good Sunday morning, my pretties :) thank you so much for the favs and follows! this story is turning out to be more popular than I anticipated! I hope these next five chapters suit your tastes!

I'm in Ohio, and it's COLD! WTF! It's 17 degrees right now and there's a frosting of snow on the ground. Lord, take me back to southern California! I hate it here lol

thank you to my faithful commenters! I love seeing your feedback!

I want to say we're about halfway through the story, but who knows lol. when it comes to writing, my chapters never turn out how I plan them! oftentimes, I get carried away (like in chapter 15) and I make one that's super long lol

I hope you enjoy these next few chapters, and DRAGONFLY, pace yourself! XD


Putting Plans into Motion

Freed was in Crocus on a small trip for Laxus that evening. Every few weeks or so, he would send a member of his crew to go get some special fruits that contained electrolytes. They were only available at the Crocus market, so when one of them went, they stocked up on as much as they could.

He paid and was headed back to the station when he thought he saw a familiar head of blue hair in the distance. Upon further investigation, he realized it was Levy! 'I should go say hi!' She appeared to be going into a café, and he was almost within speaking distance when he saw the king's knight with her!

He hid behind a tree; it could be problematic if that Exceed were to find out who he was! But… more importantly, why the hell was she with him?! Wasn't she supposed to be on some teaching job?

Unless…

She was teaching the king! It wasn't a far-fetched idea since Laxus told him he didn't know the language, but how insane was that?! He seriously debated on whether or not to tell him because he really liked Levy, but he determined that his loyalty to the Duke of Magnolia was far more important. Besides, he couldn't bear the thought of the punishment he would get if he found out he was hiding something so juicy!

What would Laxus do once he found out there was a way of getting to the king?

Freed watched for a little while longer before he left, thinking about this uncanny situation for the majority of his trip back. How coincidental was it to not only run into Levy, but the Exceed Lily? He had a feeling things were about to change in his day-to-day life.

Laxus lived in a huge, flashy mansion at the top of Magnolia Hill. The property was secured by a large gate that was heavily guarded by stronger mages of the council, and very few had special access. Within those gates were woods that tried to do their best to shroud the mansion, but they did poor work in Freed's opinion. He didn't very much care for all the glamor, but it was Laxus.

He trekked up the long path, he felt kind of bad that he was about to betray Levy and ruin any chances of them getting together in the future, but he was a lot more excited to see what tricks Laxus had up his sleeve. As long as he'd known him, there was one thing that was clear.

He wanted the throne.

However, Laxus was very patient. He had a long lifespan, so he could take his time getting to his goal. There hadn't really been a good opportunity to make a move that Freed knew of, but there may now be an opening.


"Laxus, you won't believe this," Freed said, entering the den and handing him the bag of fruits. "So, you know that girl Levy I like?"

Laxus sat in his big chair just as stoic as one could be. He was an intimidating guy and he knew it. He was big and buff with a personality to match. He wouldn't consider himself a bad guy just because he wanted the throne and would do almost anything to get to it, he just felt Fiore needed to be run by someone stronger.

And human.

Who better to lead the human race than another human? Fuck dragons and their privileged attitudes! There's only a handful of them left, and they thought they could take over and rule just because they're stronger? He had to show them who was really in charge. He had to show them that humans were superior beings. And to do that, he was figuring out a way to take down the king.

If he could do it without killing him, fine. But if push came to shove?

Soon.

"What about her? She finally come around?" Laxus asked, investigating the fruits. "She could live a good life if she went out with you."

"I wish," Freed said, sitting in his designated chair. "But I have a feeling she's already living a lavish lifestyle right now. I saw her in Crocus earlier with the Exceed Lily!"

Laxus took an immediate interest in what he just heard, was this his opening? "Does she know who he is?"

"I would assume so, they were quite friendly. But get this, a few months ago, she told me she was taking a teaching job in Crocus!"

Hmm. That was interesting. "Did she tell you what she's teaching?"

"Dragonic," Freed said, watching his expression show a slight hint of excitement. "And I put two and two together and was able to deduce that she could very well be teaching the king!"

That was highly likely. Actually, that was probably exactly what was going on. Laxus was also aware of his absence, but he didn't know the reason. If Metalicana kicked him out, then that was probably why. So, Freed had a direct line to the king. This may work out in his favor!

