Aggie awoke with a wince as the bruises on her sides gave her a sadistic morning call. She sat up slowly, brushed the straw out of her hair, and stared around at her surroundings that had become the norm. With the back of her hand she wiped the drippings from her nose that had begun as the close of Summer had lead into chilly mornings and nights-, she knew she wasn’t in tip top shape to begin with either.

“You know Ines, if I set fire to the ship while we’re out at sea at least we’d all die warm.” Aggie called over to her friend who shivered and coughed as she slowly sat up.

The Lady cringed at the sight of the sick Fey woman whom she had formed a deep attachment to during her time on the ship.

“That does sound q-quite lovely at this time.” Ines’ teeth were already chattering as she slowly drew her knees up to her chest for warmth.

“Oh don’t be a ninny. Come here.” Aggie scooted over to the bars and held her arms out through them.

Ines smiled weakly, her white teeth a startling comparison against her gray complexion, and slightly red eyes.

The Fey woman crawled over to Aggie’s side of the cell, and leaned against the bars. Allowing the Lady to stroke her head and rub her arms for warmth.

“I w-wish I could’ve told me sisters t-that I got to meet a B-Beatha. They’d be green with envy.” Aggie leaned close to the bars, wishing she had any ounce of healing power in her that could ease her friend’s suffering.

“Then they’d meet me and my fucking foul mouth, and decide humans are too far beneath them to care.”

Ines shivered as she laughed. Her laughter had changed over the recent two weeks from its original tinkling sound to a rasp that made her lungs rattle.

“Wish I-I could’ve told those ungrateful bitches I loved t-them.” She chuckled and coughed.

“Dear Ines, you hardly ever swear, no need to lower yourself to my level.”

Ines was beginning to laugh again when the unmistakable sounds of footfalls coming down towards them could be heard.

Aggie lifted her head away from Ines weakly. She had been staving off sickness herself, but it seemed it would win the war against her. There was no denying the weakness and fever she had been feeling for the past few days, but didn’t want to mention it and burden Ines. Or to give her reason to refuse the extra food Aggie had pressed on her.

The saving grace had been that since the last port, there hadn't been any brawls just for the crew like there had been in the beginning.

“‘Right ye’ disgustin’ lot, come get yer food here.” The call of the crewmate named Ian appeared in front of the prisoners, a thick red woolen cap covering his head.

Aggie slowly released Ines, stood, and made her way to the bar doors.

“Fuckin’ fish barrells Baller, ye’ look like hell.”

“Your hospitality does wonders for us all.” She muttered as she accepted the half loaf of bread through the bars.

“The Cap’n will get everyone some blankets for the night. Though as of tomorro’ we’ll be on dry land in the South Kingdom where its warm.”

Aggie stiffened. The next port was the second last port before the Captain intended to hand her off to Sean O’Farrell.

“What port is it?” She asked her gaze sharpening.

“It’s a secret, Lady.” Ian taunted, though he sounded only mildly amused. There was something on his face akin to pity when he stared at her.

“Why the fuck are you looking at me like that?” Aggie demanded, her voice hardening as she leaned her head against the cell bars, and watched as Ian walked down the row of prisoners handing them their food.

“Just wonderin’ if ye’ll have the same fight in ye’ to run away from that Duke o’ yours again.”

“I wouldn’t worry your empty brain cavity about it.” The Lady drawled idly dabbing at a droplet of sweat that began to roll down her temple.

When Ian returned before her, he didn’t look angry as he normally when she taunted him, but instead he seemed pensive on something.

“If I didn’t know you better, I would say you were thinking.” Aggie closed her eyes slowly before opening them back up.

“I’m thinkin’ you don’t seem like ye’ll be givin’ us a good fight lookin’ like ye’ll die the same day as yer Fey bitch.”

Ian wasn’t prepared for the hand that snaked out like lightening between the bars, and yanked him so hard that his head cracked the iron cell with a clang.

The other prisoners let out a mixture of weary cheers and groans- they too were becoming sick and weary, and even the sight of one of their oppressors being harassed wasn’t enough to rouse them properly.

