| |
The near past.
The Marquis of Moonspire looked over his decorated ball room. The elegant and engraved dark wood was covered in fabrics. Along with the candles and fairy lights it shimmered like falling snow. He smiled at the young fairy princess, Isabelle, who with her brother Tristan had accompanied him to England.
“Your decorating skills are stunning, Isabelle.”
“Thank you, Simon,” Isabelle said. “I do so love winter.”
“That’s because you are the princess of winter,” Tristan said. “But I agree with the marquis, this is stunning. How did you make it appear to snow?”
“It’s just reflections, helped with a bit of magic.”
“I shouldn’t need to remind you, Isabelle, that while in England we keep magic to the minimum. In fact, it doesn’t exist.”
Isabelle turned to Tristan, “I know that. But this is my first mortal ball, and I wanted it to be special.”
“It is indeed special,” George said. “I want it to be perfect for finally meeting Elizabeth.”
Simon turned to regard his son. George looked more like his mother than him, and it worried him that George might not have the warm reception he was hoping for with the young lady.
“I’m sure she will,” Tristan said. “I know that I, for one, am eager to see the sister again. I can’t get her out of my mind since we brought Elizabeth to her home, nearly drowned.”
“Don’t remind me of that occasion,” George said. “I was scared I would not get to her fast enough.”
“But you did,” Tristan said. “Thanks to that fox of yours.”
“Tell me again why you can’t become a fox, George?” Isabelle grinned mischievously.
Simon shook his head.
“It is because I’m only half mythological, Isabelle. And therefore my other half is exceptionally human.”
Isabelle looked baffled. “What’s so exceptional about being human? My form is the same as a human. Can mortal humans do magic like this?” A swirl of icy snow left her fingertips, and danced before George’s eyes.
“Of course not,” George said. “But Father is one, and he guards the border between the mortal world and ours. Isn’t that exceptional?”
“Indeed it is, George.” Isabelle said.
***
Nathan Throckmorten stood in the ballroom. He hadn’t yet met the marquis, but he knew of him. He and Adelaide had to keep a low profile with him in town, as he was the only man who could force a mythological being back to the fairy isles of Moonspire and Dragonspire. Seeing what the marquis now looked like would be most beneficial.
As he stood by a wall his eyes sought out the woman he had come to see. Elizabeth Pendry. He would recognize her anywhere. He should go to her before another man asked her for a dance.
His eyes fell on Ophelia Pendry. The older woman was sitting watching the dancing. It was at Mrs. Pendry’s that he had first seen a portrait of her niece, Elizabeth. Instantly he had wanted Elizabeth. The brunette had proved as strong willed as she was lovely. Nathan had been well pleased with his choice.
Although, to be fair, if Elizabeth had proved weak minded and easy for him to control, he still would not have discarded her. The fact that she was strong willed just excited him more. She was a treasure to be taken, and then guarded.
Mrs. Pendry’s voice interrupted his thoughts, and he lost sight of Elizabeth.
“How lovely to see you, Mrs. Pendry,” he said, taking her hand into his and kissing it lightly.
“You are always such a delight,” Mrs. Pendry said. “This is quite a ball isn’t it? I should have liked Mr. Pendry to see it. You know he loved his nieces and nephews.”
“You have told me as much. May I ask how they are doing?” Mr. Throckmorten smiled. He only wanted to hear how Elizabeth was, but it would not do to only inquire after her wellbeing.
“I expect you’ll want to know most of Elizabeth. She’s well, and right over there dancing with someone. You really should ask for the dinner dance so that you may sit with her during the meal,” Mrs. Pendry said. “That would be the way to get extra time with her tonight.”
“I shall do that,” Mr. Throckmorten said.
Adelaide approached them with her usual smile. “Mrs. Pendry, I thought it was you talking with my brother.”
“It is. He really should go talk and dance with one of the eligible young ladies. There are quite a few beauties here.”
“Ah, yet I think my brother only has eyes for one such lady.” Adelaide looked to where Elizabeth was.
“I know. You know you have my blessing, Nathan.” Mrs. Pendry said. “Oh, I’ve kept you too long. Another dance is starting.”
“Why don’t you dance with me, Mrs. Pendry?” Nathan extended his arm.
“Oh my, why of course,” Mrs. Pendry said, as they joined the dancing.
