The bell rang for the first time that day, piercing through the peaceful early morning bustle of the Ragdoll Café. Tina Hayashi glanced up from behind the counter, her eyes widening when she saw the first customer of the day half-in, half-out of the front door, leaning over to re-tie his shoelace. Figuring she had about fifteen seconds to ready herself, Tina quickly stowed the mop bucket in the store cupboard and ran back to the till, plastering her best customer service smile and smoothing down her purple apron.

“He’s early today,” muttered Liv, grabbing a cup from on top of the coffee machine. Tina nodded, biting the edge of her lip. The Ragdoll Café opened at six thirty every day, but only a few people came into the shop before seven. It was always the same three, too – Mint Guy, Chai Girl and Sandwich Man. Those were the names Liv, the barista, had chosen for them. Mint Guy was always first, arriving at the café when it opened almost to the minute. That morning he was five minutes early, but Tina would never dream of turning a paying customer away. Once his shoelaces were properly secure, he stepped into the café, his cheeks flushed from the cold winter air outside. He was a tall man and rather lanky, wearing a simple dark grey business shirt and with a black tie and sharply pressed pants. In stark contrast to this rather sombre attire, his hair was a bright, vibrant red, the sort of colour that would make him remarkably easy to distinguish in a crowd. His blue eyes were narrowed slightly in a way that made him appear deep in thought as he strode over to the till. Tina cleared her throat, fiddling with the edge of her collar as she flashed him her best sales-person smile.

“Good morning,” she said as he stopped in front of the counter. “What can I get you?”

Her question was obsolete, of course. She knew what he was getting because he always bought the same thing. There were many regulars like that. They knew exactly what beverage they wanted and they’d prattle it off before she’d even had a chance to greet them.

“Hot chocolate, please,” he said abruptly as he fumbled with his wallet.

“Sure. With mint?” she said, tilting her head slightly to the side and smiling again.

The man looked up at her and frowned. Tina blushed, and looked away quickly. Of course. He has to be one of those people who hate it when the waiter knows their order.

“Yes please,” he said stagnantly. Tina nodded and added his request in. He passed her a fifty-dollar note and she put it through, handing him the receipt and change.

“We’ll call out your number when it’s ready,” she said, as she did every time he came in. Even so, he took the number and nodded, turning stiffly on his heel and striding over to a table on the far side of the café. As he sat down, the door bell chimed again and Chai Girl walked in, her thick shoulder-length blonde hair bouncing on her shoulders. She was tall and very glamorous, wearing a tightly fitted black business jacket with a deep red blouse. She strode over to the counter with such purpose, such confidence. It was something Tina deeply envied. But then, she thought, if she acted the way Chai Girl did people would only laugh at her. She wasn’t remotely pretty enough to pull it off.

“Hi there,” said Chai Girl, smiling broadly as she recited her order, her bright green eyes twinkling. Tina nodded and wrote it down quickly, her stomach tying itself in knots as she charged her for her chai latte. Chai Girl stepped to the side and pulled out her phone while Tina busied herself with fixing their orders. She glanced at the door every so often, her heart racing slightly beneath her chest.

Will he come today? Surely…

She scolded herself silently while she cleaned the tables, but even so she waited with baited breath. It wasn’t until both Mint Guy and Chai Girl had left that Sandwich Man strode through the door. Tina held her breath as he smiled and nodded at her, feeling her cheeks colouring all over again. He was as tall as Mint Guy but much handsomer, with thick black hair and pale blue eyes that made her heart race.

“Morning, Tina,” he said as he approached the counter, grinning and showing her his pearly white teeth. “How are you today?”

“Good,” she said quickly, her stomach swooping pleasurably. She knew he only knew her name because of the large, bright blue nametag all of the staff had to wear, but even so she was thrilled to hear him say it. “Which sandwich are you keen for today?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” he said, leaning his elbows against the counter and winking. “What’s your favourite?”

Liv made a small choking noise behind them. Tina glanced at her and blushed when she saw the older girl doubled over the counter, barely managing to contain her laughter.

“I… I like this one,” she mumbled, turning back to face Sandwich Man and pointing uneasily towards a roll in the display cabinet. “It’s called the Scottish Fold. It’s got beef and cheese and tomatoes and this really nice sauce, I’m not sure what else is in it but – it’s really good.”

“I’ll take that then,” he said with a small nod, smiling at her again. “And a coffee too, thanks. You know what I like.”

“I sure do,” said Tina, daring herself to give him a small smile. She quickly entered his order into the till and let him pay. When he was seated on a small bar stool at a nearby table she ducked behind the counter, glad for the distraction as she wrapped his chosen sandwich in baking paper and placed it into a small take-away bag.

“So, how’s your boyfriend this morning?” said Liv, grinning as she set about making Sandwich Man’s coffee order. Tina rolled her eyes, glancing at him nervously and hoping he hadn’t heard. Luckily, he’d taken out his tablet and was reading it attentively, his eyes darting quickly across the screen. Feeling slightly reassured, she turned back and shook her head sternly at her friend.

“Will you ever give this up?” she said in a low voice. “I mean… it’s completely unfounded. He’s a regular, so I try and be nice. Is there anything wrong with that?”

“No, but I don’t see you giving any of the other regulars that flirty little smile,” said Olivia, nudging her in the ribs as she frothed milk for his coffee. “So clearly, it’s something you reserve just for him. And I have no idea why, by the way. He’s so goddamn smarmy.”

“No he’s not!”

“He is. Come on, even you have to admit that. And here’s some advice – instead of being all nervous and elusive, why don’t you just ask for his name? We can’t keep calling him Sandwich Man.”

“I - You’re the one who came up with that, not me,” Tina mumbled, folding her arms across her chest.

“So what? You know you call him that too,” said Liv firmly as she finished making his drink. She handed it to Tina and pretended to bow, her grey eyes shining as she grinned. “Now, go forth and dazzle him.”

Tina rolled her eyes again, taking the cup from her friend and turning back to face the counter. Clearing her throat, she glanced down and double-checked the number written on the cup, even though she remembered it perfectly.

“Um… Number three,” she said, raising her voice slightly above the noisy bustle of the kitchen behind them. The dark-haired man looked up from his tablet, striding over and taking his sandwich and coffee with another warm smile.

“See you later,” he said as he turned to leave.

“See you,” Tina called out, trying to ignore Liv as she rolled her eyes.

“You’re incorrigible, Tina,” said the older girl, but she shook her head fondly.

“Oh come on. It’s not like – He’d never give me a chance anyway. I’m –“

She paused, steadying herself before she blurted out she was far too ugly for a man like him. True or not, she knew Liv would just rebuff her and tell her she was exaggerating. Still, no matter what the older girl said, Tina knew it really was the truth. She was small and squat with thin, dark brown hair that hung limply around her shoulders. Her eyes were a similarly uninspiring brown, while her thin cheeks were covered in acne scars. She hated the way she looked and any reminder of that simply depressed her.

“I…” she continued, turning slightly so Liv couldn’t see her face. “He’s – well, he’s clearly some kind of successful government person or business man, while I’m just... You know. The girl who sells him coffee.”

