Inside the tent, a child sat upon a worn-down mattress with an old blanket on top. The child looked up, and Taka saw wolf ears perk up at the sight of them. The child glanced at the woman nervously, then back at Zirko and Taka’s golem.

  “It’s alright,” the woman said, speaking for the first time. “They are friends of Dr. Quinoth.”

  The child seemed to relax a bit, and Zirko crouched down to get to eye level.

  “You must be Theo,” Zirko said as he stuck out his hand. “I am Hesk. And your…”

  “Auntie,” the woman jumped in.

  “And your Auntie is right, Dr. Quinoth asked us to come,” Zirko continued. “It’s nice to meet you.”

  Theo looked over to his Aunt, who nodded her approval, then warily shook Zirko’s hand.

  “I am Fusha,” the woman said to Zirko.”Nice to meet you as well.”

  You better be telling the truth, Fusha sent to Taka. I refuse to let Theo be used in their games.

  We are, Taka replied, and we have no intent besides protecting Theo.

  Taka’s eyes wandered back to Theo, and he examined the kid. Theo clearly was of beastkin descent, hence the ears, but his face was a little slimmer and lacked some of the more animalistic facial features that were present in many of the beastkin he had met, including Maeve. Theo was not a pure-blooded wolf man, and based on the doctor’s intel, Taka assumed the boy was at least a quarter, if not half, fae.

  “May I?” Zirko asked.

  Fusha took a moment to consider, then nodded. Zirko approached the wolf boy with a smile and his hands up, but the kids still cowered away.

  “It’s alright,” Fusha assured Theo. “He isn’t trying to hurt you.”

  Theo stopped pulling away but watched Zirko fearfully as the large lizard man approached. Zirko whispered something into his ear, and Theo nodded, then showed Zirko the back of his neck. Zirko examined the boy’s nape and looked back to Taka.

  He has the device, Zirko sent.

  So, do we take him back to the doctor? Taka replied. Are we sure it’s safe?

  Safer than here, Zirko sent back.

  Fusha looked between the golem and the battle mage, having figured out that they were communicating but unable to deduce what, thanks to Zirko’s poker face.

  “If we’re in danger, we should go, si no? Fusha pressed.

  Taka’s brain processed her words like Fen’s, with the weird Spanglish… I need to figure that out, too, Taka thought to himself.

  “Yes, let’s,” Zirko said as he got up from beside the boy.

  Zirko led Fusha and Theo back to Dr. Quinoth’s lab, and Taka trailed them, looking for anyone who was following. Unfortunately, the helmet of the golem didn’t provide the best visibility, especially when it came to trying to spot people who didn’t want to be seen. Thankfully, no one tried to make a move on their walk back, and they reached the outside of the lab without incident.

  As they approached the entrance, two guards approached, both lizard men who were becoming familiar with Zirko and the golem.

  “Who are they?” One of the guards asked.

  “Patients,” Zirko said.

  “Both of ‘em?” The other added.

  “Just the kid,” Zirko replied.

  “Can’t let the other in, then,” the first guard said.

  Theo clung tightly to Fusha, and she tried to calm the wolf boy down.

  “Not happening,” Zirko said plainly. “It’s the doc’s orders.”

  The second guard stepped forward into Zirko’s space, “increased security, comes right from the top. I don’t care who you are, but we aren’t letting anyone in who doesn’t need to be here. Take it up with the Ambassador if that’s a problem.”

  This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

  “I’m not leaving Theo,” Fusha said as she stepped backward with Theo.

  If she tries to run, you have to charm her, Zirko sent.

  No, Taka replied without a second thought. I can’t.

  It’d be for their own safety, Zirko began.

  Before Zirko could finish his thought, Fusha took another step and almost bumped into Taka’s golem. As she dodged out of the way, her cloak slipped and revealed her face. Both the guards’ attention shifted to the woman as they gawked at her, Zirko also unable to hide his expression. Fusha turned away from them, inadvertently right in front of Taka, and he saw the woman’s face for the first time.

  Fusha was part wolf folk like Theo, but Taka was now sure that Theo was only a quarter fae. Fusha’s face had the slender eyes and shape that all fae did, only her nose and mouth giving her away. Taka could see her tail swishing beneath her cloak, but he also saw something shifting along her back as she stumbled so as not to trip over Theo. Wings, covered in fur. Taka began to understand why Fusha wore her cloak so tightly, and why she was so protective of Theo. She was a freak, just like Taka.

