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            Trying to breathe as calmly and quietly as possible, she looked down again at the waves raging below. Farah thought she might be detected, but that was unlikely. She was too far away from the guards and her discernment prevented her from breaking into Solaria's prison without preparation and probing the ground. Her magical powers had not yet fully recovered from Rosalind's dastardly massacre, but Farah was sure Ben had not let her down. There was simply no time to test his potion and she could only hope for the invaluable experience of an old friend.

            She almost slid down the ledge and gave a gasp, but the sound was overtaken by the crashing waves. Slowly making her way to the right chamber, she clung to the ledge, gingerly moving higher. Once she was very close, she covered her eyes, trying to hear the sounds in the chamber, but she heard nothing but concentrated breathing. So there was no danger. Farah grasped the bars with both hands, pulling herself up slightly, her feet looking for a point of support. Finally, standing firmly on the stone ledges, she peered inside the cell. The dark room was lit by the only source of light, a dim lamp on the floor.  

            There was no bed, no table or any other surface in the cell. In the far corner, almost at the very entrance to the cell, sat a man of sturdy build, bent in half. His head touched his chest, which rose and fell in a measured fashion. Farah moved as close as possible to the bars and called out in a loud whisper:

                - Saul!

      The man instantly woke up and looked around anxiously. When his gaze fell on the hated bars, he squinted, trying not to see, but rather to believe his eyes.

                - Farah? How did you...

      The woman, ignoring his astonished reasoning, took a potion from her jacket pocket, opened the vial and spat it all out onto the bars. The bars slowly melted, making hissing noises.

                - Quickly! Let's go! - Farah said excitedly.
                - I can't," - Silva exhaled, twitching his leg slightly. Something jangled, and the headmistress scolded faintly. - Don't even think about...

      With a gesture of her hand, unobjectionable, Farah asked her friend to be quiet. Clenching her hands into fists, her nails digging into her palms until they bled, she covered her eyes, taking several deep breaths, urgently adjusting her plan of further retreat. The woman stepped closer and squatted beside her. Giving Saul a soft smile, she threw her right palm forward, mentally feeling for the wormhole in her shackles.

                - Farah, this is reckless!
                - Shh, I know, I know, - the fairy whispered, pulling all of the previously hard hitting power down to her fingertips.

      The man felt a vibration - short, but strong enough to shatter bone if not properly applied. But Farah was doing everything right, and before Silva knew it, the shackles fell deafeningly to the damp stone floor. A moment later they were followed by the first shackle. Dowling staggered slightly, feeling the force of the destructive wave diminish considerably, but the eyes opposite, staring fixedly into her own, provided the incentive to make one last dash. So, too, did the noise at the back of the string of innumerable corridors of the Solaria prison. As soon as the final handcuffs made contact with the floor, Silva immediately squeezed the shoulders of the half-extinguished fairy, keeping her from making contact with the floorboards.

                - I'm fine, - the woman whispered, ignoring the faint dizziness. - Let's go!

      Saul immediately stood up, finally straightening his stiff legs, pulling Farah's hand behind him. In a few steps the distance separating them from the abyss, the man looked down, almost whistling at the view and noticing the woman retrieve a small bottle from her pocket, draining half of it in one gulp.

               - I bet you haven't thought this plan of our departure through all that carefully, - Silva grinned, casting a sly and visibly animated look at Farah. He took the proffered vessel and finished the contents.
               - There were no shackles in my plan and therefore more time.
               - But we would still have to swim ashore, wouldn't we?

      The woman rolled her eyes slightly, poking her friend in the side. Saul raised his hands in a disarming gesture with a grin and, marking his target as a narrow ledge a few tiers below, deftly slipped through the opening, formerly a grate. Farah turned around once more, hoping they had enough time before the entire prison garrison fled into the cell. She followed up by jumping to the right ledge, from which the hope of plunging into the raging waves and not crashing over the rocks was well founded.

       Fortunately for the fugitives, they only heard the alarm choking in the icy waves a hundred metres from the shore. The temperature-softening tincture ceased its effect too quickly, to which the body reacted immediately with a sharp cramp, but when the target was so close, this nuance became unimportant. Nor did the terribly thorny lane immediately following the bay. As she trudged with the man through the thicket, Farah thought that one of those scratching branches on her face and hands might well have been poisonous, but the thought of getting away from the ill-fated prison and quickly supplanted everything else in an instant.

               - Farah! Stop! - the man grabbed the fairy by the arm, immediately resting the other palm on his half-bent knees. - I seem to have lost my knack while I was on an unplanned vacation.

      He was being sly. Farah was well aware that it was a matter of mutilation plaguing the specialist's body. She was beginning to feel the adrenaline that had lavished so much of her blood on the chill in her veins earlier was fading, like the predawn mist at the roots of the tall trees.

               - Well, - the woman called back hoarsely, flicking her tongue from her parched palate after hours of jogging and walking. - I don't think we'll be caught up.

      They spent a few minutes in silence, hardly crossing each other's eyes. At the same time the question that arose in their heads was voiced first by Saul.

              - Where do we go next? - Farah frowned in response, glancing thoughtfully at the spire on the roof of Alfea in the distance.

      Following her gaze and sighing deeply, Saul stepped closer, squeezing the hand that was still in his grip.

              - Come on, I've got a place in mind nearby.

      She smiled involuntarily as she saw the first rays of sunlight dancing in his eyes, and wanted to continue on her way when she found herself in the man's embrace.

              - Saul, - the fairy visibly tensed, gripping the forearm of the arm around her waist, "what's wrong?
              - Nothing, - the expert murmured, nuzzling his nose into the top of the fairy's head. - It's just good to see you.
              - Me, too. I'm glad to see you, too, - she whispered, pulling the man's shoulders around hers as she hugged him back, frozen for a few moments. - Well, that's enough, Saul, that's enough. Come on, lead the way to your 'place' already.
              - As you command, ma'am, - the specialist nodded, standing at attention and jumping with laughter in response to her friend's reproachful look. - Come, come - no more jokes. Just don't hit me.
              - And you, don't provoke.

      Maintaining a comfortable silence for both of them throughout the journey, stretching again through dense brush, fallen tree trunks and who knows what else, Farah thought that the obstacle courses, created by a joint effort to train a new generation of specialists, could still be considered a joyride. The thought of students subjected to perhaps even greater adversity than themselves made an uncomfortable tingle in her chest. This did not escape Saul's attention, who probably thought the same thing.

                - Farah, - the utterly meaningless words of reassurance never came. Instead, the man looked around, visibly quickening his pace, drawing the fairy behind him.

      After a few seconds, stopping in the middle of the clearing, the man smiled contentedly.

               - Here we are! It's a beauty, isn't it?
               - Really? So, of all the, er, not very well maintained places we've had to wend our way through, you've chosen a clearing where we can be easily spotted by the first fighter?
               - No, Farah, look there, - Silva nodded his head in the direction of the almost imperceptible gap in the tree line.
               - I don't see how it's any different... - she began, but she stuttered, seeing the sun blurring the space in a way that wasn't a mirage of the heat. What lurked beneath that barrier?
               - A house, - Silva shrugged nonchalantly, inviting the woman to follow.
               - How did you manage to build it without attracting attention?
               - Well, magic, Farah! The barrier only lets me in, but...- he took his friend's hand gently in his own, - if I take the hand of someone I trust, he can get to the other side too.

      They stepped through the invisible barrier together and stopped. Saul let go of the fairy's hand and headed in the direction of the house that no one had any idea existed. Farah, slightly taken aback, ran a dubious glance around the front of the structure and followed Saul with a much less brisk step. The hut was tucked between two massive trees whose thick crown covered the roof and practically covered the first floor windows. From the outside the house seemed small and very compact. It reminded Farah of an elongated rectangle, the kind that small children usually drew in their drawings. The only thing missing was the chimney on the roof and the smoke billowing. Farah approached Saul, who was already standing on the doorstep, yanking on the doorknob.

