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Ariadne and Faraday were quiet for a moment, but didn’t let the silence linger long.

“Of course, Webb,” Faraday said quietly. “Let’s head out to the road and get our bearings. We can save any further discussion for when we’re out of the rain.”

Webb begrudgingly accepted Ariadne’s assistance, rising to their feet. She insisted on staying close to Webb’s side as the three of them began to pick their way towards the road. They couldn’t find it in themself to complain.

“I don’t suppose you have any magic up your sleeve that can help us out here?” Webb asked Faraday, trying to keep their tone gentle. Don’t sound stressed out. Don’t be too weird about it. They’ll wonder if you’re still having a meltdown.

Webb remembered a moment later when Faraday gave them a very alarmed look that they never took a gentle tone with Faraday and that, in itself, was probably pretty worrisome. They made a face and stuck their tongue out instead, which earned a laugh. Faraday’s shoulders relaxed.

“If necessary, I might be able to do something,” Faraday said with a nod. “But it’s a little outside my specialty and I’ve already done a few spells tonight. It’s probably wiser for me to save up my energy.”

Witches had a number of abilities that Webb was aware of. Their bloodline allowed them to live in the Valley proper or even enter the Otherworld—but they didn’t have unlimited power. They could draw on their own life energy, or… other sources. Often familiars, apprentices, slaves… It was pretty clear that Faraday wasn’t that type of witch, though, so Webb figured that he was stuck just with whatever power he was able to generate on his own with his limited battery.

“Faraday works better on… slower things,” Ariadne said, more or less confirming Webb’s suspicions. “Things that take effect over time.”

Faraday nodded. “Things like the spider spell, or the bobbin, those I already had prepared. Power that I had stored up—in the thread, or in my coat. Which usually works just fine for what I need it to, but let’s just say I’m not exactly equipped to be an adventuring battle mage responding to unique and unpredictable situations…”

Webb worried at their lower lip rings for a moment as they continued to walk along, leaves rustling wetly underfoot. “That’s fair,” they said. “Let’s see what we can manage.”

Faraday looked surprised again, then grateful, giving Webb a nod. “I’ll try to pull my weight,” he said dryly. “After you got to see how cool Ariadne can be.”

Ariadne snorted. “I’m a brawler with no finesse,” she said lightly. “The things you do are elegant, my dear.”

“Elegance doesn’t mean much under a lot of circumstances,” Faraday pointed out dryly.

“I don’t know,” Webb said, managing a smile that felt like it only cracked their skin a little. “Honestly, I think the world would be a much better place if people had a bit more style and panache about things, like you do.”

“I… think so too,” Faraday all but stammered, ducking his head, a little flustered. He looked at Webb, then quickly away. “Oh, look, I see headlights…” He walked a little faster, leading the way ahead, coat flapping in the wind.

Ariadne bit back a little grin, bumping her hip against Webb’s. “If you think I’m going to forget that we’re worried about you, you’re very mistaken,” she said with threateningly good cheer, leaning in close to murmur in Webb’s ear. “But… that was cute. Thanks.”

Webb found themself flushing a little in return, pushing back against her side. “I’m not—being duplicitous,” they muttered. “I’m just trying to…”

“Mmhmm,” she hummed, squeezing Webb’s hand. “Come on.”

Webb followed closely beside her as they approached the roadside. The occasional car was passing by in the gloom, headlights flashing before disappearing into the fog. Faraday was standing with his arms crossed, eyes narrowed as he scanned for signs or landmarks.

“I can’t see much,” he murmured as Ariadne and Webb caught up. “You two might have a little bit better luck.”

“Doesn’t seem like we’re in the middle of nowhere,” Ariadne observed, tilting her head back and sniffing the air. “The rain makes it difficult, but… I’d wager we’re just outside the city proper. There should be some things along the road here.”

Webb let out a grumbling sigh. “Gee, thanks, Pax,” they muttered. They fished out their phone, checking first for messages (none), then pulling open Maps. “GPS agrees with you. Looks like there’s a gas station at least about ten minutes from here, at least. Let’s head that way for now. Stick near the road, but out of sight. We don’t want to be spotted.”