After Ian yelped in a mixture of both pain and surprise, he slowly opened his eyes to stare at the glassy bloodshot gaze of Agnes Beatha. Despite looking gaunt and fevered, there was still the undeniable spark in her.

“What did I say about insulting Ines?”

Before he could reply, 2 other crewman pounded down the stairs to the prisoners deck.

Ian easily wrenched himself free from her weakened grasp, but Aggie stayed leaning against the bars staring at him intently. The 2 crewman immediately began opening her door, but even then she didn’t budge from her spot despite knowing what was coming.

“Hold it ye lot!” Ian hollered his eyes darting wildly between the Lady and the men approaching her.

Aggie ticked an eyebrow up in amusement as the unmistakable footfalls of Captain James Murphy descended the steps.

“What is going on here?” The Captain demanded, his voice icy.

Ever since he and Aggie had shared a meal, she had barely gotten a glimpse of him aside from when he would introduce her to the seedy cheering crowd of a new port. She had pondered their conversation over hundreds of times, and had a few theories about the Captain, but hadn’t had a chance to test out any of her musings.

“Cap’n, with all due respect, I think we’ll be sendin’ this one to an early grave at this rate.” Ian nodded at Aggie’s gray sweaty complexion.

“Ian, you know to threaten the Fey woman as punishment to her. It is far more effective.” As the Captain spoke he regarded Aggie with a small measure of concern at the state of his cash cow.

The men all wore grins that made Aggie’s stomach churn as they shared a humored glance between themselves, then began craning their necks to catch a glimpse of Ines.

“I can’t wait to tell Arlen about you.”

Aggie watched triumphantly as the Captain’s face drained of color.

“Another word from you Beatha, and I will personally guard you while my crew-”

“Swear that your crew will leave Ines in peace until she passes, and I will do anything you want.”

Aggie didn’t want any more threats or violence for Ines. She only wanted her to have a few days of rest, and peace- some measure of dignity to a nearing end, that even Aggie in all of her former optimism wouldn’t have been able to deny.

The Lady blinked several times as she waited for the Captain to answer her. Her vision was beginning to blur, and she suddenly felt cold despite the sweat matting her brow.

“Beatha?” She heard the Captain call, his voice hard.

Had he said something before?

Aggie squinted, then opened her mouth to speak, but felt her body slowly start to weaken, and her vision began to be compromised by colored spots.

“How long has she been-”

Aggie didn’t hear the rest of what the Captain was saying, before she felt herself fall into a darkness she couldn’t fight off.

***

The Minkies Queen breathed in the scent of her mate deeply before pulling away from their embrace. She had awoken that morning calling for her children, until she had realized they couldn’t hear her. Knowing that she may not get to stare into their faces for another month at least, made her heart ache in such a way, that Keynan wasted no time in wrapping her in his embrace.

“We’ve crossed the border now love. Soon, we will reach our Southern home, and at the very least, you can enjoy a bath.” Keynan teased lightly, trying to take the Queen’s mind off of their little ones, though he too was having difficulty not worrying.

“Do you think the Servicer’s are still in the King’s Settlement?” The Queen picked up her compacted spear and began cleaning the dirt out of its silvery designs.

“They have probably raised some attention after our last encounter with them near the King’s own front step. With any luck, we still have a day ahead of them."

The Queen nodded, and cast a look over at Arlen whom was still asleep with a deep scowl on his unconscious face.

“It was a good plan of his to travel straight through the Settlement to save time and delay them. Even if it did risk exposure.” The Queen bent her neck to the left then the right and released 2 satisfying cracks.

Keynan grunted in agreement as he stared at Arlen’s tense sleeping form.

“His Lady is taking a lot of violence. I worry what this experience has done to her mind.”

“She will never be the same, of that I am sure. Sadly, we won’t know how far gone she is until we find her.”

Jed reappeared at the edge of their campsite carrying an armful of dried pinewood they would use for their brief breakfast fire.

“Any sign of the Servicers?” The Queen asked as she leaned back on her sleeping mat.

“Everything is quiet on that front thankfully. Though, I have heard other travelers near us. If we cross paths with them, I recommend we resume silence, as they seem to be doing nothing but arguing.”

