"Soooo, did you talk to Bibi?"

"Yes."

"And was I right?" Nidas grinned lopsidedly. Isa raised a brow at him.

"Miracles do happen." His smile vanished into a pout and she smirked. "Awww," she cooed, pinching his cheek, "I'm not sorry."

"You never are."

"Arrrggghhh, bug lady, bug lady!"

"I'm not a bug lady!"

"BUG LADY!"

"No, Char, no fire indoors! Char!" Isa was first to the door, stopping short when her son barrelled past encased in red-hot flames. Nidas ducked round her, grabbing the boy up and hugging him tightly to his chest.

"BUG LADY!" Char protested, kicking to get down.

"I am not a bug lady!"

"Who the fuck is sayin' that?" Isa demanded.

"Down here!" The voice called. Okia pointed as well. Her parents stared in amazement.

"By the moon," Nidas marvelled, "is that a dryad?" Char froze, squishing himself against his father, his fire snapping out. A pout had settled on his face, his nose wrinkling.

"Tree lady." He mumbled.

"Yes, I'm a dryad, tree lady, we're rather flammable."

"Uh… sorry, he's…" Nidas floundered. The dryad could have easily sat in his palm, her dress of pink and purple petals was smouldering and her hair had frizzed up wildly in the heat. She did not look happy, standing on the floor, arms folded and tapping her foot.

"Um…" Isa waved for the dryad's attention, crouching to get a better look, but not getting within arm's reach of her. "I thought dryads could fly?"

"We can. But I'm far from my home and my powers are weakened. No, don't interrupt, there isn't time! Bibi is in danger!"

"What?"

"Wait," Okia held her hands up, "how'd you know Bibi?"

"I'm Angea. I accompanied her when she crossed the border the first time."

"The first time?" Isa repeated. Angea scampered back. She stared at Isa defiantly, but her bottom lip quivered with fear.

"There was an ambush, two nights ago." At Isa's glower, Angea squeaked. "I came as quickly as I could! The Fae Guard, they shot at Lody. Bibi rescued her, but in doing so, crossed the border. Now the Fae Queen has her and Lody has been taken away." Nidas swore. Isa stood, clenching her fists. Their eyes locked, fiercely, coming to a silent agreement. Then Isa turned on her heel, marching to their room. Nidas turned to Okia, holding Char out.

"Take your brother to Ward's." He said firmly, a hard set to his jaw. Char wrapped his limbs around his sister, clinging tightly. "Angea, where did they take them?"

"I know where Lody is. I scouted as far as I could- I heard Lody arguing with some of the Guard. I… I don't know where they're keeping Bibi. The Queen has her, she could be anywhere." Isa returned, having donned blackened armour, her bow and quiver across her back. She nodded at Nidas and was gone, the front door slamming behind her.

"Papi, what are you going to do?" Okia asked.

"You two are going to Ward's, no arguing. I'm going with Angea. Maybe we can free Lody," the dryad nodded, "and then we'll go and help Isa." He finished, watching Angea carefully.

"Agreed," Angea said, "I may be able to sneak you through defences, but it'll be risky."

"Then take some of the others!" Okia insisted. "I'll go, I'll drop Char off and-"

"No, no way. You're staying here. Well, at Ward's anyway. He knows what to do."

"But-"

"Okia, please. There's no time." Okia held her tongue, simmering quietly. Nidas's expression softened. "I've got one child at risk right now. I'm not putting the other two in the same situation. OK?" Okia nodded, sniffing and not meeting his gaze. Nidas squeezed her and Char in a hug, kissing them both atop the head. "Ward will look after you."

"You make it sound like you're not coming back."

"Have a little faith, mija, you'd never be rid of us so easily."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

The door opened. Lody glared as it squeaked on the hinges, expecting another Guard she could yell at. Her insults died on her tongue, ice shrivelling her lungs.

The Fae Queen stood tall, hands tucked neatly in front of her. Only the lowering of her eyes indicated she was regarding Lody, a sneer forming over her colourless lips. Lody stared back, feeling her temper rekindling the longer the Queen stood there. Lody was kneeling on the floor, her hands shackled, a chain feeding around her and bolted to the wall.

"I expected your father had raised you better."

"My father can hardly remember my name. What makes you think he'd have had input in my childhood?" Atala smiled humourlessly.

"My Guard said you had a sharp tongue. Most unbefitting of a singing fairy."

"Kind of need a tongue to sing. Where's Bibi?"

"That is none of your concern. We will undo whatever magic it has woven in your mind. You will be free of that imp's vile influence." She spread her hands, flitters of golden-white magic blazing at the tips of her fingers. Lody recoiled, heart hammering in her chest. Atala's smile broadened into something colder. "This will only hurt if you resist, little one."

Isa did not hesitate at the border, sprinting straight across it. A sharp whistle went up, zipping overhead. Bibi had told her something similar had happened when she had initially crossed the border. Isa ran just behind it. Bibi had only described the noise. She had not kept pace with it, but she had never said anything about a glowing black streak crashing through the treetops like an inverted shooting star.

If that got too far ahead of her, it was game over. They would be ready. They had feared her for actions not her own. If they prepared themselves for her arrival, she would never find Bibi in time.

She forged on. Leaves, twigs, low branches snagged her hair, painted stinging cuts on her face and hands, sliding from her armour. It was Nidas's design, something they had smuggled in and developed in secret. An amalgamation of enchanted bronze, leathery hide and toughened fabric, melting to comfortably fit her frame and conceal her within shadows. It was the most durable armour Isa had ever owned or worn, the most practical. Light-weight, stream-lined, built to maintain regularities in body temperature...

Nidas wanted to outfit them all with such armour, their children, their village. So they were ready. So that when the day came, when they were no longer Exiled, but Hunted, they would be safe. Materials were hard to come by. Isa and the children would be protected, even little Char, too young to understand, far too young to lose.

Isa gritted her teeth- Bibi was far too young to lose.

The Queen has her, she could be anywhere.

She was making good ground, the black star rippled and pulsed right over her head. She could see roofs through the foliage up ahead, the sounds of chatter and bustle and children's laughter. Looking up, she saw the star was not straying from its path. It would go straight over that town.

Isa broke through the bushes and burst into the outskirts of the town, merely seconds from the square. The black star caught attention a heartbeat before she appeared, racing straight through the town centre amid screams and the scramble to get away. Her ears rang, darkness tinging the edges of her vision. No, not now. The scene around her teetered, her limbs became leaden. Pain flared in her shoulder as she struck the edge of a stone building, hard, and she tumbled, landing on her back between two houses. Her hands clamped over her ears, but the screams that bothered her weren't from the living.