The Fey villager wasted no time in preparing two stag beetles for the journey. The beetles, slightly larger than the Fey folk themselves, were harnessed with makeshift reins made of fine spider silk. Their chitinous bodies gleamed in the dappled sunlight filtering through the forest canopy, and their mandibles clicked with restless energy, ready to move at a moment's notice.
Jordan hesitated only for a moment before climbing onto the back of one of the beetles. As he settled in, gripping the reins, he couldn't help but marvel at the absurdity of it all. Riding a stag beetle through a magical forest to rescue a young Fey? If someone had told him this was how his day would go, he would have laughed. Now, he wondered if Alice would ever believe this had happened to him. Then again, he realized with a mix of hope and dread, she might have to believe it considering she’d already met him in his shrunken state. The thought made his heart ache—he needed to get back to her when this was done, to explain everything.
Leila, already astride her beetle, gave Jordan a determined nod. “Let’s move,” she commanded, her voice firm, and with a flick of the reins, the beetles surged forward, skittering across the forest floor at an impressive speed.
The wind rushed past Jordan’s face as they sped through the forest, the landscape blurring around them. It was exhilarating and terrifying all at once, but he pushed those feelings aside, focusing instead on the task ahead. They had to reach the youngling before it was too late.
As they neared the edge of the forest, Leila pulled her beetle to a stop, and Jordan followed suit. They dismounted quickly, and Leila scanned the area with her sharp Fey eyesight. “There!” she whispered urgently, pointing ahead.
Jordan squinted and finally saw her—a tiny Fey girl, even smaller than Leila, with wide, curious eyes, with a brown dress made of leaves that fluttered slightly as she moved. She was wandering dangerously close to the edge of the forest, her attention fixed on two giant humans having a picnic—a mother and her young daughter. The mother appeared to be in her thirties, with blonde hair that cascaded down her back, while the daughter, around seven or eight years old, had the same golden hair, tied back in a ponytail. The scene was peaceful and idyllic, but Jordan’s heart raced with worry.
As he observed the mother, something tugged at the back of his mind. She looked eerily familiar, like someone he might know from school, but he couldn’t quite place her. However, there was no time to dwell on that. The youngling was in danger of being spotted, and they needed to act fast.
Leila tensed beside him, ready to rush in, but Jordan quickly reached out and grabbed her shoulder, stopping her. “Wait,” he whispered urgently. “Let me go.”
Leila turned to him, her eyes narrowing in concern. “Jordan, this is too dangerous—”
“You can’t use any magic right now,” Jordan interrupted, his voice firm but quiet. “If something happens to you, if you get grabbed and taken by one of them, you might never get back to Elsie. You said it yourself—magic takes time to recover, and you’re vulnerable right now.”
Leila’s face tightened, conflicted. She didn’t like the idea of putting Jordan at risk—after all, she felt responsible for his current state. But she knew he was right. If anything happened to her, she might never see her sister again, and the thought of leaving Elsie alone was unbearable.
After a tense moment, Leila reluctantly nodded. “Be careful,” she whispered. “Get her out of there quickly, and don’t let them see you.”
Jordan nodded, his heart pounding in his chest. He took a deep breath, then began to sprint toward the youngling, the grass towering over him like a dense forest. As he reached the little Fey girl, he crouched down beside her and gently grabbed her hand. “Hey,” he whispered urgently, “it’s dangerous here. You need to come with me.”
The youngling blinked up at him, her eyes wide with a mixture of confusion and curiosity. “But I wanted to see the humans,” she murmured, her voice tiny and filled with innocent wonder. “They’re so big.”
Before Jordan could respond, a large shadow loomed over them both, blocking out the sunlight. His breath caught in his throat as he slowly looked up, dread filling his stomach. Standing right above them, towering like a giant, was the young daughter, her blue eyes wide with curiosity as she stared down at the two tiny figures in the grass.
For a brief, terrifying moment, everything seemed to freeze. The girl’s gaze locked onto them, her expression a mix of awe and surprise. She tilted her head slightly, as if trying to make sense of what she was seeing.
Jordan’s mind raced, desperately trying to think of what to do. They were trapped, with nowhere to run, and the girl’s gaze was fixed on them. He could see her curiosity growing, her hand twitching slightly as if she was considering reaching out to touch them.
“Don’t move,” Jordan whispered to the youngling, his voice barely audible. His heart pounded so loudly in his chest he was sure the girl could hear it.
But it was too late. The girl’s hand began to move, descending slowly toward them, her fingers stretching out as if to pick them up. Jordan’s breath caught in his throat as he braced himself, knowing that any sudden movement could draw even more attention.
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Jordan's heart pounded in his chest as the young girl's hand descended toward them, her fingers outstretched and ready to grasp. He stepped in front of the youngling, his body trembling with fear but determined to protect her. The situation was absurd—here he was, standing up to a child who would normally be no more than an ankle-biter to him, but now loomed like a giant, an unstoppable force. The sheer helplessness of it all made his fear even more acute, but he refused to back down.
