Theodore tried to stay on his feet.  The wind howled around him, whipping his face with hot sand. He couldn’t see anything through the roar of the sandstorm. It was all he could do to cover his face and move forward.

His head felt like a doll with its stuffing ripped out. He knew he needed to go somewhere, to do something. Something terrible would happen if he didn’t. It hurt to think and to hold onto the thought. He doubled his effort to push through the storm. 

The dust cleared. Theodore looked down and jumped back. He was one step away from walking off the edge of a rooftop. The tiles under his feet gave ever so slightly. He realized, as his vision cleared, that the building he stood on was made of sand. It was the same in the streets below and beyond. A whole city stretched ahead of him, the shape of its skyline and building familiar but made again with fine grit and dust. It was Laien, home, and yet not. At the center was a structure he did not recognize: an impossible tower made of steel that pierced the sky.

Vertigo hit Theodore. It was a long fall to the ground and the roof he walked on was crumbling with each step. He needed to get to somewhere safe. Stepping lightly, he searched for a regulation fire escape to climb down to ground level. Preferably one that wasn’t also made of sand. The wind kicked up again before he could locate one. Theodore turned to look where the storm was coming from. That’s when he saw it.

A face hung in the red sky like a constellation. He knew it. Curling horns and a notched goat ear. The name was on the tip of his tongue. Zither. That was right. A faun that he had wanted to help. What was he doing? His mouth was open, lips pursed as he sucked up air and dust until his cheeks were full. Then, holding it all for just a moment, he blew it out again. A great squall tore through the buildings, scattering them to nothing.

Theodore’s heart jumped in panic. He needed to get down before it reached him. Bounding forward, he looked for anywhere he could jump down to safety. The roof was too weak. His leg punched through, trapping him. Twisting around, he saw the gust ripping towards him. He tried to pull himself free, but it was no use. There was no choice. He slammed his fist into the tile under him and the rooftop crumbled. He fell, slamming into one interior floor after another, each one slowing his fall with a rough grainy slap, until he hit the ground. The storm rushed over his head, burying him in dust.

Theodore had the foresight to hold his breath. He lurched, trying to free himself from the heavy piles of sand he was trapped under. As soon as he wormed his way to the surface, he gasped for air. The storm had subsided.

He got up and took in the path of destruction Zither had created. A line straight through the city to the tower was toppled, but the tower stood the blast. The giant faced glared in the distance. It hovered across the sky at glacial pace and looked for another angle of attack.

Theodore brushed himself off and wracked his brain trying to remember what was going on. This was all wrong. Zither shouldn’t be doing this. Why was the city like this?

He remembered something despite the headache. He needed Oboe’s toy soldier. It was important, like a bright beacon in his mind, but why? Somehow knowing he needed it was enough. He knew where to find it. The toyshop.

There was no point in going to the trolley station. If it was made of sand it wouldn’t be operational. So, Theodore steered himself to try and find the streets he had explored with Oboe. His boots slipped on the even ground as he marched across the loose sand. He stopped to take refuge when he heard Zither readying another windstorm and kept clear of the attack.

When he reached the toyshop he grabbed the doorknob, only for it to fall apart in his hand. Feeling stupid, Theodore kicked an opening through the door and stooped to climb inside.

He remembered Oboe’s excitement over the toy store. All of the model trains and toy puzzles were mirrored here, sculpted in fragile grains. Only one object in the whole shop was made of something else. Theodore picked the little wooden knight off the shelf and everything come back to him in a rush. Zither had betrayed them. This was the duke’s dream. He was trapped inside with him, needing to save him before the news got out of what had happened. Theodore needed to find the duke and make him confront the dream.

Another wind blast shook the city. Theodore ran out of the toy store before it collapsed on top of him. After the sand settled, Theodore looked and saw the iron tower was still standing in the distance. The duke could be anywhere, but that seemed the obvious place to start looking.

Theodore got moving, but almost tripped. There was something clamped tight around his wrist. A shackle, with a taut chain trailing off it. Turning around, Theodore saw there was something on the other end holding his chain.

“Where do you think you’re going, son?”

Theodore wracked his brains trying to think of a way to stop the farmers from killing the Tall Man. A silver dagger was presented to Flip, who prepared to enchant it. Theodore fought to pull free of the men restraining him only to be pushed onto his knees. He watched, helpless.

Giselle swept through the crowd to look down on him.

“I hope they can’t cure you,” she said. “I hope they have to kill you.”

“Giselle, I need you to listen to me,” Theodore said. “The Tall Man is innocent. Flip is the one who killed Anthony”

She shook her head. “Has anyone got a muzzle for this idiot?” A rag was handed to her.

Theodore twisted his neck and spat to keep her from gagging him. Was it even possible to convince her? His eyes darted in panic and fell on the Tall Man.

“Wait,” Theodore said. “Anthony proposed to you on Harvest Eve, right?”

She froze. “Excuse me?”

“You went to the Fey Orchard together.” Theodore tried to remember every detail the Tall Man had shared. “To see the changing colors. Before you met, he wanted to become a sailor.”

Giselle stared. “How do you know all this?”

Theodore’s heart pounded. “Anthony told you he was friends with a ghast. They were friends since he was a child.” Theodore pointed his chin at the stage. “That’s the one he was talking about! The one you’re all about to kill! Do you really think this is what Anthony would’ve wanted?”

Confusion and suspicion fought for expression in Giselle’s face. She turned without saying a word and climbed onto the stage.

“Remove the gag!” She said, pointing at the Tall Man. “I want to speak to the creature.”

“Preposterous!” Flip said. “Are you listening to that fool? He’s been brain washed!”

“How do you know that?” Giselle said.

Flip pointed his cane at one of the men restraining Theodore. “You there! Show us his left hand!”

