Marisa surfaced from her sleep and saw Nate sitting and dozing next to her bench. He had an arm resting across her protectively. She recalled their previous night’s activities and smiled. He was a very skilled lover, and with no danger of altering her with his essence, he was finally able to relax and enjoy it thoroughly. They hadn’t used a condom and Nate was so expressive about how amazing she was, she finally had to kiss him to shut him up. She chuckled at the memory, and his head popped up as he looked to her.
“What? Are you ok?” he asked in concern.
“I’m fine. Feeling better even,” Marisa said with a smile. She spotted Tish walking over in her Human disguise with a smile on her face, so she sat up. Nate stood and stretched the kinks out of his back.
“How are you feeling?” the tall brunette asked gently.
Marisa nodded. “I feel fine. Just a little tired. Nothing a good night’s sleep won’t cure.”
Sandy came running over, and Marisa couldn’t get over how different she looked with Human hair. She already saw Kesini as an integral part of the blonde. Her bestie Dayshia was walking over at a more sedate pace speaking with Mary and Michelle. Once they were all gathered around, Sandy glanced around then leaned in to whisper. “What’s the second trigger for?”
Tish and Dayshia leaned in a little closer as well. The others were listening curiously too.
“It’s for a shield spell to protect you against offensive magic attacks. It probably won’t block spells from master level wielders like Queen Mab or Baba Yaga but anyone less, most definitely.” She looked to Mary whose expression showed her disappointment. “I’m sorry I couldn’t give it to you but I’m not a wielder, and I could only sneak it in while the Fae mages bound their glamor spells.” She looked to the other three. “It’s best to keep it a secret until you need it.” She looked back to Mary. “In a magic attack, stay behind one of these three.”
“Magic attack. Like we’d recognize it happening,” Mary snorted, and Marisa acknowledged her point with a small smile and a shrug.
“Company,” Michelle quietly said as Ikehorn approached.
They turned to look at the Fae who bowed slightly to them. Tish spoke first.
“You’re the one who healed me with Henry?” she asked, her expression guarded.
He paused and looked to her with a sorrowful expression. He cleared his throat. “I’m also the one who orchestrated the plan to have you and your friends injured to ensure Henry’s cooperation in the Queen’s plan.”
“Which is?” Marisa asked.
He looked to her but shook his head. “I don’t know.” He looked back to Tish and bowed deeply. “My apologies for the pain I caused you and your friends.”
Marisa’s eyebrows went up. “I’ve never heard a Fae apologize… for anything!”
Ikehorn looked to her again. “Yes, well… I’ve changed.”
Marisa smiled. “Henry changed you.”
Stiffly, Ikehorn nodded. Then he frowned. “In strange and significant ways. I- I’m finding myself questioning my previous behavior and regretting much. It’s… difficult to process.”
“You heal people now. Compassion is a necessary attribute for that. A conscience leads to empathy,” Marisa said gently.
He nodded then frowned nervously. “This change has not pleased the Queen.”
“Which brings us back to her plans for him. I think we should go attend this party to see if he needs any assistance,” Marisa said as she stood.
The others traded nervous glances, especially Michelle, but they followed Marisa and Ikehorn to the double doors. Before they arrived, the ceiling pulsed once with a silver light.
Ikehorn looked up in surprise. “That shouldn’t be possible. The floors are supposed to be isolated. Magic shouldn’t be able to bleed from one to the next.”
They turned to the doors, but two of Mab’s security goons stepped in front of them to block their way.
“Too late to join the party now,” one growled with a sneer on his lips. Ikehorn looked to the other and saw intelligence in its eyes and discomfort in its expression. Just following orders.
“We need to go see if Henry is ok,” Sandy insisted.
Dayshia dropped her glamor and allowed her eyes to return to their new natural state. She gaped at the massive Ogre Sandy was facing off against, and her mouth went dry.
“The doors only open for us and we’re not opening them for you. Go sit down,” it growled.
Unable to look away from the brute Dayshia reached out a hand blindly to pull Sandy back, but the blonde stepped forward into the guard’s personal space.
“You aren’t hearing me. We need to go see Henry, now,” the small blonde said firmly.
The Ogre’s minimal patience ran out, and he swung a big backhand at Sandy as Dayshia sucked in a terrified breath. Kesini snapped forward to intercept the slap and grabbed the Ogre’s arms, legs, and throat to slam him up against the door he’d been blocking. He struggled, but he couldn’t move. As his air slowly ran out his rage turned to fear.
Sandy turned her head to face the other guard who just stood blinking at the small being before him. Dayshia suddenly realized he couldn’t see Kesini as Sandy was still wearing her glamor.
There was a solid knock on the door behind the frozen guard. He glanced at the door then back to Sandy. She tilted her head to indicate he should open it. So, he did.
Standing in the doorway was an old woman. She was deeply wrinkled, her body bent and weathered with age, and her peasant’s dress was soft, worn and faded. For all her apparent age, her eyes held a fearful strength.
“Baba Yaga!” Marisa gasped.
Sandy’s eyes widened. “You’re Henry’s Baba? He misses you so much!”
The old woman frowned. “He’s a fool, then,” she insisted, but there was no bite to her words.
She looked curiously at the guard pinned up against the door gasping out his last breaths.
“Oh!” Sandy said, realizing what Kesini was about to do. The guard suddenly launched from the door to sail over their heads and crash to the floor halfway across the room where he lay still. Sandy dropped her glamor, and Kesini was visible once more.
“A Gorgon? I haven’t seen one of your kind in a very long time,” Baba said with interest. She then looked to Dayshia who was doing her best to not look at her. “Face me,” the old witch snapped.
Dayshia felt the compulsion and involuntarily looked to her. She sucked in a breath then relaxed as she only saw an old woman. Baba was either preventing her from seeing beneath a façade, or she was what she appeared to be. “I’m not familiar with your race, but truth seeing is a dangerous gift to give to someone so young. Practice caution and discretion. Keep what you see to yourself.” Dayshia nodded shakily.
Tish dropped her glamor, and Baba’s eyes widened. She opened and closed her mouth a few times as something passed behind her ancient eyes. Then her jaw snapped shut as Baba turned her face away for a moment. Turning back to Marisa, she was frowning. “Where is the boy! Someone is meddling with power they should not!”
Marisa moved closer and pointed up. “Queen Mab’s thrown a party, and he’s preventing us from joining it.” She indicated the remaining guard.
Baba considered the Ogre, and it dropped its glamor too. Sandy, Tish, and Mary gasped. The old witch smiled. “You’re surprisingly civil and cooperative for one of your kind,” she said.
“That’s his fault!” the Ogre grumbled, pointing a thick finger at Ikehorn.
“Meddling Fae,” Baba snapped angrily, but Tish stepped between them, closed her eyes, and activated her magic shield. The old witch frowned and noted the strength of the defense. It wouldn’t stop her, but it would take a vast amount of energy to get through. Baba needed to save that for Mab if required.
“Please. He’s a healer now,” Tish pleaded slowly opening her eyes.
Baba noted the shocked expression on the Fae’s face. He hadn’t expected the Satyr to protect him.
“Can we go see Henry now?” Sandy asked.
The witch sighed in frustration but nodded. She looked to the Ogre. “Lead me to him.” The guard just nodded and left the room to head for the stairs. The witch followed with everyone else rushing to keep up.
Ikehorn touched Tish’s arm as he walked next to her. She glanced at him. “Why?” It was all he could manage through his tight throat.