Nia and Meisel met in the same spot every day for three days, exploring and talking through their lives exploring a little bit but Nia was starting to notice what Meisel meant. It seemed like they walked the same path every day but everyday the path had changed. New obstacles, new turns. Meisel though found the Attic window always being visible to Nia amazing.

  “I can’t see it at all.” Meisel told her even as Nia held her up on her very tip toes. Nia frowned because like always she could see exactly where the attic window was. It was an anomaly they noted and planned on further testing the next day.

  The next day though Meisel didn’t show up at the meeting spot.

  Nia, waited a bit, but after a while she decided she’d have to find something else to do. And that was the moment the raised surface under her bed decided to resurface.

  Nia looked over her bed and started shifting it sideways having to climb over it to get to the latch. She lifted it up and looked at a set of stairs that didn’t make sense at all. The living room was under her room and there was no possible hidden alcoves.

  “Cool.”

  Nia checked her bag. Note book, snack, walkie-talkie a few other exploring items. Nia grinned she was ready for a new adventure. Nia started down the stairs carefully as it was very dark, she almost tripped when she realized her feet were no longer going down but up. She popped out of a burrow in the middle of a field. She looked around the field and turned looking to make sure the burrow was still there and sighed when it was.

  Nia started forward and felt her heart leap when she saw the emblem that Meisel had drawn on the map. Nia started over she ducked behind a wind mill when she heard arguing.

  There was a beautifully dressed woman in a glimmering green dress head tilted toward the mouse standing away from the group of mice heckles rosed.

  “No, I don’t care what any of you claim. I am not a nature based, I am an adventurer, I will make the map not one else could.” She shouted and Meisel ran away from them.

  An older looking mouse looked on looking unsure.

  “Your majesty she isn’t really like the others you brought me.” The older mouse offered. The woman sighed.

  “I don’t know, I can’t approve her joining an adventuring team when everything about her points to being a Nature fairy.” She insisted.

  “She isn’t happy though.” The old mouse insisted.

  Nia turned and head after her friend.

  She found Meisel not passing grumbling but sitting and crying in the field.

  “Meisel?” Nia whispered sitting down next to her. Meisel’s head whipped up.

  “Nia?” She gasped looking around. “What are you doing here?” She asked sounding panicked. “You shouldn’t be here.” She breathed. Nia flinched and Meisel’s eyes widened. “No, I want you hear, but humans that wander into Fae always get their memories wiped.” She revealed.

  “But you said I could freely walk through Faerie with you.” Nia pointed out.

  “With a Familiar bond. That’s the exception. One of them but the others are very rare.” Meisel offered her voice becoming more and more frantic. Nia paused and looked at her friend before sitting.

  “Okay how do we do the familiar thing?” Nia asked.

  “But we were supposed to talk it through, make sure we worked well together, we were supposed to build a friendship.” Meisel stumbled out. Nia nodded.

  “Well need to trumps supposed to. And besides I think we are friends and I think we’ll work well together. Let’s help each other on our adventures.” Nia offered holding out her had. The mouse reached out and touched her hand.

  “It’s a blood bond. We both just need a drop.” She reassured. Meisel helped her produce the single drop and Nia stared as the drop flew from her swirling through the air melding with Meisel’s. Nia felt noticeably lighter. Nia offered her hand again and Meisel ran up her arm and stood on her shoulder.

  Nia started back toward the grove.

  “What are you doing?” Meisel asked.

  “I’m going to tell that lady that we’re partners and we’re adventures and that you’re the only one who is going to make this map.” Nia informed her. Meisel gaped for a moment but then nodded.

  Getting closer the woman the woman in the beautiful green dress, had long twisting brown hair green eyes that were even brighter then both Nia and her mothers while her skin almost looked like a glass figurine shimmering in the light with budding translucent wings. The woman in question looked Nia over stiffening and then staring at something around her.

  “You did not have this bond a moment ago.” The woman breathed looking Meisel in the eyes. Meisel jutted out her chin.

  “This is my partner. We have agreed to work together to make the map. Being of this plain and her being of the other it should make it at least possible.” Meisel informed her. The woman turned her gaze onto Nia.

  “And you believe you can do this?” She asked Nia. “You are a child.” It wasn’t stated with any bite just simple truth.

  “Yes, I am, but I think if I’m going to be living next to the in between I should know a bit about it.” Nia offered. The woman paused.

