Tallis woke up early the next morning. He couldn't get something Callan had said the night before out of his head, and it was time to call the Fae's bluff.

He was halfway through piling a load of dirt onto a plate for Callan when a caravan of Greater Fae trotted into their camp. Tallis set down the plate of dirt and held up a hand in greeting. The group of Fae were tall and gaunt, with sharp features. Their skin was a pastel shade of orange and blood red scales ringed their eyes and ran up their forearms. They were dressed in long heavy robes with fur trimmed hoods.

"Hello," Callan boomed.

Tallis jumped and had to fight the urge to throw himself to the ground. The big man was far too quiet.

The orange Fae were quiet and a chorus of murmured greetings came in answer.

"Please, friends," said Callan. "Share our fire for a while, and tell us what news comes from the Summer Court."

The group of Fae nodded and sat close to the flames. The last member of their group held the reins of a long necked reptile with thick legs and short arms. It was covered in iridescent yellow scales that shimmered green and red in the sunlight. A wagon trailed behind it, piled high with sacks and crates.

"Thank you," said the Fae holding the reins. "The change of seasons is a hard time for us. Our powers wane. A rest would do us some good." He sat with a wince, clutching a hand to his side.

“Are you hurt?” asked Tallis.

“Just a scratch. But still I wish we had some medicine.”

Callan fetched the map he drew and laid it out in front of the Fae. “We are going to be traveling to this valley searching for medicine for a fallen friend. If we find any I’m sure I could be persuaded to bring some back to you.”

“It’s no good. The flowers have been picked clean. There is nothing left.”

Callan stood, muscles bunching around his shoulders and hands balling into fists. “What do you mean there is nothing left? That’s not possible. There is not one of the Fae who would do such a thing.”

“It wasn’t one of the Fae, cousin.” The summer Fae turned to glare at Tallis. “It was one of them. One of their army.”

Callan snarled and spat on the ground. “The army is here?” His voice was low and dangerous like the rumble of thunder in the distance. “Those motherless dogs wouldn’t dare.” He stalked to the small cart, kicking up dirt and snorting like a bull about to charge. He took out his signature shotgun and a brutal looking axe forged from black steel. “They won’t be there for long.”

He took a step out of the camp. Tallis caught his arm. “Wait.”

Callan turned with a snarl, baring his teeth. “Let me go, Tallis. I’m going to raze their camp and leave none alive. That medicine was for everyone, and it needs to be returned to the people.”

Tallis kept a firm hold on him. The Fae had muscles like bands of iron. If he really wanted to, Tallis was sure he could have picked him up and thrown him all the way home. “What are you going to do against the army? We don’t know what kind of firepower we’re dealing with. We don’t know what their camp looks like. We don’t a damn thing. We’d be marching into a massacre.”

“You keep saying we like you’re coming with me. This is my fight, and mine alone. I don’t expect any help.”

Tallis beat down the fear smoldering in his chest. “That’s too bad. You’re getting it anyway.”

“No. I will not have you in danger, Tallis. This will be far too much for you to handle. You forget that I’ve seen you shoot and I know you will not be much help in a gunfight.”

Tallis hooked his thumbs through his belt, one hand brushing the grip of his revolver, the other brushing the sketchbook poking out of his pants pocket. He wasn't much of a fighter, but he had other strengths. “That’s all the more reason to be careful when I come with you then. You’ll have to keep me safe while I talk to the commander. Maybe we can work out some kind of deal.”

The summer Fae shook his head. “Not likely, we tried to trade with him but he was not very receptive to our offers. He shouted at his men to ‘gun down the beasts’ and opened fire.”

“Right,” Tallis nodded. “I think I’ve met his type of person before. He might be more willing to deal with one of his own.”

Callan blew out a breath and put on his long coat. The leather shimmered with a ghostly light as it fell over his shoulders. “That’s fine, but when your plan fails we go in and we fight.”

“Count me in too,” said Setia. She flicked open the loading gate on her pistol and checked it was loaded. “I would hate to miss the fun. But I have one problem.”

Tallis turned towards her, always unnerved by how eager she was to throw herself into violence. “What is it?”

“You look like shit. If I’ve learned anything, it’s when you’re taking the smooth talkin’ angle with men you’d best look good while doing it.”

The summer fae were all smiling. Their leader stood and climbed into the back of their wagon. “Sweet words, crooked deals, the threat of violence, this plan has the Summer Court written all over it. We may have something that can help.”

