Category: Writ

Later, Emily shook her head. “Everybody here has more vitality than any other group of Folk I’ve encountered.” She and Tanis had claimed one of the rooms in the suite for their own, leaving Ian, the sylph and the hare to figure out their own arrangements. She paced back and forth while Tanis got into bed. “They’re so much more satisfied with life. I mean, the Folk at the Institute are mostly happy, sure, but they keep to themselves, or in their own little groups. Here, though, all those little…

Their time spent waiting swung between comfortable and tense, depending on if they noticed José or not. Tanis ate twice and napped once more before part of the wall seamlessly slid aside and a dwarf stepped out to meet them. A cheerily lit tunnel framed him. “I’m sorry.” His voice was rough, but soft. “We almost never monitor this access door. And with Winter moving in, the visitor signal went ignored.” “It’ll only be short wait, you told us.” Ian scooped the hare into his basket and slung it over…

Eventually, the conversation turned to Abby. “I wasn’t surprised when she decided to move completely to the Sidhe.” The hare tapped at a card and Tanis discarded it for him. “She was the quickest to unlock her abilities. The girl took to dryads like roots to water.” He groomed his whiskers slyly. Ian rewarded him with a disgusted grin. “Yeah, Abby always was a tree-hugger.” “Ugh,” Emily groaned. “I forgot about the puns. I’m so glad the rest of you didn’t turn out to be things that were such easy…

The other side of the jump was rocky, with a brisk wind that raised goose bumps on Emily’s arms. “Oh wow, what a view!” Emily stepped out of the way of the jump and stood next to Tanis, even though it was very close to the cliff’s edge. The view was amazing. A deep green valley spilled below them, far below them, fading up into bare grey rock ornamented with stunted shrubbery. Emily held Tanis’ hand as they drank in the sight. “Oh cool, we’re going into a mountain!” Ian…

The sylph rummaged in his fallen captor’s pockets while Ian explained. Emily and Tanis stood by the troll’s fire, Tanis warming her hands. Their shadows cast long, not quite touching the dead bodies. “Air spirits. Stealthy and quick—” “And therefore, the best way to employ our time is as servants and assassins.” The sylph looked up from where he crouched, holding a small bag. “Could one of you humans check what’s inside this for me? I can’t touch it.” “Why, ’cause you’re ethereal?” Emily stomped a little as she walked…