mean — honestly, a little, yes.”
“Good. Then I can’t overwhelm you any further when I tell you about the Fae.” Maggie’s eyes gleamed. “You were brought here by the Fae, Helen. The Sidhe, specifically. They’re the Lords and Ladies of the Seelie Fae — they’re the good ones, the ones who are on your side. A little difficult to understand, perhaps, but well-intentioned, and the best allies the human world has against the Unseelie.”
Helen took a deep breath, still enjoying the new freedom in her lungs. “Faeries. You’re saying I was brought here by faeries.”
“Good faeries, aye.”
She paused for a moment, then shrugged. “Fine.”
Maggie cackled again. “Ah, Maeve. I do like this one.”
Chapter 7
Helen had a lot of questions — more than a lot, in fact — but when she opened her mouth to let some of them out, all that escaped her was an enormous yawn. Maggie clucked her tongue sympathetically, and Helen blinked as the woman turned and bustled toward the door.
“Wait —” she started helplessly. “I have so many questions —”
“Plenty of time for questions later,” Maggie said firmly, in a tone that reminded her of the way her mother used to tell her what to do when she was unwell — businesslike, but still full of kindness and warmth.
An unexpected lump came to her throat. How long had it been since someone had cared for her like this?
“We’ll have a cup of tea and a good long chat once you’re rested, alright? Come to my cottage. Anyone around here will be able to show you the way. But for now, your job is to get better. Eat something, if you can. And get lots of sleep.”
“I’ve some broth ready for you,” Maeve said. “I’ll walk Maggie out and bring it back for you.”
And with that, the strange old woman was gone, leaving Helen reeling. Part of her wanted nothing more than to sink into the bed and fall asleep — but her mind was still racing with confusion, and besides, the sound of some broth was remarkably appetizing. It wasn’t long before Maeve eased her way back into the room, a large bowl in her hands that was letting off an incredibly inviting smell. Helen sat up a little more in bed and accepted the bowl from Maeve, setting about eating it with great enthusiasm. Maeve smiled at her softly.
“If I know Maggie’s remedies, you’ll be fighting fit in a couple of days.”
“That was really amazing,” Helen said around mouthfuls of broth. “That — that potion, or whatever. Was it the same magic that brought me here?”
Maeve smiled. “I don’t profess to know the ways of the Fae, not well. I spent some time with them as a girl, but that was a long time ago, and the Fae tend to be secretive about their ways… as you noticed.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, the way Maggie reacted when you asked what was in her potion…”
“Maggie’s a Fae?”
“Oh, aye. Well, she’s part human — her father was a human shepherd. But her mother, she was from the Fae, that’s for sure. Maggie acts as a kind of — diplomat, I suppose. She has a foot on both sides of the gateway, as it were.” Maeve tilted her head. “You seem to have adjusted. How are you taking all this?”
Helen shrugged, feeling a little mad. “I mean — I’m here, aren’t I? And I just drank a potion that cleared my lungs in half an hour. The evidence for magic is a lot stronger than the evidence for this being some careful hoax. And I’m all about evidence.”
“You and Elena are going to get on well.” Maeve chuckled. “She was an investigator of some sort in her own time… a policewoman.”
Helen smiled. “I suppose we’ll have a few things in common. But I’m not a cop.”
“Well, whatever your skills, you’ve a home here, Helen. And I look forward to getting to know you better.”
“Thank you, Maeve. For — for everything. Your kindness, your hospitality, looking after me…”
“Not at all. You time-lost women… well, you’ve all brought so much to our lives here. It’s my pleasure to help ease your way here. The will of the Sidhe can be difficult to understand, of course… but I have every confidence that they are acting in our best interests. That includes sending you here.” Maeve smiled, reaching out to squeeze her shoulder again. “And for now, I think it’s also in your best interests to get some sleep. If you need anything