Chapter 17

Tamisin would have preferred to fly over the briars, but her wing still hurt, and Narlayna told her not to use it for a few days. Instead the ogress escorted her as far as the opening in the hedge, where she stayed while Tamisin continued on. Upon reaching the clearing, Tamisin was surprised to see that the sun was high in the sky; she had missed breakfast as well as supper, so she headed toward the rock to try to get something to eat.

When she arrived, only a few fairies were helping themselves to food, but Irinia was there, and Tamisin remembered the two-faced woman’s soothing touch the night before. Tamisin waited until Irinia noticed her before going closer and saying, “I want to thank you.”

Irinia held up her hand in a shushing motion. “There’s no need.”

“Have you decided what you’re going to wear to the dance?” one of the fairies asked another.

“My pink petal dress, of course,” the fairy replied as they wandered off together.

Tamisin was about to try talking to Irinia again when Dasras hailed her.

“Where have you been?” he asked, scowling. “I went to your tree first thing this morning, but you weren’t there. I’ve been looking all over for you.”

“I got up early this morning and went for a walk,” said Tamisin.

“I saw Buttercup by the lake. She said she saw you returning from the other side of the briar hedge.”

Tamisin tried to think of an answer that wouldn’t give too much away. “I went to ask Narlayna to make me a dress for the dance,” she said, glancing at Irinia as she said it.

Irinia nodded and gave Tamisin a quick half smile.

“Ah,” Dasras said, appearing satisfied. “Then you’re going with me?”

“I guess I am.” Tamisin groaned under her breath. She’d talked herself into a corner; now she’d either have to go or leave the forest before the dance began.

Plucking a fat, red apple from the table, she tried to think of something to say to Dasras. She no longer felt as if she loved him; the little voice telling her that she did had died on the mermaid’s beach. There were a lot of things that she wanted to say to him, but none of them were pleasant, and she remembered Malcolm’s warning to be discreet. Telling him off would attract attention, as would starting an argument, so neither one would be a good idea now. Instead, she took a bite from the apple, delaying the need to say anything, and looked up when a tiny messenger fairy arrived.

Instead of going to Dasras, the fairy came to her. She waited while he grew to full size. “Colonel Mountain Ash wants to see you,” said the messenger. “Go to the fairy king’s clearing. The colonel is waiting for you there.”

“Why would the colonel want to see me?” she asked Dasras as the messenger flew away.

He shrugged. “I have no idea, but you should hurry. If the colonel wants to see you, it must be important.”