At Remy’s announcement, Galbaric and Ainsel both froze, listening. Then Galbaric asked acidly, “What exactly is the significance of those names?”

“My friend, Ainsel’s friend, our enemy,” said Remy tersely, his gaze scanning the darkness under the trees off to Ainsel’s left.

“Night Master…” said Galbaric, as if musing on the phrase. Then his grip tightened on Ainsel’s hair. “Ah.”

Ainsel tugged against his hold as she picked up Zoë’s shape through the brush, but not hard. She scanned the surrounding area for Tyler, nearly ignoring the form of Danui. But when they stepped into the clearing and she got a better look at her friend, she realized there would be no Tyler, that it was Zoë herself who had somehow… changed.

“Ainsel!” cried Zoë, and would have dashed forward. But Danui caughht her by the arm.

“No, Zoë! I can’t let you—what is that guy holding her?” Danui’s nostrils flared and his eyes widened. “That guy is bad news.”

But Ainsel’s attention was almost all on her friend. Something about Zoë had changed, but not her essentials. Not in a way that made her unZoë. It was like looking at the sun through smoke.

“Let me go, Danui,” demanded Zoë, her voice rising, and as if he couldn’t help himself, the boy compiled.

She dashed forward and Ainsel, tugging again at Galbaric’s restraint, found his grip loose enough that she could escape. She met Zoë in the middle, throwing her arms around the other girl and hugging her tightly. Zoë was muttering under her breath as she embraced Ainsel back.

Ainsel caught only a few words, about idiots who ran off with boys and left their friends to worry, and knew it wasn’t really meant for her. Instead she focused on the warmth of her friend, and the smoke swirling around her light. Although Ainsel could sense the change, she could no more catch at it than catch the wind.

Danui looked past them at Remy and his expression twisted. “Remy. You’re doing a lot better than I expected.”

“You’re not,” said Remy bluntly.

“Yeah. Fuck.” He looked away, rubbing his head, before focusing on Galbaric in clear apprehension.

“Zoë, what happened to you? I can tell—”

“Never mind me,” said Zoë, her eyes glittering almost feverishly. “What happened to you? Nobody could find you anywhere, and Lucien thought you’d fallen—”

Ainsel partially released Zoë from her embrace, but kept hold of her hands. “Tyler…” Zoë flinched, and Ainsel decided to skip past Tyler for now. “I did. We did. We fell through one of those holes to another world and fought monsters and got captured, but then we convinced them to help us come home and—” Ainsel’s heart squeezed as she remembered Jim. “Oh, Zoë, your dad was there too, and I was bringing him back to you but we got separated—” Her stomach hurt as she remembered the creature that had separated them, and Sarge’s broken body.

Stolen story; please report.

Zoë put her hands on Ainsel’s shoulders, peering hard at her. “Was he safe when you saw him last? Because he wouldn’t be here.”

Ainsel’s thoughts ran in circles and uncertainly she said, “He was alive but—”

Galbaric, looming behind her and catching her hair again low on her back, announced “The whacker is alive and will probably stay that way longer than my own men. That which the wolf prince unleashed likes… curiosities.”

“Wolf prince, huh,” said Zoë, shaking her head. Her sharp hazel eyes fixed on Galbaric. “Who’s this?”

Zoë’s comment on Remy sent a rush of shyness through Ainsel but she struggled through it. “Oh, um… This is Galbaric. He’s…” She didn’t know what to say. Her first instinct was ‘a friend’ and her second was ‘a dragon’ but she wasn’t entire sure of either of those. She settled on, “He helped us. Zoë, what happened to you? I can see something did and it’s… it’s not bad exactly but it’s different.”

“Of course you can,” said Zoë with a little sigh. “I… Tyler… Tyler happened. I’m okay, though.” Her expression firmed. “I stole a little bit of his power and I’m going to use it to rescue Lucien before Tyler can murder him.”

The set of Zoë’s jaw made Ainsel blink. However Tyler had changed her friend, it couldn’t be all bad if it gave Zoë the ability to be like this, firm and resolute. Certain in her own abilities.

And yet… it was something her magic wanted to, yet couldn’t heal. Embarrassed by her unintended test, she momentarily lifted her hand from Zoë’s and then clasped her firmly again.

“How sweet. Can we go find my coat now?” said Galbaric nastily.

Zoë’s hand turned under Ainsel’s as she shook her head. “We have to rescue Lucien first. I can’t do it without Ainsel—oh!” She started to look around.

Galbaric’s grip on Ainsel’s hair tightened, and she exhaled carefully. She’d taken his coat, it was true, and his upset was justifiable.

“Finding my coat is far more important than rescuing some Lucien and if you believe there’s any chance I’m letting this thief get away from me in this cursed world, you are idiotic beyond tolerance. Why is such a teensy human even talking to me, cooking girl?”

Zoë looked Galbaric up and down, his bitter remark rolling off her back. “What did you say he was, Ainsel? Well, whatever. He looks useful. You can help us come rescue Lucien, too.”

Very coldly, Galbaric said, “Ah, yes. You’re the squawker’s offspring, aren’t you. I can see the family resemblance. Listen, human. If the wrong hands take up my coat, more than just your Lucien will fall. And if I lose my temper—which I was very close to doing before I caught myself a cure—that will also be dangerous. I shudder to imagine the carnage if the very worst happens.” He twitched Ainsel’s hair as he spoke.

Finallly annoyed into saying something, Ainsel said, “You don’t have to constantly hold onto me, sir. My healing lasts a little while.”

Galbaric twitched her hair again. “Oh yes I do, cooking girl. I’ve seen you run.”

“All that may be true,” said Zoë, as if half-distracted. “But they’re going to kill Lucien and I can’t let that happen until I get some answers from him.” She looked around. “Danui! Come over here so Ainsel can help you.”

Ainsel abruptly became aware that Remy and Danui had been staring at each other as if engaged in a silent communion while Galbaric and Zoë argued. And she became aware of this because in response to Zoë’s words, Danui turned away swiftly. He moved as if to run, but before he made it a step, Remy lunged through the shadows, rippling into a black wolf, and knocked Danui down. With a snarl, Danui’s own form rippled and he hurled himself at Remy, jaws snapping.