Theodore’s wrist was wrenched into the air.

“Do you see the ring on his finger?” Flip gestured. “It’s been enchanted by this ghast. Just try to remove it! It’s cursed!”

Giselle looked at her husband’s ring. Her eyes went wide.

“Alderman,” she said. “Let the Deputy go.”

“What?” Pearce did a double take. “Are you mad, woman?”

“He’s telling the truth.” Her voice was firm. “Anthony wore that ring long before I knew him. If it was made by this ghast, that means they really were friends.”

“Then… Wait!” Flip backed away. “That just means the creature plotted this for years. Yes. That must be it! He mind-controlled Anthony from the start!”

Giselle shoved Flip. “Then he was still the man I fell in love with!” She tore off her talisman and threw it in the witch’s face. “Alderman, Flip is the one who killed my husband!”

The crowd broke into whispers and chatter.

“Wait, the witch is the killer now?”

“The ghast is innocent?”

“You mean we were tricked?”

“I bought all this stuff from a murderer?”

“I want my money back! I demand a refund!”    

“Yeah! A full refund!”

Flip stole a glance at the crowd as it turned against him. A trickle of sweat ran down his face at the utterance of the word refund. Pearce stepped toward him and he bolted before he could get ahold of him.

“Where do you think you’re going?!” Pearce yelled after Flip. “Get back here!”

Theodore was released as all the able-bodied men charged after Flip. Flip swooped into the onlookers and there was a shriek. The witch swung around with a hostage just as the men were about to pounce. It was Wendy, the mousey fiancé of the Alderman. Flip pressed the tip of the silver dagger against her throat and wrestled to keep her from squirming.

 “Alright,” Flip said. “Jig’s up, but I’ve got one more deal to make. Refuse and the bride-to-be gets skewered. Capiche?”    

“Help!” Wendy said.

“Let her go, you bastard!” Pearce said.

“All in good time, Alderman,” Flip said. “I’m just taking her for a walk. Just do exactly as I say and you get her back in one piece.”

Pearce got as close as he dared. “Fight me like a man!”

“What?” Flip looked offended. “No! Do you think I’m stupid? Look at yourself! You’re built like an ox!”

Theodore leapt onto the stage while everyone was distracted. The Tall Man swung through the air as Theodore yanked the knife from the beam and bent down to grab Giselle’s talisman.

Flip warned before that the enchantments should be kept apart. Theodore pressed them together. They grew white hot and burst in his hands in a flash of fiery light. Theodore screamed as the explosion hurled him from the stage.

Singed and bruised, Theodore forced his eyes open. The whole village gaped in horror. The Tall Man got to his feet. He was free. It took only a moment for his body to grow back to its full size but then it did not stop. He grew taller, and larger, doubling in size and then again.

“What’s happening?!” Theodore said, struggling to pull himself upright.

The Tall Man’s voice boomed like thunder. “They are afraid.”

Screams rang out as the Tall Man grew, and grew, until he towered over the village. He peered down, a massive, looming silhouette. The crowd scattered, fleeing and fighting for control of Flip’s talismans. The ghast took a great lumbering step past them toward the witch.

Flip swore and threw Wendy aside. He backed away, holding the silver dagger out to protect himself. The Tall Man gestured and the knife was knocked from Flip’s hand by unseen force. Helpless, he ran.

It was no use. The Tall Man reached out and closed his hand around the witch.

Wendy fell to her knees and covered her head. “Please! Don’t hurt us!”

The Tall Man spoke like wind and rain. “I would not dream of it.”

The farmers peeked out from their hiding spots as the Tall Man stepped into the center of the village.

“Deputy,” he said. “Do I have permission to place the culprit under a binding spell?”

“Yes,” Theodore said, groaning. “Do it!”

The Tall Man opened his palm. His fingers curled into arcane signs. Ethereal cords coiled around Flip and bound him tight.

“No!” Flip shouted. “He’ll kill us all! He’s dangerou–” The witch was silenced with a spell and placed gently on the ground.

Giselle stepped out from cover. Her neighbors cowered but she looked up to face the creature they all feared.

“Ghast,” she said. “You were friends with my husband?”

A nod. “Yes, Giselle. We are both less without him.”

Her lips tightened. “I’d… I want to talk. About him.”

“As would I.”

Whatever rampage the farmers expected did not come. Wendy joined Giselle, and then one by one the other manor workers mustered the courage to approach. The Tall Man shrank as it became clear there was no threat.

The quiet moment of reflection was broken as horses poured down the hillside. The city watch arrived in force. A dozen watchmen and two Mage Enforcers charged onto the scene on horseback. Theodore laughed at the sight of it. A cavalry too late to be of use. He let himself lie back and took comfort knowing it would all be reports and paperwork from here. 

Theodore found the Tall Man on the outskirts of the manor, on a hill overlooking the road back to the city. Graves dotted the hilltop, with one newer than the rest. The ghast bent down to rest a hand on the loose soil.

“I used to hate humans,” he said. “Anthony was the one that changed that. He was a timid child. He knew what I was, but he asked to be friends anyway. That’s what made sense to him.”

The afternoon heat was fading. Wind was blowing through Giselle’s hair. She listened.

The Tall Man stood up. “He wanted to be brave, so my haunting became a game. With practice, he became hard to frighten. As time went on we came to visit for the joy of one another’s company. We made time once a month to talk over tea. It meant a lot to me.”

“He never mentioned you,” Giselle said.

“I insisted on secrecy, to spare my pride.” His arms hung slack. “I expect it was difficult for him.”

“And the ring?”

“His idea. He wanted to go to sea but worried we wouldn’t meet again.”

The Tall Man turned toward Theodore.

