A little jumpy today, arent we? Robbie laughed and darted out of reach before I could kill him. Time to switch to decaf, princess. If youre going to shriek at every bogey that jumps out and says boo, youll be exhausted before we reach the edge of the woods.
He had changed. Hunter-green pants and a thick brown hoodie replaced his jeans and ratty T-shirt. I couldnt see his feet very well in the mist, but it looked like hed traded his sneakers for soft leather boots. His face was leaner, harsher, with sharp angles and pointed features. Combined with his bright auburn hair and green eyes, he reminded me of a grinning fox.
But the most noticeable difference was his ears. Slender and pointed, they jutted out from the sides of his head, likewell, like an elfs. And, in that moment, all traces of Robbie Goodfell disappeared. The boy Id known for most of my life was gone, like he never existed, and only Puck remained.
Whats the matter, princess? Puck yawned, stretching his long limbs. Was it my imagination, or had he gotten taller, too? You look like you lost your best friend.
I ignored the question, not wanting to dwell on it. How did you do that? I asked, to steer the conversation elsewhere. Your clothes, I mean. Theyre different. And the way you made the books fly around the room. Was it magic?
Puck grinned. Glamour, he said, as if that meant anything to me at all. I frowned at him, and he sighed. I didnt have time to change before we came here, and my lord King Oberon frowns on wearing mortal clothes to court. So I used glamour to make myself presentable. Just like I used glamour to make myself look human.
Wait a minute. I thought back to the dream conversation between Robbie and the nurse. Are there others like youyou faery-types, walking around back home? Right under everyones noses?
Puck gave me a very eerie smile. Were everywhere, princess, he said firmly. Under your bed, in your attic, walking past you on the street. His smile grew wider, more wolfish. Glamour is fueled by the dreams and imagination of mortals. Writers, artists, little boys pretending to be knightsthe fey are drawn to them like moths to a flame. Why do you think so many children have imaginary friends? Even your brother had one. Floppy, I think he called it, though that wasnt its true name. A pity the changeling managed to kill it.
My stomach felt tight. Andno one can see you?
Were invisible, or we use glamour to hide our true nature. Puck leaned against a tree, lacing his hands behind his head in a very Robbie-like fashion. Dont look so shocked, princess. Mortals have perfected the art of not seeing what they dont expect to be there. Though, there are a few rare humans who can see through the mist and the glamour. Usually, these are very special individualsinnocent, naive dreamersand the fey are even more attracted to them.
Like Ethan, I murmured.
Puck gave me a strange look, one corner of his mouth quirked up. Like you, princess. He seemed about to say something else, but then a branch snapped somewhere in the tangled darkness.
He straightened quickly. Whoops, time to go. Its dangerous to linger in any one place. Well attract unwanted attention.
What? I exclaimed as he strode across the clearing, moving as gracefully as a deer. I thought you said this was home.
The Nevernever is home to all fey, Puck said without looking back. Its divided into territories, or more technically, Courts. The Seelie Court is Oberons domain, while Mab rules the Unseelie territories. While in the Courts, it is usually forbidden to torment, maim, or kill another fey without permission from its rulers.
However, he continued, looking back at me, right now, we are in neutral territory, home of the wild fey. Here, as you humans put it, all bets are off. The things coming at us now could be a herd of satyrs who will make you dance until youre exhausted, then rape you one by one, or it could be a pack of hedge wolves that will tear us both apart. Either way, I dont think you want to hang around.
I was afraid again. It seemed I was always afraid. I didnt want to be here, in this eerie forest, with this person I only thought I knew. I wanted to go home. Only, home had become a frightening place as well, almost as much as the Nevernever. I felt lost and betrayed, out of place in a world that wished me harm.
Ethan, I reminded myself. Youre doing this for Ethan. Once you get him, you can go home and everything will go back to normal.
The rustling grew louder, and twigs snapped as whatever was out there drew closer. Princess, Puck snapped, right next to me. I jumped and bit down a shriek as he grabbed my wrist. The aforementioned nasties have picked up our scent and are coming for us. Though his voice was casual, I could see the strain in his eyes. If you dont want your first day in the Nevernever to be your last, I suggest we move.
I looked back and saw the door we came through standing upright in the middle of the clearing. Will we be able to get back home this way? I asked as Puck pulled me along.