The girl's hand was just inches away, casting a shadow over them both, when a voice rang out from the picnic blanket, sharp and authoritative. "Molly! Remember what I said about playing with tiny bugs? Leave them alone and come back to the blanket!"
The girl, Molly, paused, her hand hovering for a moment longer before she withdrew it with a pout. "But, Mom, these buggies look like people, they're so cute!" she protested, her eyes still fixed on Jordan and the youngling.
"No buts, young lady," her mother called back, her tone firm but patient. "Come on, we have plenty of food here, and I don’t want you bothering the little creatures."
Molly sighed dramatically, her disappointment evident, but she obeyed. She straightened up to her full height, which to Jordan felt like watching a skyscraper rise, and gave a small wave to the “buggies” as she called them. "Bye, buggies!" she said cheerfully before turning and skipping back to the blanket, her footsteps shaking the ground slightly as she walked away.
Jordan winced at being referred to as a "bug," but he couldn’t help feeling a wave of relief wash over him. The mother’s intervention had saved them. He quickly turned to the youngling, his voice urgent but gentle. “Go, now! Get back to Leila. She’s waiting for you nearby.”
The youngling nodded, her eyes wide with lingering fear and awe. Without another word, she turned and bolted through the grass, her tiny legs carrying her swiftly back toward the safety of the forest.
Jordan watched her go, feeling a surge of satisfaction that she was safe. But just as he was about to follow, an idea sparked in his mind. He glanced back at the picnic blanket where Molly and her mother were sitting, their attention now focused on the food spread out before them. It was a foolish, dangerous plan, but he felt an overwhelming urge to do something more—to make himself useful to Leila, and to bring back something that might brighten Elsie's day.
He knew it was risky, but he also knew how much it would mean to Elsie to experience a taste of the outside world, especially after everything she had missed out on due to her illness. He couldn’t shake the image of her wide, curious eyes as she listened to his stories, and the thought of bringing her a small piece of the world she longed to see made his decision for him.
As the youngling disappeared into Leila’s arms, Leila watched with a mix of relief and anxiety. She scanned the area, searching for Jordan, but he was nowhere to be seen. Realizing he hadn’t returned yet, she bit her lip, worry tightening her chest. “That reckless fool,” she muttered under her breath, her sharp eyes narrowing as she tried to catch a glimpse of him. She knew she couldn’t help him now, not without much access to her magic, but she silently prayed for his safe return.
Meanwhile, Jordan carefully crept closer to the picnic blanket, keeping low to the ground, using the tall grass and the edge of the blanket for cover. The mother and daughter were distracted, chatting and laughing as they enjoyed their meal. Molly had already moved on from the “buggies,” her attention now fully on the food and her mother’s stories.
Jordan's heart raced as he approached the edge of the blanket. He paused for a moment, weighing his options. He spotted a few pieces of food scattered near the edge—some grapes, a crust of bread, and a small piece of cheese. They were close enough that he wouldn’t have to venture too far onto the blanket, but far enough that it would still be a risk.
Taking a deep breath, Jordan decided to go for it. He darted forward, his movements quick and precise, keeping his body as low as possible. He reached the nearest grape, its size almost as big as his head, and with a determined grunt, he began to push it toward the edge of the blanket, inch by inch.
Every rustle of the fabric, every shift of the ground beneath the blanket, sent a jolt of fear through him, but he kept going, focused on the task at hand. He knew he had to be quick, to get what he could and get out before he was spotted.
As he neared the edge of the blanket, the voices of the mother and daughter filled the air above him, a constant reminder of the danger he was in. He could hear the mother’s voice, gentle and warm, and Molly’s giggles as they enjoyed their picnic. They had no idea how close he was, how every move he made was a gamble.
Finally, Jordan reached the edge of the blanket with the grape in tow. He quickly scanned the area for anything else he could grab before making his escape. Spotting the small piece of cheese nearby, he decided to take the risk. He dashed over, grabbed it, and stuffed it into the fold of his makeshift tunic.
With his prize secured, Jordan turned and sprinted back toward the cover of the grass, his heart pounding in his chest. As he ran, he couldn’t help but glance back at the picnic blanket, where the mother and daughter continued their meal, blissfully unaware of the tiny intruder who had just snatched a piece of their picnic.
Jordan reached the safety of the tall grass and paused, catching his breath. He could still feel the adrenaline coursing through his veins, the fear of being caught so fresh in his mind. But he had done it—he had something to bring back to Elsie.
He started to make his way back toward Leila, hoping she wouldn’t be too angry with him for taking such a reckless risk. As he moved through the grass, his thoughts drifted to Alice once more. He wondered how she was doing, if she was still worried about him. He hoped that soon, he would be able to tell her about all of this—the Fey village, the stag beetle rides, and his daring picnic heist.
For now, though, he needed to focus on getting back to Leila and Elsie safely. As he pushed through the grass, the sounds of the picnic fading behind him, he couldn’t help but feel a small sense of accomplishment. He was still scared, still uncertain about what the future held, but at least for this moment, he had done something that mattered.