Phoenix tightened the gag on the woman with the banshee's cry. After a night of rest for the wounded to allow their healing bodies to recover, they'd reassessed their prisoners' bindings before heading out.

Trey kept close to Phoenix when she wasn't near the banshee woman. He skirted around camp all wide-eyes and fidgeting fingers, and a few times, when the woman they'd captured fixed her stare on him, snowflakes began to fall. 

The banshee woman lunged at Phoenix, bashing her head against Phoenix's. With a grunt, Phoenix jerked back.

"Watch it," Roman said, eyeing the banshee woman with a glower. "She's keeping you alive here - the rest of us might have a different opinion."

"Hear, hear," Victor said, jaw clenched. "It's because of her that Frieda is dead." 

"It's because of Frieda that Frieda is dead," Finny snapped, gathering up her things. "Now let's get a move on. The Militia awaits, and we haven't much time. We want to make as much progress before the sun goes down as we can."

"Youlden, would you be willing to keep an eye on our guest?" Maverick gestured to the woman, who still hadn't given her name. She'd only scream if they took her gag off.

"Trey," Phoenix moved to his side, kneeling down to speak into his ear, "I want you to stay close to Abigail - away from that woman. If anything happens just remember to stay calm. I'll keep you safe. Can you promise me you'll try to stay calm?"

Trey nodded.

"Good." Phoenix glanced over her shoulder and then back at Trey. "I'm going to tell my brother what you can do if that's all right with you. I think he should know. What do you say?"

Trey shifted his weight to see around her, his little mouth pursing as he considered Maverick. "But you don't want me to tell anyone else?"

"No, not yet. Not until we know you're safe."

Trey nodded. "That's what she always used to say."

Phoenix frowned. "She?"

"The woman at the orphanage. She said we shouldn't tell anyone - that it wouldn't be safe." Trey held up his gloved hands. "She gave me these and told me to keep them on."

Phoenix stared at Trey's covered fingers, something dawning deep inside. "Can I see? Just really quick?"

Trey dropped his hands and tugged on one glove with the other, revealing the bronze skin beneath. Phoenix stopped him before he removed the glove completely - just a glimpse of the back of his hand was enough.

Silvery gray lines lined the skin, bright and vibrant. Phoenix tugged the glove back into place, forcing a smile to give Trey comfort. "I have those, too, you know. So does Youlden."

"I see yours," Trey said, pointing to Phoenix's exposed arms. "They're different colors."

"Do you only have the one color?" Phoenix asked. Trey nodded. "Well I think it's amazing. Go on - go stand with Abigail. Finny's not going to be pleased if we don't get a move on."

Trey's mouth upturned in a smile, and he scampered off to Abigail's side.

"Use your feet you mongrels!" Finny shouted at the prisoners. "Move before I make you in a very unpleasant way."

They walked with Roman, Youlden, Victor and Finny guarding the prisoners. Noelle, now that the snow had stopped and she'd had a warm night next to the fire, marched on without trouble. Chuck stayed near her, his face going doughy anytime she answered any of his questions. 

"Mav," Phoenix said, slowing her brother just enough to get them out of earshot.

"Hmm?"

"Trey's a Guardian." At Maverick's raised brows she kept on. "He has the markings on his hands and he caused the blizzard yesterday."

"He caused that blizzard?"

"From what he told me, he can do a lot more than that. Any kind of weather."

Maverick considered her words, staring straight ahead. "Is Bainon planning to murder Guardians just as Tarvril did?"

"I'm not sure. But the more I see markings like these on people, the less I think they could mean anything other than Guardianship. I have them, Eric has them, Youlden has them - "

"You think Youlden's a Guardian and just doesn't know it?"

"Guardians can't go above to the stars, right?" Phoenix gestured skyward. "What were they supposed to do with children when Tarvril started his executions? Surely there would be Ancients who wanted to keep their children safe as Selene and Elyo did for me."

"Or worse yet," Maverick said. "If they have only on Ancient parent, the mortal parent may have had to hide the child on his or her own - or if the mortal parent died, they child would be put in an orphanage before the Ancient even knew."

"An entire generation of Guardians lost to their heritage," Phoenix said, nodding. 

"And, what - Bainon and Narissa are after them?"

"I don't know. Why else would they take a little boy out of an orphanage and sentence him to die?" Phoenix watched Trey walk alongside Abigail, holding onto her hand. 

"He's just a little kid," Maverick said. "He's not like Youlden or you. He was born eight years ago long after all of this madness happened. Where are his parents?"

"I wish I knew, but when the time comes, I'm going to ask either Altair or Castor."

"Will they know?"

"They might be able to help me find out." Phoenix sighed. "For now, though, I think it's best if we keep it a secret. I have a sick feeling inside of me every time that banshee woman looks at Trey - like she knows something about him. He's just a boy, and I want him safe."

"Agreed. This goes no further than the two of us for now." Maverick reflexively placed his hand on the hilt of his sword as he eyed the prisoners in front of them. "We need to get him to safety as soon as possible."

