Through the Fairy Ring

Chapter Seven

We maneuvered through the labyrinth of tall spiny bushes that doubled as Arden's security gate, and left the horse at the stable near the house. What appeared a modest, two-story home on the outside was, inside, a natural delight of sparkly rose quartz walls and floors, and elaborate wooden carvings Arden had made himself. Two staircases curved up on either side of the foyer to the second floor balcony where the three bedrooms were located. The first floor contained the kitchen, a library, and a small office.

Five men dressed in rough wool tunics waited near the stair case on the left, their straw hats crumpled in their hands. They discussed something animatedly, weathered wrinkles creasing their tanned faces, hands gesturing and jabbing to make their point. In the opposite corner stood King Edlark and the two other fairy men who'd been at the dinner the night before.

"Wow," Tavi said, her eyes round in awe."

"Oh, God," I groaned. I turned ever so slightly so my back faced the three, hoping to put off discovery for a few minutes more while I decided what to do next.

Jax came out of one of the bedrooms, careful to shut the door behind him.

All of the men swiveled their heads toward him as he descended the staircase. His face remained impassive until he noticed Tavi and me by the door. He crossed to us without looking at any of the others in the room.

"Hazel, your family is upstairs. Arden is attending to them and asked that you be shown to the room immediately upon your arrival."

"How are they?"

"Let's not discuss that right now." He glanced sideways at the fairies and tipped his head the tiniest bit in their direction.

"Follow me." He turned to go back up the stairs, but King Edlark stepped in front of him, his irritation apparent in the squinty set of his eyes. I was beginning to think he had no other expression.

"Wait a minute, sir," he said. "We've been waiting to speak with Arden for over an hour. She walks through the door and gets to jump in front of us?"

Jax straightened his back, but still was a couple of inches shorter than the fairy. "It is up to the Daragward to manage his affairs, Your Highness. I am sure he will be with you soon, once he finishes with his current task."

King Edlark lifted his chin, and a moment passed as we waited for him to speak. Finally he stepped to the side, but said, "Please remind him that others have important matters, too. Not just this..." His lips curled in an ugly sneer. "Girl."

The implication of his words brought a heat soaring up the back of my neck. Arden wasn't like that. "Now wait a minute-"

Jax grasped my arm and pulled me toward the stairs. "This way, Miss Hazel." His lips barely moved, and the scowl on his face matched mine. "Arden is waiting."

I let him drag me up the stairs. Tavi followed behind us. Near the head of the circular stair case, and after a surreptitious glance backward to ensure she wouldn't be heard, she whispered, "So who's the pretentious poophead?"

Jax rolled his eyes, a gesture so unlike him I bit my lip to stop myself from chuckling.

"That," he said, "is His Royal Highness, King Edlark of the Spyrryd-Lossar."

"He's the king of the fairies." I stopped short of the door. "Is he king of all the fairies? I caught one of the little ones, and he said the fairy king would bring his wrath upon me or something like that. Was he talking about King Edlark?"

I peered over the balcony rail at the fairies below. Edlark watched me, his face stony. This time I didn't look away, but scowled back at him.

Jax shook his head. "You don't want to try talking with him right now, trust me. He's a royal pain in the hindparts. Tell Arden, let him do the talking." He opened the door at the left end of the balcony and gave me a gentle shove into the bedroom. Two twin beds sat with their simple headboards pushed up against the left wall. A nightstand with an oil lamp ready for nightime was placed between the two.

Garron lay on the bed closest to the door, Meara on the other. Both appeared to be in a deep sleep, their faces as pale as moonlight. Arden sat in a straight-backed chair beside Garron, with the palm of his hand laid across Garron's forehead. His eyes were closed, and his lips moved with silent words. Lifeforce energy rolled from his body in a magical wave that I sensed more than saw. It poured over Garron and spilled through the room.

I shivered as it moved through me, an echo of Arden himself. Tavi leaned near and whispered, "What was that?"

Arden's eyes snapped open and focused on us. He removed his hand from Garron's head and sat back. "I'm sorry. Have you been here long?"

"Jax just brought us up." I crossed into the space between the beds and knelt to search their faces for any indication of pain or suffering. "How are they?"

Arden's expression softened. "I put them into a sleep similar to hibernation to slow the spread of the poison, so don't be afraid when you can't see them breathing. They are still on this side of life."

"They're not breathing?" My heart rate bumped into a panicky rhythm. What if Arden was wrong, and they really were dead? What if they hurt inside and couldn't tell anyone.

"Hazel." Arden's voice was firm, and the scent of pine after the rain drifted over me. "Don't worry."

"Don't magic me. I can't... I have to feel this." I couldn't believe it was only this morning I was annoyed with Garron spitting oatmeal on me. The shame of wishing for less responsibilities churned my stomach. Now, faced with their illness and possible death, I felt like I wished it on them. "I can't not feel anything when they're... they might..." Helplessness and fear welled up as tears streamed down my face.

"Listen to me. I won't try to ease your emotions, if that's what you want. But you have to believe me that they're all right, for now. Use your own Lifeforce magic, if you don't believe me."

Lifeforce magic worked within the bonds of living energy, and Earthforce magic works within the elements of the physical world. Because my father was a Lifeforce magician and my mother an Earthforce magician, I could access both types of magic, but I was better with Earthforce magic.

I wiped my eyes. Falling apart at every turn wouldn't help the kids. "No, I believe you."

My eyes wandered over to Garron, so small in the bed. His eyelashes formed a dark lace along his eyelids. I stroked his soft cheek, which was too cool, and then turned to Meara. Always full of energy and movement, she looked like a porcelain doll waiting for its child.

I picked up both their hands and kissed them each in turn before returning them under the covers, then got to my feet. "Did you know the Edlark is here? If he's king of all the fairies, he needs to fix this."