Lock and Key.

“Alright everyone, listen up!” I say as I address the group. “We’ve got less than two hours before the rest of that village starts to wake up. Maybe four until they realise their leader is dead. We need to get to the next check point within that two-hour mark. You know the drill, pair up, stay hidden, stay quiet, move quickly. If you run into trouble, you signal, and your assistant team will respond if they’re able to come to your aid. Let’s move out!”

I watch as everyone picks up their bags of gear we had hidden in various shrubs, and I move to grab my own when a very large hand reaches over my shoulder to snatch it up. Mr happy go lucky throws it over his shoulder like it weighs nothing and puffs his chest out proudly.

“Newcomers always pair with us.” Jordan states as he grabs his bag beside us and I curse myself for making that rule.

“Great! Where are we headed?”

“To a checkpoint.” I clip out.

“How far is it?”

“A while.”

“I like a long walk.”

I spin on my feet and point my finger into his very hard chest. I quickly withdraw it when I feel a tingle and hold it against my own chest. “Look here chatterbox. If you want to come, you need to follow the rules. Stay hidden, stay quiet and move quickly. Got it?” He makes an imaginary zipper across his lips, locking it shut and then putting the imaginary key in my hand. His now brown eyes dancing with amusement. I silently huff and turn back to start the decent down the mountain face.

We hit the bottom of the mountain just in time, with two minutes to spare and no issues in-between. I’m surprised at how quiet the large shifter was. He followed every footstep I made, even though they would have been about half the size of his own.

The others should already be here, but I do need to check so when Jordan opens the hatch in the old sewer line, I waste no time climbing down to where a couple of our witches have lit up the area. There used to be a town of humans here hundreds of years ago, but they fled when the dragons took up residence on the top of the mountain, so thankfully, we have an empty line that covers us from sight and an easy way out of the area. Everyone knows the drill, they line up and I begin the count, getting all the way to 46 on Jordan. That’s when Dylan quickly touches my hand and seemingly ‘unlocks’ the zipper on his face and points to himself happily.

“Forty seven.”

I roll my eyes and reluctantly repeat, “forty-seven.”

“Have a drink and we’ll move down the line for another two hours before we stop for lunch and a rest.” I address everyone as they start to pull out their cups and bottles from their bags and line up in front of Susie to fill them. I point at Dylan to spin, and he crouches so I get out my bottle and take a quick sip, mentally scolding myself. I can’t be rude and deny someone a chance to drink. I hold out the bottle to Dylan who looks at it like I’ve just given him a bloody unicorn.

“Thank you doll!” He says happily taking it, drinking the entirety and lining up to have it refilled before he hands it back to me. I pop it back into the bag when he spins and crouches again and I tap it twice once I've zipped it back up, letting him know to stand. He does, waiting excitedly for everyone to finish what they're doing before we move off again.

“You know, this isn’t like some school field trip or whatever.” I say.

“No, it’s even better. It’s a journey, with my mate and her friends!”

“Family.”

“They’re your family?” He looks curiously at the different magic wielders.

“The only one I’ve got.” I shrug and start walking a head but he's quick to keep up with me.

"So...a fairy." 

Here we go, I think to myself.

"I thought fairies were meant to be, you know..." He makes a little pinching motion with his fingers.

"Yeah. We can be." 

"So you're like a shifter too. That's super cool!" 

"Yeah, super cool when you have a massive target on your back because you were born a certain way." I snap out. 

"How...how long have you...uh..." 

"Been hunted for?" I say blunt as ever and he nods. 

"I was six when it all started. My parents were the head of the original resistance and they kept me safe for a year until they were slaughtered." 

"So you were alone, at seven?" 

I sigh heavily, this guy really does love to talk. Jordan comes up behind us, walking next to Dylan. "Of course not. She pulled my ugly ass out from the grim reapers grip and we created this merry little band by searching around the world for others like us." 

"Wow." Dylan says thoughtfully. 

"Yup. She's pretty stubborn, wouldn't let me die." Jordan says jokingly and I decide that's the best time for me to slip into the back of the group and let those two chitter chatter amoungst themselves.