TS’s mood noticeably improved after the sun went down. So did his leg. By the time we were walking from the train to the next bus, it looked like he had completely healed. After stopping at the hotel, the three of us decided to explore the city. TS didn't seem to be in pain, anymore. I still couldn't believe how quickly he had recovered. A non-magic with the same injury would probably have never walked again. TS had been up and moving the very next day and was totally fine less than forty-eight hours later! Every time I thought I was getting used to being magic, I'd get a reminder of just how strange it all was.

Once again, just to be safe, I stayed in their room. At least spending the night with them had stopped being unusual. It was a bit different to be alone with just TS and Thomas, but I had gotten used to it. Thomas went out to feed again, and this time, TS went with him. I was worried the entire time they were gone, but I was glad for the privacy, too. Sharing a room with five other people, not to mention being on a ship with hundreds, was a bit much. It was nice to get a little solitude. Even so, I was relieved when they returned safely. TS curled up contently on the blankets between the beds. We made sure to set our alarms and fell asleep.

We joined the rest of our group for breakfast, piled onto the bus, and headed back to the airport. I was excited to get to see two completely different sides of Peru. The moment we landed, it was hard to believe we were in the same country. We boarded the plane in a large city airport, and then we were in a very tiny one with only two gates. Our guides met us and led us through the town to a boat. It took over four hours to motor up the river to our destination. Everyone cheered, as we pulled up to a rickety dock. The bank was so high that I couldn't see over it. As I climbed the stairs on the dock, I got my first look at where we'd be staying. It was incredible. A raised wooden path led from the stairs to a large, screened-in building with long tables inside. It was obviously where we'd eat meals. Pavilions with hammocks lined the riverbank, and I couldn't wait to lay in one. We all left our bags in a stack by some of the hammocks and raced for the tables for lunch. After everyone finished eating, our guides gave us an introduction to the lodge, some safety lessons, and assigned cabins. There was only one key per cabin, so we all joined up with our roommates and went to find our cabins. The dining building was in the middle of a clearing. Although it wasn't much of a clearing, considering that it was full of huge, towering trees that the wooden path had to zigzag around. The path, itself, was only about two feet off of the ground and protected by a low roof. When I first arrived, I assumed that it was to keep us off of the very muddy ground and out of the rain. The latter was true; we were in a rainforest, after all. But during our orientation, the guides had emphasized just how dangerous it could be to wander alone and had hinted that the raised path was extra protection against wandering caiman and venomous snakes.

The dining building was surrounded by tiny cabins, just at the edge of the tree line. Our entire group had left the dining hall together, but people started veering off down smaller paths as they spotted their assigned cabins. At last, Kaitlyn pointed, and I saw a cabin with the word Tapir painted above the door. She held up our key so that I could see the same word written on our keychain.

"That's us!" she said happily.

We hurried down our own private, wooden path toward our cabin. I studied it as we got closer. It had a steep, pitched roof, and the entire front was just a framed screen with a door. We went up a few stairs to a tiny porch by our door. We unlocked it and stepped inside. Kaitlyn rattled the door after it was shut.

"Doesn't look like it'll keep jaguars out," she said with a laugh.

"No, it doesn't."

It would keep vampires out though, assuming I could sleep here for a night. We stood on a tiny porch with hardly enough room for us, not to mention the two chairs crammed in. The wall between the rest of the cabin and the porch only went up about eight feet. I stepped through the open doorway and onto the other side of the half-wall. Two tiny beds. If I could make it this far, I'd be safe from any uninvited vampires. I looked back at the half-wall and the screen. This was pretty open for a bedroom. Then again, if our balcony counted as a sleeping space, I was sure that this would, too. The cabin didn't have a ceiling, and I could see all the way up to the sharp peak, where both sides of the thatched roof came together. There was another half-wall in the middle of the cabin, and I started to walk by it to the other side, before realizing that it was a bathroom. A very narrow bathroom. I stepped in to examine it.

"Whoa! Check it out!" Kaitlyn cried. "I'm sleeping here tonight!"

The bathroom was so narrow I had to back out of it. I continued past it to see what Kaitlyn was talking about. Then, I was just as excited as she was. There were two hammocks strung between the bathroom wall and the back wall of the cabin. The back wall was another short one. It turned into a screen just a few feet above my head.

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"We can look up at the sky while we fall asleep," I said. Even as I spoke, a bunch of brightly colored birds flew right by.