"I don't think she's living too lavish a lifestyle," Laxus said, taking a large bite of fruit. "The king's not in the castle at the moment."

"What?"

"Yeah, he hasn't been for like, six months or so. I was trying to figure out why, but I think you just gave me the answer."

"Then why haven't you made any moves, yet? If the throne is for the taking, then go take it!" Freed was annoyed. There were six whole months to do something, but he just sat here!

"Can't," Laxus said plainly. "Metalicana's around. It's too risky because I don't know his moves, but I know Gajeel's. He's probably in hiding somewhere. You should have followed them."

"Followed them?! Are you mad? His knight would sniff me out in a heartbeat!" Freed knew there was a reason Lily was made his personal knight.

"Ha, I know," Laxus chuckled, leaning back in his chair and tapping his fingertips together. "But this is good. This is very good. You've done well."

"I'm excited to see what you come up with!"

"Exactly how close to that girl are you? Like, could you stop by her apartment and visit her if you wanted to?"

"I don't really know about that," Freed thought aloud. "I mean, we don't talk outside of her being in the library. I do know where she lives, though! Sometimes we send each other cards on the holidays."

There were a few ways he could do this, but there was a lot to factor in. He needed the girl to go back to the Magnolia Library, but he was certain Gajeel wasn't letting her come and go freely. Though if she did leave, the chances of the king himself escorting her were low; he would likely send the Exceed with her.

He supposed, either way, it could work.

"Next time you see her, or if you can be stealthy, find an excuse to visit her and hang out," Laxus explained. "Write a rune over all the windows and doors that will only disappear if the king's energy or the Exceed's energy enters it. You do know when your runes have vanished, right?"

"Yes, but…" he didn't know how long that was going to take! Not to mention she had similar abilities! "This might take some time. I don't see her coming back to Magnolia anytime soon. Plus, she might be able to see it because she's a script mage. They're known to be able to rewrite runes."

"Time's not a problem at all." Laxus knew there would be a time when she'd venture back into Magnolia. "As for her being a script mage, can't you just write one that can't be rewritten? Or an invisible one?"

"I'm sure I can pull it off." It'd been a while since he wrote an invisible rune since those were a little more complex, but he'd practice it a bit before he actually did it. "You can count on me!"

"If she's truly the bookworm you say she is, she'll be back in that library for sure. It's just a matter of when."


Levy woke up early the next day in preparation for their mission to Hargeon, but all she could think about was Gajeel and how he'd react once she left those books! Gods, her life would surely change! When she thought about it, it already changed tenfold, but work she was comfortable with. A romantic interest? That's a whole different story.

She packed light, making sure she had room for Lily and a few books in her bag. They'd bought a large sack with a mesh screen on the side, so Lily could see out of it. They tested it out, and you couldn't see inside, even shining a light on it. It was as if it were made for this! They also decided it would be good to use when Levy wanted to go places. Since he was recognizable, he didn't like to venture out of Crocus in his battle form, and even so, Exceeds tended to stay in the Village, so he was noticeable either way.

At least, that's how he explained it.

She wore comfortable clothing, settling for a pair of jeans and a nice red sweater since it was still a little on the chilly side. It was nearly spring, but there were still some cold days. As she was slipping a pen into each of her sleeves, Lily knocked on her door. "Come in!"

"Good morning, Levy," Lily said taking a small step in. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah, just looking for a few things." Which was true. After she read those books, she'd gotten completely overwhelmed and hid them somewhere, but she couldn't remember where!

"Alright, I'll be outside waiting," Lily said, wondering what she could possibly need for the trip that was missing. "Just remember, the sooner we leave, the sooner we can come back."

"Okay, I'll be fast!"

He descended the steps and Levy finally found the two books that Gajeel was requesting to read. As far as she knew, he was still asleep which was a good thing, because she didn't want to run into him before she left! It would ruin her plan! And she'd be so awkward!

She slung the bag across her shoulder and grabbed the books, almost tiptoeing down the steps. She peeked around the corner to the kitchen, it was empty! 'Yes!' She slowly walked in, her hands were all clammy! Why was she nervous? She was just putting books on a table! 'Because, Levy, you know once you do this… there's no turning back.'

She sighed, her conscience was right. But… she wanted this, and it was time to admit it. Indirectly, but admitting it nonetheless. She put the books on the table and let one of her pens slide out of her sleeves, remembering he liked to eat iron. She hadn't made any since Lily had her do it during her interview and she never knew if he liked it or not.

