Liberty sighed as her brother dragged her down the street, trying not to feel happy that he'd invited her along with him. Jacob was with his parents today and he apparently needed someone to go on these expeditions with. Con was alright when he was like this, because he was happy, but Liberty was well aware that the bird boy would be miserable if they found him, and Con would be miserable if he didn't find the bird boy.

She gave another sigh and Con turned around. "What's with that?"

She tried to smile. "What's with what?" Her heart thumped a little and she looked away.

"Sighing! It's doing my head in." He glared at her and she hurried to keep up before catching sight of something, and slipping into the alleyway to get a closer look.

The bird boy stood there, simply watching her. He was surrounded by tiny little flower like creatures, who took off when they saw Liberty.

"Oh, they were pretty…" She stepped closer. "I'm Liberty. What's your name?"

He tipped his head to one side, and she frowned. "You don't understand what I'm saying, do you?" She looked at him and suddenly realised something that shocked her. He had one wing and one arm, and she came even closer.

She reached, trembling fingers outstretched, to rest upon the feathered shoulder, and her breath stumbled. He looked at her, eyes full of fear, and she placed her other hand on the bare shoulder that wasn't covered in feathers.

"They grounded you," she whispered softly, almost sobbing with the cruelty of it all. Once again, she looked up at him and opened her mouth as if to speak, but fell silent when he closed his eyes and turned his head away from her, removing both of her hands gently. He backed away and she knew somehow that this situation was somewhat unfamiliar to him, and it had scared him a little.

Hearing her brother calling her sharply, she turned and ran so that Con wouldn't come and look for her. When she reappeared, he seized her wrists. "Don't run off, you stupid brat!" She heard shuffling behind her and pulled on Con's wrist in return to drag him a little way away from the alleyway.

"We have to go back. Mom and Dad will be home soon." She looked up earnestly but Con's eyes took on an ugly look and he tugged on her wrists. "I'm busy! You know I'm looking for that bird!"

A change came over Liberty as she realised whose side she was on. She knew that if he found him, her brother would try and make money from the bird boy's misery. If he was able to see him, that is. A sudden surge of protective anger flowed through her veins, like fire.

"Leave it alone!" she said fiercely, surprising Con before a spark of recognition flashed in his eyes, causing him to raise his eyebrows and smile.

"You know something, don't you, Liberty?" he asked, a note of delight entering his voice. She shook her head in rapid denial, and he leaned forward menacingly.

"You're lying to me."

"And you are pursuing something better left alone!" she hissed at him, and he gasped in slight surprise. Liberty had never stood up to him before. The momentary shock gave her time to free herself and she stood there glaring at him.

"So you do know something…" he muttered, glaring at his sister who quivered slightly but refused to back down. He stepped towards her. "Tell me, if you know what's good for you." Threatening his sister had always worked before, but a new determination was alight in the green eyes.

"Then I don't know what's good for me. I won't tell you!" Just as her brother stepped towards her Jacob spotted them from across the road, running over at once.

"Guys! What's going on?" He glanced worriedly first at Con and then at Liberty, catching the look that she was giving her brother.

Con cleared his throat. "She knows something about our…project," he said in a low tone, and Jacob gaped, turning to the girl, but Liberty turned her face away from Jacob, seemingly checking the entrance of an alleyway.

"Is that why you were looking at the feather, Liberty?" he asked her before he could stop himself. She swallowed, shooting him an anguished look, but Con grinned like a fox might had it been invited into a henhouse by the fattest hen.

"Tell me…" her brother whispered, grinning at his sister. She tossed her head angrily.

"You wouldn't be able to see anyway!" Liberty burst out, shocking Jacob. Did that mean that Liberty knew about having the Sight? About the magical world? He looked at her, trying to find an answer from her, but all she did was glare directly back at him.

"Leave him alone!" she cried out suddenly, a hand landing on each boy and keeping them from somewhere. They both stared at her and Jacob's eyes flickered to the alley behind her. It was entirely possible that whatever Liberty had found was there, as she had been anxiously checking the entrance during the fight. He was sure he had seen something move quickly in the shadows.

"Him?" her brother asked. She growled at him, and her hands rose to shove him. He got there first, however, and pushed her roughly backwards so that she stumbled into the mouth of the alley. They both saw her expression of shock, but only Jacob saw the arm that, encircling her, pulled her into the shadows, before she seemingly vanished from sight.

The two boys looked at each other in horror and dashed into the alley, but couldn't see a sign of her. "Damn it…" muttered Con, and then repeated it louder and louder until he was screaming hysterically. Thinking of ways to calm him down, he hoped Con would forgive him. Jacob slapped him to bring him back to his senses. Con clutched his cheek and glared at his friend.

"Don't worry, we'll find her…" Jacob hoped his words didn't sound as empty to Con as they did to him.