Isiea just shrugs.

" I don't have much to offer. "

Shard leaned back again, crossing her legs with a smile. The gangly boy appeared with her drink, a green concoction with a tiny umbrella, and she sipped it slowly, her eyes never leaving mine. The boy also placed to waters in front of the princesses.

"What do I want of you? It must be awfully important for you to get into Mabs territory. What would that be worth?" She took another sip, appearing deep in thought. "How about...your names?" she offered at last. I blinked.

(*yells at them* NOPE NOPE NOPE)

" our...names? "

She thinks for a long moment. ,, Which one? I go by multiple. ,,

"Thats right." Shard smiled disarmingly. "Nothing much. Just promise me the use of your name, your True Names, and well call it even, yes?"

"The girls are young, Shard," Grimalkin said, watching them both with slitted eyes. "They might not even know their true calling yet."

"Thats all right." Shard smiled at the girls. "Just give me the name you call yourself now, and well make do, yes? Im sure I can find some use for it."

,, Vivian Chase. ,, She huffs. ,, Or just Viv. ,,

Lise wasn't sure that she should give her thrir names, but she needed to find Ethan. " ... Liseolette Chase. "

The faery's eyes still glimmered black. "Good. Wait here a moment. I need to inform David that Ill be gone for a bit."

Shard returned. "This way," she announced frostily, and led them across the room, toward the Staff Only door on the far wall. She led the way down five or six flights of stairs, pausing at another door with the words Danger! Keep Out! painted on the surface in bright red. Shard looked back at them with an evil little smile.

"Dont mind Grumly. Hes our last deterrent against those who poke their noses where they dont belong. Occasionally, some phouka or redcap will think themselves clever, and sneak past David to see whats down here. Obviously, I cant have that. So, I use Grumly to dissuade them." She chuckled. "Sometimes, a mortal will find his way down here, as well. Thats the best entertainment. It cuts down on his food bill, too."

She gave them a razor-sharp grin and pushed the door open.


The stench was like a giant hammer, a revolting mix of rot and sweat and excrement. Bones littered the stone floor, some human, some decidedly not. A pile of dirty straw lay in one corner, next to a door on the far wall. That was the entrance to the Unseelie territory, but reaching it would be a real challenge.

Chained to a ring in the floor, manacled by one tree-stump leg, was the biggest ogre they'd ever seen. His skin was bruise purple, and four yellow tusks curled from his lower jaw. His torso was massive, muscles and tendons rippling under his mottled hide, and his thick fingers ended in curved black claws.

He also wore a heavy collar around his throat, the skin underneath red and raw, showing old scars where hed clawed at it. Both the collar and the manacles were made of iron. The ogre limped across the room, favoring the chained leg as he moved, his ankle festering with blisters and open sores. Grimalkin gave a small hiss.

She stares up at the monster.