“I can help with that, at least,” Faraday said, almost eager, raking his wet hair back from his face. “Here, it’s just a small thing…”

Faraday reached out to Ariadne first, lightly running his fingers along the hem of her jacket, straightening it. She gave a little shiver, smiling faintly, the threads in her jacket briefly pulsing a soft silver color. He then turned to Webb, hesitating.

“What’s that going to do?” Webb asked, hugging their elbows and hunching their shoulders somewhat, trying not to look too wary. Then: “… I mean, go ahead, but…”

“Nondetection,” Faraday told them, taking a step closer and resting his hands on the shoulder of Webb’s damp sweater. A faint look of concentration appeared between his brows. Webb could feel the warmth of his hands and shivered at the contrast. “I’m just politely asking the threads in your clothes to help you avoid unwanted attention,” Faraday explained with a little grin. “You’re still wearing Ariadne’s sweater, which is quite familiar with me, so it’s pretty easygoing.”

Webb expected to feel a rush of magic, or notice something different, but there was nothing—then, suddenly, there was a rush of warmth as their sweater dried itself off like a pomeranian shaking and shedding water.

“The hell—??”

Faraday let out a laugh, his eyes bright. “Oh, seems like it really wanted to be cooperative. Clearly it likes you.”

Webb, still feeling a thousand kinds of fragile, begrudgingly yanked the hood back up and pulled on the drawstrings. “That’s weird,” they whispered threateningly. Then, just as quickly, ducking their head and slouching over to join Ariadne. “I mean. Thanks. It’s way nicer.”

“Let’s get going,” Ariadne suggested, her gaze scanning the horizon. “That’ll help, but… we might still have a long ways to go.”

As the three of them began to trudge northwards along the side of the quiet, winding highway, Webb tried their best to try to focus on the things that seemed present and real, and as little as possible on all of the things that seemed terrible and looming and so very loud in their head, like the rustling of trees reminding them just how very near the woods were at any given moment. They tried not to think about Lore, or Pax, or how cold their feet were, or how fucking exhausted they were, or how much they really hated cardio, and how terrified they were about their past coming back to haunt them…

“Ariadne,” Webb rasped out, when it was clear that walking in silence was very soon going to result in them having a full-scale meltdown on the side of the road. They cleared their throat, and tried again. “Ariadne… back there, when Veracity mentioned that Grimm might not actually be Grimm…”

Ariadne’s shoulders tensed a little, but she fell back a step slightly to walk closer to Webb. “Yeah?” she murmured. “What about it?”

“How… are you feeling about that, first of all?” Webb asked awkwardly, voice still a little rough. “But also—what did she mean about you being a puppet?”

Ariadne scrubbed at her pale face with one hand, looking a little tired, but her jaw was set, determined, her chin tilted up slightly. “Vampires… I mean, you already know we have the ability to mesmer, to charm and influence people. The stronger and older the vampire, the more power and sway they have. And for those who have sired or turned others… well, you’re sort of in a perpetual state of thrall. It’s really hard to turn on your sire, and if they order you to do something, well, you’re sort of…”

“Permanently indebted to your vampire sugar daddy?” Webb suggests. “Damn. That’s rough.”

Ariadne made a face. “It’s not even debt so much as… I mean. It’s magic. It’s blood. It’s… visceral. It’s part of who you are, and it’s how vampire lords get so powerful. The more their clan grows, the more they have a small army of obedient thralls…”

“And yet,” Faraday said thoughtfully, “if this information is true, that means…”

“It means a lot of things,” Webb interrupted. “It means, first of all, Ariadne, what were you planning to do when we came across him before you knew it was possibly a bait-and-switch? Just hope, like, I don’t know, this innate vampire puppet disease was a problem that just happened to other vampires?”

