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“Cernunnos!” I yell.
A dozen of the tiny Fae, the ones who remind me of Tinker Bell, are flittering around the Tree, basking in what little light remains. They’re like humanoid hummingbirds, darting in and out, dancing around the branches, but they stop when I yell and look.
“Have you seen Cernunnos?” I ask.
They look at each other before shaking their heads in unison. This land of the Fae is deceptive. It doesn’t seem or feel that big but the more I walk the more there seems to be. I keep moving towards what should be the edge of the village, but I never reach it. It’s always a little further away. A few more decaying hovels, all growing over with black vines that look like they’re rotting from the inside out.
The different types of Fae I see I question but no one has seen Cernunnos. Gnomes, brownies, elf-like creatures, sometimes they point in a direction but even when they do there is doubt in their eyes and on their faces.
I search and yell, but every passing moment feels like another brick is added to the weight on my shoulders. This is taking too long. I can’t keep searching like this, someone must know where he is. I take to running but it doesn’t do any good. He’s nowhere.
“Quinn,” Queen Mab says from behind me. I angrily spin to confront her, my fists balled and ready to fight. I can’t imagine she is here for any other reason. Moira is at her side, the two women look sad, but not angry. Mab raises her hands, showing her empty palms. “Peace, child.”
“What do you want? You’re not going to stop me,” I say.
“I’m not going to try,” Mab says.
“Then do you know where Cernunnos is?”
“First, information,” Mab says. “Then I’ll help you on your way.”
“What information?”
“Quinn, there is so much you don’t know,” Mab says. “You are ever headstrong and rushing forward but sometimes you must slow down and understand before you go.”
“Nice,” I snap. “Great quote. Could you embroider that for my wall? Oh, wait, there aren’t going to be any walls to hanganythingon if I don’t stop this!”
Moira grimaces but Mab smiles. It’s a tight, small smile, but one nonetheless.
“You are not wrong,” she says. “But you are also not a fool. The realm you are going to venture into was under my purview.”
“Yours? That doesn’t line up with the stories,” I say.
“No, I don’t believe it does,” she says. “You can consider it the realm of dreams. Where once I was the Queen.”
“But no longer?”
“No, no longer,” she says and there is deep loss in her voice, almost a longing.
“What can you tell me?” I ask.
“The realm responds to you, much like magic here, but even more,” she says. “What you imagine, what you feel, what you think will shape the world around you.”
“Okay, so empty my head, don’t think of anything,” I say, quotingGhostbusters.My quip is clearly lost on Mab, but Moira ducks her head to hide a smile.
“Exactly,” Mab says.
“You do know that’s much easier said than done?” I ask.
“Of course I do, child,” she says, gesturing with one hand. “You humans are always in such a rush. Everything is now, faster, bigger, better. It’s never enough. You don’t take time to experience or enjoy the moment. If only you would slow down. Why do you think we desire order but to contain the chaos of your race?”
“Because you’re a control freak?” I ask and Moira hides a smirk behind her hand. Even Mab smiles, if tightly.
“Perhaps,” she says. “But as you say, there is no time for such debate of my character.” I nod agreement. “What you take into the land will be given form. Including emotion; it responds in proportion to the input, so strong emotions will create a bigger effect. Know this and you will be okay.”
“Got it,” I say. “Any other advice?”
Mab frowns, looking thoughtful, then she carefully takes the shawl off her shoulders. She weaves it through the air like a flag almost coming closer. The shawl stood out when she arrived and up close it looks even more like a spider’s web. It glistens in the light of the Tree, silken, gossamer strands reflecting the rays. There is a pattern woven in it that seems to shift as she moves it. She places the shawl around my shoulders, then places her hands on my face.
