She just keeps quietly bleeding.

"Well?" she finally said, looking to the redcaps as if nothing had happened. "What are you minions standing about for? My seat isnt going to move itself."

The largest redcap, a burly fellow with a bone fishhook through his nose, shook himself and crept forward, pulling Leanansidhes chair away from the table. The others followed suit, looking like theyd rather beat them to death with their own arms, but wordlessly drew out our chairs. The one attending Ironhorse growled and bared his teeth at the Iron faery, then darted away as quickly as he could.

"I apologize for the minions," Leanansidhe said when they were all seated. She touched her fingers to her temple, as if she had a headache. "Its so hard to find good help these days, darlings. You have no idea."

"I thought I recognized them," Puck said, casually reaching for a pear near the center of the table. "Isnt the leader Razor Dan, or something like that? Caused a bit of a stir during the Goblin Wars, when they tried selling information to both sides?"

"Nasty business, darling." Leanansidhe snapped her fingers twice, and a brownie melted out of the darkness with a wine flute and a bottle, scrambling onto a stool to fill her glass. "Everyone knows you dont cheat the goblin tribes if you know whats good for you. Like poking a stick down an ant nest." She sipped the wine the brownie poured her and sighed. "They came to me for asylum, after making every goblin tribe mad in the wyldwood, so I put them to work. Thats the rule here, darling. You stay, you work."

Lise sat down, not yet reaching for food.

Unlike Lise, Isiea is dying. So she doesnt care whether or not the food is poisoned- shes famished. She starts eating.

The food tasted just as good as it appeared.

"While youre here," Leanansidhe continued, smiling as she ate, "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.

"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."

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."

" We were looking for a trod. " Lise says, as she hesitantly starts eating.

She sighs softly and leans forward, blood dripping onto the table. She looks like she may faint.

She had no idea what to do for Isiea.

"Yes, I know. 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 our heads "--I can help you find it."

" why would you help us find it?"

She slumps forward more, trying not to fall unconscious.