Kyi and Aurora walked silently along the road. They didn’t look at each other or acknowledge the other’s existence.

“What town are we going to?” Aurora said, her voice devoid of any tone. She looked over to Kyi’s boots. “We can’t go to Cannonry. That’s where they were recognized.”

“All the more reason to go and find out who did it and burn that bastard’s house to the ground.” Kyi snarled. Their boot prints were deeper than Aurora’s from how hard Kyi was stomping along the road.

“Not a bad idea,” Aurora agreed. “But I imagine the interrogation process might get messy.”

“We’ll wear gloves,” Kyi snapped. Aurora nodded.

“I feel like there’s probably something more productive we could do,” Aurora said. “We could find a coven? Magic might be able to fix this. Find a fey circle or something.”

“You think we could find a coven or circle?” Kyi stopped stomping and turned to Aurora. “Covens are pretty notorious for being hidden and fairy circles aren’t common.”

"We'll be hunting something down and I imagine there'll be less guards after us if we aren't hunting people." Aurora played with her hair and pulled it over her shoulders.

"Yeah but with the town we'd know where we're going," Kyi started walking down the road again. "Tell you what, we'll compromise. There's an occult shop and an apothecary. We'll visit both, if there's a chance we can find something we won't start burning buildings."

"Seems fair," Aurora agreed. The two traveled the short road to Cannonry. The town was covered in guards. Stopping the pair from waltzing in the front gates.

"They're checking faces," Aurora pointed. A hooded traveler was forced to remove their hood at the front gates.

"Question is, do they know our faces?" Kyi whispered. Covering their mouth with their fist. "And is it at all related?"

"What do you mean?" Aurora asked.

"They could be looking for someone for a completely different reason." Kyi explained. "It might have nothing to do with us."

"Do you believe that?" Aurora looked at Kyi dubiously.

"Nope," Kyi shook their head. "I know the occult shop has a back door. We'll get in that way," Kyi moved around the forest and Aurora followed around behind. Kyi led them to a thicket that they crawled under into a small clearing.

"A fairy circle!" Aurora pointed over Kyi at a little ring of well maintained mushrooms. Growing between the mushrooms were little pruned daisies, moss flowers, and dandelions.

"That's not a fairy circle, that's the back door," Kyi laughed. They got up and brushed off their pants. Strolling through the little clearing to the circle and kneeling next to it. They knocked on the moss, it made a hollow wooden sound that echoed underground. A few uneven echoes traveled back up to the door and the hatch opened.

"Kyi!" The person grinned. The grin stretching over both sides of their face.

"Nitya!" Kyi cried back. "Hey what's with the guards out front?"

"Something about a missing noble and the bitch being seen around here.” Nitya dismissed with a toss of their painted nails. "Why? You done something lately?"

"Kidnapped a Noble?” Kyi smiled. Nitya’s dark eyes narrowed, trying to gauge if Kyi was being serious or not. The smile crept over their face, exposing their square front teeth.

“Why does that not surprise me?” They laughed, their wild black curls bounced. Showing glimpses of the silver piercings in Nitya’s ears. They laughed and noticed Aurora to the side. “Oh, hey Aurora!”

“Hey Nitya, has that dragon’s blood candle come in yet?” She asked, coming closer and kneeling next to Kyi.

“Not yet, I’ll make a fresh batch of candles once my adventuring party returns with some more blood.” Nitya sighed, planting their elbow in the dirt and resting their head on their hand. “Responsibly sourcing dragon’s blood isn’t easy. Most aren’t willing to donate and want a ridiculous cut of the profits.”

“Explains why they go so fast,” Kyi nodded.

“Yeah, but nothing else heals quite like it,” Aurora said with a long sigh.

“We do actually have real business to attend to,” Kyi said to get them back on track. Nitya sat up in attention. “Friend’s been shot and presumably poisoned. Magic shit. What you got that has an unholy amount of healing properties. There is no overkill in this context.” Nitya looked between the two. Tapping the white and purple painted nails over their chin.

“C’mon inside, there might be a few things I can offer.” Nitya dropped down the trap door. Their shoes made thudding sounds against the underground wood staircase. Kyi jumped down onto the stairs with a heavy blast and Aurora slipped under the dirt. Pulling the door closed behind her.

The natural daylight vanished in an instant. Replaced by rows of enchanted lanterns hanging from the ceiling. The ever-burning flames were in a deep lilac color. The whole underground storage area was tinted with purple. The tunnel had boxes and bags lining the walls. Reinforced with thick wooden beams that crisscrossed along the top. The tunnel opened into a large storage area with large floor to ceiling shelves. All stocked with random odd items.

Stalking about the floors and shelves were a trio of cats. One pure black, one black and white, and one black, white and orange. Kyi scooped one up into their arms and walked along, cradling the cat.

“I have a collection of healing items,” Nitya pet one of the cats as they stopped at a series of purple lit shelves. “Various potions, incense, candles, charms, and enchantments. What kind of ailment is it we’re fixing?”