“I would ask for the ring back but I am afraid that is not how the hex works. You accused me wrongfully, hunted me, and nearly caused my death. It angers me to be linked to a man like you. Yet, it cannot be helped. You and I are bound now until death.”

Theodore ran his fingers over the gemstone. The reminder of his mistake left him feeling sick. “I’m sorry,” he said. The words felt feeble, inadequate.

The Tall Man leaned over him. “Let it serve to remind you to never let this occur again.”

Giselle knelt down beside the grave, staring at the etching of her husband’s name.

“Oh, Anthony.” Tears welled up. “You’re gone, and I nearly killed your friend.” She sobbed into her mourning veil. The Tall Man placed a hand on her back.

“He was a good and kind man. He would not have blamed you for this. But I know he would expect us both to take the best of what he was and carry on.”

Giselle nodded, drying her eyes.

In the distance Theodore could see the watchmen marching Flip through the city walls.  The witch was arrested but he knew it did not make up for his failure.

He grew uneasy. He descended into the manor yard where the remaining watchmen were documenting reports from the farmers on what happened.

Theodore found the hilt of the knife in the mud. Fragments of the blade were scattered, half buried. Even though he told the watchmen what he had done, the evidence went uncollected. No note was made of his confession. It felt like his mistake would be forgotten.

He spent a few minutes picking the shards out of the muck. Shame hung like a stone around his neck.

“Theo!!”

Theodore’s self-loathing was interrupted. Oboe swung him off his feet and pulled him into a crushing hug.

“I’m sorry!” She said, on the brink of tears. “I wasn’t there to help! I’m sorry I ran off! I’m useless!”

Theodore struggled to get free. “Oboe—”

“All I did was get myself captured!” She said. “Look at you, you’re all beat up! I messed up so bad!

“Oboe!”

“I know you won’t want me around anymore, but please let me stay! I just wanted to make sure we did things right!!”

“Oboe!” He raised his voice. “Put me down!”

Blinking, she set him on the ground.

Theodore straightened his glasses. “There is no reason for you to apologize. I’m the one who should be sorry.” He softened, relieved that Oboe was okay. “The only reason I was able to stop Flip is because you kept investigating. I should’ve listened to you from the start.”

Her eyes wide, startled by the recognition. “I did okay?”

“More than okay,” he said. “I couldn’t ask for a better partner. Thank you.”

She burst into tears. Theodore was uncertain of what to do. He reached out to give her a reassuring pat and was pulled into another massive hug. She sobbed into his shoulder, dribbling snot.

“Yay,” she in a soft squeek.

Lieutenant Fritz coughed for attention. He was standing off to the side, looking uncomfortable.

“Well,” he said. “As you can see we recovered the faun from the witch’s hideout, per your instructions.”

“Oh!! I forgot!” Oboe dropped Theodore and ran off. She brought back a hulking chest that she dropped at Theodore’s feet. “Look! I brought all this evidence! Look!”

Theodore peeked inside. It was overflowing with illegal magic product collected from Flip’s shop. Dubious potions, enchanted weapons, and forbidden spell components.

“She was insistent and thorough,” Fritz said with visible irritation.

“Incredible.” Theodore felt overwhelmed. “There will be no way for Flip to escape conviction with all this evidence.”

“Deputy!” Captain Myra Redriver strutted up to join them with Wendy, Alderman and the remainder of the watchmen in tow. “This is the man who attacked you, isn’t he? I want to hear it firsthand.”

“You don’t gotta make him say it.” Pearce hung his head. “I did it, alright? Devil damn me. I thought it was the right thing to do.”

“There was no lasting damage,” Theodore said. “I believe he’s learned his lesson.”

Myra shook her head, grim. “Lessons are great and all, but this is a serious. Assault on an appointed officer is a breach of the Hierarchy. The Alderman will have to be detained until a Justice decides whether he’s still fit to lead.”

Wendy pressed a hand to Pearce’s chest, looking up into his eyes.

“Will you wait for me?” Pearce said.

“As long as it takes, my love,” Wendy said.

They were permitted an embrace and then the Alderman was taken away. Theodore watched, thinking on his own mistake. How close had he brushed with tragedy? How much of this was his fault? Theodore reached into his pocket and felt the hilt of the broken knife. It was proof of his failure as Ranger Deputy. There was one last thing left to be done to make this right.

Theodore placed the shattered knife on the desk of Governor Farbend. He took a seat and looked his boss in the eye.

“I used an illegal enchantment to wrongfully capture an innocent creature,” he said. “I am a disgrace to my office. I am prepared to accept whatever punishment you deem appropriate.”

The plump old man studied the fragments a moment and raised an eyebrow. “What is this? Your way of trying to quit?”

“No,” Theodore said. “I accept that this is my assignment. That doesn’t change the fact that I abused my authority. I caved under pressure during an investigation and acted out of fear. I am unfit to be trusted with power.”

The Governor smirked. “Well then.” He got up. “Apart from all that, how has the position treated you?”

Theodore found the question irrelevant. “…It’s been… challenging, to say the least. I worry I am causing more problems than I am solving.” He gave the filing cabinets a longing gaze. “I miss my old job. Everything is so much more clear cut in the Bureaucracy Dome. But… I am trying to apply myself as you asked. The Whirlwood creatures need a lot of help, and I’m trying to play the part. I’m learning, thanks to a subordinate I recruited. Someone I should trust more than I have.”

Mr. Farbend nodded. He looked out the office window watch the bustle in the city below. “Captain Redriver has been singing your praises. Red Cap activity has dropped to almost nothing since you started. I expect you to continue this trend.”

“Sir?” Theodore was growing impatient. “I came to talk to you about the massive creature rights violation I committed.”

Mr. Farbend waved him away. “My boy, this isn’t the first or last time something like this has occurred.”

