deeply.
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
COLBY AND THE FIVE STONE COUNCIL
Most noble council,” began Colby, his tone humble, his heart heavy, his head bowed, his hands folded in front of him. “I come to you on behalf of my dearest friend.”
Before him stood the Five Stone Council, the night air cool and crisp, the forest humming with crickets. Meinrad loomed large and foreboding next to his stone, his cold expression offering no comfort. Coyote leaned lazily against his—one foot propped up against it—grinning proudly, wholly aware that this mess was his doing. King Ruadhri stood rigid and stiff before his stone, glowering at Colby, disgusted. Rhiamon the Gwyllion, however, smiled wryly, tickled by the knowledge of the havoc playing out at the hands of her redcap thralls.
Finally, at the fifth stone stood the newest member of the council, Ilsa the salgfraulein. In the absence of genuine leadership after the death of Schafer, the redcaps had no worthy representative to take their place on the council. Thus a largely ignored block of seelie had put forth Ilsa to take his place. The most charming and delightful of her kind, even outgracing the noble King Ruadhri, Ilsa was a woman of few burdens and fewer enemies. There was something very genuine about her, as if she were incapable of telling a lie; she was, quite literally, enchanting. The eldest of five sisters, she spoke not only for her kin, but for the woodwives and pixies as well. The Limestone Kingdom was not a place particularly crawling with those of the seelie court, so the few there were put their faith and voice behind Ilsa. And her presence alone offered Colby some comfort.
“We know of whom you speak, lad,” said King Ruadhri. “It was not long ago that this council convened and decided upon his fate, a fate you yourself chose to circumvent.”
“Yes, sir,” said Colby. “I speak of Ewan.”
Ruadhri nodded. “And you come to plead for his life once again?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Funny,” said Ruadhri, “that it is never the boy who pleads his own case, but his friend who presumes to know his will.”
“I speak for him, sir.”
Meinrad dismissed the statement with a wave. “And yet, this council does not recognize you as possessing such capacity.”
Colby gritted his teeth, trying to hide his frustration. “Sir?” he asked.
“Ewan bears a cap, does he not?” asked Ruadhri.
Colby nodded. “He does.”
“And he’s worn it?”
“He has.”
“And you have seen with your own eyes that the transformation has begun?”
Colby swallowed hard. “I have.”
Ruadhri offered his hands outward, as if to rest his case. “Then what would make you think that, before this of all courts, a man could speak in the stead of a fairy?”
“Because he is not a fairy,” said Colby.
Meinrad shook his head. “You just told us that the transformation has begun, and this is not the first we’ve heard of it.”
“No,” said Rhiamon, “it is not. I’ve heard it myself.”
Coyote agreed. “He is a fairy, Colby. You have no place speaking for him here.”
“He is not of your world,” said Meinrad. “He was never meant for your world. He is of ours, a world of which you are no part, and yet you try to meddle in affairs that are none of your concern.”
“They are entirely my concern,” Colby retorted.
“Only because you make them so,” said Meinrad. “This is neither your council nor your court. You insult us with your presence, and we must ask you to leave.”
Colby clenched his fists, his blood slowly boiling from the insult and dismissal. He could lay waste to several of these fairies, powerful though they were, before a single one of them was able to retaliate. But power was one thing; numbers were another. The last thing he wanted was open war with the Limestone Kingdom.
“It appears the boy grows angry,” said Rhiamon, delighted by his silent seething.
“It would appear so,” said Coyote. “I wouldn’t taunt him, though. There are always fairies who would love your place here on the council.”
Ruadhri grimaced at Coyote. “Let the boy make his own threats so we might respond in kind.”
“Oh, he’s too smart for that, Ruadhri,” said Coyote, winking at Colby. “He knows we need no display to know what he can do.”
“Then perhaps you would like to make his case for him now,” offered Ruadhri, “since he is about to be dismissed.”
Coyote grinned like a satisfied cat, a mouse firmly between its paws. He pointed out to the tree line. “I believe that is what she’s here for.”
Colby turned as the council leveled their