I remember waking up the next morning in my bed. The clothes I had on from last night were gone, and I was in my nightgown. Once I fully realized where I was and what had happened, I shot up from my bed and started walking toward my door. I opened it right as Margaret was about to knock, her fist still in the air.

“Well, good morning.”

“Good morning…what time is it?”

“Just a little before noon. You slept for a while. Your dad has been worried. I just told him that you weren’t feeling your best. But you’re feeling fine now, aren’t you?”

“I…am. I think. I’m sorry-did Tommy tell you about what happened last night?”

“He told me that y’all were having fun up until it started raining. You both came back so soaked…and you were practically asleep when you both came back, so I had to get you into some dry clothes. Tommy should be in his room now-”

“It’s across from mine, isn’t it?”

“Yes but-”

“I’ll be right back.”

“Ember! You two aren’t married yet! He doesn’t need to see you in your-”

I was already storming out despite her argument against me doing so. I had a bone to pick with Tommy. I wanted to know what his problem was. I wanted to know how long he’s been a gang leader. And, above everything else, I wanted to know what in the world he wanted to get back at my dad for. So I didn’t even bother knocking when I got to his door. I just went in. Sure, that probably wasn’t the smartest decision, but when I get hotheaded I don’t always think logically.

“Thomas.”

He was laid on a chair and looked relaxed as he read a book. Once he saw me he scanned me over, his eyes wandering for a bit too long.

“My eyes are up here!”

“Calm down, I’m just making sure you’re okay.”

“I’m fine, but you…you have got some nerve.”

“Ah. You’re still mad at me.”

“And why wouldn’t I be!? You’re such a…”

“Go on. Insult the man who saved your life.”

“You wouldn’t have needed to save my life if you had just…”

“Just what? Stayed away? Ember, let’s face it. You’re a wild card. And, as gorgeous as you are, your behavior is…well. It’s unlike any other woman I’ve met, let’s just say that.”

“I’m going to-”

“And, we both need this marriage. If we get married, I can leave you alone to live your life in that cabin of yours, and I can live here.”

“Live here? With the same man you said was a liar?”

“He is, Ember. He's a businessman, yes, but his business is incredibly…sickening. He’s got to be the worst man I’ve ever had to deal with. He’s a crime boss. And that’s just putting it lightly. You don’t have to believe me, but sooner or later someone will expose him for the man he truly is. And, since I recently found out that your mom is Ellie Robertson, I think he might be responsible for her disappearance."

“She didn’t disappear. She’s dead.”

“And do you know that for certain?”

“Yes, I think I do! I remember that day like it was yesterday! The lawmen came to our door and-”

“Were they actual lawmen? Or were they your dad’s men playing dress-up? Listen, I know that we’ve only known each other for a little while. But I didn’t come here to rob y’all blind. I mainly came here to expose your father for who he really is. You just…happened to be a part of the plan.”

I felt nauseous as he said that. I couldn’t imagine my dad being a bad man. But if he was, and if Tommy was right, I’d never be able to forgive myself for never doubting my father’s actions. There were a few things that dad kept hidden from us anyway…and I was curious to see what I could find out.

“Tell me everything then,” I said, sighing heavily as I sat next to him. “From start to finish. Tell me about your gang, how you decided to come over here, and especially tell me everything that happened last night. How were you able to find us on that bridge?”

“Your horse.”

“Onyx led you to us?”

“Without a second thought. She’s safe in the stables now, but she’s probably worried sick about you.”

“I’m glad she’s alright. Thank you for taking care of her.”

“It’s no problem. Now, my gang and I…we’re a small group that disbanded. We’re not much of a gang anymore. It’s just the three of us now. Used to be five, but I killed Reggie and Frank so-”

“You killed them!?”

“I shot them both on the tracks and left their bodies on the bridge. They knew better than to go against my orders. I don’t like people who act like they can’t follow my orders.”

“But that would’ve meant you went two against one. They didn’t shoot back at you?”

“I'm a quick drawer. Frank did get me good in the shoulder right before I killed him though. I’ll be alright. It ain’t like I haven’t been shot before.”

"Let me see."

He let out a sigh before unbuttoning his shirt, revealing the very noticeable muscular body that Milo was talking about last night. Sure enough, there was a good-sized hole centered on his right shoulder.

"You should see a doctor. You could at least get it bandaged up."

"I'll be fine."