Hours passed and the sun moved through the sky. When the afternoon hours had begun to wain, Finny held up a hand to signal their stop. Phoenix instantly knew why.

A dense fog, thicker than any she'd ever seen before, lay before them. It rose up into the air, taller than three men stacked on each other's shoulders. It was as though a smokey wall blocked their path.

"We're close," Finny said, glaring at the fog. "Now's where it gets tricky."

"Now it gets tricky?" Noelle repeated, her voice catching in a squeak.

"Navigating the fog is near impossible if you aren't careful. It can swallow you whole as it leads you in circles, dragging you off a cliff or into starvation."

"I am so excited for this portion of our trip," Roman said, a grimace fixed to his face. "So excited."

Phoenix moved up to stand on Trey's other side, frowning at Abigail. "I don't like the sound of this for him."

"Nor do I," Abigail said. "But what other options do we have?"

Phoenix felt a tug on her tunic and looked down. Trey stared up at her with wide eyes, his brows dancing as though he wanted her to read his thoughts. Phoenix opened her mouth to ask him what he wanted to say when a gasp drew her attention back to the fog.

The wall of earthen cloud dissipated, dropping down and separating before them, like a cavern opening wide to allow them in. The path cleared, two pillars of fog standing on either side, but no longer blocking their path.

Phoenix gaped at the landscape before her and felt the tiniest squeeze of her hand. Her gaze flickered down to Trey, who didn't look at her, but had the smallest of smiles.

"Or it could do that and I could feel even worse about this whole thing," Finny said, eyeing the fog pillars. "On we go - here's to our survival..."

They moved forward, not making it twenty paces beyond the fog pillars before a voice called out from somewhere amidst the still lurking fog.

"Who goes there! Stop! We have you surrounded!

Finny hurumphed and put her hands on her hips. "It's Finny, you fools. Where's our escort? You were supposed to meet us yesterday!"

"Finny?" The voice, feminine and pleased, took the form of a woman as she stepped out of the fog. "Praise Adonai - we had some trouble and were held up. We--" she paused, mouth falling open at the sight of the procession. 

Phoenix assessed her in her moment of silence. The newcomer had hair as black as night and eyes the same uncomfortable shade of violet as the banshee woman. Standing somewhere in height between Noelle and Abigail, she wore leather armor, a quiver of arrows at her hip.

"Mother?" The girl's shriek was one of embarrassment as she stalked up to the banshee woman. "What in the hells is your problem? I finally make good for you at camp and you run amok and make a mess that I had to deal with, thank you very much. And now you're - what - they're prisoner? What did you do?"

"Only killed one of our innocent travelers and attacked a little boy," Roman said with a sneer. "You claim her, then?"

"If I had a choice I wouldn't." The dark haired woman glowered at her mother. "Helena will deal with you."

The banshee woman rolled her eyes, unperturbed. Finny cleared her throat.

"Ahem, the fog, Mygel?" 

"The - oh! right." Mygel waved her hand around and the fog dissipated entirely. "How on earth were you blocking it, anyway? Oh nevermind - you Ancients never tell your secrets. I'm so sorry. Mother caused an uproar at camp after she knocked out her handler and escaped with - ah yes, you've caught Denizon and his gang, too. Perfect. Come with me."

Mygel spoke at a pace rapid enough to make the head spin. She marched off, not waiting to see if they followed.

"I thought you said we were surrounded," Noelle said, glancing around at the now clear valley. The fog wall, however, had gone back into its place at the front of the entrance, barring anyone else's entry.

"You would have been, and we are. There are men and women all around us, but in the Militia it's better not to be seen."

Phoenix glanced around at the hills that rose up on either side, all of them covered in snow. If she squinted, she thought she could make out a few lumps on the hills that looked like white cloaks more than snow-capped boulders. 

"Helena's been waiting for you. Did you have any trouble? Oh what am I saying, of course you did. Otherwise you wouldn't have her bound and gagged."

"This is really your mother?" Youlden asked, eyebrow arching as he looked at the banshee woman. 

"We usually keep her away from everyone else. Finny, have you never met her? No, I suppose not. You weren't here long enough. Anyway, her, uh, gift tends to put people off. They're always saying 'Mygel, how are you nothing like Canya?' and I have to say, 'I get a lot from me dad,' but it don't really matter, do it? She's still Mother."

Mygel kept up her chatter as she marched through a narrow crag between the hills. They followed single file, edging sideways along as they kept her brisk pace.

When they reached the other side, Phoenix nearly toppled into Roman, who'd stopped dead in his tracks, mouth open in awe. 

She knew why the moment she looked up.

They'd made it.

"The Militia."

Thank you for your patience! I've been traveling all day after my AWESOME writer's conference, so this is late.

Anywho, THEY MADE IT! They made it to the Militia! Banshee lady's name is Canya, and her daughter Mygel is fast becoming a favorite of mine. What do you think of this mother daughter duo? 

Also, who loves Trey's markings? Who is also super worried about that little guy? *raises hand*

Now tell me ALL THE THINGS you want to see about the Militia! 
Soon we'll find out who Helena is! Ah!