Look, look!

See, I remembered.

Sorry this one's such a short chapter, but at least we remembered to post one this week... Ugh.

That's scraping the bottom of the barrel even for me.

To those of you that reached out to us, thank you. Dark is on the mend and I just got her hooked on accupuncture so, fingers crossed, heres hoping she gets even better.

For everyone sticking with us through this struggle, thank you for your patience. It is really appreciated right now. We promise we're not going anywhere, we just doing our best and shit.

Much love and appreciation

-Twisted

"I really rather wish you hadn't done that," He sighs.

"What? Shut him up?"

He frowns and sighs before he turns to the huddled group of girls eyeing T warily.

"I suppose the conversation was getting rather heated." He reluctantly admits as he stares up into the slowly dissipating clouds.

Finally, and yet he was anything but assured by the sight of lighter rain and hints of mid-afternoon peaking through the waning clouds.

"Ya fuckin' know better!" Harriett glares as she points accusingly at T.

T looks her over, "wanna test that?" He holds Harry's limp body closer, "shit starter?

"Like ya weren't thinkin' the same thing," the older girl rolls her eyes, "he's always been ah idiot."

"But he only half hates me." T huffs. "You like, set fuel to an already raging fire."

"He wouldn't fuckin' sit!"

"Oh," T starts sarcasm dripping in his tone, "cause you would'ah?"

Harriett crosses her arms over her chest before she shrugs, "ain't about me, now is it?"

T snorts, "sure. Let's go with that."

"Ya clearly did, and thanks for makin' him go the fuck to sleep."

T closes his mouth, "yep."

He chuckles as he looks out over the sea.

He'd also had a hard time hearing Harry's grunts of pain, but something told him the relationship between T and Harriett wasn't strong enough for the boy to admit he'd felt the same.

Even though Faustina reported Harriett's help right after the attack on the barrier.

He knew better than to interfere with any relationship these kids seemed to have.

He had quite the view of the ship, and the dingy slowly rowing out to them.

The spell used on him-

He fights the shiver.

He'd had it used on him once.

In training.

During one of the darker times in his past.

Three seconds of pain that made his muscles seize and convulse had been enough to make him never want to use such a perversion of a spell.

More than that? It was easily one of the more lethal spells that didn't require much to invoke.

That could have been so much worse.

He sighs deeply as he looks around, unable to shake the feeling of uneasiness clinging to him. "I don't wish to cause more alarm, but does something in the air feel off to you?"

"Oh thank fuckin' god," T turns to look to him, "I thought it was jus' me." His frown deepens. "Something in the wind is makin' me-" He pauses, "Well, I'm always on edge- But, it's like, worse…"

He nods as he folds his arms over his chest to rub his elbows under his sleeves.

He'd suspected as much.

T was alert at the best of times-

At his worst he was paranoid.

But in this instance-

"Do you know if Uma responded to your message from Evil Queen's home?"

"Nope." T sighs before he pulls out his notebook.

He could feel the currents of the Isle shifting all around them.

Like the calm before a storm.

It was like a building charge of electricity.

"JesusfuckingChrist," T snarls, before he looks up. "Problem." He snaps the book shut, "Umes confirmed the witches are snappin' kids up. She found people hiding from the raids looking for 'em."

"What?" Harriett snaps as she bends over T to look at the notebook.

Acid crawls up the back of his throat as he shuffles through a list of spells that could possibly require that much power.

That much innocence and youth.

It was a short list, and none of the options boded well for anyone here.

"Write to her. Apologize that we can't stay, but with that news, we have to leave if we have any hope of stopping this."

He glances back to the shrouded gray sky.

They might already be too late.

But he didn't have time or energy to spar-

Better to just assume there would be no moon tonight.

"On it," T frowns as he grabs a pen from his bag and hastily scrawls across the page before he shoves it in his bag. "Ready." He turns to Harriett. "Ya got this?"

Harriett glares at T until she growls and looks away, "fine,"

T grins, "owe ya one." He offers as he sticks Harry with another dart. "Oh look, we're even."

"Fuck you." Harriett rolls her eyes, but the way she drops her gaze to her brother's sleeping form betrays the bitterness.

She was worried

And she wouldn't be the only one tonight.

If they survived this, Uma was going to kill them.

It was strange to realize how much it hurt, knowing this would test the trust he'd built with the Captain.

He looks back to the sea, content with the knowledge the dingy would be here within a couple of minutes.

"Let's go."

"Right."

Oooh, Yensid pulled a T.

How pissed is the Kraken going to be?

What mission is Yensid putting upon himself and T-

Which is odd, because in a previous chapter he'd wanted to go solo.

What's up with the switch?

Any theories?

Dead.

T darting Harry.

Poor Yensid having to listen to T and Harriett bicker. After all it isn't like T would trust children and Harry's safety with someone he didn't trust.

What are you guys thinking about Harriett so far?

She's definitely an elusive character to find in this book, but she has her moments.

James is at least going to enjoy seeing her for himself.

Speaking of-

How are you guys liking James?

Beam?

What did you think about Uma's find?

Note: Do not expect Storm, Ember, and Paige (young mothers Uma found hiding with their children) to show up much, their addition to the story is to take care of the most traumatized of the children cause we're not monsters. But we didn't have time to write those interactions either.

Anyone fucking worried about what's to come next?

I would be.

It's gonna be fucked.

And on that-

Much love and appreciation

-Twisted