The Academy

II

"G'night," Bea said as she handed Joan over to one of her numerous sisters. She turned round to Melly, who was waiting in the street.

"So then. Do you want to come back to mine?"

Melly nodded. "We can't talk out here."

They made their way towards Bea's. For several years the GenAm had maintained a strict curfew, monitoring the streets, pulling in troublemakers and rabble-rousers, and generally making sure everyone knew exactly where they stood, i.e., under the boot of the GenAm.

The system had been legitimised by the fact the Mirrors were breaking. But now they were up and running, the curfew had been relaxed. As a result, the streets were not only full, but were full of fae who for once felt able to let their hair down and their spirits up. It was a miracle no one had died.

Yet.

As if to illustrate the point, Bea was forced to side step the slumped body of a dwarf, who was hopefully only passed out on the street. You could never tell in Ænathlin. And even by its own low standards, the city's outer ring was considered a slum. It was also where both Joan and Bea lived. Fairies never made it into the wealthier centre.

"So you leave tomorrow?" Melly asked.

Bea nodded.

"Do you know-" A small body slammed into Melly, interrupting her. "What-?"

Bea knelt down, bringing herself to eye level with what turned out to be a young flower fairy. His pink and blue hair was falling across his face, black blood was running from a cut above his eye, and one of his wings had been torn, explaining why he had been running in the first place.

Bea was horrified. In general, she found flower fairies extremely annoying; because they were colourful and had wings, the humans tended to believe in them a little longer than they did house or garden fairies. As a result, flower fairies managed to eke out a little more respect from the rest of the fae tribes, a fact they lauded over the other two fairy clans.

But, as much as Bea might dislike them, that didn't mean she wanted to see a child in such a state.

"What happened to you?" she asked.

"Sod off," the fairy spat.

Just then, a group of young imps, adhene and elves burst round the corner, some carrying clubs. If Bea had been on her own, she was certain they would have attacked both her and the little flower fairy. But she had Melly with her – and Melly was not just a fully grown elf; she was also a fully trained witch.

Unsurprisingly, the gang skidded to a halt when they saw Melly, straight backed and regal, dressed all in black, the cigarette in her hand burning red hot in sharp contrast to the very cold look on her face.

"What exactly is going on?" Melly demanded, stalking over to the group.

A few of the more sensible ones at the back turned and ran, but those at the front weren't so lucky. Bea watched as Melly began to have a very quiet, very serious word with them, noticing the way the smallest one's trousers darkened. She wondered what Melly was saying to elicit such a response, and then decided she was probably better off not knowing.

"What about you?" she said, turning her attention back to the flower fairy wriggling in her grip. "What happened?"

"None of your business."

"I just want to know you're alright," Bea said.

The little fairy laughed. "Alright? After what that cabbage fairy did?"