Oz

Thieves have friends; that was essentially Harry's plan in a nutshell.

Harry explained to everyone that he knew a few people in the city that they could go to for help. They would give them shelter and food, even help move them from one house to another until they made it through the city safely. It was a net of like minds. As long as one knew where to go and what to say, one could go practically anywhere unseen.

Then everything seemed to click and Harry's occupation become a little bit more realistic to them all. Harry wasn't just some bandit who blindly stole what he needed to get by. He thought things out, planned his jobs to assure nothing could go wrong. He knew exactly what he was doing and exactly how they were going to make it through without a hitch. Liam was impressed, they all were, and for the first time in days it felt like they were taking a step in the right direction.

"We will need to walk about two more miles east, but if we stay on the inside of the trees no one will see us." Ilithyia hung on every one of his words, determined not to let anyone down. "Once we reach the city's walls we'll follow it down for exactly twenty steps. There will be a stone lighter than all the ones around it, remove it and let me do the talking."

"If it's two more miles then we can't afford to stop moving now," Liam sighed. "You're sure this will work?"

Harry looked Liam directly in the eye as a crooked smile swept its way across his face. "Absolutely."

"Everyone clear on the plan?"

Niall was the only one who seemed unsure, but when Rowan nodded her head along with the rest of the group he did too.

"Let's get a move on then," Liam sighed.

They paired off into groups, soft muttering following them through the trees as they entered their own conversations. Rowan and Niall were whispering quietly to one another, a concerned expression on her face. Liam was wrapped up in a discussion with Louis. Cecily was bouncing between nodding her head at Marianne and giving the trees wary looks. Then bringing up the rear was Ilithyia and Harry, Ilithyia too busy watching her friends with a heavy heart in her chest to hear Harry's soft words.

"Lith," Harry chuckled, "you paying any attention to me?"

"What?" she jumped.

"Sorry, off in the clouds again," she smiled.

"Are you worried about my plan?"

She shook her head. "You seem pretty confident in yourself, Harry. I don't have that kind of confidence in anything I do, so I think you know what you're talking about."

"Is it safe to say you trust me, then?" he asked, a smirk sliding up his face, the dimple on his right cheek becoming prominent.

Ilithyia laughed quietly, "I guess so."

He looked pleased, but the conversation between them slowed. Her eyes traveled up towards the sky, the dark clouds getting closer and closer to them as they walked. She ached to see the moon and wish upon the light of her children for safety. The moonlight always provided her with comfort and some sort of ethereal guidance, but she wasn't getting anything now. They were on their own.

"You're worried about something. Tell me," he urged, bumping his elbow into her arm.

She looked up at him, pushing her blonde curls away from her face with her left hand. "I've always wanted to do something worthwhile. I craved adventure and change. I asked for this, I guess you could say, but now that I have it I want to give it back."

It was painfully obvious that Harry had slowed down dramatically so she could keep up with him. She felt silly and sped her pace up a bit.

"Just because you wanted to have a book full of your own stories to tell, doesn't mean you asked for this to happen Ilithyia. I'm sure you didn't pray for Oz to be turned into ash."

"They say to be careful what you wish for, do they not?"

He studied her carefully as they walked, his eyes making her feel uncomfortably aware of the dirt and blood on her face. She had been thinking these sorts of things for a few days now. Ever since Harry saved her life in the forest, she had been feeling like she was to blame. Here was everything she had ever wanted. This was adventure complete with battles and chances to prove she was more than some silly girl stuck in her daydreams. She never thought what it would mean for her friends though; she never thought it would bring possibilities of death.

"Everyone dreams for something," Harry muttered. "I'm sure when you pictured travelling that you imagined experiencing different cultures and seeing new wonders, not running for your own life and trying to save Oz from the likes of Evangeline North."

"What do you dream for?" she asked.

"Ah," he chuckled, "I am the exception to that rule. I don't dream for anything."

"I am no fool, Harry."

Harry winked at her and dived into a story about chimeras. Although she let it go, she didn't forget that he never told her what he dreamed for. She let him believe he had successfully brought her attention somewhere else, but Ilithyia wasn't as easily distracted as she use to be.

