"Makes sense." She nods.

"And youre not eating anything. Eat." She gestured at the food. "While youre here," Leanansidhe continued, smiling, "you leave all personal vendettas behind. Thats my other rule. I can easily deny them sanctuary, and then where will they be? Back in the mortal realm, dying slowly or fighting it out with the Iron fey who are gradually infesting every town and city in the world. No offense, darling," she added, smiling at Ironhorse, implying the exact opposite. Staring blindly at the table, Ironhorse didnt respond. He wasnt eating anything. Thankfully, Leanansidhe didnt seem to notice.

She glanced at her food, hesitantly beginning to pick at it.

"Most choose not to take the risk," she went on, stabbing her cigarette holder in the direction the redcaps had fled. "Take the minions, for example. Every so often, one will poke his nose back in the mortal realm, get it hacked off by some goblin mercenary, and come crawling back to me. Exiles, half-breeds and outcasts alike. Im their only safe haven between the Nevernever and the mortal world."

"Which begs the question," Puck asked, almost too casually. "Where are we, anyway?"

"Ah, pet." Leanansidhe smiled at him, but it was a frightening thing, cold and vicious. "I was wondering when you would ask that. And if you think you should run and tattle on me to your masters, dont bother. Ive done nothing wrong. I havent broken my exile. This is my realm, yes, but Titania can relax. It doesnt intrude upon hers in any way."

"Okay, totally not the question I asked." Puck paused with an apple in hand, raising an eyebrow. "And I think Im even more alarmed now. Where are we, Lea?"

"The Between, darling." Leanansidhe leaned back, sipping her wine. "The veil between the Nevernever and the mortal realm. Surely youve realized that by now."

She watches the interaction, nearly bored.

Both Pucks eyebrows shot up into his hair. "The Between? The Between is full of nothing, or so I was led to believe. Those who get stuck Between usually go insane in very short order."

"Yes, Ill admit, it was difficult to work with at first." Leanansidhe waved her hand airily. "But, enough about me, darlings. Lets talk about you." She took a drag on her cigarette and blew a smoky fish over the table. "Why were you tromping around the Briars when my streetrats found you? I thought you were looking for the Scepter of the Seasons, and you certainly wont find it down there, darlings. Unless you think Bellatorallix is sitting on it."

Ironhorse jerked up, sending a bowl of grapes clattering to the floor. Brownies appeared from nowhere, scurrying to recover the lost fruit as it rolled about the tile. Leanansidhe raised a slender eyebrow and took another drag on her cigarette as he recovered.

She looked over at Ironhorse, curious. "What's the matter?"

"YOU KNEW ABOUT THE SCEPTER?" Ironhorse asked, hardly acknowledging Claire.

"Darling, please." Leanansidhe gave him a half scornful, half patronizing look. "I know everything that happens within the courts. I find it unforgivable to be so out of the loop, and its terribly boring here otherwise. My informants clue me in on all the important details."

"Spies, you mean," Puck said.

"Such a dirty word, darling." Leanansidhe tsked at him. "And it doesnt matter now. What matters is what I can tell you. I know the scepter was stolen from under Mabs nose, I know Summer and Winter are about to go to a bloody war over it, and I know that the scepter is not in the Nevernever but in the mortal realm. And--" she took a long drag on her cigarette and sent a hawk soaring over their heads "--I can help you find it.

She frowns, throwing a glance towards Puck. She doesnt trust this woman at all.

It's obvious Puck felt the same. "Why?" he demanded. "Whats in it for you?"

Leanansidhe looked at him, and a shadow crept into her voice, making it dark and ominous. "Darling, Ive seen whats been happening in the mortal realm. Unlike Oberon and Mab, who hide in their safe little courts, I know the reality pressing in on us from every side. The Iron fey are getting stronger. Theyre everywhere: in computers, crawling out of television screens, massing in factories. I have more exiles under my roof now than Ive had in the past century. Theyre terrified, unwilling to walk in the mortal realm any longer, because the Iron fey are tearing them apart."