but kept that to myself.
Dudley went silent for a bit. “I’ve explained the situation. Keaira’s condition and our reluctance to let her go unsupervised. I’ve asked if he’d be willing to enter into a pact. Keaira would be released into his care and custody, thereby releasing all kelpies from control. In exchange, he’s to make sure that she doesn’t cause trouble for humans or magic kind.”
Keiron bobbed his head and stamped his foot impatiently.
“Can that be trusted?” I asked Dudley. “Before we release her, we need to know that Keiron can control her and that none of the kelpies will seek retribution.”
“Both things are true, but it would be nice to sweeten the deal.”
“In what way?”
“Perhaps dedicate space in the mound. A continent where kelpies can live and be free. Someplace with lots of water and lots of sheep.”
He was looking at Maeve and I realized he was asking her to create a homeland for kelpies with perpetually renewing resources. The suggestion was that, if they had what they needed, they’d happily keep to themselves.
Dudley continued to stare at Maeve until finally she said, “Alright. If he agrees to those terms, I will create a place in faerie perfectly suited for kelpies and it shall belong to them for all time.”
“He says he agrees,” Dudley responded almost immediately.
“Good work, Master Dudley.” To Maeve I said, “Can we trust you to abide by your part of this agreement?”
Her nostrils flared once and she gave me a look that said I could just forget all about ever being BFFs. “Yes, Magistrate.”
“When will the new home be ready?” I asked her.
“It’s ‘ready’ now,” she said smugly. I didn’t doubt her ability to create a continent in seconds. “Tell them to follow the path all the way to the lake’s edge. We will meet Keiron there with Keaira.”
She reopened the door to the mound, but what I saw on the other side was green pastures, blue sky, and a large body of water in the distance.
The river close to where we stood began to churn as dozens of kelpies arrived, lunged onto the bank, and trotted through the opening. It was mesmerizing to watch so many magical creatures heading en masse to their promised land. But having sampled a bit of what the fae were capable of, I couldn’t help but wonder what was wrong with our plan. What catch or loophole did we miss that would allow them to slither out of the treaty?
Those dark thoughts didn’t help my despondency even a little.
“Max.”
“Yes, Your Honor.”
“You and Dudley tag along. Make sure Keaira is released. Make sure the homeland is agreeable to Keiron. And make sure he has control of her.”
“Yes, Magistrate.”
Dudley lingered as if there was something on his mind. “A word, Magistrate?”
“Yes.”
“I’m sure it’s neither here nor there, but I think it’s worth mentioning. When I was communicating with the kelpie, her focus fixed on you for some reason. Everything is so distorted in her mind, she can’t see things clearly.”
“Go on,” I urged.
With a deep breath, he said, “Even though you’re completely blameless in this, and are attempting restoration, she somehow has decided that you must be to blame for all this. Perhaps she thinks that because you’re not fae. I don’t know. The point is, we need to be very certain that she’s contained.”
The last of that was said while looking at Maeve.
I absorbed this information. One of things experiences teaches is how to sort through things you can affect or influence and things that are out of your control. This certainly fell into the latter category.
“Alright. Let’s make sure she’d secure then. Call Lochlan if there are any snafus. Otherwise, I’ll see you all in court tomorrow morning.”
I sat on the floor of my bedroom staring into the fire with half a glass of Chardonnay in my hand. When Keir had caught up on the sports he’d missed, he threw himself down next to me.
Lying on his back, he looked up with a smile. “Quite a day.”
“Yes.”
“For someone riding a wave of successes you don’t seem very happy.”
“Sorry. I… It’s hard to explain.”
“Try.”
“There’s a lot of meanness in your world. I seem to relate to the victims.”
“That’s one of the things that makes you perfect for the job, Magistrate.”
“Maybe. But there’s a price to be paid.” I slid my gaze from the hypnotic fire that had been both mirroring and magnifying my thoughts, to Keir. “A personal price.”
“You mean you have tender feelings and the stories hurt your heart.”
“That