Through the Fairy Ring

Chapter Five

Reigning in the Suntaria at the side door of the manor, I scrutinized the outside of the gray brick walls for any signs of fairies. Nothing winged around the upper windows and the only sounds were the doves cooing to each other. I pushed down the latch of the wooden door and cautiously peered inside the kitchen.

Nothing. No buzzing, no flying fairies. No people, either.

I made my way past the three wood-stoves, which had been the heart of the once busy kitchen and peeked through the door to the great hall.

Nope. Nothing there, either. I rubbed at my forehead, trying to soothe the worry stabbing my brain. What if I couldn't bring a fairy back to Arden?

My footsteps echoed as I retraced our earlier path out of the house.

Inside the nursery two fairies still lay crumpled on the floor. The male, who I recognized by his clothes as the one who'd bitten Meara, remained by the wall. A female lay bottom up on the table. Her skirts were flipped over her head and revealed an indecent view of her fairy behind. I averted my eyes. Fairies needed to learn about underwear.

I snatched one of the lined cotton drawstring purses Meara left on the floor following this morning's pretend play, untied the cords at the top, and approached the male fairy. Afraid he'd wake up and latch onto my fingers with those wicked little teeth, I grabbed a spoon off the table, and poked him with the handle. He didn't respond, so I used the spoon as a shovel and half-lifted, half-rolled him into the purse. If he woke up before I got him back to Arden's, the cinch-string ties would keep him safely inside and off my body. Nobody would know where to find me if I got bit and passed out in the forest.

A quick trip to my bedroom halfway down the hall to change clothes, and I'd be ready. Riding in a dress was uncomfortable and I didn't want to have to manage the bag and keep the skirt down for the trip to Ardens.

All of our rooms were on the second floor. The kids' rooms were nearer to the nursery. I could have taken the spectacularly large master suite at the end of the hall, but it was too far away to hear if Garron or Meara needed me in the night. Instead I'd chosen the governess's room halfway between the nursery and the master suite. It was modest sized but still had a connected bathroom.

I lay the bag on the queen-sized four-poster bed, grabbed a bright blue long sleeved t-shirt and pair of jeans out of the dresser, and changed as quickly as I could. I slipped my tennis shoes on and tightened up my pony-tail before going downstairs. I made it as far as the great hall when a faint scraping noise caught my attention. The hair on the back of my neck prickled, and I stopped in my tracks, listening.

For a moment I thought of searching the house but changed my mind. I was alone, and freaky magical insect-fairies with venom were roaming the forest. I was getting out of there.

Certain something would grab me from behind, I sprinted across the hall, through the kitchen, and barged outside. I slammed into a person with blond hair and bounced backward. Pain flashed across my cheekbone and radiated into my left eye. The bag with the fairy inside soared in an arc and hit the door with a thump.

"Geez, Hazel. What's going on?" Tavi, my best friend, rubbed her temple. "You might have given me a concussion."

"Oh my God, you scared me." I grabbed her by the arm and started walking toward the Suntaria. "We've got to leave. What are you doing here?"

She let me lead her away, her face a puzzled question mark. "I was supposed to come. Don't you remember? What's wrong?"

"This." I held up the bag.

Tavi eyed the white bundle. "I assume you mean what's inside?"

"Something, probably this thing," I said, shaking the packaged fairy, "bit Garron and Meara. They're at Arden's, and are really sick."

I untied the Suntaria and led it away from the post. "I need to get this..." I shook the bag again. "To Arden so we can make sure what kind of fairy he is."

Tavi furrowed her eyebrows. "Fairies really exist?"

"Apparently." I climbed into the saddle and motioned for her to climb up behind me. "You're coming, right?"

Tavi crossed to the horse, and I offered my arm so she could swing up behind me. Settled at my back, she held onto my waist. I nudged the horse into a walk.

"I totally forgot you were visiting today."

"It's okay. How badly are Meara and Garron hurt?"

"Pretty bad." I gave her a quick summation of what had happened. The memory of Garron limp in Arden's arms flitted through my brain, and my mouth pulled into a frown. I held the bag out to the side. "Would you hold on to this?"

She took the purse without a word.

"Be careful. Don't let it bite you. If it starts moving around inside, tell me." I didn't know what I'd do, but I didn't want Tavi to get bit, either. I urged the horse into a trot.

We stuck to the well-worn pathway meandering through the trees, figuring it would be faster than going cross-country. I didn't consider that there might be other people on it. I yanked the Suntaria to a skidding stop, and barely missed running over a man in woolen trousers and tunic kneeling on the right edge of the road, pitchfork in hand. Tavi rammed up against my back, which shoved me forward. The saddle horn jammed into my stomach, driving the air out of me. Tavi slid sideways and would have fallen off if she hadn't grabbed me around the waist in a death grip.

The man looked up, and I realized I'd about run over the hunter I'd hired a couple of months ago.

"Lan? Are you okay? I didn't mean to..."

He stared at us with an odd expression-like he saw us but nothing registered in his head-and then turned his attention back to a grisly glob of wiry gray fur, blood, and what had to be internal tissue in front of him.

"What is that?" I asked.

"Used to be one of my dogs."

"What did that to it?"

Lan shook his head. "They were big dogs, hunting dogs. Together they could take down a bear."

"They?" Tavi said.

"I had two. A brother and sister team. Trained 'em myself from when they was puppies." He gestured to the tufts of fur scattered in the leaves and bushes, and the bloody trail that crossed the pathway in front of us. "Guess that's the other one. Or what's left of 'em."

"I'm so sorry," I said.

His mouth tightened, and he leaned on the pitchfork to stand. "You're kind, Miss Hazel. We all best be getting away from here. Whatever killed my dogs might still be around."

"We'll go with you, until you get home. You live nearby, right?" Part of me didn't want to offer. I'd been away from Garron and Meara long enough I itched to get back. But the other part couldn't leave the man alone in the forest to potentially be torn apart and eaten by some beast. Tavi and I should be pretty safe, considering we were on horseback. Lan was alone and on foot.

"My house isn't far. I'd probably be okay, if you want to go on. You looked to be in a hurry."

I gave him a smile. "It's no problem. Safety in numbers, you know."

He looked back at the bloody remains of the dog at his feet. "It might be a good idea. I live that way."

People of the Realm were hardy and used to the natural order of life, but this was no ordinary animal attack, and made the hair on the back of my neck lift. Getting out of there was a very good idea. I nudged the horse into a walk in the direction Lan indicated. "Let's go, then."