Summer was beautiful no matter what time of year it was in the human world, all bright greens and colourful flowers. Little fairies and butterflies fluttering around in the grass, but Etani knew better than to fall for the prettiness of the place. The Summer Court was just as ruthless as Winter.
Looking around, she moved away from the group to try and get her bearings, her eyes finally turning upwards to the sky and following the clean cut line that marked the divide between Summer and the Heathen lands.
They were very close to the Heathen quarter and the memory of the spider made her shiver.
"What about the hunt?" Uzo asked nervously, his being there made him a spy in the eyes of Summer.
"If they come I suggest you skip out. We are unwelcome, but you will be captured," Daemon explained, his tone somewhat anxious.
"Aren't you Winter?" she asked Daemon, but he shook his head.
"The ancients are neutral in most cases. Most of us come and go as we please and would dare either Court to try and stop us. You shouldn't be bothered if you stay near me."
Making their way through the Court, they found it rather disturbing how quickly they came across a small group of fauns just sitting around and playing music in a little circle.
They were all too happy to help when asked simply if someone would kindly share their magic with her, and she was suspicious of them all, not understanding why they would agree without explanation. Was it just lucky or were they being guided?
She didn't know but she accepted the offer, and the tall faun moved towards her, naked with thick fur starting just below his navel.
His kiss was gentle and again she felt no physical or mental changes, though the two inside her had calmed significantly and her own pleasure at gaining more power began to grow.
He gave her more than she needed and she took it in greedily, wanting it.
After he had broken the kiss, he smiled at her and traced a finger along her jaw. She smiled slyly and shook her head at the invitation.
She knew exactly what they were inviting her to do, and she wasn't having any of it.
The fauns laughed and they turned away, still worried by the sheer ease of their path.
"Did no one find that too easy?" she asked finally, glancing back at the group who had begun to dance.
"It was too easy. I think we need to leave," Uzo said cautiously, peering around but there was no sign of their being watched.
Regardless of their fears being true of not, the group fled through to the human world and the rip closed behind them, leaving them in the darkness of night.
***
The smell hit her first and she turned on Daemon, her eyes wide in realisation.
He was grinning at her and she gave a cry before she suddenly sprinted for the trees, the group following along behind her, but Daemon was enjoying her surprise.
Bursting through the underbrush, Weorene stood before her and she shrieked, a woman's voice shrieking in return and the flame beauty of Nayishma spun around, her eyes alarmed before going wide.
Etani ran at her and tackled the Queen to the ground, hugging her as tightly as she dared.
"Yish!" she cried and pulled the woman up into a sitting position, hugging her again tightly.
The group slowed as they realised what had happened and Nayishma laughed in surprise, hugging her friend back tightly.
"What are you all doing here?" the beauty asked, frowning as she got a better look at Etani. "What happened to you?"
"Epharis," she waved it off and grinned, taking the woman's hands and squeezing them. "We came here for Naga magic, I didn't know we were coming here!"
She turned on Daemon and he was grinning, watching the two with amusement.
She wasn't about to complain as she clung to her friend and then noticed another woman. She was as soft as Nayishma was warm and her eyes were wide in surprise.
Her eyes were a warm golden brown and her hair was a rich pink-purple.
She was absolutely stunning, her lips pulled up into a confused half smile and as she turned, Etani saw that she had six, webbed points to her ears.
"Mermaid?" Etani asked immediately and the woman smiled warmly, though she was looking a little defensive.
"This is Adella, she's my partner," Nayishma said and Etani's eyes immediately narrowed on the mermaid.
Dragging her eyes down the woman's slender, graceful form and then back up again.
"I suppose she'll have to do," Etani said finally and Nayishma snorted her amusement.
"Glad we have your approval," Nayishma said and Etani smiled.
"What are the odds of you having a shapeshifter here?" Daemon asked, watching the mermaid with curiosity.
"Relatively high, why do you ask?" Nayishma asked, her lips turned down in a frown at his attention on her love.
"That could deal with three in a row. Naga, shapeshifter and reptilian," Daemon said, his eyes on Adella's feet.
"Stop staring Daemon, it's creepy," Etani snapped and he blinked, looking away.
"I haven't seen a mermaid on land since Ferrand," he said as explanation and Adella smiled, her cheeks a soft pink.
"What do you need these creatures for?" the mermaid asked in a softly sweet voice.
"It's a fairly long story, but the jist is… I need magic or this world is going to be vanished. So far we have obtained eight of the fifty we need. Hey, we're almost a fifth of the way through," she said to the men behind her and they didn't seem as happy with the news as she did.
"This is Daemon, the demon responsible for the mess that is my life, my father's-" she paused, glancing at the man in question. He was more than that to her, more than just a family friend. "My uncle Uzo," she said, the man's cheeks flushing with pleasure. "You know Kai. Yish, that's his brother Jaia," she pointed to each man in question and aside from Kai, they all waved awkwardly. Kai was glaring at Nayishma.
"How long have you two been seeing each other?" she asked and Adella blushed.
"A few months," Nayishma said, her chin lifting.
Etani narrowed her eyes at her friend.
"She nice?"
"Very."
"If you hurt my Nayishma I will scale and eat you," she said to the mermaid, who looked more than a little horrified.
"Etani!" Nayishma cried, though she was amused. "Etani is the one who brought me back to life."
Understanding filled the mermaid's eyes and she swallowed.
"I would never dream of hurting her. She is precious to me,"
"Are you intending to marry her?" Etani demanded.
Nayishma choked but Adella nodded and Etani nodded in return.
"Good girl," she said and then smiled at Nayishma. "Oh calm down, I'm allowed to be protective of my Yish,"
"Yish?" Adella was giggling and Nayishma turned on her, the mermaid slinking back with a fluid grace.
"So you need three? I'm sure we can collect them. Why don't you stay for dinner while we hunt them all down?"
Etani nodded eagerly and the group headed inside, the palace having changed very little in the time since she had been there.