Mabel's only thought as she fell was, Oh, God, this is how I'm going to go?

A scream built in her throat, but before it could be pulled out, she stopped abruptly, her body jolting from the sudden force. Trying to calm the spasms coursing through her muscles, she cracked open one eye, relaxing minutely at the familiar-and furious-face that hovered over her own.

"Absolutely. Not." It was probably the most modern sentence Aleron had ever spoken, and Mabel curled her fingers into his shirt, trying to pull herself closer to his cool skin.

He stood, one hand curling around her spine to clutch her head, while the other remained under her legs. "ZEPHYRINE!" he bellowed, shadows spinning around them before they landed in Colby's apartment, where said man looked impressed, and Zephyrine looked . . . almost fearful?

Mabel couldn't stop the small bit of satisfaction she felt at the serpent-woman's face. That's what she got for throwing someone out a window.

"Apologies, Aleron," Zephyrine bowed. "We needed to speak with you."

The fury in Aleron's eyes only seemed to grow. "If you need to speak with me," he spat, "you will use the method of summoning I have given you. You are to never hurt Mabel. You already know this, and you would be wise to remember it."

Trying to get the trembling of her hands to still, Mabel reached one hand up, her fingers almost poking Aleron's eye out as she laid her palm against his cheek. He pulled his eyes from Zephyrine, bringing his hand to cover hers, his cold skin soothing away her tremors.

"Are you alright, Little One?" he asked softly, eyes imploring.

"Ye-yeah," Mabel managed, her heart finally slowing down. "Just a little shocked, I guess." She released a nervous laugh, moving her hands to his shoulders as he set her down carefully. He kept one hand against her hip, squeezing gently to assure her that he was there if she needed anything, even while he returned his attention to the others.

Mabel could see exactly when his eyes landed on Colby. Aleron's entire body seized up, his brows raised as he analyzed the other man. "Little One," he started slowly, "what have you been doing?"

Mabel shrugged, sending him an innocent look. "Nothing much. Oh, by the way, we found an heir."

He shot her a glare that had no heat behind it. "I realize that. How did you manage this?"

Remembering that she wasn't supposed to do anything reckless, Mabel turned away from Aleron to send Zephyrine a wicked grin. "Zephyrine sensed him and decided we should come check it out." Her voice conveyed nothing but innocence.

Zephyrine groaned at the same moment Aleron's nostrils flared with rage. "What?" he ground out, spinning to face the serpent-woman. "How dare you! Not only do you throw Mabel out a window-you decide to drag her on your dangerous escapades? What foolishness has befallen you?!"

"The kind that doesn't know when to shut up," Zephyrine muttered, giving Mabel some serious side-eye.

Mabel stuck her tongue out in a move reminiscent of a five-year-old. She figured it was the least she could do, considering her legs were still quaking from being hung out the window.

But the joking came to a halt when Colby spoke up. "Shit. I believe you now, I think."

Zephyrine smirked smugly, straightening up. "Told you," she directed at Mabel.

Said woman placed her hands on her hips. "Are you kidding me? She can grow a tail and wings and you think it's bullcrap, but he shows up and you believe us now?"

Colby just nodded, looking-for the first time since she'd met him-entirely floored. "Yeah," he said, watching Aleron with awe, "But this guy seriously showed up out of nowhere and just freaking caught you. Also, he's damn terrifying."

Well, he wasn't wrong there. Mabel nodded in agreement. "So, does that mean you'll come with us?"

Aleron chuckled, but it was brittle and choked. "Us? I think not, Little One. You will stay here, on earth."

A pout was already forming, but Aleron held up a hand before she could voice her protests. "Mabel." He pleaded, "You cannot come. Surely you remember the impact that Hell has on humans?"

Memories of blood, pain, nausea, and screams made Mabel pale. Aleron noticed, grabbing her by her upper arms and pulling her into his chest. "I am sorry," he whispered into her hair, his arms winding around her back tightly. "I did not mean to bring back memories; you know I must protect you, and so you will stay here. Because you have found the heir, I will not be gone for too long."

He pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead before stepping away. "Do you understand?"

"I understand," Mabel returned softly. "Now it's your turn to promise that you'll be safe, though, okay?"

He chuckled, tracing a finger over her lips. "Yes, Little One. I will be safe. Nephele and her sisters will be staying with you. Not Zephyrine, though." He eyed Zephyrine critically. "I do not trust her anymore."

Mabel managed a weak grin. "I'd rather not be thrown out anymore windows," she joked.

Aleron's smile was sad, his eyes dancing over her as if painting a picture that he would always remember. "I will see you soon, Little One."

"Okay, Al." She pushed upwards on her tiptoes, placing a chaste kiss against his lips. "See you soon."

***

With all the chaos of finding Colby, being thrown out a window, seeing Aleron, and losing Aleron again, Mabel hadn't had time to deal with the "Lucy situation." With Aleron and Colby gone, though, there was no putting it off any longer.

Sucking in a steadying breath, Mabel pushed open the door, her eyes zeroing in on Lucy as she sat at one of the prison cafeteria's tables. "Hey, Luce," she greeted quietly, sliding into the chair across from her best friend.

Lucy, normally bright and excited, looked utterly heartbroken. Her hair was messy, her eyes were red and puffy, and she looked like she hadn't slept in days. "It's good to see you, Mabs," she sniffled. "I didn't think you'd come and see me. Kellan still hasn't."

