Chapter 27

Note: Thanks to Alex for beta reading this!

“This way!” Mrs. Baldwin cried, rushing a group of halflings along. “Safety is this way. Let’s go!”

The skies were alive with shouts. Panic echoed through the city. The dryad had to focus on getting her next group of charges to the store. She was waving her hand, begging them to move faster. The halflings scurried through the streets, wincing at every noise.

“We’re here to help you,” Vielmi, one of the basilisks, said to her group that was coming out of an alley. “Just be calm. There you are. See, nothing to be frightened of.”

They hurried down to the main street before the dry goods store where Piaro was leading another group. She actually was holding a halfling child in her hands, the girl’s face buried in the basilisk’s pink, feathery hair.

“I know we’re scary,” Piaro was saying, “but we’re your friends. We’re not like the wicked monster girls who serve Sulanga Stormfury!”

Piaro set the child down at the entrance to the shop, motioning for the halflings to go inside. Mrs. Baldwin and Vielmi led their group towards Piaro while in the sky, fire burned. The crackle of flames was growing louder and louder mixed with thunderous roars, lionesses bellowing their fury.

I hope the battle is going well up there, Mrs. Baldwin thought. But she had more halflings to save.

Maya thought the evacuation was going great.

The halflings were flowing towards the smithy as the unicorns darted down the streets to find more refugees. The young halfling males Maya had recruited were fanning out and going from house to house, making sure people were getting evacuated.

A crying child caught Maya’s attention. There, by a stack of crates, a little halfling boy was sobbing. Maya gasped and rushed over to him, her watery form jiggling. She bent down before him, giving him a smile.

He looked up at her. Then lightning flashed above, crackling with hungry thunder.

The boy buried his face into his hands.

“It’s okay,” Maya said, scooping up the little boy. She held him tight to her, realizing that as a monster girl there was one thing she would never have with Leo: his child.

I hope the me in the other would gets that with him, Maya prayed.

She spotted a group of halflings running down the street, led by Chystota. The unicorn trotted before them, her white tail flashing behind her and golden horn gleaming in the sunlight. Maya thrust the child at one of the men.

“You get him to safety,” she told the halfling.

“Yes, Lady Monster Girl!” the male said, holding the child in strong arms. “Come on, poppin, we’ll get you to safety.”

Maya nodded. Then she turned and ran down the street. She had more halflings to save.

Kassie smiled as the refugees began rushing down the tunnel. She waved to them, beckoning them as they came from the north. Then more were running in from the east and west. Tears almost spilled down her cheeks.

You really are saving my people, Kassie thought, joy bursting in her.

“Kassie!” gasped a halfling male named Zhane. “It’s you. Kassie!”

“It’s me!” the mage said, a big smile on her face. “Come on the circle. Everyone, step onto the circle. We have to get you all to safety. The Village of Astovin is taking you in. You’re under Lord Leo’s protection now.”

“Bless him,” a wounded woman carrying two children said, tears spilling down her cheeks.

Zhane helped get the first group on there. More than thirty were crowded on it. Kassie took in a deep breath. “Feya, first group is incoming!”

“Ready!” Feya answered.

“Asud Gu!”

She spoke the activation command. The light flared and they were gone. Just like that. Kassie sighed in relief. The first of her people were saved. That was amazing. She was so relieved that she had rescued some of them.

Then she heard more cries. More halflings were rushing down the tunnel. Hurt and hale. Men and women. Children and the elderly. Such joy beat in Kassie’s heart. Lord Leo was everything she had hoped he would be.

Fauraliiithiliana stood with Feya in the dungeon beneath Astovin. The magical circle glowed bright then there were thirty halfling refugees standing there nervous. The fairy fluttered her purple wings and rushed over to them.

“Welcome to Astovin,” she said. “I’m Feya. Just go up those stairs. The humans of Astovin are ready to help you with any injuries. Please, please, we have to get you out of here. Up the stairs.”