The next few days were a blur for Kim, but even through this haze she felt infinitely better than she had in a long time. It was a while before she felt well enough to do more than sleep and eat. Nightingale ensured that she had a steady diet of soup, bread and variously flavored teas and herbs. Despite her sternness, she had an aura that reminded her of Mrs. Craig, a sense of warmness that was intensely reassuring. She told Kim the properties of the herbs and Kim enjoyed watching her at work, scrolling through blotched books and fiddling with plants like an apothecary.

Skye was her other constant companion, spending their time watching movies and playing cards whenever Kim was awake. But often she would just show Kim some otherwise-impossible card trick using magic, not that she would let Kim try any of them.

“You’re still recovering,” she explained to a pouting Kim one day, as she made the cards do a figure-of-eight a foot above her head, “besides, you’ve already exhausted yourself from everything that has happened.” 

“Hm,” Kim grumbled with crossed arms, “so… there’s more witches here? Or is it just you and Nightingale?” she asked, tucking into her lunch of macaroni with shredded cheese.

“There’s about, I’d say a few hundred of us here. The old stations have been hollowed out so there’s a ton of space. It’s more like a hamlet I suppose,” Skye explained,  “This old subway is a lot bigger than sleepers think it is.”

“So, is this like a school?”

“Well, sort of. It’s our home first but there’s a group of older girls who are more experienced and teach others, we don’t know a lot but we can teach enough so that you can pass for a Sleeper. The oldest of us is Guinevere and she’s only twenty four but she and Meridith know a lot.

“How come there aren’t any older witches?”

“Well,” Skye let out a sigh, “I don’t wanna scare you or anything, but its been getting harder for us to stay hidden since they haven’t stopped trying to hunt us. But I’ll let Meridith talk to you about that when you meet her, she knows more than I do. But as long as we stay smart you’ll be fine.”

“Um, who is Meridith exactly? And Guinevere?” Kim asked worryingly.

“Oh sorry!” Skye put a hand to her head, “I forgot, you haven’t met anyone yet. Meridith is one of the sisters in charge. I’m sure she’ll be around soon to meet you. Don’t worry, I’m sure she will like you.”

Kim rubbed the back of her neck anxiously.

“What’s Meridith like?”

Skye opened her mouth to answer, but as she did-

SLAM!

The door shot open and crashed against the wall, making the three of them jump. Kim watched as a woman practically skipped into the room. Skye’s face broke into a smile and Nightingale rushed to pick up the books that had been disturbed by the sudden action.

“Meridith seriously,” Nightingale frowned, “you really should learn how to knock!”

“No!” Her voice was melodic and husky, reminding Kim of a pan-flute, “You’ve had enough time with our new sister, it's about time I got to meet her!” The stranger turned her attention to Kim and grinned, “and this must be her!”

Kim blinked and stared at the woman. She was as tall as Nightingale with tanned skin and vivid rose curls. Her bright rave-style clothing was accentuated with sparkling bangles that hung from every possible place.

“Um,” Kim blinked anxiously and scratched the back of her neck, “yeah, um, my name is Kim.” 

“Kim,” Meridith took her hand and shook it vigorously like a piston, “it’s great to finally meet you! I’m Meridith, I help to run things around here, how are you? I hope Nightingale has been good to you?”

“Oh yeah, of course!” Kim answered at once, noticing Nightingale’s annoyed look, “I feel a lot better thanks to her help, and Skye’s been great too.” the latter, who had stood up to help Nightingale flicked her hair playfully and smiled at Kim.

“Smashing!” Meridith clapped her hands together happily, “now, I should let you know straight up that you’re more than welcome here. That is if you want to stay once you’ve recovered.” 

Kim blinked and scratched the back of her neck, a little unsure of how to answer that question. Meridith flicked her fringe from her eyes and tutted.

“Well, you don’t need to decide right away. Anyway, has Skye told you much about us?”

“A wee bit, I know you are all part of a coven and that I’m a witch. But-but I don’t know anything about being one and I’m kind of worried about that-”

“Oh, oh please don’t be!” Meredith sat in a chair and leant forward maternally, throwing her navy Parka jacket over the back, “I promise that, if you choose to go then you’ll go with enough knowledge and skill that you will be okay. But, for now it would probably be best for you to stay until you’re better.”

Her gaze suddenly softened, “I can tell you’ve had an awful time lately, I’m really sorry.”

Kim looked away, realizing that this had been the first time in years that someone had apologized to her- and it was someone who had not done anything to her! She did not know how to respond to that. 

“Um, it’s okay. I’m just um,” Kim sighed, “I don’t know what to think or do.” The whole thing was just overwhelming. The tension hung in the air for a few moments, until Meridith clapped her hands together.

“Right! Now, the first thing you should do is go and meet Guinevere,” Meredith pushed her wild curls away from her face, “lovely soul, you two will get along very well I can tell! She will tell you everything you need to know for now.”

She turned to Skye, “Take her just now while we’re thinking about it, Guin might be asleep but just knock her door she won’t mind. Ooh and Nightingale,” she spun on her heel and waved her hand a little, “Mind coming with me? We’ve had a bit of a situation with a lip-locking spell gone wrong so it’ll need to go up the nose and I’ll need an extra pair of hands!” 

Nightingale rolled her eyes and neck with an annoyed sigh before grabbing a little vial from a drawer.

“Ay, that spell!” she scoffed in exasperation, “Was it Calypso again? I’ve warned her before-!”

“Yes yes yes, you can tell her totally off once we’re there,” Meredith interrupted her, “bring some fern and thyme with you too.” and with that she strode from the room. Nightingale sighed resignedly and gathered her things.

“Oh well, let’s go then,” Skye smiled as the healer left, she got up and Kim, on shaky legs, followed her. It seemed this day was going to get stranger before things would make more sense.