“The first of each Kind to appear in Faery,” said Valeray.
“They were critical in defeating Orbane the last time, for they could raise whole armies; even so, Orbane alone held them off until we found a way to banish him to the Castle of Shadows in the Great Darkness beyond the Black Wall of the World.”
“Ah, I see. And if I understand correctly, this talisman the witch did steal, it is the key that will unlock him.”
“Oui.”
There came a discreet tap at the door, and, at Valeray’s call, Claude entered. “My lord, there is someone who urgently requests an audience. He says he has-” His iridescent wings but a blur, into the chamber hurtled Flic, the tiny Sprite darting this way and that. “My lord Valeray, my lord Borel, my lady Celeste,” called the tiny Sprite, and for a moment he seemed confused as to which person he should address-Valeray the king; or Borel, his old companion; or Celeste, the princess of the Springwood. Finally, he landed before the king. “In the Springwood,” Flic gasped, “the Springwood, my lord-”
“Take a deep breath, Flic,” said Valeray, “and gather your wits.” Valeray then turned to Claude. “How did he come?”
“Through the grand ballroom, my lord, calling out for you or Prince Borel or Princess Celeste.”
Valeray sighed and said, “Claude, make certain the guests therein are not alarmed by his appearance and obvious distress.
Allay any fear they might have.”
“Oui, my lord,” said the steward, and he withdrew.
Puffing and blowing, at last Flic managed to quiet his panting, and, with a final deep breath and slow exhalation, he bowed and said, “My lord.”
“Now, Flic, this news you bear,” said Valeray, smiling.
“My lord, the witch Hradian-Fleurette and I think it was she-is within the Springwood; she flies sunwise.”
“As we thought,” groaned Luc.
Flic puckered his brow and turned toward the knight. “You knew she was there?”
“We were somewhat certain that she had left my demesne,” said Valeray. He looked at the gathering and said, “And given what we now know, it seems likely the witch you saw was indeed Hradian.”
“Are you positive that it was Hradian in my demesne?” asked Celeste. “Could it have been a different witch?”
“Mayhap, my lady,” said Flic. “Yet the one we saw fits the description given Fleurette by Lady Camille, and the one Lord Borel told to me: a knot of darkness streaming shadows.”
“With that depiction,” said Camille, “I agree: Flic and Fleurette saw Hradian.”
“Oh, and there is this,” said Flic, “the witch seemed to be talking to a great flock of crows-dreadful savages that they are-and they scattered in all directions, and then she flew away.”
Valeray frowned. “Speaking to crows?”
“Oui, but I know not what she said.”
“Why would she be speaking to crows?” asked Regar, and he looked about the table and saw only frowns of puzzlement.
After a moment Borel asked “Where is Fleurette?”
“She and Buzzer are in this demesne, just this side of the dawnwise bound, Lord Borel. Though a day late, we were on our way to the faire, and we had just settled for the night, what with Buzzer needing to sleep when the eventide begins to flow.”
“Exactly where did you see the witch?” asked Celeste.
“In the Springwood nigh your starwise border. The racket of the crows awoke us, and Hradian was on a tor talking to them, the flock swirling about and listening.”
“Across my own dawnwise marge?” asked Valeray.
“Oui, my lord, just barely.”
“Think you she had just come from my demesne?” Flic shrugged. “That I know not, my lord, yet if she were travelling in a straight line, she would have been flying sunwise as she entered the Springwood, and sunwise she did continue.” Silence fell, and Flic asked, “Why would she be here?” Valeray sighed and said, “She took the key to the Castle of Shadows, and with it she will set Orbane free.”
“Mithras!” exclaimed Flic, aghast. “What should we do?”
“As I said before you arrived, Flic, we have no choice but to raise our armies, warn the realms, and notify the Firsts.”
“My lord,” said Camille, “there is something else we simply
“And that would be. .?”
“Raseri, my lord. Raseri.”
“Know you where he might be?”
“Non, yet Chemine might know, for her son Rondalo rides with the Drake.”
Valeray nodded and said, “We will need a swift messenger.”
“Sprites,” said Flic. “We are the swiftest messengers and, not only can we reach Chemine ere anyone, we can also alert the realms and notify the Firsts and, can we alert all Sprites, surely one of us will know where flies Raseri and Rondalo, or if not, can find them swiftly. What do we say to Raseri?”
“He must be told to fly to the Black Wall of the World, there to wait and intercept Hradian and recover the key-a simple silver amulet on a silver chain and set with a blue stone,” said Camille.
“Then let us Sprites bear the word,” said Flic.
“Well and good,” Valeray. “I will summon those of this demesne and give them the charge to rally all Sprites everywhere to spread the alarm throughout Faery and especially to alert the Firsts.”
“Oh, my,” said Camille.
“What is it, cherie?” asked Alain.
“What if Hradian anticipated that we would ask the Sprites to carry warnings to all, and that’s why she raised the crows.”
“My lady, your meaning?” asked Laurent.
But it was Flic who answered: “Crows are terrible enemies of Sprites. Whenever one of those black devils gets a chance, it will try to snatch up one of us.”
“And. .?” asked Laurent.
“And tear us to shreds and swallow us down,” growled Flic.
“Then we need to send messengers the crows cannot deter,” said Blaise.
“People, you mean?” asked Laurent.
“Wait a moment,” protested Flic. “What makes you think Sprites are not people?”
“I meant Humans,” said Laurent.
Flic huffed, but said nought.
“We will send both,” said Valeray.
“My lord,” asked Regar, “is one of these Firsts the Fairy King?”
“Oui. And he has a splendid army; it was key in delaying Orbane’s conquest until we could find a way of stopping him.”
“Then I would like the duty of bearing the warning to him.”
“Know you the way?”
“Non.”
“But I do,” said Flic. “Lord Borel and I went to his Halls Under the Hills when we were saving Lady Michelle.”
“Then you and Regar will take on that task,” said Valeray.
He turned to the others and asked, “Who knows the way to Lady Chemine?”
“I do,” said Camille, “and so does Scruff. We also have been to Raseri’s lair.”
Even as Valeray winced at the thought of sending Camille on such a mission, “My lord,” said Luc, “methinks should you send Lady Camille to find Raseri and Regar to the Fairy King, by the time they succeed it will simply be