Theodore found this difficult to process. “I am a government agent and I broke the human-ghast peace treaty.”

“It’s already taken care of,” Farbend said. “The witch you apprehended had a prolific rap sheet. It was a simple matter to amend an extra charge. It’s no foul if an outlaw was responsible.”

Theodore could not believe what he was hearing “But I’m the one who did it! And… and the Tall Man, the ghast I captured…”

Mr. Farbend rested a callused hand on Theodore’s shoulder. “The crown has already reached an agreement with the creature in question. It will not be an issue.”

Theodore felt paralyzed. He looked at his employer as if he were an imposter. This was the man tasked with keeping order in the Capital. How could he disregard a crime of this magnitude so casually?

“If we fired someone every time something like this happened, the government would never be able to operate,” Mr. Farbend said. “Go home, Grayweather. I expect to hear great things about you in the coming weeks. Your father would be proud.”

Speechless, Theodore staggered out the door. He presented himself to this office expecting to be exiled, incarcerated, or perhaps even executed. He left feeling far heavier than when he arrived. The trek back to the valley was long, but now felt like an eternity.

When he passed through the city gates into the valley he found Oboe waiting for him. She was sitting on low stone wall on the edge of the trade road.

“How’d it go?” She said. “Are you okay?”

He sat beside her. “He let me go. Didn’t even write me up for it. Nothing.”

“Oh.” She offered an unsure smile. “Then it’s fine, right?”

“Fine?” Theodore said. “No! It’s not fine! I screwed up! I wanted to make it right, but he wouldn’t let me! What am I supposed to do?”

Oboe looked down, something weighing on her. 

“…Sometimes you do things wrong, and nothing you can do can change what happened. Sometimes there is no way to fix it. That’s how it is. Life doesn’t stop when that happens though. All you do is keep going. Try not to make the mistakes again. Learn something if you can. Do the best you can. That’s what Thistle tells me. It’s hard.”

She held his hand. Theodore felt some of the heaviness lift. She was right. The only thing he could control was what he did in the future. He ran a hand over the ring locked to his finger. He took a deep breath and swore to himself that he would never hurt another creature again.

Oboe got to her feet, and pulled Theodore onto his.

“C’mon. Let’s go.”

Theodore emerged from a fog, rain sluicing down the rooftops and trailing down the bend of the street. The wet and the cold sent a shiver through his skin. He hurried up the steps towards the University, its windows bright beacons in the gloom. Warmth washed over as he pushed open the door and stepped into the glow inside.

“There you are!” Adjunct Kirkwin said as he took his sopping coat. Theodore was surprised to find himself wearing a teacher’s robe underneath, tailored perfect to fit him. “The students are waiting! I was terrified I’d have to stand in for you!”

Theodore checked his pocket watch, saw numbers, and was mortified. “Forgive me,” he said. “The storm kept me.”

“It doesn’t matter, you’re here now!” Kirkwin said, pulling him forward. “Go!”

Theodore’s footsteps echoed off the golden halls of the University. Monuments to the founding Scholars towered over him, each rendered in a pose of inspiration or study. He passed into the library, where endless shelves stretched into the horizon. It was alive with students putting that wisdom to work.

Theodore was awestruck. It was all he could do to keep moving. When did the University become so large? A suspicion that something was wrong crept over him, but then he remembered renovations were completed last week. Satisfied, he pushed the matter out of his thoughts.

The auditorium was packed with young minds eager to learn. Their eyes lit up when they saw Theodore. They whispered about how excited they were to take and how dignified Theodore looked. The rain pattered against the window glass but could not get inside. Theodore took his place at the lectern.

“I apologize for my tardiness,” Theodore said. “I promise to set a better example for you all in the future.”

He uncovered the chalkboard to reveal a diagram of a human, a faun, and a bogeyman. Each body was charted with flowing lines.

“If you completed the assigned reading, you should now be familiar with the difference between raw wild magic, its fossilized form, and the sterilized man-made crystals that we use here on campus. Today we will be discussing how these types of thaumaturgical energy interact with the biology of various forms of life. Would any of you like to start us off by explaining why we need to purify before use?”

Every student in the auditorium raised a hand. Drowning in choices, Theodore selected a young woman in the third aisle to speak. She stood up.

“According to Dr. Thomas Redfetter’s Ruminations of Sorcery and Health, revised volume two, pages three-hundred twenty-one through three-hundred twenty-two, given the human body cannot naturally separate thaumaturgy from ether, ether will erode the circulatory system and create crippling inflammation if exposed in greater volume than the liver can remove in time. Calcification of magic separates ether from thaumaturgy, and allows us to harness its energy safely.”

“Precisely!” Theodore said, choosing not to mention that she used an improper citation form. “The primary thing that distinguishes fairies and ghasts from humans and ferals is that their bodies operate on an ether based circulatory system. While ether is toxic to us, it is necessary for the magical creature’s survival. A fairy, for example, that lives outside a place of ambient magic such as the Whirlwood will suffer stunted growth.”

“Wow!” One of the students leapt to his feet. “That’s incredible! I’m learning so much in this class!!”

Theodore frowned. “I appreciate your passion, but we have a lot of material to cover, so please calm down.”

“I can’t!” Another student was hyperventilating. “You’re blowing my mind over here! I’m freaking out!”

The rain grew louder. Wind rattled the window panes, but Theodore knew he mustn’t look at it. He focused his attention on his students.

“Learning is a journey, not a race,” he said. “Soothe yourself and we may continue.”

They did not calm down. The muttering spread through the class. The students grew loud, their voices rising and breathless. They spoke over one another, saying nothing, filling the room with noise.

“Stop that!” Theodore said. “I know this class is exciting, but this is getting out of hand!”