She wrote the word 'iron' in the air, catching it and putting it on the table. She made it a lot bigger than the first time, but not too big that she couldn't carry it. It should be enough for him to know she was finally calling a truce.

Alright.

She scurried through the small house and out the front door, ready to get the day started. "Okay, Lily. Let's go!"

Gajeel watched her through his window, hating that she was leaving, and even more hating that she was going on a dangerous job. He felt uneasy, not like something bad was going to happen, but like… a part of him was also leaving. 'Please, fer fuck's sake, come back ta me safe an' unharmed! Both of ya!'

What was he going to do while they were gone? He didn't have the urge to do anything! He could study, but it was better to do it with her. He could go out to his shed, but he didn't want to! He felt antsy! Sure, they'd left before, but only to go to the city, and were only gone for a few hours. This? This was dangerous! Anything could happen to them in Hargeon!

But Levy was smart. And strong. If something happened, he was confident that she'd get out of it somehow. And if push came to shove, Lily could always transform and fight their way out.

He looked through the window until he could no longer feel her presence, which sucked for some reason! 'Tch.' He left his room to get some beers, stopping dead in his tracks when he saw what she'd left him on the table. Not only did she leave the books as he requested, but she also… made him some iron? And the 'o' had a heart in it!

Was this her way of finally letting him in? Was she letting her walls down? Was this an opportunity?! He'd forgotten all about the beer as he sat at the table and took his time enjoying her iron. It truly was the best iron he'd ever eaten, and she was really a master at all her crafts.

He was falling for her.

Even with her giving him the cold shoulder. All of her was amazing.

He ate around the heart, fiddling with it in his hand. Why else would she make this for him? And with a heart! This had to be a peace offering! What made her come around? Was it Lily? He stared at the cover of the first book, wondering what information it held. Would it explain what was going on with him? He opened the cover, looking at the table of contents. He was only interested in one thing. He took a deep breath, flipping it to the page he needed to get to.

After just only a few minutes of reading, realization hit him like a ton of bricks. She… knew.


Levy approached the Hargeon gates, her demeanor upbeat and happy when in reality, she was nervous and borderline depressed, not to mention antsy! When Lily told her they were mainly on a rescue mission, her nerves got the best of her. She'd never done anything this complicated before, and for some reason, they both had so much faith in her! What if she failed?

What would Gajeel think of her if she failed? What would he think of her if she slipped up and got hurt? She wanted to prove to him, Lily, anybody that she was strong! That she could handle herself like she'd been yelling at Lucy for! They were counting on her!

He was counting on her.

Had he begun reading those books yet? If so, what was he thinking? She had all night to think about how he would react, how she would respond. She came up with every possible scenario in her head, from him pretending like it didn't exist to him snatching her up and running off.

A tiny, tiny, tiny part of her hoped it was the latter.

But they had a lot to discuss before anything happened!

"Levy, remember. You must stay vigilant!" Lily whispered from her bag. "This is a dangerous mission!"

"I know, I know," she said, almost at the gate. She was so nervous! 'Gods!' They planned to only be there for a day, getting back to Crocus before midnight, but that was wishful thinking. Neither of them had high hopes, and neither of them wanted to admit it. And when she approached the guarded gates, she realized she didn't want to be there either.

It'd been years since she'd seen Hargeon, and she could feel the unrest coming from behind those walls. Things have gotten a lot worse. She wanted to help, but the negative energy coming from this town was awful!

She suddenly missed the comfort of the small house on the countryside. It was home now.

"Stop where you are," one of the men at the gate said firmly. "Do you have permission to enter?"

Levy looked at the two men, they looked identical. Were they twins? They had blue hair that was a bit darker than hers, dark green eyes, and an intricate red tattoo covering the right eye. They were powerful, she could feel it!

"It's okay, Levy," Lily said sensing her slight distress and poking his head out of the bag. "This is Jellal Fernandes. He's a member of the Council of Hargeon and a good friend of mine."

"Sir Lily!" Jellal bowed in respect for his comrade. "Nice to see you again. Are you here on a mission from the king?"

"We are," Lily nodded. "Since Levy, here, has special access, I figured it would be easier to get around while staying out of sight."