It wasn't long before they reached the city's walls. The group had grown quiet and the air around them was charged with so much nervous energy that Ilithyia was sure they would draw dark fairies out of their nests soon. She chewed on her bottom lip as Harry pulled out a light grey stone from the wall and spoke through the hole it had left. A pair of big black eyes darted from Harry's face to Ilithyia's, and then over the rest of the group before he nodded and Harry put the stone back in place.

Harry said nothing, but sat staring at the ground expectantly. Cecily was giving him a look of utter worry, as if she was beginning to question his sanity, before the ground in front of Harry began to move. It gave way to a dark square hole, a balding man in his sixtieth age year appearing and beckoning the group of them forward.

Harry grabbed Ilithyia's hand before disappearing into the hole first. When her feet touched the stone that was hidden in the darkness she breathed a sigh of relief and reached back for Cecily's hand. One by one they all joined hands, Harry leading them through the dark pathway. No one said a word, but their shaky breaths and tentative footsteps spoke novels.

The darkness seemed to extend forever. Ilithyia's heart beat frantically in her chest as her hand began to perspire into Harry's. She kept repeating that she trusted him in her head over and over in order to try to calm herself, but it only seemed to make things worse. Just as she was sure she wasn't going to be able to make another step she was squinting up at another square, but this time it was filled with light.

The man from the walls hopped out of the hole and Harry went after him. One by one they made it through. When Niall was helped through, Rowan's hand clasped tightly in his, he let out a large puff of air. His whole face was red and his eyes looked frantic. It was then that Ilithyia was reminded of his fear of small spaces. She shot him a small smile, but he couldn't even bring himself to acknowledge her. Seemed like they were all facing fears of their own.

They were in the city's walls, but their journey didn't stop there. Harry slipped the man something from his rucksack, before ushering the group through a murky alleyway. He knocked three times on the second house's back entrance, then two more times much more quietly. It opened not a moment later and they were all rushed inside.

"Edward," Harry beamed, clapping the man three times on the back as they embraced.

"Harold, it's been too long," the man grinned.

"We're in a bit of a hurry, but thank you for sharing your home with us."

"Nonsense, you all can stay here for dinner and rest up. Allen will have the next location ready by dawn."

"Thank you," Liam spoke up, shaking the man's hand.

Edward told them tales of a place called Atlantis as his wife slid plates of food before them on an oak wood table. They ate and laughed accordingly, but when Marianne's head fell onto Louis's shoulder he knew it was time for them to rest.

"There are beds of hay in the attic for each of you and then some. I think you all need to rest before I'm carrying you all up as you snore," he smiled.

"I'll help you with the dishes, miss," Ilithyia smiled, standing as she scooped up their empty utensils.

The woman gave her a strained grin, before placing her hand gently over the whimsical girl's. "No thank you dear, you go on up with the rest of them."

"I insist."

The woman wouldn't budge though, so Ilithyia followed her friends up to the attic and was out faster than the oil lamp.



The dawn came too fast for all of them that morning. There weren't many words passed between the eight of them as the shuffled around the attic and back down to the kitchen. Harry was busy thanking Edward as the rest of the group munched on the small breakfast his wife had made for them. They shared one last hug and one last thank you.

When Harry turned around to see if the others were ready he was met with an unsettling site. Each of his new found friends had a knife held to their throat, city guards smirking in victory.

Rowan was twisting and turning, trying to weasel her way out of their vice grip. Cecily was as still as a statue, her eyes trained on Louis. Liam was fuming, Ilithyia was whimpering, and Harry had no idea how any of this had happened.

Harry turned back to Edward, who had a wicked smirk on his face. "You complete a-"

Harry didn't have time to finish his sentence before Edward's arms were around him, tossing him to the floor with his foot shoved hard on his throat. Harry jerked furiously, itching to get his hands on the man above him.

Edward raised his eyebrows, a confident smile on his face while he tossed a knife between his hands. Looking down at Harry, he spoke while he put more pressure on Harry's throat. "Sorry lad.