“We don’t know exactly,” Aurora admitted. Kneeling down to give attention to the third cat. “We weren’t present at the time. But what we know is that they were shot through the chest and the poison in question was thick and honey-like.”

“Scent?”

“Sweet, very sweet.” Kyi said between cooing at the cat. “Like something fruity. Berries, but also a very woody smell.” Nitya stared at their shelves and scratched the black cat’s ears.

“Okay, thick. Sweet.” Nitya murmured. “That could be any of these, but woody? Maybe multiples?” Nitya shook their head.

“You wouldn’t happen to have brought it with you?” Nitya turned back to Kyi and Aurora. The cat Nitya had been petting, meowed at the lack of attention. Kyi stood up and looked around for a quick place to put the cat in their arms.

"Uh, yeah!" Kyi shifted the cat into one arm and fished through their jacket pocket. Pulling out a mason jar with the sticky pieces of glass inside it. Kyi handed it to Nitya. They looked at the glass inside the mason jar.

"Huh," Nitya held the jar up to the light and let it shine through. "I’ve never seen this before.”

“Is that good or bad?” Kyi asked, shifting the cat into both of their arms again.

“Why did you have that?” Aurora asked.

“The jar? Oh I’m going to find whoever gave it to Seren and force feed them the rest of it. Glass included.” Kyi rolled the cat over onto its belly and scratched the long hair. Aurora pursed her lips.

"Sounds like we have a very busy day ahead of us," she said, turning back to Nitya. "Can you recognize it?"

"By sight? Unlikely," Nitya spun the lid off and sniffed the contents.

"Very fragrant," They observed. "Narrows it slightly." Nitya began mumbling and started walking away. Kyi and Aurora shared a look and followed.

"Is it a bad sign that you can't immediately recognize it?" Aurora asked. The two cats followed after the group.

"I wouldn't say so," Nitya said with a song in their voice. "There's only a handful that can be recognized when concentrated like this. Though this concentrate is an unusual color and consistency. I'm sure it's mixed with something else.." Nitya walked out of the storage area and up the stairs into the store proper. They left the door open for Kyi and Aurora to follow them as well as the cats into the one clean corner of the shop.

The shop floor was covered in shelves that were crammed in books and occult looking items. The store had a very distinct smoky smell and a hazy look in the air. Nitya rounded the corner. Ducking through another door into their private living area. Kyi and Aurora didn't see much of it before Nitya led them into a large alchemical area.

"Any physical effects to touch?" Nitya asked as they placed the open jar on the counter. Tossing the lid into a nearby basket.

"Pandora mentioned a bit of tingling and burning but nothing major or permanent." Kyi put the cat down on its paws and brushed off the remaining cat hair.

"Not surprising," Nitya mumbled to themself. They brought out a beaker and tipped the mason jar into the beaker. The glass pieces broke more when they hit the bottom. Spilling the thick poison around the jar bottom.

"This is gonna take a while, isn't it?" Aurora asked.

"Undoubtedly,"

-----

The castle walls were eerily empty. Seren could hear their footsteps bouncing off the walls. Their own heartbeat in their ears. The walls were exactly the way they remembered. With heavy tapestries in rainbows of color. All telling stories of their family past and legends of their kingdom.

There were tapestries of the world tree that united the human and fey worlds. Of the kings and queens past and the scenes they were renowned for. Their mother’s was up in the grand ballroom and was the largest of all the tapestries.

Seren found the ballroom. It’s milky white marble floors were empty. Golden curtains hung over the doors. With royal purple trims and deep red sashes. The walls were painted with beautifully detailed murals of animals in gold. Large gold framed paintings hung on the walls. Paintings of Seren’s mother. One surrounded by bushes of large golden flowers. Another of her atop the golden bejeweled throne. Above the door of the ballroom was the tapestry.

Standing in the center of the ballroom Seren stared at it. It was the same as the paintings. The Queen sitting on a golden throne. Dressed in royal reds and purples. Surrounded in eternal golden flowers with a golden crown on her head. Cupped in her hands was a tree sapling. Seren sat down in the center of the ballroom floor. Staring at her mother’s piercing green eyes. They were forest green in the tapestry. But Seren clearly remembered them being a dull, tarnished olive color. There was a healthy pink glow in the tapestries cheeks which made Seren scoff aloud. They’d never known their mother to have a pink in her cheeks unless they were red with rage. Yet the rest of the tapestry was rather honest. Seren had never known their mother to be anything other than beautiful and lovely. They didn’t think it was fair for her face to be so deceptively beautiful.

“If I had been in charge of this tapestry,” Seren said aloud to try and ward off the silence. “I would have surrounded her with the people she’s had killed just cause she’s had a bad day. Or all the servants with their mouths sewn shut because of how afraid of her they are.” The more things Seren listed, the louder their voice raised. Until Seren’s voice was bouncing off the marble walls and they were yelling at the top of their lungs.