  “You live in the Warlock’s Manor?” She asked. Nia looked to Meisel who nodded.

  “She does.” Meisel promised.

  “How strange I never thought any of Talagrin’s lot would ever see it fall out of their hands.” The way the woman said that made Nia wonder more what secrets this new home held. She looked Nia up and down. “Especially, to a human. You are just a human right?” The woman asked looking her over as if her blood might hold great secrets.

  “As far as I know.” Nia offered crossing her arms. The woman hummed.

  The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  “Fine, Meisel you will continue to reside in the grove, but I will not stop you from trying this path.” She agreed. “But the first sign of any issue and I will put a stop to this.” She informed her tone thinning to a quiet click. Meisel held her gaze and nodded. “Now child I think it is time for you to go back to your home.” The woman told her before turning on her heels and disappearing into the air itself.

  Meisel relaxes letting out a hissed breath.

  “Are you alright?” Nia asked her. Meisel nodded.

  “Yes, Sindal is not the most overpower presence out of the nobility but her energy is suffocating. Are you alright the fae nobility are usually especially bad for new comers.” Meisel offered looking her over. Nia blinked.

  “I’m fine.” She insisted. Meisel looked at her and hummed but didn’t make any more comments.

  “You need to get home we’ll meet again at our usaul spot?” Meisel asked.

  “I’ll be there.” Nia promised her.

  Heading back Nia didn’t think to worry about the portal still being there until right before she found the burrow where she’d left it. Climbing back inside was strange. She tried going in feet first and tripped and fell into a stair. After righting herself and figuring out how to make her way through the strange staircase she bopped right back into her room.

  Nia clambered down the stairs to find her mother. Nia slowed when she found her mother in the living room looking dryly at someone. Nia almost let out a groan sure she knew who it was. When she saw Mr. Beodulf, Nia frowned. If he couldn’t bring her friends then he should just leave them be.

  “Mom!” Nia beamed ducking in and walking to her mother. Her mother turned and smiled at her.

  “Nia? How was your adventure?” Her mother asked and Mr. Beodulf’s face twitched at the question as he shifted so his leg cross, over the other.

  “It was wonderful. I went to visit my friend.” Nia told her mother not going into more detail with Mr. Beodulf there. Nia hadn’t gotten the chance to talk to her mother much about Meisel. Her mother knew she had a new friend and she knew that she was trying to make a map with that friend but it had been hard to find the right words to say, Mom my current best friend is a talking mouse.

  “Nia I came in hopes to invite you and your mother to a meal.” He offered in a fluttery tone cutting past anything she might have said. Nia, thought the idea of a meal with Mr. Beodulf sounded unpleasant, but saying that even to the most aggravating adult seemed rude, especially when that aggravating adult was the parent of your friends.

  Of course, thought the meal proved to be as unpleasant as Nia worried it would be.

  For one Mr. Beodulf had to ride in the car with them, and he seemed to not prefer her mothers music tastes because he frowned and tapped his knee the entire time. Glancing at her mother like her quick paced singing might just form itself into a spell and zap him. Then they arrived at the diner which was packed, mom disliked unplanned crowds as much as unannounced strangers. So the ease she’d had in the car was chipped away and she got quiet.

  So when they were seated that left conversation up to Nia.

  “So, Nia.” Mr. Beodulf started and already his tone itself had Nia wanting to groan.

  (List of questions, concerns all heavily tilted into unwavering criticism.”

  Nia dropped her eyes to her folded hands. Obviously this wasn’t the first time she’d been criticized or was told that someone thought she was wrong but, she’d never heard someone lay out every aspect of herself and basically tell her it was wrong without even taking a breath.

  “Really, being gone for the majority of the day without being able to be contacted by your mother.” He added again and again before she could point out that she’d had her walkie-talkie like her and her Mom agreed he went on and on.

  Nia tried to drown him out focusing on the clink, clink, clink of the fork her mother was using to scoop out ice. Mr. Beodulf glanced over at her a few times but never stopped. As a waitress passed by her mother smiled.

  “Do you think you could bring one of the table rags over?” Her mother asked.

  “Oh, sure.” The waitress breath before scurrying away. When the waitress came into view with the rag in hand Nia’s mother slid out of the bench seat stepped next to Mr. Beodulf and tipped the glass of water right over his head.