“No!” Ariadne protested. “I just… I mean, what else was I supposed to do? I was worried about it, obviously, but I had Faraday, and then there was you, and I hadn’t exactly meant for tonight to go like this, it just sort of ended up this way, and one thing led to another, and…”

Webb sighed, nudging her as they walked. “It’s fine, it’s fine,” they muttered. “But also, I mean… now what? If it’s true… I mean, if vampire lords are a big fucking deal like you said, then… what’s it mean for us if we’re dealing with someone that offed a vampire lord and took his place?

Neither of them had an answer to that. Webb wasn’t sure they were expecting one.

They fell into silence again as they walked. After about ten minutes had passed, the gas station came into view, the reds and yellows of its fluorescent signage glowing particularly brightly in the pre-dawn gloom.

“What’s the plan from here?” Faraday asked, glancing back at Webb. “I still think it would be a good idea to find somewhere to rest…”

“Either of you ever steal a car before?” Webb asked casually.

“No,” they said in unison. Faraday looked a little affronted. Ariadne mostly looked thoughtful, then changed her expression to serious when Faraday frowned at her.

Webb grinned, finding the smile coming a little easier this time. “Just kidding,” they said, though they hadn’t completely been joking. “But I am really fucking tired of being out in the rain. Maybe we could at least, you know, casually convince someone to give us a ride to the nearest motel…”

Ariadne nodded at that, thoughtful. “That… would probably be fine,” she agreed. “Fastest. Avoids the possibility that rideshare or taxi companies have been asked to be on the lookout for you or your accounts…”

“Love that thought,” Webb said dryly.

“Though we’ll have to be careful with any place we check into as well,” Faraday pointed out regretfully. “I could weave together disguises, but it’ll be a little more effort…”

As Ariadne and Faraday chattered back and forth, exchanging the exhaustingly endless pros and cons and possibilities of how to travel and where to rest and how it was possible that every move Webb was making was being followed and hunted down, Webb suddenly felt an uneasy sensation at the back of their neck. Turning, they nervously scanned the roadway and the edge of the woods.

“… Webb?” Faraday asked, turning to him. “What is it?”

“Nothing,” Webb murmured. “I just thought I felt someone watching me…”

“Let’s get inside at least,” Ariadne said warily, her red eyes flickering as she scanned the horizon as well. “No reason why we can’t warm up and get some terrible coffee while we figure out where we’re going.”

There was something jarringly intimate and nostalgic about wandering into a little convenience store in the most nebulous hours of the day with the two of them—Faraday with his brightly-colored coat, Ariadne with blood still caked in her hair. Liminal, strange, and yet familiar. The soft whirr of the Slurpee machines. The smell of coffee that had probably been brewed four hours ago. The young gnome woman behind the counter that looked up and could clearly, powerfully care less. Webb had absolutely no idea if that was Faraday’s glamor at work, or simply her own powerful sense of ennui. Either way, they respected it.

As Ariadne stepped away to get cleaned up in the shockingly-not-out-of-service bathroom and Faraday perused the questionable coffee options, Webb pulled his hood up a little further, lingering near the front of the store and peering back outside, still feeling uneasy. The harsh lighting overhead hummed and buzzed, casting their reflection in the glass into strange and jagged shadows.

“There’s nothing there,” they said quietly, to their own reflection. “You’re exhausted, your imagination is running wild, and…” they trailed off.

Their reflection continued to stare directly back at them, and hadn’t mouthed the words in return.

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Webb had never in their life wanted to stand their ground and fight. Their fight-or-flight reflexes had gotten gummed up early on and were stuck on “flight” only. The light on their emotional dashboard was permanently lit with a neon HELL NO.

And yet, seeing Vyo lunging down at them, they found that their heart was pounding as much with adrenaline as with anxiety, the roaring in their ears fury as well as fear.

That said, they did not have knives for hands, and so they did the sensible thing and ducked out of the way.

“Fuck,” they cursed, scrambling on wet leaves as Vyo swooped at them. They grabbed the broken umbrella that Pax had dropped at some point, thrusting wildly upwards with it as they felt the brush of wings close—too close—overhead. They didn’t hit anything, but Vyo also didn’t make a second pass, at least not immediately.