That was the only time we had to see the cabin. We had been given a few minutes to put our suitcases away, and we were meeting back at the dock. Once there, we split into groups. TS and I were together, but I was disappointed that Thomas ended up in a different group. We met our guides and all went our separate ways. Our group took the boat over to a small island in the middle of the river. Monkeys inhabited it, and we saw tons of them as we hiked around. It was another oddly normal, non-magic thing to do. But, as always, I was reminded of my new world when TS casually mentioned that he really wanted to chase the monkeys. After the island, we took the boat down river to an Amazonian village that had supposedly been the same for hundreds of years.

We returned to the lodge right after sunset. Tiny candles had been lit all along the wooden path. Even with the candlelight, it was incredibly dark. We met up with Thomas and ate dinner, then everyone was free for the evening. Most people hung around the lodge, talking and playing cards. The power at the entire lodge shut off promptly at nine, plunging everything into darkness. We'd all been warned, but nobody realized just how dark it would actually get. The only light was from the candles, the stars, and the nearly full moon. Walking back to our cabin in the near dark was creepy, but really neat. Kaitlyn and I had to use our cell phones for light as we got ready for bed. We both climbed into hammocks. It wasn't even ten yet, but without any source of light we had nothing else to do.

Then, someone knocked on our door. Kaitlyn would have to climb over or under my hammock to get out, so I got up and felt my way to the door.

"I love watching people stumble around in the dark." I recognized TS’s voice as he spoke, but it was a bit harsher than usual. He must have been a wolf.

"Excuse me for not being able to see."

"You'll have your wand back, soon enough."

I made it to the screen door. "Careful. My roommate's awake."

"Non-magics can't hear me in wolf form, don't worry," TS said without lowering his voice.

"Who's there?" Kaitlyn called.

"A couple friends." I could just see Thomas’ silhouette.

"Want to come to our cabin for a while?" Thomas asked.

"Sure..." Now I was worried. Why did they want me at their cabin? "I'm going to go for a while, okay?"

"Have fun," Kaitlyn said. "I'll probably be asleep when you get back."

"Okay!"

I went out the door and stopped short when I remembered that there were steps. It was almost too dark to make them out. I felt around with my foot to make sure I knew where they were.

"Is something wrong? Do you think he'll come into my cabin?" I asked, gingerly stepping down.

"No, nothing like that," Thomas said. "Your cabin is still claimed by the last people who slept there. It's perfectly safe."

"We're just going for a hike," TS said. "And you're making me nervous fumbling about like that. Help her out."

Then, I was grabbed and picked up. I let out a startled cry and grabbed instinctively for whoever was holding me.

"Relax, I've got you," Thomas laughed.

I realized then that I had my arms wrapped around his shoulders. I hoped I wasn't blushing. Could he see well enough in the dark to see if I was blushing? Even with the light from the moon and the stars I could hardly see him.

"This is a problem I didn't think of," he continued. He lowered his voice. "We're going to get you a new wand, but I didn't think through the fact you can't see right now."

"Well, you can't carry me," I said. The truth was I was quite comfortable in his arms. Too comfortable. I was afraid that if he held me any longer, I'd end up doing something awful like resting my head on his shoulder. I was almost disappointed when he set me back down.

"You can just ride," TS said.

"Ride?"

"Hop on."

"You're kidding."

"You need a wand," Thomas said softly, "but can't see well enough to walk. You might as well take a ride."

I could see TS just well enough to figure out where his back was. Still not sure if they were joking, I put my hands on his back and tried to figure out how to climb on. Thomas solved my problem by lifting me up again. He took my hand and held me steady as I tried to settle in. It was sort of like riding a horse, but I wasn't sure what to do without reins and a saddle.

"Just hang on right here," Thomas said. He guided my hand to the scruff of TS’s neck. I couldn't tell if his hand was actually lingering on mine or if it was just wishful thinking.

TS slowly started walking. It was odd, but I tightened my legs and hung on. We headed down the wooden path, but I had no idea where we were going. The candles were already burned out, and the overhang blocked out a lot of light.

"Steps," TS said.

That was all the warning I had before I pitched forward. I managed to catch myself and lean back as he practically bounced down the steps. I realized that we were off the path and heading for the trees.

"We're going into the jungle?" I asked nervously. "Our guides said it's too dangerous!" They said we weren't even allowed in unescorted during the day. We weren't supposed to get off of the wooden path at all at night.

"For non-magics. You're riding a werewolf," TS said. "There's nothing in this jungle that's going to mess with me."

"It would have to get through me, anyway," Thomas said. "And there's nothing here that could mess with me, even if it wanted to."

"Are there any magics that are stronger than vampires?" I asked.

"There are. But we're faster."

I swallowed nervously. I couldn't imagine something stronger than a vampire. "But there aren't any that are faster?"

"No, there are," he said, before I could take comfort in that. "But... we're stronger," he said with a weak chuckle.