We didn’t have to wait for long.

  Ruth, who under normal circumstances would have been dragging me toward every new smell that crossed his nose, had instead folded himself at Eithna’s feet as if the journey had finally caught up with him.

  He looked perfectly at ease there.

  I tried leaning myself against the cushion on the side of my chair…

  It didn’t help.

  The shift in the hall’s atmosphere came quietly.

  People didn’t fall silent, they adjusted. A subtle widening of space here, a reordering of paths there.

  Someone important was approaching.

  He moved with the relaxed confidence of a man entirely certain of his place in the world. Those he passed acknowledged him with small gestures of respect; he returned them easily, never breaking his stride.

  When he drew closer, he saw Eithna.

  His expression warmed.

  “Eithna,” he said. “It has been a while. How are you?”

  “I’m well,” she replied. “And you?”

  “Still surviving,” he said lightly.

  So.

  They knew each other.

  That seemed promising.

  His attention then shifted to me.

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Measured, but curious.

  “Then I assume,” he said, “this is Dwight.”

  “It is,” Eithna confirmed.

  He stepped closer and offered his hand.

  “Laurice,” he said. “I represent the Seelie Court.”

  Ah.

  So this was their representative, Laurice.

  I quickly rose from my seat, took his hand and shook it.

  “Nice to meet you,” I said. “I’d introduce myself, but you seem ahead of me.”

  A faint smile touched his mouth.

  “Yes,” he said. “We’ve been waiting for you.”

  Waiting.

  That word again.

  “For me?” I asked. “Why?”

  “With everything in motion, you have an important decision to make…”

  Eithna coughed, cutting his words short.

  Not loudly.

  But pointedly.

  Laurice glanced toward her, understanding dawning almost instantly.

  “I see,” he said. “You’ve told him very little.”

  “I want him uninfluenced,” she replied.

  A pause.

  Then a small nod from Laurice.

  “He’ll learn soon enough,” he said. “Very well.”

  He stepped back and gestured toward one of the corridors leading away from the hall.

  “Please,” he said. “come with me.”

  I nudged Ruth gently with my foot, waking him from what had clearly been the most peaceful nap in any dimension.

  He rose with a sigh and fell into step beside me.

  We followed Laurice through one of the branching passageways.

  The corridor curved, rising gradually along the outer wall of the great hall. Every so often we passed tall windows that revealed the ordered life continuing below.

  Normal.

  Calm.

  Unaware that my stomach had decided to attempt escape.

  At last we reached a set of large double doors.

  Laurice stopped.

  He turned toward us.

  And for the first time since he had arrived, he looked almost formal.

  Eithna’s hand closed lightly around my arm.

  “Remember,” she said under her breath, “speak only when you are asked.”

  I nodded.

  “And no matter what they say,” she continued, “you must keep your temper.”

  That sounded less like caution and more like prophecy.

  I swallowed.

  “Right,” I said.

  Laurice had remained silent. When Eithna had finished he glanced from her, then to me.

  “Ready?” he asked.