all-too-familiar red glow as her demon side bled forth. "…that if I ever saw him, I'd rip his fucking head off!"
"Charlie?" Kevin shot her a worried glance, concerned that she was losing control.
She touched his arm. "I'm sorry, Kevin. I know we don't kill, and it sickens me to feel this way, but no one else is going to avenge that poor child."
After reflecting on all she had learned, Amanda noticed Charlie's demeanor and recalled what it felt like to harbor wrath against those who aimed to harm the innocent. Now, recognizing that the demon had played a crucial role in many of Kevin's recent successes, her fear dissipated, leaving her with a sense of weariness, and she said, "We shouldn't judge without evidence, Charlotte."
She took a drag on the cigarette and continued. "But given what you've both told me? If he's involved and was responsible for that poor girl's death, I say go for it."
Kevin was surprised by this. "Amanda?"
She stood up, dropped her cigarette, crushed it under her heel, and shrugged. "Kids taken, raped, murdered. And what does the system do? It holds trials, maybe prison, and then they might walk free." Amanda's tone grew hard. "I'm sick of the damn bureaucracy. I'm sick of the regulations, Kevin."
She spat once to emphasize her feelings. "Bible? Samedi? They want to be above the law? Then maybe it's not the law that needs to take them down."
"I don't kill," Kevin declared firmly.
He saw their looks and added with a wry smile, "Humans." he squeezed Charlie's hand. "But Bible and Samedi are monsters. Charlie and I will do whatever is necessary to bring them down. For good."
Amanda gave a firm nod of agreement. "They want to suspend or fire me? Fine, I don't care. What you two have done is remarkable, and I want in."
"Even though I'm a demon?" Charlie ventured.
"Because you're a demon, Charlotte. Because of what you do with it." She clenched her jaw in determination. "I don't want to be sidelined when I can still help. Ethan is going to send me as much information as he can from the bust last night to see if anything got through before being redacted." She pulled out her phone and checked the time. "I expect to receive the materials by day's end or early tomorrow morning. I'm also going to call everyone I know who owes me favors, or those who will help me even though I'm suspended, to gather any other leads. Once I do, I'll bring it here, and we can all go over it together."
"I appreciate it, Amanda," Kevin added. "And I welcome you to the team."
"We welcome you," Charlie added sincerely. "I'm sorry for scaring you. I couldn't bear you not trusting Kevin."
Amanda adjusted her purse on her shoulder. "I'm still scared, Charlotte. This is all new to me. I believe Kevin, though, and that's enough."
She straightened her shoulders. "If I can help us catch that bastard, I'll work by your side, no matter what form you take."
With that promise made, Amanda moved past them to the door. She stopped and closed her eyes as she reached it, stilling the tears that threatened to spill. With a deep breath, she opened her eyes, turned to face Charlie, and, in the tone of her voice, relinquished any claim she may have had on Kevin for good. "Please take care of Kevin, Charlotte."
She understood the message. "I will. I promise." Hoping to ease the pain she knew Amanda would feel, she added with a soft smile, "And my friends call me Charlie."
"Charlie," Amanda repeated. She gave Kevin a soft expression, filled with understanding and a sense of loss deeper than she had anticipated, and closed the door behind her as she left.
Charlie leaned against him. "I'm sorry for this, Kevin, but I had to. I couldn't let you carry the burden of my secret anymore."
"Was it just that? Or something else?" His question was gentle and somber.
"That obvious?" She bit her lip.
"You're not the only one with some heightened senses."
"It's not that I was worried…" Charlie stopped and let out a frustrated breath. "…I just… Oh, Kevin. I don't like feeling jealous. It's a terrible emotion and reeks of distrust. I hate myself right now."
"Don't." He shook his head. "I understand why you did this, and it's okay." Kevin guided her to turn around to face him. "But from now on, please confer with me before we expose anyone else to you. The more who know, the less we have control over what gets out." His expression grew serious. "I couldn't bear it if the wrong people discovered you."
"I promise you I won't do this again. Not without you or Cassie's blessing. Trust me, please?"
"I do; I really do. But now that we know that Samedi or someone like him may know about you, we must be extra careful." Kevin ran his hands down her arms. "We need to stay low until we can go over whatever Amanda brings to us. Take a few days off and focus on research and rest."
"Which means I still have to be invisible." Her voice carried a hint of irritation.
He tried to quell it. "I know you don't like it, Charlie. I'm sorry."
With a weary sigh, she resigned herself to it. "You're right. I don't. But I want to live in this world with you, not in a cage in the back of your closet."
"Whatever makes you think like that?" Kevin scoffed.
Charlie pushed away and took a few strides into the dojo. "I didn't mean it like that, Kevin; I guess I'm still reeling a bit from last night."
"We humans have feelings that don't get put into tidy boxes, huh?"
She felt her lips rise slightly. "No, we humans don't."
"Listen." He cut the distance between them and took her hands in his. "I don't want us to get into another fight. Not now or ever. Let's both take a moment to calm down. We need supplies for the kitchen and our equipment. I'm going to go on a day-long shopping trip to collect them." He squeezed her fingers tenderly. "Why don't you help Cassie in the shop and share with her what Amanda told us? When I get home tonight, I'll take you out to dinner, just the two of us. Okay?"
"That sounds good." Charlie squeezed his hands in return. "I don't want to fight anymore, either." She gave him a strong smile. "Go. Enjoy shopping. I'll give Cassie a hand and fill her in."
Leaning in, Kevin brushed his lips against hers and heard Charlie hum in response to the unexpected but welcomed caress. He debated quietly whether to say the words to her, but he wanted it to be more special. Tonight at dinner, he'd admit everything to her so they could try to start a life together, even if it had to be without sex. That would suffice as long as he could hold her in his arms and protect her from the world.
Resting his forehead against hers, their noses almost touching, he whispered, "I'll see you tonight, my princess."
"Tonight, then, my precious knight."
Sharing gentle smiles, Kevin left Charlie on the roof to grab the car keys and head out.
She stood there momentarily, lost in thought, and felt her inner songstress stir. With a deep breath, she began to sing with a joyful melody, releasing all the tension that had built up over the last couple of days. Instead, she focused on the dream she had the night before, in which Kevin told her he loved her.
By harmonizing the emotions in her heart, she danced in the warmth of the midday sun, unaware of the dangers stirring in the darkness.