Rosary couldn’t sleep, to her, this place felt wrong. She could still remember the feel of this place ten years ago before when Lady Wyn had been the ruler of this area. Before the tyranny of the Mad-King and before Rosary had lost her father.

It was deep into the night when she heard a noise from the alley. Sleepily she shuffled her way over to the slightly open window. She didn’t have a reason, but she felt so restless. To her right Daniel was still sleeping, his face seemed anything but rested, it seemed to be squinting into a pained look that made Rosary want to go over and comfort him.

It was silly she thought to herself. She felt a feeling of kinship with the human. For a moment she remembered those last few moments with her brethren. The sick twisted looks on their faces. Those Fae had been tainted, their selves twisted into her sick idea of perfection.

She could still feel the pain of them holding her down. The lecherous looks they had given again made her stomach lurch — the slimy feel of their extra organs slithering on her as they attempted to violate her.

Shivers ran a sprint from her neck down to her bottom. “Stop, stop thinking about that,” Rosary demanded of herself. She took another look over at her savior and felt a warmth battle against the cold before she tried to ignore both feelings and instead vested her attention to the window.

A large man stood below, a torch in one hand and the other hand resting along his waist. The man was covered in a cloak, one dark enough to make him almost blend into the darkness of the shadows were it not for the torch that he held.

Rosary recognized the man; it was the innkeeper’s son, what was his name again; Frederick? What was he doing? She thought to herself. He didn’t seem to be going out for a midnight stroll. Rosary debated to herself on whether or not to follow the man. She watched as he appeared to be checking to make sure nobody was around. His eyes even went up to check the window that Rosary was watching from. She flushed and froze in place; he was staring right at her his eyes looking up towards the windows of the inn.

The moment felt like it lasted an eternity, thankfully he didn’t seem to have spotted her as he looked away without making any fuss. He had probably been checking to make sure humans weren’t watching him, and so he must have glanced over her.

He started moving, Rosary looked back over at Daniel sleeping and made up her mind. She didn’t want to risk the innkeeper's anger if she got caught. She turned away and went back to her makeshift bed, but a nagging feeling kept her from getting in it. What if he’s up to no good? Do I want to risk not knowing? Whether it was a fairies natural curiosity for knowing things that they don’t need to know or maybe a genuine concern for her and Daniel’s and perhaps a little of Emma’s to.

She ended up second-guessing herself and turned back to the window. I’ll just keep hidden; I need to make sure that he isn’t bad news. With those words in her head, she flew out into the night.

The city which had a sinister air even in the daytime now felt like it was going to swallow Rosary up. Quickly she made her way into the streets, doing her best not only to find Frederick but also to stay hidden. Thankfully for Rosary, she had an advantage that most humans didn’t.

She flew higher into the air, the building which was so huge to the diminutive woman now seemed to shrink. Lights dotted all over the city.

Certain landmarks from her memory from before the cities magical erection still dotted the vast metropolis. Old ruins with buildings having grown over them stuck out as if the last bit of healthy skin on an otherwise rotted body.

Her eyes spotted many people, more then she would have expected at this time of the night. Then she saw it, a sizeable cloaked man slinking to and from the alleys, he seemed to be practiced. He was near one of the old ruins. Was that where he was heading? She didn’t have time to think about it as a screeching sound forced her thoughts to change to a different course.

An owl seemed to have spotted her. Its huge orbs seemed to be staring intently at Rosary. It didn’t seem to be friendly.

It rushed at Rosary with the practiced speed of a predator. Rosary had never been alone before when dealing with predatory animals. Back when she had still been with the other faeries, they had practiced hunting birds of prey. Rosary had never taken part in these hunts as she didn’t eat meat, unlike her tainted brethren. She could still remember the death wails of fairy and bird alike.

The fairies had the advantage of numbers and illusion magic back then. Rosary was alone now, and though she technically could use her magic, she inherently felt it was wrong to try to trick the bird or anyone in that case.

Rosary spun out of the claws of the owl right before it could clamp down on her. “Kreee!” The owl screeched in anger. Rosary dove down, her body still partially in a spin. The cold night air roared in her ears. Rosary had to dive back into the city. If she was going to survive this encounter, it was her only choice.

The lights of the city rushed up to greet her. She caught sight of the owl; it was catching up. The city was still approaching. Would she make it? She wonders to herself. The owl was right on her now. She tried twisting away, but the owl followed suit. Rosary felt her impending death approaching, wouldn’t it be worth it now to use her magic? No, she couldn’t do that, it would be the same thing she thought to herself. Just like her brethren when they had lied to her. When her father had lied to her.

She zoomed to the left just in time for a claw to brush against her. Too close, she was bound to be killed. Her only chance was to use it; she felt so filthy so wrong as she felt her body condense with magic that should have been so natural to her. Her body glowed, and her insides felt sick. She willed herself an image of herself flying opposite of where she was going. A second Rosary split off from her; the bird thankfully chased after the copy which momentarily fizzled away as it tried to dig its claws into the copy.

Rosary made it back into the city and like a feathery red arrow made her way to the ruin. She looked back and saw that the owl was following. But the distance she had made for herself with that distraction had been enough she rushed into the gaping opening of the ruin, darkness quickly enveloping the young woman