Adelaide watched them for a while. She didn’t understand why Nathan was as smitten as he was over Elizabeth. She was human. She wasn’t even that pretty. Even if he didn’t reveal he was a huli jing, Elizabeth would notice something was off when he didn’t age the same way. Sure, if he used magic he aged. Aging seemed to be the curse with using magic in the mortal realm. Nothing eating a living liver couldn’t fix.
Another thought crossed her mind. Would abstaining from the hunt and not eating livers allow him to age slowly in time with Elizabeth? She could be patient and wait for her brother’s lover to die before they could hunt again. But she didn’t want to grow old herself.
That was asking too much.
Adelaide decided she had enough of the ball, and left. If she was going to have to give up hunting, she’d get some in before Nathan made Elizabeth his.
***
Nathan escorted Mrs. Pendry to a seat, and took his leave. He wanted to seek out Elizabeth. He knew it would be unseemly for him to claim more than a dance or two without announcing an engagement. She would be his, but his years of hunting had taught him that if you pounced on your prey too soon, they could just as easily get away as won.
Where was Elizabeth? The last he had seen her she had gone walking with Sarah Jane. The two had seemed happy. Not seeing either of them, Nathan frowned. Another acquaintance was asking him to join him in another room for drinks. He nodded. Maybe he could find another man to drive his Elizabeth into his open arms.
In the billiard room he set his cup down. Any number of these men were weak minded enough for him to easily suggest in their minds a desire to get Elizabeth alone in a room. He hesitated. Why? His plan with that abominable Knightly had worked nearly too well.
Sarah Jane had certainly helped. She was skid-dish around Knightly, and Elizabeth would come running to her. It was what had given him the idea to use Knightly. Knightly had been easy to persuade. Plant a few thoughts, and he was clay in his hands to mold. Knightly had been interested in Sarah Jane. Not after he got into his mind. It had been easy, really.
Knightly’s drinking had only made him easier to influence. And then he had attempted to—no, he wouldn’t remember that night. The anger was still too raw.
When Knightly had been thrown out of the Pendry house he had Adelaide follow him and learn where he went. For Knightly’s attempt to seduce his intended, he had hunted him. Adelaide’s trick of healing the prey just before they died had proved invaluable. Nathan smiled as he remembered the look of shock on the man’s face when he held his liver in his hands. Healing the wound would make it appear he had simply died in his sleep. Normally Nathan preferred to lure his prey to sleep, to avoid them suffering.
Not that time.
***
George noticed Elizabeth the moment she set foot in the ball room. She was dressed in dark green and black lace, with a small unicorn horn adoring her mask. It was fitting for the girl he had caught glimpses of a few times over the years leaving food for the fae. George hoped that she could accept him for what he was.
He nodded to Tristan and Isabelle and made his way towards Elizabeth.
“May I have this dance?” he asked.
“You may,” Elizabeth replied, with a curtsy as she placed her small hand in his.
George wished he wasn’t wearing gloves. “I am glad you could come,” he said.
“I’m not overly fond of balls, or large groups of people,” Elizabeth said
“Neither am I, Elizabeth.”
“It appears you do recognize me, Sir.” Her gaze was thoughtful, and she turned to glance at her sister.
George glanced in the same direction, as Tristan turned and grinned. George knew Tristan enough to know he had winked at him.
Turning to Elizabeth he said, “I do know you. In a way.”
“Do I know you as well then?” The lilt in Elizabeth’s voice was unmistakable. Was she intrigued?
“We may have met.”
“Do you always answer questions this way?”
“I am known to not answer questions.”
“So you know who I am, I may know you as well, and you don’t like questions?” Elizabeth stifled a laugh.
George smiled. “Precisely.”
“What should I call you then?” Elizabeth’s gaze was again thoughtful.
“George.”
A light rosy tint to her cheeks gave way beneath her mask. “Isn’t that highly improper?”
“It could be,” George said leaning into whisper. “But it will just be between us.”
“Oh,” she said. “Tell me then, how do I know you?”
“Many know of me,” George answered, “Yet very few know me.”
“More riddles?”
“If I told you, you might not believe me,” George said.
“Try me.”
“Someday I will,” George replied.
“Not this night?” She sounded disappointed.
“No,” George said. “Not this night.”