"Hm."

"You know, you're caring an awful lot about someone that you hate right now."

"Shut up. I just feel like...I don't know...like I can do something about it."

"Ember, there's nothing you can do. Trust me, I'll be fine."

I ignored him. For some reason, my brain was telling me that I could help him out somehow. So I brushed my fingers over his wound, seeing if I could do something to help with the pain. He kept this weird look on his face but didn't do anything to stop me. Eventually, though, he had to say something.

"What are you doing, Ember?"

"I don't know, I just-"

Then it happened. My fingers lit up, and electric sparks left them. It made the both of us jump.

"What was that!?"

"I don't know! I don't know what I just did-I don't know how I did it..."

"Ember."

"What?"

"Your hair."

"What about it? I know it's messy. I'll brush it soon."

"No, it's not that. Your hair is...is silver."

"What?"

I jolted up and went to the nearest mirror. He was right. It was the smallest streak, but it was there. Just the slightest hint of silver amid my usual red.

"What in the..."

"Something must've happened to you, Ember. When you fell in the water and that lightning bolt struck. That's gotta be the only explanation."

"But how could the lightning cause my hair to turn silver like this?"

"I don't know, I ain't a scientist. I'm a gang leader, remember?"

"Don't remind me," I mumbled. I continued to play with my finger in front of the mirror, mesmerized by my ability. The more I used my newfound power, the more silver my hair became. It was incredible. And scary.

"Try it on me again. The...weird lightning thing."

I came back to him, not because he ordered me to, but because I was curious to see what else I was capable of. Once again, I hovered my fingers above where he was shot. This time, after a few seconds, I noticed something forming. A scar. A small, barely visible, lightning-shaped scar that replaced the hole that was previously there.

"Woah," we both whispered at the same time. "I just healed you."

"You did. So you must like me then, hm? If you're willing to heal me."

"I hate your guts, actually. I'd kick you in them if I could."

"You can't. If you can barely fight against Frank and Reggie, you can't win against me."

"I was thrown off guard," I hissed. "I can fight, trust me. I've spent years training. I don't need these powers to make me strong."

"I'll believe it when I see it."

I was about to say something else until we heard a knock at the door. I assumed it had to be Margaret or dad, up until the most familiar voices rang loudly through the door.

"Uh-what's his name again?"

"Tommy! Gosh Lizzy, daddy just told us what his name was and you already forgot!"

"Listen, you know I'm terrible with names! Leave me alone!"

As they continued to bicker, my mind scattered to my current environment. I was in my nightgown, sitting close to Tommy with my hand on his shirtless chest. My hair was a mess, and it also happened to be silver. My sisters could not see us like this. They'd assume the worst.

"They aren't even supposed to be here yet," I huffed. "Quick, put your shirt back on. I'll hide under the bed."

Tommy let out an enormous laugh. One so loud that I bet the whole mansion could hear. Ugh.

"I'm serious!"

"This is hilarious. Hold on, now would you? Let me find a photographer to capture this moment. Our first morning as an engaged couple."

"Shut up!"

I could feel my face turning red. Oh, how I wanted to wipe that stupid, yet handsome, smirk on his face. I had no choice but to let him tease me though. It was my idea to desperately hide from my sisters, after all.

"I'm coming," Tommy said, collecting himself. When he opened the door, both of my sisters gasped.

"So he is real!"

"I am real, yes! And so are you two!"

"Of course we're real. Little Red wouldn't survive too long if we weren't real enough to be there for her."

"Little Red?"

"That's what we call her. Since she's our little sister and...well. You know her bright red her hair is."

"It's one of the reasons why I fell in love with her."

"Oh, that's so precious. So you two are getting married at the end of the week, is that correct?"

"It is. And you know, she's going to be wearing your mother's dress."

They both squealed in excitement.

"We must find her. We have so many questions to ask."

"And I know she'll have so many answers. The last time I saw her she was by the stables, but she might not be over there now."

"We'll find her eventually. Even though this mansion is large, living here for years has made it seem quite smaller. I think you'll like it here, Tommy."

"Thank you, uh-"

"I'm Emilia. If you see a blonde-haired woman walking around, it's probably me."

"And I'm Elizabeth, but everyone calls me Lizzy. The middle and the best sister."

"You are not the best sister, Lizzy. I'm the oldest so I'm the best. I know more than the both of you."

