I need to get Diggery back, no matter what. Wren dragged me through the streets, his eyes locked forward. Sweat on his brow, he increased his pace. I marched onward, stumbling to keep up with Wren. I have time to be afraid later. He darted his eyes back. "You good, kid?" he huffed.

"Yup." I nodded, fighting to catch my breath.

Wren loosened his expression. “We're going to get him back. We just need a good plan," he muttered, slowing his pace. I don't know if I believe him. I nodded, keeping my head low. Wren switched directions, pulling me down another street. "This will be quick I promise...I need to grab a few things."

Ducking around a railing, we stomped down the steps to the basement of a building. Moss creeped between the stones, the stairwell smelling damp. Wren unlocked the door, disappearing inside.

"What is this place?" I asked, entering the darkness.

"I keep a couple spaces across the places I frequent. You never know you'll get caught off guard," he said, flicking a match. A gentle flame, he lit a lantern, the space illuminated his treasure trove. The room was filled with the practical to the bizarre. Tools to weapons; a whole pile of disguises. My eyes drifted between shelves, animal teeth, weird rocks, jars of herbs. An odd emergency supply.

Wren ignored me, shuffling through boxes. He formed piles on the floor. "Here." He threw a necklace at me. I caught it, the colourful stone shimmered in the light.

"What is it?" I asked, swinging the leather string around my neck.

"It's an amulet, supposed to block magic spells or something." He grabbed a crossbow off the rack, setting it down. "I don't know if it actually works but It's worth a try."

I frowned, turning the rock over. "Do I really need it?"

He swung a bag down, packing it up with his collected items. "The stuff they use is no joke, you don't want to take any chances." Wren gave me a decisive look.

I rolled my eyes. "You don't even know if it works."

“I'm not about to let you go in there with nothing," he bit back.

I blinked at him. "Wait, you actually want me to meet them?"

He sighed, "How else are we going to find out what they want?" He took a seat on the table, rubbing his eyes.

I scowled at him. There has to be another way. "But I don't want to face them," I said, my voice shaking the slightest bit.

"Do you want to get your friend back?" Wren lifted his head, his voice matter of fact. "Then you'll go."

I stepped back. "Ya, but-"

"Ya but what? Do you want my help or not?" he said, standing up off the table. I crossed my arms, staring down at my shoes. I can't do this without him. He took a breath. "I'll be with you the whole time, you won't be alone."

I nodded. I can't back out now. "Alright...whatever," I mumbled.

"Wonderful." Wren shut his eyes, sitting on top of the table. Silent as I stared at him. Is he just going to sit there?

I crossed my arms, frowning at him. "What do we do now?"

Wren laughed, "Slow down, kid, I told you we need a good plan."

"I thought you already had one," I grumbled.

"I do, sort of. But you don't get one over on these guys with sloppy planning," he muttered. I fidgeted, pacing on the stone floor. Diggery's at their mercy, and we're just sitting here. Wren sighed, "He's going to be ok for a bit. They'll be perfectly civil as long as they believe you're still coming."

"I know...but…" I hung my head. I'll never forgive myself if they hurt him.

Wren raised his chin, his face twitching. "So...you're actually the Wanderer," he echoed, his voice breaking up my thoughts. I shrugged, a gleam in Wren's eye. "Explains how you got out of Euphoria's prison." I rolled my eyes, turning my head away. He already knows too much.

"I don't know how they know about me, much less how I'd be here," I said, wringing my hands

Wren didn't blink. "Like I said, they're into serious stuff." He leaned closer. "Ever heard of blood magic?"

I shook my head, shivers running down my spine. Wren flashed a grin. "Blood magic, as the name suggests, is sorcery that uses blood in its spells." He gave a chuckle, drumming his fingers on the table. "If you want to do more than parlour tricks, blood is a necessary ingredient. What's important is the concentration of life power, blood's just the best source of this," Wren's voice turned professional. "The type of blood can be important too. Human blood is significantly more powerful than animal blood, although most spells don't require it." He shrugged. "For particularly strong spells, the blood of unique or powerful individuals is sought. For example, the blood of kings is a commonly cited ingredient. Marked people, like yourself, are often targeted as your blood is even more potent than plain old regular humans." Wren stifled a yawn, tossing his hand. "There's a lot more I could say but you get the jist."

"You seem to know a lot about this?" I narrowed my eyes.

"Haven't I told you kid? I know everything," he chuckled, shutting his eyes again. "Better to know things than be ignorant," he mumbled. And he probably knows more than he's saying. I would ask, but I don't want to lose my nerve. This was already scary enough, worrying about people hunting my blood.

I shivered, my skin crawling. Best to think of other things. I took a breath, pacing the floor. "All those stories Freya told about you, are any of them true?"

Wren's lip quivered the slightest, his eyes staying shut. "Not one," he whispered. "She made most of those up before we even met."

How disappointing. I furrowed my brow. "How come you have the same name, then?"

He rolled his eyes. "I didn't always go by Alexander Wren."

