Page 26 of Anwen of Primewood
“It will be faster and safer on the horses,” he says.
We go after Danver, but it isn’t easy to take the samepath as a fox. Irving crashes through the brush behind us. I glance back to see if Coal still follows, but he’s gone. I bite my lip. It’s probably better this way.
I’m not sure how far we run from our trail, but it seems as if it’s been ages. No matter how many times I whistle for him, Danver doesn’t stop. Once again, I see the flash of white fox tail, but this time, that’s not all I see.
There are lights ahead.
Galinor slows the horse. “Do you see those?”
“Fairies,” I breathe.
I can barely believe we’ve found them.
“How do we approach?” Irving asks Galinor.
Galinor shakes his head. “I don’t know. We found them before by chance.”
We watch the lights twinkle through the trees. They appear to be in a clearing. They flit back and forth at an unimaginable speed, leaving trails of sparkling light in their wake. Out of the sky, a black winged-form descends, landing in the middle of the clearing.
“Look,” I whisper. “It’s Coal.”
The glasseln stretches out on the soft meadow grass. He seems completely at ease. Galinor urges his horse forward. As we near, I see Danver is amongst the fairies as well. We pause near the edge of the trees, none of us sure how to announce our presence.
A bright circle of light zooms toward us, solving our problem. The fairy is a tiny woman, perfectly human, but miniature. Her wings move so quickly, they are but a blur.
I’ve longed for this moment, but now that it’s here, I can’t find words.
“Welcome.” The fairy motions us forward. “Please, come.”
We dismount. Feeling suddenly shy, I follow behind Galinor. He notices my hesitation and offers me his hand. I take it, feeling a little better once his fingers wrap around mine.
Now that we’re near, I see the fairies have taken up residence in a new eldentimber tree. This one is younger than the last, its green leaves only edged in gold. The fairies float around us, and I can only make out a glimpse of them if they fly close.
A different fairy drifts from the tree and hovers in front of Galinor. “We remember you.” He doesn’t sound as welcoming as the first. “Why have you returned?”
Galinor’s hand tightens around mine. “We have come seeking an item.”
Around us, the white lights burst into laughter. This is probably not a good way to start.
“And what item is it this time, prince?”
Galinor squeezes my hand. It’s my turn to speak.
Wondering what the proper way to address a fairy is, I say, “Sir?” I let go of Galinor’s hand and curtsy. “Thank you for your hospitality.”
The fairy raises his tiny eyebrows and gives Galinor a pointed smirk before he looks back to me. “You are most welcome, fair one. What brings you to our glen?”
Galinor shoots me a look of disbelief, but he keeps quiet.
“Many years ago, my father was given a gift by your kind. I have…” I try to clear the lump in my throat.
How do I tell them I was careless enough to lose it?
I say to the ground, “I was foolish, and I have given it away.”
The fairy flies close to my face. “Tell me what you have lost.”
“A changeling stone.”