“Webb!” Faraday was crouching beside them, expression grim. Despite the rain and the chaos, his hair still looked perfect, tumbling down in a curtain around them both as Faraday knelt, hauling Webb protectively close against his chest. “Are you alright?”

“Fiiiii-nuh, I can’t believe you,” Webb muttered. “Stop it, your jacket is going to get muddy—”

“My jacket can survive a little mud,” Faraday said, face tilted up into the rain as he scanned the dark sky, eyes narrowed. “I’m not sure you can survive getting gored by a harpy.”

“Maybe not with that attitude,” Webb muttered, but they let Faraday stay protectively pressed over them while they also quickly took stock of the situation.

Vyo had flown up overhead again before diving back down again, but this time it looked as though either Pax or Ariadne had managed to grab her attention, or her leg, or both. Her wings were beating furiously as she tried to wheel out of the way again, but Ariadne launched up like a feral housecat, raking a swipe across Vyo’s leg with blackened talons that Webb was very sure that Ariadne didn’t have earlier.

Pax, meanwhile, had materialized some kind of gleaming blade out of seemingly nowhere, a wickedly sharp silver thing about as long as his forearm. He was currently using it to file one of his nails.

“Pax,” Webb hissed.

The demon looked up, wide-eyed. “What? Your vampire looks like she has it handled.”

Honestly, Webb couldn’t deny that. That wasn’t the point. “We need to leave,” they insisted. “Get Ariadne and let’s get out of here.”

Faraday looked thoughtful, biting his lower lip and glancing back along the riverbank towards the Drawing Dead. “Worried this is just a diversion?” he asked, low-voiced.

“Of course it is,” Pax said agreeably, tossing the blade from one hand to the other. “She wouldn’t go toe-to-toe with me, let alone with the four of us, if there wasn’t an ace up her sleeve.”

“And I’m not willing to stick around to find out what that is,” Webb said. They rose up, bracing themself against Faraday, who stood up as well, staying pressed close. They hesitated, though, exhaling an irritated puff of breath. “But… she knows something, so if we can just…”

“Webb, look—” Faraday interrupted urgently, turning Webb towards the direction of the Drawing Dead.

At first, it seemed like nothing—just a shifting of the mist, the rain, and the shadows of the dim pre-dawn. Then the shapes started to take a more solid form. Still in the distance, for now, but coming closer, with amorphous shapes and wielding blades.

“I told you!” Webb hissed, because they had.

“Well, that’s sure our cue!” Pax said brightly. “Or rather—your cue. Witch boy, grab your vampire and our scoundrel here. I’ll chuck you as far as I can throw you.”

Webb made an alarmed noise. “Yes, but also, no, what? What about you? This had better not be a dramatic sacrifice! I’m not playing that game where I leave my people behind one by one to advance my fucking quest, Pax, this is not that genre—”

“Oh, please,” Pax rolled his eyes. “You’re so fucking dramatic. We both want to know what this feather duster knows, but you need to get out of town. I’ll deal with the turkey and avoid the ghost army, don’t worry. And I’ll text you later, because I knoooww you’ll want to know what I find out, and I’ll only make you beg a little.”

Webb stared at him, then glanced over at Faraday. Faraday was looking over at where Ariadne had literally just charged up the side of a tree, making it tremble and shake under the force of the impact, hanging from a branch as she tried to swing her way across it.

“… I mean, I hate to break up Ariadne’s fun,” Webb said in a slightly strained tone. “It feels like taking a tennis ball away from a puppy…”

Pax brandished the knife threateningly in their general direction. “Go,” they insisted sweetly, smiling so wide it seemed to split their cheeks slightly, showing all of their teeth.

“Fine!” Webb nudged Faraday. “How do we—??”

“Get ready to tag out,” Faraday told Pax firmly, straightening up and reaching into his jacket. “I assume you’re readying another portal?”

