The ten arrived in a shamrock forest. It was filled with many thriving trees and bushes. The emerald grass was covered in various types of flowers in many different colours. A rushing sapphire stream ran past their feet, heading further into the forest. The sound of a distant waterfall could be heard from behind. In front of them was a small house, hidden between two large trees. It blended in so well that Colt had to strain his eyes to see it properly. It looked just as he remembered from the outside, its polished wooden doors shining in the shaded light.

Amneris took one step towards the house and collapsed. Colt caught her just before she fell into the stream. He looked at the faces of the other eight who did not seem at all surprised. Leo took her out of Colt’s arms and into his own, carrying her to the house with Nikki, Hathor, and Kayla flanking him. The others went ahead while Carmin and Dan stayed behind. Dan gestured for Colt to go first. At least now I know where I stand. Kayla pushed the door open, entering quickly with Leo just behind her.

The hallway Colt entered soon after was painted wine-and-lavender with a maroon carpet throughout, stopping just before a set of stairs leading to an upper level of the house. Kayla and Leo went up there. Colt assumed that was where the rooms were. There were many midnight blue doors lining the walls downstairs and possibly more upstairs. An open door led into an ebony-painted kitchen/lounge room. It had many swirling moonlight coloured patterns as well as amethysts, obsidian stones, and sapphires embedded to fit into the patterns. A large window was on one wall, violet curtains closed over it. A chocolate-honey low-lying table was placed in the centre of one half of the room, surrounded by a cluster of midnight blue lounged.

Jay, Carmin, and Dan collapsed on the lounges. Nikki and Hathor made their way into a large graphite kitchen in the other end of the room. It seemed large enough to fit ten people in, possibly more. Zoe opened the curtains, allowing for golden sunlight to fill the room before flopping onto one of the lounges, kicking her feet onto Carmin’s lap.

Kayla came into the room, stretching her arms above her head. “Amnsy is fine. Gone of with Leo to do something apparently important.” She gave them all a helpless shrug.

“I swear that girl does not know the definition of ‘rest’,” Jay muttered, shaking his head.

Hathor came over, a mug between her hands which she gave to Kayla. “That’s my mother for you. She’s always ready to jump into action and save the world.”

Colt felt lightheaded suddenly, sitting down. “Your mother?” How is that even possible?

The girl nodded. “Amneris is my mother and this is her house.” She gestured around the room. “We love her most of the time and sometimes in our other city dwellings. There are a few spare rooms for when visitors such as yourself stay.”

“Are allowed to stay,” Dan said under his breath.

Kayla – who had just given the mug back to Hathor – fell next to Jay. “Or when we gain Court members. They live with us. Obviously.” She laughed a little.

Nikki – who had just materialised in the room without anyone realising – hauled Colt to his feet and pushed him out of the room, down the hall, to one of the spare rooms. She pushed open the door. Colt could not help but be impressed. The room itself was massive. The walls were mulberry coloured with various rubies and garnets embedded into them. A few tortilla lights were placed along the top of the walls at regular intervals, each one giving off a warm glow. A soft-looking rosewood carpet covered the entire length of the floor. There was a large, caramel walk-in-closet close to a massive window at the end of the room, sangria curtains tied at each end. A massive ginger bed was in the centre of the room with clay drawer sets on either side of it. A bronze desk with many smaller drawers was closer to the second door in the room which led into the ensuite. It reminded him a bit of his room on Terpola. The bedroom was too big to fit inside the small space between the doors outside.

“Each room is in its own dimension,” Nikki explained. “Think TARDIS, only without the travelling thing.”

“TARDIS?”

She waved the question away. “You can customise it to look however you want. Just think and it changes. Give it a shot.”

Colt thought then glanced towards the lights. He pictured how he really wanted it to look. The small lights vanished, being replaced with larger shell-shaped crystals with a small glow coming from within. There were less but most were in the same place. “Alright, that is cool,” Colt admitted.

“Its all magic,” Nikki laughed as she turned to leave with a wink. “Oh, and I would advise that you don’t go snooping. Especially in Amneris’ room.”

Colt waited for her to leave before having a proper look around. The wardrobe was filled with clothing, all of it to his size. The desk was filled with blank books, pens, pencils, and other writing utensils. The bed was made, the drawers next to it were blank. They were probably for his own things. The bookshelf was long and dug into the wall. It was currently empty. He soon found himself laying on the bed and looking up to the ceiling. There were engravings of stars on it which seemed to move around if he stared for too long, creating different constellations. With a sigh, Nikki’s words floated back into his mind. I would advise that you don’t go snooping. Especially in Amneris’ room.

Before he could even consider his idea, he found himself standing outside the door to Amneris’ room. He silently opened the door, peaking in to make sure it was empty before stepping in. It looked quite different from the last time he had seen it. Gone were the pale walls and Kemetic design. The room was painted black and had a row of gemstones placed between silver swirls. The light above the desk was on. Colt picked up some of the papers, reading over them. He could not understand what was written. Footsteps made him run to the door, pressing his ear to the wood. When they passed, he ducked out and down the hall.

The house seemed to be suddenly empty, at least until he went back into the living room where Hathor and Kayla were sitting. Colt looked around the room. He had not heard anyone else leave. He faced the two women again, Hathor smirking at him. The motion made her look just like Amneris, enough so that a chill went down Colt’s spine.