"You're only older than I am by a year."

"Yes, exactly. I'm still older."

"Well I hate to get in between this," Tommy coughed. "But I personally believe that Ember is the better sister. I might be biased, though."

"Of course. You're her fiance, you wouldn't think otherwise. You shouldn't think otherwise."

"Right."

"But let us tell you something, Tommy. Little Red is our baby sister. If you hurt her..."

"I won't hurt her."

"Do you promise?"

"I swear it. With my life."

"...We'll take your word for it then. Alright Lizzy, let's go see if we can find her."

"Fine by me."

I came out from under the bed as soon as he shut the door.

"Your sisters are funny."

"They are. But they mean well."

"Mhm. ...You aren't like them."

"...I'm not. My sisters are the perfect image of a lady. They know all the mannerisms."

"So do you, right?"

"Yes, but the difference between them and I is that...they're okay with living that sort of life. I'm not. And, although being engaged to a gang leader isn't exactly what I planned out, it's still better than being engaged to some boring man with a high status."

"Oh, so I'm not boring?"

"Tommy, I hate you, but I don't hate you enough to say you're boring."

"Alright then, Little Red. And speaking of your hair, it's back to normal now. I guess it needed some time to change color again."

"Maybe that's because I stopped using my powers. I bet when I try to use them again, it'll go back to silver."

"Probably so. But let's not test that theory out right this second, okay? I told a little lie to get your sisters away but they don't seem like idiots. You should probably go see them before they try to come back here."

"Fine. But we need to continue our conversation about...you know."

"I know. And we will."

He gave me a small smile, probably expecting me to smile back at him in return. I didn't. I was still mad at him. Why should I smile at someone I'm irritated at? Anyway, I went back to my room and hurriedly got ready so that my sisters wouldn't have to wait too long for me. I ran my way over to the stables, ignoring the fact that I didn't have breakfast yet. Before I could even spot them, I heard a high-pitched squeal, telling me that I didn't have to search for them any longer.

"It's on my dress! Get it off! Get it off!"

"I don't want it on my dress, though!"

"What? Goodness, what is it?"

I ran over to them, worried that it was something terrible. It was a dragonfly.

"Smack it, sister!"

"No!" I laughed at them both. "It's just a little thing. They don't bite or sting."

"Doesn't matter. It's still on me," Lizzy wailed. "It's looking at me with those creepy beady eyes."

"Speaking of eyes, Lizzy, I'm about to start rolling mine."

I gently picked the multicolored dragonfly from her skirt, letting it rest on my finger.

"How are you two scared of it?"

"Ember, we're not exactly the most nature-embracing people. Though, my husband might argue otherwise."

"Emilia, I forgot that Beau travels the world for his job. Where is he now?"

"Somewhere in Asia...I wouldn't know. All I know is that I get the manor to myself and it's quite lovely. Not having a husband around can be freeing-but oh, don't let what I say stop you from being engaged, Ember. If you were to break off the engagement I'm sure he'd be devastated."

"Well I don't know about devastated-"

"Are you kidding?" Lizzy said, throwing her arms up in the air. "He's obsessed with you, Ember. You should've heard the way he was talking about you earlier. He's so in love."

He was acting. He's not in love. But of course, they didn't know that. So I had to act as well.

"We're both in love."

"And it feels wonderful, doesn't it? I remember how much you hated the thought of having a husband when we were kids. You would always scream every time a boy touched you."

"I did not."

"You so did, Ember! You would wail so much that poor dad had to keep an eye on you while he worked...you always sat in that one chair in his office, playing with your dolls until you grew either hungry or tired."

"I remember. And when we all got hungry, we would go over to the kitchen and help with the supper. Whenever she had the time, mom was always in there."

"And her blueberry pie was to die for. We should recreate it."

"It wouldn't taste the same. Not without her help."

Lizzy gave my shoulder a small rub.

"Is everything okay, Little Red?"

"...Yeah. Yeah-I'm fine, It's just...I wish she were here. I don't even want to get married without her here."

"We didn't want to get married either. Walking down the aisle without her in the audience will feel strange. But she lives in each of us. She's not completely absent. And if she could see all of us now...if she could see you now, Ember...she'd be so incredibly proud."

