Page 101 of Made

“Yes, Your Highness,” the man said before hurrying away.

To Exscruffenrox, Diarmuid said, “Hey there, fella. Welcome to Eire. I’m king here. That means what I say goes unless my wife says otherwise.”

“Thank you, Your Highness,” said Exscruffenrox in a rather noble display of courtesy.

“Evie…” Diarmuid turned to the queen with a look she’d never seen before. It was a look of pleading coming not from the most powerful royal in all of fae, but from the eyes of a juvenile who desperately wanted a dog. “I think we can find a place here for Exscruffenrox. What do you think?”

As much as Diarmuid was devoted to Evie, she felt the same. How could she ever deny him something he wanted so much?

“Who’s going to take care of him?” She said it straight-faced, like she was talking to a kid who’d brought a stray home.

“Em. We have people for that. Do we no’?”

“We do, but if you’re going to be a responsible owner, don’t you think you should take care of your pet personally?”

Exscruffenrox’s head jerked toward the queen. “Pet?”

Somehow, by the way it reacted, she knew she’d given some offense. “Well, I, um… What I meant to say was…”

“Exscruffenrox,” Diarmuid interrupted, “have you ever heard of an tseilg fiáin?”

“No,” it said.

“It’s Irish,” Evie said, relieved to be off the faux pas hook. “It means the Wild Hunt.”

The creature showed no sign of recognition.

“Your Highness.” The attendant who’d left to fetch the Wizard Crowley burst into the room, dipped his head in a perfunctory bow, then said, “He is here and at your service.”

“Send him in,” Diarmuid said.

The Wizard Crowley looked like the furthest thing from Gandalf. He arrived wearing a big grin, a straw hat, a Margaritaville shirt, cargo shorts, and crocs. His focus immediately landed on the most unusual thing in the room, Exscruffenrox. “Your Highness,” he said with a nod toward Diarmuid. “Your Highness,” he said with a nod toward Evie. His gaze came immediately back to Exscruffenrox. “What have we here?”

Diarmuid felt Exscruffenrox tense as it looked the newcomer over with a hint of suspicion, ears pointed high.

“Do no’ worry, fella,” said the king. “The crazy man works for me. And nobody will think to harm ye while yer under my protection.”

The king felt the creature relax upon hearing his calming words, and Diarmuid found an unexplained satisfaction in that.

To the Wizard Crowley, Diarmuid said, “Thank ye for comin’. I’m thinkin’ about an addition to my household.” The wizard’s eyes went from the king to the monster. “Since I’m no longer a bachelor, but both husband and da, I’m bein’ careful and seekin’ clearance. Can you see any reason why I should no’ invite Exscruffenrox to stay?”

Keir looked at Evie. He’d brought Exscruffenrox to them, hoping that they could find a home for him in one of the lands of Eire dimension. This development was far from expected, but also very good news for a monster who’d been imprisoned, mistreated, and likely forgotten by good-for-nothing Olympians.

“Happy to serve, Your Highness,” said the wizard.

“In that case, take off your hat,” Diarmuid ordered.

“Oh,” Wizard Crowley pulled his hat away to reveal a perfectly bald dome. “Apologies, Your Highness. Forgot ‘twas there.” The kind nodded. “As to this fine fellow, I see nothing in the temperament to preclude what you suggest. It might make a fine addition to the royal household. The poor thing has hada time of it, I’d say.” Diarmuid had surmised that much from Keir’s story. “There is a thing of interest. If you’d care to know.”

How could be king not be curious with a tease like that? “What is it?” he asked.

“Well, the story can be long or short. Do you have a preference?”

“Short.”

“Very well. It begins with Zeus. He saw himself as enjoying an open marriage, but also saw the openness as one-sided. In his worldview, the same privileges of infidelity didn’t extend to his wife. You might say she experienced cumulative fury. One day, when he was away at one of his famous barge parties, Hera conceived and birthed a son, Typhon, paternity unknown.

“Typhon was her darling, the apple of her eye. When Zeus realized she had a son, paternity undisclosed, he came to hate Typhon as much as she loved him. Later, Typhon married Echidna. The marriage was blessed with offspring. Three divine hounds expressing throwback genes.

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