Thunder shook the classroom. Students screamed and then screamed louder. Theodore covered his ears but it was not enough. Lightning tore through the ceiling and let in a torrent of rain. The lamps went out and the students vanished. In their place, at the door of the classroom, was a man Theodore knew to be dead. Through the raging storm, Theodore saw the corpse of his father, Lance Grayweather, staring at him.

Theodore woke from his nightmare. He searched for his glasses in panic and tried to make sense of his situation. The first ember glow of dawn peeked through the window. He was alone, sitting in bed. His mind cleared. He was at home at the Ranger Deputy cottage, deep in the Whirlwood forest, right where he was supposed to be. A chill reached up his arm. He climbed out of bed and found the window hanging open. He must’ve left it unlatched again. The nightmare was a fairy dream, and nothing more.

Oboe hadn’t slept. She was too excited to wake up and go to work. Sitting in her tree, she waited for the sun to finish rising so she could go to the Ranger Deputy office without waking Theo up this time. If she wasn’t careful she’d get on his nerves and then he would have to fire her, and then she’d be all alone again, and then she’d die of loneliness without ever having fulfilled a purpose with her sad and worthless life. That would suck. It was important to be careful.

She squeezed the tree branch under her and thought about all the other ways she could mess up. Theo could have her banished for spilling coffee on paperwork, or thrown in the dungeon for talking too much. She took a deep breath and reminded herself Theo wasn’t like that. It was scary when she told him he was wrong about the Tall Man but afterwards he thanked her for doing it. Theo was good.

She dropped onto the grass. The sun was taking forever to come up. Antsy, she tried to think of the sorts of things she did before Theo came to the Whirlwood. She was already stewing in anxiety, so that was out. It was too cold to swim. The only other thing she was good at was wandering around aimlessly. There was plenty of time to forage for food, though she wasn’t really hungry. Maybe she could bring something for Theo to eat instead. Humans liked meat best, right? It was hard to catch animals in the Whirlwood who couldn’t talk, though.

Something else she spent a lot of time doing was trying to make friends, but that never went well. Other creatures always got cold and distant the moment they realized what she was. That’s why it was nice being around Theo. Other creatures had to talk to her then. She wished they would just do that all the time.

At least she had Thistle. Thistle was a good best friend, but he hadn’t been home the past few days. Maybe he needed space. He got grumpy when she visited too much.

Oboe looked up, and realized the sun was up. She had spent so much time wondering what to do that it was almost time for the office to open. Giddiness welled up inside her. If she took her time walking there, she would arrive just in time to start work.

Sprinting the whole way, she wondered what kind of adventures they would have today. Would they stop a militant Red Cap uprising? Help squirrels fill out pages of paperwork? Fight some trolls, just because? She burst through the front door of the cottage, too excited to find out.

“I’m here!” Oboe said, out of breath. “I’m ready to start working!!”

Theo stared at her. He was wearing his bed clothes, sitting with a book on his lap, in the middle of sipping some coffee. He set the mug down.

“Uh, good morning Oboe,” he said. “What are you doing here?”

She blinked. “Huh? What do you mean? The sun is over the trees! That means the office is open and it’s time to help all the Whirlwood creatures!”

He slipped a bookmark into the volume he was reading and gave her a sheepish smile. “You do know that it’s our day off, don’t you?”

Oboe stood there, dumbstruck. “What?”

“There’s no work today. You can relax.”

“What??” This was a catastrophe. “Then what am I supposed to do all day?”

“Whatever you like,” Theo said.

All the anxiety Oboe felt that morning came rushing back. She could not imagine anything more boring and awful than spending the day by herself. “If I can do whatever I want, can’t I just work here instead?”

Theo raised an eyebrow. “That’s not how it works. Everyone needs time to rest, it’s mandated by the state.”

Oboe didn’t want to rest. She wanted to help Theo do important things. This job made her feel better about herself than anything before in her life. “If I can’t work, can I at least hang out here with you?”

Theo made a face, and Oboe’s heart sank. “If it’s all the same to you, I’d like time to catch up on my reading. I’m sure there are plenty of other creatures you can spend time with.”

She stopped herself from saying something. There had to be a way for her to avoid another lonely day off. “Are you sure we can’t just work anyway?”

“Unless there’s an emergency, there’s no reason for us to do anything but take it easy.”

There was hope after all. “How do we know there’s not an emergency?? Did you check the mailbox?”

“I haven’t finished my coffee yet,” he said. “Besides, it would have to be a big deal for a letter to be delivered on the day of rest.”

“Emergencies are a big deal!” Oboe said. “We should check right now!”

With a reluctant sigh, Theo took another swig of his coffee and got up. “Fine, if it will satisfy you. But if there isn’t anything, you need to leave so I can finish my book.”

Theo checked to make sure all of his buttons were looped correctly, before padding out into the yard. Oboe scrambled to get to the mailbox first, but it was locked. There was a slot for courier birds to fit letters through and a cover to keep the rain out. She waited, watching Theo take his time to undo the lock. He reached in and pulled out a bright red envelope with the governor’s office.

“Oh no,” he said.

Oboe was bouncing on her hooves. It was a miracle.

Theo removed the wax seal like it was surgery, like he expected it might explode. Oboe sat on the other side of the desk, waiting for him to finish reading the letter. 

“What’s up?” Oboe said, unable to wait any longer.

“Governor Farbend wants me to speak to a Dr. Stillwell at the University as soon as possible.”

“The university?” She was confused. “What’s that got to do with your job here?”

Theo looked disturbed. “It says there’s a strange disease spreading in the city.” He scanned the letter again in more detail. “It’s believed Red Caps may be involved. This sounds dire. I was hoping it could wait until tomorrow, but it can’t.” He pulled his grocery list off the bulletin board. “Not how I wanted to spend today, but at least I’ll be able to run my errands while I’m out.” He sighed. “I should get going. But before I go, there’s something I want to discuss with you.”