Emilia was our mother's twin, so hearing her say that honestly felt like our mom was speaking directly through her. It felt nice. I couldn't help but hug both my sisters as tightly as I could, not ever wanting to let them go. I was grateful for them. As much as they teased me, I knew they did it all out of love. Having them reminded me that I wasn't alone, either. Even if they had moved away from the mansion and lived their own separate lives, they never felt far away.

"We need to start brainstorming," Emilia said as she let go. "With the wedding around the corner, we should-"

"I want it simple, Emilia."

"...Okay."

"Simple."

"I-I heard you. And simple is great. Simple is...fine-"

"Which means I want a small crowd."

"Alright."

"A small bouquet."

"Alright," her voice cracked. Lizzy was laughing at her. Emilia didn't like to do things small-and that's where she and I were opposites. Her wedding was large and grand-very over the top, but still extremely breathtaking to attend. My "wedding" wasn't going to be anything like hers. And I knew she wasn't going to like it one bit.

"...Do you at least want roses?"

"Sure. But small ones."

"Ugh. Fine. It's your special day. Do you know what Tommy wants?"

"He wants what I want."

"Oh, he's smart."

"He is smart if his goal is to save money."

Our dad, who we didn't hear walk up to us, placed his hands on our shoulders with a small smile on his face. "He probably plans on using some for the musicians that will be arriving tomorrow."

"Musicians, daddy? But the music room hasn't been used in years."

"And I figured that we should change that, shouldn't we? Especially when my youngest is currently engaged. I've invited some of my closest partners for a party tomorrow night. They'll be the same ones who come to the wedding."

"Daddy, I didn't pack a party dress in my bag."

"I'm aware, Lizzy. I brought this up all of a sudden. But I have dresses for each of you."

He said that with his voice directed toward me.

"I won't complain about having to wear a dress, dad. I promise."

"Hm. Well, it's purple. I figured you might like it a bit better than the one you met Tommy in."

"Thank you."

"Do you mind if I speak with your sisters for a moment? You'll have plenty of time to chat with them later."

"How rude, kicking me out of the conversation."

"Not on purpose, sweetheart. We just need to discuss some things about your future."

"...And that requires me to be absent?"

"Yes. I'm sorry."

"Okay-normally I'd get angry with you about that, but I'm feeling a bit hungry, so I'm going to find something in the kitchen."

"Excellent."

I was hungry, but I also needed a good excuse to snoop around his office while he was out. So that's exactly where I headed as soon as I went back into the mansion, however, when I approached his office door, I noticed that it was already cracked. He never left his door cracked. It was always shut. Somebody was snooping around too.

"Tommy?"

I startled him as I stepped inside.

"O-oh. Don't scare me like that, please."

"Fine. I'll scare you a different way next time."

"Of course you will."

"What are you doing?"

"What does it look like? I'm trying to find something against your dad, but he hides his business extremely well."

"He does."

"Dang it."

I bit my lip in thought.

"His key to his desk drawer is probably in his pocket. But I'm assuming his desk is where he keeps most information."

"Great, so now I have to steal from him while he's asleep."

"What? Tommy, you're not doing that."

"What else do you suggest I do? Ask him for it? I'm sure he'd be more than willing to give his son-in-law a key to the secrets of his business."

"...I don't want to steal from him, though."

"Ember, we're already in his office trying to find stuff. Stealing isn't any better than what we're doing right now."

"You're right. Maybe I should just leave this in your hands. I have other things to worry about anyway, like the party."

"Party?"

"Yes, apparently we'll be hosting a party tomorrow in the music room. I was just made aware."

"Ah. I'm glad I have a suit. I guess your dad decided to throw it because of our engagement."

"That, and it'll celebrate the fact that all three of his daughters have found husbands, so I guess he's really excited to throw it. We haven't had a party in ages. Not since our mom passed."

"It's been that long, huh? You must've forgotten what it's like."

"I have a little bit, yes. I remember the soft music...and the way my parents would laugh as they danced with each other...but that's it. A part of me wants to see them dance just one more time. They lit up the entire room while they were together. It was incredible. And it's crazy to even think about mom potentially being alive. I swear, Tommy, if you get my hopes up too high, I will murder you."

"Are you going to shoot me or shock me?"

"Why not both?"

Our conversation was interrupted when we heard heavy footsteps headed our way. Dad. There wasn't enough time for us to run out of the office and hide, so Tommy quickly shut the door.

"Curtain," he whispered. "Go. Now."

