Will’s pace was too fast for Raine and me. He darted ahead and vanished amidst the trees’ shadows, leaving us struggling to keep up. Despite his speed, Raine stayed by my side, his presence offering some comfort amidst the growing darkness. A nervous knot grew in my belly as I tried to match Will’s pace.

“Wait up, Will!” Raine called out, his voice echoing off the trees. “Where are we even going? Aren’t the mines that way?” He gestured back the way we came, but Will kept on, his determination pulling him forward, leaving us behind.

“Trust me, Saya’ll need her own communicator for the mines,” Will replied, hastening forward.

Communicator? I threw worried glances at Raine. Who mentioned anything about communicators?

Before I could shout again, the two fairies of the boys flew directly above our heads. They chirped and buzzed excitedly, the sounds oddly reminiscent of laughter. Will, however, didn't share their amusement. His brow furrowed, and a flicker of worry crossed his strained expression. He shook his head and the two fairies talked amongst themselves at Will’s expense.

Is this how they communicated mentally? Mind-reading? Great. Just what I always wanted - people knowing my every thought.

Suddenly, one of the fairies, a tiny creature with iridescent wings, dipped down and landed on my outstretched finger. He grasped my hand with both his impossibly small ones, his dark eyes sparkling with an urgency that mirrored Will's. Gently, he tugged, urging me to follow. So, this wasn't Peter. Unlike the chatty fairy who'd insulted Raine, this one remained silent, relying on gestures and perhaps some form of telepathy to communicate.

The tiny fairy flitted towards one of the tents, then dipped inside as if beckoning me to follow. Inside, the air hung heavy with a strange mix of floral scents and stale incense. A woman with eyes that looked like they could pierce through stone sat hunched over a cluttered desk. Behind her, an entire wall shimmered with dozens of glass vials, each containing a fluttering, captive fairy.

With a scowl permanently etched across her brow, she looked me up and down but didn’t say a word. She finished scribbling something and set the paper aside. Afterward, she gestured for me to approach, as though about to share a secret. As I bent down to listen, Ouch! She plucked a hair from my head! Is hair a common currency in the magical world?

She placed my hair into a small vial filled with a shimmering liquid and gave it an unenthusiastic swish. The transparent liquid transformed into a vibrant shade of purple. A hush fell over the room as the captive fairies seemed to collectively hold their breath. The woman's eyes narrowed as she scrutinized the vial, a faint frown creasing her brow.

With a start, a tiny figure dashed out from behind the woman's shoulder, briefly cracking her grumpy exterior. It was her own fairy companion, quite pale. Come to think of it, most of the captive fairies were also white. This creature was slightly larger than the others, with shimmering iridescent wings. It darted towards a specific jar on the wall, buzzing insistently.

The woman's scowl softened a touch as she followed the lead of the assistant fairy. Her gaze fell upon the jar, revealing a smaller but stockier creature with dark, glossy wings — a subtle detail easily missed in the dim light. A flicker of understanding replaced her annoyance. "Ah, a cowbird," she muttered, a hint of something akin to empathy in her voice. "You will find that you two have more in common than you think." With a practiced flick of her wrist, she dipped a finger into the purple liquid and dropped it onto the paper covering the jar. The paper sizzled and melted away like hot wax. With a shrill whistle, the woman summoned the fairy, who landed on her outstretched hand.

The woman's hardened exterior seemed to crack for a brief moment. She carefully scooped the cowbird fairy from her hand and, with a surprising gentleness, placed it in mine. "She will lick you," the woman said, her voice gruff but not unkind. "Let her do it. It's how she forms the mental link."

As I pulled my hand away, allowing the fairy to flutter free, she sighed. "Come on, it's not as unpleasant as it sounds. And their saliva contains the substance that binds you mentally. It's how it works."

I hesitated for some moments then I offered my hand, the fairy flew down and licked the tip of my thumb. It itched a bit, like being stung by a mosquito.

“Don’t scratch, or it won’t take.” The woman said in a bored voice.

I fought the urge to scratch my thumb for some seconds, but then the itchy feeling went away.

Then I heard something in my head, a small, hesitant chirp that gradually morphed into a slow, chirpy voice. "[Hello, human!]" it chirped, pausing for a beat for every two words. "[My name! Is…]" Another pause, followed by a series of chirps that resembled the plinking of water droplets. "[But you!]” Pause. “[Call me!]” Pause. “[Lyanna Mooncrest!]" The tiny fairy on my shoulder puffed out her chest with a proud flutter.

