Nathan saw Illa and Summer carefully watching the track meet. Neither girl noticed as he approached. He took in a deep breath and kept going. He was going to have to talk to them whether they cleared the air or not and he would rather not be attacked every time he did so.

Track wasn't the most popular sport, but Summer and Illa were at every meet. The stands were only about a quarter full and Nathan was pretty sure the two girls wouldn't actually attack him with the others present. He knew Myra didn't care about the empty seats. She just wanted to be the fastest. She had the widest competitive streak of anyone Nathan knew, who grew up as human anyway, but she didn't have hand eye coordination worth a damn. Every other sport was out.

Climbing the bleachers, Nathan wondered if Summer and Illa would move to avoid him. He still felt weird calling them by those names, just as he did when he heard his own name called. What might have seemed like ignoring someone’s voice or being lost in his head was actually Nathan reminding himself of his chosen name. Even with the time that had passed. What seemed like no time at all had actually been a fair bit by human standards.

The two girls' eyes finally fell on him, Summer's going instantly hostile and Illa's more wary. Nathan knew what everyone thought about him. He knew the rumors had been decided as fact, but he didn't betray the humans and their fae sympathizers so long ago.

Nathan had been blind sighted as much as the others when their teachers at one of the very few fae schools had started to hunt down humans for sport and kill any fae who helped them. His own favorite master, Mashi, had been involved in the killing.

Mashi, who had seemed so sweet by fae standards, so ignorant of the darker natures that his brethren held so close. The old pain threatened to burst through, a prickle in his eyes making the world become blurry. Nathan swallowed it down. He wasn’t about to let the past come back to haunt him just now. It would always be there in his dreams anyway. Not like he needed to give it more of an opportunity to rear its head.

Cowardice had kept Nathan from acting back then. But not now. Now Nathan was going to keep Myra safe and teach her how to protect herself. That wasn't going to happen again. This generation was going to make things right.

Starting with getting Illa and Summer to at least look at him with less hostility, if not clear his name somehow. With all the time that had passed, it wasn't like Nathan had physical evidence, but maybe he could convince them with enough contrition for his cowardice and determination to keep Myra safe.

Two stairs away, Illa was now watching him and Summer had turned her gaze. She acted as if he didn't exist.

When he came up next to the girls, Summer pointedly ignored him and Illa sat, still staring, her face now contemplative. Was she wondering the best way to make Nathan pay for his supposed crimes? Or was she wondering how he dared approach them?

“Summer, Illa,” Nathan greeted, his voice tight. How was he going to convince these two of his innocence?

Neither girl said a word, but Summer did deign to look at Nathan.

“Look, I know what you think happened back at school but it-”

“At school?” Summer spat. “You don't get to talk about those days. Those people, we were friends with them-”

“I was friends with them, too. I loved them, too.” Nathan said.

“Then why did you betray them?”

“I didn't.”

A whistle blew in the distance.

Both girls' eyes suddenly shifted to the track and false smiles planted themselves on their faces, Illa's maybe a little more believable. Or maybe actually sincere.

“You expect us to believe you?” Illa asked, looking back to Nathan.

“Not expect, no. I hope you will. I hope you will help me make things right with Myra. She deserves the ability to fend for herself. If you leave her without that-”

“That isn't our right to decide. There are wills and minds here at work more powerful than ours. They will keep Myra safe.” Illa said.

Nathan stared at her. “Who's? Her father's? Who isn't even allowed to be in her life? How will he do anything? He can't be everywhere at once and he certainly wasn't there last night.”

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“And who's fault is that?” Summer suddenly chimed in, her eyes piercing.

Nathan crossed his arms as the girls' attention moved back to the track and they cheered. He waited until they stopped. “That claim is insubstantial at best and you know it.”

Summer said. “And enough to enforce should Myra find her way into Faery. Again.”

“She won't. Not before the trial. You did set it up, didn't you?”

“Of course, we did.” Illa said, her voice still full of contempt. “We wouldn't let one of our friends get hurt.”

“Look, I don't know why you think I did-”

“Why we think – ? With all of the proof we had?”

“Yeah, proof. What proof? Me not being with you when you made your escape? Maybe the word of someone? That's certainly not proof.”

“I will still take Jekiah and Narian's words over yours.”

