Delphinium, or A Necromancer's Home (TCoLaD Book 2)

The Ladies

~ (Continued) Hexday, 11th of Aprilis, 11831 ~

Lizzy too obtained several letters, one from her brother today and then a shorter one from her parents the day before. Piers' letter spoke more of his family and newborn son, confessing things that he worried over and did not wish to impose on his wife. Her parents were glad she was well and warned her to act as a lady and a generous host.

She replied to her brother as best she could, offering advice and assuring him he was a wonderful brother and would be a wonderful father as well. To her parents she would write later, a little put off about being reminded to be a lady. She was perfectly aware of how she should act, thank you very much.

"Are fay children any different than those who are not?" Lizzy asked after rolling up her reply. Síofra was with her in the room as she read the letter, taking her new duties as lady-in-waiting quite seriously for all she took anything seriously.

"I have not really been around children of either bestia," the half-fée girl replied. "But I do not believe there is much difference. Why do you ask?"

"My brother had his first child a few weeks ago, a boy. His wife is fay, from the Tuatha Forest."

"Ah, the forest. Her magia would be passed down, but how and when it manifests is anyone's guess. I presume it will be similar to hers."

The Tuatha forest was a great forest in Clandestina, but outside of the Kingdom of Triumphe because of who lived there. It was fay-land, the people a mix of fée and human whose magics twisted in unique ways. It was not Faery, more of a land that was half-sunk into the other plane, blending the two into one, and a highly magical and volatile place.

"She can turn into a snake, any kind she wishes, great, small, exotic," Lizzy said. "It can be a little unnerving, but she does not do it very often and keeps the secret to those close."

"He might have an affinity for serpents, be able to take their form, or instead have a close affiliation with another animal as she does to snakes. Magic of one that is fée is more vague and close to a magician's overall control of most spirits, though we have specialties."

"Oh? May I know of yours?"

Síofra turned to the window and was silent for a moment. "I am not comfortable with answering that just yet, Lady Elizabeth. Maybe after we know each other better?"

"Oh, of course, forgive me the intrusion." It had not occurred to her that asking such a thing would be rude. That Síofra left it open to tell her another day was a good sign, though, surly?

"Secrets," Síofra said, turning back around. "We have many, and those we trust to tell them to must know their gravity and how to hold their tongue. Even then we rarely speak the entirety of knowledge."

"I hope to earn your trust."

"I believe you shall. You know and understand more than you think. I think you would be liked and helped out of our forests if you were lost."

"And if I was not liked?"

Síofra's smile took upon itself that sharpness that sent a shiver up Lizzy's spine. "You may be merely stranded until Faery decides to open herself and let you out. Someone may help you. But if you offend someone of Autumn or Winter you will be killed."

Elizabeth could not hold her shudder at this and fiddled with her letter.

"Is murder not a crime in Faery?"

"It can be. But what is justified is different for us. We can be passionate and our emotions can be overwhelming when provoked. Joy, despair, anger—it is all far harder to control and there are consequences to this. I am seelie, so I tend to be happy and feel joy even when perhaps I should not. The unseelie caste may feel anger or sadness or a nothingness, though none of those are their sole emotion. Everyone has a line that might be crossed."