He returned to the campfire with a sack and upended it onto the grass. A pile of colourful fabrics, bands of dark leather, and scales of shiny metal spilled out. Setia holstered her pistol and practically dove for the pile with that same predatory look in her eyes that she had earlier.

“This is going to be fun,” she said. The summer fae joined in and Tallis spent the next hour being prodded, poked, and measured. Swatches and various colours were held up to his face and the Fae debated and talked in circles amongst themselves. He felt like he was at the center of a hurricane of pins, cloth and tape measures.

The storm faded eventually and Setia brought him over a shapeless black robe. “All right, strip.” she said, laughing.

Tallis felt his cheeks go so red and hot he was shocked they didn’t burst into flames.

“There’s some material we can salvage from the clothes you’re wearing,” she continued, handing him a robe to wear. “You can change behind the traders’ wagon. I promise I won’t peek.”

With a groan he changed behind the wagon and handed his old clothes to her. She dumped the contents of his pockets into the back of their cart and set to work with the other Fae.

The leader of the merchants walked to the back of the cart and looked over his meager possessions. He picked up the grey jay feathers bound in twine and held them up to the light squinting. “Now, this is interesting. Tell me, human, are you a spellcaster? Where did you learn? I was under the impression that the arts were banned in your lands.”

He shrugged and gingerly plucked the feathers away from the trader. “I’ve skimmed a few books but that’s about it. I can’t really do anything without a gemstone though. I can’t just make magic happen like Callan or Aragam can.”

“Curious,” the trader replied. “Then why are you carrying around such a potent Focus?”

“A what?”

The conversation piqued Callan’s interest. Tallis watched as he swiveled one ear in their direction and stepped over to them. “I thought you knew what it was,” said Callan. “A focus is something like my coat, or Setia’s jewlery, Valerie’s hat. It’s a sentimental item that channels magic.”

“How about we make a deal?” asked the trader. “The army seemed to be unboxing a crate of shiny new weapons, and if they are going to keep invading our lands, I would like to have them. So, you get me a few guns, and I’ll give you one lesson while we wait to make our move.”

Tallis looked up to Callan, unsure of what the right answer was here.

The Winter Fae held up his hands. “Do not look at me. This is not a choice I can make for you, but if you want to steal a gun or two I’ll offer my help for free, if you don’t then you’ll have my support there too. It’s your decision.”

Tallis thought back to the way Callan had strode through waves of gunfire like he was walking through a gentle rain. If Tallis had magic like that, he wouldn’t need to be afraid anymore, he wouldn’t be so useless. He held out his hand. “Deal.”

The Summer Fae cocked his head to one side, staring down at Tallis’ outstretched hand. Instead of shaking it he slapped his palm against Tallis’ and nodded. “Deal.”

They left camp together and walked to a secluded stream that ran into a reflecting pool. “This is a good place,” said the Fae. “Magic runs easily here. I want you to close your eyes and think of a memory, preferably one related to those feathers but any memory will do.” He bent and scooped up a handful of stones from the shore of the pool. “We’ll start with a simple barrier. Fae children learn this spell as early as they can. It’s a good place to begin. Simple, but incredibly useful in skilled hands. Hold that memory up. Use the feeling to ward away the stone. Let those feelings shield you.”

Tallis let his mind drift backwards through the years, seeing himself as a child again watching Edward come through the kitchen door holding the injured bird. A stone bounced off his chest, not hard enough to hurt, but hard enough to be annoying. He closed his eyes and bore down on the memory, seeing him and his father taking care of the tiny creature. Tallis had spent a lot of time reading it stories from his favourite books. He had thought it would make the bird feel better. Another stone hit him. He tried again, and again, and again but each time the rocks made it through.

The trader bent to collect another handful. “Don’t let yourself give up now. Struggle is where we find our greatest strengths.”

The next stone came in faster, and hit him before he was ready. It left a stinging pain in the center of his chest. He reached up to rub the sore spot and another sharp rock whistled into him, spitting the skin on the back of his hand.

“Keep the memory up,” said Callan from somewhere behind him. “I know you can do it.”

Tallis grit his teeth and closed his eyes, pulling more images of that summer into his mind. He remembered the simple joy he felt when the grey jay could walk on its own again, he felt the warmth of companionship as it sat on his shoulder, and he tasted the bitter sadness of watching it fly away for the winter. The next stone whistled through the air and Tallis kept the feelings in his mind, willing the wall of emotion to turn it away.

