In the darkness of the veil, Cedar rounded upon Theo with long-suppressed fury. “You should have told me your plan!”
“Would you have let me do it?” Theo asked mildly.
“No! That was madness! It shouldn’t have worked at all. My magic isn’t meant to heal wounds like that.” Cedar’s voice shook. “How do you feel? How are you even standing? Have you bled too much? How much do humans bleed before they die?”
Theo said philosophically, “It couldn’t be helped. The king needed to see the land react to my blood, and the binding was only tenuous after Lord Willowvale’s vines. It wasn’t entirely secure until he stabbed me himself. You were the first in line to receive the land’s allegiance, if he’d killed me, but I couldn’t very well tell him that while you were standing there.”
Lily’s almost-silent sob caught Theo’s attention, and he turned to her. “My love, I would pull you close, but I fear it would only grieve you. Certainly it would soil your dress. How may I comfort you?” He turned to her and bent to press a kiss to her tear-damp cheek, to her jaw, to the curve of her neck, then to her fingers one by one.
“I just want to know you’re all right, Theo,” she managed through her tears.
“Absolutely fine,” said Theo through the haze of glittering gold. “Never better. Nicely ventilated and full of magic. My head might float away. Are you all right, Lily? Did he frighten you? His Majesty Silverthorn is actually not entirely a bad sort. I did research, you know.” He swayed and nearly fell into Cedar, who slipped a little more magic into him. “Lord Willowvale, on the other hand, is really rather unpleasant, although I am loath to speak ill of someone who isn’t present to defend himself. I shall try not to hold a grudge.”
He took a deep, shuddering breath and turned.
“You’re going the wrong way, Theo,” said Cedar. “The human world is that way.”
“The children,” Theo enunciated carefully, “are this way.”
He led them only a very short distance through the veil before putting his hand against the wall. “Cedar, I look a sight. Would you be so kind as to glamour me so I don’t terrify the children?”
Cedar sighed. “You’re mad,” he muttered.
“I’m sure you’re right. Please keep the doorway open.” Theo twisted and pulled, and Fair light flooded into the veil. He thought absently that His Majesty’s magic did not seem to fight him, even within the palace, as it had before, and wondered whether that was because the land adored him or whether the king the king had intentionally relaxed his magic to let him have the children.
Theo strode out into a bright room filled with alien plants and the buzz of a thousand wings. The floor was tiled in gorgeous cobalt glass with a shifting pattern in it that made it seem to Theo that he was walking on water; the effect accentuated his growing dizziness. The children were only a short distance away, and he focused on them.
The little group was in a circle, with three children of about seven years old sitting surrounded by nine older children, who were looking at Theo with open fear. He recognized two of the older girls as those he had already rescued, but he could not remember their names.
“Come with me now, children.” His voice felt golden and bright, and he smiled radiantly at the group, unfazed by the oldest boy’s defensive posture. “You will be safe with me.”
“Who are you?” the boy said cautiously.
“I’m taking you back to the human world. Come now, before I lose all sense of direction. That will make things more difficult.” He watched them rise, unable to decipher their expressions through the golden haze over his vision.
“Come now, human children!” Cedar said more emphatically from the doorway.
Theo counted them as they entered the veil, then leaned against the wall as the Fair lord let the door close behind him. In the darkness, Lily clasped Theo’s hand even before Cedar stepped forward to slip a little more magic into his friend.
“Hold hands, everyone.” Theo waited until the murmur of agreement subsided, then led them toward the children’s home. “I’m taking you to a home where you will be cared for. Actually I’m taking you to the palace, because that’s where the others have been for a few weeks, but soon you’ll probably move back to the original home. If you have families to return to, you will be escorted safely to them straight away. Essie and John are kind-hearted and trustworthy. You’ll have plenty of food and soon a lovely garden where you can play and rest, and you’ll learn comportment and arithmetic and language and history and lots of other things, mostly enjoyable. You girls will learn flower arranging and how to make fruit pastries and I don’t know what else, because I am not a young lady. Piano, I should think, and maybe voice lessons. I should ask Essie if they need more money for that.”
One of the boys snickered, and Oliver murmured something that stopped the laughter before it spread.
“Thank you for rescuing us, sir,” said one of the girls politely.
“You are very welcome.” Theo’s voice was warm and golden. “We’re here already. Don’t be frightened. You’ll be safe and happy here.” He opened the door with a twist and a pull of magic, then staggered out just in front of the garden in front of the ‘cottage’ that had been given to the children and their caretakers as a temporary refuge. The building was actually a spacious manor often used for hosting visiting foreign dignitaries, so Theo had been quite pleased when he learned the children would be so well-housed, even for a limited time.
Cedar’s glamour on Theo had not faded, so the few onlookers saw a pale, green-clad fairy with golden hair fluffed up like thistledown stumble out of a strange gap in the world, leading twelve frightened children.