"You really got an issue with names," I muttered, shaking my head.

Wren scowled. "Well...maybe." He took a breath, his face turned somber. "The name was her idea, a new beginning, of sorts," he chuckled, "I've made a mess of it though, haven't lived up to my legacy."

I stared at him, expecting him to elaborate. Wren sighed, getting to his feet. "You win, let's go," he grumbled. He scratched his stubble, swinging his leather bag on his shoulder. He led the way to the exit. "Let's get this over with," he muttered. I chased him out the door, up the steps, out into the street. He's scared too. Those scars on his arms are enough reason to be wary. This is a world I don't know.

Wren walked ahead, pointing back at me. "You shouldn't wear the amulet out in the open like that. You don't want them to know you have it," he barked. Suddenly he's grouchy. I tucked it under my shirt, catching up to him.

We marched through the streets, cobblestone paths. Corned by crested buildings, leading us onto a narrow path. Wren looked over his shoulder, not sure if he's checking I'm keeping up, or if he's afraid someone's following us. I shivered again, pulling my arms close. Diggery, please be safe.

Our streets tracking over the bridge, Mirth's grand palace stood on the horizon. The giant stone castle with twisted towers and crimson red flags billowing in the wind. "And that is our destination," Wren muttered.

"So it is…" Dread weighing on my shoulders, I stared down the castle.

Wren stepped back from the view, walking backwards. "I just have to make one last stop." I frowned, chasing after him. Following the winding street, we stopped at a little cove in the city. A shady cottage stood away from the rest. Chipped paint, the windows boarded up; it looked abandoned.

Wren stomped up to the house, tapping his knuckles on the door. Is anyone even home? I sighed, standing beside him. Why would we stop here?

The door creaked open, a short stocky man peered at us through the opening. A long white beard masked his frown. "Alexander Wren?" he said, in a scratchy voice. What are you doing here?"

Wren laughed, "Can't one drop in to see an old friend?"

The old man squinted at him, shaking his head. "Likely story, scoundrel. What is it you want?"

"Well if you're determined to skip the niceties." Wren leaned on the door frame. "I need something strong enough to take on Augustine, and you're the only one I know who can do that."

The old man paused, scratching his chin. "Well...if it's against ol' Auggy, I'll consider it." He stepped back, ushering us inside. He shook his head. "That jackal needs to be taken down a notch," he murmured.

Leading us down the hall, he paused in the front doorway. "The name's Klevenger. What's yours?" He held out his hand to me.

"Phyn." I said, shaking it.

He smiled, wrinkling the corners of his eyes. "Your manners are much better than the usual riff raff Wren hangs around." Klevenger shot Wren with an evil eye, stepping over the doorway. "Sorry for the mess I don't entertain often," he called, leading us into his tea room.

Filled to the brim, books stuffed tight on every shelf. A cluttered coffee table between a squished sofa and an auburn armchair. We stepped through tiny walkwalls, piles of papers, jars, stacks of more books. A king and pawn sat next to each other on the shelf. The crackle of fire, a small wood stove tucked in the corner. Dried herbs jarred above it, along the wall.

Klevenger tossed a pile of books off the sofa, dusting his hands off. "I just made a pot, do you want some?"

Wren grinned. "Sure, Kleevy. Whatever you got." He leaned back, flopping across the sofa. Klevenger tracked back to the stove, pouring tea from the large kettle. Steam rose from little china cups. I pulled a step stool over to the table, planting myself beside Wren. Wren leaned over, whispering, "Don't drink the tea, it's terrible."

Klevenger set down two cups, walking back to the stove. A smell like grass and mud wafted from the drink. I spun the handle, leaving it down. I'm taking Wren's advice.

Wren smirked, picking up his cup. "So what have you been up to, Klevvy."

Klevenger settled in his armchair. "Stop with small talk. I can tell the young lady's in a rush."

Wren pretended to drink.. "Well we are in a bit of a rush. Auggy took the girl's friend and you know how he is."

Klevenger wrinkled his nose. "Yes, I'm familiar."

Wren nodded. "We don't know what Auggy wants, but we're going to get the kid back." He shrugged. "So if you feel like donating to the cause?"

Klevenger scratched his beard. "Hmm...something against Augustine, eh? There's only a handful of sorcerers powerful enough to give you something like that."

Wren sat up straighter, a smile slipping out. "Which is why I'm coming to you, Klevvy. You're as much a scientist as a sorcerer."

Klevenger hid a grin. "I do have a different approach, I admit." He tapped his chin. "Alright...I'll help, only because the girl seems nice. This isn't for you, and you better leave me out of this."

Wren nodded, moving to the edge of the sofa. "Understood."

Kleevenger tossed another stack of books over, pulling one from the pile. "What do you need exactly? You want to kill him? Knock him out? Make him do a little dance?" He snickered, "The options are endless, really."

Wren took another pretend sip. "I'll settle for stunning his magic long enough to escape."