The rock didn’t hit him, but it didn’t bounce off of any kind shield either. Callan winced behind him and he heard the stone clatter off a tree trunk. It was like it had gone straight through him. Cautiously he opened one eye just a crack and found that the world around him had suddenly grown. Trees towered above him, impossibly tall. The pool had become a lake, the streams a river. Massive hoofbeats thudded behind him and he fled, legs pumping as fast as he could make them. His body moved awkwardly and he stumbled, it felt like his knees were on backwards. None of it helped. The giant behind bent and scooped him in one massive hand. Tallis fit comfortably in its palm.

“Well,” said Callan. “Unconventional, but still an effective trick.”

The Fae was larger than life. Had Tallis managed to shrink himself? He’d never heard of magic like that before. He cocked his head to one side and caught sight of his reflection in Callan’s eyes. He wasn’t looking at the reflection of a miniature man, no, instead he saw a small grey and white bird staring back at him. He’d left his human shape behind and replaced it with the grey jay.

He tried to speak but only a singsong cry came out.

Callan gave him a wicked smile. “I’m sorry but this is the only way you’ll learn. Mother birds teach their chicks like this, I swear.”  He flipped his hand over, sending Tallis tumbling through the air.

White hot panic seized every fiber of his being and he tensed, bracing against the pain that was sure to come. Something else in the back of his mind had other ideas, it twisted and squirmed and moved with an animal fervor, folding his legs underneath of him and spreading his wings. He hurtled towards the ground, sure to slam directly into and missed. Arcing upwards into the air he let out a piercing cry of joy. The warm arms of euphoria folded him into a tight embrace and he flew a circle around the Greater Fae.

The spell faded after a few minutes and he tumbled to the ground in a heap. Laughing he rolled to his back and threw his arms into the air. “That,” he panted. “Was. Amazing!”

Callan reached down and pulled him to his feet. “That is very much a skill we can use.”
  
Tallis brushed the dust from his borrowed robes. “Is that what the vision in the pool meant? Was it showing me the future? Was it showing me using this power?”

“It may have been,” said Callan. “But it could have been metaphorical too. The grey jay is something of a famous figure in our folklore.”

“For us as well,” said the trader. “We call them whiskey jacks. Tricksters, rule breakers, wherever they go they seem to upset the established order and change things for the better.”

Callan gave Tallis a hearty pat on the back. “If that’s not a good omen, I don’t know what is.”

“Well it’s certainly better than having a death owl over the house,” said Tallis.

“Don’t be so harsh on the owls. I told you that death doesn’t have to mean doom and gloom. It’s only a transition. It’s a change. All together I think we have an astounding amount of luck on our side. Things are going to change in a good way. Let’s go take on the army, maybe rough up some soldiers, steal some weapons, and set a few fires. It will be a glorious day.”

Tallis’ mouth went dry and his heart hammered against his ribs. "But we'll try talking first, right?"

"It will not help at all, but if you feel like talking, then yes, we'll try that first."

They returned to camp just as the other Fae were finishing his new outfit. Setia held up a pale grey vest, beaming. "We're just about finished," she said. "And these clothes are looking fine as hell." She opened the vest, and it was lined with metal scales of silver and gold. "Tough too. And I've never seen anyone work like these Fae do. They were sewing faster than I could sketch out the design. But it still turned out great." She tossed him the vest.

It was shockingly light, like the scales were forged out of air and sunlight.

"What's your plan?" asked Setia while handing him the rest of the clothes.

He stepped behind the wagon again to change. "I'm not sure, I figure we just go up and ask them to be reasonable. There's no way they need all of the medicine."

"Sure. We can start there. But when that fails, how do you want to play it?"

He stepped out from behind the wagon, tugging on the cuffs of his new shirt. He felt just a little awkward in his new outfit. The trousers, shirt and vest were all fine, but the black leather half chaps with fringe, and the leather bracers splinted with strips of metal felt like a little much.

“Thanks, for all your hard work,” he said. He shook his left leg, watching the leather fringe on the back of his calf swing back and forth. He felt like a fool.

Setia plopped a hat onto his head and passed him the same black bandana he’d worn during the robbery. “Ready to go, then? If plan B is to play it by ear and run on a lick and a promise, I’m okay with that.”

Callan straightened his coat and double checked his shotgun was sitting snug in his holster. “I am not thrilled over plans like that. They normally get quite messy.”

She twirled her pistol around her finger with a wicked grin. “It’s always such a rush.” She slipped the gun into the holster and looked to Tallis. “Ready to go?”

Closing his eyes for a moment, he took a deep breath and tried to will his heart to slow down. “I guess so. Sure. Let’s do this.”