She blushed, clearing her throat and glancing back at her friend. Liv raised her eyebrows, opening her mouth to retort, but luckily the door opened again and they soon found themselves occupied with a flurry of customers. It stayed busy all morning and by the time it was midday and Tina went outside into the adjacent alleyway for her lunchbreak, she was utterly exhausted. Clutching the sandwich her mother had made for her as a surprise, she sat down heavily on the back steps, stretching her legs and yawning. She was in for a long day – one of the other waitresses had called in sick for the afternoon, and Tina had promised Trevor, the manager, that she would stay until closing so he didn’t have to bother calling anyone else. It meant an almost twelve hour day where she both opened and closed the café, but even so she was glad for the extra work. Now that her mother was unable to do so, Tina’s was the only income they had. She was lucky enough to have a job at all. When she turned sixteen, Tina had tried to get work in the factories, like her mother and most of the people in her building. Small and not very strong, she had tried her best, but after two days they told her not to come back. Despairing, Tina had no choice but to look to the inner city for work. She had been lucky enough to snag herself a job in the café and had worked hard for the last three years. Her favourite part of the job was seeing a side of Salvos she was completely unfamiliar with. Their customers were inner-city dwellers; wealthy men and women with enough money to afford luxuries on a daily basis. It was their money and their interest that kept the Ragdoll Café going. After all, the world may have almost ended, but people still needed their coffee. Smiling slightly to herself, Tina took another bite of her sandwich.

“Rrrowwll.”

Tina glanced up, her eyes widening as a small, short-haired ginger tabby cat jumped down from a nearby windowsill. It was staring up at her with piercing blue eyes. Tina looked away quickly, feeling rather self-conscious. She knew she was being ridiculous – after all, it was just a cat. Still, she couldn’t help but feel like the cat wanted her to do something the longer it stared. It edged closer, meowing loudly again. Tina glanced at her sandwich, picking out the small piece of beef contained within and throwing it to the cat.

“Here,” she said, clearing her throat. It must be hungry. That makes the most sense. “Eat this. Is that what you want?”

The cat marched right past the beef and jumped up the steps. It reached up and batted its paw against the door, glancing back at her and meowing. Tina shook her head, crouching down next to the cat and stroking its back.

“You can’t go in there,” she said, wondering briefly why she was bothering to talk when the animal clearly wouldn’t be able to understand her. “I – we sell food inside. It’s unhygienic. Sorry.”

The cat meowed again, sounding oddly disgruntled. It batted the door for a final time and, realising she wasn’t going to open it, turned around and bolted away. Tina watched it go, her eyebrows knotting.

That was… Weird. What a strange cat.

Settling back down on the step, Tina took another bite of her sandwich, which tasted very plain now there was no meat inside. A white ibis flew into view and landed next to the abandoned beef and ate it quickly while another flew on top of the bins, picking at the plastic with vigour. Biting her lip, Tina jumped up and shooed them away, inspecting the rubbish bags for large holes. Luckily, the bird had only had the chance to make a few pin-pricks into the plastic. Relaxing again, she turned away, ready to pack up her lunch and go back inside to resume work for the afternoon. However, before she could do so a strange glint caught her eye. Frowning, she squinted in the direction of the light and spotted a strange-looking bright turquoise stone hidden under the bins. Crouching down, Tina reached under the bin and pulled out the stone plus the heavy cloth bag it seemed to have spilled out of.

What… What is this? Where did it come from?

She opened the bag and found nine additional rounded, smooth, pebble-sized stones. They were all different colours, ranging from gold to violet to bright green. Hesitating slightly, Tina glanced down at the turquoise stone, turning it over in her hands. Holding it made her feel… strange. She shivered, her palms tingling where they came into contact with the smooth surface.

What are these? Are they precious stones from before the world ended?

She had heard of them, of course, but they were so rare now only the very highest class of people could afford the few that had survived. They had been expensive before the war, but now a mere single carat diamond cost close to one hundred thousand dollars. The stones were not diamonds, she knew that much – diamonds were supposed to be clear, after all. Still, they were very likely to be worth a lot of money.

I… If I sell this, then – we’ll get out of the slums. We – Mum and I could live in a high-rise apartment in the inner city and never have to worry about money or anything else again. And maybe – If we can afford the best hospital care and testing, she might – maybe she’ll even get better…

Swallowing, Tina turned away from the bins, her fingers clutching the neck of the bag tightly. Her life had been one trial after another for the last six months, ever since her mother had been injured in a factory explosion. Thirty men and women had died that day, with hundreds more injured, but the government didn’t seem to care. The President himself had expressed his apologies to those involved in a sincere-sounding voice and proceeded to do absolutely nothing to prevent it happening again. The city of Salvos apparently had far bigger problems than a few hundred of the lower class being caught in an explosion. Her mother Aya had been hit by shrapnel that embedded into her skin and transected her spine mid-way down her back. Of course, the doctors weren’t entirely sure her injury was as bad as it appeared – they hadn’t been able to perform the advanced imaging needed to be more certain. Tina held onto hope that if she could only save enough money, she might be able to afford some kind of life-saving treatment for Aya.

Even if she can’t be cured, these… These stones might get me enough money to afford proper pain killers for her. At least then she won’t be so uncomfortable all the time.

Biting her lip, Tina closed her eyes and nodded once, her mind made up. She stuffed the turquoise stone into her pocket and ran back inside. She hid the rest of the stones inside the backpack she brought to work, smiling nervously at the kitchen staff as she did so. She adjusted her apron awkwardly and hurried back to the café counter, forcing herself to smile and continue on serving as though nothing had happened. She was on edge all afternoon, half-expecting the police to charge in at any moment and arrest her on the spot. No matter how many times she tried to reassure herself that it wasn’t stealing, that whoever had left the stones behind surely wasn’t all that interested in them, a niggling doubt in the back of her mind kept telling her she was doing the wrong thing.

It’s… It’s not really stealing, is it? I mean – someone just left them there, under the bins. They were probably just trying to throw them out, or – I don’t know. Surely they won’t come back.

When the café finally closed at seven p.m., she was no more certain of her decision to take the stones than she had been at the time. After spending another half-hour cleaning the store, she stepped into the alleyway behind the shop and hauled the day’s rubbish bag into the outside bins. Tina locked the backdoor of the café with the key Trevor had given her and yawned loudly as she prepared herself for the long journey home to the outer city. Adjusting her backpack, she trudged through an intricate network of back alleys, taking a shortcut to the nearest train station that she knew very well. On the way, she absent-mindedly reached into her pocket and felt the stone resting against her thighs. She picked it up, intending to just glance at it quickly for reassurance before shoving it back inside. However, the minute she laid eyes on the stone again she stopped dead in her tracks, a chill running down her spine. The smooth surface of the stone was now a deep, shimmering violet, almost exactly the same colour as the apron she wore.

Wait – wasn’t – I thought I picked up the turquoise one! How can it have changed, it’s… No. Clearly, I just wasn’t paying attention. That has to be it.

Shivering, Tina shoved the stone straight back into her pocket. She shook her head, her stomach swooping. It had to have been her mistake - after all, how could a stone change colour like that? It didn’t make any sense at all.

“Mrroww.”

Tina jumped violently and whipped around, relaxing slightly when she saw the same ginger tabby cat from earlier plodding along behind her.

“I – It’s just you,” she said shakily, crouching down and petting the cat on the head. It rubbed its cheeks against her legs, nudging the pocket holding the stone lightly as it did so. It looked up at her and mewed, its bright blue eyes watching her intently.

“I – I’m sorry,” she muttered, her cheeks flushing slightly as it continued to stare in such a piercing manner. I – stop being silly, Tina. It’s just a cat. “I don’t know what you want me from me, puss. If – if you wanna come home with me, well – you can’t. I won’t be able to feed you properly…”

Her voice trailed off as the soft plod of footsteps sounded in the distance. She looked up, her heart racing, relaxing only when she saw it was a woman walking towards her. Relieved, she glanced back down at the cat, only to find it had disappeared. Frowning, she stood up, confused at how it had run away so quickly without her noticing at all.