“Wait!” Oboe almost jumped. “I should go with you!”

“That’s not necessary,” Theo said. ” That wouldn’t be fair to you. It’s your day off, remember?”

Oboe screamed inside her head. Why did this have to be so hard?

“Anyway,” Theo said before she had a chance to argue. “I wanted to remind you that you still haven’t picked up your back pay.”

“My what?”

Opening a cabinet, Theo fished out a hefty drawstring purse and handed it to her. “Five thousand thalers. All the wages you earned for the last month and a half.”

Oboe sniffed at it with suspicion. “What am I supposed to do with this?”

“It’s money,” Theo said, exasperated. “You buy things with it.”

She frowned at the heavy coin-filled bag, feeling helpless.

“Please take it,” he said. “You can’t just keep letting this pile up. I made a point to budget for your salary. You’re a servant of the crown and entitled to fair compensation.”

Oboe tried to hand it back, but Theo was ready. He backed off, arms folded. She set the pouch on his head.

“You can keep it,” she said. “I’ve got nowhere to spend it. I just want to help you make the Whirlwood better.”

Grumbling, Theo rolled the bag back into his hand. “There’s plenty of things for you to buy in the capital.”

 “But you’re leaving without me!”

“You don’t need me to go to the city,” Theo said, holding out the purse. “You have a visa. You know how to use the trolleys now. There’s a lot to see and do in the capital! Not all creatures make this kind of money. You should enjoy it.”

Oboe scowled at the bag of money. She thought about going to the city alone and it just felt sad.  “I’ll make you a deal,” she said. “I’ll keep the money if you take me with you.”

“You’re being ridiculous,” he said.

“Why won’t you take me with you??” Oboe said, feeling hurt.

Theo pinched the bridge of his nose. “It’s just… we’re co-workers, right? I’m your boss. It’s not proper for us to fraternize during our time off.”

“Why not?”

“Administrative guidelines say it’s a bad idea,” Theo said.

“But WHY is it a bad idea?” Oboe said.

“I don’t know!” Theo said. “It just makes things more complicated.”

“I’m okay with that.” He was the one making things complicated. “Please let me come with you! Laien is big and scary and I feel a lot better with you there. I like helping you. I don’t want to stop just because it’s the wrong day of the week.”

Theo’s arms sagged and his eyes softened. “Alright,” he said. “Fine. You can come. Just, please take your pay. I don’t want the Governor to think I’m embezzling.”

Oboe snatched the bag and looped it over her shoulder. Dancing out the front door, she could not wait to get started.

“I wanna see what’s this way!” Oboe said, hurrying through the streets. The city was livelier on the day of rest, with humans of all shapes and sizes. There were the fancy breeds dressed in their flouncy gowns and suits, and the scrappy mutts who were plain and threadbare. The air was a mix of tastes both bitter and savory, from the smog of the factories washed by the sea breeze, the scent of spiced meat roasting over wood fires and the faint stink wafting from the sewers. It was different every time she came.

“You act like you’ve never seen the city before,” Theo said as he ambled after her.

“I never get to enjoy it!” She said. “We’re always running around and doing things. Oh! Wow!” She pointed at a big pointy building in the distance. It stood out like a palace, with a great dome and well-tended gardens. “What’s that??”

“That?” He was surprised. “It’s just the First Cathedral of Laien.”

Oboe admired all its colored windows. “It’s pretty.” It wasn’t as big as where grandmother lived, but it was beautiful in its own way. “Can we go inside?”

He hummed. “Well, it’s the day of rest, so I think they’ll only let us in to worship.”

“Oh.” Her heart sank. “I don’t think I’m allowed to anymore.”

Theo raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

Realizing what she’d said, Oboe looked for anything she could use to change the subject. “Hey! Look at all this stuff!” She ran over to a little open-air storefront on the end of the street, with pots and pans piled up on wagons. She looked back to see Theo join her. “Wow! Pans!” She said. 

The shopkeeper welcomed them, leering while Theo scrutinized the skillets.

“No,” he said as he put one back. “Uneven metal work. It’ll just warp after real use.”

Oboe picked up a pair of tea kettles, weighing one in each hand. One was etched with a gold illustration of a kitten and the other had a marbled swirl of blues.

Theo came over. He was done browsing. “Can’t decide what you want?”

She shook her head. “I don’t want either of them! I haven’t got a kitchen to use them in!”

“You don’t have to buy anything,” he said.

“But I have all this money!” She said, frustrated. “You said I should do something with it.”

“There’s no rush!” He said. “Take your time to think of something you actually want.”

“Like what?”

He blinked, unprepared for the question. “Well, you don’t wear clothes, but there’s all sorts of food. Like the restaurants, or the exotic goods the caravan trains bring in. At the very least, you could set up a bank account. That way, you’re at least drawing interest from what you have.”

“No!” The idea of having even more money was too stressful. It had been so many years since she even had the opportunity to buy anything that she had gotten comfortable doing without.

“Alright,” he said. “How about this: You’re living in a tree, aren’t you? If you want, you could pay to have a proper home built, like mine.”

Her mouth hung open. “Really?” She liked Theo’s cottage, and it amazed her to think she could have one just like it. “That’s a great idea! Can we do that now??”

A bell tolled in the distance. Theo checked his pocket watch and snapped it shut. “Actually, we should get moving. I’m expected at the university and we’ll miss our trolley if we dawdle much longer.”

“Do we have to?” She said.

He gave her a stern look. “The governor would not have sent that letter today if it weren’t important. If you want to pay to have a house built, you’re welcome to do it without me.”

“No, wait for me!” Oboe dumped the kettles, rattling the table and perturbing the shop owner. “Sorry!”

