The border was distinguishedby a large ward disguised as a glowing red line carved into the ground. The trees thinned as we approached, and the scent of magic thickened.
Two small checkpoints sat ahead with two visible guards at each station, a gate, and a concrete shack.
We moved toward the human checkpoint, and Eleanor took the lead.
She stepped forward, flashing her badge. “Eleanor Fawnmere, Diplomatic Envoy for the Supernatural Council. We need to cross.”
One of the guards frowned, adjusting his rifle strap. “You don’t have clearance.”
Eleanor’s smile was polite. “We’re investigating a kidnapping of four supernatural minors. Evidence points to the fact that they were pulled across this border by humans. We have tech fragments, drone footage, and tourmalyke residue tying their origin to your territory.”
“You need Human Council authorization,” the guard said stubbornly. “This is a restricted zone.”
“Then call them,” she said. “I’ll wait.”
It took longer than I had the patience for, but eventually she was patched through.
“We deny involvement,” they said after Eleanor laid out the evidence. “These kidnapping claims are just propaganda. You are mistaken. Our humans wouldn’t?—”
Eleanor cut in smoothly, voice sharpening. “We recovered tech fragments, your drone, footage, a tourmalyke syringe, and your tourmalyke-stitched hoods. We have a living witness. If you refuse to cooperate, you will force a serious rift between our territories.”
I loved seeing how far Eleanor had come.
The rep let out a sharp exhale. “You may enter Human Territory under strict conditions. No lethal force and no overt aggression. Please do not shift forms or use your outward powers, as humans consider it aggressive. You’re there to recover your people, not to engage.”
I rolled my eyes.
“Agreed,” Eleanor said, even though I could feel Slater, Zuko, and Dimitri all tense at the ‘no killing’ clause.
I felt the same way about it.
“Conditional permission granted,” the rep bit out before hanging up.
The guard took back the communication device and stepped aside.
The gate rolled open with a clatter.
We walked through, and magic skittered over us as we moved into the humans’ domain.
The Human Territory immediately felt wrong.
There was too little magic in the air, and it was probably because human souls weren’t laced with magical energy. This land was stagnant. I knew the fae handled the seasons here as they did in our territories, but somehow…it felt so muchlessthan our lands.
We walked down the dirt road from the border toward the human facility that was still miles away. Katie’s red dot on her map crept closer at a frustratingly slow pace.
By the time the sun started slipping behind the trees, we realized we weren’t making it to the facility tonight.
“We should camp,” Ivy said finally. “Visibility sucks already. We’re not stumbling into unknown territory half-blind.”
“Agreed,” Solon said. “We’ll set a controlled perimeter here, regroup, and hit the facility at first light.”
“Considering we can’t shift or use our powers in the open, that’s a good plan,” I said sarcastically. “It’s also bullshit.”
“Agreed,” my mates chimed in.
We picked a flat stretch of ground between a couple of thick trees off the dirt road. There were obvious vantage points of the location, but we weren’t in our territory either.
It made me uneasy.
