Sure enough, once she was through the stable, she immediately caught sight of Erica. The green fae looked much healthier for having spent a few hours planted and dozing, her damaged leaves shed and regrowing, but she’d insisted on uprooting herself early. She probably needed more time to herself, considering that she had her back propped against an apple tree nearby, but that wasn’t happening until she knew the rest were through this particular ordeal. The green fae greeted her with a slightly-sleepy smile, green-shadowed eyes half-closed.

Out of the darkness, both Des and JC appeared.

“No screaming so far,” JC said optimistically.

“We only got through the theoretical stuff, up as far as midnight-ish. Any chance one of you might feel reasonably okay with coming where they can see? We kinda could use some proof.”

“Proof helps,” JC said. Both fell briefly silent.

“Not Zach, Theo, Suze, or Ali,” JC said quietly. “Start with someone they have less connection to. Des will come.” She scritched affectionately behind Des’ ear. “Cute kitties are always good for breaking the ice.”

“Mmmeow,” Des said, nuzzling into JC’s hand. She retied her sarong to cover her small breasts, took a deep breath, and nodded. “Will be har’ if they ask things.”

“I’ll take care of it,” Kayla said, and laced her fingers through Des’. “I’m not going to let anything bad happen.”

Des nodded, and went with her back through the stable.

Kayla returned to her own blanket, but moved to the side so Des could sit beside her.

Four pairs of eyes fixed on the cat, wide and astonished.

“Do I actually need to tell you, still Des?” Kayla asked. “Honestly, even more Des. Like, the Des we know but ultra-saturated-above-maximum.”

“Mmme,” Des agreed. She inspected a golden-yellow nail-claw. “Been here mmoar than three weeks. All okay with change. Feels righ’.” Her ears went back. “Ki’nap, no’ feel righ’. Been afrai’ for you. No’ wan’ you never know why gone. Zach afrai’ you think he ran away.”

Heather rolled her eyes, distracted from her fascination. “Oh, of course he would, the bloody idiot. As though I would ever in a million years believe he’d just abandon me.”

“All afrai’ of many things. Jus’ each other. Ba’ guys wan’e’ us forge’ you. We remember.”

“Sorry?” Levi said.

“The bad guys,” Kayla said, “were giving everyone they kidnapped drugged food that was meant to keep them docile and start breaking down memories so they’d forget anything but being here. It didn’t work. Erica and JC, I gather, mostly identified that, and the lot of them were clever enough to keep themselves fed on fresh food without causing any suspicion. So they still have full memories. Which was a lot of the motivation for everything they did. They didn’t want us left in limbo forever, they didn’t want any other faelings kidnapped, and they wanted to come home. With, I might add, some fears about how their loved ones would react to them now being... different. They’re all unique.”

“Honestly,” Riley said, “faelings are pretty much always unique. There are too many factors that go into how that fae blood manifests. But they’re also descended from seven different types of fae. Which, even though I haven’t heard the whole story yet, would mean very different strengths and skills and abilities, although also weaknesses.”

“Like talking with half-feline hardware,” Kayla said, laying a hand over Des’. Des flashed her a smile, the deep yellow lining her eyes highlighting the way they crinkled. The cat curled up there, her head on Kayla’s leg, and Kayla obligingly scritched around her ears and stroked her hair. Des started to purr softly.

“That can’t happen,” Wade said, a bit weakly. “Human and feline are too different.”

“Not for a full-blood cat fae,” Riley said. “Fae make their own rules.” She considered that. “In my experience, so do other cats.”

“Okay,” Max said, after a deep breath. “I care less what Theo is than how he is, but I would like answers to both.”

“They’re all good,” Kayla said. “That was more or less the first thing Theo told me and kept insisting that I understand. The kidnapping bit was bad beyond words. The faeling bit is not bad. Potentially inconvenient, and they’re all hoping like hell that you can learn to accept it, but they are them. Really, deeply, genuinely, beautifully them.”

“Most faelings,” Riley said gently, “can learn to change back to their human form for at least short periods, with practice. But it doesn’t go away. Trying to is incredibly destructive. I know of a house fae, all her drives were towards looking after her home and her family. Her husband had some issues with her fae form, so she struggled to spend every moment she could in her human form and to be the perfect wife. Honestly, if you want a homemaker, a house fae is probably second to none. But house fae under stress can be... destructive. She didn’t even realize that she was slipping small amounts of poison into meals and doing small acts of vandalism that increased the chances of household accidents, and when she was caught, she was horrified. She’s now living with an older house fae and his family, but it was brutally hard all around for a while. A green fae who tried more or less the same, green fae are associated with plants and trees, that one broke and bolted into the forest and basically turned herself into a tree. My family know where she is and we protect her but she’s showing zero indication of wanting to come back to human life at all. Faelings are not normally dangerous to be around—but that changes if they’re feeling cornered into not being who and what they are.”

Max met Kayla’s gaze. “Yeah, that’s always destructive to the point of abusive, doing that to anyone over anything.”