“Zoe is at the workshop, Carmin and Dan are training in the ring – it’s further in the forest – and Jay is,” Hathor paused, glancing towards Kayla who shrugged. “Well, I have no idea where he’s run off to now.”

“Right here!” the Fae exclaimed, swaggering into the room and slapping Colt on the back. “You’re coming with me to the ring?” Both women moaned. “Ah, fuck you guys. I wanna see what the Terpolite is made of.”

Colt looked helplessly at the women as Jay pulled him away. Both only shrugged. It was their way of trying to hold in laughter.

* * * * * * * *

Jay took Colt to the training rings. They were in a small stone building – roofless – in a clearing deeper in the forest. No wind came into the arena, so Colt figured it was shielded. Probably some sort of invisible barrier. Carmin and Dan were in the second ring. Colt figured that from the concentration on their faces, they had not noticed himself and the Fae enter.

Jay went up to one of the weapon-lined walls and took a rapier. He tossed it to Colt before grabbing one for himself and jumping into the ring. With a reluctant sigh, Colt joined the Fae in the ring, tossing the sword between his hands and swinging it a few times to get a feel for the light steel. Jay had already taken up a battle stance, though Colt could see a few unguarded areas. He was unsure if this was on purpose.

“It’s cool if you manage to kill me,” Jay said with a shrug. “I’ll hold back since you’re not an immortal.”

Colt took up his own stance, holding the blade in front of him. “I cannot believe Amneris allowed a Fae she constantly complains about to join her Court. You must have some use.” It was strange to see a Fae who did not have to hide their origin. The ones he had met on Terpola tried to hide their giveaway signs, most choosing to stay in animal forms. That had taken some getting used to. The ones who were known to be Fae worked the mines, along with others who had been taken during the War. Most never came out again.

Jay gave him a grim look. “When we win this war, I plan to rescue my kind from your kind.”

Your kind. Colt did not fail to notice the venom in those words. It took all his self-control to not strike the Fae then and there, to scream that he was not one of those he fought so hard against.

Jay roared an animal’s roar and ran towards Colt, the Terpolite catching the blade on his own. Colt pushed the Fae male back and slashed wildly, managing to injure Jay, but he healed quickly. Fae have enhanced healing abilities, Colt suddenly remembered, wrapping crimson mist around his free hand. A dagger was created which he proceeded to through at Jay who knocked it to the side with his rapier. Colt created a second blade and shot towards his opponent. He had always been better at dual wielding. It was a miracle that this was still the case for his new body.

Jay did not fail to notice this, his guard suddenly improving. The Fae male struck faster and fiercer, making it difficult for Colt to keep up. Jay aimed for his side, Colt going to defend, only to receive a punch to the face. From the sudden warmth trickling down the side of his face, Colt figured the blow had been strong enough to break the skin. Ignoring the pain, he struck the Fae once again, feigning as he turned his mist blade into a dagger once again, slamming it into Jay’s thigh. It was enough to send him to the ground. Colt went for the finishing blow. His blade was stopped by a wall of air. Is he an elemental? A kick from Jay’s uninjured leg sent Colt to the other side of the ring, the rope barely stopping him from going into the stone wall. When he went to strike again, Jay used his power to knock the rapier from the Terpolite’s hand and sent the hilt of his own blade into the back of Colt’s head. He fell to the ground, Jay holding the blade at his throat. His vision full of black spots and his head spinning, Colt surrendered. Jay released him, helping him sit upright.

“Well, the boy lasted longer than I thought he would,” Dan mused, his arm loosely draped around Carmin, their sparring session long since finished to watch the show.

The woman nodded her agreement. “He got pretty banged up.” She gave Jay a questioning look. “You were really holding back, huh?”

The Fae snorted. “You have no idea.”

Carmin smiled at Colt. “You’re not bad for a mortal.”

“Is that a complement?” he asked.

She laughed. “That it is.”

Jay held out a hand which Colt took, being hauled to his feet. Jay looked him over, focusing on the cut near his eye. “Might wanna see my girl Kayla for that.”

Said girl chirped hello as she waltzed into the rings. “Someone call my name?” Kayla asked. Jay pointed towards Colt and she went to him, whistling at the sight of his injury. “You got smashed, huh?” A nod. “Not a problem. Just hold still while I fix you up.” She took Colt’s face in her hands. A tingling sensation appeared as her healing power flowed through him.

“You got here fast,” Dan said, jumping out of the ring he was in.

“Amns got back not too long ago,” she explained. “Called a meeting so I came to get you lot.”

“Supposed we should go see what our mighty queen has gotten herself into this time,” Jay muttered, earning a whack to the back of the head from Carmin and Kayla. “Fuck you both.”

The five returned to the forest house, Jay still half limping from where he had been stabbed. Kayla had told him that she would need more than just her power to fix him up. The entered the living room just as Amneris collapsed onto the lounge, kicking her feet onto the low-lying table in front of her. She was tossing a small golden box between her hands as everyone – now back from where they had all been – took a seat.

Once they were all seated, Amneris raised her head and looked each of them in they eye one at a time. Five words from her made the room go dead silent. “The race is on now.”