Bo

I walked into the Dal a little after eight in the morning, Kenzi trailing behind me wearing her hangover sunglasses. When Trick looked up and saw us, he immediately hid the photograph behind the bar. I knew it had to be the prophecy.

"Bo, Kenzi, how are you," he asked quickly, sending a meaningful glance towards me. He was clearly trying to tell whether I'd told Kenzi about the prophecy. I gave him a subtle shake of my head and he visibly relaxed.

"Ugh, coffee, now..." Kenzi whined. "Where's Hale when you need him?" She walked over to the bar and slumped onto a stool as Trick poured her drink.

"Rough night?" The older Fae gave her a soft smile.

Kenzi groaned and sipped her coffee.

"Trick, can I talk to you for a minute? In private," I clarified and nodded towards the stairs leading down to his den.

"Of course." He walked towards the door and I looked over to Kenzi, who signalled her understanding with a thumbs up.

When we got downstairs, Trick turned to me, "Did you say anything to Lauren?"

"No," I lied. "Not yet."

He nodded, "I'm sorry if I was a little strict yesterday. This is all so stressful. I need you to know I have her best interests in mind."

I scoffed at him, "By lying and hiding things from the person most effected by these... revelations? You'd think all of you would realize by now that that doesn't tend to work out." I walked over to the couch and sat down, "Anyway, that's not why I'm here. Lauren is going to choose her allegiance today and I'm pretty sure she's going have to go through the kind of test I did."

"Has she gained better control of her ability?"

I shrugged, "The basic stuff... making someone choke themselves and turning their own weapon against them. But I know the Fae don't like to play fair. Do you have any idea what they might try?"

"I'm not sure, but it did cross my mind. I checked some records of old ceremonies and there are very few details about Mesmer trials. They were all different. If you didn't already know, the Light and the Dark each choose an under Fae. So it's up to the Morrigan, who no doubt either consulted Vex or at least knew his weaknesses, and the Ash, who I happen to know is anticipating Lauren to choose to stay unaligned."

"So, they're both out to screw her over. That's what you're saying, right?"

Trick gave a half shrug, "It's a good possibility." He walked over to his desk and picked up what looked like a bracelet, "This is a sejan. I was going to give it to Lauren when she went to the compound, but since you came by, here," he explained and handed me the thick black chain.

"What does it do?"

"It gives the wearer a prescient ability. One can anticipate danger, or the enemy's next move. It's only a few seconds warning, really, but it will be nice to have I'm sure."

I nodded. "So she'll know what's going to happen and hopefully have enough time to avoid it..." I studied the odd etchings, then looked back at Trick. "Thank you."

"The least I can do. She'll have to wear it around her ankle. We don't want the Ash or the Morrigan to recognize it," Trick said.

I put the bracelet in my pocket. "I'll tell her. I should get home," I headed torwards the stairs. "I guess I'll see you in a few hours."

Five minutes later...

"Did you get it," I asked Kenzi, who was sitting in the passenger seat.

She removed her sunglasses with a grin, "Do you really have to ask?" She slipped her phone from her pocket and showed me the photo she'd taken. "I can't believe it's really Lauren. And the Fae is a lot less scary than I imagined he'd be."

I shrugged, "Guess you can't judge a Fae by his cover." I started the car and put it in drive. "And we're not mentioning this to Lauren until after the test. Now, as promised, let's get some food."

Lauren

"Not hungry?" Bo asked as we sat at the kitchen counter. She and Kenzi had brought back sausage and egg sandwiches for breakfast, but I had absolutely no appetite.

I shook my head, "I don't think I'd be able to keep it down."

Bo leaned across the counter and rested her hand on top of mine, "It's gonna be okay, you'll see."

I nodded and she took back her hand.

The sejan was gripped in my other hand. I lifted it up to examine once more. I was surprised Trick had one. It was a very rare Fae artifact. "Did Trick say anything more about the prophecy?" I watched as Bo gave Kenzi a weird look. "What is it?"

"I'm thinking if he did crack the code he wouldn't give up any info in front of Kenzi," Bo explained before finishing her sandwich.

Just then, Kenzi's phone started to ring and I jumped, nearly falling off the stool.

"Sorry," Kenzi said with her mouth full. She picked up the phone and read the screen, then looked at Bo, "It's Dyson." She got up and walked towards the couch, "Hello?"

Bo and I sat in silence while Kenzi talked on the phone. Less than a minute later, she hung up and came back over.

"So, Dyson and Hale are going to 'escort'," she used her fingers to emphasize the quotations around the word 'escort', "Lauren to the trial thing. Apparently, the Ash ordered them to and they'll be here in a few minutes."

I inhaled deeply and tried to calm myself. Looking to Bo, I said, "I'll put on the sejan now, I guess."

"Kenzi and I will be right behind you, okay?" She stood up as I clasped the bracelet around my ankle.

When I'd straightened up, Kenzi walked up to me and rested her hands on my shoulders. I raised an eyebrow at the unexpected contact.

"Listen, Hot Pants," she began and I looked over her shoulder at Bo, confused by the nickname. She just shrugged, so I turned my attention back to Kenzi. She looked me in the eyes, "You is kind... You is smart... You is important..." she said in a terrible southern accent.

"What the hell, Kenz?" Bo said at the same time I asked, "Are you okay?"

Kenzi removed her hands, "What? Haven't you seen 'The Help'?" Kenzi rolled her eyes, "Sorry I should've known you don't watch movies. There's a book..." she trailed off as there was a sudden knock at the door. "And I'll be getting that." She trotted towards the door.

"You ready?" Bo asked, moving to stand in front of me.

I shook my head, "Not at all."

When we all got outside, Kenzi was the first to speak up, "Well, at least this is less intimidating than being followed into an alley by a rapist-mobile." She gave Dyson a pointed look. "Am I right to assume the destination is the creepy abandoned glass factory?"

"It's neutral territory," Dyson answered, shortly. "I don't know if they'll allow you to enter, Kenzi."

She smiled at the shifter, "It's not like I don't know the back way. Done this before, remember?"

Dyson nodded then looked back at me, "Did you put on the sejan, yet?"

"You know about that?" I asked, a little surprised.

"It was my idea," he answered as he opened the car door for me.

I sent a final look over my shoulder to Bo and she gave me a small smile before assuring me that she and Kenzi would meet us there.

Dyson and Hale got into the car and Hale looked back at me from the passenger seat, "So, Doc, how's it feel being Fae?"

I let out an uneasy laugh, "At the moment, terrifying."