“Did you see where it went?” she called out to the woman in the distance. “I – sorry to bother you, I just…”

Her voice trailed off when she looked up and saw the woman standing directly opposite to her. She was tall and wearing a strange brown mask that covered her face so only her piercing green eyes were visible. Tina swallowed and stepped back a few paces, her legs trembling.

“I – never mind,” she stammered, averting her gaze. “I’ll just – I’ll be on my way, I don’t wanna miss the train –“

“Where are the stones?” the woman said, her voice chillingly quiet.

“What do you mean?” said Tina, her heart racing. She glanced down at her pocket nervously. How can she know? I didn’t – No-one saw me take them. “What stones? I – I don’t know what you…”

Her voice trailed off as the woman raised her arms, the large golden ring with a pure white stone she wore on her right index finger glinting in the moonlight. A whooshing sound filled the air as a shining silver dagger with intricate patterns carved into the handle appeared in her right hand. Before Tina could so much as gasp, the woman thrust the knife into the side of her chest. She cried out and collapsed to the ground, clutching at the knife feebly while blood spread across her shirt and apron. The woman coldly knelt down and pulled the dagger out, stabbing her again in the other side.  Tina gasped for air, her throat burning as she tried to cover the holes in her chest with her hands. The woman pushed her to the ground, jarring the knife further and sending another shot of pain through Tina’s body. Her green eyes narrowed, she knelt beside the young girl and rummaged through her pockets, drawing out the bright red stone Tina had been so surprised to see was violet only minutes earlier.

“Help me,” she gasped weakly, desperate for air. She tried to take a deep breath but found herself unable to, glancing desperately around the alleyway while her attacker located the rest of the stones in her backpack.

“Someone…” she murmured, her vision starting to fuzz. “Please, I – I didn’t mean – someone help…”

“Rrrrowwll.”

The orange cat appeared suddenly in front of her, its fur standing on end as its piercing blue gaze fixed on Tina’s attacker. The woman glanced down at the cat, raising her arm as a second dagger appeared in her hand.

“So you’re the shape-shifter,” said the woman fiercely, but she wouldn’t look the animal in the eye. “I – It makes sense they’d send you, I s’pose. But don’t –“

She stopped abruptly as the cat let out a loud, continuous yowl. It doubled over and started to contort violently, its limbs and neck lengthening while fur retracted into its body. The cat started to grow dramatically while its fur darkened to black. It curled over into a ball, continuing to yowl as the transformation continued. Eventually, the creature rose to full height, revealing itself to be a human wearing black from head to toe. The person’s face was covered aside from a small slit surrounding their eyes, which were as bright blue as the cat’s had been beforehand. The woman lunged at the cat-person, dagger in hand, but they circled swiftly to the side and kicked her directly in the chest. She staggered backwards and raised her right arm, a small black throwing knife appearing in her hand. She threw it feebly towards the cat-person, who caught it easily by the handle and tossed it aside. They jumped forward with great conviction and disappeared mid-air, much to Tina and the woman’s surprise. Moments late they reappeared directly behind the woman, elbowing her hard in the chin as she whipped around. Cursing, the woman dropped her dagger and spat out a dislodged tooth, punching feebly towards the cat-person, which they blocked easily with the back of their arm. The person ducked down quickly and grabbed the woman’s fallen dagger, rolling to the side as she aimed a kick towards their head. They jumped to their feet swiftly and kicked her directly in the stomach, catching her off balance. Stepping forward and forcing her arm behind her back, the cat-person raised the dagger and slid it forcefully across the woman’s throat. Tina watched in horror as the woman’s blood sprayed across the alley, the cat-person holding onto her tightly as her body contorted. Eventually they let her go and she collapsed to the ground, her green eyes staring vacantly ahead. The cat-person knelt next to her body and retrieved the bag of stones. Tina gave another small small gasp, blood bubbling in her mouth as she did so. The cat-person looked up and hurried over, dropping the bag of stones at the girl’s side.

 “Can you still hear me, Tina?” said the cat-person. Their voice was deep and obviously male. In fact, he sounded oddly familiar, although his voice was muffled through the thick layer of material.

“My – How do you know…” Her voice faltered. Her vision was spotting over and each breath was a struggle. She glanced up, but all she could make out was a tall, blurry figure leaning over her. She heard the man swear and something pushed against her stab wounds. A strange pink glow spread through the night air, and all of a sudden she started to feel… good. She was still incredibly exhausted, but it was in a lovely, sleepy way. She opened her eyes again and saw the man muttering quickly under his breath. She glanced down and saw his fingers pressing hard against her wounds, which were shimmering in the dim light of the alley.

“What are you…”

“I’m sorry,” the man interrupted, his voice oddly choked up. “Someone like you should never have gotten involved with this. I should’ve taken the stones when I had the chance. But – Don’t worry, I’ll make it right. I’m going to take you back to...”

His voice faded quickly as Tina closed her eyes again, her ears buzzing warmly. She yawned for a final time and fell into a deep sleep, the horror and confusion of the past fifteen minutes fading as quickly as it had come.

2: Morgan

Tina woke slowly; warmer and more comfortable than she remembered feeling in a long time. She yawned loudly, stretching her arms out wide. Her fingertips brushed against something smooth and soft. She opened her eyes slowly and saw she was lying on top of a grey, silky duvet. Frowning, she sat up quickly and glanced around, her heart beginning to race.

Where… Where am I? What happened? I don’t…

She was lying on a large four poster bed in a spacious, dimly lit room that was easily the entire size of the small apartment she and her mother shared in the outer city. A single old-fashioned lamp provided the room with its main source of light. Directly opposite from the bed there was a series of large, full length windows lining the wall in its entirety. Through these, the sparkling lights of Salvos twinkled and shone. Tina stepped gingerly off the bed, her scuffed black boots sinking into the deep grey carpet. She plodded over to the windows and held her breath as she took in the sight before her. She could see all the way from the vibrant skyscrapers of the inner city to the factories and run-down apartment blocks she had grown up with. She glanced down, her stomach swooping uncomfortably when she saw the tiny streets below and realised how high up they were. Shivering, she stepped away from the window quickly, drawing her arms across her chest. She winced as her hand brushed against her left side. Tina looked down and gasped when she saw her white work-shirt was stained a deep red, extending from matching holes in her left and right chest. Tina lifted her shirt slightly and was horrified to see two deep wounds on either side of her chest, with a strange, shimmering pale pink plaster-like layer covering each one in turn.

I… What happened to me? And – what’s this pink stuff? It’s… This is…

She hastily shoved her shirt back down to its normal position as her head began to throb. She backed away a few paces and sat down heavily on the end of the bed, her heart racing wildly beneath her chest. Her memories were fragmented, but even so, she had a feeling that something terrible had happened. And even if she was wrong, she was certainly in a bad position now. She was in a strange apartment in the middle of the inner city. For all she knew, she had been kidnapped by some creepy stranger, or a group of them. Sure, she was alive now, but for how much longer? What did they plan to do with her?

Mum… Does she know where I am? Is she sitting at home, worrying? I… I have to get back to her.

Swallowing, Tina took a deep breath and gritted her teeth, standing up again. She hurried over to the door, hesitating as her fingers brushed against the handle. She could hear the low buzz of a man’s voice behind the door. Her stomach tied itself in knots and she shivered, a lump rising in her throat.

I guess I really have been kidnapped. What should I do? I can’t – how can I get out of this?