               - Shit,- Silva rolled his eyes in an almost doomed expression.
               - What's wrong?
               - The key. I don't have it.
               - Where could it be? - the woman glanced around lazily, looking for some hiding place by the door.
               - Now one could only guess where it was and who had it.

      Silva remembered well that he kept it in his office, in a double-bottomed desk drawer. His office, as well as the whole school, had probably been searched a dozen times before, and now it was safe to assume that the key was irretrievably lost.

               - Shall we break the window? - Farah asked, glancing conspiratorially at her friend.
               - I have a better idea.

      Saul grinned. His eyes traveled through the fairy's hair studyingly, causing her to look incredulous. She bowed her head, frowning. When Silva's mute question reached her, Farah put her hands behind her head without further ado, searching with her fingers for the hairpin that would do the least damage to her hair. Handing it to Saul, she removed the dislodged curl, picking it up with the remaining clips. While the man fiddled with the lock, Farah silently continued to survey the exterior of the structure. The peeling paint indicated that the place had been abandoned long ago, or that it had been left untended and neglected. The fairy went to the ground floor window and tried to see something, but saw only tightly closed curtains.

              - How long had this house been here?
              - More than twenty years.
              - Whose is it?
              - It was my parent's home. They built it as a shelter, but then they just lived in it for a while.

      There was a click, and Saul smiled triumphantly, handing the hairpin back to Farah. The fairy looked skeptically at her distorted wretchedness and said that she was unlikely to be able to hold on to anything now.

             - Well, you're right,- Silva nodded in agreement, tucking the barrette into her pocket. - Here you go.

      Farah cautiously crossed the threshold of the house, noticing that it smelled pleasant. Saul went to the curtains and opened them, letting in the light and giving his guest an opportunity to view the house from inside. Everything was just as compact. To Farah's left was the kitchen, probably serving as a dining room at the same time. A small table, seating several people, a wide counter beside the window, surrounded by three chairs. On the right was a seemingly very upholstered sofa. In front of it was a coffee table and, a little further away, a fireplace. Ahead of it was a short corridor and a staircase, apparently leading to a bedroom.
      Fairy flinched when Saul's hands touched her shoulders. He helped her out of her cloak, taking her backpack with him. Farah unhesitatingly obeyed her friend's urge, feeling a slight but uncomfortable shiver in her body.

                - You can take a bath if you like. There's a door next to the stairs. I'll fix us something in the meantime.

      Farah smiled awkwardly at Saul, who had passed her, and turned to the door and yanked the handle. It was closed with a not very secure latch. The fairy's eyes glittered, prompting the magic to obey her mistress. As soon as she finished with the spell, a headache immediately struck. Farah shivered, feeling the cold begin to chill her bones. Remembering the suggestion of Saul, who was already busy doing something in the kitchen, she headed for the bathroom.
      As she showered, she felt herself inexorably drifting off to sleep. The hot water relaxed the woman's mind and body, allowing her to calm down a bit and quiet the endless stream of thoughts. After drenching her face and body with a terrycloth towel, Farah took her sweat-soaked blouse and with a flick of magic returned it to its fresh appearance. The headache made itself felt again, throbbing through her sub cortex. Grasping the sink with both hands, the fairy glanced at herself in the mirror. The irises of her eyes flickered a faint blue and as the fairy tried to focus her charms in one spot, she received another dose of pain that nearly made her scream and only gave a silent moan.
      Putting on her sweatshirt and trousers, Farah left the bathroom, heading for the kitchen. The hot shower had kneaded her off and all she wanted to do now was lie down and not get up until morning. The smell of something that the fairy couldn't quite make out hit her nose. Saul was already sitting at the table. There was a plate of pasta in front of him and another in front of him. The house had grown darker, and the only sources of light were the paraffin lamps that Silva had placed throughout the ground floor. A few in the kitchen and a few in the small living room. Farah turned her attention to the wood smouldering inside the fireplace, but, for some reason, she felt a chill inside that was gaining momentum again and spreading throughout her body.

               - Is everything alright? - Saul asked, watching Farah standing in doubt.

      The fairy nodded silently and stopped at the table and sat down opposite. She thought that pasta did not appeal to her, and then she looked at Silva who was about to finish eating his plate.

               - Why didn't you ever talk about this house? - Farah asked.
               - I seldom come here, - Saul replied, - and only to make sure no one has discovered it yet. I don't know why. I thought that since no one had discovered it in so many years. I figured, since no one had found it in so many years, it must be a safe haven, and we should come here.
               - It's cozy here, - Farah smiled painfully.

      After swallowing the last of the pasta, Silva cleared his throat and moved his plate slightly away.

              - Aren't you hungry?
              - Sorry, I'm not. Thoughts of what we'll do next and how to cope with it all came into my mind.
              - Farah, we need to rest now. Especially you.

      The fairy grinned.

              - I'm fine, really. Just tired.
              - So now you're going to go upstairs and get some sleep, and then we'll talk about it tomorrow, okay?

      Farah saw no point in denying herself the pleasure of sleep. The thought of it gave her the strength to get to the bed, but before she did, she climbed the stairs to the first floor. Once upstairs, Saul pointed to the door on their right. He opened it, letting Farah inside. The fairy's attention was riveted on the wide bed, which beckoned.

              - Lie down, - Saul said softly. - I'll hold the lamp.

      Farah walked over to the bed, removed all the hairpins from her hair and sat down on the edge of the bed. Feeling the chill running through her body again, she quickly climbed under the covers, hoping her body would warm up. Saying goodnight, Silva left the room, leaving Farah alone with her thoughts and painful feelings, which only increased. Her body was already giving a much larger shiver, causing the fairy to toss and turn throughout the night in an unsuccessful attempt to sleep soundly.
      By the way, the morning, flowing smoothly into dinner, finally plunged the exhausted woman into a state of slumber. When it was past noon, Silva nevertheless overcame the awkwardness of disturbing his friend's sleep and made his way to the bedroom.        He himself, despite his fatigue, had not slept a wink through the night, only staring at the smoldering flames as he lay on the narrow couch in the living room. Feeling as if he'd been chasing burned men at the head of a squad for at least a day, Silva sincerely hoped that his friend had rested.

       Just pulling the handle of the unlocked door, Saul tensed, listening. The woman, curled up under the covers, did not react at all to his arrival. Moreover, even approaching the bed and shaking her friend gently by the shoulder, Saul received only an unintelligible mooing and a hoarse intermittent breathing in response.
      In further attempts to bring the woman to her senses, Saul found that Farah's body was literally on fire. Overnight, her skin had taken on a far from healthy blush, and there was a coarse shiver running down her shoulders, freed from under the blanket, that almost vibrated in the man's palms.

                    - Farah! Farah, damn it!

      The fairy peeled her eyelids open lazily and regarded Saul with a knowing look, as if for the first few seconds she hadn't realized who she was.

                    - Saul, - she breathed out a sigh of relief, straining to free her too dry lips. Her voice was completely disobedient. The words threatened to lacerate her throat and make her cough and spit up her own blood. As it did a few seconds later, forcing Silva to wrap her arms around her friend's body, flipping her into position.
      After making sure that the vague seizure had temporarily receded, Saul laid the fairy back down and, ignoring the faint attempts to rise on her own, wrapped Farah in the blanket again.

                    - Farah, listen to me! I really need your help right now. Tell me, what can help you right now?

      The woman remained silent, frowning, trying to wrench the necessary thought from the clinging and thick veil of headache.

                   - You were always treating Sky when I couldn't handle him. Came to you with the dumbest question, like an idiot. Well, I'm the idiot for not watching out for you. What to do?