The Queen and Keynan shared a sigh, and as they did so, Arlen slowly stirred from his sleep.

“How did you sleep Servicer?”

He grunted.

“She's sick.” He sat up with a wince, but continued to rise as he always did. Now accustomed to the pains and aches his Lady was feeling, Arlen became more grim by the day.

“We will be with her the night after next, and we can tend to her to the best of our abilities.” The Queen remarked confidently as she too stood.

Arlen didn’t say anything as he set to packing up the gear, and chewing on a chunk of bread they had bought at the last village they had passed through.

Once they had put out the fire and had their gear ready to go, they broke away from the bush and onto the path that would lead them to the household where the Minkies Queen held land that was being maintained by a housekeeping manager.

They had been walking in silence until nearly noon, when the unmistakable voices of arguing travellers reached their ears.

They pressed on in silence, until a group crashed in front of them from the brush nearby.

“Ah, fellow travelers! Would you mind telling us the location of the Keep of- Quib!”

Arlen had been keeping his gaze cast to the ground, but his eyes snapped up, and in the nick of time, saw a ball of spikes careening towards him. He barely managed to dodge the excited quills rushing him, when a large presence filled his vision.

Without thinking, Arlen drew his sword and backed up hastily. When he finally got a proper glimpse of the being in front of him, his jaw dropped.

“Some way to greet your teacher.” Tork grumbled with a smile as he then signaled two people behind him who drew their weapons.

“Tork! What in the world- Never mind, what are you-”

The sound of steel clanging behind Tork’s mass rang out into the forest.

Before Tork could say anything more to Arlen, the Servicer blurred in front of him and disappeared around him.

By the time the Beast Awares turned around, Arlen was already standing in line with the Minkies against the assailants.

“HOLD ON A MINUTE!” Tork roared as he took lumbering steps towards the group.

“Could someone please explain what is happening?!” Arlen demanded as he faced off against the man and woman whom looked…

“Bonnie? Declan?” Arlen felt his weary mind grow blank. The Innkeepers he and Aggie had met after their escape stood before him. Bonnie’s claws were fully extended, and Declan’s sword as poised ready to strike in the air.

“It would seem Servicer, we all have some catching up to do.” Tork grunted towards the Minkies whom all had their weapons drawn and ready to strike.

“It would seem so.” Arlen replied, his eyes darting between all 3 of them.

“You first Servicer. Where is Lady Beatha?” Declan barked his eyes flitting to the Minkies warily.

Arlen sighed, but answered looking at Tork as though he had been the one to pose the question.

“Captain James Murphy took her 2 months ago, and we haven’t been able to track her down. We finally figured out where he would be and are going to rescue her.”

“I thought these bloody Minkies kidnapped you two.” Tork growled his eyes fixating on Keynan.

“Yes… and no. It’s… complicated. They are helping me find her.” Arlen finished awkwardly. He had no idea where to even begin in his explanation of the Minkies, so he decided to add on;

“We also have a couple of Servicers sent by the Ruling Family after me. Now your turn.”

“I’d like him to go back to that last point!” Declan called over his shoulder to Tork, the note of panic in his voice unmistakable.

“Yes Arlen, we will need you to explain yourself better about those Servicers, but Bonnie and Declan are here because they caught wind of where the Thief of Souls was hiding, but now that he knows they have this knowledge, he is already seeking them out. They came to join me in my search for you two to evade discovery, and to not go bankrupt from unceremoniously closing the Inn for a prolonged period of time.”

“How did they find out where the Thief of Souls was?” It was Jed who asked the question, and Declan twitched in surprise at hearing the Minkies man speak.

“It’s complicated.” He answered evenly turning his gaze back to Arlen.

“Could we put the weapons down?” Arlen asked looking at Tork calmly.

The Beast Awares studied Arlen for a moment before giving a short nod to Declan and Bonnie, whom returned the gesture in unison.

“So why did the Captain of the Southern Kingdom steal away Beatha?” Tork grunted as he slowly joined the group.

“The bounty.”

