Zach fidgeted, waiting near the Gate. Alison stood calmly next to the wagon; Des was combing her fingers through her fur, smoothing it; Suzi practiced increasing her weight enough to walk. JC’s immobility, near the smaller cart Gord had dragged around alone before having Alison available, would probably have been eerie, were Zach not used to it. The warm early-afternoon sun felt good, and he wasn’t the only one enjoying it, but the resultant energy when combined with his emotional state left him distinctly twitchy.

Theo, reluctantly, had stayed behind, because no stream ran towards the Gate—Niko had promised to look into adding several more watery paths, including that one. Erica’s unwillingness to leave her brother and grandfather unprotected was understandable, and they’d agreed universally that she should stay.

That left Emma currently in charge of the new kitchen, with the fox trio helping her with more enthusiasm than skill, and the Spanish trio and the wisp consort were helping Theo manage bounty trades at the house, while Niko took a well-deserved nap.

He knew they needed to delegate. He knew that it was good for their volunteers to feel like they were an active and important part of the changing system—he’d seen that kind of thing over and over with his kids. Giving them agency and value was crucial to getting their feet back under them. He knew that the island belonged, really, to everyone on it, not to him and his friends.

But he still couldn’t help twitching.

“There they are!” Kayla called.

Des abandoned grooming and caught Suzi’s hand; Zach went with them into the Gate enclosure.

Before the Gate had even entirely cleared, he heard Heather’s voice. “Zach! Pull this through!” She pushed a collapsible metal-framed canvas wagon up to the edge so the handle extended across.

Zach darted in to grab it and pull it hastily out of the way; Kayla, more deliberately, pulled the second one through when Max gave it a push, and then shoved it behind her for Des to pass back and seized a third that looked quite different. Heather crossed pulling a more battered wagon otherwise much like the first pair, with the strap of an oversized red-trimmed grey duffel bag on one shoulder, dragging a matching black-trimmed teal one with her other hand. Zach left Des to push that wagon out of the enclosure to the others, and hastened to take both bags; Heather gave him a weary smile of thanks, but didn’t slow down. “Have to make room for the others fast,” she said, by way of explanation.

That was followed by Levi with the two dogs on leashes held in one hand, a mid-sized red suitcase drawn on its wheels with the other, a heavy-looking grey-and-green hiking pack on his back; Kayla relieved him of the suitcase, at least. Behind him came Max with a pair of soft-sided pet carriers in his hands, and the long strap of a large flat-bottomed nylon gym bag over each shoulder, one tan, one dark grey. Des dove in to retrieve the cats, who were making their displeasure very clear, allowing Max to let the bags slide down to his hands before he followed Heather. Wade joined them with a large bright-yellow backpack and several reusable shopping bags.

Finally Riley stepped through, and the Gate closed.

“Lots of gear,” Kayla observed. “Ali brought the big wagon, it’s just outside, and there’s a smaller cart as well. The little wagons were a good idea.”

“Ours,” Heather said. “Three of them, anyway. Useful for various events with the kids, or for a day out at the conservation area with lunch and all. With our own clothes and the things we were asked to get and a few useful odds and ends and everything for the cats and dogs, it added up to a lot, and we didn’t want to wear Riley out. She’s already looking tired.”

“The red one’s ours,” Levi said. “Same idea, handy for dog events. We got the idea from Zach and Heather ages ago. Anything to make it a bit faster.”

“I need to open the Gate from here to Nora’s house,” Riley said. “But I need time to recover. She’ll have a huge amount of groceries and essentials, so I’d really appreciate as much help as possible on that one. But she’ll be fine for a few minutes there. Please be careful. My mice are in one of the wagons.”

“Good,” Kayla said briskly. “Everything you can get into the big wagon and the little cart, do that. If there’s anything to go in the small wagons still, let our faelings here pull them. They’re in better shape for that. And, obviously, the cats and mice being comfortable is the first priority—maybe they can just be carried by anyone with free hands? Okay? C’mon, everything in.”

Zach and the others helped rapidly with getting the wagon packed, putting suitcases on the bottom, other bags on top, the mice securely wedged on top of that since the big wagon had suspension the others lacked.

“No’ sure leaving mice alone is goo’,” Des said. “Maybe leave with Paz or in co’age with someone.”