      The warm recollection forced the woman to smile and still squeeze out of her clouded mind, in very crumpled and inverted terms, the right list. Hastily making his way to the cupboards, which were very conveniently built into the walls opposite the window, Silva was already figuring out what useful things he could find in the layers of age-old dust buried in the junk. Needless to say, everything the man found fit the description "junk" as closely as possible in this situation. If the pasta can be considered as "forever" with a stretch, then all the found medicines went to the bin without hesitation.
      Not caring much about silence, Saul returned to the room where Farah lay, still shivering with chills and staring blankly around with feverish glare. Armed with the only useful finds, namely a small basin, which Silva immediately filled with cold water, a small soft towel and a cup of water, hastily heated, the specialist took a seat on the chair, moving it close to his friend's bed.
      The woman shuddered again with a vague wheeze and Saul hastily, holding her head, got the woman drunk.
      Ignoring the weak protests, he spread a pre-torn, cold-water soaked towel over the fairy's forehead and neck. Farah's hands were also burning as if on fire, but looking at the hands trembling in chills, the man simply wrapped the fairy more tightly in the blanket.  Not risking leaving her alone, he was relieved to find that Farah's coughing fits had stopped and had not yet thought to recur, and now there was one less problem. This gave some encouragement to the specialist's hopes of improving his friend's condition.

      After a couple of hours, during which, sitting on an uncomfortable chair, Silva remembered the pleasures of limb-deepness, Farah really did feel better. She was even able to get out of bed to shower again and change her soaked clothes for a long light T-shirt, which Silva had heroically retrieved from the depths of the wardrobe.
       But the relief didn't last long. Afterwards, the symptoms overtook the woman with renewed vigour, pinning her firmly to the bed. In another impetuous attempt to help alleviate the rapidly deteriorating condition, Saul came into the room with a tea that smelled of stale grass, which the man said would certainly not make it worse.

                 - It's your "I'm all right! I'm fine! - grinned Silva in an attempt to lighten the mood, which brought a faint smile to the woman's face, who didn't even state the lousy taste of the drink by simply pouring it in.

      Silva was well aware that Farah's admission of her condition the day before wouldn't have made any difference at all. Neither would every minute of inactivity now. It would only aggravate the condition of the fever-ridden woman.
      When the first uncontrollable moan came from Farah's lips, Silva jumped up as if he'd been electrocuted. He could sit back and watch his friend slowly fade away from risking herself for his release, or he could decide on the most reckless, ironic as it might seem in today's realities, outing.
      Changing the compress on his friend's forehead once more, he quickly, and almost silently, left their temporary hiding place.

       It was risky to come to a place where you were taken away in handcuffs, but Silva had no other choice. He could still think about where to get the potions, but it was quicker and more efficient than going to who knows where. Either option was not safe at all. Saul's only thought now was how he could stealthily evade Rosalind's guards, who were now swarming around the perimeter of the school, looking as if they were ready to kick him in the head right now.
      Silva realised that it was too naive and inconsiderate to enter, now uncharted territory, without probing the ground. Rosalind could set traps, cameras, and other things. One barrier wasn't enough for the new headmistress. Saul wasn't too surprised. All in Rosalind's style.
      The percentage of stupidity in this act was off the charts because Silva wouldn't even take the sword, which wasn't even there. On the other hand he knew that a weapon would hardly help him against a whole army of enraged soldiers with his former mentor at the head. Saul calculated the approximate distance to Ben's greenhouse and immediately thought that his friend might not be there and would have to assemble the kit dictated by Farah himself. It wasn't that far to walk. But it was much more difficult to walk in a half-bent position. Saul took a slow, unhurried walk past the training area first, hiding behind the tall trees, catching glimpses of the orderly exhausted fairies and specialists. With his back to him stood two disgustingly familiar figures, overseeing the smallest mistakes of their students. Silva moved on, swiftly closing the distance, making sure no one was following him. Once inside the greenhouse, Saul looked around carefully, hoping to find his friend and not bump into any of the students.

                    - Saul?

      Silva almost cursed out loud, shuddering visibly in surprise. His hand already reached for his sword, which was gone.

                   - Ben, - the man exhaled with relief, - glad it's you.
                   - What are you doing here? - his friend continued in a half whisper, grabbing his arm and leading him quickly toward the back room.

      Silva could not make out a clear answer as he went along, nor could he explain how he had ended up here.

                   - Wait, wait, - Ben interrupted his verbal flow, - you mean to tell me that you and Farah are holed up in a cabin in the woods a couple of miles from the school, where Rosalind is sleeping and seeing you skinned?
                   - She said that? - Saul raised his eyebrows in interest.
                   - No, you can read it in her gaze as soon as someone starts talking about the two of you.

      Silva was aware that he was now putting his friend at great risk and so he decided to get straight to the point.

                   - Farah needs help. She is ill and I need these potions.

      Saul took a folded piece of paper, written in haste on the way, out of his trouser pocket and handed it to Ben. He quickly ran his eyes over the small but rather costly list and handed the paper back to Silva.

                   - It's all there, - Ben began, in a reasoning tone, - but if it's gone, it'll be noticed straight away. There's a lot of scrutiny.

      Ben glanced at his friend, noticing the change in his expression from confident and reassured to utter disappointment and despondency.

                  - All right, - the professor surrendered. - I just can't leave both of you in the lurch. I'll say I broke it by accident or used it for something.
                  - Thanks, Ben.

      Quickly gathering everything he needed in a small bag, Harvey went back to Silva.

                 - Just try to be careful. If you break it, it won't be pretty.

      Saul nodded quickly, gratefully putting his arm around his friend's shoulders.

                - I'll take you out the other way," Ben said, opening the back door.

      Silva jabbed his forehead right into the back of his friend in front of him, instantly popping his head up and peering over his shoulder. Ben slowly stepped aside, letting a smiling Rosalind contemplate his former accomplice from head to toe. Standing next to her was Andreas, whose smug grin screamed for Saul to wipe it off immediately with a firm punch to the jaw.

               - Hello, Saul, - Rosalind greeted gently, extending her hand forward. - Let me see what you've got there.

      Silva stood still, glaring at the present headmistress and Andreas alternately. He held the bag of potions firmly in his hand, winding it slightly behind his back. At that moment, Rosalind subtly nodded to one of the guards, who reacted instantly to the gesture. Abruptly giving himself forward, he grabbed the completely unresisting Silva by the arms, trapping them behind his back. Once again Saul thought about the stupidity of his action. The bag fell to the floor, rattling loudly, which did not escape Rosalind's attention, and all its contents threatened to spill out through the fabric onto the floor. One of the men picked up the bag and handed it to the headmistress. She, with a sly smile, began to open it leisurely, saying:

              - You see, some students have been making attempts to escape and I've had to do a thorough job of securing the school. As you can see, not for nothing.

     When she opened the bag and saw its contents, with a wave of her hand she asked everyone to leave the premises. Including the guard who was holding Saul in an extremely uncomfortable position. Ben left as well. Rosalind walked over to the kneading Silva and ran her gaze over his face and said thoughtfully:

              - You don't look sick. Not by a long shot, breaking in here with such youthful confidence. But I'm guessing you're not doing all this for yourself...

      Somehow Saul thought there was no point in lying now. Rosalind already understood everything perfectly, but she wanted to hear it from him.

             - It's for Farah.
             - Farah? Is she ill? - Rosalind's ability to act so genuinely surprised was enviable. - So why are you fiddling around in here, Saul? This, - she nodded at the line of potions on display, - won't do her any good. Come with me.

      She handed the man a new set of rubs and potions without so much as a word in the headmaster's office.

            - How am I supposed to make sure it doesn't make her worse?
            - You don't, - the ex-mentor shrugged innocently, - but you wouldn't test Ben's potions. And I'm asking you, Silva, what good would it do not to trust someone who offers to help?

