As the year whisked past, the anger in Thema started to steadily grow. She found herself seeking out violent attention, as if possessed by violence themselves. There was nothing wrong with her home life. Her family was made up of vastly good people. But perhaps that was the problem? Nobody in her family was particularly bad. Nobody in her family seemed to have any really apparent flaws, except for "cute" ones that were considered "endearing".

Everyone was beautiful, or had some sort of talent that made them so. Thema felt like a thorn on an otherwise thornless rose stem. It was only a matter of time before her family plucked her and tossed her aside like some unwanted pain, wasn't it?

Thema sighed heavily, pulling her hair back. Her angles had grown sharper, the doughyness of youth melting away to reveal gaunt cheeks and permanently furrowed brows. The scowl on her face, as her mother told her, was going to get stuck that way. Aten made tutting noises under his breath every time her narrowed eyes met his, and Smolder ...

... well, her dad flat out ignored her sometimes.

Thema scoffed openly in to the mirror. It only made her features look all the more harsher.

The hallowed child yanked on the open end of her pony tail to tighten it further, letting her hands drop back to her sides as their hands fell to their sharp hip bones.

One chapter of her life was coming to a close, and another about to begin. Thema had a sneaky suspicion that this next one would be even tougher and more grueling than the last ...