“Niko has cottages done for everyone,” Kayla said. “Max’s is a given with the water, and mine’s beside that, the cats are going there. We just sort of continued on around and your respective other halves chose cottages, then Niko changed them all to the appropriate colour scheme to make it easier to remember. Y’know, mine’s yellow ‘cause of Des and the cats, Niko’s is red for Jace, Max’s is aqua, and so on. Riley, yours is currently walnut, and Nora’s is limestone, because we had to pick something. You can ask him for other changes later if you want. How about you all go to your own homes, and we’ll do the rounds to deliver belongings?”

There was enough that the shopping bags had to go on the smaller cart, and a couple of remaining bags went in one sturdy collapsible wagon.

“The mice can stay with me for now,” Heather said. “I don’t expect to go far and there won’t be dogs or cats.”

Thanks,” Riley said, then added ruefully, “If I go far, I might not make it back.”

“I could give you a ride here in the wagon,” Alison said. “Although I can’t right now, obviously.”

Since Alison had the big wagon, JC the smaller cart, Des her cats, Suzi was getting reacquainted with her exuberantly-delighted dogs, and their human loved ones were obviously exhausted, Zach took the remaining wagon.

“I would normally never suggest anyone stay here alone,” JC said. “But if you think you’ll be safe for a little while, I’ll arrange for someone to bring you something to eat, at least. We’ll get things distributed as quickly as we can and come back to help. Once Nora’s back, Ali can get you to your cottage in no time, it isn’t all that far away, and then we’ll take care of the groceries and all.”

“I’ll stay with her,” Kayla said. “And no arguing. We’re inside the walls and you won’t be long.” She looked thoughtful. “Riley? Can you make it a short distance to a place that would be comfortable and out of sight?”

“Yes,” Riley said. “I’m not dead, just tired.” The medium was clearly trying not to show the full extent of her fatigue, but it was there, in the slight slump of her shoulders and the subtle bowing of her posture, the body language that was just a little slower and more deliberate, the reduced energy in her voice. Zach could see signs of that in all the humans, but worst in Riley. Even her body temperature was a little cooler than the others.

“Cool. We’ll go to the gazebo Erica found. We’ll be a lot less visible there. Ali knows where.”

“An’ me,” Des said.

“That’s a good place,” Alison said. “It’s out of the way and it’s unlikely anyone would come across you.” Des nodded agreement.

Zach wanted to hiss, but couldn’t, really. The presence of faelings delivering bounties had crested and was slowing down. And if Ali and Des recognized the spot, though he didn’t, and approved of it, then probably it would be tolerable.

“Did everything go okay with Erica’s family?” Riley asked. “I’m sorry for leaving you to do it alone.”

“All good,” Alison said.

“They’re still here,” Kayla said. “Well, obviously, but planning to stay. Fussing over some of the gardens. They seem to have opinions about the way the previous groundskeeper handled things. Apparently he was not taking full advantage of the local conditions, or something. It turns out that the cottages also have a template option for a two-bedroom version and they decided they’d rather share. All good. A little weird, since her grandfather has been seeing and interacting with fae his whole life and he refused to leave the farm where he was born even after his wife died, but all good anyway.”

“Oh! That explains some things. He must have very recent fae blood, though. Green fae, growing up human... hm, a grandparent’s parent or grandparent would be my guess.”

“I’ll give you more of a rundown once we’re sitting down. The rest of you, off you go. Get settled into your new homes for the next month.” She beckoned to Riley. “C’mon. You can have some really tasty grapes while we’re waiting for something more substantial.”

“I can’t say I’d mind a chance to rest either,” Heather said, lacing her fingers through those of Zach’s free hand. “The adrenaline is wearing off fast and once that catches up, well... no sleep overnight, passing out for a couple of restless hours on the couch while Max was at our place, and the nap here on the ground, it’s just not enough.”

“Comfy bed waiting,” Zach said. “Once the rest is done I’ll come if you want.”

“Of course I want. But I know you have things to do. I’d offer to help but...”

“Don’t need to. We’ve got it.”

*Hey, Theo,* Alison said. *On our way to Kay’s house.*

The dogs were well-behaved, not pulling on the leashes, but Zach could see them watching everything, eyes bright, ears forward, tails high. They wanted to explore, and only their obedience restrained them.

Riley and Niko’s cottages were the closest to the Gate. Riley’s would mean going away from the others, so they left her bags in the wagon for the moment. There was nothing to drop off as they passed Niko’s cottage, now red glass, since the only thing JC had wanted was her recipe binder and that would be more useful in the kitchen, so they went on around to Kayla’s yellow glass cottage.