“As near as I can tell,” Kayla said, “and correct me if I’ve got this wrong, Des, it feels from their side like a natural evolution. Unsettling and confusing, badly complicated by the rest of the situation, but basically just something that feels like it was supposed to happen.” Well, except Zach’s issues with gender, which were looking precariously close to a unique variation on dysphoria, but that was something to investigate in more depth and unravel later.

“Mmhmm,” Des said. “Evolution.”

“All right,” Heather said. “We have people with fae genes that, when they become active, trigger some very... startling transformations that nonetheless feel comfortable and right from inside. We have bad wizards and a bad medium and their hired staff, who have been kidnapping people with active fae genes and bringing them here and trying to make them forget everything. We have Riley finding Kayla because she was hired by the old lady’s grand-daughter, and somehow Kay was involved in helping to end this nightmare. I would like to know what happened between the kidnapping bit and the solution bit.”

Des’ ears went back, her lazy purr stopped, and her tail thumped the blanket. “No’ nee’ know. No’ ma’er nao.”

“If I knew, I’d tell you,” Kayla said. “I’m putting together a few bits and pieces, but nowhere near all of it. I can tell you that the solution was brilliant. The bad guys weren’t expecting a rebellion, and they took out the four hired goons, one at a time, then the old wizard, then turned the last two against each other because it was the only way I could get this.” She tapped the gold bracelet. “Which is what they were waiting for, because this thing has way too much power over those.” She reached over Des to point to the cuff around one wrist. “Which I’m hoping our experts can remove eventually.”

“We will,” Niko said. “Just not sure when.”

“Making sure that went to Kayla was the reason to act?” Riley said. “I had every intention of returning with Arctos. It was obvious that something was very wrong.”

Des’ ears flattened even more. “Ha’ no choice. Pounce or all gone.”

“All gone?”

“They were preparing a magical nuke of some kind,” JC said quietly from the doorway of the stable, half in shadow. “They knew they were caught and they panicked. Isabel and Nestor and Phrixos were going to run with anything they couldn’t replace and sterilize the whole island. Everything dead, even their own henchmen.”

Riley sat bolt upright. “They were what?”

“And that fucking sounds like Phrixos,” Niko muttered.

Kayla held out a hand. “C’mon,” she said gently. “Nobody’s going to bite, Jace. Maybe you can fill in the bits that we’re missing?”

“Would rather not,” JC said, not moving. “Kidnapped. Collars that gave us nasty pain for talking out loud. Midway form, still basically human but faster, stronger, healthier. All female, that was a shock. Doing housework and chores. Getting harassed by the henchmen. Avoiding the drugged food that was supposed to make us forget. We adapted. We looked out for each other. We reached full fae. That was a shock too. We adapted to that and we made plans. We got to use the plan with the possible happy ending. We wanted to go home. We wanted to make sure you weren’t left wondering with no closure. We wanted to make sure that this whole sick research project ended with us. So far, we mostly have what we wanted. The rest depends a lot on you. How we got from there to here doesn’t really matter and talking about it isn’t going to be comfortable. Not starved, chained, tortured, raped, whatever. All a bit broken, but okay.” That velvet voice hardened. “It was made very clear that to them, faeling lives have no value at all, that it was okay to treat us like animals. But it’s over, and we don’t want to talk about it.”

“No’ animals,” Des growled.

“Of course not!” Riley said vehemently. “A trio of paranoid psychopathic bigots don’t speak for the rest of the world!”

“Speaking of whom,” Levi said. “Where exactly are they now?”

“In cells,” Riley said. “A very powerful wizard called Arctos is willing to help out the mediums in my family as long as we don’t abuse the privilege. He hacked the Gate to get us here, and is helping in other ways. He took our prisoners to his own island, his own little reality bubble, to keep them safely confined. There will be a hearing, but first we need to know the full extent of what they did and who else might be involved, and track down the one of the bunch who managed to escape. They’re not going anywhere, and they will not get just a slap on the wrist.”

“I should hope not,” Heather said. “Not after kidnapping seven people.” She frowned. “No, there are more, aren’t there? You said something about that.”

“Yeah,” Kayla said. “Best estimate, there’s in the ballpark of a hundred faelings on this island. Their ability to remember their human lives varies right down to ‘none at all’ and they’re many different kinds.”

“Oh my god. That’s horrible!”

“There were more,” JC said. “We don’t know how many have died. We think they’ve been active about a year and a half real-world. Possibly twenty years or so local time.”

Kayla sighed. “Some of the faelings here have experienced this as literally a decade or more trapped here?” She thought Callie had said something about being here for around five years, or something like that, but she’d had a lot to process and it hadn’t quite registered.

“Yes,” Des said. “No’ many.”

“Not many that old?”

“Some faelings are aggressive,” JC said. “Towards humans or other faelings or everyone. Or became aggressive after long enough. If they killed henchmen, Phrixos took them. They didn’t come back. Not sure about killing other faelings. Probably okay, at least mostly.”

“Phrixos took them,” Niko muttered. “Of course he did.”

