I wanted to tell him to shut up, but he’d just told me not to be childish. “Okay, here I go.” Olan landed on my shoulder as I turned toward the building.
The door guards were a pair of twins, tall, red haired and mean looking; although, to a human they would have looked bent, dirty and indigent. You would think someone that pretty would just be happy. I heard a flapping overhead but when I looked up there was nothing there. Olan moved closer to my ear.
“Anyone we know?” I whispered.
“No, just get on with it.”
I stepped forward and pasted smile on my face. “Good evening. I wish to speak to Fionuir.”
“That’s Queen Fionuir,” the twin on the left said.
It seemed that my new clothes didn’t impress them “I wish to speak to Queen Fionuir… please.”
“The queen isn’t taking visitors,” the twin on the right said. I could see the sneer on his face as well as hear it in his voice.
“When will she take visitors?” This conversation wasn’t getting me anywhere. “I’d really like to speak with her soon.”
“She is busy. I don’t think it will be soon,” the twin on the left said. It looks like they were going to take turns talking.
“Why don’t you ask her if she wishes to see me?”
A caw sounded from the top of the building. Olan tried to huddle under my jacket collar.
I reached in and pulled him back onto my shoulder and whispered. “I thought you said it wasn’t her.” I turned back to the door twins. But there was only one twin. “Where did your brother go?”
“He took your suggestion and has gone to speak with Queen Fionuir.”
The crow cawed again. Olan flew off my shoulder and stood in my shadow. If that was The Morrigan, it wouldn’t help him to hide in shadows. “I thought you two were square. Did you do something to her?”
“No.” Olan was clearly uncomfortable
Twin two came back. “The Queen has agreed to speak with you. Only you, the bird stays outside.”
Olan bumped my leg as he crossed to the next set of shadows. I figured he wanted to keep out of The Morrigan’s line of sight so I didn’t say anything. Twin two led me through a narrow hall around the inside of the building until we reached a set of double doors. If my sense of direction was working, we were on the far side of the building. With Sidhe magic, you can never tell. We could be under the building and not have noticed descending the stairs.
The doors were metal with an etched pattern. It looked like tin so it must be laid over sold wood. The knot patterns twined from the top left across both doors and back to the bottom left side. I could feel the magic vibrating out of the patterns. There was no way an uninvited guest would get through these doors.
“Wait,” Twin two said. He looked at me until I nodded, then banged his fist on the center of the doors. “We wish audience with her exulted Majesty Fionuir of the Green Hills.”
We both waited for something to happen. I pulled at the cuffs of my shirt, making sure I showed the right amount of cuff below my sleeve. I may not dress well all the time, but I do know how to wear clothes properly. I hoped Fionuir would appreciate the effort.
After a minute, the doors swung open.
Beyond, it looked like something from pre-revolution France: mirrors, gilt, and scattered chairs. I could see golden light reflected in bars across the room. Candles supplied the illumination that would normally come from windows.
“Stand there.” He pointed me to a corner beside the door where there was an empty space between two chairs which were upholstered in pink Toile. “Wait until you are summoned.”
I kept control on my temper, reminding myself I knew what I was stepping into when I came here. The fact that Fionuir agreed to let me in, meant she would talk to me, eventually.
My feet were just starting to complain when a short female Sidhe strode up to me and snapped her fingers. “Follow me.” Her voice floated lightly to me. Fionuir had surrounded herself with paragons of beauty and grace.
She led me to the center of the room where Fionuir and her court lounged in a circle of chairs. Each chair a different shade of green.
“Welcome, Wizard.” Fionuir smiled and I felt like a bowl of cream must feel when the cat slinks into the room. “It is so nice of you to visit.”
“Your Majesty.” I executed as courtly a bow as I could manage. “It is a pleasure to be once again in the midst of such beauty.”
She turned to her court. “And you said wizards were crude.”
They tittered. I was reminded again of the court of Louis the sixteenth. I hoped we could come to a less violent conclusion than he did. I turned to survey the six Sidhe of her court. Three men and three women, all draped in pastel shaded silks. All red haired and pale skinned. It was a bit creepy, like I was surrounded by clones.
Fionuir admired her jewelry before she spoke, “Why did you come, Wizard?”
“I need to understand something that is happening in the world; the real world and the human one.”
An eyebrow arched. “You are questioning our actions?”
“Not at all, your majesty.” I kept my tone smooth and as nonthreatening as I could. “I just wish knowledge. You know how curious wizards are.”
“I know how wizards are,” one of the women said, her voice hard. “One of them killed my husband. I believe that wizard was your mentor.”
This was a trap. If I answered her before Fionuir allowed me to recognize that someone other than her had spoken I would fail. If this wasn’t a test they had agreed on in advance, that woman would be punished later. I kept my eyes on Fionuir until she nodded.
“My mentor did many things I did not agree with. I am sorry for your loss.”
“Prettily said.” Fionuir flicked her fingers at the others and they rose, gracefully and faded into the corner of the room. “Ask your question, then.”
I considered my approach. It’s not like I hadn’t thought it out before, but the situation was always going to be a factor in how I asked my question. Fionuir was in an apparent good mood. The fact that she had sent her courtiers away was not good. And that she was allowing me to ask without a lot of protocol was also a bad sign.
I fingered the charms in my pocket and decided to go for it. “I witnessed the death of two humans. They were poisoned.”
“What is that to me?”
“A Sidhe was in attendance each time. The fairy paid for a vial of potion with the spirit of the dead human.”
“And you think I am involved in these events? That I have sanctioned death.”
“That is what the street gossip says.”
She waved the topic away. “Leave those charms alone, Quinn.”
I didn’t know which was worse, that she knew about the charms or she let me know that she knew. I took my hands out of my pockets.
Fionuir unfolded herself from the chair and walked toward me. And now, I knew what the mouse felt like when the snake approached. “I will tell you what you want to know, but you will need to take on an obligation. I will not trust you otherwise.”
“What obligation?” I didn’t like the idea of being controlled by the Sidhe.
“Only that you will do no direct harm to a Sidhe. For any reason. Forever.” She ran her finger down my freshly shaved cheek.
I needed to clear my throat before I could get words past the lump there. “I am a spirit wizard. I have already vowed not to do harm. How would this obligation be different?”
“Too many spirit wizards find ways to work around their vow, or will take the punishment as a price for violating their oath in the name of justice.”
I had a feeling there was no way I could control this. “What is the cost to me if I violate the obligation?”
“That you will have to worry about. Take the obligation, knowing I will not be merciful, or leave without your information.”
“Will it be fatal?” I didn’t think she would answer but I had to try.
“It will not be fatal. I want to be able to torture you for many years yet, Quinn Larson.” She blew me a kiss. I tried not to flinch.