Mabel inwardly flinched. Kellan wasn't taking the news well; the other woman had spent her days shut in the apartment she shared with her fiancée, refusing to eat and sleep. She hadn't been able to wrap her mind around Lucy being "a murderer!"

Mabel, meanwhile, knew that Lucy hadn't killed anyone. At least, not on purpose. The whole point of her visit today, besides comforting Lucy, was to get more information about what had happened.

Reaching a hand across the table to snatch up Lucy's, Mabel rubbed soothing circles over the other woman's knuckles. "I don't blame you, Luce, I really don't. I just need to know what happened. What do you remember?"

Lucy managed a weak smile, leaning back and pulling her hand from Mabel's so she could tap her fingers against the tabletop. "That's just it, Mabel-I don't remember. One second I'm out on patrol, and the next I'm being shoved in a cell and told I shot a man for no reason."

Mabel frowned, disappointed by the lack of information, but not surprised. The amount of people getting tossed into cells for crimes they claimed to not remember was overwhelming. "Okay," she murmured finally, crossing her arms and leaning forward onto the table, "close your eyes, and think back to the days before everything happened. Do you remember feeling . . . weird, or anything like that?"

Lucy obeyed, closing her eyes and breathing in and out slowly. "Well . . . I felt really . . . angry."

"Angry?" Mabel's brows furrowed. "Can you expand on that?"

Still with her eyes shut, Lucy cocked her head to the side. "Angry like . . . I really wanted to hit something, or someone. It was weird, like, it wasn't me, you know? I just figured it was my medicine or some weird crap like that."

Mabel gasped, thoughts spinning at a million miles an hour. "Wait! Medicine? What medicine?"

Lucy opened her eyes, eyeing Mabel with confusion. "Did I not tell you? Yeah, I went to my checkup, and my doctor put me on some meds for my ADHD while I was there."

Mabel's foot tapped against the floor erratically, a sudden rush of restless energy flowing through her blood. "But you've never been on meds before," she exclaimed, the answer to the entire mess so close.

Lucy considered her words for a moment before nodding slowly. "No, I haven't." She shrugged, "But Doc said I needed them, and who am I to argue with a medical professional? Not that I'll need the pills anymore, of course." She gestured to their surroundings, releasing a bitter laugh that bordered on a sob.

Mabel swallowed uncomfortably, wanting to hug her friend but needing answers first. "Luce, I think I might be able to help." She lowered her voice, trying to look casual as she dropped her head slightly, aware of the prison guards watching their every move. "Where are your pills? You didn't use them all, right?"

Obviously confused by Mabel's sudden interest, Lucy matched her tone nonetheless. "No? I mean, I got a whole bottle, and I barely dented it. What are you cooking up in that head of yours? Some weird, herbal store crap?"

Mabel leaned back with what she hoped was a convincing smile, feigning a laugh. "You could call it that." Her eyes darted to the guards, pleased when they didn't seem suspicious. "I'm going to look into this, okay? I'll be back as soon as I can." She squeezed Lucy's hand. "Hang in there, Luce."

Lucy smiled weakly. "Thanks, Mabs. Tell Kellan I said hello, okay? I miss her."

Blowing out a heavy sigh and wondering how everything had gone to crap so quickly, Mabel nodded. "Will do. Bye, Luce."

Lucy was led back to her cell by two burly guards, and Mabel held back a sob when the girl sent her one last, meek wave, mouthing the words, Love you, Mabs.

God, she had to fix this.

***

"Is it possible for this to happen? Can the drugs be placed into medicine without anyone noticing, and nothing showing up on the toxicology report?" Mabel asked, analyzing the small bottle clutched in her hand carefully.

Thora snatched the bottle from Mabel, bringing it within inches of her face, nose scrunching as she read the prescription. "I don't know what any of this means," she whined.

Nephele snorted, plucking away the container. "'Cause you can't even see the words, Honey. You need glasses."

Thora huffed, insulted. "I do not!" she snapped, crossing her arms over her chest stubbornly.

Zephyrine didn't even look up from where she was rifling through Lucy's refrigerator. "You do, actually. You couldn't even tell the difference between a skunk and a dog."

"That was one time!" Thora continued, uncrossing her arms and waving her hands in the air as though the action would somehow support her point.

"If by 'one', you mean at least every day, then yes. Face it, you still have skunk spray on your scales."

"Shut up, Zephyrine!"

"Now, now," Nephele chided, her tail flicking along Lucy's hardwood floor idly. "Let's not make the weather any worse, shall we? I think a hurricane might be brewing."

Mabel groaned loudly, pressing her palm against her forehead. "Could we please focus? I need an answer-this is important."

"So's lunch," Zephyrine drawled, eyeing the lackluster contents of Lucy's fridge with disdain, "but I don't see that happening anytime soon."

"As vital as your eating habits are, we probably should help Mabel. Aleron barely let you stay after what you did last time; one more strike, and he'll probably chop you in half." Thora's words were sickly sweet, and Zephyrine slammed the refrigerator shut with an exasperated sigh.

"Fine." She spun around on her two-tone Gucci pumps, stalking across the kitchen and taking the bottle from Nephele so she could eye it critically. After a moment, she popped the lid off, plucked up a pill, and tossed it into her mouth.

Mabel watched with wide eyes as Zephyrine swallowed, licked her lips, and then looked up at the ceiling thoughtfully.

"Well," she said finally, "That would do it." Then she toppled to the floor.