Taking a deep breath, she opened the door very slightly and peeped out into the next room. It was an open-plan kitchen, dining and living area, with a sleek grey colour scheme matching that of the bedroom. A single man sat at the kitchen bench. He was dressed in black from head to toe and had an expensive-looking phone pressed against where his ear would be under the mask. An overweight tortoiseshell cat lay curled between his feet, its tail flicking lazily. It looked up and mewed loudly at Tina as she entered the room, but the man was so engrossed in his mobile he didn’t notice.

“…I know, Di, but what was I meant to do?” he continued, as Tina crept along the edge of the room, eying the large front door on the opposite side. “I couldn’t just leave her there. She would’ve died. I – no, don’t be like that. You sound like your father.”

He paused for a moment as a high-pitched voice buzzed in his ear.

“Alright, alright, don’t bite my head off,” he said irritably. “I’m sorry. But no matter what you say I know you would’ve done the same if…”

His voice trailed off as the cat mewed loudly again, standing up and stretching. It started to plod towards Tina, clearly hoping she was hiding some kind of tasty treat on her person. The masked man turned and watched the cat, his blue eyes widening when he looked up and saw Tina standing pressed against the wall. They stared at each other for a moment, slightly dumbfounded. Tina moved first; dashing for the door as her heart drummed loudly in her ears.

“Tina, wait –“

His voice seemed far away as another wave of dizziness overcame her. She slowed down and collapsed barely a metre from the door, her vision spotting over and her head spinning.

“What did you do to me?” she gasped, glancing back at the man as he hurried towards her. “I – I’m not – Please let me go. I – I won’t tell anyone, I promise. I just – let me go, I…”

Her voice trailed off as he knelt down beside her, his blue eyes fixed on hers.

“I…” he began, sounding almost uncomfortable. “Look, I – I didn’t kidnap you. I mean – I suppose I did, but – it was only so you could heal.”

He cleared his throat and extended a gloved hand, clearly offering to help her to her feet. Tina simply stared at it, unwilling to accept his help. She sat up as best she could and pulled her body as far from the man as she could muster.

 “I…” she began, the pieces of her memory beginning to fall into place. “Wait, you – I’m starting to remember. There was a woman, and… she… You were a cat –”

“You were in an accident,” the man interrupted. “That’s all. You were hit by a car crossing the road –“

“Then why aren’t I in a hospital right now?” Tina snapped, surprising herself with how forceful she sounded. “And why are there glowing pink bandage things over the stab wounds in my chest? I’m not…”

She blushed, her brief moment of confidence fading as quickly as it had come on. “I mean, I… Don’t dismiss me like that. I know what I saw.”

She looked away from him and glanced at the tortoiseshell cat, who was rubbing his cheek against her bare ankle.

“Is… Is he human too?” she said uncertainly. The masked man’s eyes narrowed.

“She’s female,” he said stiffly, as though he was surprised she didn’t already know. “And… No, she isn’t a shape-shifter. She’s my pet.”

Tina raised her eyebrows slightly. “I – Okay. But… You are, right? That’s what she called you, before…”

Her voice trailed off and she shivered, remembering the way he had so callously slit her attacker’s throat. It was that very event that reminded Tina she couldn’t fully trust this man, even though it seemed like he was the one who saved her life. Regardless of what she had done, he had killed that woman without any hesitation. She had no doubt he’d killed people before, and often.

“Yes,” the man said after a long pause. “Yes, I… I am a shape-shifter. Or at least, I’m a mage who’s studied shape-shifting almost exclusively. But… I won’t say any more. The less you know, the better. I know you must be curious, but this world… It doesn’t involve you. Or at least, it shouldn’t. I…”

He hesitated, glancing down at his cat as she wound herself between his legs.

“I… It’s my fault,” he said quietly, kneeling down and giving her a slow pat while she purred contently. “The stones… I should’ve taken then when I had the chance. But – I didn’t want to transform in front of you. That’s why I left, the first time.”

Tina swallowed, sitting up as best she could and leaning against the wall. “Is… is that why the cat – I mean, you – kept batting at the door?” she asked. “Were you trying to get me to go inside?”

The masked man nodded. “Yes. I knew the stones were in the area, somewhere. I came back after you left and tried to find them, but – they were already gone. I waited until closing, thinking someone had taken them inside. I watched everyone leave, and… When you came out, I could feel the magical energy coming from your bag. I thought I’d follow you home and steal them while you slept, but – well, that Rex woman showed up and attacked you and I just couldn’t –“

“Wait, Rex woman?” Tina interrupted, her eyebrows knotting. “What does that mean?”

“I…” the masked man, hesitated. “I… I’ve said too much. You… Listen Tina, you’re already in danger. I don’t think they’ll come after you now they know I have the stones, but… It’s like I said. The less you know, the better. Even my own family would probably kill you just for knowing the stones exist, let alone… Well, knowing people like me exist. I –“

“I get all that,” Tina interrupted, although her heart was thumping at the very thought. “But – if this information is supposedly enough for people to want to kill me, then – I’d rather know everything, so I’m prepared. At the very least, I want to know how you know my name.”

The man blinked, clearing his throat. “I… It’s on your nametag,” he said, almost uneasily. “I thought that was obvious.”

Tina glanced down at her chest, blushing when she realised her nametag was indeed still attached to the stained purple apron she wore.

“I…” she began, her cheeks bright red. “Well – I don’t think that’s the full story. You sound so certain when you say it, like – well, like you’ve known who I was for a long time. And – besides, your voice… It sounds so familiar. I know I’ve met you somewhere before.”

“You haven’t,” he said abruptly in a thoroughly unconvincing way. “I – Anyway, you should go back to bed. You lost a lot of blood, and – you need to rest. I sealed off your chest to stop you losing more blood or your lungs collapsing, but – you’re far from healed. Just stay a couple more hours, and if you feel up to it, I’ll take you home myself. I promise.”

Tina shook her head, a lump rising in her throat. She wasn’t sure why, but a large part of her felt he was sincere. “Well… It’s hard to really believe that when I don’t even know who you are,” she muttered. “Can’t… Can’t you at least show me your face?”

She looked up at him, staring determinately into his blue eyes, while the cat purred contently at his feet. He closed his eyes for a moment and sighed, looking away.

“Fine,” he said quietly. He reached up and pulled at his balaclava slowly, bending his head slightly so he could take it off. The first thing Tina saw of his face was his bright, vibrant red hair – the same red hair she saw every morning without fail at the Ragdoll Cafe. Before he’d even looked up, she knew exactly who he was and why he sounded so familiar.

“Mint Guy!” she gasped, holding a hand to her mouth. The man raised his eyebrows and glared at her, his cheeks colouring.

“Is that really what you call me?” he said stagnantly. “What’s wrong with mint?”

“I – Nothing, I suppose, it’s just – it’s not like we know what your real name is,” she said, feeling her cheeks turning as red as his hair. “And you always get the same thing, so… We call you Mint Guy.”

He frowned, looking away and clearing his throat. “Well…” he said eventually. “If… if you’re going to call me anything, call me Morgan.”

“Morgan,” Tina repeated, allowing herself to give him a small smile. “That’s your name, I suppose?”

“Yes,” he said abruptly, standing up. His cat mewed as he disturbed her sleep, standing up and stretching her back. Tina fought back a laugh and stood up too, leaning against the wall for support. She still felt rather dizzy, but nowhere near as afraid as she had been. Morgan seemed far less threatening now she knew he was really Mint Guy. Sure, he had still killed that woman in a very brutal fashion, but she didn’t feel like he was a threat – not to her, at least. A part of her still didn’t fully trust him, but at least she didn’t seem to be in immediate danger. Still, regardless of whether she was in any danger or not, she needed to get home as soon as possible. Her mother had been expecting her home after work, and hours had gone since then.

