"Good boy." She strokes his neck as he walks.

She didn't say anything and kept walking.

Ares enjoyed the praise.

Puck gave Lise a sidelong glance. "Oberon was quite upset that you had left the safety of the Seelie territories." He rubbed his hands and looked uncomfortable. "I'm supposed to bring you and Isiea back to Court."

"Try that and I'll stab you." Isiea calls from in front of them. "Or turn you back into a bird, if I can figure out how."

Puck scrubbed a hand through his hair, a strangely human gesture. "You don't understand," he said, sounding uncharacteristically unsure. "I'm Oberon's favorite lackey, but I can only push him so far. If I fail him again, I might end up a lot worse than a raven for two centuries. He could banish me from the Nevernever for all time. Id never be able to go home."

She rolled her eyes. " Of course he was. But are you actually going to take us back? "

"And how is that our problem?"

"Don't be like that. You dont realize what youre doing. If Mab finds you...you dont know what shes capable of."

"I'm gonna take a wild guess and say she's an ice queen."

" well I don't want to go back to Oberon nor do i want to walk right into Mabs hands, but what choice do I have? "