gripped his teacup.
Noli took another sip and looked up at him. “Tomorrow you’re going to wake up, grab your sword, storm over to the earth court palace, and challenge him?”
It seemed so … simplistic given the complexity of Otherworldly conventions.
V and James exchanged glances.
“Pretty much.” Steven pulled her to him. “You don’t have come.”
“You can’t keep me away. If you’re going to finally achieve your childhood dream of taking back your court, I am most certainly coming with you.” She pressed her forehead to his. She’d stand by V’s side no matter what.
“I … I’m not going to challenge him for the earth court. I’m not an adult yet—and I’m not ready. I’m just challenging him for the death of my father.” He went pale as he said that.
“So the duel isn’t to the death?” The idea didn’t make her feel any better.
“No, the particular challenge I’m going to invoke isn’t to the death.” He pressed his face into her shoulder and her arms wrapped around him.
Then what was the point?
“I don’t understand Otherworld politics,” she muttered into her teacup.
James shot out of his chair, anger burning in his eyes. “We’re not going kill him? He killed our father and
A look she’d never seen before crossed V’s face. “Oh, we’ll kill him,” V told him. “By the Bright Lady I promise you that. Just not tomorrow. I’m not an adult yet—and neither are you, which means we can’t legally challenge him to the death. There’s still a chance someone could die in any such a duel, regardless of what kind.”
As long as it wasn’t V. That’s what she feared most.
“Are … are you still in?” V’s voice wavered slightly.
“Of course I am.” James put in his hand. “That’s what brothers are for.”
Noli put her hand on top of James’. “Count me in as well.”
V added his hand to the pile. “Let’s do this. Tomorrow we’ll go to the earth court and avenge my father’s death.”
Noli picked up her teacup and raised it. “To revenge.”
James and V picked up their teacups as well. “To revenge.”
V drank then added, “Between friends there is no need for justice, but people who are just still need the quality of friendship; and indeed friendliness is considered to be justice in the fullest sense. It is not only a necessary thing but a splendid one.”
“Nicomachean Ethics?” She couldn’t help but grin at V. “I’ve missed your random quoting of things.”
James huffed as he poured everyone more tea. “You two are
“But we’re here.” She snuggled closer to V.
V put an arm around her waist. “That we are.”
A plan formed in Noli’s mind as they drank their tea. James and V were still considered children in the Otherworld. Thanks to what the queen had done to her, technically, she was an adult sprite. She was sick and tired of being protected. No one was going to coddle her or tell her what do any longer. Even if she wasn’t much of a fighter, she’d find some way to destroy the earth court king, no matter what.
Oh yes, King Brogan would pay dearly. No one threatened those she loved and got away with it. No one.
The End
Author’s Note
I’ve also had great fun creating alternate histories, which I consider one of the perks of writing Steampunk. There are so many things might have been but never were. For example, how would the landscape of our county change if Hawaii had remained a sovereign nation instead of becoming a state?
The State of Deseret was also something that never was. I’ve made Deseret an official territory, not a state, and much smaller than originally proposed, about the size and placement of Utah. The MoBatts is a play on the Mormon Battalion, which was the only religiously based unit in United States military history, serving during the Mexican-American war. I entertained the notion that the battalion stayed in service after the war, eventually becoming a privatized security force for Deseret, chasing all sorts of baddies—especially air pirates.
Human trafficking was an issue during the Victorian era. Girls were being abducted then brought to America to work in brothels because the supply of willing girls didn’t meet the demand. In 1910 the American government banned the interstate transport of women for “immoral purposes.” Unfortunately, human trafficking is still an issue world-wide today.
Making art and jewelry out of human hair was a Victorian pastime and ladies magazines even published instructions. I’m not sure if any faeries were commissioning mortals to steal antiquities, but people aren’t always whom or what they seem, which is valuable to remember, no matter age you live in.
—Suzanne Lazear
About the Author
Suzanne Lazear (Los Angeles, CA) loves both faeries and steampunk and has been known to build faerie houses in the backyard and make rayguns to match her ball gown. She’s a regular blogger at
To learn more about the world of the Aether Chronicles, please visit www.aetherchronicles.com.