She must be so worried, so… I need to leave.

“Well - Thank you for saving me. I really am grateful, but – I need to get home,” she muttered, glancing towards the door. “My mum… She’ll be wondering where I am. I’m not usually this late home, so – she’s bound to be worried, and – she isn’t in the best health, so…”

She swallowed, clenching her fists as a lump rose in her throat. “I shouldn’t keep her waiting any longer.”

Morgan nodded, leaning against the wall beside her. “I – sure, I understand. Do you want anything to eat before you go? You should at least drink some water. You must be thirsty, after losing all that blood…”

His voice trailed off awkwardly. Tina nodded, suddenly realising how very true his words were. “I – yes, that would be great. Thanks.”

He nodded and turned swiftly towards the kitchen, bringing her a bottle of water within seconds before setting to work. Tina sat down on the sleek, grey leather couch and sipped at it in the most refined way she could manage, even though she was so thirsty she wanted to throw her head back and chug the whole bottle down within seconds. She stared at the large, expensive-looking flat-screen TV in front of her, the mostly-glass dining table to her left and its associated sharp wooden chairs with soft grey cushions.

Tina had been born in Salvos and had never stepped out of the city, not even to visit the towns and surrounding farmlands that were all that remained of the country they used to be a part of. The rest of the continents and islands around the world were nothing but nuclear wastelands, she knew that much, but somehow Morgan’s apartment felt as foreign to her as they did. Even without the magic, the stones, and everything else she had discovered in the past few hours, she already felt like she didn’t belong based on his furniture alone.

I… I belong with Mum, in the outer city. No matter what happened tonight, tomorrow I’ll go back to that world and none of this will matter anymore. Life will be the café and Mum and the outer city, and Morgan… He’ll just be Mint Guy again.

A soft purring sound distracted her as Morgan’s cat rubbed its cheeks against her legs. She looked up at Tina and mewed. Smiling slightly, Tina reached down and gave her a tentative pat on the back.

“What’s your cat’s name?” she called, glancing up to see Morgan approaching her with a plate of food.

“Scrunchie,” he said nonchalantly as he placed the food on the coffee table in front of her. Tina blinked, briefly wondering why anyone would name their pet Scrunchie, of all things. “I hope you like fish, and… Well, unusual flavours. My friend Diana made this and she’s – she’s got some strange tastes, but it was all I had in the fridge.”

He cleared his throat and sat next to her on the couch, folding his arms and staring straight ahead. Scrunchie abandoned Tina immediately and climbed up onto back of couch, winding herself around Morgan’s neck with her head facing Tina. Tina ate self-consciously, the richness of her meal far overwhelming any unusual flavours Morgan’s friend had added. She rarely ate fish at all, as it was far too expensive. She took a sip of water, glancing at Morgan and Scrunchie every so often. They both seemed very content in each other’s company, but Tina couldn’t help but wonder if there was anyone else in their lives.

“So… you live here alone?” she said uncertainly, taking a bite of salad. “No – no family, or girlfriend, or – “

“Yes, I’m alone,” he interrupted, his blue eyes narrowing slightly. “I mean, I’ve got Scrunchie, but – no other humans live here. I don’t mind, though. I like it that way.”

Tina nodded meekly, her cheeks turning red as she went back to her fish. She ate the rest as quickly and daintily as she could manage, not wanting Morgan to think she was too lower class, even though of course she was. When she was finished she hurried over and placed her empty plate hastily in the dishwasher before he’d had a chance to offer to do it for her. Giving Scrunchie one final pat, Tina thanked Morgan profusely for saving her life as they left the apartment at last. He shrugged and muttered something in return, his eyebrows narrowed in thought as he grabbed the bag of stones before locking the door behind them.

“Where do you live, then?” he asked as they strode towards the lift. Tina shrugged, rubbing the back of her neck uncertainly.

“Oh, just… Just in Kelpie Flats,” she mumbled, blushing. If Morgan cared or noticed she’d named an area in the outer city, he didn’t comment. They rode the elevator in silence until they reached the underground carpark. Tina followed Morgan through rows of expensive cars, fingering her torn and dirty uniform self-consciously even though no-one else was around. Morgan’s car was a black, sleek-looking vehicle with leather seats. Tina perched delicately on the edge of the passenger’s seat, terrified she would leave a mark. She stared straight ahead as Morgan eased them out of the carpark, the roller door opening automatically and setting them free into the streets of Salvos.

“You’re being remarkably cavalier about this,” said Morgan after a while, glancing at her briefly before focussing on the road. Tina blinked, surprised to hear him speak. “I mean… You learned magic exists tonight, but – you don’t seem to care all that much. Most people freak out.”

Tina shrugged, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She hesitated, biting the edge of her lip as she considered her answer. “It’s not that I don’t care, I just… I believe in things I can see,” she said slowly, holding her hands tightly in her lap. “I…  For example, I… I’m not religious. There’s no evidence God or anything else they talk about exists, so I can’t believe in it. And I used to think the same about magic, but… I saw you transform right in front of me. I saw those stones change colour. Sure, I thought I was going mad at first, but – now I’ve had time to think about it, I know it’s illogical to continue insisting magic doesn’t exist when I’ve seen it with my own eyes. I know it does, I just… I don’t yet understand it.”

Morgan gave a deep nod, his blue eyes fixed on the road. “That makes sense,” he muttered as they turned a corner. “I… I s’pose I was the same, really. When I realised what I could do, I just accepted it.”

“So… you didn’t always know you were a wizard?” asked Tina tentatively.

“Mage,” said Morgan shortly, his eyebrows narrowing. “I – we’re not wizards. That’s just fictional nonsense.”

“I’m sorry,” Tina said quickly. “I –“

Her voice trailed off as Morgan’s mobile started to vibrate and loud, a high-pitched trilling sound filling the car.

“Your phone’s ringing,” said Tina, as though he hadn’t heard it. She glanced down at the screen. “It – it’s somebody called Diana.”

“Put her on speaker.”

“How do I do that?” she asked tentatively, shifting uneasily in her seat. “I don’t – I’ve never seen a phone like this before.”

Morgan frowned and she flushed with embarrassment, but he didn’t comment.

“Just press the green button,” he said and Tina hastily complied. “That’ll answer the call. Now press the one with a little phone on it, that’ll turn it on speaker.”

Tina nodded and did as he asked. “Morgan, you idiot!” said a woman’s voice the second she pressed on the button, making her jump.

“Hello Diana,” said Morgan dryly, his eyebrows narrowing. “What have I done now?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” said Diana, and Tina imagined a pair of eyes rolling. “How about driving through the streets of Salvos with a set of easily traceable shape-shifting stones in your front seat? Does that sound right? Dumbass, why didn’t you drop the bloody things off in the vault? I’m following you right now and trust me, I’m not the only one. The Rexes are out in force. See all the four-wheel drives? They’re not a herd of soccer mums.”

Morgan glanced in his rear-view mirror, his lips pursing. Tina glanced over her shoulder and counted at least three large, black cars with tinted windows less than forty metres behind them.

“Crap,” Morgan muttered, his foot stamping down hard on the accelerator. The car jerked forward and Tina coughed, her seatbelt digging hard into her shoulder and chest. “Thanks, Di. I’ll get rid of them.”

He turned a corner suddenly, running through a red light and swerving around the numerous cars in their path. Tina glanced back and saw the four-wheel drives trying to follow as best they could.

