Claus

Nineteen

Arlo sent a car for them—even after finding out who Clíodhna's guests were. Once they were inside the tinted vehicle, Faryn lowered her hood.

Clíodhna studied her, specifically her black hair that hung outside of her beanie. "You don't look like a Morozko. Are you sure Clora Claus is your mother?"

Faryn tensed at the question. It felt a bit like a slap. But if she were honest, sometimes she wished Clora wasn't her mother.

Cassian sat beside her, and his thigh gave hers the barest brush. He probably didn't even notice he'd done it. He had spoken with Arlo after Clíodhna had, verifying the Leprechaun wasn't leading them into a trap. He hadn't given them any indication how Arlo sounded on the phone, if he seemed pleased or annoyed that the Fata was in his city.

"She's my mother." Faryn touched a strand of her hair. "My brother has red hair." Inherited from Nick.

"But he has the gray eyes that your mother's line has."

She was not about to reveal what meager powers she actually had. It would only make her look more pathetic, but as far as she knew, Klaus had none of the Morozko powers. "I assure you, I am her daughter. As for my lack of powers, I suppose the magic rejected me." She shrugged.

"Or did you reject it?"

The car grew silent. Faryn's ears couldn't even pick up on Cassian or Peter breathing.

Clíodhna stared at her as if expecting an answer.

Faryn pursed her lips. "I guess I'm just more my father than my mother." Whoever he was.

The car drove across the bridge that connected the city to the palace. Water flowed out from the palace and over the cliff, the sun hitting the water in just the right way to make it sparkle like gold coins were being carried away in the stream.

A fitting sight for the Midas court. The palace was covered in gold, spires stretching up to the sky, a boast of wealth.

Cassian hadn't asked Arlo on the phone if it were true that Ziva wasn't in Reyarney. If Clíodhna was friends with Arlo then it was likely she would know if Mother Nature was still in the city.

The plot of land the palace sat upon was a raised island. The only way onto it appeared to be the bridge. Unless someone had wings. She glanced at Cassian whose wings weren't out. Humans thought Elves and Fae to be the same species. Elves couldn't fly though, while plenty of Fae could.

Their driver brought the car around to the back of the palace and underneath a large rock wall that hid the entrance. The rock swept upward and over them as if it were an overhang at a hotel for valet.

Four steps led up to a gilded door where two Acurials stood. She immediately recognized the current Ratoncito Pérez. He had hickory-brown hair that hung past his ears and framed a face that was too handsome for anyone's good. There was a rosy tone to his white skin, and two shamrock green eyes looked out from that striking face. They zeroed in on her when she stepped out of the car.

The other Acurial was a woman who wore a long white dress, lighter than either the white of her skin or the feathered wings that sprouted out from her back. They were taller than their bearer, and gray fathers were mixed throughout the white. The grayed feathers were not a sign of age though. The woman's long brown hair was a shade lighter than Arlo's. Both were Thorine, but while Arlo was a mouse, the woman was a Pegasus. She must be Andromeda, Queen of the Pegasus. She did not belong to any court but resided in Reyarney.

As Arlo descended the steps, he adjusted the cuffs of his black leather jacket.

Clíodhna breezed past her, elbowed Arlo in the ribs, and gave the suspected Andromeda a hug.