Jellal bowed again, this time at Levy. He knew he had to show the same respect for anyone representing the king directly, and judging by the way she was covered in his energy, he knew there was something going on between them. Entering this town like that might not be a good idea, but if Sir Lily was there, it was for good reasons and this town needed help! "Please help us!"

Levy was a bit taken aback by his mannerisms! Why was he bowing at her? More importantly, why did it feel… good? She understood Gajeel just a little more. Aside from that, he was asking for her help! Yet another person she had the possibility of disappointing! But she was going to give it her all, that was for sure!

"That's why we're here," she responded strongly. "But there's someone we need to find, first."

"We have reason to believe that our informant has been captured, and we need to find her," Lily continued. "I don't know if we'll be able to extract her this time around, but we'll try. If not, we'll come up with a plan and return quickly."

"We're also here to look around and kind of gauge how bad things are, you know, with this group of mages running around," Levy said. "Do you know anything about them?"

"No, nothing. It's like they exist, but they don't." Jellal explained. "Only stories from citizens who claim to have been taken and brainwashed. But we know it's true because people we once knew as mages are surfacing as regular people. Action needs to be taken!"

"Well, Lily," she said, scratching behind his ears. Even though he didn't like to admit it, she noticed Lily loved the affection she gave. He always got this cute little look on his face! "It looks like we've got our hands full with this one."

"I actually know someone in the Council who can help with finding your informant. You may already know him," Jellal said, opening the gate to let them through. He was supposed to tell Rogue each time someone tried to leave or enter, but he'd keep this one to himself. 'I just hope this doesn't backfire for me.'

"Can you point me in the right direction?" Levy asked cautiously. "It's been a while since I've been here."

"Sure," Jellal waited as she pulled out her map, showing her where it was and the best route to take to get there. "When you get there, just ask for 'Mest'. He'll get you the information you need."

"Thank you, Jellal," Lily was appreciative. This may cut their trip in half! "I have some weapons to bring to you guys, courtesy of the king. Once we get back to Crocus, I'll be sure to gather them up and schedule a delivery."

"Ah, just as generous as always," Jellal said fondly. He took a liking to the king. He appreciated the values he stood for and liked the fact that he cared about his people. He knew it was tough to control the situation in this town, so to see him putting a plan into motion was fantastic! "Thank you, Sir Lily. And please extend my thanks to King Gajeel as well."

"I will."

"And guys," Jellal said as they stepped further into the city. "Please be careful. This… may not go how you plan."

"Levy is more than capable!" Lily chirped, knowing she needed the boost.

"Thank you for your help," Levy said, giving a genuine smile before walking off.

She was cute, and he could tell she was strong-willed. For her to knowingly walk into danger like this was brave; he understood why the king liked her. Though with her drenched in his energy, he wondered how long it would take for Rogue to notice.


"Hey, can I ask you something?" Levy asked Lily quietly so as to not draw attention to herself while she walked the streets of Hargeon.

"Anything, Levy." Lily looked at the state of the area through the mesh screen. This was deplorable!

"Is Gajeel really a generous being?" She ran the tips of her fingers along the brick of an abandoned building she was passing. This was depressing. How could anyone live like this?! There were people sleeping on the street, which looked like it hadn't been cleaned in ages! Trash was everywhere, buildings were falling apart. Nobody cared.

But Gajeel cared. At least about this. That much she understood.

"Gajeel is a really kind and caring guy, but he can't really show that side of him. I'm sure you understand why."

"And he… cares about this?" She looked around, it didn't seem to be getting better, but this was a decently sized town. Surely, there had to be neighborhoods that were better off.

"Levy, I think you know the answer to that question."

"I do, I just want to hear it again. It will help make things easier," she said honestly. She knew he was probably going to confront her when she got back, and the better the thoughts she had about him, the easier things would be.

Lily appreciated her attempt to finally view him differently, and he wondered how she was going to initiate her apology. He would be happy to answer any question she had about him if it would get her to see him in a better light. "He cares more about this than you know. He's wanted to act on this for quite some time, but something of this importance can't be done recklessly."

And he trusted her enough with this to send her on a mission! She couldn't fail him! But… her insecurities plagued her. "I just don't get why he chose me."

Was she talking about the mission or being his mate? Because the answer was the same for both. Would she say it out loud? "Choose you for what, Levy?"

"This mission! The teaching job! …his mate," her voice was tiny as she said the last part. "Why me?"