  “We’ll be going in now,” Zirko said as he pushed passed the guards, Fusha hiding her face, then dragging Theo along with her inside.

  “Shouldn’t we stop them?” the second guard began.

  “No,” the first guard said. “No one hates halfies like the fae.”

  The inside of the lab was just as bleak as Taka remembered, but Dr. Quinoth made it feel warm. By the time Taka had come in, Theo was already smiling and giggling, something Taka was not expecting. Fusha stood in the corner as the doctor examined the boy, Zirko watching closely.

  “Could you give me a moment alone with Theo?” Dr. Quinoth asked in a soothing voice.

  “Not a chance–” Fusha began.

  “You can stand right outside, we just need to do a little…” Dr. Quinoth paused, then “maintenance.”

  Fusha was about to give the dwarf a piece of her mind, but Theo shook his head at her and smiled towards the doctor. Fusha took a deep breath, then nodded and stepped outside. Zirko looked to Dr. Quinoth, who nodded at the lizard man.

  Go talk to her, Zirko sent Taka. I need to watch this.

  Taka wasn’t sure what the doctor planned to do to Theo, but the kid seemed to know and was okay with it. Taka did find it a little strange that Zirko wanted to watch, which piqued his own curiosity, but he knew he could always ask about it later. Taka also knew he had to talk with Zirko about his feelings about using his CHARM and FEAR skills to manipulate innocent people. Even if it was for their own protection, Taka didn’t think it felt right, and Zirko was bound to disagree. Better to hash it out sooner than later, Taka thought as he exited the room.

  Outside the door, Taka found Fusha standing a few feet away down the hall, crouched down with her head in her hands.

  “Are you alright?” Taka asked.

  Fusha looked up and around for a person until she realized the noise came from the golem.

  “I didn’t realize you could speak,” Fusha said.

  “I can,” Taka replied.

  Fusha didn’t say anything, so silence hung awkwardly in the air for a moment. Fusha sat on the ground, her legs sprawled out, tail now showing as she took off the hood of her cloak. The fur that surrounded her ears and acted as her hair was white as snow and looked softer than the finest silk. Her eyes looked tired, and her shoulders slumped with fatigue.

  “Why do you hide your head?” Taka asked, unable to stop himself.

  Fusha chuckled, “Still must be new to Modonia.”

  Taka nodded with the golem’s head.

  “You heard what the guards called me?” Fusha asked. ‘Halfy?’ Nicest way I’ve heard it put.”

  “Why?” Taka asked.

  “Why what?” Fusha probed.

  “Why is it like that?” Taka pushed. “What’s wrong with being different?”

  Fusha cackled, “Why is the grass green? Why do birds have wings? Why is water magic good against fire? Why does the sun rise? That’s how things are.”

  “That’s not the same,” Taka said, “not even close–”

  “Maybe not where you’re from, but it is here,” Fusha said plainly. “All my life, and all my life to come. Is what it is.”

  “Why don’t you care more?” Taka asked. “If not for yourself, then for Theo?”

  Fusha’s eyes locked on Taka with a look of disgust and rage that made Taka squirm.

  “You don’t know anything about me, what I’ve had to do. You work for them here, easy life with protection, you don’t know anything –” Fusha paused as she looked at the golem, her gaze shifting from anger to confusion. “Who – what, are you?”

  Taka stayed still. He wanted to show Fusha he was a worm, a High Worm, but a worm nonetheless. He understood what it was like to be looked at like you were wrong, your existence some cruel mistake. But he didn’t. He couldn’t.

  Fusha’s eyes flickered, and her nose twitched, and Taka felt a chill on his skin. The anger on Fusha’s face washed away and was replaced by a hint of sadness, pity, as she stared at him.

  You’re not from here, are you, Fusha sent to Taka, a statement more than a question.

  Taka didn’t respond. He knew the real meaning behind the question: Fusha wasn’t just talking about Modonia.

  Fusha chuckled lightly, which got louder and louder until she began to roar with laughter and then violently sob.

  Did Valish bring you here, too? Or was it one of those other bastards? Fusha asked as she wiped away her tears.

  Holy shit, Taka thought to himself. Holy. Shit.