They excused themselves from the store and hurried toward the station several blocks away. Oboe tried to stay close as he made a beeline through the streets.

“Halt!” A city knight in a bright checkered tabard held out an arm and blocked Oboe’s path. “Stop right there. You aren’t allowed here, fairy!”

Oboe stumbled. “Huh? What’d I do wrong now?”

Theo doubled back and waved for the man’s attention. “Pardon me, there has to be a mistake. She’s fully certified. Show him your visa, Oboe.”

She fished it out of her pouch. It took a little bit of effort to get all the wrinkles and crinkles out so it could be read. “Yeah, here it is!”

The knight didn’t bother looking at it. “Doesn’t matter. There’s a fey ban in this district of the city.”

“That’s absurd,” Theo said. “That document proves she’s a citizen and cleared for travel in the capital.”

The knight grimaced. “I don’t make the rules, just enforce them. If the silk shirts say no fairies, that’s how it is. No exceptions.”

“…I see.” Theo looked skeptical. “First I’ve heard of this. How far does this ban extend?”

“Through to Redwand avenue.”

Theo seemed startled. “That far?” It took him a minute to work out another way to go. He gestured for Oboe to follow and led her across four blocks, cutting through alleyways and side streets.

“Come on!” Theo said.

She tried to keep up, but he kept changing directions. The clocktower chimed again and Theo moved even faster. They pushed their way through a big crowd pouring out of the station, just in time to watch their trolley leave without them.

“Damn it,” he said, trying to catch his breath.

“I guess we’ll have to wait for the next one,” Oboe said.

“No, we won’t,” Theo said, studying the schedule posted to the wall. “This is the day of rest. There’s not going to be another trolley running through here for three hours.”

“…Oh.” She felt a knot in her stomach. All she wanted was to spend the day helping Theo. Instead she’d ruined everything.

Oboe sat on a station bench and waited while Theo stared at a map of the trolley routes. He was trying to puzzle out if any of the other stations would get them to the university on time.

“It’s no use,” he said. “It’ll be faster to walk.”

Oboe slumped over in her seat. “I’m sorry. It’s my fault you’re going to be late.”

“It’s fine,” he said, his tone gruff. “I let us get distracted. I should’ve been more mindful.”

“It’s not okay,” she said. “You’re mad. You should yell at me so you feel better.”

Theo held his eyes shut, long enough to make his scowl go away. “That won’t solve anything. Let’s just get going.”

“But you’re upset!” Oboe said.

“Drop it,” Theo said with a glare. “It’s not a problem. We have a mission to worry about, so let’s focus on that instead. Alright?”

She backed off. “O-okay.” That said, they left.

 Oboe was grateful Theo didn’t blame her, but it worried her how cold he was being. He told her it was not a problem, but it still felt like one. There had to be a way to make it up to him, but she wasn’t sure how.

A train of merchant wagons came rumbling through the streets. Hundreds of humans and a few scattered creatures helped to drive its goods to market, blocking the way through. Oboe and Theo waited, sharing a stiff silence.

“Theo,” Oboe said, not even really sure of what she wanted to say but wanting to break the quiet. “Do you miss living here? …In the capital?”

He shook off whatever thought he was having. “What do you mean?”

“It’s so exciting here!” She said. “There’s something always happening. It makes the valley seem so boring.”

“I wish it were boring,” Theo said. “Every day I have to deal with strange new problems. I never know what to expect. Things are better here because everything has a pattern to it. My old job required me to do the same thing every day. I liked that it let me focus on doing everything perfectly.”

Oboe leaned against a lamp post. Before Theo came to the Whirlwood, almost every day was the same for her. Wake up, look for food, maybe go for a swim, and bother Thistle if he wasn’t mad at her. If Thistle didn’t want to deal with her, she was just lonely.

“Do you miss your friends in the city?” Oboe asked.

He furrowed his brow, thinking. “I’m not sure I had any.”

Oboe almost fell over. “What?!”

He counted off his fingers, as if running through all the people he knew in his head. “I don’t think my co-workers qualify. Never really spoke to them unless I had to. I was cordial with my landlord, but I believe he preferred talking to his cats. I can’t think of anyone else.”

“There are people everywhere here!” Oboe said, gesturing wildly at the throng of people in front of them. “You could be friends with every single one of them! Why aren’t you??”

He laughed, which startled Oboe. He was always so serious. “I don’t know,” he said. “It’s not like that here. Everyone has their own routine, and they don’t always crossover. I worked, and then I went home and studied books. I spent all my time trying to save up to go to university. I guess I didn’t think about it.”

“But you didn’t get to go to university,” Oboe said. “That’s sad.”

Theo didn’t say anything. He watched the wagons pass. Oboe panicked. She’d made things worse again. She tried to think of something else to talk about, but before she thought of anything Theo found his voice.

“I got a letter,” he said, staring off. “The university approved my application. I’m supposed to go in for an entrance exam. But I can’t.”

Oboe squeezed her fingers. “Why not?”

“I got roped into being a knight instead.” His eyes were sad, not angry. “It’s the last thing in the world I wanted.”

The moment grew heavy. “Then maybe you should quit.”

“I can’t just abandon the Whirlwood creatures,” he said. “They need help.”

“Why can’t you do both?” Oboe said, growing anxious.

“I thought about that a lot,” Theo said. “But the city is too far and I’m too busy. It won’t work. I have to accept that.”

The traffic cleared. The way forward was open but neither of them moved. They were stuck.

“Are you okay?” She said.

He shook his head, and gathered himself. “I’m fine. Just thinking.” They crossed the street together. “Oboe, I apologize for snapping at you earlier. It wasn’t professional. I’m sure the university staff will understand the delay. It’s my day off, after all. It’s just important to me that I take my work seriously.”

