Law of Shadows

“Those who own many things don’t share a lot.”

- A memory of the Old Ones.

***Carinthia***

***Sely***

I step through the doorway and gesture for the others to follow. Magnus doesn't even try to hide his sour expression. Our new clan members are smart enough not to comment on the situation. They silently enter the entrance hall. Some even sigh in relief when they see the sky and the garden through the window.

That makes me wonder how it must be to spend a few weeks in Atlantis. There is vegetation and light, but no real sun. The sun's light doesn't reach the bottom of the ocean, so the big airbubble around Atlantis makes it seem like the sky is an eternal black nothingness.

I study the eleven people who are looking at me for further instructions. For some reason they avoid eye contact with Magnus. I study him and notice the red glow in his eyes. It doesn't seem like he is in the mood to introduce them to their new surroundings. Seems like I am the one who has to deal with them. It’s only fair, since I was the one who spoke in their favour. I quickly return my attention to my new charges. “Don't you have any belongings to bring with you?”

Leila shakes her head and answers with a voice that sounds entirely too cheerful. “All our belongings were confiscated when the Hammons fell. We carry everything we own on our bodies.”

Magnus rolls his eyes. “Bottom feeder and broke.”

Leila is the only one who doesn't allow her head to droop. She is strangely unconcerned by the loss of her belongings. Maybe the simple fact that she got out of Atlantis is enough for her?

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A loud crash and screams from outside draw my attention. I walk to the main entrance and open the door to find out where the noise is coming from.

The pretty garden area in front of the mansion is a mess and there is Lindwurm, doing her best to trample everything in sight. She is running around, hunting Oilell. Fiacre chases them with a desperate expression on her face. “Not the roses! Not the roses! Argh! That box tree was ninety years old!”

It almost looks as if they are... playing? Annia and Kath are sitting on Lindwurm's massive head and are squealing in delight about being able to ride on the wyrm. They don't look like they are aware of the destruction which their little ride is causing.

Magnus walks past me and I notice that his eyes are glowing bright red. He strolls at a leisurely pace right onto Lindwurm's playground and into the wyrm's path. Oilell uses the chance to hide behind Magnus and Lindwurm comes to a sudden stop when she notices him.

Fiacre uses the chance to climb up the wyrm's foreleg. Then she runs across the neck to where Annia and Kath are sitting. She yanks them to their feet.

Magnus points at the three of them. “Grounded! Grounded! Grounded!”

Fiacre gasps. “Why me!”

“You were supposed to have an eye on them!” He looks at Lindwurm and points down the hill to where a large forest aisle was ripped into the underbrush. “Pond!” The wyrm snorts and lets her head droop, but complies and slithers back to her pond. Fiacre quickly takes Annia and Kath under her arms and jumps off the huge creature.

I approach them and watch as Lindwurm disappears between the trees. “I didn't know that she allows people to ride on her.”

“Neither did I!” Fiacre twists my sister’s ear, which causes loud complaints. “That's why I was too slow to react when they suddenly got the idea to climb up.”

“Wyrm are horrible pets! She tried to eat me!” Oilell complains.

Magnus closes his eyes and rubs his temples with slow circular movements. “My weed field!”

Only then, I notice the small grove with crushed plants. It was well hidden, just a few metres into the forest. I thought that my quest to get rid of the stuff was a complete success. Apparently it was not!

Magnus turns around and heads back to the mansion. “I am going to play cards. You guys know what that means!”

Leila and Tom approach me and give Magnus a wide berth on his way back into the mansion. The other new additions to our clan stay close to the mansion and are eyeing the forest with wary expressions. Leila bows to Fiacre. “I think we haven't been introduced?”

“Ah, yeah...” I turn around. “Annia, Kath, Fiacre and Oilell. These two are Leila and her uncle Tom. Their group will join our clan.” I indicate the rest of the newcomers.

Fiacre and the kids look nothing more than surprised, but Oilell's expression is a really strange mixture of bliss and terror. I've never before seen something like it in my entire life.

“Is there a problem, Oilell?” I ask.

The brownie tries to nod and shake her head at the same time. “It's so wonderful that there are finally more people. They will feed my friends to the snake. I can already feel my power increasing. That cursed initiation ritual!”

Her words make little sense, but I can guess what she is trying to say. I pat the brownie's shoulder. “I am sure that we can simply buy some animals to which you don't have an emotional attachment.”

***Fairy***

***Gardener***

I watch as Winter has another one of his raging fits.

“Why won't these humans go to war? How can spineless creatures like them be so numerous? What else do we have to do?” He reaches for a tree's branch and it is immediately covered in ice. I wince and resolve myself to repair the damage once the maniac is gone. There is nothing worse than people who don't have their emotions under control.

Maybe I can find a way to make him go away before he ruins my grove. “But they are already fighting. Haven't several countries declared martial law? Some are even trying to force every supernatural to register themselves. That's already very close to prosecution.”

He shakes his head. “That's not enough! We need more chaos. A situation which allows us to attack openly. I am so tired of all our lurking in the shadows. We fae are living like rats in a hole and only come out to snatch a few humans here and an unwary supernatural there. It's beneath our dignity!”

I nod, even though I don't understand what he is talking about. “That's right! We fae deserve better! Why should they be allowed to live according to their nature, while we are not? We have to hide our traditions and they can do as they please. It's not like we haven't been on this Earth for long enough to deserve our place in their midst. Maybe even a place at the top.”

Winter nods feverishly. “Exactly! Exactly! So why aren't the humans acting according to our plans?”

I sigh inwardly. How can someone like him have such high status? “It's their nature. That's how they survive despite their weakness. Even if some do something stupid and die, others survive because they didn't follow their fellows. It's a basic survival strategy.”

Then I try to reason with him. “We already accomplished a lot by turning the general opinion of several of the biggest countries against supernaturals. Our goal is almost accomplished. All we have to do, is to take action.”

He turns to look at me. “The others said that it isn't time. We have to wait.”

I shrug. “What do the others know. They are too unimaginative. Though I am sure that you already saw a possible solution.”

He furrows his forehead. “Solution?”

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I snort to show that I don't believe him. “Oh, come on. I noticed that you are already bringing your people into position. A bird sang a little song to me. Winter will be the first to grab the power for himself. The power that drove us into Fairy.”

Reaching up, I scratch my chin as if a sudden idea formed just now in my mind. “But then again, the one who has it should have enough power to change the status quo. Even among the fae. Maybe if we strike early and grab it before the Old Ones get their wits together...”

Winter bites into his lower lip. “Yes. Why should we wait? Once they go to war for real, they'll surely protect it even better! Our best chance to get to it is right now! But I'll need more preparations for such an endeavour. There is absolutely no room for failure.” He turns around and leaves.

I walk to the damaged tree and run my hand over the bark, soothing it with my magic.

“Idiot...”