I nodded, not wasting a second to hide behind one. I hid in the left curtain, he hid in the right. Seconds later, dad had made his way inside his office. I tried my best to keep my breath stable as he walked around, eventually sitting in his usual seat, a cigar ready to be lit in his hand.

"Oh Ellie," I heard him sigh. "If only things were different."

We heard him open a drawer. His desk drawer-the one we needed to look in.

"Business is boring as usual," he mumbled to himself. "Not too many customers this time...ah. Mr. Wilson still owes me for that last trip. I should-"

"DADDY!" shouted Lizzy. "MY DRESS RIPPED!"

"Dang it."

He suddenly ushered out of his office, not even thinking to close the door. Or his desk drawer. Tommy and I made a break for it, us both getting our hands on several papers.

"Farm A supply...? Customers? Farm B and C?"

"And E and D...these farms are spread all over the state."

"Oh. So my dad owns a bunch of land plots. Not too bad."

"Sure, Ember. Not to bad up until you're one of the people on his debt list."

"What?"

He slid a paper my way. Dad's debt list. There were several names, some of them scratched out. Some of them had the letter "D" next to their names. What did that mean?"

"I'm assuming he's the type of guy to make sure you pay what you owe."

"I'm confused. Especially with the farms. Why does he own several, and what does he even grow?"

Tommy's eyes settled on the drawer again. He noticed a letter. He carefully opened it, making sure to touch the paper as gently as possible.

"Dear Mr. Evans...no wonder. No wonder you call it the wonder drug. Ever since our divorce, my life has gone downhill, and your miraculous drug has made things seem okay again. I don't believe in magic, but I do believe in this. I want to help expand your business. I want to help you reach more customers nationwide. And the last thing I want is for anyone to get in the way of your plan, which is why I have put security measures in place to stop anyone who even tries to cross you. I'll be your greatest partner, but only if you'll let me. Sincerely, Mr. Richardson."

"I'm going to be sick."

"Ember-"

"It's been drugs. This whole time. His business. My dad...he's..."

"...A drug lord."

"Don't-"

"Sorry."

"Ugh."

I didn't know what else to think. No wonder he kept it a secret. I slammed the papers on his desk in frustration.

"Ember."

"What, Tommy? What could you possibly have to say? My father has told us what he does for business in the past. He distributes. He's like a deliveryman-except he hires men to run all his deliveries. Never did it occur to us that he distributed "wonder drugs" that he has farms of across the state. I can't imagine what else he does."

"He probably does a lot of killing. Typically, drug lords kill people who don't pay them what they owe-"

"That makes me feel so much better, Tommy."

"Again, I'm sorry. ...But think of what you just said."

"What?"

"What you said earlier. I asked you if you were going to shoot me or shock me. You said maybe both."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"That's how you'll take him down, Ember. You'll shoot and shock. Use your powers to supercharge your abilities. You just got a new gun."

"You want me to combine my skills."

"Yes. You are a sharpshooter who has electric powers-though you're still trying to figure out how they work. If you can somehow manage to combine the two...and...I don't know...make electric bullets..."

"Are you hearing yourself, Tommy?"

"Yeah yeah, I know. I sound silly. But I'm serious. You could be a sharpshooter that this world couldn't even imagine. And, you could use your powers to take down each farm, one by one. And, as we're doing so, we can find out more about the type of person your dad is. We can find out more about your mom, too."

He neatly collected all the papers and put them back inside the drawer, then took me out into the hallway. I was sure he could read my facial expressions like a novel.

"Ember. Listen to me. I know you're upset. I'd be upset too if I was in your position. But I need you to remain strong, alright? You survived that fall for a reason. You should've died, but you didn't. You're meant to do incredible things. And, even though you still hate me, we have to work together to stop your dad, because...who knows what else he's done. We know he owns those farms, but what else? He's an incredibly wealthy man, which means he can pay his way through people to get what he wants done. He knows that there are people who want to take him down, but, being as wealthy as he is, he never has to worry about them for long. You're different because you're his daughter. He wouldn't expect you to cross him. And I doubt that he'd ever pay someone to get rid of you-especially when he's throwing this party to celebrate our engagement."

"So what do you suggest we do for now?"

"Lay low and find out more. We need to figure out where these farms are located. Along the way, we'll figure out what happened with Ellie. And, in the meantime, you should work with your powers a bit more."

"...I'll see what I can do."