“Sir, yes, sir,” Pax said with a little purr. This time he drew a circle on the ground with the tip of one gold-tipped toe, a little pirouette in place before he hopped to the side. Leaves and rain vanished, sucked down into the sudden void underfoot. Somehow, this one made Webb even more uneasy than the first.

“And where exactly is this one going to send us?” Webb muttered.

Pax gave them a broad, knifey shrug. “Away.”

“Fair enough.”

“Please focus,” Faraday said with a politely long-suffering tone, pulling out what appeared to be a thread bobbin and striding over towards where his significant other was still brawling with a harpy. His long hair and his technicolor dream coat whipped out behind him in the wind and rain, and Webb tried very hard not to feel impressed and excited.

Pax leaned a little closer to Webb. “What’s he going to do with the arts and crafts?” he whispered.

“I don’t know,” Webb said, raking their wet hair back from their face, stray pieces dripping wet from under the edge of their hat. “My plan was to try to hit her with a car, but that’s obviously not going to be an option.” The temptation to join in the ribbing was sparking on their tongue, but— “It’s fine, though. Faraday knows what he’s doing. Be ready.”

Pax raised one eyebrow, a slightly bemused expression on his face, but he obediently stood on alert, blade raised. Webb watched him uneasily for a moment, something nameless stirring in their chest.

“… are you sure about this?” they asked under their breath.

“What, worried about me?” Pax asked idly.

“I am worried about a lot of things, Pax!” Webb said with gritted teeth. “If you hadn’t noticed, there is a lot to currently be worried about. I’ve had nothing but worries the whole goddamn night! My anxiety is about to take physical form like a JoJo’s Stand!”

Pax laughed softly, flicking his tail. “You could have just said yes,” he murmured. “It’s alright. I’m not glad you’re afraid, but it’s nice to know that you still care, under all those spikes. Maybe things will be better for you, after all this is through.” A pause. “I mean, assuming you survive.”

“Thanks very much. Dick.” Try as they might, Webb couldn’t manage much heat in that.

Faraday had reached Ariadne and Vyo. Watching carefully for an opening, he suddenly lobbed the little bobbin, letting it soar easily over the two of them, trailing a little tail of thread behind it.

For a moment, nothing seemed to happen. Then, Vyo let out a loud squawk as her wings were suddenly hauled close to her body, jerking her back like a marionette on a string. Webb watched in growing astonishment as the thin little thread snaked around her like a chain, jerking her this way and that, yanking feathers and binding her feet tightly together.

“Ria! This way!” Faraday beckoned, gesturing frantically. “It won’t last long—”

Ariadne looked up from her half-crouch, eyes gleaming. She’d ripped off her helmet at some point, and there was blood dripping from her lips. For a moment, Webb wasn’t sure if it was hers or Vyo’s, but after she spat out a loose feather, Webb figured they had a fair idea.

“But I—” she protested, a little growly, taking a few aborted steps towards Vyo.

“Inquisitors are coming!” Webb called out, casting a nervous glance back at where they were closing ground much more quickly than they had any right to. “We’re getting out of here.”

Vyo jerked her head up, eyes bright, even as she continued to struggle against the bindings Faraday had cast on her. Every time she snapped a bit of thread, another tightened around her. She sliced at them with her talons flashing. “Oh, you can run,” she rasped, “and even if I lose you, even if they don’t find you,” she jerked her head towards the Inquisitors, “you’ll never be free of him.”

“Who’s him?” Pax asked casually as he sauntered forward, swaying. Ariadne cast one last furtive glance towards Vyo before scampering to Faraday’s side, leaning heavily against him as the two of them quickly returned to Webb. “Let’s talk about that, you and I, shall we?”

Vyo spat off to the side, finally managing to snatch the glittering bobbin from the air, ripping at the remaining thread with teeth and claws.

“Eat shit, demon,” she said, her teeth bared in a rictus grimace of a grin. Her gaze travelled past Pax to Webb, who still stood at the edge of the portal, posed to jump. “And don’t worry. That one knows exactly who I’m talking about.”

