Aston had the letter from Katrine in one coat pocket and the mobile for Zara in the other. He didn't know what to do first. Ben glanced at his own mobile and had headed back for the gate.
"You're the Seelie with computers; I saw a report about you," said one of the astonished humans. "I didn't know that computers could do that."
"They can't, not unless you're faerie," Aston said. "Your town is in no danger of humans learning spells."
"That's good," the other man said. "Where did you send them? All the way to Ophielis?"
"No, a spot about halfway," Aston replied. "I marked it on my journey up here so I could use it as a relay if we had trouble."
"That was smart," the human said. "Anyway, we're going back inside; do you think you could come back, tell us more about this magical tech? Is that was you and that Half blood are setting up? Do you communicate with Roanoke as well? Could we..."
"I'll come back," Aston interrupted. "I'll be back tomorrow; here, give me your number and I'll text you."
He handed the eager human his mobile and the man tapped in his contact information. He didn't know if this relationship would get him into trouble, but since he wouldn't be living in Artragon for long, it hardly mattered. Once he retrieved his mobile, he typed a new destination for himself and made his way to this mysterious Seelie Court of Illidrit.
He made wide parameters to make sure that he didn't appear anywhere near another Seelie, and so walked through the village without note, once he put his computer back into his bag. The bag was lined with iron fibers, making it mostly safe from faeries and their magic.
Aston hadn't been to a Seelie Court since Rentret, but this court was much different. The people smiled in the fields of maize that he passed and wagons of cloth and other goods passed him on the stone path. He should have gone back to Artragon for more faerie clothes, he thought. But Aston didn't really own any Seelie clothes. He was stopped a gate across a creek; he could see a large building beyond the fence. It wasn't a castle, more like an enormous house, something that he would have expected to find in Roanoke, not out here. The roof was a beautiful curved red tile.
"State your name and business," the guard said gruffly.
"I am Aston sel Cabadrey and I have a letter for..." Aston glanced at the letter. "Brillian sel Illidrit. I've come a long way."
"I've not heard of any Cabadrey," the guard said.
"It's on the east coast, near Aendain and Rentret," Aston explained. "I am my lord father's youngest son."
If they hadn't heard of Cabadrey, they hadn't heard of its demise. Being a noble might be his best option. The guard performed some sort of security spell, but then allowed Aston to enter, albeit companied by two of the guards. They flanked him as he walked up the path to the manor where Aston was met by a Seelie noble who blinked down at Aston with curiosity. He had thick blonde hair that seemed to point upward with more consistency than down. He wasn't as tall as Kester or Dravian, but was significantly taller than Aston. Then again, everyone was taller than Aston.
"Did you walk all the way here?" the Seelie said.
"I rode part of the way," Aston said. "Left my horse; I wasn't certain what I was heading into."
There was no way to explain the circumstances of his arrival. The man stared down at him with slight crease in his forehead as if he could be worried about Aston.
"I am Aston sel Cabadrey," Aston said in the awkward silence.
"Brillian sel Illidrit," the man replied.
"I have a letter for you."
Aston pulled out the letter, noting that Katrine hadn't marked the wax with the Half Court seal. He wasn't sure how many more lies he could tell; Aston just needed this man to take it so his task for Katrine could be done. She hadn't ordered him, of course, but she had pleaded in a way that had insinuated this was important, extremely so. So Aston was prepared to do his best.
"You've come all this way; the letter can wait a moment," Brillian told Aston, much to the latter's dismay. "Come in, come in. Thank you, you're dismissed," he said to the guards and shut the door behind Aston.
"I really don't need..." Aston began.
"So you're from Cabadrey? I heard that everyone was murdered there," Brillian mused, interrupting Aston.
He led Aston through the house; Aston was hard pressed not to stare at the strange décor. The ceilings were so high and they had huge murals painted on nearly every wall. It was amazing. They ended up on the other side of the manor back outside, where there were a couple chairs. Brillian sat in one and gestured to another. Faeries walked with purpose around the manor, but Aston didn't spy any other nobles, at least, not yet.
"So either you're some sort of miracle," he continued. "Or an imposter. Which is it?"
"Not an imposter," Aston replied. "And I don't particularly feel like a miracle. I watched Unseelies murder my brother and sister and set fire to my court."
Brillian sighed. "You east coast faeries have so much infighting. Out here, there's too much land between us to fight."
Faeries brought glasses of wine and a bottle. Aston was a little surprised by it.
"Don't tell me they don't have wine on the east coast," Brillian remarked, picking up his glass.
"We do, but no one drinks much," Aston said, unable to explain about humans and their proliferation of alcohols.
"Ah, well. It keeps better that the water out here. Try it."
Aston set the letter down on the table and then cautiously picked up the glass. He felt uneasy about this whole meeting. He didn't like being in a Full Court, especially by himself and especially with his computer tucked under his arm. It would take him thirty seconds to program it to get him home; what if he didn't have that kind of time? He took a cautious sip of wine.
"You look very nervous, Aston," Brillian mused. "Is that because you're a terrible assassin, or just someone's pawn?"
"Neither," Aston managed. "Look, I am delivering the letter for a friend who stressed the importance of this correspondence. I don't know anything about the content other than the surety that I was given that no one would get hurt."
"Who is this friend?" Brillian questioned.
"Katrine ne Artragon," Aston replied before he could stop himself.
Truth spell, Aston thought, cursing inwardly for not being more careful. Of course they would be suspicious. He should have just pretended to be some court's bond slave and handed off the letter. What had he been thinking?"
"I don't know anyone from the Half Court," Brillian told Aston. "What's so important about this letter?"
"I don't know."
"But you don't think it'll harm me?"
"No, Katrine said it absolutely wouldn't."
"So you think I should open it?'
"Yes," Aston replied, setting the glass down. He wasn't sure if it was some sort of poison or spell; but he didn't want to risk any more magic around himself or the computer.
"Why you?" Brillian continued.
"Because I'm a Seelie, and she said Half bloods weren't welcome here," Aston replied.
Brillian took the letter in his hands, flipping it over a couple times. Aston feared the man was ready to rip it up, but then the Seelie grinned.
"My parents say I like to live dangerously," he confided and broke the seal.
As Brillian unfolded the paper, a light flashed in his face. He swore, rising from his seat and dropping the letter to the ground. Aston rose as well, certain that Katrine had walked him into a trap. But just as suddenly, Brillian stopped and stood perfectly still.
"Oh fates above," he whispered. "Zara."
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I have been waiting for this chapter for a while. Meet Brillian, he's a dear. Thanks for reading!