Rain was in the sky again. It was good for the plants, but little else. Vox had stayed over one more night to see if he could discover the real motivation behind this fey lord’s movements. The pounding of the rain had ruined that plan. Doric and Manson had also stayed, but who cared about them. Staying any longer would be a waste of time. He turned away from the window, then paused.

He told himself that he was seeing things, yet he looked back. There were figures moving under the trees. He put his hands up against the glass and looked closer. An armoured knight was escorting a tall, oddly dressed, grey-skinned man under the trees. A tall figure in a black cloak was following behind. An intruder. A foreigner. Vox had never seen a fey with skin that grey or clothes that were so clean and plain.

Vox looked at his familiar Sweep, who was still sleeping perched on the back of a chair. Vox whistled and the raven opened her eyes. She flew over to his shoulder. With the bird secure, Vox opened his door and looked both ways down the hallway. The door at the end of the hall that led out to the side of the house was propped open and the warlock girl was crouched just inside the doorway as she waited for a bucket to fill with water. Perhaps it wasn’t so bad to be placed in the servant’s quarters.

His whispered an invisibility spell over his bird and Sweep flew off down the hallway and out the door without any notice. Vox pulled his door shut quietly, went to sit in the chair, and closed his eyes to enter into the senses of his familiar.

Sweep had flown to the edge of the forest and was making her way from branch to branch as she searched for the group. Her sharp eyes spotted movement through the trees and she flew in that direction. As Sweep approached the two men she flew up higher because the trees in the area grew farther apart and she needed to stay hidden. The men had come to a stop in a small clearing marked by a birdbath, which suggested that this area had once been part of the lawn.

The trespasser was missing and the armoured guard was soon dismissed by the hooded figure. Vox was starting to think that he had missed his chance when a boy in similar foreign clothing approached the hooded man. They greeted one another, but the rain made it difficult to hear what they were saying. Sweep turned her head and picked up some of the words.

 "…some…looking…the gateway…castle…" the boy was saying in an urgent voice.

The hooded figure said something inaudible.

"…hold them back…wizards…" the boy said.

"...hold them…I’ll go…" the hooded one said.

"I’ll go," the boy said running off.

The hooded one was left standing alone in the forest. Then he started to move back towards the house. Vox could not be sure what he heard, but it sounded like there might be an attack. He considered the chances of such a thing happening. At the rate at which they were connecting the realms around the wizard district it wasn’t unlikely for the unseelie to take advantage of the situation and rush in, but did it even matter now. A knock at the door jumbled his thoughts.

 "Do you need anything this morning?" Ris asked from the hallway.

Vox let himself relax. That woman’s timing was almost too good. Vox left his project and went over and opened the door.

"I think I’ve stayed long enough in this dark place. Could you have someone ready my carriage?"

"Of course," she said taking her leave.

Vox tossed all of his belongings back into his travelling trunk and headed out through the main hall.

***

Selene heard the dry scape of something being pulled over the stone floor and turned her head to see Vox dragging his trunk down to the entrance hall. The stables where they housed the horses and the carriages were at the back of the building. She would miss seeing the decorative carriages again today. So close. That’s what she seemed to be these days.

She closed her eyes, took in a breath of fresh air and turned her attention back to her task. The bucket she had left out was full and overflowing. She stood and dragged the sloshing bucket out of the rain, then lifted it by the handle and hauled it to the main hall. Normally the pump in the kitchen would be used, but the kitchen workers were getting grouchy so Edith had suggested she collect the water from outside. After all the trouble of waiting and going the extra distance she hoped this method wouldn’t end in another confrontation with a magician. All she wanted to do was water the flowers in peace.

She came out of the side hall in time to hear the door shut and set the bucket down in the doorway to rest her arms. Two more buckets. Two more. She grasped the handle with both hands, walked it over to the nearest giant vase, and started to lift—

"Selene."

The bucket went down hard and she turned to face Tarin who had come in out of the rain still wearing his waterlogged cloak.

"Did anyone come through here?" he asked.

Yes, you, Selene thought. Since when did Tarin talk to her?

"There is a wizard that’s leaving," she told him. "He went through the front door."

"I’m not looking for a wizard. If you see a snake, not a real snake, but a person-like snake, tell him to get out. Go tell Ris if he won’t leave."

"Is that it?"

"Yes. Thank you. For being patient," he replied awkwardly.

"No problem," she replied, amused for the first time.

Unfortunately he didn’t stay. Tarin took off his dripping black cloak and went through the mysterious entrance at the back of the hall. Selene was left thinking about the boy who had tried to make fun of her repeatedly by sneaking up behind her. With nothing better to do she picked the bucket back up and found it surprisingly light. She watched the space across from her and a pair of eyes became visible.

"Would you like some help?" he asked.

"You heard him," Selene replied, knowing that this must be the snake boy. "Out, or I have to go find someone."

Selene slowly put the bucket back down and he moved with her, but when it was close to the floor she let go and he yelped. The bucket banged down again as he must have been retrieving his crushed fingers.

"That’s not very nice," he said.

"I can’t see your fingers," she told him.

"Oh fine. Make excuses."

"Why don’t you just leave?" Selene asked.

"Did you learn any new magic?" he teased.

"No."

"That’s a shame. I only know how to do this invisibility. It’s better than most, but pathetic compared to a proper magic user. I thought you might be able to help."

"What are you trying to do?"

"Simple. I’m trying to raise my status. Now. I’m going to try some of the delicious food here. Don’t tell anyone."

When she couldn’t see him Selene had to assume he was gone. She picked up the bucket and continued pouring water into the jars.

She wondered whom the boy was comparing himself to. There must have been a whole magic world out there and she hardly got to see it. This house was probably the most secluded and depressing place in the world, but she didn’t know what to compare it to. Why did people keep bringing up the subject of magic when she wasn’t allowed to learn?

Edith entered the hall.

"Are you done yet? We have to dry the laundry by hand and we need your help."

"I have one more bucket," Selene said. "Then I’ll be right over."

There was always something to do. If it was not the laundry then it was the dishes from lunch, then the dishes from dinner, then scrubbing the bath, then dusting the surfaces. But as she worked through the day Selene knew that she was needed the same as everyone else. And as she took in the familiar sights of patterned clothes and familiar smells of dusty rooms she could believe that it didn’t matter what she had lost.

"Selene," Edith said when she found her friend wiping the floor in front of the door out to the laundry line. "The guests have all left."

"How late is it?"

"Dark. Forget about that and come to sleep alright."

"Alright."

***