Webb narrowed his eyes at her, a sudden chill creeping up the back of their neck. “Believe me,” they shot back. “If I knew what this about, I’d be having a much less confusing night.”

The harpy laughed, ear-splitting and piercing. “You might have forgotten about him,” she said. “But he’s never forgotten about you. The one that got away…”

Horrified realization seared through Webb like a knife. Dimly, they realized that they’d frozen in place, and that there were voices clamoring for their attention, but they sounded very distant, distorted, like dreaming underwater. The roar of the rain grew stronger, the scent of wet leaves more pungent, and in the distance they heard  them approaching—closer, closer, hooves pounding against the ground in a rapid, urgent patter—

“Webb, we have to go!”

Webb felt an arm wrap tightly around their waist, followed by the unsettling, swooping sensation of the ground dropping out from beneath their feet as Ariadne hauled them bodily into the portal Pax had made. They exhaled soundlessly, strangled and choked.

The last thing they saw before their vision went black was Pax’s face, bright-eyed and curious and concerned, before he abruptly spun around and raised his blade, deflecting the next attack from Vyo’s outstretched talons—

—and then Webb was slammed into the ground, overbalancing, falling hard onto their hands and knees as they were impacted once, twice, and crumpled to the ground.

“Webb…” Faraday’s voice this time, his hands gripping Webb’s shoulders, rolling them over, drawing them upright, cupping their face. Somewhere in the chaos, they’d lost their glasses. They blinked up at Faraday with hazy confusion, head still spinning, mouth tasting like cotton. “Are you alright? Hey…”

Ariadne’s face swam into focus next to Faraday’s, pale and wide-eyed and worried. “Webb?”

“Shut up,” Webb managed to groan, pushing at Faraday’s hands, trying to turn their face away. “That’s my name, it’s my name, I’ve heard it so many times today it’s starting to lose its meaning…”

“They’re fine,” Faraday told Ariadne in a low voice, like he was pretending to say it quietly enough that Webb didn’t hear, but obviously wasn’t trying hard at all.

Ariadne let out a weak little laugh, shifting a little closer, reaching out to grab Webb’s hand. She was a bit of a mess, her leathers caked with mud and covered in scratches, her pale hair plastered damply and dripping. She looked genuinely worried, and relieved—and confused, biting at her bloody lower lip as she looked around.

“Where… are we?”

Webb followed her gaze. At first glance, it seemed like maybe they weren’t that far away from where they’d been last—the edge of some kind of wooded area. But they could no longer see any of the bright lights from the Drawing Dead, and they could hear the occasional hissing rush of tires moving at high speed somewhere nearby.

“I think that we’re near the edge of town,” Webb said, finding the words coming slow and sluggish, as though their tongue didn’t want to cooperate. It sounded remote, like the voice belonged to someone else entirely. “Pax did say he’d fling us as far as he could… don’t know how we’re supposed to get a car from here, but I guess his aim isn’t always the best if he’s pushing himself…”

“Do you think he’ll be alright?” Ariadne asked, worried.

“I don’t know,” Webb said. They knew they should probably get up, the rain-soaked leaves and mud starting to seep through their clothes, but their legs felt heavy. The woods seemed to loom around them, towering and dark, and the whispering of the wind seemed to carry voices that they were trying very, very hard to tune out. “I don’t… know. Lore’s got to be okay. And Pax. I’m not… they said they wanted to help, right? I’m not leaving them behind, I… where are we supposed to get a car, I…”

Ariadne was crouching suddenly closer, her hands finding Webb’s face, trying to tilt it to look at her. “Webb,” she murmured. “Webb, what’s wrong? Did you hit your head, or—?”

“Is it about what she said?” Faraday asked slowly, low-voiced, concerned. “When we were leaving… she said, you knew who was chasing you. That you were the one that got away.”

