"What do we do with their bodies? We're not going to kill them, are we?" inquired Mia who didn't want to see more corpses, even if it was the most logical and secure solution in times of war.

"Take them to the reserve, we'll tie them up and watch them until you've finished what you came for," offered Elisa, inviting them to go into the infirmary.

Ethan grabbed one body and Mia and Andrei the other to bring them to the room. The fairy searched the shelves to unearth some ropes that they slipped around the waist of the soldiers, taking care to lock their arms inside. The blonde wasn't convinced that simple rope was enough to hold back magical creatures, but maybe the item was enchanted after all.

When Elisa opened the door separating the reserve from the hallway of the fairy dwellings, two of her colleagues who had been waiting impatiently for the group rushed to Mia to hug her when the blonde rushed into the alley. They released her immediately, even before she had time to assimilate what had just happened, and smiled tenderly at her. She recognized two of the fairies who always made sure she had a full breakfast waiting for her on one of the low tables in the hall, moved that they could welcome her with open arms in such circumstances.

"It's crazy to have come here," Tina exclaimed, escorting them to Mia's old room, at the very back of those for the wounded. "Come, we can talk without being bothered here."

It was indeed one of the furthest rooms from the exit door of the infirmary, the one that opened into the hall of the castle. Wistfully, Mia walked into the bedroom that had been hers for many weeks before she moved into Ethan's and was pulled from school. The fairies had cleared all her things, she noted without emotion. They must have needed the space to tend to the wounded, which was totally understandable. She took the opportunity to sit on the bed, enjoying the little break before their suicide mission really began.

"I guess you don't have time for a little cup of tea," Tina laughed, grimacing.

"What's the plan?" continued Elisa. "I suspect you didn't come just to fall into Solomon's trap. You're here for Lily and Arry, aren't you?"

"And for all the students who are being held hostage," Andrei replied. "We can't really tell you more, but we didn't come alone. Mia and Ethan must reach the Vilas district without being detected. They must keep Solomon busy there."

"It won't be difficult," commented Elisa. "There's hardly any patrol at night, so it's obvious they're waiting for you. There are three guards in front of the wizards' quarters, but their main function is primarily a simple reminder that the pro-human students are hostages. I have heard that they spend their night chatting and giggling. The students who sleep next to the doors regularly complain about it all the time. As for the fairies, we are not really allowed to leave the infirmary."

" If there are no guards, what prevents the students from running away at night?" couldn't help but question Mia.

"Solomon promised that the army of Impervia will go and kill their family if they run away. They are young, no one dared to take the risk," explained Tina.

"It's cruel," the blonde said indignantly.

"Is the exit of the infirmary guarded?" Ethan questioned, his mind focused on the facts and the rationale.

"Only one guard, but we'll take care of it," affirmed Elisa looking at the two other fairies who nodded to confirm her words.

"I thought you were neutral," scoffed the Vila.

"We can't do our job properly if we're treated like hostages," Elisa justified herself, indignant at his remark.

Which made their position even more touching for the young human and clearly showed the affection they felt for their guest of a few weeks.

"Let's go, we don't have time," urged Andrei. "I'll do another cloaking spell for you while they deal with the guard, and then we'll go our separate ways."

The trio of fairies hurried towards the hall of the infirmary and Mia could hear them open the door and invite the carefree guard to drink a small cup of tea. It didn't seem to shock him too much that they offered him such an activity in the middle of the night, at least not after they had developed in total improvisation a story of collective insomnia. He probably felt like sleeping and doing something other than just guarding a door. Especially when nothing thrilling ever happened and their role was more decorative than anything else.

However, they didn't wait for him to sit down to use the same powder again to put his target to sleep, something Mia was beginning to consider essential for anyone who feared for his safety. If the pepper sprays on Earth released such a mixture, she had no doubt it would sell like hotcakes. As much for good as for evil, that said.

The lookout immediately joined the two already inert bodies of his comrades while Andrei gesticulated while reciting a few words to make the couple invisible again now that the field was clear.

"How do we take it off?" Mia asked, watching Ethan's body disappear again to be replaced by the scenery behind him as if he wasn't there.

"Like this," he said, miming ripping off his jacket with one hand at chest level. "Imagine a cocoon or blanket around you. You remove it simply by pulling on it."

Mia was still amazed to find that magic had a palpable structure instead of just being an invisible force. Especially since it was for her too, who had no magical aura and affinity. She couldn't create anything on her own, but she could still manipulate magic in some way. Cool was the word that best summed up what she thought about it.

"Do you have the transmitter?" he continued, asking Mia the question as the group moved down the hall.

After quickly realizing he was talking about the leather collar, the blonde slipped her hand into the pocket she'd stowed it in to make sure she hadn't lost it on the way and nodded to confirm that everything was in order.

"Break it the second you see Solomon, he won't let you go off his sight anyway."

"OK."

"I'll come back for you so you can get away," the wizard promised the fairies.

After giving the couple one last look, Andrei left first, rushing through the hallway dimly lit by the magic torches. Before the two soul mates could follow him, the fairy trio took turns hugging Mia and wishing her good luck, worried about their friend. When the door to the infirmary closed behind them, condemning them to move forward in the castle's damp maze of cold stone, the blonde breathed deeply one last time before starting to walk, Ethan on her heels.