Magic in the Key of Joy (A Wylde & Cray Adventure) UIC2022

Chapter 12: He Drives Me Cray Zieh

Moments after Wylde and Aunt Bae were summoned into the Shadowlands, Windar placed me under arrest. He gave no reason except the fact that, since it was obvious the Seer was a traitor, I was likely one as well. Only two members of the council had protested as I was led to the dungeons.

They weren't dungeons in your Sapien knowledge of the word, more like Spartan accommodations. There were several windows, with vistas of beautiful forests and gardens. Being forced to gaze on them, and not be out there among such beauty, is torture both exquisite and barbaric. I sit on the stone chair and try to make sense of the past hour.

The DDT escort should have tipped me off that something wasn't right, but I brushed it off as being there to protect Wylde from the 1:1 Faction, a covert group of radical Firstborns that claim there's a Sluagh for every Sidhe. Windar claims it's run by Queen Mab. I know Baelena very well, and Queen Mab she isn't. Nor would she hold with the Ratio-nalists.

And yet, she jumped in after Wylde, without any hesitation. And the ferrcats with her. There is the fact that she's The Seer. That means she isn't really at any risk. She's never said that she isn't with the 1:1 Faction. And yet, and yet – she's both Sidhe and Slaugh. Why would that be so unique? The realization hits me like a punch in the gut: because there's one Seer, but two of every other Fae. By the Lia Fail, have I been wrong all these millennia?

Oh, my poor cariad! Wylde had been beside himself. Crying, certainly; but also red with fury, with a forlorn look of utter hopelessness. How could he possibly think that I'd betray him? I'd given him several reasons, if he'd been conversing with Bae. I'd give the rest of my life just to kiss him even once!

He summoned Mara as if he knew exactly what he was doing. He knew that Selrach would dare not follow them. He freaked out when......when Taproot was escorted away from him. Is Taproot part of the 1:1'ers? He knew something. And Cracker-Of-Skulls knew that! The troll assigned to guard my aunt answers directly to Selrach. Or does he?

He just happens to be guarding my cell. He seemed to get along with Aunt Bae. In fact, going over their conversations, she seemed to enjoy teasing him. The question is, which of the two does he favor more – Selrach, or Baelena? How do I bait this hook with something neutral? What would Wylde do? (He'd sing something, naturally – that's out.) I lean my back with a 'thud' against the cell door.

"I wonder if Taproot knew anything about any of this."

The troll grunts. "Who?"

"The one you picked up and threw. The one who was telling me that I should take my party and run. He was a friend, Cracker."

"Him? He was a 1:1 loony." He paused, then said, "He was your friend? Well, I don't think I threw him that far. He should be okay. It's your Sapien you should be worried about. Selrach wants him, dead or alive."

"That old bastard has gone senile," I reply quietly, choosing my words carefully. "He hasn't seen my Sapien in action. He reverse-aged a major Sluagh, Cracker. With a song. A song! Selrach Windar has made all of us into haters of a branch of the Fae family that he's convinced himself should be wiped out. What if he comes to the same conclusion with the lesser Fae? People like goblins, kobolds, fairies, mermaids...trolls? He's mad."

Cracker-of-Skulls' face fills the barred door opening. In a moment, his incisors become more prominent as he gives me an enormous grin. As I hear a key turn in the door, he whispers: "Took you long enough. Your aunt always said you were a smart kid. Follow me. Your Sluagh counterpart will take your place soon. He was hard to find, and much harder for anyone to convince into helping us. It took your aunt less than a minute."

I couldn't help but chortle. "What did she do?"

"She told him about the 1:1 law, and that if he didn't help us out, he'd be killing himself."

"And that's all?"

Cracker snorted. "She's the blessed Seer. And unlike you, he's something of a coward."

And there was no arguing with that. I was led through a secret passageway into the mountain the Council building was carved out of, ending up in a very large room full of about 100 persons both Magia and Elfo, who apparently had been awaiting my arrival. I saw Taproot among them.

"Where is the Sapien called Wylde?" asked Lady Marjoram, a feisty firstborn who has been a close family friend. This question was echoed by the majority present. There was the 'popping' sound of a small portal opening by my ear, which Luna promptly rubbed before saying, "Making plans of his own. But he'd like to suggest the following ideas to all of you. They involve assistance from a few of his Sapien friends. And before you start protesting, he asks that you remember he's also a Sapien, whose only obligation to you are certain friendships he's made."

"He stressed that particular word in just that particular way," I whisper to Luna, "didn't he?"

"He's not speaking to you. Ever. Take it or leave it, now and forever, until..."

I squeeze the breath out of her. "I know the rest. Tell him I'll take it. Him. Whatever. Now and forever, until..."

"...if you squeeze me any harder, I'm going to puke all over your designer prison duds."

"When are they returning?" I ask hopefully.

"When the time is right. Now, in Wylde's words: Let's tell these fine Fae folk about 3-D technology and IMAX screens. There are some Sapien horror films they need to know about; and details on Sweeney Todd, and someone named Dr. Frank N. Furter. And some truly awful student musical adaptation of Shakespeare's 'Titus Andronicus', if you can believe that."

She sounded just like him. "That was remarkable!" I tell Luna, sincerely.

"You're flattering me. He's rubbing off on you, too."

"Just don't start singing show tunes."

"Goodness, no."

As I turn to begin addressing the gathered 1:1 Faction, I hear Luna add: "Grand Opera is much more my style."