Webb closed his eyes tightly to avoid Ariadne’s gaze, and covered their ears with both hands, though it wasn’t quite enough to block everything out. The wind, the rain, the voices. Their concern, their questions, the sound of being chased—

“Webb,” Ariadne insisted, shaking their shoulders, anxious. “Webb, what is going on?”

“We have to get out of the rain,” Webb rasped. “And… figure out where to go next.” Was there a service station nearby? A motel? Should they call a Lyft? See if Faraday could work some sort of magic…? Their head spun with possibilities and the breathless pressure building in their chest.

“… please. I just really need to get out of these fucking woods.”

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Webb exchanged a quick and somewhat uneasy glance with Faraday and Ariadne. “Listen, when I told Faraday to go to hell—” they protested.

“Very funny,” Pax said, chipper. “Chop, chop. No time to argue. All aboard the demon train!”

“Pax.” Webb took a few steps closer, regardless. The portal didn’t seem unnaturally warm or anything, and made Webb only a little uneasy to look at. They reached out to try to touch it lightly and got a little smack on their wrist from Pax.

“Where are you taking us?” Ariadne asked, wary but immediately coming to Webb’s side.

Pax huffed, putting a hand on their hip. “Just outside. Unless you want me to take you on a field trip, in which case, I’m down for it, but I don’t know when I’d return you…”

“Outside is fine,” Faraday said peaceably, though he also came up to stand on Webb’s other side. “We need to try to get Ariadne’s bike, anyway…”

“We’ll see what the lay of the land is out there,” Pax pointed out. “But don’t worry. I’m not taking you anywhere too dramatic. Just a little shortcut.”

Webb sighed, glancing back once last time at Lore before approaching the portal. “Fine,” they said. “This is really not the weirdest thing you’ve had me do.”

It was a joke, obviously, and they saw Pax’s eyes narrow and brighten somewhat with mischief—but they also saw the look of slight relief and maybe even gratitude that crossed Pax’s face. There was still a lot going on, and Webb didn’t quite know what Pax’s full game plan was, but this was about as much of an I trust you as Webb was able to give.

Drawing in a sharp breath, Webb stepped through.

They thought the sensation would be stranger than it was. It lasted for a brief moment: heat, then a shock of something cold rushing and crawling along their skin, then a fierce tug that yanked them forward, stumbling. Disoriented, they jerked their head up, feeling a little like they left their stomach behind—and found themself outside, raindrops splattering heavily down onto their head and shoulders.

Webb let out a sigh of relief that immediately turned to bone-deep terror as they realized they were alone. No Pax, no Ariadne, no Faraday—

They whirled around, scattering wet leaves. They were standing on a slope overlooking the darkened riverbank, lit in patches by pools of light from flickering street lamps. Behind them was the edge of the woods; ahead, they could see the bright lights of the Drawing Dead, and dimly hear the sound of music from the balcony over the rushing water and pattering rain.

“Pax—?” They pulled the drawstrings of Ariadne’s hoodie a little tighter, heart hammering at the inside of their ribcage. Had they been tricked? Had this been a ruse to get them alone? Or, worse, to separate them from the others, or—

There was a faint flash of light, and Ariadne and Faraday popped into existence, nearly bumping directly into Webb. A moment later, Pax appeared as well, his wings fluttering as he hovered, holding an umbrella, just keeping the tips of his toes off the wet ground.

“Oh!” Ariadne breathed out, startled. “Where are we? Oh, Webb, are—” she trailed off as she saw the look on Webb’s face, sunglasses be damned. “Are. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Webb said quickly, shoving their hands in their pockets and trying to will their panicky rabbit heart back into submission. Stop it, you’re embarrassing me. “It’s fine. We’re a hell of a ways away, though. Pax, we need to get closer.”

Pax was giving Webb a keen look as well, drifting past them and peering out into the darkness. “I don’t know if that’s such a great idea,” he pointed out, tail coiling around his ankles. “Look.”

Webb followed his gaze, and heard Faraday suck in a little breath. All around the Drawing Dead, they could see the shapes: ghostly, drifting. At least five of them from this side of the building alone, and no doubt each wielding an impossibly large and intimidating weapon.