"Ok…" Klevenger paused, hopping from chair. He ran around the corner, dashing out of the room. Where is he going? A loud crash and a series of clanks, he mumbled to himself, tossing something into the hall. "I have just the thing!" he called, his voice muffled through the walls.

Wren chuckled to himself. "It's his laboratory." He pointed to the wall, another crash shook the house. I frowned, my shoulders tense. But what is he doing to make such a racket?

Klevenger stumbled back into the room, his hair frazzled. He held up a bundle of leaves tied together in twine. A dark metallic elixir dripped from it. I turned my nose up, an odd smell wafting from it. Klevenger held away from his face. "You might need a bag, yes?"

Wren nodded, covering his nose. "That would be a good idea."

Klevenger pulled a bag off the shelf, sliping the slimy mess inside. He tied the strings shut. "When you are ready to use it, light this on fire and throw it wherever your target is. It should immobilize anyone a stone's throw away and temporarily suspend any active spells. If you're outdoors it will have a weaker range. Once It's lit, don't breathe it in," Klevenger instructed, handing the pouch to Wren. He pointed at me. "Make sure he remembers that." I nodded.

Wren stood up, motioning for me to follow. "It was good to see you again, Klevenger." He shook the old man's hand. "Hope you're doing well."

"Don't be a stranger," Kleevy said, turning his eyes to me. "It was nice meeting you too, even if it was brief."

I waved back, following Wren back into the dark hall. Eyes on the door, I lowered my voice, "How do you know him?"

"He's a family friend," Wren muttered, his eyes focused forward.

The sun was hot as we left the cottage, the heat glaring down. I dragged my feet, Wren walking on ahead. "Keep up, we need to save time," he called. Now he cares about time?

I sighed, marching behind him against the sweltering sun. Darting down side streets, the outskirts of markets, he took me through a maze of directions. I fought to match his stride, running to keep up.

Turning the bend, we ran into a wall. Wren stopped, tracing the stones with his palm. "This will be the outer wall of the North Tower," he whispered, taking in short breaths. I didn't know we were so close. Ducking around the ivy, I followed him along the narrow path around. The towers rose into our view, an open window near the top. Wren pointed up to it. "Do you think you can get me up there with your gifting?"

I frowned at the height. "There's hardly any ledge, are you sure?" That fall would be deadly.

"I'm sure," he echoed with certainty.

I nodded. This would be difficult, both of us have to fit on that tiny edge. "Ok...just take my hand." I offered it, building the image in my mind. I can do this. He took my hand, I tightened my grip. Returning to focus, the ivy path vanished.

I opened my eyes fast, twisting my heel to catch my balance. The wind rushed at us, the ground below blurring. I did it...Lightheaded I let out a laugh. I did it. I held tight to the siding, Wren clutching the wall for dear life. "I'm good, I'm good," he hissed, his face a nauseas green. "You need to get back around and make it to your meeting, don't worry about me."

"Ok." I whispered, a perfect bird's eye view of the courtyard below. Focusing on a hidden corner, I readied myself. "...Are you sure you're good?" I asked.

His fingers white, hanging tight. He gave me a sharp nod, "Go," he echoed. I nodded, shutting my eyes. I pictured the spot, a second to breathe, I disappeared.

Open eyes, I emerged from the corner. The courtyard dotted with small trees, serenity in the air. The light poked through, shining over the dew laden moss. I followed the path, winding around the North Tower. A bird chirped, singing me a song. Time to be brave. Two large wooden doors faced me. I pulled them open, a cool draft pouring out. I shivered, chilled to the bone. I paused at the doorway, second guessing myself. I swallowed my fear, taking a step forward. If I don't act, Diggery will be hurt. This is a case where action is the only good response. I have to chase the monsters...I have to be brave. I breathed out the nerves, climbing up the steps. I can't let anyone die because of me.

Higher up the spiralling steps, dread weighed on me worse. A thick cloud over this place, it was harder to breathe. Hands trembling, I closed my fists. These sorts of people can smell fear. I will give them nothing to sense.

A single red door waited for me at the top. Bright crimson paint, it stood as an omen. Fighting the instinct to run, my hand slipped around the handle.

The door swinging open, I poked my head inside. It's empty? I furrowed my brow, pacing slowly inside. No one, nothing, just an empty circular room. Why would they want me in a room full of nothing?

I walked into the center, something scratched into the floor. A deep marking, their symbol. That gear, or whatever it was. I turned my head to the window, raising my voice, "There's no one here." Wren should be able to hear that. I studied the symbol closer, maybe it was supposed to be a table of six people.

I took a breath, heading for the window. My limbs suddenly numb, I blinked at the sensation. Trying to shake it off, I took another step. My legs collapsed out from under me. I tried to crawl back up to my feet, my arms shaking under the weight. My chin fell back to the floor, I let out a hiss. My eyelids fell, my head growing foggy. What's happening to me? I tried to scream, my voice staying in my throat. I can't move at all. Senses dulled to nothing, everything fell to darkness.