"Ah, so you're aware," Lily said, taking notice of one of the homeless people watching them. Perhaps it wasn't wise of them to stroll through this stretch of town. These people could tell if someone had money, and Levy's attire had gotten a little more expensive since starting the teaching job. He needed to be alert.

"Of course, I'm aware! I have all the time in the world to read and figure things out. Once I realized something weird was happening, I had to read up on it," she said, noticing the eyes on her. She just needed to act normal. Would acting like a tourist help?

"Levy, let's take a rain check on this conversation, we're being watched," Lily alerted her. "I can only get a few angles from this position, can you adjust the bag? I want to be able to see behind you."

Levy understood and slid her bag so that it was behind her, digging out her map to pretend to look for something. "How's that?"

"This works perfectly, Levy. Thank you," Lily scanned the area, not noticing anything unusual or getting any bad feelings… yet. "I know it's early, but we should get to the Council as soon as we can."

"You're right," Levy said as she was approached by a particularly smelly guy. She wondered if these people were mages that were unfortunate enough to cross paths with those awful, power-stealing people. She quickly slid her bag around so Lily could see what was happening. "H-Hello…"

"You got any spare Jewel on ya?" The man asked shamelessly.

Levy nearly took a nervous step back, but she was strong! She looked him over, his hair, both on his head and his face was unkempt, he wore tattered, filthy clothing, he was losing teeth, and had dirt under his nails and surely all over the rest of his body. This was depressing. Nobody should have to live like this. She was glad to be there to make a change!

"Oh, uh… let me see," she dug around in the side pocket of her bag for any Jewel that could have been floating around.

Lily so desperately wanted to say something and tell her not to give anyone anything, but he couldn't blow his cover! He knew if you gave these people anything, they'd all flock to you like pigeons! But this was Levy, who was even kinder than Gajeel, which, he supposed, was why he liked her.

"It looks like I do!" Levy handed the man a few Jewel and smiled, happy to help someone. "Sorry, it's all I have."

The man grunted and watched her as she walked away, making Lily uneasy. Once she was far enough away from the man, Lily spoke up. "Levy! You shouldn't have done that!"

"What's a few Jewel?" She asked, rounding a corner. How much further until they reached the Council?

"No, nothing like that, Levy," he explained. "These people are like vultures. And I know it's not their fault, but it can't be helped. If you give them anything, they'll follow you and harass you."

Well, she guessed it would be perfect to test herself, then. "I am here to prove that I am capable of handling myself, Lily. I can handle this."

"Levy, if we were unsure of your abilities, we wouldn't have sent you on this mission. Gajeel and I both know you are more than capable of handling yourself. We just want things to go smoothly, that's all. He doesn't want to put you in any more danger than you need to be."

"I see…" Levy had to remember to put her pride to the side this time. She couldn't risk making any haughty moves, especially since she had someone waiting on her back home. 'Wait, what?' Where did that thought come from? Nevertheless, it was a good feeling. "You're right. I'll be more careful."

After a while of walking, they reached a better-looking neighborhood, but it was still run down. They only had a mile or two left until they got to the headquarters of the Council, and it felt like they'd been walking forever!

"By the way," Lily broke the silence, continuing their conversation from earlier. "If you're wondering why he picked you, it's because you're you. You're smart, strong, and you're genuine. Not to mention, you stayed. Even knowing."

"But… I've been so mean to him," she said quietly. How could he be into someone who wasn't giving him the time of day? "What if this is just something chemical, and it's not truly us feeling like this?"

"Well, Levy." Lily chuckled lightly. "You're not a dragon, so any feelings you're experiencing are purely on you. I think you know this."

"But what if I'm just reacting to his energy?!" Levy was trying her hardest to find a loophole of some sort, giving her an out. Unlikely.

"Why are you trying so hard to reject him, when it's obvious you two are meant to be together?"

That was a good question. Was she really so stuck in her ways of keeping to herself that she was rejecting what very well could be the happiness she was secretly craving? Why was it so painful to admit that Lucy was right? She was lonely, and she threw herself into reading and jobs to try and convince herself that she wasn't. But it was true that she hadn't come across anyone worthy! She knew her worth, and refused to settle for less!

Gajeel was worthy.

"I… I don't know," she finally answered.

"Well, at least you're making amends with him. How were you planning on doing that? I have to say, I'm very excited to see how you guys interact."

"I already did it," she sighed. "I left him some iron before we left."

