“There has to be an agreement we can come to.” the man said, laughing nervously. “This is all a funny misunderstanding.”

“You’re the one who brought us here.” Seren shrugged. “Now you have to pay what you owe.”

“Yeah.” Kyi said. “You want to play stupid games? Now you win a stupid prize.” Seren pulled out their binder and looked over their records.

“I’m not sure what you owe him, but I’d be happy with twenty ingts.” Seren said. Tapping their fingers on their binder.

“What I owe? I mean. Let’s not be too hasty.” The man said, near hysterically laughing. “We. We should. I mean. You two are so chummy with each other. I swore your bosses hated each other.”

“Ahhh.” Seren said. Loudly cutting off whatever Kyi had tried to say. He glared at them, angry at being interrupted. “I knew it. You are trying to play us.” The man paled further.

“Our bosses might not get along but that hardly has anything to do with us.” Kyi said. “Now pay up.” The man cleared his throat.

“All right. You got me. I can’t. What are you going to do?” The man shrugged.

“Don’t play with me.” Kyi snarled. Unholstering their crossbow. Seren wondered what he’d do with that.

“You can’t hurt me. That’s illegal.” The man said.

“Actually it isn’t.” Seren said. “We are fully within our rights to get payment by any means necessary. Just like you have every right to try and fight us off. Not that you’d have much luck with that. There are two of us.” The man sized the two of them up. Seren slid their rings on and flashed them from their pocket. The man paled again and stood straight.

“Can’t squeeze blood from a stone.” He said with a shrug.

“No. But you aren’t stone. You’re filled with blood to squeeze.” Kyi said, Seren grimaced at the imagery.

“So you hurt me. Still can’t get any money from me.” The man crossed his arms. Kyi got riled, Seren tapped his hand to still him.

“Very well.” Seren said. Kyi’s mouth dropped and he looked at them in disgust. “You’re right. Can’t get money from you and all that….” Seren shrugged theatrically. Kyi shook his head but Seren kept their hand on his.

“That leaves me no choice.” Seren said. They rounded into the kitchen, making the man run to keep something between him and Seren. The sheepish woman at the table flinched.

Seren took a single petal from the plant the woman cradled, making her cry out. Then Seren took a bowl handy on the counter and took out a knife from the sink. They put the petal in the bowl and made a smal cut on their finger. Letting a drop of their blood fall onto the petal.

“With the drawing of blood, a curse upon your land.” Seren said. Turning and going to their ice chest and taking an egg from it. They cracked it into the bowl.

“All that is touched, die by my hand.” Seren continued. The occupants of the room watched in pure awe, Seren fought to keep the smile from their face. It was nonsense. They were just throwing things into a bowl and speaking in rhyme. The true magic came next.

“Start with that which grows in dirt.” Seren said, keeping one hand over the bowl. The other held out at their side. They focused their energy on the plant that the woman held, sucking its life back into its roots. As the plant began to wilt the woman screamed.

“End with the life whose responsibility was shirked.” Seren internally cringed at the forced rhyme. But their little ruse worked.

“I can pay!” The man said fearfully. Seeing the wilting plant wilt further as the woman sobbed over it. “I can pay, don’t let that happen to me!”

“Pay us in full,” Kyi warned.

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“I can do that! Just stop the fae magic!” The man stammered and rushed off into the house. Seren waited, holding the plant’s vitality in place.

“Are you all right?” Seren whispered to the woman sobbing over the plant.

“This was my mothers.” She whimpered.

“I meant with the guy.” Seren said.

“He’s my brother, I don’t have anywhere else.” The woman made little sense through her tears.

“I see.” Seren whispered. Going back to their nonsense brew when the man reappeared with a box Seren could hear was full of money.

“Here! 100 ingts. Split between the two of you is fifty each. That’s enough right?” The man held out the ingts. Seren looked at Kyi who nodded. Seren nodded in return and dumped the brew down the sink. Releasing the plant’s life and allowing it to spring back up from its roots and returning the plant to full health. The woman’s sobbing stopped and she held her plant to her dearly.