      The man was silent, heading swiftly for the exit of the office.

            - But that's not all. I suppose you won't refuse me a small favour. Will you listen to what I have to say and pass it on to Farah?

      The man stopped without turning around, but apparently Rosalind took that as a sign of sufficient interest.

           - Even in spite of all the recent events, I don't intend to blow your heads off at the first opportunity, as it might have seemed to both of you. It was a bit of an educational moment to make you both remember who is who and what place you should have in that...story. Now I'm on my place again, Saul, and I don't mind at all that now, having realised, as in your youth, your mistakes, you'll take yours again.

      The tirade was answered by the slam of the door threatening to come off its hinges in Silva's hands, to which Rosalind only blinked in time with the sharp knock.

         - No, then no. I have other ways to help you rethink your circumstances.

      Crossing the distance between Alfea and his and Farah's temporary shelter, Saul could match the King's transport equipment in speed, but an annoying voice in his head told him that even that might not be enough. The precious minutes lost to meeting his former mentor might have played a cruel trick. When he crossed the threshold of Farah's assigned suite he heard an incoherent mumbling - the man prayed to a higher power that he could hear it. But Farah really was moving her lips and calling to someone, holding out her hands in front of her. She paid absolutely no attention to her friend's arrival, lost between delirium and reality. Sitting back down on the chair opposite, the man immediately began mixing the potions he had brought in what he modestly thought were the right proportions, which, incidentally, was characterised as 'take all the contents of all the vials right now'.
      After calling out to the woman several times and getting no response, Saul found no better way than to sit at the headboard of the bed, tilt the woman's head slightly back and simply pour the tincture into her mouth. Silva wanted to believe that in those moments her eyes still reflected recognition and comprehension. Either way, the woman obediently took a sip of the medicine. Fumbling for Saul's hand beside her, she squeezed it tightly, covering her eyes. After a few minutes, the fairy's hoarse breathing became more measured and her eyelids trembled a little less. Farah fell asleep, and Silva felt the anxiety begin to beat out a bizarre rhythm with thousands of hammers in his head. Clenching his teeth so as not to howl at the surging sensation, the man cast another glance over the sleeping fairy. The thought that there was nothing more he could do to help her thickened the sludge that lodged somewhere in his throat. The only thing left to do was to wait, and that waiting was already driving Silva himself into agony. He could physically feel the unpleasant heat spreading over his body and felt the urgent need to dull the feeling under the cool jets in the shower room.

      Saul himself was almost asleep right in the kitchen, at the table by the window, the soft moonlight pouring in through the unblinded windows. He had visited Farah at least eight times in the last four hours that the woman had literally passed out. As he left the room the last time, he accidentally knocked over one of the empty vials, biting his tongue awkwardly at the resulting noise, to which Farah, as usual, did not react at all. After that, he really wanted to believe that Rosalind's words weren't nothing, or worse, a clever manipulation.

      He was distracted from the thought that he might well have given Farah poison himself by the thud of glass that made contact with the worn wooden surface on his left hand. Farah's lightning-throwing gaze caught him instantly.

            - Where did you get that potion?

      Despite the fact that the woman was annoyed and disturbed, Silva couldn't look at her without smiling.

            - Brought from Alfea, - the specialist stretched out calmly, realizing that there was little point in lying now.

      Farah was at a loss for words. The pale skin on her face grew pale overnight. She opened her mouth and immediately covered it with her hand, rolling her eyes in frustration.

           - Do you have any idea how much you risked? You could have gotten yourself in trouble, and you could have set Ben up!
           - Rosalind saw me. She was the one who handed over the right medication.

      The woman couldn't hold back a hysterical laugh. She threw the plaid Saul had brought her during the third or fourth visit off her shoulders to the floor, in which she was still wrapped. With a swipe of her palms on the table, the fairy ran her left hand through her frizzy, feverishly tossed hair.

          - What have you done, Saul, - she whispered, barely audible.
          - What I had to, - the man gritted the last words through gritted teeth, aware of the gravity of the situation.
          - What was meant to be? Had to what? - the woman pushed herself off the tabletop, retreating to the middle of the room. In spite of the overwhelming emotion, Silva noted that Farah was steady on her feet. And she had changed her clothes back to her old ones. This was already an undeniable positive result. - You should have stayed away from Rosalind, not gone to the trouble of meeting her yourself!
          - I was on my way to see Ben. That's how it happened, - Silva also stood up, stepping towards the woman who was flailing to and from at the window. - It's all right, Farah.
          - Saul, it's not all right! At Rosalind's word, there'll be at least a whole squad of Kings guard here any minute now!
          - Do you really think I'm that inconsiderate? - just as assertively, the man took the offensive. - I've checked. I wasn't followed.
          - Or maybe you just didn't notice it? You know what kind of tricks Rosalind is capable of, Saul! If she didn't kill you and me one by one, it was only a matter of time! - Farah snapped into a shout.
          - But you got better, didn't you? - the man exclaimed so sharply and at the same time unexpectedly that the woman flinched.

      Farah nodded in response, glaring angrily at the man.

         - What? Tell me, what was I supposed to do while you were getting worse? - he shook the fairy by the shoulders.
         - Nothing! - she exclaimed, adding more quietly. Farah exclaimed, adding more quietly. - Nothing. I don't know.
         - I do know! You would have done the same if you were me, - the man added without lowering his tone. - It will be all right, Farah.

      The woman grinned, releasing her grip on his shoulders, turning away from him to the window.

         - It will be, how could it not be? - she stretched ironically, gazing up into the night sky above the house. - What are we going to do now? Circumspectly exist in this very well?

      The man exhaled sharply, turning away.

         - Personally, I plan to have tea. May I? - He remarked, still slightly irritated, but at the same time, almost casual.
         - You can do what you want.

      Fairy never looked back, but she could feel the look on her face. She completely ignored the deliberately heavy footsteps, snickers and other noise caused by the manipulation of cooking that very tea. Saul seemed to be asking her a question, tapping his fingers sharply against the kneaded rhythm on the bedside table. Farah just shrugged her shoulders automatically, not wanting to continue the altercation in any way, which now seemed silly and pointless. There was nothing but a bitter aftertaste of the words spoken and restrained on her tongue from the anger that had built up. She thought Silva must have felt something similar and wanted to be the first to start the conversation, but Saul beat her to it.

         - But I know I'll be coming home soon, - the man sang, crossing the distance between him and Farah and accentuating the last word with the clatter of the filled cup on the window sill, - and yes, - he whispered to the woman, frozen, mouth ajar, the words in her ear, turning her unobtrusively towards him, - I know that I'll be coming home soon.

         - Silva, are you feeling all right or what? - The fairy muttered, raising an eyebrow.

      The man just looked away with a wry grin. Slapping his thigh with the palm of his hand a few times, he tapped his fingers and stomped his right foot and began tapping out a simple rhythm. On a low exhale, humming the opening tune of the song.

         - You're serious now? - Farah grinned, cocking her head slightly upward and looking away.

         - I've been here before but I don't remember when, - he began to hum, steadily observing Farah.

         - Saul, for heaven's sake, spare my ears, - Farah grinned, turning and shoving her friend lightly to the side. The man only shrugged at the gesture and, in his own way, began to dance, moving his body slightly to the beat of the clicks and staggering alternately as he continued to hum.

      Farah only hummed, turning away in an attempt to hide the bursting laughter. But the man didn't give her that opportunity, closing the small distance between the minis again, palming his arms around her shoulders. As he continued to move in his uncomplicated dance, Silva tried to shake Farah as well, but she immediately threw his arms away.

           - Leave me alone, - she let out a laugh as she turned to face the man.

