AZLANDER - Second Nature - a modern faerie story

Chapter 186 - In His Defence

"Your uncle Gordon will take care of you until I come back" Puck softly said to Charley, who was drinking her juice contentedly.

They had returned to the tree-house immediately after their escape. The air there seemed to agree with the infant's temperament, and she had settled there quite happily.

The Troll Security Services were replaced with a blue ribbon, top Elvin Guard, who were more costly to hire, but well worth the peace of mind that came with them. Unlike the Trolls they were faithful to their employers and would not be paid off.

Puck was angry, yet cool minded. His ringlets had grown wildly down his shoulders; his eyes had turned indigo with sadness.

From his storeroom he retrieved a fighting suit that the Fey often wore under their street clothes when danger is felt to be imminent. It was woven from a fine spider thread, yet its outer was stronger than steel. It was the very kind that comic books based their costumes for superheroes upon, but much better looking compared to a Lycra counterfeit.

Three hours had passed, yet he still had no feeling as to where Marley might be or how she was. Losing this connection with her was making him agitated. He mentally ran through his plans.

"First up I must go and see to it that the Christian is alright." 

Puck felt responsible for Barnabus and did not want him going to jail for having killed Forsythe.

"Did you leave someone to watch the apartment in case Marley returns back there tomorrow? She has no where else to go right now." Goober asked, just as Puck was about to leave.

"Oh, the rabbit will be fine" he said, "he knows how to get hold of us if she does."

"No, that can't be right, he's back here with us - Charley has him in her room upstairs."

"She must have wished him back. That's alright, I'll stop by and leave a note."

"Message me with any updates."

"I'll do the same", he was tense now - and as he walked out into the half-light of the forest he was feeling very definitely that he could kill someone right now.

The ages weighed on Puck's heart and all of the harm this Demon had done was crushing him. He wanted Forsythe to be gone for good, expelled from the world - to another cosmos preferably.

He looked back at his woods and saw the ethers flicking around the base of the trees like misty flames. The flowers were expiring rich fragrant vapours from their labia and their perfumes of twilight were hazing all over the ferny growth. There was a certain peace one could find with immortality, he mused.

And with that Puck set out to go to the West London Precinct to help the man who had defended his daughter so valiantly.