“They’re falling back,” she said, her heart thumping as the streets of Salvos raced past. “I… I think we’ll be okay.”

Morgan shook his head, his knuckles gripping the steering wheel so tightly they were beginning to turn white. “No, it won’t be enough,” he said through gritted teeth. “I – even if they lose sight of me now… As long as I’ve got the stones they can trace me from a long way away. We need to get out of the inner city fast.”

Before Tina could process what he’d said, he slammed hard on the brakes and turned sharply into a nearby alley, swerving around a parked car with apparent ease. Tina’s stomach turned violently as the car twisted around, coming to a sharp stop a short way down the road. Morgan glanced at her, his blue eyes shining brightly in the moonlight.

“Something’s come up,” he said abruptly. “Hold onto the stones.”

Two four-wheel drives pulled up at the start of the alley and dark figures stepped out, yelling to each other and running directly towards Morgan’s car. Tina stared at them, her heart thundering loudly in her ears.

“What are you doing?” she said in a high-pitched voice as Morgan stepped outside of the car. “We – we need to keep driving, they’re coming right for us…”

Her voice trailed off as she saw Morgan closing his eyes, his eyebrows knotting and his lips pursing as he doubled over. Tina jumped out of the car and approached him quickly.

“Are you okay?” she said, glancing once again at their approaching attackers. “What do I –“

“I’m sorry,” she heard him say as his bright red hair started to darken and grow. “I… I’ll get you home safe, Tina. I promise.”

Tina opened her mouth to protest, but it was too late. A loud shriek filled the air and moments later a huge eagle stood where Morgan had been. Its feathers were a deep, golden brown and its beak was greyish white, ending in a small hook. It stared down at Tina and gave a piercing cry, holding out its thick, muscular leg. Tina gulped and nodded, clutching the bag of stones tightly to her chest. She reached out and wrapped her arms around his leg as securely as she could, doing her best to avoid the sharp edges of his talons. With a loud whoosh and a strong beat of his wings, Morgan took flight just as their attackers drew close. Tina held on for dear life as they rose further and further into the sky, her stomach swooping violently as she looked back and saw Morgan’s car become a mere pinprick in the distance.

3: The Eagle and the Sparrow

I’m going to die.

Tina swallowed and squeezed her eyes shut. She had never been fond of heights, but something about hanging from a slippery bird’s leg while the steady beat of his wings buffeted the air against her made her fear worse. She shifted her feet, trying to balance them against his talons to give herself more support. Her efforts were unsuccessful, however. Instead, she was relying almost entirely on her upper body strength to stop herself from falling. The muscles of her upper arm seared and screamed, but she gritted her teeth and grasped onto Morgan’s feathers with all the force she could muster.

Morgan kept them low, barely skimming the rooves of some of the smaller buildings, his wings beating heavily. Tina wondered why he didn’t fly higher and faster, as the black four-wheel drives he and Diana had been so concerned about were speeding through the city streets and catching up quickly.

“Why don’t you go higher?” Tina said, but she could barely hear herself over the wind. Her stomach swooped as Morgan took a sharp turn into a side-street. Two of the cars followed suit, one crashing head on into a rubbish skip while the other continued to tail Morgan. The sun-roof opened and a man dressed in black poked his head through before standing up so his head and chest were visible. He raised his arms, a ragged scarlet stone clasped in his left hand. Clenching his fist for a moment, a bright orangey-red glow formed around his fingers. He opened his hand and shot a large, blazing fireball towards Morgan.

Gritting her teeth, Tina let go with one hand and lurched forward, grabbing onto the closest part of Morgan’s left wing. She pulled it towards herself with as much strength as she could muster. He dropped even lower and crowed as she pulled out a handful of golden-brown feathers, but the fireball shot past where his head had been into the open sky. With only one hand holding Morgan’s leg and the bag of stones, Tina lost her balance and slid down to the bottom of his scaly foot, scraping her right calf against one of his talons. The bag of slipped through her fingers and fell, the multicoloured stones scattering in every direction as they plummeted to the ground. Tina managed to grab onto his foot with one hand while warm blood trickled down to her toes. She squeezed her fingers together, sweat dripping down her forehead as she tried to hoist her other arm up. Unfortunately, his scaly leg was very slippery and she lost her grip.

She fell fast, plummeting past the blurred rows of windows. Before she could properly register what was happening, a strong gust of wind blew underneath her, slowing her fall until she landed gently on the sidewalk. Blinking, Tina glanced around and saw a person dressed in an identical black outfit to the one Morgan had been wearing glide down from the roof of the nearest building. They landed directly in front of Tina just as the closest car screeched to a stop beside the fallen stones.

“Diana?” said Tina breathlessly. The person gave a short nod, her dark brown eyes shining beneath her facemask. She turned around and ran towards the man as he shot another fireball in Morgan’s direction. A piercing cry cut through the air just as the woman leapt onto the roof as gracefully as a cat. She raised her right leg and kicked the man directly in the chest. He flew backwards with unnatural force, slamming into the wall of the adjacent building. He slid slowly to the ground as another four cars pulled up from both sides. The woman acted quickly, shooting a long stream of fire from her hands that Tina had to dive sideways to avoid, scraping her elbows and biting her tongue when her chin smacked against the pavement. The flames settled onto the ground and created a great circular wall, trapping Tina inside.

Blood pooled in her mouth and she swallowed it down, shuddering at the metallic taste. Tina glanced up at the wall, biting her lip as she tried to figure out what to do next. Beads of sweat pooled on her forehead as the fire raged on around her, her heart racing beneath her chest. A lump formed in her throat and as she slowly picked herself up off the ground and stood up, the wounds on her calf and chest aching. Nervously, Tina reached under her shirt and absentmindedly brushed her fingers over the magical bandages.

What do I do now?

Trapped in the middle of a fight she didn’t understand, Tina racked her brains, trying to think of some way out. She knew she could not rely on Morgan and Diana – After all, did either of them really care if she lived or died? Besides, for all she knew the woman who had slowed her fall may not have even really been Diana. And if she was, Tina doubted she was important enough in the grand scheme of things for Diana to care. As for Morgan… He had already saved her once, but she had not seen him for some time. Perhaps he was dead, or had given up on trying to help her.

Swallowing down the lump in her throat, Tina glanced around, searching desperately for something she could use to help her. The fire was thick and powerful, and grey smoke filled the surrounding air. Coughing, Tina untied her purple apron and pulled it over her nose and mouth, her eyes watering. The apron was bulky and uncomfortable but it did its job well. Tina continued to search, her gaze falling on the scattered stones. She knelt down and picked a grey stone up, turning it over in her hand. She shivered, her spine tingling as the cool crystal touched her skin. She watched as it changed from grey to pink, shooting a jolt of energy up her arm.

What do these stones do? Why are Morgan and everyone else prepared to kill for them?

Smiling, her fingers clenched around the stone as another powerful pulse coursed up her arm. She stood up, still staring at the stone, while the sounds of flickering flames and the shouts coming from outside faded away. All she could focus on was the stone and how it made her feel.

“Tina.” Someone was calling her name, but it was faint. Tina ignored them and continued to stare at the stone.

“Tina!”

She blinked and shook her head as someone’s hand waved over hers, their fingers enclosing around the stone. She looked up and saw Morgan standing beside her, thoroughly dishevelled. His right arm hung limply by his side, a large, yellowish-red burn wound on the side of his forearm.

