Erika held out her wand. “Like this?”

Her mentor, Alexis, watched. “Perfect! Now, hold on a moment…” she hurried over and gently tucked Erika’s thumb behind the handle. “There. That should feel better.”

“Whoa… it does. A lot. Thanks!”

“That’s what I’m here for.” Alexis gave her a wink. “Now. Ready to try something a little daring today?”

“Sure,” Erika said, smiling. “What have you got in mind?”

—

“They’re getting closer, sir,” said the General.

The king raised his head. His eyes were dark and shadowed, as if they contained horrors no human should ever have had to experience.

“We could barricade the castle,” the captain suggested. She and the general were standing in front of the throne, light spilling in from a large stained glass window on the wall.

The king’s voice sounded hoarse. “That won’t stop them from raiding the villages.”

“But why?” asked the general. “What’re they after?”

The king growled at him. “You know exactly what they’re after.”

—

“Veehoya!” Erika shouted.

A jet of bright golden light shot from her wand, soared across the practice field, and hit their training dummy. The dummy began to glow, and then, very slowly, levitated the tiniest bit.

A moment later, it fell.

“That was a lot better, Er!” Alexis cried. She clapped Erika on the back. “It got up in the air that time!”

Erika snorted. “Not really. Only for a second.”

“But you’re improving. That’s what matters!”

Erika blew out a breath. She wasn’t too sure about that.

—

“You can’t be serious!” cried the general. “You want… you want to exterminate them?!”

The king glared. “It is the only way to keep our kingdom safe.”

The captain shook her head. “Sir, please. You can’t do this. You’re talking about killing hundreds of innocent fairies!”

“The raiders will kill them, and thousands of others, if we don’t,” the king said bitterly. “They can’t hide. No one can.”

—

“Try focusing more on grounding yourself,” Alexis suggested. She moved behind Erika and placed her hands firmly on her pupil’s shoulders. “Close your eyes. Feel your body.”

Erika closed her eyes.

“Feel your feet on the ground. Feel your middle. Feel your lungs breathing in and out… in… and… out…”

Alexis let some of her own magic flow through her fingertips and into Erika, sending little pink sparks seeping into Erika’s shoulders.

Erika felt herself start to sway.

—

“That’s not going to stop the raiders!” The captain insisted. “They want the fairies’ magic, but they also want our gold. Killing the fairies won’t stop them from coming.”

The king narrowed his eyes. “If you have a better solution, I’d love to hear it.”

The captain fell silent.

“I could send more soldiers to the border!” The general piped up.

“No. Even if we could send twenty thousand soldiers, and it would be useless. The only thing we can do is ensure they won’t become more powerful.” The king stood, then turned to look solemnly out the window. “Believe me. Ten years ago, I lost my daughter at the merciless hands of those monsters. Nothing will stop them. Nothing.”

—

Alexis watched as Erika crumpled to the ground.

She then pulled up her sleeve and tapped the daisy chain on her wrist twice. A flickering, holographic image of a man materialized.

“Good work, Agent,” the man said in a cold voice. “Gods, it was such a great idea to get a witch on our side, wasn’t it?”

Alexis rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah. How much are you paying me for this, G? And when?”

The man chuckled. “I told ya’. Once we raid the kingdom, you get summa the loot. Plus a third of the fairy magic we manage to extract.”

“You said half.”

G snorted. “Keep dreamin’, little girl. Now. Unlock the doors to the fairy academy.”

“I hate it when you call me that,” Alexis grumbled, but she went to unlock the doors.

—

“Sir, I can see them on the horizon!” The captain gasped. From her vantage point, a group of raiders was visible out the window, blurry shadows charging into the night.

“Let them come. I have nothing left to fight for,” the king said, and he sank into his throne, defeated.

“How did they even get in?” The general mused.

The captain huffed. “Does it even matter? What does matter is the lives of our subjects. You may not be fighting, but I will! I, at least, have some dignity left!”

And she stormed out.