**ASH**
Now that I know Daphne is, indeed, pregant... the witch’s words run rampant through my head. Birthing a need to know more than I have been led to believe.
*‘Do not take Daphne to the Feast of the Meadow. If you do, the King of the Meadow will not let her go.’*
The Meadow King said it himself. He said *′You have something that belongs to me.′*
Could he have been speaking of Daphne? Or was he referring to the book?
*‘Once true words are spoken, she will journey to the House of the Five Rivers. Protect her on her way, she is yours and you are hers.’*
Glancing down at Daphne’s sleeping form, her skin begins to glow with a faint iridescence. Something I have seen her flesh do once before - in the Mortal Realm.
With my lips on her ear, I whisper, “Tomorrow we shall indeed journey together, dove. But we will not be heading north.”
We will go to the House of the Five Rivers. Perhaps there, within the Fountain of Truth, we might find the answers I seek.
The witch had said *‘Once true words are spoken...’*
Could those words have been Daphne’s? Could they have been... I love you?
Sinking deeper into my bed, I seal my arms around Daphne, holding her to me as mightily as I can.
**DAPHNE**
I awake to find myself alone in bed. A blush heats my cheeks as I realize I am naked.
*Did we...?*
*Could I have missed it?*
Glancing around the room for my dress, my eyes meet with a pair of fitted trousers and a shimmering tunic like the kind Klyesque wears.
“Are these for me?”
*Are they traveling clothes? Could we be going to fetch my sister?*
“They are,” Petra’s voice interrupts my thoughts.
Smiling at her, I leap out of bed to allow her to assist me in adorning these strange clothes. “Are we going on a journey?” I ask as she pulls the tunic over my head and it tightens magically over my bosom. The fabric stitches into a silver glimmer of cloth and melts over me like a second skin. The same happens with the trousers making my body feel firm and impenetrable. “What fabric is this?”
“Tis Faerie Mail - Armor. Cloth of tungsten and diamond. ’Tis the jeweled portion that is most important. Not only does it protect, but it can amplify magic and blind enemies.”
“Oh my,” I breathe as Petra pushes each of my feet into heavy leather boots.
My long brown hair falls soft and heavy against my back, caressing my curves and falling over them like a river of coffee. “Where is Ash?”
She giggles, winking at me. “He commands that you have breakfast in the Great Hall with Dionie and Klyesque. He is at the river preparing transport.”
“Transport?!” I nearly squeal with delight. “We are leaving then? For the north?”
Petra loses her smile. “I don’t think so. The transport he is procuring is that of a ship. Not ideal for traveling north.”
*Then where are we going?*
My frustration must be showing on my face because Petra reaches out to squeeze my shoulders reassuringly. “Trust him, Daphne. There is a light in his eyes now that wasn’t there before. If he said he would rescue your sister, you must know he means to do just that.”
“Right,” I whisper as I follow her out of Ash’s chamber and toward the Great Hall.
No other faeries seem to be about - unless you count the guards. Stepping toward the dining table I am greeted by ten different plates of food. Cakes and cookies. Meats and eggs. Fruit cut into stars and in colors I’ve never imagined.
Dionie and Klyesque stand at my approach. That is when I notice the additional face there. Finn. He is wearing Fae armor and seated at the table eating.
“Rise you idiot,” Klyesque says, kicking his chair with a booted foot.
Finn rolls his eyes but rises - only to bow as I am seated next to him. “Good morning, human.”
I glare at him, some small petty part of me wanting to banish his cruelty from the table. “Why are you here? Shouldn’t you be guarding something? A door perhaps? Or the gate you are so fond of?”
He scowls at me but does not answer. Klyesque laughs, grinning from ear to ear. “He will be. Eat up, Lady Daphne. Break your fast and then we shall walk to the river to join Ash.”
“Where are we going?” I snap, allowing some of my frustration to show and meeting with a stern look from Petra in the process.
Dionie opens his mouth to speak, but Klyesque stops him. “We will let Ash explain that for you. The witch that was here last night,” she says, pausing to catch my eye. “She spoke as if she knew you. We must go and find out why.”
Suddenly, I am reminded of the occurrences from last night and I remember my book. “My book.”
Klyesque sighs. “What about it?”
“Where is it?” I ask.
Taking a deep drink of whatever is in her goblet, she stares past me toward the doors. Then, with a minute shake of her head, eyes fall on Finn briefly before settling back on me. “It is hidden.”
I nod, trying to understand. For whatever reason, she does not want to speak of the book in front of Finn. Glancing at him, I notice for the first time that the backs of his hands are covered in ink and his eyes have strange gold circles in the irises.
I smile at him. “What manner of Fae are you, Finn?” He glares up at me and Klyesque freezes. The smile on her face telling me she knows where I am going with my next question. “Might you be a cave faerie? Or a majestic butler? Perhaps a protector of all that has knobs?”
As Klyesque bursts into laughter, Finn throws his napkin down on the table, furious. “I have lost my appetite.”
Petra is giggling as he leaves the hall and Dionie is choking on his bacon.
I grimace. “I’m not usually so mean. I apologize. I just grow tired of hearing the word human spoken so disrespectfully.”
“Indeed,” Klyesque chuckles into her cup.
Now that he’s gone, I turn to Klyesque. “The book. I will want it for our trip.”
She shakes her head, “I don’t think that’s a good idea Daphne. Perhaps-”
Glancing at Petra and Dionie, I see they are lost in deep conversation and not paying anyone else any attention at all. “Please,” I whisper to Klyesque secretively. Reaching across the table to take her hand, I lower my voice as much as possible. “I need you to trust me.”
She stares into my eyes for a long moment, as if searching for something she knows is buried somewhere in my gaze. “Okay,” she nods. “I will fetch it. But it must remain hidden,” she hisses.
“Hidden?” I gasp, glancing around the nearly empty hall. “From who?”
Standing up she says, “Hidden from all who are not you.”