“You came back,” she said breathlessly, her eyes widening as she stared at his wound. “I – Are you okay? That looks bad…”

“It’s fine,” said Morgan dismissively, waving his other hand. “At least – Diana’ll fix it later. Now come on. Let’s collect the stones.”

He took the one she was holding and shoved it into the cloth bag, gathering the rest of the stones.

“I can’t fly anymore, so – I’ll try some elemental instead,” he said through gritted teeth as he placed the final stone in the bag. “Bear with me. I’m not very good at this, but – Diana’s magic’s been going on for so long it’s weakened. It might work.”

“What?” asked Tina, but he ignored her and stepped forward. He reached into his pocket and took out his mask, slipping it over his head quickly. Morgan raised his hand and flexed his fingers, sending a slow stream of water through the fire before him. A small hole in the flame wall opened up and grew slowly until it was just wide enough for someone to slip through.

“Jump,” said Morgan, glancing at her briefly, his blue eyes slightly narrowed. “And take the stones with you.”

Gulping, Tina nodded. She picked up the bag from where it lay at his feet and walked tentatively to the stream. Taking a deep breath, she stepped directly into the water and jumped through the small slit in the flame wall. She fell through to the other side, soaking wet but safe from the burning fire. Morgan followed soon after.

“Let’s get out of here,” he muttered, glancing at the nearby fighters, who had yet to notice them escaping from the fiery circle. “I can’t fly anymore, but – we can run. Diana and the others’ll take care of this.”

Tina glanced back at the crowd as she and Morgan started to move. Men and women in black were fighting all around them, using knives and swords and a variety of other weapons. Sparks and flashes of magic fuelled the fight, but all of the fighters were wearing similar full-body black outfits. Tina wondered how they could possibly tell each other apart when they all looked so similar. However, there was one person stood out among the rest. They were hovering many feet above the ground, zipping through the air with ease and shooting streams of fire, water, and air at a rapid pace.

“Is – is that her?” said Tina, huffing. Her leg throbbed and she struggled to keep up.

“Yes it is,” said Morgan, glancing briefly at the flying person, his lips pursing. “I – Here, I’ll help you. We need to move faster.”

He held out his left hand, wrapping it around her shoulders. Tina felt herself blush as his fingers brushed against the bare skin of her upper arm, but she hobbled along as best she could with his support. However, before they had even made it ten metres from the fire wall, another person dressed in black rounded on them, a bloodstained knife clutched in their hand.

“Hand them over, Devon,” said the person, their voice deep and raspy. “Those stones belong to us now.”

Devon… Tina frowned, momentarily distracted. That name sounded familiar, although she couldn’t place it off the top of her head.

“Run,” Morgan muttered, raising his left hand and conjuring a shiny sickle-shaped sword. Tina gulped and turned around, hobbling as fast as she could. Her leg ached but she kept going, clutching the bag close to her chest. She slowly made her way to the end of the alley and turned onto the main city street.

Will this ever end?

Her eyes watered and she squeezed them shut for a moment, limping along with as much strength as she could muster. She knew neither side really cared about her – surely they would leave her alone if she got as far away as possible. After all, what could they possibly gain from killing her? It wasn’t like she had anything they wanted.

Wait – the stones. How could I forget?

Tina swore under her breath as she realised she was still carrying the very thing both sides were desperate to hang onto. Swallowing, Tina hobbled over to the nearest wheelie bin, opening it so the lid banged loudly in the quiet night air. Tina crinkled her nose at the smell, but she raised the bag high, ready to drop it in. She hesitated for a moment as she remembered all that Morgan had done to get them. He had saved her life twice, and done his best to keep her safe even though they barely knew each other.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, taking out one of the stones and staring at it for a moment. Shaking her head, she raised her hand and dropped the bag into the depths of the bin. She lifted the loose stone up, another thrilling pulse travelling down her arm. Tina hesitated for a moment, staring at the purple stone in her hand. Every instinct she had told her to get rid of it, but there was something so intoxicating about the way it felt in her hand.

“Hello, there.”

Tina jumped, slipping the stone into her pocket and whipping around. An older man stood a few feet away, smiling pleasantly at her as though it was normal for him to find teenage girls rummaging through bins after midnight. He was fairly short and skinny, with thin, wrinkly skin and patchy grey hair. His eyebrows were black and bushy and his glittering green eyes shone brightly in the moonlight. He took a step towards her and Tina’s heart started to race.

“What are you doing here?” he asked. “It’s very late for such a young girl.”

“I – I’m fine, thanks,” she stammered. “I – I’ll be going now.”

She turned away quickly and hobbled off, her heart hammering in her ears. Behind her, she heard the man rummaging through the bin.

“You forgot something,” he said, and Tina’s heart sunk. She kept walking forward, determined to get as far away from him as possible, but he caught up to her easily with only a few short strides. He stepped in front of her and blocked her path, smiling pleasantly and holding up the smelly bag of stones.

“I – Those aren’t mine,” Tina mumbled. “I – I’m gonna go now –“

“I can’t let you go,” said the man, giving her a small frown. “I’m sorry, my dear. I know you’re not a Devon, but you’ve helped them. You’ve hidden the stones from my family and I.”

“Why do you want them so bad?” she asked, her heart racing. Maybe if she could stall him long enough, she could come up with some way out. Unfortunately, the man just smiled again, reaching to his belt and unsheathing the long, pointed dagger he had strapped to his hip. He took a step towards her and Tina tried to run, her leg aching and throbbing with every step. He barely had to jog to catch up to her, wrapping his left arm around her waist and pulling her towards him, holding the point of the blade at her throat. Tina wriggled and squirmed but his grip was firm. She reached into her pocket, her fingers enclosing around the stone she had shoved in there. She reached up and wacked her attacker on the side of the head with the small, heavy stone, startling him. His grip loosened and he dropped the knife with a loud clatter, allowing her to wriggle out and continue to run. She glanced back quickly and was dismayed to see the older man was only mildly irritated by her attack. He picked up his knife and started towards her, closing in fast. Tina squeezed her eyes shut for a moment and pushed forwards, the stone buzzing wildly in her hand. She wished more than anything she could fly like Morgan had and escape into the night sky, but she was no mage. She was just an ordinary girl with no special qualities to speak of.

Wait, I…

Tina stopped suddenly, her stomach twisting and her chest clenching as the strangest squeezing sensation overcame her. Her throat tightened and she tried to gasp, but no sound came out. She forgot all about her pursuer as her skin pulled in, stretching tautly over her bones. She fell to her knees, still struggling to breathe. Her heart accelerated rapidly and she squeezed her eyes shut, pins shooting through her skin.

A moment later, all the pain stopped and she could breathe again, although her heart still drummed and buzzed inside her chest. She opened her eyes and was shocked at what she saw. Her vision was very sharp and wider than she was used to. For some reason the surrounding buildings had grown in size and were much taller than she remembered. She looked down at her hands and instead saw wings that were a mixture of brown, black and white feathers. Tina tried to gasp, but a loud squawking noise left her mouth. Before she could properly register what had happened a hand wrapped around her leg and lifted her up. She flapped her wings and tried to wriggle away as her attacker struggled to bring her close to his knife. She managed to slip from his grasp and jumped into the air as best she could, beating her wings the way she had seen Morgan do earlier. She had no idea what had happened or why, but she had no time to dwell on it. She was a bird and she would use it to her full advantage. However, flying was much harder than she realised and she dipped and swerved regularly, almost crashing into the wall twice, but she managed to fly over the top of the nearest small building and land safely on the roof. Exhausted, Tina collapsed not the concrete, giving a small cheep of relief. When she had recovered a little she hopped over to the edge and peered down, surprised to see her attacker was no longer there. Tina shivered violently, trying to figure out what to next. The full weight of it hit her all at once – she was a bird. She had somehow transformed just like Morgan had less than an hour earlier. Did that mean she was a mage, too?

