"Oi, lovebirds!" Pucks voice shattered the quiet, bouncing through the darkness. Ash pulled back with a rueful look. "Get a room, would ya? Weve got better things to do than watch you suck face!"

"Indeed." Grimalkins voice echoed Pucks irritation. Now even the cat was agreeing with Puck? "Hurry up, or we shall leave you behind."

She rolls her eyes before jogging after them.

They followed Grimalkin through the city, down an unusually long, curving alleyway that turned pitch-black, and suddenly they were back in a familiar dungeonlike basement with torches set into the walls and leering gargoyles curled around stone pillars.

Grimalkin set a brisk pace down several hallways, where torchlight flickered erratically and unseen things growled and scurried about in the darkness.

Ashs fingers curled around Claire's and squeezed. They followed Grimalkin up a long flight of stairs to Leanansidhes magnificent foyer, with the double grand staircases sweeping toward the roof, the walls covered with famous paintings and art. Reclining against the cushions, one slender hand gripping a sparkling wine flute, was Leanansidhe, Queen of the Exiles.

She stayed silent as they stood there, waiting for her to say something.

"Darlings!" Pale, tall, and beautiful, Leanansidhe smiled at them with lips as red as blood, bright copper hair rippling through the air as if it weighed nothing at all. She rose with liquid grace, her ebony gown swirling around her feet, and absently handed her wineglass to a waiting satyr, trading it for a cigarette flute. With the end trailing sapphire-blue smoke, she approached them with the grin of a hungry tiger.

"Claire, my pet, how good of you to drop by. When you didnt return from the last mission, I thought the worst, darling. But I see you made it out, after all." Her cold blue gaze flicked to Ash, and she raised a slender eyebrow. "And with the Winter prince in tow. How--" she tapped her nails together, pursing her lips "--tenacious." Her gaze narrowed, and a ripple of power shivered through the air, making the lights flicker, as Leanansidhe turned on Ash. "The last I saw of you, your highness, you were threatening to slaughter the girls family. Be forewarned, darling, I dont care if you are Mabs favorite son. If you threaten any in this house, I will rip your guts out through your nose and string my harps with them."

"Id love to see that, personally," Puck muttered, smirking.

Ash bowed. "Ive severed all ties to the Winter Court," he said evenly, facing the Exile Queens glare. "Im no longer 'your highness,' just an exile, like Claire. And yourself. I mean no harm to you, or anyone within your house."

Leanansidhe gave him a tight smile. "Just remember who the queen is around here, darling." With a nod to the rest of Claire's companions, she motioned them to the couches. "Sit, darlings, sit," she said in a voice that held an only thinly veiled threat. "I am afraid we have a lot to discuss."

She walked over, sitting down.

Ash chose to stand, looming behind Claire, while Puck and Grim perched on the arms. Leanansidhe sank gracefully into the opposite chair, crossing her long legs and staring at Claire over her cigarette. "So, darling." Leanansidhe took a drag off her cigarette and blew a smoke fish at her. "Youve been banished from the Nevernever, in a most spectacular show of defiance, Ive heard. What are you planning to do now?"

She frowns, "Well, we did have a run in with some iron fry that gave us some information..." She mutters, remembering what Glitch said.

"Well, darling, there are disturbing rumors circulating the streets. Strange weather is plaguing the mortal world, Summer and Winter are losing ground to the Iron Realm, and there is a new faction of Iron fey that have popped up recently, looking for you. Also..." Leanansidhe leaned forward, narrowing her eyes "...there are stories about a princess who controls both Summer magic and Iron glamour. That she has the power to rule both courts, and she is raising an army of her own--an army of exiles and Iron fey--to overthrow everything."

She frowns, "How do people get all this information?"