Nope. When I stared at him in horror, he shrugged. Well, you cant expect the doors to stand around in one place, princess. Dont worry, though. You have me, remember? When the time comes, well find the way home.
Nope. When I stared at him in horror, he shrugged. Well, you cant expect the doors to stand around in one place, princess. Dont worry, though. You have me, remember? When the time comes, well find the way home.
We ran for the far side of the clearing, straight for a tangle of bushes with hooked yellow thorns as long as my thumb. I held back, sure wed be sliced to ribbons, but as we neared, the branches shivered and peeled away from us, revealing a narrow path cutting through the trees. As we stepped through, the bushes knitted together again, hiding the trail and protecting our retreat.
We walked for hours, or at least it felt that way to me. Puck kept up a steady pace, neither hurrying nor slowing down, and in time the sounds of pursuit faded away. Sometimes the trail split, wending off in different directions, but Puck always chose a path without hesitation. Many times, Id catch movement from the corner of my eyea flash of color in the brush, a figure silhouetted between the treesbut when I turned, thered be nothing. Sometimes, I almost swore I heard singing or music, but, of course, it would fade when I tried to focus on it. The sickly luminescence of the forest never dimmed or brightened, and when I asked Puck what time night would fall, he cocked an eyebrow at me and said night would come when it was ready.
Annoyed, I checked my watch, wondering how long wed been traveling. I received an unpleasant shock. The slender hands were frozen in place. Either the watchs battery was dead, or something else was interfering.
Or maybe time doesnt exist in this place. I dont know why I found that immensely disturbing, but I did.
My feet were aching, my stomach hurt, and my legs were burning with exhaustion when the eternal twilight finally began to dim. Puck stopped, gazing up at the sky, where an enormous moon glimmered over the treetops, so close you could see pits and craters marring the surface.
I suppose we should rest for the night. Puck sounded reluctant. He gave me a sideways grin as I collapsed on a moldy log. We wouldnt want you stumbling onto a dancing mound, or following a white bunny down a dark hole. Come on, I know a place not far from here where we can sleep undisturbed.
He took my hand and pulled me to my feet. My limbs screamed in protest, and I almost sat down again. I was tired, cranky, and the last thing I wanted was more hiking. Gazing around, I saw a lovely little pond through a stand of trees. The water shimmered in the moonlight, and I paused, gazing out over the mirrored surface. Why not stop there? I asked.
Puck took one look at the pond, grimaced, and pulled me onward. Ah, no, he said quickly. Too many nasties lurking underwaterkelpies and glaistigs and mermaids and such. Best not to risk it.
I looked back and saw a dark shape breach the perfect surface of the pond, sending ripples across the still water. The top of a horses head, coal-black and slick like a seal, watched me with baleful white eyes. With a gasp, I hurried on.
A few minutes later, we came to the trunk of a huge, gnarled tree. The bark was so knobby and rough that I could almost see faces peering out of the trunk. It reminded me of wrinkled old men, stacked atop each other and waving their crooked arms indignantly.
Puck knelt among the roots and knocked on the wood. I peered over his shoulder and, with a start, saw a tiny door, barely a foot tall, near the base of the tree. As I watched, wide-eyed, the door creaked open, and a head peered out suspiciously.
Eh? Whos there? a rough, squeaky voice asked as I stared in wonder. The little mans skin was the color of walnuts; his hair looked like a bundle of twigs sticking out of his scalp. He wore a brown tunic and brown leggings, and looked like a stick come to life, except for the eyes peering out of his face, black and shiny like a beetles.
Good evening, Twiggs, Puck greeted politely.
The little man blinked, squinting up at the figure towering over him. Robin Goodfellow? he squeaked at last. Havent seen you round these parts in a while. What brings you to my humble tree?
Escort service, Puck replied, shifting to the side so that Twiggs could get a clear view of me. Those beady eyes fixed on me, blinking in confusion. Then, suddenly, they got huge and round, as Twiggs looked back at Puck.
Isis that?
It is.
Does she?
No.
Oh, my. Twiggs opened the door wide, beckoning with a sticklike arm. Come in, come in. Quickly, now. Before the dryads catch sight of you, the irritating gossips. He vanished inside, and Puck turned to me.
Ill never be able to fit in there, I told him before he could say a word. Theres no way Im going to squeeze through, unless youve got a magic toadstool thatll shrink me to the size of a wasp. And Im not eating anything like that. Ive seen Alice in Wonderland, you know.