The vampire still grinned at Ibrihim, its eyes alight with glee. “Finally,” the vampire said. “I can catch one of you.”

Like snow in summer, Ibrihim thought. All need for subtleness gone, Ibrihim drew his sword from its sheath and summoned pure energy into his other hand. Wide eyed, Sabine pulled herself down, attempting to escape the vampire’s grasp.

Ibrihim let the energy fly at the second vampire. He knew it wouldn’t do much, but it would slow it down for a second or two. That was all he needed. He swung his sword back and brought it crashing down into the vampire’s chest. No blood spurted from the vampire’s wound, but it fell to the ground, smile still on its face. Sabine used the opportunity to squirm away from the falling body. She nodded to Ibrihim.

In an instant, Sabine was up, holding vials in her hand. She rounded on the second vampire as Ibrihim continued his assault on the first. He swung his sword again and again. Both strikes hit a shield of some kind. The vampire began to rise. Ibrihim pulled out a small vial of his own and threw it at the vampire’s feet. Its skin instantly began to boil. This time, Ibrihim could feel the magic in the air when the vampire’s shield failed. They could use magic now?

Ibrihim heard hissing to his right. Sabine had used one of the vials on the other vampire. He felt Sabine press into him and switched his grip on his sword, both hands on the pommel and pointed it down.

“We will succeed.” The vampire hissed.

Ibrihim brought his sword down into its skull. For once he was truly glad they didn’t bleed like a normal being. He turned and raised his sword at the other vampire. It had fallen to the ground, its feet simply gone.

The vampire snarled at him. “Our deaths mean nothing. More will come. More will always come. But you.” It paused, gasping in pain. “You will end.”

It looked straight at Sabine and muttered a string of unfamiliar words. It snapped its fingers just as the potion pooled under its torso.

Sabine and Ibrihim stepped back as the entire body began to boil.

The vampire reached into its pocket with a ruined arm. It pulled out a bottle no bigger than its hand.

Ibrihim opened another gate. He grabbed Sabine’s hand. The glass bottle shattered and a foul odor hit the air. Sabine collapsed.

This time they were back at the Winter castle. He hit the stone floor hard, Sabine’s body dead weight up top of him.

“Sabine! Sabine! Wake up!”

Ibrihim settled her down as gently as he could as he worked his body out from under hers.

She didn’t look like she was simply unconscious. Her eyes darted under the lids. Her body quivered and trembled.

Sudden loud footsteps pounded through the corridor.

“Ibrihim, Sabine!” A voice called out. Edrin. “What happened?”

“We were attacked,” Ibrihim told him. “I don’t know what they did to her.”

“Let me help you.”

Together they lifted Sabine up and brought her into an empty bedchamber.

Edrin raised his hands over Sabine’s body, only inches from the skin. Ibrihim couldn’t see what he was doing, but he felt Edrin’s magic rise into the room, enter Sabine’s body, and flow back into Edrin.

Several long minutes passed. Sabine showed no sign of waking. Ibrihim fought to keep from asking anything. He focused on Sabine’s face.

Finally, Edrin looked up. “She’s in a coma of some kind. I can’t really tell what, but the magic is centered in her brain and is trying to do something. It’s trying to change somehow.”

Ibrihim’s eyes widened in shock. “What? Change how?”

“I don’t know. It just is. It... it’s hiding from me somehow.”

Ibrihim took Sabine’s hand. He sat on the bed and leaned over her. “We’ll fix this. We’ll find a way.”

Myra woke the next morning, yawning and stretching. The unfamiliar texture and weight of the blanket tugged at her senses. The room was too bright and quiet.

She opened her eyes.

Tapestries on the walls portrayed different scenic views, a soaring mountain and full clouds, a bountiful field of grass and flowers, and a rushing river revealing the aquatic animals living in it. The room was otherwise decorated sparsely. It had only the bed she slept in, an end table, and a wardrobe. The window was on the same wall as the bed and the sun streamed in through wispy curtains.

It didn’t feel very late, but this morning had definitely come too early.