      The specialist only shook his head negatively, pulling Farah's hand closer to him. Squeezing her palms tightly in his, he tried again to engage her in a simple rhythm of uncomplicated movements. The woman had no choice but to give in, making sure to roll her eyes, which made the smile on the man's face grow even wider. The sly sparks in his gaze charged her, and she, too, could not resist the urge to smile broadly back.

          - I think you sang better before, - the woman shook her head in time to which the man raised his eyebrows, taking a higher note than necessary, which made the fairy wince as if she'd had her fingernails splashed against the glass above her ear. - Silva!

      Pulling away, the fairy looked around for an object she had seen just yesterday. With complete certainty that she wasn't imagining it, she caught her eye on an old record player that was gathering dust on the mezzanine. Obeying the soft glow of her eyes, the magic-compatible machine screeched pitifully, spilling across the room the tune the specialist had so diligently hummed.

         - You've insulted me at my best, - the man grinned disarmingly, throwing one arm around Farah's shoulder and pulling her closer by the waist. The woman ducked into her friend's shoulder in response.
         - I'm sorry, but I can't think of any other explanation for why the whole camp ran away to hear you sing.
         - Because Saul's good! Or whatever Rosalind said after she spotted us?

      Farah nodded vigorously, chuckling.

         - Yes, Saul is good, that's why he's on duty on his own tonight and will be kind enough to round up our camp in the morning.

      The man was amused by the accuracy with which Farah parodied her former mentor.

         - It wasn't fair! I sang beautifully, and everyone sang along, and I was the only one who got away with it! - Silva pulled away slightly, looking conspiratorially at the fairy in front of him. - You were singing along, by the way.
         - No, Saul, don't even think about it, - the woman tensed and tried to pull away, but continued her movement, meeting the man's pleading gaze as he picked up the melody again, interrupted for the duration of their dialogue.

      The fairy diligently averted her gaze, grinning as the man circled her in a small space in the center of the room, but when, at another turn, he deliberately tilted her back, drawing attention to himself, she still shifted her gaze to the specialist.

         - After all, I know I'll be coming home soon," he whispered, giving the fairy an inviting gesture. - And yes...

      Averting her gaze and rolling her eyes, she spoke the second line with the man with one lip:

         - I know that I'll be coming home soon with a soldier's eyes.

         - With the eyes of a soldier*.

      Exclaiming something like "wow", the man let go of Farah, retreating with her to the windowsill, continuing to hum the initial chant. Picking up his cup of chilled tea and handing one to the woman, he lightly touched the edges of the utensils, sipping at once a large sip and exhaling contentedly.

      As he sipped his tea in silence, he followed Farah's gaze, now studying not the starry sky, but the spires of Alfea in the distance. The silence was becoming tense again, and in an attempt to defuse it, he picked up the empty cups, offering more tea to Farah. She shook her head negatively in response, taking a seat on the windowsill.

         - We're a stone's throw from Alfea and there's nothing we can do.
         - Well, we can go there, already with serious 'enemy' intentions, but completely exhausted, without proper preparation. I'll be put back in prison and you'll be buried alive.
         - Said the one who had managed, by the way, to stop by there in the morning and come back.
         - You know, - he began, rinsing the tea dust from the bottom of the pot, - Rosalind has offered us something, some sort of truce.

      Farah rolled her eyes.

        - You mean a new slavery under her watch?
        - I think she understands that since you survived, it's fate. She has no intention of losing such a valuable warrior.
        - Very funny, - the woman said, but she thought deeply, as if in a kind of stupor, - you know what, Saul, - she slowly turned her gaze to the man, - make me some more tea, I think.
        - Now I can't, - the man said as he drew nearer and his hands to the woman, - now I have a better idea, - the expert winked, seating the fairy at the table and hurrying out of the kitchen, thus giving her a chance to clear her mind a little.

      Farah's thoughts were interrupted by the clatter of a glass bottle against the wooden surface of the table. The woman glanced in front of her, noticing the finished stack of alcohol.

           - Is that exactly what I think it is?
           - I don't know what you're thinking, but I hope so.

      Saul grinned, raising his shot glass in an inviting gesture. Farah smiled at the corner of her lips and, answering her friend's call, took a volley of her drink. She was about to ask what they were drinking, but suddenly Farah didn't care.

           - The last thing we need is to get drunk.
           - Come on, Farah, - he moved his shot glass to hers, filling it to the brim again. - You're too wrapped up in negative thoughts. You need to relax.
           - How kind of you to generously share this burden with me.

      Silva laughed, looking at the smiling woman. They both needed help right now. They were here and going crazy with all sorts of thoughts that caused only pain and threatened to sink them to the bottom for a long time to come, which could reflect badly on the well-being of both of them. They were well aware that words would not help them sleep peacefully.

           - I don't want your magic to be fueled only by negative thoughts...
           - Oh, Saul. Enough! - Farah drained her shot glass again, this time without even wrinkling. - You've gone too far.
           - I've been around one of the strongest fairies for so long and I've learned a thing or two.
           - Rosalind would praise your impulses, but you won't get that from me.

      Silva filled the glasses again and before he drank, he glanced at her friend, who looked as if she was waiting to be given a drink. She downed the shot as she had downed the previous two. After a while, when the bottle of alcohol was almost empty and Farah had already unbuttoned a couple of buttons on her blouse, the conversation didn't quite go the way Saul had hoped.

           - I was joking, Farah.
           - No, no, - the woman denied in a half-whisper, waving her index finger right in front of Silva's nose. - You're taking me on again and hoping I'll give in.

      Farah rose from her chair, swaying slightly, and slumped across the table closer to Saul, propping her chin up and looking into her friend's eyes with a drunken grin.

           - What? - Silva was suddenly amused, too.
           - You tell me, how is it that you are still sober?

      Saul, too, rose a little, folded his arms on the table, and, moving close enough to her face, beckoned her to him, whispering conspiratorially in his ear:

          - I just drank more slowly and tastefully, unlike some.
          - What a nerve! - Farah said just as quietly, squinting her eyes and meeting Silva's gaze again.

      At this point, unable to withstand the penetrating glances, they both jumped loudly and Farah almost lost her balance.

         - And yet you took me at my weakest.
         - I'd rather have asked you to drink a bottle on a dare.
         - And I would have!
         - I'm sure you would have, - Saul held out his hand in a defensive gesture.

      Farah continued to glare at him, forcing him to say something, but the man had no idea what.

         - You're not trying to read my mind right now, are you?
         - Of course not! But it's not my bedtime yet.

      Silva smiled good-naturedly. He was genuinely happy that his friend was able to relax and take some of the distraction from her oppressive state.

        - I'll do it, though.
        - Farah...

      The woman touched her friend's lips with a teasing kiss, trying to engage him in this momentary urge. He responded, immediately pulling away unobtrusively.

         - Oh, now I see why freshmen girls can't take their eyes off you, - Farah declared solemnly, returning to her chair.

      Silva stared at her friend for a long moment after the kiss, trying to see if there was anything wrong with the innocent gesture, though he knew there wasn't.

     When Farah lazily opened her eyes, she was surprised to see that she was in bed. Though she remembered well that she and Saul were downstairs, at the table, drinking some kind of gruel. Her first attempt to get up was unsuccessful. Her head rattled and felt like it was going to burst.

          - A glass of water?

      With surprise, Farah jumped out of bed and, opening her eyes, was shocked to find Saul on the other side of the bed, whose sleepy appearance was so harmless that Farah did not immediately grasp the words. The woman only now discovered that her blouse was almost completely unbuttoned. Hastily cleaning herself up and looking at Silva incredulously, she decided to ask a question, but he beat her to it.

         - Yes, - after this short word, Farah almost fainted, - "nothing happened. Calm down, Farah. I didn't take advantage of your helpless position.

      Saul laughed, watching the changing expression on his friend's face.

