Eversleigh was beside Elizabeth. “You are next.”
Elizabeth stared at him. “I? But I am not a relation.”
“You areshurinnto Oberon, and through Darcy, you are kin toMatlock. Go.”
Elizabeth took a deep breath and took the dagger from Frederica, trying not to think of the bodies beneath the mist. She opened her palm, but at the last minute switched to her forefinger. It would be embarrassing if the blood did not flow. The dagger was unexpectedly sharp and she cut deeper than she had meant to. “I give my blood to bind. Libbet,shurinnto Oberon and kin to Matlock.”
Her finger stung. She looked to Eversleigh who jerked his chin towards Jasper. Elizabeth took a few careful steps towards him, once again dizzy, much as she had been following their claiming of blood right. Darcy caught at her elbow as Jasper said, “I give my blood to bind. Jasper, son to Matlock.”
Eversleigh said quietly, “You are next, Darcy.”
“I give my blood to bind. Darcy, nephew to Matlock, and named by Oberon.”
Miss Darcy was waiting for her brother. Eversleigh frowned and whispered to her but she shook her head. “I want to,” she said.
Darcy looked reluctant to hand the dagger to his younger sister, but she reached up to take it from him, and he did not resist.
Miss Darcy’s voice was so quiet Elizabeth could not make out her words. She flinched when she cut her finger.
Titania took back the dagger from her. “Are any other kin present today?”
Anne de Bourgh shook her head firmly. Apparently she believed Lady Catherine’s story and did not consider herself related to Lord Matlock.
When no one responded, Cathael strode forward, a new knife in his hand. Instead of approaching the mist, he shed blood at the compass points: north, east, south and west. “I am Cathael, King of Faerie, and I ward this spell. Let no creature intending harm pass these wards.” The lines between his wards glowed softly golden.
Titania followed the same path and added her blood at the four points. “I am Titania, Queen of Faerie, and I ward this spell.” The lines brightened.
Eversleigh agitatedly whispered to Mr. FitzClarence, who was shaking his head. Eversleigh gave him a firm push forward. “The fay do not care about illegitimacy. They care about royal blood,” he hissed.
Nervously FitzClarence came forward, his hands shaking. He had to cut a second finger to get enough blood for the final ward. “I am Henry, grandson to King George, and I ward this spell.” The glowing lines flared. FitzClarence staggered as he walked away.
Cathael raised his arms. “The Great Spell is bound and warded. Let the names of Oberon and Matlock live forever in blessed memory.” His words echoed and re-echoed.
A chill went down Elizabeth’s spine.
AN ODD PRESSURE HADbegun to weigh on Darcy’s shoulders. “Elizabeth, will you stay with Georgiana for a few minutes?”
“Of course. Is something the matter?”
“No, simply something I had forgotten to tell Eversleigh and Aelfric. I will return shortly.”
He found Eversleigh and Aelfric standing with Cathael. “Pardon me for interrupting. There is something I need to tell Oberon’s sons. Just before casting the Great Spell, Oberon came to me. I did not know what he intended to do, but he commanded me to bear witness and to tell his sons what I had seen.” The weight vanished. Oberon must have put magic into his command.
“You witnessed the spell?” asked Eversleigh in surprise.
Darcy had forgotten none of the others had been there at the time. “Yes. The sorcerers and some of the servants did as well, but I wasthe closest. Biggins had brought me there because Oberon demanded proof that I was unharmed.”
Aelfric’s gaze turned towards the tree. “I wish to hear it, but this tale does not belong only to us.”
“You are correct,” said Cathael. He strode to the edge of the circle and clapped his hands for attention. “I have just learned that Diarcey, nephew to Matlock and named by Oberon, stood witness to the Great Spell. Would you hear his tale?”
An affirmative chorus arose from the gathered fay.
“Damn it,” muttered Darcy.
“Sorry, my friend,” said Eversleigh. “It is expected. Tell everything, every detail you can remember, no matter how irrelevant. The color of the grass. The clouds in the sky. What the servants were wearing. Paint a picture.” He took Darcy’s elbow and led him to Cathael.
Darcy raked his hand through his hair. He hated speaking to a crowd. “Must I?”
