"I am so glad to have you in my home, Mercedes Thompson.
I was just trying to call you on my cell when--imagine my surprise--I discovered that you were here.
But you did not bring it." Having a fairy queen talking about cell phones almost was enough to make me laugh.
Almost.
I raised my chin.
By stealth, by strength, by bargain.
"I am not such a poor bargainer, fairy queen.
If I had brought it, we could not play." She smiled, and her silver-gray eyes warmed.
"By all means," she said.
"Let us play."
14
"BUT THIS IS NOT THE PROPER PLACE FOR BARGAINING," she said.
"Follow me." Ariana picked up Phin in her arms.
Samuel looked at Gabriel.
"I'm okay, Doc," he said.
He glanced at Ariana, then looked at me.
"Werewolf?" he mouthed.
"No," said Samuel.
"That's me.
Ariana is fae." Gabriel jerked his head to Samuel.
"You're .
.
." And then his face cleared.
"That explains a few things .
.
.
Snowball?" Samuel smiled.
"Are you sure you don't need help?" "Phin's the one who was really hurt," he said.
"He's gotten a lot better over the past week, but he didn't start off good." I gave Gabriel a sharp look, but I supposed it wasn't really important to tell him that he'd only been gone a day, out in the real world--if we didn't get out before Zee had to stop holding the door open, then it really wouldn't matter.
The fairy queen's voice floated through the doorway.