“Why hasn’t he simply returned her for the reward if he has had her all this time?” Tork demanded irritably.

“We don’t know yet.”

Tork threw up his hands in frustration.

Arlen studied the Beast Awares carefully…

He looked tired, and scruffy, with a shadow of black hair under his chin, and several haggard bags under his eyes.

“She isn’t doing well though Tork. With my connection with her, I can tell you she’s been receiving a lot of physical abuse.”

The flash of anger in Tork’s eyes satisfied Arlen. The Minkies tended to have a calm acceptance of violence that irked him greatly.

“You’re picking her up the night after this?” He asked, obviously trying to maintain his composure.

“Yes. We have to break in to the Southern Prince’s summer home.” Arlen explained shortly, well aware that Bonnie and Declan were witnessing their quick volleying conversation with puzzled expressions.

Tork frowned. “What summer home?”

Arlen sighed.

There was a lot of explaining to get through.

*

When Aggie awoke she recognized the Captain’s cabin immediately, and she sat up a little too quickly as a result. The room spun before her, and she clapped a hand to her forehead at the small headache that thumped against her skull.

It was night judging from the inky sky outside the Captain’s windows, and Aggie also realized that she was completely alone.

Unguarded, and unshackled, she rose as quietly as she possibly could from the small single bed the Captain kept under the windows.

She noticed that someone had changed her clothes, and immediately decided that of her issues, that was one she could excuse at the time.

Knowing that she wouldn’t have much time unsupervised, the Lady decided she would have to make the best of it.

Aggie immediately began quietly checking nooks and crannies of the cabin; trying to find a weapon of some kind that would give her the upper hand in a fight.

However, after perhaps 30 minutes of searching, she seated herself back on the bed resignedly. She hadn’t been able to find anything other than small navigational trinkets and maps that she had no use for.

It had also occurred to her, that she didn’t want to leave without Ines, which made any small chance of her escaping null and void.

With a sigh, Aggie swung her heel against the Captain’s bed, and as it clunked against the wood, she heard a rattle.

She immediately dropped down to her knees beside the bed excitedly, reached her hand underneath along a small wooden ledge in the bed frame, only to find her fingers wrapping around something flat and oval, and a small leather pouch she recognized immediately.

Aggie withdrew her findings from the bed disappointed at first, until she realized what she was staring at.

It was a painting. There was the Captain, perhaps no older than herself at the time it was painted, and sitting in front of him, with her hands clasped in her lap, donning a forest green dress, and her black hair pinned close to her head, was a woman who bore the same slanted eyes and dark hair as Arlen.

Aggie studied the painting for several minutes in shock.

There wasn't a doubt in her mind that the woman in the photo was Arlen's mother, which explained why the Captain seemed so perturbed by the mention of her Servicer.

Captain James Murphy had been bonded to Arlen’s mother.

Why weren’t they still bonded?

Arlen had said no one bonded could breed.

He had also said a bond was only broken by death, and Aggie remembered him informing her that his mother was still alive…

With her head spinning, she tried to workout the implications of the painting.

If Arlen’s mother had left James and been bred back on the Island of Servicers, why would James know Arlen’s name?

The only possible scenario that made sense, made Aggie’s stomach clench painfully as though she were to be sick.

What if Captain James Murphy, was Arlen’s father?

Aggie immediately tried to reason away from that horrifying conclusion.

Hadn’t the Fey man named Chay mentioned Arlen’s father being the Servicer whom deviated?

Hadn't she overheard Arlen telling Tork that half-bred Servicers were slaughtered?

Aggie was the thick in her head with questions, when for the second time that day, she heard the unmistakable footfalls of the Captain nearing.

She quickly stowed the picture of the Captain and Arlen’s mother back under the bed, and slipped her small leather pouch under the waistband of her pants. As silently as a cat, the Lady crawled back into the bed, closed her eyes, and lay motionless.

As the door to the cabin opened slowly, Aggie turned her mind to discovering her belongings.

It was then that a newfound realization crashed over her, making her entire body hum.

She had the Fey bell.

If she grabbed onto Ines and got her away from the cell, they could both escape.

They could both make it to Tara.