Fumbling around in their jacket, Webb ducked briefly under Pax’s umbrella and tugged out their notebook. In the same jagged handwriting as before, it read:

Come out, come out, wherever you are.

Pax peered over their shoulder. “Oh!” he said brightly. “Fun. They seem like a riot. Anyway, I thought you might not like to party with them, though, if you’ve changed your mind, I can always…”

“No, no, it’s fine,” Ariadne protested, though she was hugging her elbows, moving from foot to foot restlessly. “… damn, my bike is there, though…”

“They know it’s yours,” Webb pointed out, grimacing. “They saw us ride away before…”

“They might leave it alone, if and when they take, ah, the bait, as it were,” Faraday pointed out in a low voice. “Do you think we should just stick around here for now, out of sight?”

“What are our other options here?” Webb muttered. “I mean, we’re going up to the mountains. Either of you have a fucking car share account?”

“We could—” Ariadne began, then abruptly stiffened, snapping the visor of her helmet up and tilting her head back, sniffing at the wind.

“… what is it?” Webb asked, but Faraday quickly shook his head, making a shushing gesture. Both Faraday and Ariadne were alert, looking around; Pax noticed a moment later, his eyes glowing in the darkness.

“I think we’re about to have an unwelcome visitor,” Pax said with a sudden toothy grin, all fangs. Before Webb could make more than a breathless noise in response, Pax wrapped an arm around Webb and hauled them close against his side, thrusting his umbrella upwards and bracing himself as something slammed into it with enough force to make it crack, sending rain splashing everywhere.

“Webb—!”

That was Ariadne’s voice, followed by the pounding of footsteps, the sound of Faraday cursing, and the beating of heavy wings. Webb shoved the tangled mess of umbrella aside, looking up to see the wet and ragged shape of the harpy from the Drawing Dead, perched on one of the tree branches and leaning down over them with a leer that showed far too many teeth.

“I thought I’d take to the skies,” she said in her raspy lilt, tapping a clawed finger against her cheek. “And look what I found! I thought I smelled a rat.”

“I always thought they kept you around for vermin control, Vyo,” Pax said blithely, shaking out his shattered umbrella and looking very put upon, his blue-green hair plastered to his horns, his skin steaming a little in the rain. “So nice to finally have confirmation.”

“Shut it,” Vyo snapped, though she immediately favored Webb with that unsettling smile again. “So you were willing to disobey the Inquisitors to protect this one, were you? That’s very interesting! I’m sure they’ll want to know all about it…”

“Are you working with Grimm?” Ariadne demanded. She didn’t sound frightened—on the contrary, her feet were braced, her hands clenching and unclenching. Faraday stood motionlessly behind her, his dark hair heavy and wet around his shoulders, his expression composed but obscured, his eyes narrowed.

The harpy blinked, then let out a sharp laugh, grating. “With the vampire? Oh, my sweet summer child. You really have no idea what’s going on, do you?”

“I don’t suppose you’re going to enlighten us, are you?” Webb called back, swaying a little closer to Pax. “You know, dramatic villain speech and all that?”

Vyo’s gaze focused on him again, and she rose up higher on the branch, spreading her wings wide and adjusting her neck, cracking it audibly to one side. She stretched out her arms, fingers cracking as well as they spasmed into elongated, knife-sharp claws.

“No,” she said, before she swooped down out of the darkened sky, lunging for Webb’s throat.

[Please suggest or +1 an action in the comments.

As a reminder, it can be thoughts, words, deeds, or curiosities!]

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Sorry, kittens! Ended up being sick today so no new post (meme voice, I may look strong on the outside, but on the inside, my tummy hurts…) But back tomorrow ♥ Here’s a consolation Pax.

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Happy Halloween, everyone! No updates this weekend – I’ll see you back on Monday. As a reminder, I’ll be aiming to wrap us up by mid-November. Have a cute and spooky one ♥

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