  Mr. Beodulf and Nia both blinked at her mother who smiled as if the world was full of sunshine. Mr. Beodulf looked as if he couldn’t even comprehend what happened and the waitress was frozen gaping a few feet away.

  “Mr. Beodulf, it seems you were so heated that you weren’t even pausing to really hear what anyone else was saying.” She offered in the softest of voices. “I thought you might need help cooling down. Now I think it’s time for you to stand up, find yourself a ride home and dry yourself. You don’t have to worry at all, I’ll handle all the messes here.” Her mother breathed, holding out a hand to the waitress who fumbled the rag over to Nia’s mother.

  Her mother’s lips pursed and her irritation gleamed as clear as day through her quiet words.

  “I really do feel sorry for your sons if that’s how you communicate your fear and worry to them.” Her mother muttered.

  For the first time Nia caught Mr. Beodulf’s gaze. He stared at Nia at first maybe trying to see if she also thought her mother’s reaction was a lot. Nia unclenched her hands and waved goodbye. He opened his mouth then nodded ducking out from the table.

  “Nia could you help me clean this up?” Her mother asked her. Nia nodded and they quietly cleaned up the water. After a bit her mother sighed.

  “Nia, most of that interaction was out of line and uncalled for on both ends. I tried you on the walkie talkie and it didn’t go through. That scared me.

  Nia sucked in a breathe.

  “I didn’t know that.” Nia admitted in a whisper.

  “I know you didn’t. Which is why I’m amending what we set before, I don’t want you exploring that far away until I find us a better way of communicating. Can we agree on that?” Her mother requested. Nia nodded.

  “I really didn’t mean to worry you.” She insisted. Her mother nodded.

  “Nia, I’m going to worry. You are going to make me worry. For no other reason then you are my daughter. My worrying is not your responsibility but I am going to do things to ensure that you are safe and happy. I want you to have your adventures, and be able to keep your own secrets, but when things are big, I always want you to come to me.” She pushed. Again Nia nodded. Then she grinned.

  “I went to see my new friend.” Nia told her. Her mother smiled and nodded.

  “The one from the woods?” She asked. Nia nodded. And Nia fell into telling her mother about Meisel. Thought Nia still omitted Meisel being a mouse, faerie and the familiar oath. Again it was because she didn’t trust her mother or didn’t want to tell her. Nia just was running it all through her own mind and if she was going to tell everything to her mother she wanted to understand everything a bit more.

  Her mother drove them home and when they pulled up to the house. Mr. Beodulf in a new set of clothing was waiting for them.

  “Nia, would you head inside first.” Her mother asked her. Nia headed up the stairs but hovered outside the door as her mother approached the aggravating adult, arms crossed and frowning.

  “I think, I made myself very clear.” She pointed out. Mr. Beodulf nodded standing sniffly.

  “How… How should I have said things better?” He asked suddenly and awkwardly. Her mother tilted her head brow cocking.

  “You mean how could you have stated that there isn’t a single thing you see in my child that isn’t a fault?” Her mother asked and Mr. Beodulf winced. “For your children, if you’re worried say the words I am worried. It will get you a lot farther then tearing down the choices of a child who is still learning how to see the world through the perspectives of adults around them. As far as my child goes, my daughter is not your business. If you have a problem with me or my child, then you can decide that you don’t want to deal with us, you can decide that you don’t want your sons to deal with us. I trust my child. My child talks to me.” Her mother listed.

  Mr. Beodulf sucked in a breath.

  “I… didn’t mean it to sound that way.” He told her.

  “I would really hope so. If you did I would have a battle on my hand I promise you, you would not be prepared for.” Her mother informed him. He let out the smallest of chuckles.

  “I can believe that.” He offered softly. “I’m sorry.” He told her.

  “I’m not the one who you should be apologizing too.” Nia’s mother pointed out calling attention to Nia watching the scene from her place in front of the door. Nia stiffened when he looked at her. Mr. Beodulf walked to the stairs.

  “I am sorry, Nia.” He breathed. “The gardens can be a dangerous place and it is a great source of my worries.” He informed her. Nia nodded.

  “Okay… Thank you.” Nia murmured.

  “And I apologize for dousing you but not for wanting to.” Her mother offered before clapping her hands together. “Now it is late.” She announced. Hurrying Mr. Beodulf away.