When Niko had finished the last of the cottages and common buildings, it had offered him the option of adding paths linking them, so there were now broad broken-stone paths in a pale beige network, linking the buildings without disrupting the atmosphere. It was going to make navigation a lot easier for those not used to the island. For that matter, it would make it easier to use the collapsible wagons.

The pool of water outside Kayla’s lemon-yellow cottage, the size of a kid’s plastic pool but deeper, led into a shallow stream along the side of the path—enough for Theo to walk along comfortably with water up to mid-calf, and she could pause to splash herself further if necessary. A second stream followed the edge of the path that ran inward, towards the nearest of the common buildings. The kitchen, in fact.

Des stopped at Kayla’s cottage to get the cats settled inside.

“Litter box, litter, bowls, toys, a couple of blankets with familiar smells, and all the food and treats I could find,” Max said, rummaging on the wagons. JC let go of the smaller cart to take bags from him. “Somewhere in there is your box of origami stuff. Also some things for Kay in that black gym bag and the blue backpack. Should be everything. Let me get my stuff and Theo’s in our place, and I’ll come cat-sit for a bit while you’re doing other stuff, ‘kay? Just give me a few.”

Des nodded gratefully, holding the door open with one hip while JC and Max brought everything inside. “Thanks. No’ wan’ them alone.”

“No worries. And Kay won’t mind if I accidentally fall asleep on her couch. One of them. Okay, that’s everything. Onward. I assume Theo’s swimming?”

“Should be waiting at your place,” Alison said.

“Cool. Does mine now have a neat pool like that?”

“Yes. Niko’s working hard to make sure everyone will be comfortable.”

“Must remember to thank him.”

Theo was indeed waiting at Max’s sky-blue glass cottage, sitting with her feet in the pool, but she scrambled up as soon as she saw them and ran to Max for a kiss.

“We need to go cat-sit,” Max said.

“Okay. Des is more use running around than I am.”

They unloaded Max’s things, and also a black single-strap laptop backpack and a black nylon bag of similar size other than being at least twice as thick. Theo’s expression immediately brightened when he saw those.

“Oh, yes! Laptop, speakers... Dance party by the fountain, as soon as we’re all awake enough!”

“That should be interesting,” Suzi giggled.

“Just put it down for now,” Max said. “Cats first.”

Heather’s lilac-purple glass cottage was next. She had the matching oversized duffel bags they’d bought for camping and other trips with the kids, hers black-trimmed teal, his red-trimmed grey, and a couple more bags as well, plus his basketball in a net bag. Suzi set the mouse cage on the vanity table in the bedroom, then left them alone.

“Pretty colour, but I’m going to lose you in here,” she told Zach, surveying the interior and its many shades of violet. “Go. I’m going to clean up a bit and lie down. I’ll probably be asleep when you get back. Don’t do anything stupid, just come join me.” She stole a kiss. “But responsibility first.”

Zach nodded. He wanted to wrap arms and tail around her tightly and never let go. He wanted her safe and happy in the real world without any of this to deal with. Neither was happening. “Soon as I can.”

Wade’s deep blue glass was close in colour to Alison’s ultramarine. They unloaded his bright-yellow hiking backpack and a smaller blue bag there.

“I’ll be back when I can,” Alison said apologetically. “I can pull the wagon the most easily.”

Wade nodded. Zach’s forehead furrowed as he watched the sleep tech hesitate for a heartbeat, muscles tightening across his shoulders, before he stepped closer for a quick kiss. “Yeah, I understand. Working together makes it easier. I’ll be here.”

Odd. But then, it would be a shock, his tomboyish girlfriend who had been shorter than him and had minimal body fat, now considerably taller and all curves—to say nothing of being strong enough to lift him off the ground easily. Probably just that. This was, after all, a lot to deal with, and not everyone could focus on priorities the way Heather and, apparently, Max and Levi did. It was improbable enough that none of their loved ones had simply noped out of the whole situation.

Levi’s rose-pink cottage was as close as possible to the stable and pasture, so they could let the dogs run around there. That mostly emptied the wagon and cart, leaving only Riley’s things.

“Stay here,” JC told Suzi gently. “Hug the dogs. Take them to the pasture for a quick run before Levi falls over for a nap. We can tackle whatever Nora has for us. You’re needed here.”

Suzi hesitated. “I can lift things. You know that. It’s not like I’m weak.”

“Your family needs you,” Zach said. “It’ll be fine. We’ll get Erica to come help on the second run.”

“Um. Okay. If you’re sure.”