Their suits had caught fire and their hands fell to pat out the flames. I immediately thought of making the flames grow but the mess that would make would scar the little girl for life. I checked over my shoulder to make sure she still watched the dog and still remained behind me. Yup. I looked back to my three fires. They were by a little patch of gardening and I hissed grow as I moved my arms outwards, conducting the plants forward. This was my most taxing of tricks and I felt my body sweat and weaken. I trembled but continued, entwining the suits/gills/guns and choking them to unconsciousness. Or death. I couldn't be 100% sure…

So I made the stems pierce their throats and began blooming out of their mouths…

Maybe that was a little too far…

I realized I was getting carried away and dropped my arms to my sides. The suits/gills/guns turned plantpots weren't going anywhere soon and I turned, expecting to see a crowd of spectators. Nothing. Not a soul. In fact the parents were all getting into their cars.

It was like there was an invisible wall between us all. I was more in shock from realizing this than realizing I'd just killed a guy.

The dog padded to the little girl and I looked to the mess it walked away from.

Ugly, gory and final, were three words that sprang to mind. Yet still she wept into the dog's fur. I worried it would go for me until I looked at it's face. Its bloody mouth appeared to be smiling approvingly and gratefully at me as it with-stood the tears of a little girl. I approached cautiously, sure I had also frightened her, and I was a foot away when the dog barked, it's eyes just a little to the side of me. I spun around and a tall man, hard faced, wearing a long and battered leather duster surrounding his shape, was walking forward quickly.

"Stay where you are." I barked at him, palm outstretched towards him in a 'stop' instruction. He slowed but did not obey,

"That's my daughter."

"I said stop."

But he didn't. He must have been expecting another trick. I was able to hook him with my right fist when he got close enough and send him a few steps back.

"Hells bells!"

"Stop."

He rubbed his jaw and looked at me, annoyed and surprised. I turned to the little girl.

"Maggie," I barked and then realized I should soften, "please… who is this?"

She peeled herself out of the fur just enough to peer at me, then at him and threw herself towards him shouting, "Dad!"

I let her and I watched as he picked her up and held her like a relieved father.

I felt my shoulders sag like a relieved bystander. I'd done my good deed for the day; it was over. Now to find Agatha.

I turned to leave but "dad" walked closer, and the dog's tail gave me a dead leg while it passed, tail wagging, to its family. I hobbled slightly as I took my first step forward, and was forced to stop by a hand on my shoulder. It dropped away as I turned round to the eclectic family and "dad" said,

"That's not a bad right hook."

I hesitated before looking into his eyes. Sometimes I hallucinate looking into people's eyes. As always, I looked away immediately to his eyebrows. If anyone asked I tended to say I was either autistic or suffering a squint. But I noticed him doing something similar. We didn't need to say anything about it to one another, people with similar ailments are more grateful not having to explain it.

"I did tell you to stop."

He nodded and continued, setting his daughter down to the care of his dog. "Where did you learn all of that?"

"All of what?" I asked rather shortly - I was keen to get back before Agatha could see me talking to this guy, this crowd might have missed my little magic show but they weren't looking for one either, Aggy would be looking for me.

"That magic."

I thought of denying magic and claiming I'd rigger the grass and there were hidden camera's everywhere (that had gotten me out a few jams before) but he had this… aura. "Practice."

"With who?"

"I'm sorry, who are you?" I was feeling attacked and I threw up the defenses fast.

"Harry Dresden." he paused significantly long enough for me to react as though I should know him, and carried on quick enough to catch me should I not know him. I didn't know him, "White Council Warden and Winter Knight of the Sidhe."

"Do you have a shorter name?"

"Harry. How do you know Maggie?"

"I don't." Sometimes I forget people don't know the whole story. He waited patiently for it. I got the feeling he wasn't used to being patient. "It's on her backpack."

"Who asked you to protect her?"

"Thank you would do, you know."

"What do you want?" he pressed. I scoffed,

"Seeing as you're the big man around here who showed up late to the party, why don't you answer a couple of my questions: first and foremost why has no one noticed the guys in suits with gills and guns?"

He planted his feet and bowed his head in surrender, "It's a veil."

I had no idea what that was so I pretended I did and carried on, "And why the Hell do they want to attack your daughter?"

"I'm a dangerous man."

I didn't doubt it. "Do I look scared to you?"

He regarded me carefully, "What's your name?"

"Kalina."

"You don't look foreign."

"This is America, pal, we're all foreign."

He smiled, impressed and/or amused, and I can't deny I was charmed. He asked,

"What do you know of magic?"

"Do you mean my tricks?"

"What about the White Council?"

"Who?"

"The Fae?"

I just shrugged and shook my head for that one. He sighed, relaxed and declared,

"We need to talk."

"Don't sound so enthusiastic." I was being funny, you know, he's a frightening but attractive guy – tall, pale and hansom - and I'm an attractive woman - short sallow and charming. Of course I was going to throw a little suggestive grenade in there. He went a little pale all of a sudden and stammered,

"Not that I -"

"Save it." I sighed with amusement and started to walk away. "I'll leave you to deal with all of," I indicated the general areas with a hand, "this."

"You can't leave –"

"I have plans!" I called over my shoulder. In a few strides he was next to me,

"Cancel them. It's really important."

It didn't sound like a date, but beggars can't be choosers. I sighed.

"Okay, look I'm free after 3 today. Where will I meet you and when? Phones don't really work for me."

The side of his lips tugged, "Six tonight, do you know McAnaly's pub?"

I started walking, "I'll find it."