“We did it to protect her,” she said. Her voice carried all of the sorrows and energy of a crisp Fall day. “We must continue to protect her now. Her location has been discovered, and they will come after her next,” she said. The twilight cloaked queen shifted uncomfortably at this admittance of their weakness in this situation, of their failures to protect the daughter of their people reliably.
Aeron grimaced, but he slackened his grip on the cocoon. The twilight queen swooped in to grab the girl up, looking at him with distrusting eyes. It was clear she thought he would snatch the girl up again if given the chance. Indeed, it already looked like he was reconsidering his decision to hand her over.
“It`s for the best,” Jackie said, stepping forward. She placed a gentle hand on the arm the Autumn queen had released. He nodded, stepping back.
“We will come back to see you soon,” the Autumn queen said. She looked around at the other stunned faces in the room. “It seems that events are finally moving, so we are fated to meet once more and deal with the traitors,” she said. The fey warrior walked forward to join his fellows at the slightest of gestures from one of them, looking back regretfully at the others gathered there. Then, with a swish of cloaks, all of them were gone from the room.
In their wake the palace shuddered.