"Wow," Lily was surprised! She really comes around quickly! "That's a sweet gesture!"

"Lily, I… I think things will change when we get back," she said, thinking of the books. "Remember when I told you I was looking for something this morning? So, yesterday, he asked me if I had any books about his kind, and I left them in the kitchen for him to read. Once he reads them… he'll understand everything!"

"And these are the same books you read?"

"Yes," she answered, feeling off. "Lily, I think I should turn around."

When she turned down a particularly ominous street, she spotted someone in a black cloak in the distance. They were just standing there not doing anything, but they had their hood up, so she couldn't see their face. She adjusted her bag slightly so Lily could see what she saw.

"I agree, let's go." Lily's senses were going nuts, telling him danger was approaching no matter what direction they went. They were spotted. Were these the mages they were looking for? He kept his eyes open as she backtracked, choosing another path. "I think we've got trouble."

Three more cloaked men appeared before them, standing there looking like they were ready to attack. Levy let her pen slide out of her sleeve and into her hand, preparing herself for anything thrown her way.

Lily wasn't used to staying on the sidelines, so it was hard for him not to change into his battle form and put these kids in the dirt. He had confidence in Levy. And he knew to let her fight her own battles and only step in if he absolutely needed to. They couldn't blow their cover.

"Looks like you stumbled into the wrong town!" One of the men said.

"I'm just on my way to the Council, that's all," Levy replied coolly, hoping they would just let her go. Fat chance.

"I don't think you'll be getting to the Council today," one of the other men said menacingly, inching toward her.

Levy acted fast, writing the word 'fire' in the air and making it swirl in a mini explosion around her before her flames were quickly extinguished from a water source from behind. She spun on her feet, writing the word 'wall' to create a brick wall to slow down the mage speeding toward her. 'Water, that's a good idea.' She whispered the word water, raising her arms to create a wave behind her to slow down the mages on her tail.

It was a good idea she'd been practicing defenses without the use of her pen, and these were perfect test subjects! She knew she couldn't keep this up for too much longer, and she was just looking for a way to escape quickly. But even if she did, wouldn't they just find her again? She wished there were something more distinguishable about them, except for the fact that they wore cloaks!

Suddenly, the mage ahead of her burst through her brick wall with a blade as chains reached out from behind and wrapped around each ankle and each wrist, holding her in place. Crap! The mage with the blade landed in front of her, holding the tip of it to her neck.

Lily couldn't see too much from the angles he had, but he was smart enough to know she'd been caught by chains. He was worried! Did she have the magic to break free? He knew if she needed to, she would call on him, and since she hadn't yet, she must've had something up her sleeve.

"Quicksand!" Levy shouted, her enemies falling into a pit of fast-sinking quicksand in front of and behind her. The mage dropped his sword, and she mumbled a rune that wrapped around the chains and broke them. She turned around, being knocked to her butt by the ground rolling and moving beneath her feet. One of the mages must have been able to manipulate the earth, as her quicksand shot from the ground in a large stream with the enemy at the top of it.

A large, arm-looking stream came from it, likely trying to grab her and pull her into it, and she wrote the word 'wind' in front of her, creating a strong gust of air that dispersed the quicksand, letting the mage fall to the ground. She didn't think twice, jumping to her feet and bolting down the street and as far from the scene as she could.

She ran and she ran, until she was out of breath and at a dead end. How did she get here? Whatever. She'd escaped, so she didn't care at that point. She let her hands rest on her knees as she panted heavily. "Lil… Lily… I did it… I did it."

She did indeed, he admitted. "I knew you could, Levy. You were strong, and your moves were calculated. Gajeel would be proud."

She smiled at the thought of him being happy with her actions. "I was worried for a second, there, but thank goodness I got away!"

"You might have fooled the others, but you didn't fool me, script mage," one of the mages from before said, approaching the girl. "You're working for the king, aren't you?"

Levy held her pen in her hand, she was at a dead end, so she'd have to fight her way out of this one! "Stay back!"

"Funny," the mage snorted. "Let's see you get out of this one."

He pointed to the sky, a large boulder falling and about to crush her, and when he vanished, she saw another one in front of her, rolling in her direction! She didn't have enough time to stop them! This was it! "Lily!"

Before Lily could leave the bag and fly her off to safety, they were no longer in the alley, but safe in an office half a second later. Lily Let out a breath of relief, understanding what happened. "Mest!"