The Realm—Maeve’s Lobby
Soon Afterward
Emily’s first reaction to Eamon’s announcement that Sophie was a changeling was: “That would actually explain a lot.”
Her second reaction was: “Oh God, you mean there are two Sophies? If they ever meet and team up, we’re doomed.”
Her third reaction was: “Wait a second—if there’s a Sophie who’s been living in fairyland all this time, there’s no way that throne would still be empty.”
“The human girl who was taken might not be quite as …” Eamon paused and shuddered, searched for a word, then finished his thought, “… formidable as the changeling you know as your sister.”
“Yep, you definitely met Sophie.” She paused to consider Eamon’s revelation. Then she shook her head. “Nope. It doesn’t work. For one thing, Sophie carries iron at all times. Some girls keep a canister of mace or pepper spray on their keychains. Sophie carries a mini horseshoe. A fairy couldn’t do that, could she?”
“I doubt it.” He frowned in confusion.
“How was she, by the way? Where was she? What was she doing?”
“She appeared to be in good health.” He shuddered again, and Emily could only imagine what Sophie had done to him. “She was near the theater. There was a man with her who had a badge of office.”
That had to be Michael, Emily thought. In his condition, he shouldn’t have been out like that, though, and she was surprised Sophie had let him. She consoled herself with the knowledge that if he tried to do too much with Sophie around, he’d find himself handcuffed to his bed and then tucked in gently under a down comforter with a pot of chicken soup nearby.
She shook herself out of that train of thought. “But changeling or not, why would Maeve need Sophie?”
“Your sister has a powerful aura. She could be a valuable ally in Maeve’s quest for the throne.”
“Sophie isn’t the kind of person you want anywhere near a throne that you don’t want her sitting on. She’s not exactly the vice-presidential type. Whatever the reason Maeve wants her, I need to get out of here. I don’t want to be a hostage. Sophie might actually go along with them if they threatened me.”
“You don’t understand the way our people think. Holding a hostage would never work in the Realm. We don’t value any life over our own desires.”
“But using me as bait works?”
“We will do anything to retrieve our treasures.”
“Then we won’t suggest the hostage thing to Maeve, okay? But I still want out of here. They’re guarding the doors. Do you maybe know another way?”
He glanced behind him, but before he could say anything, the front doors opened, and some of Maeve’s goons trudged in. The party stopped as everyone turned to stare. Their clothes were pristine—probably because they were a glamour to begin with—but two of them had angry-looking welts on their faces and several moved with distinct limps. All of them had cuts and bruises on their exposed flesh.
“Well?” Maeve demanded. “Where is she?”
The head goon bowed deeply, then said, “Forgive us, your majesty, but she escaped.”
“Escaped? Escaped?” Maeve’s voice rose into a shriek as she rose from her sofa. “How?”
“The wild ones, your majesty. They attacked us and helped her reach a gateway.” He glanced sheepishly at the ground. “And she had a dog. He was vicious.”
Emily had to clap a hand over her mouth to stop herself from laughing out loud. Leave it to Sophie to find instant allies and, apparently, a dog. It couldn’t possibly be Beau. She doubted he could be bothered to bite an ankle. Licking a shoelace would be the extent of his help.
Maeve flew into a rage. “How dare they defy me?” she shouted. “I was one of them! When I am queen, I will punish them for their disloyalty!” With no wild fairies handy to punish, she took her anger out on the guards who’d brought the message, raising her hands toward them. They screamed and fell to their knees, their glamours stripped away to reveal ugly, shriveled creatures. She then stomped around the room, shouting and screaming, and everyone got out of her way.
Eventually, Maeve sank onto her sofa in a pique, and the party gradually resumed. “We should go now,” Emily told Eamon. “Get me out of here while they’re distracted. If I’m not here, Sophie won’t have a reason to come back.”
“I doubt Maeve will give up,” he warned.
“Yeah, but we’ll be on our turf then. Come on.”
“I know a way that may not be guarded,” he said, taking her hand to lead her through the crowd of revelers to the stairs. Under the stairs was a door that looked like it belonged to a utility closet. He put his hand on the doorknob and turned it, but nothing happened. “That is odd,” he said, frowning. “This is how I got here.” He released her hand so he could use both hands, and the door opened easily, but when he took her hand again, the door slammed shut.
“It’s keeping me here,” Emily said, her spirits sinking.
Eamon released her hand and opened the door again, then got his body halfway through and beckoned to her. Her toe barely crossed the threshold before the door swung at them. He jumped backward into the passage and she jumped backward into the lobby as the door slammed shut. She lunged for the doorknob, but it wouldn’t turn. “Find Sophie and warn her!” she shouted through the closed door.