Through the Fairy Ring

Chapter Forty-Three

I waited for Arden in the parlor, leaning against the arm of the chaise lounge, and watched the clouds gather ominously outside. Every so often the front door would open, and more Fairies would straggle in, beating back the Frid-Adhar who loitered around the door. On the outside of the window across from me, one of the five insect Fairies clinging to the wooden cross-pieces of the glass pane stuck her tongue out at me. A male Fairy made a crude gesture by grabbing his crotch and making pelvic thrusts in my general direction. I rolled my eyes and stifled the urge to stick my tongue out at them. Sometimes it was hard to take the high road.

With a sigh, I turned my back to the porno Fairy. I had more important things to worry about than the obnoxious display. Arden was with Edlark and Guara, the Healer, determining the extent of Edlark's wounds.

If Guara couldn't heal Edlark enough to wake him, or if he woke up but wasn't able to heal the kids—or worse, if he died... I shook my head to negate the thought, afraid just thinking it would make it come to pass. It was too horrible of an idea to contemplate. He was the kids' last hope.

Now Amena wasn't even an option. None of the Pixies were.

I looked through the open hall door and wished Arden would come tell me something, anything, about how Edlark was doing.

Tears welled in my eyes. I was going to lose them. I'd failed.

Grief overwhelmed me, and a desperate ache spread outward from my heart into my arms and legs, creating a restless energy. I jumped to my feet and paced the length of the room, my teeth ground together.

Garron and Meara had done nothing. They were innocents trapped in the middle of a political game.

Edlark's suggestion that I'd invited Amena's nefarious attention through my social inaction popped into my head. My lips tightened with irritation. Of course he would blame me. Neither he nor Amena took responsibility for their own actions.

How could being more involved in Realm politics have prevented Amena's actions? If I had developed alliances of my own, would my family have been better protected? Amena wouldn't have been able to so throughly manipulate me if I'd been more aware of the issues between her and Edlark. And perhaps if I'd already had communication with Edlark, we might have been able to figure out the Frid-Adhar were working for her at the beginning, instead of fighting against each other.

Arden had tried to get me involved in joining the community, but I'd put him off. In light of Edlark's accusation that I'd avoided my social responsibilities, I wondered if Arden had suspected that I was putting myself and my family in danger with my avoidance. When he'd finally "strongly encouraged" me to join the dinner party the other night, it was already too late.

The memory of Garron's sweet face as he lay asleep in his crib flashed through my mind. The ache flared in my chest, and I paced faster, trying to outrun the memory. Each time I passed the window the Fairies flipped me off or made other gestures to show what they thought of me.

My eyes narrowed as a spark of anger sputtered to life. I stood in the middle of the room and welcomed the fire, let it feed on the injustice of my children being used like pawns in the Pixie Queen's game for power.

Okay, maybe my inaction had in some way opened up an opportunity for Amena. But I was done being a victim, waiting to be rescued. I would do whatever I had to do to save my family. After they were safe, and assuming I was still alive, then the Pixies, and Edlark, and even that pervert Village Master better watch out. They all dragged me into this political mess, and I was going to make damn sure they didn't mess with other people the way the messed with my family. The people of Darag-Leigh were not there for their benefit or as their playthings. Those in positions of leadership should be there to serve and protect their people, and help them live safe, abundant lives.