Hatter's Heart - Erin Bedford Page 0,15

commented in light of thanking him. Thanking Fae had never been a good idea. They tended to see it as owing a favor. I had enough favors I needed to repay already.

"We haven't been, not really. Zed is just a bit...over enthusiastic. I'm Beta. Or I mean, Cedric." Dimples appeared on his cheeks when he smiled. "I keep forgetting we could use our real names now."

I curtsied. "Alice as you know. Pleasure to meet you. I had two companions come through ahead of me, have you seen them?" I glanced around the area and frowned. "One is a brownie who goes by Mop and the other is an Opalaught, Trip. I don't know they're real names." I shrugged apologetically.

Cedric nodded and then pointed toward the door across the way. "They went through the UnSeelie entrance not a few moments ago."

"Oh!" My eyes shot to the UnSeelie door, only discernible from the other doors by the guards standing before it. Instead of humanoid Fae with pointed ears wearing gold armor, there were two Fae of ambiguous origins. There were far too many species of Fae to know all of them by heart.

One of them had pale blue skin and gills on the side of his neck, his black irisless eyes were as dark as his long hair. I could only guess that he was a water nymph of some kind.

The other was significantly larger, fatter as well, with a bulbous nose and big ears. His sharp fangs filled most of his mouth and his beady eyes hungrily ate up everyone in the area. Unlike Mop's red cap and overalls, this one's cap was tinged with blood, the copper scent filling the area. This one, I didn't have to guess on what he was. A Redcap. Nasty creatures. Vicious and untrustworthy. They would eat their own mother if they were hungry enough.

I reminded myself I was the representative of the Fae and a good friend of the Moderator and therefore steeled myself once again. All Fae should respect if not fear me.

I lifted my chin and stalked across the space between the doors. The woman at the reception desk called out to me primly, "Miss, miss you must sign in." I ignored her, my eyes set on the UnSeelie door.

"I wish to enter. Move aside," I pushed as much command into my voice as possible, not wanting to give them a chance to deny me.

The Nymph gave me a half-interested look, leaning on his staff. However, the Redcap sneered and licked his lips as he looked me over.

The Redcap stepped forward and growled, "And who be you to command me?"

Narrowing my eyes on the Redcap, I shoved my finger at his chest. "You should have better manners and recognize your superiors."

Snorting, the Redcap leered over me, trying to intimidate me with the two feet of height he had on me. "You ain't superior to me. Only the Queen be my commander and you ain't she." He reached a sharp clawed hand out and picked up a strand of my hair.

I smacked his hand. "Unhand me, you lout. I am Alice and you will let me pass."

That got the Nymph's attention. He stood at attention and swung out his staff, knocking the Redcap on the back of the head. "Back the fuck up, Barbarous. Or do you want to end up in the Shadow Realm before your time?"

Barbarous spun on the Nymph and clutched the staff between his large hand. "Hit me again and you be dining with the Reaper tonight, Nymph. I don't care who she be. No one command's me, least of all a puny little girl such as her."

Sighing in annoyance, I pushed magic into the palm of my hand and with an invisible force lifted the Redcap by the throat. He growled and gasped as I tightened the hold on his neck. Gurgles came out of his mouth as he tried to fight me off, but I was done with his nonsense.

"Now, you listen, and you listen good, you whiffle-whaffle." Power filled my voice, making it echo in the emptiness. "I do not have time for this. I am the representative, the Great Pretender, Bad Lady, and pain in the ass of all who cross me. If you do not wish to spend your dinner with the Reaper, you will let me pass and now."

I dropped the Redcap without warning, knocking him to the ground. A clank of armor from behind me reminded me of my audience. Adjusting my