A wry smile touched my lips. Was my fairy broken? “[I'm not slow. You can talk to me normally, you know.]” I thought, trying to project the message back at the fairy.

The fairy's surprised response was immediate, flutters and trills and all. "[Wait, a full connection already? That's unheard of!]"

The fairy’s excitement seemed to further irritate the disgruntled woman. The disgruntled woman, who had been watching me intently the entire time, leaned back in her chair with a scoff. Her amusement had flickered, now replaced by a flicker of something akin to disappointment. It was as if she'd expected me to writhe on the floor, frothing at the mouth, but instead, I met her gaze, my hand steady. The woman's lips thinned into a hard line. Seeing I was perfectly fine, she grumbled “Oh, look at the brave girl, all unaffected! How impressive..." and something about "toxin taking time to hold" and retreated to her mini TV, which was blaring an episode of The Lucy Show. I didnt appreciate her comment dripping of sarcasm but perhaps I was lucky the "toxin" wasn't as potent as she'd anticipated. Probably a toxin that affects the brain like sniffing lead paint. Great. Is my fairy mind link exposure going to kill me?

A flurry of activity erupted outside the tent. Even the caged fairies seemed interested. The sound of buzzing wings filled the air as a dozen or more fairies swarmed through the entrance. My guess is Lyanna's announcement about our instant connection spread like wildfire through the fairy network.

"Listen up, buttercup. This ain't a social club. Scram!" The woman used her binder to fan away at the fairies circling and inspecting me.

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

I stepped out into the sunlight, blinking away the sudden brightness after the dim tent to join the boys. My brand-new communicator, a tiny blur of dark wings and buzzing delight, flitted around my head. It seemed positively thrilled to escape the confines of the jar and revel in the open air, darting about with newfound freedom.

Not to be a wet blanket but I had to ask. “You didn’t tell me it involved a toxin in my brain? Thanks?!” My voice raised with every word directed at Raine.

“Their venom is the only way you can communicate with fairies, elves, orcs, or any other species from their world.” Raine smiled to me a reassuring smile. “You will need that to deal with the elves.”

I was so angry, but it was already done. Probably doomed to have a fairy in my head for all eternity.

—-

“Come on, we have to move now, it is almost time.” Will started heading briskly, again, in the opposite direction of the mines.

“Hey, so are we going to head into the mine next to find a way out?” I ask.

We walked through the tented area until we reached the outer edges and stopped in front of the second largest tent. The only tent with smoke coming from the top.

A shiver snaked down my spine as the tent flap rustled open. A figure emerged, clad in military fatigues – my blood ran cold. It was Tracy, the monster from my prison days. His greasy hair remained his signature touch, even beneath the unfamiliar uniform.

Gemma followed him out, a stark contrast in her clean clothes and gaudy purple necklace. Unlike me, the branded "P" was absent from her back. She flashed a predatory smile in my direction.

Tracy's eyes met mine. The same sadistic glint I loathed flickered in his cruel smile. The boys, however, seemed oblivious. They greeted him warmly, shaking his hand. I remained rooted to the spot, a knot of conflicting emotions twisting in my gut. Were they blind to the monster I recognized? Should their friendliness taint my perception of them?

Will gestured for me to join them. I clenched and unclenched my fists, my body moving on autopilot as I approached the group. Stopping an arm's length from Tracy, I overheard him discussing the guard schedule. "...two-minute window between shifts." He studiously avoided my gaze.

Silence strangled the scream that clawed its way up my throat. I yearned to shout, "Look at me, you monster! Your victim, not a ghost, stands before you!"

"This is Saya," Will interjected, gesturing towards me. "Our new friend.” He then turned to me, “Saya, this is Tracy, an old colleague from Monte Cristo."

Fear, a cold metallic fist, clamped around my heart. My knuckles shone white from the unrelenting grip I held on my anger. The weight of his stare was a tangible force, pinning me in place.

Before I could stop myself, the words tumbled out, "Was he a sadistic torturer back then too?"

Raine's confusion mirrored my own. "What? You two know each other?"

