Page 116 of The Shadow Path
Duncan frowned. “I wouldn’t say that. Wild fae can beverypowerful. They’re just more solitary.”
“And they tend to be loyal to their specific forest or river.” Lachlan leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and staring at the fire. “Or house for that matter. A brownie or an úruisg would never harm a child of their house.”
“Annoy it, maybe.” Duncan cracked a smile. “God knows Auld Mags used to play her pranks on us when we were children.” He glanced at Lachlan. “Particularly if we were annoying her. But harming them? Stealing them away from their beds?” He shook his head. “I can’t see it.”
Carys nodded slowly. “It would violate their bargain with the home. If the family living there was feeding the brownie or taking care of the forest where a sprite lived, harming that family would break magical rules.”
Laura said, “In our home, not even a powerful deity could make one of the Kheta Inwe betray the forest or the village they care for. It would go against their nature on an elemental level.”
“Fine,” Winnie said. “They might not have taken the children, but they didn’t stop Cian’s people from taking them either.”
Godrik lifted his chin. “Not every home in Anglia has a house fae. Most wolf houses don’t have them at all.”
Winnie narrowed her eyes. “You’re right. Most houses in the city don’t hold fae.” She stood and started to pace. “Hosting a brownie or a gnome in the garden is kind of seen as a country thing.”
Carys blinked. “Is possible Cian and Orla’s people only stole children from houses with no house fae?”
Winnie stopped pacing. “It’s something to ask. And it might even be a way for families to defend themselves.”
“If that’s true,” Laura said, “that means the brownies, the sprites, and the gnomes might be allies.”
Carys turned toward Godrik. “You asked me what I did in Maen Llia, but it wasn’t me at all. I told the tree sprite there were children locked in the fort, and she did something. That’s what the soldiers saw, but it wasn’t me. I’m almost sure it was the sprite.”
“There was elemental magic,” Cadell said. “It seemed that the earth itself responded. The ground broke open, but it was from inside the fort, not outside.”
“So the minor fae” —Lachlan leaned forward— “the brownies and the sprites?—”
“Mermin and the water serpents,” Winnie added. “There are so many in the Tamis.”
Godrik nodded. “And people still offer sacrifices to the river,” he said. “Even if they ignore the household fae, everyone recognizes the magic in the river.”
“Selkies, the Great Serpent.” Winnie’s eyes were sharp. “They could all be allies. We have to reach out to them.”
“You must have court mages,” Laura said. “I’d contact them first.”
Duncan pulled Carys’s arm into his lap and held her hand. “Cian’s court isn’t likely to coordinate with the wild fae, are they? In a way, they’re as bad as the humans are. They mostly ignore anyone who’s not high fae.”
“We should return to the castle,” Winnie said. “But I’ll ask the families with missing children about house fae. If they have them and those fae didn’t protect the children, they may be working with Cian and Orla’s people.”
“But if they didn’t,” Cadell said, “then Anglia has a powerful and overlooked ally that can help you find the missing.”
Godrik stood and held his hand toward Cadell, who took it.
They grasped forearms, and Godrik said, “I’m relieved your young are safe.”
“I wish the best for your hunt,” Cadell said. “If my nêrys and I can be of any help, please send a messenger.”
“There were ten human children being kept in that mound with the young dragons,” Carys said to Godrik. “They only remembered falling asleep; then they woke up in the fae mound when the wards broke open.”
“We can hope that the Anglian children are glamoured as well,” Winnie said. “It might be a comfort to their parents to know that they’re probably not terrified.”
“Wolf children won’t sleep.” Godrik’s voice was cold. “Fae spells do not work on them.”
Laura stood as well. “Has anyone heard anything from Orla or the fae? Have they made any demands?”
“Nothing specific.” Winnie held out a pamphlet. “Another one of these was dropped last night, but it’s doing nothing but causing trouble with the people.”
Carys looked over Laura’s shoulder and began to read.
