Through the Fairy Ring

Chapter Forty

The sensation of being popped back into my own body made my head swim. I sagged as my knees gave out on me. Edlark wrapped his arms around me so I wouldn't fall.

"What's happened?" I asked, unable to focus my eyes any farther than on Edlark's face, which was inches from mine. "What's wrong?"

"We have some uninvited guests." Edlark stared over my head at a spot on the other side of the clearing. I couldn't see what he was talking about. My vision was clearing, but not fast enough.

"Who is it?"

"Amena. And a few others."

I squinted over to where he was looking. One non-blue shape and about a dozen blue ones with streaks of red stood out from the forest background. I couldn't tell which one was the Pixie Queen, but then her voice rang out, and I was able to pinpoint her location, directly in the middle of her subjects.

"King Edlark, I demand you halt this abomination and pay heed to my words."

"Did she just call me an abomination?" I whispered to Edlark.

Amena marched her small band of Pixies halfway across the meadow. Between my eyesight clearing and their new position, I could see the Pixie Queen, dressed in a beaded black leather tunic and matching leather trousers. Breeju stood at her side, similarly dressed with her hair tied back. The other Pixies held an arrangement several paces behind her. A couple carried bows, the nock end of the arrows protruded above their shoulders. Swords hung from scabbards around the other Pixie's waists, and all had some version of chain mail and leather armor. This was not a good development.

"Are you good to stand?" Edlark asked me. I nodded, so he let go of me and stepped forward. "Queen Amena, how thoughtful of you to come. I was just thinking how nice it would be to have you interfering in Fairy issues once again."

"I've grown weary of waiting for your permission to enter the Realm. My people are suffering and dying, and you do nothing."

That argument sounded familiar. I wondered if Edlark recognized it as his own complaint to Arden. I doubted it.

Amena continued, "We have come to take our place in the Realm. By force, if need be. This is the last time I will use words. If you do not accept our request today, we will have no choice but to invade the Realm and Shee-Elan."

"By force is the only way you'll get into the Realm. I have told you before there are not enough resources for both Fairies and Pixies." He turned his disdain to Breeju. "And you! You fight on her side? You betray your ancestors."

Breeju's face remained impassive. "You have no right to judge me."

"I don't? How do you figure that?"

Edlark and Breeju argued, but I concentrated on the Pixie Queen. She stood as imperiously as her short height allowed, her face a cold mask, eyes flicking between the siblings as each retorted to the other. Then she turned and said something to the Pixie behind her, who had a more decorative headdress than the rest. He nodded and spoke to two of the lesser ranked warriors beside him. They turned and disappeared into the forest.

The people within the binding party began murmuring to each other, their faces tense and eyes troubled.

I walked toward Amena, palms facing her. "Listen, let's all just calm down."

"Stop now, Hazel, or you will be killed." Amena gestured, and with a smooth motion the archers pulled arrows from their quiver, nocked them and trained them on me.

I continued toward the Queen, but latched onto the wind's Earthforce energy with the edge of my mind. I had to reach high above the trees, but it was there.