“What do you mean?” Seren asked, not yelling anymore. “Again?”

“Every so often, the children of this city go missing.” Mrs. Houper said.

“I don’t want you out during times that children tend to go missing. Mostly during night, evening, and early morning.” Eric said.

“Because of the missing kids? Where are they going? Why are they disappearing?” Seren slowly wandered down the kids.

“Don’t worry about it, it’s an adult problem.” Eric said.

“They deserve to know, they’re…” Mrs. Houper said, she looked at him and then at Seren. “They should know.”

“What should I know? What am I?” Seren asked. Daring them to mention the fae.

“You’re fae-touched. It makes you a higher target for the fae.” Eric said. “It doesn’t happen often, but when children go missing, like they are now, the fae-touched are always the first to go.”

“Why?” Seren asked, though their confrontational tone slipped.

“I don’t know,” Eric said. “But that curfew stands until the mess is over. For you and all the other kids. And I want to know where you are and what you’re doing if you aren’t in my house.” Seren clenched their jaw again, ready to shout.

“It’s just until the fae retreat again. They always do.” Mrs. Houper said, “We just want you to be safe. And I’ll be taking time off myself to care for my own children.”

“What?! You’re leaving?” Seren asked, panicking as they came down to the ground floor.

“Just until the curfew lifts, it won’t be too long. I promise.” Mrs. Houper said, Seren held onto the banister for dear life. Their knuckles going white. The doorbell rang out and everyone turned to the front door. Eric turned back to speak to Seren but the door bell started ringing rapidly cutting them off from speaking. He turned and opened it and the Lady Summers stormed in.

“Where is Wilbur? Why hasn’t he come home yet!?” She snapped, getting as close as she could to Eric to yell.

“I don’t know!” Eric yelled back, squaring up with her and forcing her back. “He hasn’t come back yet!”

“You sent my precious baby out alone?!” Nicole Summers shouted, spying Seren on the staircase.

“Serenity isn’t old enough to be an enforcer!” Eric yelled and her mouth dropped.

“But they-”

“YOU wanted Wilbur to take their job and now we know he can have it due to a medical oversight.” Eric said, cutting her off. “Now stop interfering!” Nicole’s mouth moved wordlessly before she turned and rushed out. Seren couldn’t breathe. They felt like it was all permanent now, everything they worked so hard for, gone.

“Okay, it’s time for me to head out, you two take care of each other.” Mrs. Houper said as she got on her coat. Seren tearfully dragged their feet to her. Throwing their arms around her. Mrs. Houper hugged them back.

“It’s okay, it’ll all be okay.” She said softly to them. “Just be strong and keep safe. Okay?” Seren nodded and Mrs. Houper kissed their forehead before leaving. Seren watched them go, Eric staying right behind them.

“Uh. Mrs. Houper said that you haven’t eaten all day.” Eric said. Seren didn’t have an appetite but their stomach was begging for them to eat. “C’mon, there’s food in the kitchen.” Seren let themself be led into the kitchen. Sitting at the breakfast bar. They looked up at the small chuckle from Eric.

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“It feels just like the first day you came to live with me.” He said as he brought down a plate from the cupboard. Seren shrugged and looked at the counter top. The silence felt heavy. Dinner was placed in front of Seren with silverware. They lifted the fork numbly to try and force themself to eat.

“You look a lot better than back then.” Eric offered idly. Seren looked up, ready to be offended. “You were nothing but bones and pale as snow. You’ve gotten taller, you’re at a healthy weight for your age. You got some color in your cheeks finally.” Seren looked back down and glared at their plate. Moving the food around instead of eating it.

“I’m.” Eric started but stopped. Pacing around the kitchen a few times. “I’m sorry.” Seren looked up again. Eric rounded the counter and sat with them at the bar.

“I know it means so much to you, so much to your self-worth, to work. And don’t misunderstand me. You are good at it, best yet.” Eric said. “But I don’t want this to be the best you aspire to. You have so much potential, you could do and be so much more. I don’t want this, just this, to be the rest of your life. I want you to study. I want you to play. Make friends. Learn what it is you actually want and then be the best at it.”

“But what if this is the best I can be?” Seren asked quietly. Trying to hide the tears that were welling up.

“It isn’t. I know it isn’t.” Eric said, scooting closer and pulling them into a hug. “You know it isn’t. Don’t tie your self-worth to something temporary. Tie it to your own character, there’s so much to be proud of.” Seren didn’t feel like there was anything to be proud of but it felt nice to hear.

“I don’t hate you.” Seren said quietly. Eric just laughed.

“I know.” He said finally. “I know that you’re going through some stuff right now and as you get bigger we’ll probably keep fighting.” He sat up and put Seren back on their stool.

“But how about we make a promise right now.” Eric said, holding out his hand for Seren to take. “I promise that if we fight, I will take a break and return at a later date. And though I won’t always understand, I’ll always apologize when I’m in the wrong.”

“And I promise that I’ll also take breaks and try to communicate better.” Seren agreed. Taking Eric’s hand.

“That’s all we can do.” Eric agreed. “Now, you eat. Then, there’s a little daylight left, we could go to the library?”

“Yeah, I think I have a book to return.” Seren said. They felt better, and their appetite was back. There was still a little lingering distaste but it was being smothered by a sense of hope. They began eating their dinner, suddenly ravenous. Eric gave them a pat on their shoulder and stood up. The doorbell rang and he sighed.

“If that’s your aunt again I swear.” He muttered as he went to answer the door. Seren smiled, focusing back on eating. They looked up as Eric re-entered but with a few of the city’s guards.

“Serenity, I’ll be taking these men up with me to the study.” He said. “Can you answer all this woman’s questions?” He gestured to the guard woman who smiled and held up a notebook. Seren nodded. Trying to think again of what they’d done wrong. Was this about leaving the city? Did they know about the nest??

Eric led the two men up to the study and the woman took a seat with Seren at the table.

“Don’t worry, you haven’t done anything wrong.” She said. “We’re just investigating some missing children. What do you know about your missing cousin?”

“He’s missing?” Seren asked. “Are you sure he isn’t just taking a long time completing his job? Or in the hospital? Or dead?”

“What.” The woman was taken aback but she scribbled down onto her notebook and gathered herself. “What makes you say that?”

“He’s an enforcer. It comes with the territory.” Seren shrugged. “Though, I don’t think so. I think he’d be in the hospital. He… he doesn’t seem like the enforcer type.” Seren had it drilled in to their head to never reveal their true age but now that it was so public, they weren’t sure what to say.

“I heard you were getting retired.” The guard chuckled. “At the old old age of-”

“Yeah. I. I don’t know what to say.” Seren said. “I didn’t go with Wilbur today. Since I’m not an enforcer anymore. But when I did go with him, he was pretty quick to give up and go straight to the hospital.”

“I see, did you speak to him before he left for the day?” She asked.

“I… no. I didn’t actually.” Seren said, remembering their morning. “He left and I.” Seren sighed trying to figure out what to say.

“I went back to bed,” They said finally. “Just got up actually.”

“Really? Is that all?” The guard asked, suspiciously.

“Well.. I’ve been feeling a bit different lately.. And Eric and I got into a .. a fight..” Seren admitted sheepishly. “It was stupid, I just didn’t want to go to school.”

“Ahh.” The guard nodded. “I had a step-mom growing up. It’s not easy. I still call her by her first name too. But you’re young, you’ll be okay.” Seren nodded, thinking about things.

“Excuse me, if you don’t have any more questions. I’m going back upstairs.” Seren said. Taking care of their dishes. Stopping by the pantry to grab another jar of honey.