Tracy's gaze locked onto mine, hard and unwavering. "We do," he confirmed. "Well enough. She's the reason I lost my last job."

The dam within me broke. In a blur of motion, I lunged. A single, desperate blow aimed at his smug face. Will reacted faster, his strong arms wrapping around me mid-jump. I thrashed and grunted, fueled by a primal rage.

Raine shoved Tracy back, a wall against the sudden violence. "Saya, please! Calm down," Will hissed in my ear. "This won't help." He held on with a surprising strength.

Defeated, I slumped against him. His grip relaxed, and I stole a glance. Guards were approaching, drawn by the commotion. With a sigh, I conceded defeat.

By the time the guards reached us, we were all faking laughter.

“Is there anything to report?” One of the guards addressed Tracy.

“Nope, nothing but some good fun around friends,” Raine said with a big smile as he held Tracy in a headlock, giving him a noogie.

The guard ignored him and looked at Tracy, searching for dissent.

Before the guard could question some more, the other guard said, “Come on Bill, we don’t have time for this. We could lose our jobs if you take any longer.”

Reluctantly, the challenging guard joined his colleague and left to their posts near the entrance of the mine.

“When did you arrive here?” Raine asked Tracy.

“They brought replacements of my team the same day you and the others escaped.” Tracy pointed at me, “You cost me a very comfortable job. And now, I’m stuck back here, risking my life again.”

I smiled, at least I did something to make his life that little bit more difficult.

“What was your job, Tracy?” Raine asked him slowly.

“I led the prison guard just after we left Monte Cristo.” Tracy crossed his arms. “And I was darn good at it.”

“You worked as a guard to keep your own people in prison for the elves?” Will’s nose flared and his lips trembled.

“Not for the elves. For our men at arms, the military.” Tracy’s words came with foam and spittle. He turned to face Will and poked him for each word, “Get. That. Right.”

“Did you really torture people in your job?” Raine, who held Tracy’s shoulder, asked him in a low voice.

“I did what I had to do to prevent people from running away.” Tracy pushed Raine away. “I was just doing my job.”

“No way!” I interjected. “He would torture us regardless!”

Several new guards looked our way.

Shut up, Saya. Getting jailed here is not the answer! I held myself in my arms.

Will's eyes darted back to the approaching soldiers, a silent curse escaping his lips. Turning back to Tracy, his voice dropped to a low growl. "We've been looking after Arthur, keeping him safe, Tracy. Maybe you should return the favor and tell him all about your little stint as a prison ward. I'm sure he'd be… disappointed to learn his big brother enjoys picking on the weak."

The fairies hovered above, alighting on the peak of a nearby tent; their delicate wings recoiled from the stench emanating from the one directly in front of us. The sweet, pungent aroma of someone smoking hung heavy in the air, a sickly perfume compared to the floral-scented tent from which we retrieved the winged Lyanna. We ducked into the offending tent, its dim interior a welcome refuge from the approaching guards and the brewing storm outside that was Tracy. Inside, a melody drifted in, a haunting tune that felt impossibly out of place amidst the swirling clouds of flavored smoke. It sent shivers down my spine.

"He's waiting," Raine offered, a sly smile playing on his lips as he winked at me. He reached for the tent flap, and as he did, his hand brushed mine – a fleeting touch, yet it felt like a spark had ignited on my skin.

Heat flared across my cheeks, a stark contrast to the chilling fear that usually gripped me in these situations. Most people avoided contact, fearing the purple splotches on my skin were contagious. But Raine... his touch felt deliberate, almost welcoming. Pom-Pom Head and now him? What secret messages were these unexpected interactions sending?

My gaze darted around the dusty interior, a knot of apprehension tightening in my stomach. Despite the unexpected warmth, the mission remained my priority.

"Who?" I whispered, my voice barely a breath.

"The reason we came here in the first place," Raine murmured, his voice a conspiratorial hush. His hand, warm from the brief contact, remained close for a beat longer than necessary before he pulled back.

Inside, a figure sat bathed in a shaft of sunlight filtering through a gap in the fabric roof. He strummed a guitar, the music weaving with the melody we'd heard outside. He wore a long tunic and super wide pants, his long brown hair obscuring most of his face.

"Hello sweet Raine, hello soft and gentle Will," he hummed in a low voice that made my skin crawl.

"Hello, Max," both boys chimed in.