Hawks.
Five Hawks flew into our area. Four red-tailed hawks took positions at the cardinal points while the majestic white hawk landed on the fountain's edge.
Hawks belong to a realm where stubbornness is a virtue, and these birds have reached alpha status there. Once they have decided, getting them to change their decision is impossible. For instance why it would be a bad idea to try to eat you. Holding off a hawk while you attempt to get the window closed is no fun.
I tried to tunnel under the street again.
One of the hawks moved a step closer to me. I decided to become a rock.
"Fae," the hawk said in a tone that showed he was not happy. "Colin and Dorian."
"Kind of you to remember," Dorian said with a bow of his head. "And we remember you, of course, Lord Whitefeather."
"There. We have proved that our memories are all still good. So, I assume you two also remember the treaty."
"Word for word," Dorian replied.
"No doubt," the hawk said with a hint of snarkiness. "And you are still here interfering in my realm."
"You know the fae fight slavery everywhere."
"There are no slaves here."
"So, we should allow them to become slaves and then hope to rescue them," Colin replied. "Don't be pedantic with me."
The white hawk spread his wings and threw back his head in a show of dramatic aggression. From what I could tell, he hadn't impressed Colin.
I was fine until the other four hawks mimicked their leader's move. My legs twitched as I prepared to run. This was blind and instinctive fear. I saw nothing but predators around me.
But while I was blind, I was not deaf.
"Oh, do stop being so pretentious, Whitefeather," a familiar voice said. Avesa joined us from the alley to the right.
All of the hawks looked surprised and maybe embarrassed as they folded down their wings and bowed their heads to the lady.
Avesa surprised me by picking me up out of the hole. I wanted to protest, but suddenly, the hawks didn't seem so much like predators.
"Lady Avesa," Whitefeather said with a bit of a smirk despite his reaction to seeing her. "You haven't been around for quite a while."
"And you know why."
I was glad she handed me to Dorian. I didn't want to be too close to this disagreement. Even Colin backed away.
Not that it mattered since the two were not quiet. I was glad to see Luna had the children sitting down and silent.
Dorian had taken the guards and slavers in hand, but they looked restless.
"Dorian needs help," I whispered.
He looked back at the group, but I focused on Maude. She leaned against a wall and looked far too calm. She wasn't as powerful as she would be later, but the potential was there. So was the hatred and disdain for everyone else.
I was sure Avesa had not seen her. I didn't know if I wanted her to spot our mutual enemy. She was handling the hawks just now, and I didn't want them to go wild on us. They would and through no fault of their own. There was so much magic in the air -- and from different sources -- that it might short-circuit thought patterns. Some of us could be thrown back to our animal forms.
Let Avesa keep things under control.
I kept watch on Maude and her people. She was not in charge, but I knew she was the most dangerous of the group. In fact, I didn't like how quiet she'd been.
In all the time I had known Maude, she had never been quiet. Now, she stood by the ogre guards, looking no more interested than they were.
Looking at Maude, I was struck by how much she mimicked the ogres.
Like one of them in human skin.
Oh hell.
I admit that I panicked. "Where is Maude!"
"She's right there," Colin said. "Oh hell."
Before long, even the hawks were looking for our missing witch. She could look like anything, and by the time we found her, it turned out to be another fake. I studied everyone who came in sight, but before too long, I felt a wave of desperation, knowing Maude would get away and all we did here would gain us nothing.
I wanted to go home. I wanted to go to the beach, the mountains, the desert. I was beginning to feel trapped in this never-ending quest --
Trapped.
At first, I couldn't find Avesa. I had to fight my limbs to move so that I turned -- and found her sitting by the well, her head bowed into her hands and her breath coming in ragged gasps. She was the perfect vision of despair.
I forced myself closer, each step like fighting through a storm. What could I do? Even the fae and ogres were affected by this woman's emotions. We had not broken her spell. She had brought it with her.
"Stop!" I gasped. In all my years of captivity, I had never felt such despair. It is an attack, I reminded myself. An attack.
I had no weapon to fight it. I didn't have enough magic.
But I did have very sharp teeth.
I bit her on the ankle.
Avesa's despair changed to rage, and she caught me by the front right leg and left me dangling as she stood. She was about to throw me when she suddenly swept me up, holding me tight. I could feel desperation coming back --
"Either you fight for control, or I'll bite you on the nose," I warned.
For a heartbeat, despair fought for control, even when the fae added his power to help destroy the spell.
"This despair is not you," Dorian said as he touched her forehead.
That was a mistake.
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