George escorted Elizabeth back to her seat. She seemed surprised that their dance was over, and it was with reluctance that George left.
***
After the last guest had left, Simon took a seat by George.
“Did you have a good time?”
George smiled. “I did. Father, you’d love Elizabeth. I asked if she would accept an invitation for her family to visit our estate.”
“I see. And?”
“She said she would.”
Simon could tell George was excited. “So when would you like her family to visit us here?”
“Not here, Father. In Moonspire.”
“George, I’m not sure that is wise.”
“Elizabeth can handle it. She’s not like anyone else. She believes in fairies.”
Simon regarded his son. George still had gloves covering his hands, holding his mask. “You do know you don’t look like the average man here.”
It was why George had covered his hands.
“I know. I look more like the docksmen—the Chinese men who are providing for their families.”
“Has Elizabeth even seen your face?”
“Yes—no—she was nearly unconscious.”
Simon said nothing. He knew that if his son had set his cap on getting to know a human woman over one of the fae, there was a risk. Although not many in the magic realm wanted their daughters to marry a half human, even if he was the marquis’s magical heir either.
“You know, Father, you’re different than most of your people here. You were willing to listen to Mother and release her from that painting. Mother knew you were the one for her.”
“Ah yes. Although at first I thought I had gone mad.” Simon chuckled, remembering.
“I think Elizabeth might be able to look past the mythological and see me. And so do the fairy folk that live in that oak tree of hers.”
“I see. Perhaps then the Spires is the right place for you to reveal who and what you are. Are you willing to accept the consequences if she can’t accept it?”
“I’ll accept it,” George said.
“Accept what?” Tristan asked as he and Isabelle joined them.
“The same thing you’ll have to accept I’ll wager by that look on your face,” George said.
“Ah, love. Isn’t it grand? I think I may have found a blessing to being your heir here, Simon.”
Simon raised an eyebrow. “What would that be Tristan?”
“I can call upon Sarah Jane.”
“Just be mindful not to use magic,” Isabelle said. “You might scare her.”
“I doubt that,” Tristan said. “I asked her what she thought of magic.”
Isabelle gasped. “You didn’t!”
Tristan gave his sister a slow smile. “Actually, I did. I asked Sarah Jane if magic was real, what would she think.”
George sat up straight, curious. “What did she say?”
“She said if it was real, then she’d have to tell Elizabeth that she was right.”
“What does that mean?” Isabelle asked.
Tristan grinned at George. “Sarah Jane said that Elizabeth likes to indulge in fantasy, and if it was real she’d have to apologize to Elizabeth for insisting it wasn’t.”
“Does that mean they know of us?” Isabelle asked.
“I don’t believe so,” Tristan said with a shake of his head. “It must mean the Pendrys are open to the possibility.”
Simon sighed. “Being open to the possibility when you believe it is fiction is quite different than to actually be face to face with it. Folks on both sides of the realm are scared of what they don’t understand.”
***
The present.
––––––––
“Elizabeth is gone,” James managed to say, as George entered the room. “I wasn’t able to prevent her from leaving.”
Edward looked equally as haggard. “Thank you for coming so quickly. If I had known Elizabeth was in danger—”
“What happened?” George asked.
“I think you should read Elizabeth’s letter first.” Edward withdrew a folded piece of paper from his pocket.
George’s hands trembled as he took the letter.
“Edward and I don’t know what she wrote using those fancy hangul letters of yours,” James said.
“Have faith,” George said. Elizabeth, please believe I will find you.
“Have faith in what? That’ll she’ll be all right? Throckmorten took her. He and that sister of his. I couldn’t stop them.” James’s voice cracked.
George placed a comforting hand on James’s shoulder.
“James nearly died,” Edward said. “When I arrived back from London—”
“If you hadn’t left us, Edward, maybe we could have stopped them,” James said.
“How could I have known? We agreed that we needed to confirm if George and Mr. Hodge were truly dead.”
“Tell me what happened,” George said.
James carefully told George everything. When he finished he had one question, “Can you find her?”
“Should we contact the constable?” Edward asked.
“No,” George said. “He wouldn’t be able to help. The Throckmorten’s are cunning. They will be nearly impossible to find. I’ll head to The Spires and—”
“I’m going with you,” James said.
“No, you and Edward need to stay here in case Elizabeth sends word to you.”