He opened the low white gate in front of the house, which served more to define the garden edges than as a barrier, and led the children through the garden to the door. He knocked on the door, then leaned against the door frame until Essie opened it, whereupon he nearly fell into the house.
“This is the last of the children, Essie,” he said thickly. “Good day to you, and thank you.”
Essie, with a shocked gasp, ushered the children in hurriedly and put a hand out to him, but he had turned away to stagger back through the garden toward the veil.
Theo turned resolutely toward home, and tugged Lily, Oliver, and Cedar along behind him.
“Cedar, do you know where we are? I believe my sense of direction has become rather muddled. The gold sparkles make it difficult to see. I do think you might have been a little overly generous with the magic. Do you see the golden sparkles or is that just me? I actually liked this jacket quite a lot; I should have worn an older one. I didn’t plan this as well as I’d thought. It’s lamentable to have destroyed such a coat when it was entirely predictable that it would be ruined.” He had begun to slur, though his cheer was undimmed.
Oliver said quietly, “Theo, are you in pain?”
“You could call it that, but I prefer to think of it as the price of triumph. I have resolved not to complain about it though; it’s bad form to malinger. Cedar, I am quite in awe of the strength of your magic. It’s most commendable. Ah, here we are at last.” He stopped and opened the door to the human world. The midmorning sun streamed through the opening into the veil, nearly blinding everyone. Theo stepped back to let the others out before he closed the door, though Lily clung to him.
“Cedar, I am honored and delighted to offer you the hospitality of the Overton estate for as long as you would like to stay. Juniper is in the east wing. You may stay in the east wing near him and my parents, or in one of the guest suites in the west wing nearer Lily and me.” He swallowed and blinked, for the ground was wavering before him.
“Would you like a little more magic?” Cedar asked quietly. He removed Theo’s glamour.
“I don’t know.” Theo took a few deep breaths, swaying and blinking like an owl. “Is it actually daylight or is that the magic?”
“You’re still bleeding. Here.” Cedar grabbed his shoulder and Theo gasped at the rush of magic.
“I feel drunk with it already, Cedar,” he groaned. “I just want to sleep.”
Cedar let him go, then nodded to Oliver. The two put Theo’s arms around their shoulders and began to pull him toward the house.
“I’m fine!” Theo protested weakly, belying this with an agonized groan. By the time they reached the house, Anselm had seen them.
Within half an hour, they had changed Theo out of his ruined clothes, sponged the blood away, examined and bandaged his wounds, and hauled him upstairs to his bed.
“Thank you. I’m fine now. Just a little light-headed,” he said in the general direction of Anselm.
“If you get out of bed, I’ll have your mother come explain to you why it’s a bad idea,” said Anselm in a shaking voice.
Lily had felt rather pushed aside during this interlude, but she had very little idea of how to bandage a wound, and had not protested too much when Oliver assured her that they would take good care of her husband.
She had followed them upstairs to Theo’s suite and was standing at the door, feeling unnecessary and dejected in the presence of so much bustling competence.
Theo said in a startled voice, “Lily! Why are you weeping?”
She stepped to the edge of the bed, where Anselm had propped Theo up against several pillows. “Because I was frightened for you, and because I couldn’t bear to think how badly I treated you. I’m so sorry, Theo.”
Anselm shooed Oliver and Cedar out, though he shot a stern look toward Theo over his shoulder.
Theo smiled radiantly at her, his hazel eyes glittering golden. “I forgave you long ago, my love. Please think no more of it. I am more grieved by your tears than anything else.” He reached for her hand and brought it to his lips, holding her gaze with his own.
Lily couldn’t breathe for a moment, then gave a laughing sob. “I was so frightened for you. Was that really your plan?”
Theo laughed and gasped and laughed again. “More or less. The land needed blood as proof of my love, and I wasn’t able to give it on my own. Not that much, anyway! The very idea was too terrible to contemplate! Yet I knew Willowvale and Silverthorn would oblige me, if I gave them opportunity. So I did!”
He let his head fall back against the headboard. “I am glad that’s done,” he murmured, more to himself than to her. He focused on her again with no little effort. “Can you ever forgive me? I was abominable to you. I should have trusted you.”
She wiped tears from her eyes. “There’s nothing to forgive, Theo. Can you forgive me? I should never have said….”
His eyelids fluttered closed, and he murmured, “Please don’t even think of it.”
“Is there anything I can do for you now?” She hoped desperately that there was.
There was such a long silence that she thought he had fallen asleep, and then he slurred, “I think I should like it very much if you would keep holding my hand.”
So she did.
He dreamed of his wife’s smile, of dancing beneath cerulean trees and golden skies, of giving her a thousand roses of a thousand improbable shades just to see her laugh. While he dreamed, golden sparkles of magic ran through his veins, mending torn entrails and knitting muscle fibers back together.