The night’s events came rushing back to her. Finding herself in a combat trial for hopeful sidhe militants, having to fight off and avoid hostile fae, ending up here. Being alone in this room hadn’t been ideal, but Myra wasn’t keen on spending the rest of the night with a bunch of people she didn’t know who were all hyped up on the idea of fighting and killing things, even if they were bloodthirsty things themselves. Surely the magic that the lord spoke of would protect her and soon she’d home, through her own trial, and rid of all of this.

Somehow, now, those thoughts weren’t as comforting as they were the night before. Exhaustion getting the best of her. She’d fallen asleep too quickly to let herself realize how idealistic that sounded with everything that had happened.

Myra rose, still dressed in the clothes from two days before, thoroughly wrinkled from being slept in and starting to smell a bit ripe. She opened the door and peeked out.

The hall was empty, lined with torches burning a dull orange that she much preferred to the bright sun. They left shadows in the stonework, though, sending a shiver down Myra’s back. She couldn’t hear a sound other than her own. Should she venture out to find someone? Lord Linor hadn’t told her she couldn’t wander about but then he hadn’t said it was OK either. Or who would help attend to her needs while she was here.

Myra was trying to remember the path back to their version of a cafeteria when she heard voices coming towards her. She suddenly realized how ridiculous she looked, peering with her head half out of her door. Standing up straight, she left the door ajar, listening to see who it was.

“-our first mission will be?” A girl’s voice asked?

A guy’s answered her. “I hope it’s soon. I’d hate to dull my skills sitting around in this castle.”

“There are the training rooms and yards outside,” a third voice pointed out.

“Sure,” the guy said. “But it’s not nearly the same thing.”

From the amount of footsteps Myra heard, there were probably more than three people. Maybe all of the trainees from the night before. Would Toran be with them? If there was anyone she wanted around, it was him. He’d probably still help her navigate all this until she could leave. Myra really wanted that to be soon. She hated that the lord just stuck her here with no clear way out. She thought about him mentioning the resolution of her situation. Did he mean to keep her here until the trial? It was only the next day, but the thought grated at her.

The sound of voices started to fade, their footsteps echoing as they moved further away.

Myra dashed out of her room and pulled the door closed. She’d meant to casually walk up behind the others, but stumbled and caught herself. They all turned at the noise. Myra flushed red, but caught up to them. It looked like everyone she had seen last night were all going together.

“You guys going to eat?” she asked.

“Yeah,” Toran answered. “Join us.”

The fae girl with the sparkling green wings looked curiously at Myra. “So, you stayed here, too?”

“Until I can get back home.” Myra didn’t want to offer up any other information.

The girl nodded. “But you’re not a trainee?”

“Nope,” Myra said simply.

The others eyed her clothes, but kept walking. They mostly wore comfortable, long shirts and loose pants. The pixies opted for tighter pants and they had on vests that were mostly open in the back, allowing their wings freedom and obviously made them much easier. The girl pixie's top had an extra piece that stretched over the bottom part of her shoulder blades and snapped on the side of her rib cage. Myra wondered if her wings were a little squished, but she imagined that support was likely needed.

Myra, on the other hand, was still in her pajamas from two nights ago. An oversized shirt and baggy pajama pants. Not too different from what the others had, but the patterns and materials certainly were. Not to mention the fact that their loose clothing still looked like it was made to fit them. Myra looked like she raided the closet of someone two sizes bigger.

A moment later, one of the fae asked presumably to the group. "Who is ready to train after breakfast?"

"You say that like it's an actual question," the male pixie said. "I'm planning on my close combat skills. Anyone want to spar with me?"

"Definitely," another guy said immediately. "If you'll help me with long range afterwards."

"I'm good in close quarters," the female pixie said, "if anyone else wants to practice."

"For a while, Karina," the female sidhe said. "I need to work on stealth. How about you, newcomer? What do you want to practice? I think that any of us could help you if you'd like."

Myra just stared. She was being invited to combat practice? They wanted to help her learn to fight?

"Surely, you would like to join," the sidhe continued. "You are but an acorn."

"Acorn? Ok, you guys throw around a lot of new stuff, but acorn? What is that supposed to be?" Myra completely gave up acting like she belonged at the training school.