The stone, it – it must have helped, somehow. I couldn’t be a mage, I – I didn’t even know magic existed until tonight.

Still, she thought, that did not help her figure out how to change back. The stone she held had disappeared after her transformation and the rest of them had vanished with her attacker. She stared at her wing, willing it to change into a human hand, but it remained stubbornly feathered.

What do I do? How do I – I can’t stay like this forever…

“Tina.”

It was faint, at first, but someone was calling her name. Tina stared down at the street and saw one of the people wearing black running along the street. Their right arm had a large, circular burn on the forearm. Tina cheeped, realising who it was.

“Tina, are you here?” said Morgan, barely raising his voice. He glanced around the streets, peering behind the bin where she had tried to hide the stones. Tina jumped down from the roof and started her second haphazard flight, cheeping loudly the entire time. She tried to land neatly beside him but wound up crashing right into the back of his head.

“Ow,” he said, feeling where she had hit him and turning around. His eyes widened beneath his mask when he saw the small bird lying on the pavement. “I – Oh no…”

He knelt down and started pulling at her wings, as though checking for broken bones. Tina sprang up and chirped incessantly, trying to speak and tell him who she was but only bird noises would leave her mouth. Satisfied she was not dying, Morgan paid no attention. He stood up and continued down the street, calling her name again. Tina hopped over to him and jumped up and down, pecking his leg hard. Morgan looked down at her, his eyes slightly narrowed. He reached to his belt and drew a short dagger, pointing it at her. Tina squawked.

“You won’t fool me, Rex,” he said coldly. “I – So you got your hands on the stones? That’s nothing compared to what I –“

Tina cheeped loudly, pecking his leg again. She continued to peck and jump and squawk, hoping desperately that he would realise who she was. Morgan stared down at her, his blue eyes crinkling slightly beneath his mask. He opened his mouth to speak and closed it again just as quickly, hesitating before he finally spoke.

“Wait… Is that you, Tina?” he said eventually, his left hand still enclosed over the handle of his dagger. She chirped and jumped up in excitement, flapping her wings.

“Are you stuck?” he asked. She squawked in response. Morgan glanced around the street before turning back to face her, sighing and rubbing the space between his eyes.

“Well – whoever you are, transform back to your human form,” he said, still sounding doubtful. “Just – clear your mind and picture yourself just as you were before the change. But if you really are a Rex, then I’ll have to…”

His voice trailed off as Tina started to grow in size, her feathers shrinking back into her body. She had done exactly as he’d said, and to her immense relief, it was working. The stone popped out of the tip of her wing as she changed back, clattering onto the ground.

“So it is you,” said Morgan, replacing his dagger as she stood up and stretched her arms. “Sorry about that. I couldn’t be sure.”

“No, it’s… It’s fine,” Tina mumbled. “I just – I’m sorry. There was a man, and he - he took the stones…”

“Yeah, I figured,” said Morgan with a sigh, reaching down and picking up the remaining stone from the footpath. “The Rexes suddenly started retreating. Diana and the rest went after them, but… I don’t think we’ve got much of a chance of getting them back. Not now, anyway…”

His voice trailed off as he turned the stone over in his hands. Tina stared at it, sitting down on the edge of the footpath. After all that had happened, she was starting to feel rather dizzy. Her leg was aching and crusted with blood and her body was sore all over.

“I – So…” she began, rubbing her forehead as Morgan sat down beside her, slipping the stone into his pocket and taking off his mask. “Does this mean – I’m not a mage, right? It was the stone that turned me into a bird.”

Morgan nodded, yawning and leaning back on his elbows. “Yeah, that’s right. Sort of, anyway.”

He paused, glancing at her and pursing his lips. “That’s what they do. They’re shapeshifting stones. I’m a mage, so I can learn any type of magic I want, but – people like you can use them to give you a small burst of magical energy. These ten are the only shapeshifting stones in the world, and – the Rexes have never expressed much interest in them. They’ve got hundreds of the other types of stones, but – they never wanted the shapeshifting ones. Not until recently.”

He sighed, rubbing his forehead. “And – it’s my fault. All of this is. Mister Devon isn’t going to be very happy with me, that’s for sure…”

“I – It’s my fault,” Tina insisted. “I – I’m sorry, I… I let him take them. I was gonna leave them behind, anyway, but –“

“They were my responsibility, not yours,” Morgan interrupted. “I – I’m sorry, Tina. Really, I… I got you involved in all of this. You almost died, and – you should never have been here in the first place.”

Tina bit her lip, hesitating. She was carefully considering what to say next when a figure dressed in black fell down from the sky above, landing neatly on their feet a few metres away from where Tina and Morgan sat. The person took off their facemask and shook their head vigorously. Thick, curly, dark brown hair fell all around their shoulders. The woman rolled her eyes at Morgan, stepping towards him with her hands on her hips.

“They got away,” she said, frowning. “We chased them for as long as we could, but – who knows if the stone carrier’s even with them. Dad’s gonna be so mad.”

 “Yes, I know,” said Morgan dryly. “What can I do, though? I can’t bring the other nine back. Not right now, anyway.”

“Well, if you’d just taken them straight to the vault when you found them like I told you to do, none of this would have happened,” she said. “Or better yet, you could have just left them in the vault so start with, rather than taking them out and letting them get stolen. You’re an idiot.”

Her eyebrows knotted slightly and she folded her arms. She looked away quickly, clearing her throat. “But… I’m glad you’re alive. I was worried there for a second.”

She nodded towards the burn on his arm. Morgan glanced at it, standing up and giving her a small smile. He reached out and hugged her close. Tina shifted her feet and cleared her throat, but neither of them seemed to notice her presence.

“I’m glad you’re okay, Di,” said Morgan as he released her, still smiling. “Although – I could use your help.”

He gestured towards his wound. Diana rolled her eyes again. “Yes, I forgot how useless you are at healing,” she said, grinning. She glanced at Tina for the first time, startling her. “I’ll fix your leg, too, while I’m at it. And I’ll make sure Morgan did a proper job with those other wounds. I don’t trust his healing one bit.”

“I – Okay,” said Tina quickly, her cheeks turning red. “I – I’m sorry, I – Thanks.”

“What’s your name again?” asked Diana, tilting her head slightly. “I forget.”

“Tina,” she said. “I – Thanks for saving me, before. When I was falling.”

Diana shrugged. “No problem. Now, let’s get out of the streets. My flat’s nearby, so – we’ll head there, for now.”

She strode off down the footpath with purpose. Morgan glanced at Tina, offering her a hand and helping her stand up.

“Are you okay to walk?” he asked.

“Yes, if we can go slowly,” she muttered. He nodded and slowed his pace to a hobble that she could keep up with. Tina’s entire body ached and her head throbbed, but somehow she did not feel exhausted. The city had come alive that night, and even though she had spent most of it fearing for her life, there was a thrilling side to it she couldn’t shake. She glanced at Morgan’s pocket, where she knew the stone was hidden. It had only been a taste, but she found herself longing for another magical experience. Still, she knew she had to go home first and see her mother, who was probably worried.

“I’m sorry,” she mumbled under her breath, thinking of her mother sitting home alone, wondering what on earth had happened to her daughter.

“What?” said Morgan, frowning as he glanced down at her. “Sorry, I didn’t catch that.”

“Oh, nothing.”