“What are you doing?” The Queen’s unmistakable voice boomed down the halls. Seren went cold. They were on their feet in a second and running for cover. They dove behind a wall of curtains and peeked out from behind them warily. The Queen stormed into the ballroom. Her cheeks, tomato red. Seren’s heart stopped as the Queen scanned the room.

“Seren!” The Queen yelled. The remaining color drained from Seren as they held their breath. Fearing the woman would hear it. The Queen turned and flourished back out of the room. Yelling their name again. Seren let out the breath they’d been holding. They left the cover of the curtain and doubled over. Hands on their knees. Trying to catch their breath. They stood up and ran to the door of the ballroom. They didn’t see anyone in the halls any longer. There was an echo of the Queen yelling down the halls. Looking for the ‘damned child’ and ‘why can’t they come when they’re called?’. Seren kept a hand on the wall as they followed the yelling. Keeping a good amount of distance between them and the sounds.

Seren clearly remembered their younger self hadn’t been able to hear them. Following that logic neither should this version of their mother. But the pins and needles under their skin told them otherwise. Seren hid behind the walls as they peeked into the doors they passed. Keeping very low. Under their mother’s natural line of sight, to avoid being seen if the Queen came from a direction they didn’t expect.

Down the hall the Queen appeared again. Rounding the corner with speed. Seren ducked into the first door they could reach. Another hall with no hiding places. Seren panicked. Looking at every corner and angle for a place to hide.

A knife of ice slid right through them as the Queen passed through with no resistance. Storming down the hall and out of sight as Seren went weak in the knees. Their ears were ringing. Seren dropped to the ground shivering.

“Did I die? Am I dead?” Seren started hysterically muttering to themself. “Gods I’ve died and this is hell. What did I do? How do I fix this?"

-----

Pandora paced. Her bedroom floor was worn down an inch lower than the other floorboards. There were red patches on her skin from how tightly she'd been holding onto her bare arms. Eoin wasn't much better. He was still staring out the window. Even though the window didn't give him a view of the front yard.

“You should get some sleep,” he said. Pandora paused in her pacing.

“How can I?” She threw her arms out and resumed her pacing faster. “Kyi and Aurora still aren’t back. Seren’s more dead than alive. It’s only a matter of time before the Queen’s guards come for the rest of us.”

“I know.” Eoin said with no emotion offered. He continued to stare out the window.

“What do we do? What can we do?” Pandora asked, the fear and pleading in her voice coming through. Eoin didn’t respond, still staring out the window.

“Talk to me. Please!” Pandora yelled, “I hate it when you’re silent like this!” Eoin’s mouth opened then shut again. He shook his head, turning back to Pandora.

“I’m sorry,” He sighed. “I just. I don’t know.” Pandora pressed her lips together and nodded.

“Let’s step back,” She said firmly. She held her elbows and turned to start pacing again. “Think logically. What’s happening and how do we solve it.”

“We can’t stay here,” Eoin turned to face Pandora. “It’s safe to assume we’re all wanted criminals by this point. Our location is known.”

“So we need to leave,” Pandora snapped her fingers. “Pack light and leave,”

“Kyi and Aurora?” Eoin asked. “They said they were going to town.”

“We’ll wait for a day or so,” Pandora said.

“That will give us time to worry about Seren.” Eoin said. Pandora paled again.

“Oh no, Seren.” Pandora groaned. “I forgot them,”

“They’re unconscious but stable. A wound in their chest, Doc's stumped.” Eoin continued. “What do we do?” Pandora started pacing again.

“What do we do?” She repeated, shaking her head. “What do we do?” She stopped and looked at Eoin and shrugged helplessly.

“I don’t know what to do,” Pandora admitted. “We could be right about the magic but if we aren’t we could be putting ourselves in danger for nothing. I don’t know what to do. I can’t fathom just leaving them to die but carting around a near corpse isn’t exactly light!”

“We could always just … … …” Eoin’s voice dropped so that Pandora couldn’t hear it. She stared at him and moved closer.

“What?” She asked.

“Just … … …” Eoin said without raising his voice.

“I think you know what you’re trying to suggest is bad,” Pandora said. “And that’s why you don’t want to say it out loud.” Eoin looked up with a mournful look.

“It makes sense if they aren’t going to wake up,” He defended. Pandora shook her head.

“Absolutely not.” She said with a firm tone. “It’s far too early to make that call.”

“I agree,” Eoin put up his hands. “But it is something we have to think about. Especially now that we’re planning on jumping ship.” Pandora’s lower lip trembled. She turned away and covered her mouth, shaking her head.

“Take inventory of everything we need to have ready.” Pandora drew in a harsh breath and returned to her harsh tone. “Everything we need to get up and go in less than five. Meanwhile we’ll wait for Kyi and Aurora.”

“And Seren?”

Pandora shook her head, her lip trembling again. “I don’t know.”