Young Writers Society

Nathaniel frowned.

"Werewolves don't shift with every full moon," Nathaniel said, bewildered, as he looked at Saturn. "They do it whenever they want to."

I shrugged.

"The werewolves I've heard of do it every full moon," I said. Those werewolves, of course, were just stories I had overheard Lockwood, Karim, and Lucy swapping during late nights in their kitchen, but that was besides the point.

Saturn blinked. “Whenever… they want?”

I shrugged. “I suppose. Igni, regardless, are not werewolves. And not all of them are wolves.”

Estella Fay nodded. “We… we have a bear one.”

Nathaniel didn't have a response to that. Seizing the opportunity to 1) finally get moving and 2) find more material to torture Nathaniel with, I asked, "So can we meet these Igni, then?"

Estella Fay grinned and nodded. “Yes! Yes you do. I don’t know if Lin’s in right now, but Artemis should be. After you meet Malvis and she knows you’re here, you can meet… everyone!”

“Who isn’t doing more important things.”

Estella Fay didn’t flinch. “Who isn’t doing more important things!”

That was...weird, but I pretended like I hadn't noticed that little addition to Estella Fay's comment.

I gave a casual stretch.

"I'm all healed up now," I said, "so let's meet this Malvis person, then."

Estella Fay nodded, her wings fluttering. “Let’s. Just a quick note.” She laughed nervously. “She… try not to be too intimidated by her. She’s kind, really. Just after she’s sure you’re not here to… you know.”

Saturn shook his head. “I don’t think they do.”

Estella Fay laughed again. “Right. Yes. Don’t. Don’t make yourselves sound like you’re about to kill all of her friends.”

Nathaniel shot me a look.

"What?" I asked.

"If you threaten to kill anyone here-"

I held up my hands in surrender.

"I won't," I said. "If I did, it'd just be a joke, and I'd just be talking about you."

Nathaniel stared at me with a disapproving expression on his face for a little longer, then let out a sigh.

"Fine," Nathaniel said. "That's good enough."

Estella Fay laughed nervously again. “Okay. Um. This way.” She gestured to the door we’d came through as if we had forgotten.

Saturn finally decided to set me down, immediately taking my hand. I gave his a small squeeze.

I didn't miss Estella Fay's nervous laughter. I also didn't miss the way that Saturn and Hev were suddenly holding hands. Maybe it was entirely a coincidence, but I didn't like what that implied about this Malvis person.

I stepped out the door, waiting for Nathaniel and waiting for the others that were from here. I'd let them all, minus Natty boy, take the lead. I wasn't going to blindly walk into things. I had informed Lockwood & Co of all the ways they could die too many times for me not to immediately think of that myself.

Estella Fay happily took the lead, her wings fluttering more and more as we approached the house that had become our den.

Saturn chuckled slightly, shaking his head slightly.

Soon enough, Estella Fay stopped in front of the house. “Right in here.” She knocked on the door.

The door opened just a crack. “What’s the password?”

Estella Fay squeaked. “I… I um…”

There was a boisterous laugh as the door swung open. “Every time, princess.” Cyra stood in the doorway, two hands on their hips, one hand on the door, and the other on the wall, orange eyes taking us in. “Ah. Sacrifices. She will be pleased.”

I crossed my arms as I looked at the figure who had opened the door. Estella Fay still seemed suspiciously nervous, but I knew better than most how easy a good sacrifice joke was. There was really only one way to test how genuine this was.

"Natty boy, you go first," I said.

Nathaniel gave me a startled look. "You're the one who's up ahead-"

I stepped to the side and gestured in front of me.

Nathaniel glanced between me and the person who had opened the door, still very panicked. Then he coughed, straightened and rolled his shoulders, and tried to look more like the prick he normally came across as.

"Hello," he said, with that some prick tone.

Saturn sighed. “Cyra, these two are Skull and Nathaniel. Skull and Nathaniel, this is Cyra.”

Cyra sneered. “Charmed.”

Saturn sighed. “They’re an idiot. Don’t worry too much about her.”

Cyra scowled. “Everyone except Saturn is allowed in.”

"Ex-magicians first," I said, gesturing at the room again. Nathaniel shot me a scowl, which was a surprisingly rare sight on his face, and stepped inside the room.

When I heard no panicked yelps or pained screams, I decided to enter the room, too. I went in after Nathaniel did. It was time to meet this Malvis person.

Estella Fay stammered her way around Cyra enough to get us inside, Saturn and Cyra exchanging a glare before they both snorted.

“Malvis! We have company!”

“Still in the dining room!”

Estella Fay headed there, wings fluttering behind her. Sure enough, Malvis was at the dining table, leaning over a map with a furrowed brow. She looked up as we entered. “Hello. Two new faces. What brings you to the Mist?”

"Good question," I said. I glanced around, keeping my posture nonchalant. I was trying to see if there were any obvious threats. Nothing major jumped out at me. "We're still trying to figure that out ourselves."

Nathaniel gave that smile of his, the one that was more John Mandrake than Nathaniel. "My name is Nathaniel, and my friend's name is-"

"Skull," I interrupted. Nathaniel shot me a look, briefly breaking out of his formal persona. "And we’re acquaintances, not friends."