         - God, - Farah exhaled. - I was beginning to think we were...
         - You weren't in any condition to make such responsible decisions. You tried to kiss me, of course, and then drag me to bed, but I nobly refused.

      Farah pursed her lips, trying to hold back the bursting laughter.

         - Are you serious?
         - Just a kiss. Just one. Nothing more. And you asked me to stay and hold you.

      Inside herself, the woman exhaled again, mentally noting that she was all sweaty from what might have happened.

         - I can see that your head doesn't hurt anymore.

      Silva got out of bed, readjusted his jumper, grabbed a glass of water from the counter and walked over to Farah, who had already regained consciousness. The woman accepted the offer with a smile, taking a few sips.

         - Glad to see you finally got a good night's sleep and are smiling.

      Farah took the last sip, looked appreciatively at Saul and hugged herself tightly to him, hugging him by the shoulders, holding the empty glass in her hand.

         - Your stubble is prickling.
         - Well, I'm sorry! I didn't have time to do my makeup.

      They both grinned as they continued to hug each other.

         - Thank you, Saul.

      He only stroked her back lightly in response, feeling her nestle against his neck. The fairy pulled away first, looking into Silva's eyes. All they expressed now was calm and peacefulness. Farah felt it as soon as she touched Saul and she felt much better. Her own thoughts had come to order and were not mixed up in one common cauldron of solid negativity. Apparently it was time to accept the fact that they were powerless against Rosalind now, but Farah was sure that together, they would be able to figure out how to bring the situation under their control.

        - I'll go downstairs for now and see if I can find something more edible than pasta.
        - Right now I'm ready to eat anything.

      Feeling slightly dizzy, Farah grimaced painfully, letting out an elusive groan.

        - Are you alright? - Saul asked worriedly.
        - Apparently I shouldn't have drank so much yesterday.

      Fairy put the glass on the side of the bed and sank to the edge of it. Feeling a strong urge to lie in bed some more and endure the headache, she surrendered and obeyed her body's desire.

        - Get some sleep. I'll wake you up.

      Farah nodded, putting her palm to her forehead and covering her eyes. Hearing Saul leave the room, slowly closing the door behind him, the fairy was again left alone with her thoughts, but now not as frightening as they had seemed to her yesterday.

      There was a knock on the door and it was like an electric shock to Silva. No one could enter without his and Farah's knowledge. But someone persisted in knocking on the door. Saul opened it cautiously, preparing to strike, but immediately relaxed when he noticed his friend's familiar glasses and good-natured smile.

         - Ben?
         - Hello, Saul. Is Farah here?
         - She's upstairs. Asleep. Why are you here?

      The blow was hard, precise and well-planned. Silva fell to the floor, writhing in pain, trying to catch his breath and get to his feet. Ben, wasting no time, quickly climbed the steps upstairs. Finding the right room, he quietly opened the door, careful not to wake the woman asleep on the bed.

         - Farah?

      She didn't respond, continuing to snooze peacefully. Then Ben put a hand on her shoulder and was about to turn her towards him, but a second later he felt sparks of magic in his hands. The bed was empty. Grinning, Ben looked around the room.

         - Nice move, Farah. I fell for your bait. Get out! I know you're still here somewhere.

      Squinting, he looked around the room. Empty, but he was sure the former headmistress was hiding in this room.

        - Okay, you know I'm not Ben, right, Farah? - the man asked with a chuckle. - Stop playing hide and seek. You're definitely here! You wouldn't be selfish enough to leave Saul here, would you?

      He was hit on the head with something hard and solid, and the man fell to his knees, nausea rising in his throat.

        - That's right, Andreas.

      The woman's voice made the royal blood boil wildly. Farah wasted no time in throwing the sword hidden in its shabby scabbard and sprinted out the door in a jiffy. Downstairs she found Saul still making unsuccessful attempts to get to his feet.

        - Get up! Hurry up! Let's go! Saul!

      Touching her fingers to the intended point of impact, she forced her friend to look into her eyes, taking in some of his pain. In that moment of mental contact, a harsh and rough voice above her ear sounded too close and too loud:

        - You bitch!

      Andreas grabbed Farah by the arm, turning her towards him. The woman gasped and collapsed to the floor, stunned by the sound of the slap and for a moment blinded by the pain on her flaming cheek. She belatedly felt the man's strong arms pinning her to the floor. Her wrists whined sharply in pain, bringing Farah to her senses.

       - Now you're coming with me!
       - Fuck you, Andreas!

      The woman squinted at her still disoriented friend a meter away and then fixed her gaze back on the 'king'. The man snorted, not expecting any fierce resistance from the woman beneath him, and immediately paid the price for his indiscretion. Her hips pressed against Andreas's leg, and then Farah rolled over, pinning her former comrade-in-arms to the floor with the back of her head. Not giving him time to recover, the fairy straightened up, landing one precise blow on the soles of her feet, preventing the specialist from exhaling.
      Grabbing Silva, who was barely on his feet, the fairy made a dash for the door, collapsing the coat rack she had grabbed and leaving the shelter that had seemed so secure.

         - Stop, - Farah said on an exhale. - I think we've lost them.
         - We'll never get away from them in this fucking forest," Saul paused, glancing at his friend, trying to catch his breath.
         - We shouldn't go too far. Let them think we're scared and trying to crawl down a rat hole, the deeper the better.
         - And what are we really going to do in the meantime?

      Farah, without breaking eye contact with Saul, took a couple of steps towards him. She stopped, turning her back to her friend. Glancing at her wounded wrists, the woman exhaled briefly, trying to distract herself from the pain that was building up as it recalled itself.

         - Andreas is strong, - she concluded with a chuckle, gripping the bracelet on her right arm, - but he still has a lot to learn about dexterity.

      Gritting her teeth, reassuring herself that she'd just have to be patient, the fairy slowly pulled the not fully clutched bracelet.

         - Farah? - Silva watched the woman's actions from behind with disbelief, but couldn't figure out exactly what she was about to do.

      When Farah barely heard a moan, Saul still ventured closer.

          - Stop, stop! - He intercepted his friend's left arm and passed a quick, appraising glance over her right. - I'll do it.

      Fairy didn't resist, but she pursed her lips in a thin line, letting him know that she could do the job. Saul paid no attention, knowing that this was going to be a long and painful event.

         - Ready?

      Farah nodded silently, averting her gaze to the side, concerting her attention on the blurry treetops. Saul tugged at the tip of his bracelet, studiously ignoring the hiss of the fairy and the blood dripping from her wrist.

         - It, - Farah exhaled, - it is like a snake. If you stop it, the bracelet will come back, and it can take away my magic for good.
         - Sounds like you're blaming me in advance for something I haven't done yet.
         - You've already made a mess of things.
         - Don't make me sing again.

      The woman wanted to smile, but her brain resisted, sending a new impulse of pain through her body. When the bracelet was almost removed, Saul yanked it sharply, causing Farah to freeze in a mute scream, feeling her eyes tear up. Saul tossed the bracelet aside, to which Farah reacted lightning quick, sizzling him with a wave of magic.

         - Thank you, - the fairy thanked, glancing at her hand. - I hope I don't get infected...Oh, hell, I hope the contamination doesn't get in my way...
         - I hope the wolves don't come running to us when they smell blood.
         - Rosalind's more likely to come running.

      Farah raised her freed hand, releasing a stream of magic. Outlining a semicircle above her, she stretched her arm forward, testing the security and, if possible, reinforcing the barrier's protection.

         - I don't know how strong it is, - she said with a sigh, - but it will protect against Andreas.
         - He's already been through it once, - Saul said doubtfully.
         - Yeah, but he must have had help from Rosalind and Ben. He just tracked us down and used a potion to break down the defenses. They don't know where we are yet, but we should be on our guard.

      Saul came closer.