“Fine,” Max said. “Bad guys were war-crimes-level bad but are taken care of for the time being, we have a whole lot of highly vulnerable people who have been imprisoned for potentially years, we’re outside the real world and very little time is passing at home. I can’t see JC clearly, but I’m only going with that being JC at all because of Kayla saying... his? her?... name. Des is... several steps beyond startling, but gorgeous and... I can kinda see what you mean, about being more intensely... himself? Her? What pronouns, guys?”

“Herrrr is fine for me,” Des said with a yawn. “No’ care which, really. Theo an’ Jace also. No’ Zach, only him.”

“No surprise,” Heather murmured. “As far as Zach, at least.”

Des shrugged. “Evolution. An’ thank you.” She rolled over onto all fours and stretched, showing off, then flopped back down to lean on Kayla again, the purr creeping back into audible range.

“Is there anything else we really need to hear right now?” Levi asked. “I want to see Suze.”

“Jace?” Kayla said.

“All are scared,” JC said. “Want to be with you. Miss you very badly. But scared of reactions in case you can’t accept.”

Max rolled his eyes. “Theo should know better.”

“They all should,” Heather said. “But being afraid is understandable.”

“Some of us look stranger than others,” JC said, and took a few steps forward, far enough to be clearly visible under the light above the door. “I’m a house fae. Somehow that and my personality and my experiences and influences created this. Des’ created an adorable lap-cat. Erica is a green fae. She can’t talk because she isn’t breathing, she’s photosynthesizing. Theo is a water fae, needs to be in the water as much as possible. Zach’s a dragon, Alison is a sort-of unicorn, and Suzi is a will-o’-the-wisp.”

“What’s a will-o’-the-wisp?” Levi asked.

“Looks sorta like a cliche fairy,” Kayla said. “Very thin, probably a little under five feet, butterfly wings, glowy skin that is really hard to look away from.”

“Catch, Levi,” Riley said, and tossed him a pair of black-framed glasses. Sunglasses, Kayla saw as he opened them, with vividly pink lenses and a gold symbol of some sort on each broad arm. “Those will be some protection from any sort of vision-based effects, including incidental wisp fascination. Don’t count on them too heavily, fae abilities are hard to completely block, but they should help minimize accidents.”

“Would’ve been handy earlier,” Kayla said. “Seriously, Levi, I’d put them on and wear them any time Suze is around. Now. In the interests of keeping anyone from feeling like they’re in a parade or on display... let’s do this. Humour me, please. Max, go over by the stream, would you? Down a bit further that way?” She gestured. “Wade, maybe farther out, over that way? Not, like, to the fence, just a bit? Heather, Levi... yeah, you’ve got the idea.” She watched them spread out. “Okay. Either turn your back to the stable door or close your eyes. No cheating.” She raised her voice. “Guys? C’mere, please. It’s safe. I promise.”

Des sat up and looked towards the stable door, with a trilled purring sound of welcome. JC reached back to catch Suzi’s hand, and escorted her over towards Levi. Alison’s hooves were nearly silent on the soft grass as she made her way towards Wade—though there was some hesitation there. Theo, long hair dripping wet around her, strode directly towards Max, apparently confident, but Kayla saw her stop just before she was in reach, take a deep breath, and look towards Des. Des gave her an encouraging nod.

Kayla wanted to go to them, but of more immediate concern was Zach, who had frozen only a short distance outside the stable. Erica laid a hand on his shoulder, obviously in an attempt to be reassuring, but Zach shook his head and retreated a couple of steps, arms wrapped around himself.

Kayla took a last look at Theo and Max, then left them to sort it out, and headed for Zach at a fast walk.

“Heather’s waiting,” she prompted.

“I don’t... I’m not sure I can.” Zach was visibly breathing hard and fast, and those lilac eyes held something edging towards panic. Erica gave Kayla a pleading look.

“I know,” Kayla said gently. “Come on. I’m right here. Give me your hand.”

“But...”

“Zach. I know. It’s scary as fuck. There was a day that was the first time I ever went out in public as a girl, y’know. And a day I first let even my best friend see me as myself, before that. You can do this.” She caught hold of Zach’s hand, ignoring the sleek scales across the back of it. “Heather’s waiting. She’s been scared for you. She needs you.”

“I... yeah. You’re right.” But his hand clenched around hers tightly enough to hurt.

Kayla ignored that, too. She urged him in Heather’s direction. If Zach had genuinely dug in and refused to move, Kayla knew quite well that she couldn’t have forced him. As it was, she had to pull him into motion a couple of times, but he did let her.

“With the relationship you two have,” she said when they were close to Heather, “you don’t need me involved. Not gonna say it’s the easy part of all this, ‘cause it’s not, it never is, but after everything else, you’ve got this.”

“Zach?” Heather said, her eyes still dutifully closed, though she reached out a hand in the direction of Kayla’s voice. “I really need a hug.”

Zach hesitated. “You might not like it,” he said finally, his voice low.

“It’s you. Of course I will. Zach, the only monsters around here are the ones that decided to ruin countless lives and take you away from me.”

Kayla stayed where she was until Zach let go of her hand and took another step towards Heather. How much this was hurting both of them only fed her rage against the monsters in question. She caught Zach’s eye, jerked her head in Heather’s direction, and backed up a few steps. Heather could handle this bit, she was sure.