Nathan almost stumbled back a step. Jekiah and Narian? They had spoken against him?

Summer took Nathan's surprise for guilt and dismissed his presence. Illa looked at him thoughtfully.

“Illa, you have to know I didn't do anything to hurt our friends. Or the human children. You knew me then. We were friends then.” Nathan searched her face, hoping beyond hope that she could see something of an innocent person inside of him. He had never killed anyone. And the only harm that had ever come to anyone on his account was from childish fae pranks. All that was bruised was their ego. Some of those pranks Summer and Nathan had even pulled together. They both had to remember who he was. Know that he was still that person.

“I did know you then. I'm not sure I do now.”

Not sure. Nathan could work on 'not sure'.

Summer's eyes snapped to Illa, her face still full of anger and a hint of pain.

Neither girl said anything, but their changing expressions seemed to speak volumes to each other.

Maybe if Nathan could get Illa alone, he could convince her. She had to have already been on the fence about his previous actions. Without Summer there to confirm his guilt, maybe she would realize it was false.

Summer turned back to Nathan, about to say something right when the whistle blew again and cheers erupted from the stands. Nathan turned. Myra had won her race. She bounced slightly on her heels while she stretched with the other runners.

Summer immediately bounded down the stands to Myra. Illa stayed an instant longer, her eyes locked onto Nathan.

Please, Illa, Nathan silently pleaded. Please, remember me.

Instead of giving Nathan the opportunity to further plead his case, Illa took off after Summer, her face suddenly full of enthusiasm and joy.

When Myra's eyes found Nathan in the stands, he tried to smile back at her. He waved, but didn't go over to speak to her. Summer's patience had been tried enough and maybe if he gave Illa some space before he tried again, she would have mulled things over enough in her head for her to be more receptive.

Nathan started down and diagonally across the stands to leave the racetrack. If only in the slightest, he had made some headway.

“Nathan,” Myra called out after him. “Where are you going?”

He stopped and turned. Summer was still glaring. Illa still looked thoughtful.

“Aren't you going to congratulate me?” Myra asked as she made her way to the stands and stood at their base. “My legs hurt. I'm not climbing that right now. Come down here.”

Nathan froze, uncertain. He didn’t want to push the other two girls even more, but honestly, what did it matter? What could they do here? He redirected through the stands.

“You did great today,” Nathan told Myra. “That other girl almost had you beat.”

“Karen, yeah.” Myra grinned. “I got past her, though.”

Summer still glared at Nathan.

Myra pointedly ignored her and walked off the track towards the school building. Nathan followed a beat behind.

“Myra,” Summer called.

“Come on,” Myra said. “I gotta shower and change. For once we don’t have anymore homework and the trial has been set, right? We could actually just hang out.”

“Don’t talk about that so loud!” Summer hissed, but there was barely anyone in sight, let alone anyone close enough to hear them. The others from the track meet were lolling behind and making their way slowly to the school or to the grounds to enjoy the lovely spring day.

“Then catch up to us so I don’t have to.”

“Yes,” Illa said softly. “We talked to the lord earlier this morning. The trial is set for three days from now.”

“That’s a ways away.” Nathan said, slowing down to look at Illa. A lot could happen in three days. If Amoria got Myra over to Faery again and finished the binding spell, the trial wouldn’t mean anything.

“It was the soonest I could get it,” Illa said with a grimace. “He seemed hurried, but he did realize the importance of it.”

“It’s only three days, right? Why is that such an issue?” Myra asked.

“Amoria could try to kidnap you and take you over to Faery.” Nathan said. “We will-”

Summer interrupted him. “But she won’t succeed even if she does try. Illa and I strengthened the wards. It will be fine.”

Nathan looked from Summer to Illa. Summer seemed so self assured, but Nathan was sure that Illa’s face held a mask. She was worried.

“I really am here to help.” Nathan said.

Before Summer could even open her mouth, Myra shot her a look and told Nathan. “I appreciate it. Really.” She smiled at Nathan. “Now you three make nice. I’m going to go clean up.”

She went into their rooms.

“I do wish you’d see things are different now, Summer.” Nathan said. “Tell Myra I’ll see her later.”

Illa nodded. “I will.”

Summer didn’t even look at him.