         - Do you think Ben is helping them?

      Farah only shrugged her shoulders in response.

         - I don't blame him. If I had kids, I'd do anything to keep them safe. I think you would, too.

      Silva nodded understandingly. Their friend must have felt terribly guilty, but he was just a victim of circumstances and there was nothing he could do about it. That rare case where there was no choice. Sure, he could take his chances, but not his children, and Saul and Farah were well aware of that.

       As Silva put out the fire, Farah was suddenly reminded of Bloom, whose flames would not be so easily extinguished. Twilight had already turned to darkness, consuming the last source of light.

          - How fortunate that we were banished from school at this time of year.

      Farah grinned sadly at her friend's words, wrapping herself deeper in her cloak. The woman could barely keep warm inside the barrier anymore, not allowing the cold to penetrate. This was all ill-considered and could put them in danger, for all manner of evil might also run to weak magic, smelling the easy prey.
      Saul finally left the smoldering branches alone and sat down next to Farah. They built a low shelter that would protect them from a little rain and shelter them from the cold. The branches were well tamped and they made a bed on which it was warm to sit. And to sleep, they hoped, too.

          - Let's lie down. Tomorrow we should look for food.

      Farah nodded in agreement, casting a concerned look at Saul as he lay down on a sheet of branches in a single jumper. The woman, concentrating magic in her palm, created a small blob of energy, flickering with a dim light. Pointing her fingers in a direction, she ordered the blob to hover in the air above the shack.

          - What is it? - Silva asked curiously.
          - Something to help you sleep and not to freeze.

      Farah stood up, slowly taking off her cloak, catching her friend's perplexed and questioning gaze. Lowering herself beside her, she lay down and covered them both with her cloak.

          - I've never been so warm, - Saul smiled at the exhausted man with his eyes closed.

      The woman gently spread the fabric of the cloak over her friend's shoulder, covered her own eyes and drifted off into a sound sleep before she knew it.
 Sweet dreams were interrupted by a light touch on her shoulder and a whisper almost in her ear. Farah, barely able to open her eyes and glancing sleepily at Saul, silently asking why the hell he had woken her, suddenly noticed that his face was much clearer. Dim streaks of light fell on him, as if someone had lit a fire somewhere very close by.
      Turning her head sharply to the other side and lifting herself up on her elbows, she saw a female figure sitting uncomfortably close on her lap, peering at the stranger with curiosity and disbelief.

          - I saw your faces, - the woman said in a hushed voice. - When they died.

      Only now did Farah notice the red candle in the stranger's hands, which had been burning for quite some time, judging by the amount of wax accumulated in the small glass holder. The woman held it with both hands. She sat down a little closer, bringing the candle close to Farah's face, studying it carefully and then slowly translating her gaze to Saul.

         - Who are you? - she dared to ask the question without moving. Silva, who was lying next to her, took the same decision, squeezing her friend's hand under her cloak.

      Instead of answering, the girl rose, straightened, glanced around again, and then said:

         - It's not safe here. They are looking for you. Your magic is weak. Come.

      Neither Farah nor Saul wanted to admit it, but they were both extremely weak and exhausted. Should they go after the extremely suspicious woman or stay here in the forest? And it was only a matter of time before they would be found in such a defenceless position. The question was acute, but it had to be dealt with quickly, for the woman was rapidly disappearing from their sight. Helping each other hastily up, they cautiously followed the stranger. Halfway up, Farah turned around to their temporary abode and, with a wave of her injured hand, made everything disappear.
      Meanwhile, the woman was going deeper into the forest, causing her heartbeat to increase and adrenaline to run through the bloodstream of the two friends. It was already difficult to count how many times they looked at each other, silently wondering to each other what the fuck they were doing? When the stranger stopped everything around them was silent. There was no rustling of leaves, no wind howling, no chirping of birds. The silence was oppressive.
      With a wave of her hand, the woman caused several trees to part before her, and the leaves covering the ground to scatter in different directions. On the bare ground, Farah and Silva spotted a square, iron door. A flick of the fingers swung it open, letting in the mistress of this subterranean domain. Farah had already taken a couple of steps.

             - Wait, - Saul grabbed her friend's wrist, making her wince painfully. - Are we really going in there?

      Silva immediately loosened his grip.

            - You know better than I do that I'd rather die at the hands of a stranger than at the hands of the beasties that haunt the place.
            - Okay. Let's stay close then.

      Saul confidently leveled himself with the fairy, and together they crossed the distance to the entrance. When they peered inside, a dim, pleasant light was emitted.

            - I have already prayed to all the gods that we might not be eaten alive. What about you?
            - Me too.

      The steps leading down didn't seem too sturdy. Descending with a neat, wary step, they found themselves at the bottom. The iron door closed behind them and the wooded area, from the sound of it, returned to its original appearance. The stranger was sitting at a table a few feet away from Saul and Farah, placing a candle in front of her and watching the wriggling tongue of flame.

             - Violent magic," the woman said quietly, not raising her eyes. - Sit down.

      For some reason Farah knew at once that she was being addressed. The fairy continued to stand still, catching Saul's gaze on herself with her side-eye. It seemed that their noisy breathing in unison was too loud for this room. The fairy flinched as the chair next to the stranger creaked its legs against the stone floor, inviting her guest to sit down.
      Farah walked as slowly as possible, surveying the room as she went, unconsciously trying to find possible escape routes. Reaching her goal, she sank into a chair, next to the woman. The fairy sensed her magic, but not entirely. The remaining bracelet still blocked most of the magic.

             - Put your hands down, - the stranger commanded, - and don't be afraid, or they will refuse to help you.

      Silva, trying to do so as inconspicuously as possible, made his way to the table.

             - Stay where you are. Spook them and she will be engulfed in violent magic.

      Saul didn't quite understand the meaning of her words, but he stopped nevertheless, glancing over at Farah, whose face expressed calmness and absolute confidence. The fairy put her hand on the table, surrendering herself completely to the situation.

            - Both hands.

      A well-trimmed hand with gelled blood lay next to the first. Taking the candle, the woman tilted it over the wrists of both of Farah's hands, watching the wax drip.

            - If it's not your fault, they'll help.

     Farah looked down at her wrists, expecting to get burns in addition to the wounds. But instead, the bracelet melted away, leaving no trace. The wax enveloped her right arm, imperceptibly erasing the marks and possible scars from the burnt bracelet. When it was over, the stranger returned the candle to its place, continuing to watch the flame's tongue.
      Silva approached the table and sat down next to Farah, not taking his eyes off the woman who hadn't noticed the man sitting down with them.

           - Who are you? - Saul asked.

      As if she'd broken out of hypnosis, the strange woman exhaled sharply. Her long blond hair hid her face, until she looked up at Silva, who was asking her a question. Dark, penetrating eyes traversed his face studyingly. The woman jerked sharply, grabbing the man's wrist and without giving him time to recover, dropping a few drops of wax on his bare skin. Saul, as well as Farah, were taken aback by this sudden action, but immediately calmed down when the wax simply evaporated without leaving a trace.

           - You're innocent, too, - the stranger said with hope in her voice. - Then who is guilty?

      The question was rhetorical. The woman turned once more to the candle.

           - Look, - she said calmly and gently, - we have no idea who you are, but if you told us who you are, we might be able to help you.

      The stranger was distracted again, breathing noisily into her lungs.

           - Kea, - she retorted. - My name. I am the last of my clan.

      The blood ran cold in both their veins at that moment.

           - Bloody witches, - Kea continued, - they are all dead. The evil woman killed them. They remember you, but they know you were innocent. They remember that you cried when you saw my mother. And you cried too.

      Saul and Farah looked at each other, knowing exactly who they were talking about. They silently questioned each other as to whether they should show their cards in front of Kea. Given her background, they could expect anything. On the other hand, it was a strong, yet dangerous ally.

