“It will not harm you to spend the night in Faerie, child. Now lie down here, and my dryads will sing you a lullaby.”
As if a lullaby could cure her problems! “I thank you, but I could not possibly fall asleep.”
An amused smile crossed Titania’s flawless features. “There are some things that are easier in Faerie.” She waved a graceful hand, and Elizabeth slept.
Chapter 7
“Where are they?” asked Richard explosively. “They should have returned hours ago.”
Eversleigh looked up from his book. “There is no reason to think they have come to any harm. Presumably something has delayed them, and they will be spending the night in Faerie.”
“Freddie does not simply decide to stay away overnight. She must know we would be concerned. Something is wrong.” Richard flung himself down in a chair, making it creak ominously.
“I agree,” Darcy said, struggling to keep his voice level. “I am concerned for them. Who could they turn to for assistance if a problem arose?” They would be helpless, and he could not stop it.
Eversleigh closed his book and set it aside. “Lady Aislinn is reliable, and they are with her. If nothing else, she would protect them because she knows I am involved with them, and she wants me to keep her role in this matter secret. There really is nothing to worry about.”
Darcy scowled. “Having spent a day and a night in a glamour trap designed to kill me, I am less certain that Faerie is a welcoming place.” The last time Elizabeth failed to return from Faerie, she would have died had he not come for her.
Richard nodded. “I should never have agreed to let Freddie go without someone to protect her.”
“How do you think you could have stopped her? You would have had to tie her up.” Darcy was in no mood to hear Richard blaminghimself.
“I still believe they are perfectly safe, but if they do not return in the morning, I will go to Faerie myself to look for them. Simply to ease your minds, I might add,” said Eversleigh.
“I would like to accompany you if I may.” Darcy could not bear sitting around and waiting any longer, even if it meant returning to Faerie. The last trip had been nightmarish enough.
“A good idea,” said Eversleigh. “Perhaps you will see a different side of Faerie than you did last time.”
A HAND SHOOK ELIZABETH’Sshoulder, rousing her from a deep sleep. “Libbet, love, wake up!”
Elizabeth rubbed her eyes. What was Bluebird doing here? The previous day came rushing back. Titania’s bower, that was where she was. Sprites tripped around the raised bank where Titania still slept. “What is it?”
“Prince Aelfric wishes to speak to you immediately,” said Bluebird. “He waits beyond the bower.”
Elizabeth pushed herself up on her elbows. Who would have thought moss could make such a comfortable bed? “Perhaps I do not wish to speak to him.” Horrid man. Or horrid fay, in this case.
Bluebird hesitated. “I would not advise starting a conflict over a minor matter. If he were to claim his blood right, Titania would be placed in an unfortunate conflict with Oberon.”
“And I suppose the prince is more important to Oberon than I am to Titania.” Elizabeth made a face. “Very well, I will speak to him.” She stood up, wobbling on the springy moss. She must look a sight after sleeping in her dress, but she had no intention of wearing the scanty robes the fay favored. She tried to smooth her wrinkled skirt but it made nodifference.
“I can do that for you.” Bluebird ran her hand down the skirt, and wherever she touched, the wrinkles disappeared.
As the dryad continued her magical pressing of the dress, Elizabeth said, “Oh, Bluebird, it is so good to see you again. I have missed you. I hope we will never have to be parted for so long again.”
“Indeed not!” said Bluebird with a warm smile. “It has been far too long.”
A thought crossed Elizabeth’s mind. “Why did you bring Pepper to me?”
Bluebird seemed unsurprised by this complete change of subject, but she would be accustomed to the Sidhe, who darted from topic to topic constantly. “She wanted to leave Faerie, and Titania asked her to look after you.”
Titania had been behind it? “Why did she want to leave Faerie?”
“White phoukas are considered unlucky. Female phoukas are rare and even worse luck because they do not have a human form. A female white phouka does not have an easy life here. She is much happier away from other fay.” Bluebird began working on the back of Elizabeth’s dress.
Poor Pepper. “If female phoukas are rare, how are more phoukas born?”
Bluebird laughed as she turned her attention to Elizabeth’s hair. “Oak and ash, child! Phoukas do not breed. When a brownie and a gnome have children, some are brownies, some are gnomes, and some are phoukas. Do you not remember?”