"How did you even get here?" The male pixie asked?

"Ok, first off. If we are going to spend time together, it would be nice to know your names." Myra paused, thinking about what she'd been told about halflings. They seemed to accept her, though, even being an acorn, whatever that was. "Second, I was raised human.... I don't know pretty much everything about being fae. My mom is scared of magic."

"That explains it," Karina said. "Well, I'm Karina. This is Misty," she pointed at the female pixie. "And he is Javan." The male pixie waved hello.

"I'm Darcel and she's Shea." The male elf said, nodding to his female counterpart.

"And it seems like you know Toran," Karina said.

Myra nodded. "A little, yeah."

Toran smiled softly.

"So, why don't we all eat and start some warm up exercises? Then we can focus on our individual needs." Karina suggested.

"Good with me," Darcel said as they sat down at the table.

The others murmured their agreement as they started in on fruit or meat filled pastries. The selection today wasn't as varied as yesterday. Maybe because it was just breakfast? Maybe because they had a trial yesterday? Myra didn't feel like asking. She savored the sugar and warm dough, pulling it apart piece by piece. Conversation flowed around her, but she didn't pay attention. Myra was on her fourth pastry and second cup of whatever the tea was when Toran got her attention.

"Are you almost ready?"

Myra cleared her throat and took a sip of tea. "Yes, sorry." She said sheepishly. "That was just really good."

Shea laughed. "Oh, it must be the charms put on the food. There weren't any last night, so you wouldn't have noticed. The teachers charm our food on training days to help focus our magic and skills better."

"Oh," Myra said.

"It won't hurt you," Toran reassured her. "This will be really good for you. You can make the most out of training today."

"Isn't she staying?" Darcel asked as they went out into the hall towards a courtyard.

"No," Myra answered. "I mean, I have to get home. My mom doesn't know where I'm at or anything about what's happened to me."

Myra paused, thinking about it a little more. The school would definitely notify her mother and everyone would freak out if they knew she was gone. But would Illa and Summer have done some kind of magic to hide their disappearance somehow? Or Nathan could have glamored the teachers into overlooking that they weren't there. Of course, she was still going home as soon as possible, but at the thought, some tension was released from her muscles.

Toran looked at her curiously, but she shook her head. Myra didn't want to go into that much detail in front of people she'd just met.

The courtyard was filled with practice dummies, large areas sectioned off with rope, and a series of large chests made of different woods along one side. It was closed in on all sides by the walls of the castle soaring high into the air. On one of the towers, Myra could just make out what looked like target circles. Very much long range, it seemed.

What kind of warm up did Karina mean? They continued to a rubber-like, low platform that gave beneath Myra's feet.

"We can stretch and do some breathing exercises first." Karina said, once again taking charge.

Darcel and Shea were already stretching their arms while Misty and Javan started flexing their wings. Myra stood uncertain for a moment before beginning her track warm up. She reached down for her toes, pulled her foot up behind her to stretch her quads, and was moving to a side ab stretch when she saw the others watching her even as they performed their own moves.

Though her face began to flush, Myra said. "I'm on a running team at my school. This is how I warm up for a run."

"Running team?" Misty asked?

Myra thought that was the first home she'd heard Misty speak. "Yeah, we compete to see who can run the fastest or in a relay, whose whole team can work together to be the fastest."

"Interesting competition," Misty said softly.

"It is a fun endurance skill. I say fun.... It's hard, but I get a runner's high. All the endorphins flowing through your body... and you don't know what endorphins are, do you?"

"You speak strangely," Darcel said simply as he performed a quad stretch of his own.

Myra didn't tell him that they were basically doing the same things only a little differently. She finished her stretching in silence and then jogged a few laps around the mat, just enough to get her heart going a bit.

"Now what?" Myra asked.

"Now we pick partners." Karina said.

"I'll train with Myra," Toran said immediately.

Myra flashed him a grateful smile even as slow unease settled into her. She tried to ignore the memories of what Amoria had done to her in the cave and those of the troll attacking her and -

"Are you ok?" Toran asked in a soft voice as the others paired off.