           - We know who you mean, - Farah began carefully, not breaking eye contact with her friend. - And we would very much like to help you, but she's banished us and we can't do anything about it yet.

      The witch gave the fairy a wry glance that was quickly replaced by an acceptance of the situation.

           - We can help you, - Kea said in a detached voice. - To put evil in its place. We need balance. It's hard without it. It forces us into hiding.
           - Forgive my blunt question, - Silva cut in abruptly, - but who is 'we'?

      Kea, still looking at Farah, placed the candle in front of her, asking her to take a closer look.

            - You are a powerful fairy. You can read emotions.

      Farah looked closely, concentrating fully on the blazing tongue of flame. It was only a few seconds before she felt her ribcage feel like it was being pressed together. Her mouth went dry, a lump rose up in her throat, and it became too difficult to hold back the tears. There were many voices in her head, screaming, crying and pleading. There are too many of them and Farah can't make out what they are crying for. Her breathing becomes ragged, but the fairy keeps watching, gripped by a strange sense of desolation and hopelessness.

           - You can hear them, - the witch's voice sounded somewhere in the distance. - And they feel you. They bring me pain, but they also give me their warmth. They help. It is hard for them and it is hard for me. We walk this path together.

      As her breathing became more ragged and tears flowed nonstop from her eyes, Farah felt the touch of someone's fingers on her wrist. Then she was able to shift. Noisily drawing air into her lungs, the fairy looked up at the witch.

           - These candles...they are...
           - From the bones of my dead clan.

     It was as if the fairy had gone back sixteen years, when everything she wanted to forget came crashing down on her with a new, much more powerful force. Emotions took over her mind, immersing her in that unfortunate day where they had killed many people. And now it didn't matter so much who they were. The fact always remained the fact.

          - We want to help, - Kea said with confidence. - But we can't do it alone. You and him. Your bond is very strong. He would die to save you. And so could you. Us and you. Together we can defeat the evil woman.

      A little later, Kea offered her guests some food and a bed for the night. The sleeping place was similar to the one the fairy and the specialist had made from the materials they had found in the forest. Only it was much warmer here, thanks to the location of the dwelling and the endlessly burning candles. Farah was already beginning to feel light-headed from the stupefying smell of smoke. She sat down tiredly on her bed, noticing Silva sitting across from her, practically in the same position as her friend. He leaned back against the wall, tiredly covering his eyes. Farah took off her shoes, threw her feet up on the bed and resting her head on the pillow she felt the hazy consciousness already obeying her poorly, sinking her into sleep.

      Feeling a pungent smell of wax right in front of her nose, Silva opened her eyes sharply, assuming in panic that something was burning. Exhaling briefly and in relief, noticing the witch crouching beside him, Saul rose from the bed.

          - Her emotions. No control. It could get us killed.

      The man frowned at Kea's words, but then immediately glanced at his friend's peaceful sniffling.

          - Her tranquillity is only superficial. She's afraid.

      Silva walked over to the bed, crouched next to her friend and touched her hair with a gentle caress. Farah sighed noisily and opened her eyes and raised her eyebrows questioningly.

          - Did you have a nightmare? - Saul asked calmly.
          - You wanted to wake me, - the fairy sat down on the bed, "to ask me about my dreams?
          - Kea says you are losing control of your emotions.

      Farah exhaled loudly, running her palm over her face.

         - Recent events are affecting my magic too much," the fairy spoke up. - She's not stable. We might be detected, because now the magic is pouring out of me like a freshman.
         - It's all right, - Silva tried to reassure him. - We haven't had this much crap dumped on us in a long time.

      Farah grinned, silently agreeing with her friend's words.

          - Magic is not very stable when I'm awake, and even less so when I'm asleep.
          - We could get killed," Kea spoke softly, meeting her gaze with Farah's. - They're starting to get scared.
          - Don't be," the fairy cut off confidently, "it's all right. It's all right. It can be used.
          - What do you mean?

      Farah stood up, folded her arms across her chest, and stared at a single point in deep thought. The plan that had come into her head seemed like sheer madness. And such behavior was more typical of people of a much younger age. Completely absorbed in her own thoughts, she didn't notice the two pairs of eyes studying her, waiting patiently for answers.

          - We can risk it, unless of course Rosalind has already overpowered the whole school.
          - Farah?
          - We could try to summon with Musa. With magic.
          - So what are we waiting for? - a man just jumped out of his seat.
          - We're too far away from the school. That's why I'm talking about the risk. If my unstable flow is intercepted by someone else, we will be in far more trouble than unstable magic.

      Silva scratched his chin thoughtfully.

          - Would you be able to tell when someone else is inside your head?
          - You know the answer to that question.
          - Then there's no point in being afraid. You can break contact at any time and we can get away in time.
          - I don't know what would happen if I were to be abruptly ripped out of someone's mind by uncontrolled magic.
          - I'll be close by.

      The fairy smiled at her friend's enthusiastic impulse, and saw his eyes light up when the chance to put things back the way they were.

          - They can give power, - Kea cut into the dialogue aloof. - Temporarily.
          - Good, - Farah nodded agreeably. - Can we try it now?

      Kea stood up, staring at Farah as if seeing her for the first time. She tilted her head sideways, focusing solely on the fairy's eyes. As soon as the witch made this eye contact, Farah felt the tension that came when someone tried to invade her mind. The fairy immediately shook her head slightly, unconsciously gesturing to try to get the other person's thoughts out of her head.

          - They were difficult. No control.

      Farah shook her head understandingly.

          - Can you set up a mental barrier between me and the outside world while I sleep?
          - Yes, we can.

      After confirming that Kea's magic had indeed worked, Farah lay back down again, sinking into an anxious slumber. In an unsuccessful attempt to recall his last sound sleep, Saul decided to follow his friend's example. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the witch return back to the table. She sat down across from the candle, her thoughts fully immersed in the burning flame.

      A loud clap made Farah and Saul jump from their beds almost simultaneously. Instinctively adopting a fighting stance, Silva looked around. Sleep had gone instantly for both of them.

         - Where is Kea? - Farah broke the silence.

      The witch wasn't here. Nor was the candle on the table.

         - Shit, - Saul cursed, wondering what might have been the source of the noise.

      He climbed the steps to the top of the stairs and lifted the lid of the shelter. A strong rush of wind hit him in the face at once. The cool, crisp scent beckoned him out of the stuffy, smoky dugout.

         - Agreed, - Farah nodded. - The mental barrier was gone. We have to get out of here. It's urgent.

      Quickly they gathered what they had and headed for the exit, wondering where they should run to next.

         - We shouldn't have trusted her, - Silva concluded. - I wouldn't be surprised if she's working for Rosalind.
         - Don't panic, Saul, - Farah stopped him. - She may be in as much danger as we are now. Come on. I'll see if I can find her.

      They walked deeper into the forest, hoping to find the witch by the still-burning candle they must have taken with them. There was total darkness and a brutal, bone-crushing cold all around. The breeze had seemed innocent at first, but now they wanted sharply to return to the waxy-smelling dugout.

         - Wait, - said Farah warily.
         - What is it?
         - I sense something is trying to get inside my head.

      A chill ran down their spines.

        - Ready to run?
        - Sure.

      Slowly, trying not to make too much noise, the friends began to retreat. Farah could feel someone's approach in her gut. Abruptly, as they turned and prepared to run, they were both startled by a voice calling their names. From behind them they noticed a dim light which seemed to be coming from the flames.

        - Kea?
        - No, it wasn't just Kea.

      When the fire was less than a meter away, Farah and Silva opened their eyes in surprise, unable to hide their joy. Standing in front of them were their students, Bloom, Stella, Musa, Terra and Aisha. A little behind them was Kea.

      - You seem to need our help.