“That didn’t need to be this difficult.” Seren said, rubbing their hands together. Their fingertips tingled slightly.

“Nah, but I’m glad it was.” Kyi grinned. Taking the ingts from the man. Seren rounded the kitchen and expectantly held out their hand for their share. Kyi swiftly turned, ignoring them and leaving the house. Seren followed, catching up outside.

“Excuse me.” Seren snapped. Grabbing Kyi’s arm and spinning him around. “Half of that is mine.”

“Yeah? You gonna curse me?” Kyi challenged, Seren squared up to match him.

“If I have to.” They said.

“I could have gotten this on my own.” Kyi said, “So why should I share?”

“Because you didn’t and you couldn’t.” Seren rolled their eyes. “Just threatening violence isn’t enough with every case. Sometimes you will need to use violence and with a weapon like that you’re more liable to get yourself arrested for attempted murder.”

“You think I don’t know how to use this?” Kyi asked, taking his crossbow out of its holster.

“No, I think you do and that’s the problem.” Seren continued. “Look. Just give me what I’m owed.”

“Or?”

Seren sighed. They hated having to resort to the fae abilities twice in a single day. They looked into Kyi’s dark eyes, channeling the force through them. Kyi’s face softened as Seren’s effect took hold.

“Can you give me seventy-five?” Seren asked nicely. Kyi’s face changed but returned to the dazed expression.

“Yeah, that’s fair.” Kyi said drunkenly. He reached into the bag and brought out a handful of currency that Seren counted out and took the wanted amount from it.

“Glad to hear it.” Seren released the hold and Kyi shook their head. “Pleasure doing business.” They began walking back toward home, thoroughly exhausted.

“Hey!” Kyi snapped running to catch up. “Give that back!”

“Have your boss call mine if you’re that offended.” Seren said. “I imagine he’s going to contact my boss anyway soon.”

“No, turn around now!” Kyi yelled.

“Come at me, if you think you can get away with it.” Seren called. Afraid he might actually call their bluff. But plenty of witnesses were watching the altercation now. Seren tried to walk as casually as they could until they reached their house. Entering their front door and falling heavily against it. They slid to the ground and tried to breathe.

“Welcome back!” Mrs. Houper said as she turned the corner, her cheery features turning to a frown. “Are you okay?!”

“Yeah, I’m okay.” Seren said. Sitting up so they could peel off their boots. “Just a tiring day is all. Is Wilbur still here?”

“No, he’s gone home for the day. Not everyone can bring out Eric’s soft side like you do.” Mrs. Houper winked. Seren chuckled to themself.

“He’s going to have convulsions when I tell him what happened today.” Seren snickered. Mrs. Houper watched Seren stand and put their boots in the closet.

“Good news?” She asked. Which had Seren laughing harder.

“You wanna come listen and hear the meltdown?” They asked.

“Oh I’m sure I’ll be hearing about it before dinner.” Mrs. Houper said, shaking her head as she went back to her work. Seren took their bag upstairs to the study. Only knocking briefly before entering.

“Let me tell you about MY day.” Seren announced as they walked to their desk.

“You look fine.” Eric said, rolling his eyes. Seren put their hands on his desk, showing the bruises on their knuckles. “Who was it this time?” He sighed tiredly.

“You’re going to love this.” Seren said, grinning as they sat at their desk. “First I stopped by Lord Spring’s place.”

“I told you to leave that one alone.” Eric said, turning in annoyance.

“But it’s the ultimate test!” Seren insisted. “Besides, you might change your mind when I tell you what happened next.”

“Oh yeah?” Eric scoffed.

“Yeah. He’s got himself an enforcer and he’s open for business.” Seren said. Eric’s eyes went distant for a single second before realization hit and anger ignited.

“HE DID WHAT?!”

The windows rattled and Seren was stunned from the noise. He knelt down to look Seren in the eye.

“Tell me everything. Now.”