She fiddled with the ring on her index finger, feeling a hum of energy rise to meet her fingertip. Such a clever bit of magic, she thought. Instead of needing to pull on lots of power every time she wanted to cast a common spell, all she had to do was invoke the ring, and it did the work for her. She wondered idly what other tricks the ring’s maker might have known. Unfortunately, he had not survived her… questioning, and so she was left to imagine the possibilities. At least the ring spell wasn’t hard magic to replicate, and she had always adored jewelry.

She considered the scene before her. So messy. And yet, the best things in life always were. She pulled a small white handkerchief from one of the many pockets in her leather duster, and bent next to the rumpled form on the ground.

“Those better be LED candles,” Sasha said, lifting a corner of the blanket that was draped across a chair.

“Don’t worry, they are. I’m not going to set myself on fire. Your brotherly duty has been fulfilled,” Lara grumbled, looking up from her notebook. “Now go away.”

Instead of leaving, he crouched down and wedged himself inside the fort his little sister had created in the living room. He had to admit, it was cozy. She was leaning back against the couch, and green blankets hung over her like a canopy. With the squishy pillows and atmospheric light from the (thankfully) electric candles, plus the pile of books at her side, he could see why she had spent the last two hours in here by herself. It didn’t mean he wasn’t worried about her, though.

She walked the world alone for many years, with no companions beyond her own thoughts. She moved through the worlds of people, but always as an outsider, looking in. She could blend in with the people she met well enough, but never felt a sense of belonging, of understanding. And so she continued to walk, through jungles, through forests, through prairies and along coasts, always by herself.

One day, as she wound her way between towering trees, she came across a clearing, where a snake and an eagle were locked in fierce combat. They seemed well matched, and for a while, she just watched them. The eagle would swoop down from high above, talons flashing, but would have to dart away as the snake rose to strike back.

Faye let out a long sigh as she surveyed what used to be her living room. Now, it looked like someone had transferred a whole swamp into her home. Moss covered her ottomans and coffee table, transforming them into large boulders. Vines climbed her drapes and bookshelves, and somehow her couch had become a small pond. There were even little insects swooping around her light fixtures, and on closer examination, she saw they were made from the matches she kept by her array of candles.

“Didn’t we agree that you should keep your magic out of my house? Everything I own suffers when you try a new spell.” In the middle of the mess, a young girl sat on the floor, grinning sheepishly up at her.

Lexi leaned over the pool table, considering her next shot. She could feel Rick staring at her, although she didn’t think he was studying her technique. She paused a moment more, then took her shot.

“Yes!” she crowed, as the 8-ball bounced off two sides of the pool table and into the corner pocket. She scooped the money off the edge of the table. “I told you not to bet against me.”

Rick looked miffed, but quickly recovered, sending her a smirk.

“I think it was beginner’s luck. Plus,” he said, leaning close to her, “I was a little distracted.”

Adriana sighed as Neil entered the room, not even looking up from filing her nails.

“Can you please stop leaving dead bodies on my doorstep? You’re worse than a cat.”

Neil grunted. “If people stopped trying to break in, I wouldn’t have to kill them.” He glanced back at the front stoop, where a mangled form lay. “Little fucker got close this time.” He shook his head, spraying water across the room.

Drita looked up as Aleksander came back into the kitchen, a bemused look on his face.

“What?” she asked, drying the last glass and putting it back in the cabinet.

“Our new neighbors are simultaneously the scariest and nicest people I’ve met,” Aleksander said, sitting down at the kitchen table with a sigh.