“You don’t have to be sorry,” Oboe said. “I’m the one that messed up.”

They kept moving. The spires of the university rose in the distance. Theo seemed in better spirits now. Were things fixed? It looked that way, but didn’t feel that way. Oboe wondered what Theo was feeling inside. Why didn’t he like talking about it? She told herself to leave it alone. She didn’t want to ruin anything else.

Walking into the University was harder for Theodore this time. The sight of the library tower, with its three stories of books amassed from the world over, filled him with a bitter jealousy. He put it from his mind. Life had stuck him with other responsibilities.

The governor’s letter instructed him to present himself to the medical research wing. Crossing the school’s ramparts, and a woman was shouting at them the moment they set foot in the lobby.

“Get out!” She said. Her pastel green robes marked her as a graduate of healing magic studies. “No fairies allowed in the medical ward! You need to leave!”

Oboe didn’t say anything. She’d been quiet since they left the market district.  Her eyebrows arched and she looked at Theodore to tell her what to do.

“My name is Theodore Grayweather, the Ranger Deputy, and this is my assistant Oboe.” He handed the woman his badge and the letter. “We’re here by special request of the Governor.”

She scrutinized both items thoroughly before returning them. “I see. Good.” She pointed towards the stairs. “Dr. Stillwell will be expecting you. Proceed to the Research Quarantine on the third floor.” She glanced at Oboe. “I think it would be best if you left the animal down here in the lobby. They’ll have a fit if you come in with that thing.”

This was the second time today this was a problem. “Why aren’t fairies allowed inside?” Theodore said.

“Stillwell’s orders. No outside magic is to be let in until the epidemic is over.”

“I’ll be good,” Oboe said. She sat stiff in one of the lobby chairs to demonstrate. “I’ll wait here.”

“Hopefully this will be quick,” Theodore said.

Two flights of stairs later, the graduate led Theodore into Research Quarantine. He’d read and heard the word epidemic, but the reality had not clicked until he stepped into the ward. An entire laboratory, the space of a warehouse, had been cleared to make room for a sea of white hospital beds arranged in a grid. Every last one was filled. The patients looked drained of color, miserable and languid. The healthiest of the subjects had machinery looming over them. A smoldering haze of shifting light poured out of lamps on the machines onto the patients.

 Doctor Stillwell was lording over one of these machines, adjusting and tuning it. He had a wild shock of graying brown hair, and a jaw like a boulder. His eyes were sharp and he was dressed in pastel green robes.

“Ranger Deputy is here to see you, Doctor,” the graduate said before marching off.

“Sorry for arriving so late,” Theodore said. “I missed my trolley.”

Stillwell’s handshake was firm. “If this is indicative of your performance in general, we are both in trouble.” He wheeled the machine around to face another bed. The patient in the original bed reached out to grab the doctor.

“Wait!” He said, hoarse. “Not yet! I need more! Please!”

He pulled the hand off his robes with care. “You need to trust us. We aren’t going to let you die. Other people need this as well.”

The patient gave a pitiful, desperate look while Dr. Stillwell ignited the lamp of the machine over the next bed.

“What is this illness?” Theodore said.

The doctor motioned for Theodore to follow him to the relative privacy of a workbench.

“Before you ask, no, it’s not contagious.” He sighed, looking more exhausted now that they were away from the patients. “Not in any typical sense, anyway. These people are suffering from a deficit of magic.”

That didn’t make any sense. “Magic is toxic to the human body.”

Stillwell rolled his eyes. “Yes. Wild, raw magic is poisonous to human beings. You can drown in the sea, that doesn’t mean you don’t need fresh water to live. All life needs at least a trace amount of magic to exist. What’s happening here is that these people have had the magic they need drained out of them.”

“How is that possible?” Theodore said.

“The first reported case was from a Duke Ambergrail. His symptoms developed a little over six months ago, shortly after a fairy broke into his home. The fairy in question was dealt with but the damage was done. The duke’s condition has only worsened with time.”

Theodore connected the dots. “That’s why you won’t let fairies into the medical ward. …And why there’s a ban on fairies in the city?”

Stillwell nodded. “Ambergrail banned fairy creatures from entering his district of the city and a few of the neighboring dukes followed his example. Not that it helped. The number of cases has only exploded since then.”

Something bothered Theodore about this story. He remembered the hunt for the Tall Man, and how Flip had profited by feeding into mistrust towards magical creatures. “If fairies aren’t allowed inside, how do you know that they’re even the cause of this?”

“From what I understand, the city watch has already jailed a half-dozen fairies violating the ban,” the doctor said. “I’m told the attacks appear to be organized. They’re enchanting people while they are unaware.”

This didn’t make sense. “Fairies are made out of magic,” Theodore said. “Why would they drain humans of it?”

Stillwell grimaced. “I’m not going to pretend I understand what these creatures are thinking.  If you want to know more about the attacks, you should speak to the duke. We need you to get to the bottom of why these attacks are happening before it gets any worse.” He swept an arm out toward the vast room of patients. “We can’t keep up with this. We can treat the magic deficiency by beaming ambient magic into the body, but we don’t have enough machines to treat everyone.”

“What if you brought people into the Whirlwood Valley?” Theodore said. “It’s overflowing with ambient magic there.”

“You’re suggesting I take these sick people into a place crawling with Red Caps after they’ve been victimized? Ridiculous. It’s too risky.”

“I’ve lived safe there for well over a month,” Theodore said. “The Red Caps are gone.”

“These attacks suggest otherwise,” Stillwell said. “Look. I’m the healer here. Leave treating the patients to me. You’re a knight. What I need you to do is get to the bottom of this mess and put a stop to it.”

Theodore cringed to be called a knight, but could not argue. There were more than a hundred sick faces here. His duty was clear.