Myra's eyes wouldn't focus and she suddenly felt her chest heaving as she hyperventilated. She heard Toran's words, but somehow they didn't connect to any meaning in her head.

"Myra?" He asked again. When she still didn't answer, Toran guided her into a seated position. "Try to breathe a little slower. You are safe here. Whatever you are scared of isn't here. You are safe."

Slowly, Myra looked up. She didn't know what her expression was, but based on Toran's it was likely terrified. His face softened and his brow creased in worry.

"What happened to you?"

Myra rapidly shook her head. The hyperventilating became faster again.

"Ok, ok, we don't have to talk about it. I can guide you through a meditation exercise. Maybe that will help a little."

Myra didn't trust herself to speak. She tried to slow her breath as the world started to come into focus.

"Sit how you are most comfortable." Toran instructed. Myra didn't move. "Ok. Try to breathe deep. Focus on the feel of the Earth, the feel of nature around you, the season we are in. It's spring. New life is growing, the rains are here. Nature is calm even though she is ever changing. Nature moves slow and gently, gliding from one season to the next. Focus on the calm, gentle new life here. It is a part of you, too, easing your pain, gently taking you by the hand."

As Toran spoke, Myra began to breathe easier. The memories started to fade. A slow energy pulsed through the air around her, pushing down into the ground and up towards the sun. She sensed the plants reaching for water in the soil even as they stretched their leaves towards the sun. Outside the castle walls, small life forms cautiously explored, bounded with abandon, and settled in to watch the others by varying degrees.

"You are connected to nature as are all fae. You can feel the life around you if you want to. Nature grounds you and remains ever present. All is calm and peaceful."

Myra felt herself begin to sway. Her eyes fluttered closed and she breathed in the cool morning air.

"Thank you, Toran," she whispered.

"You're welcome. I didn't mean to push you to do anything you don't want to."

The memories threatened to come rushing back, but Myra held into the connection with the Earth. In nature's arms, the past couldn't hurt her.

"You didn't know. Really, I didn't know." The words slipped out before Myra realized they were true. "I didn't let myself realize how much it affected me. All of it is too much. But here, connected like this. I'm ok. Thank you. Really."

Myra opened her eyes. Patterns of colors she'd never seen before rushed through the air around her. Some plunged straight into the ground or the castle walls while the strongest and most vibrant colors crashed around the fae sparring in the rings.

Karina let loose a magical blast of some sort at the same moment a streak of blue light shot out at Misty. The pixie shot up into the air with a shock of yellow light behind her, but the streak of blue followed her. She spun in mid air and formed a magical attack of more yellow light in her hands, but the blue was too fast. It struck Misty head on, driving her to the ground, but Misty's counter measure grew in strength. Its intensity doubled and redoubled, almost blinding Myra until the blue light vanished. Misty turned again back to Karina who had already let loose a red streak this time.

"Hey, hey," Toran said. "You may not want to watch them fight with your senses wide open."

Myra turned to him. "My what?"

"Your magical senses. During the meditation, it won't hurt you, but while you're watching other fae fight, it might get too intense. The elders are usually ok with it, but fae as young as us or inexperienced like you might end up blinded."

"Oh," Myra said. "How do I turn it off?"

"Just let go of the connection with nature. You don't have to let go all the way. It would probably be better for you if you don't, but try to pull back if you can. If not, we can go back inside."

Myra thought going inside would probably be good either way. She closed her eyes again and felt her connection to everything around them. Be a little less, Myra thought to herself. Feel a little less. Surely, that couldn't work. But when Myra opened her eyes, the streaks and flashes of color were gone.

Darcel and Javan were sparring in the next ring over. Javan flashed his razor sharp wings at Darcel who spun in a circle to dodge. Myra didn't see what he did with his back turned. When he came around, he hurled some sort of magical attack at Javan. Javan darted to the side and slammed into the ground as the attack hit him away.

Behind them, Shea practiced on a dummy. She conjured arrows seemingly from nowhere and shot them almost faster than Myra's eyes could track. Within seconds, every dummy Myra could see had at least one arrow sticking out of it.