While he slept, Oliver, Cedar, and Anselm explained the story to Sir Theodore and Lady Overton, who listened with white, horrified faces.
“Where is he now?”
“In bed, dead drunk on magic,” said Cedar. “He’ll be fine. I poured enough magic in him to kill a griffin.” At Sir Theodore’s flinch, Cedar added, “He needed it. He’ll sleep it off and wake when he’s ready.”
“Lily is with him,” added Oliver. “She’s… we’re all feeling rather shocked, I should think.”
Sir Theodore regarded Oliver with sudden compassion, seeing that the young man was trembling head to toe. “Anselm, would you mind showing Lord Mosswing and Mr. Hathaway to the library and the garden and anywhere else they might wish to entertain themselves? I shall send a message to your parents, if you don’t mind, Oliver, that you are visiting, and you may go to them when you wish. Refresh yourselves, rest, and we shall take luncheon together on the patio.” He put a hand on Anselm’s shoulder and spoke in a low voice to him. “You’ve done well, Anselm. Don’t worry now.”
The servant nodded jerkily.
Sir Theodore knocked on the doorframe so that he didn’t startle Lily.
“May we come in?”
“Of course.” Lily looked up, then back down. They had been so kind to her, and she had underestimated both them and their son. What must they think of her now? She brushed tears from her eyes.
Sir Theodore stepped to her side and looked down at Theo, who was sleeping peacefully. He was so pale that his freckles stood out with unusual clarity, and it made him look boyish and young, aside from the shadows under his eyes. The scratches on his face and hands were already healing.
Lady Overton stood behind Lily and let out a soft, grieved sigh.
Lily’s tears came in earnest then, but she said nothing, only looked down and let them fall. After a moment, Lady Overton put a gentle hand on her shoulder.
“I’m sorry,” Lily whispered. Sorry for the distance that had so pained Theo, sorry for the way she had misjudged him, sorry for her own pain… there seemed no end to the regret that swelled within her.
Theo mumbled something unintelligible and lapsed into silence.
“Lord Mosswing told us what happened,” said Sir Theodore quietly.
Lily trembled, and Lady Overton patted her gently.
“How long have you known he was the Wraith?” Lily whispered.
“Since nearly the beginning,” Sir Theodore said. “I asked him a hundred times what he meant to do with the binding magic, and he never would tell us. I should have known it would be something like this.” Unshed tears and pride thickened his voice, and he cleared his throat. “He would not want you to weep.”
She nodded, unable to speak.
After several hours, Lily accepted a tray of tea, pastries, and fruit from Anselm. She ate one-handed at Theo’s bedside.
Later in the evening, Anselm asked if she would allow Lady Overton to enjoy dinner with her at Theo’s bedside, and she agreed. He brought a little table from near the window for the two trays. Lily noted belatedly that everything had been carefully prepared so that she could eat it with one hand.
“Thank you,” she said, and he ducked his head solemnly.
The silence while they ate seemed at first painfully awkward, until Lady Overton said quietly, “I suppose we ought to have warned you that Theo loves with his whole heart. It is difficult to imagine what that means until you’ve seen it.” She looked up to meet Lily’s eyes with a soft, compassionate look. “Don’t worry. He looks better already.”
Lily looked at him, and it was true. The scratches on his face had already disappeared.
“Can you ever forgive me?” Lily whispered.
Lady Overton sighed. “It is difficult to see a beloved child suffer in body and soul. But it would be foolish indeed for me to hold anything against you when Theo would want unity; my own grievance would cause more grief to my son than what is already passed.” She reached forward to put her hand on Lily’s with motherly affection. “I have forgiven you, and my husband has as well. Do not fear any coldness from us. You are our daughter, you know, by marriage if not blood, and an injudicious misjudgment is not enough to break that bond.”
Lily found the courage to meet Lady Overton’s gaze. She found only warmth and sincerity in those kind hazel eyes, and she whispered, “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, my dear.” Lady Overton squeezed her hand, then rose. “I think Theo would be pleased if you slept here tonight. I do hope you will.”
Lily’s cheeks heated, and her mother-in-law smiled and swept out, saying, “I’ll send Anselm in for the trays, and then we’ll leave you alone. If you need anything, just ring the bell.”
Several minutes later the servant came for the trays and bowed himself out.
Lily sat by Theo’s bedside for another hour, listening to the night birds begin their songs. At last she gently extricated her hand from Theo’s and began to rise.
He sucked in a long breath and his eyelids fluttered.
She bent toward him. “I’ll be back in a moment,” she murmured.
He turned his head and sighed.
In her suite, she changed into her nightgown, washed her face and hands, and brushed her hair. She slipped her dressing gown over her nightgown and walked back through to his suite.
Theo had not moved.
She slipped carefully beneath the covers and curled up beside him, moving slowly so as not to jostle or bump him. She took his hand between hers and closed her eyes.