Grimalkin appeared from a shadow, bottlebrush tail waving in the wind. "Human, your attempted kidnapping has set off a riot among the New Orleans fey," he announced, his golden eyes boring into her. "We should get moving before anything else happens. The Iron fey are coming for you, and I have no wish to do this entire little rescue again. Talk when we get to Leanansidhes. Let us go."

He trotted down the street with his tail held high, pausing once to peer at them from the edge of an alley, eyes glowing in the darkness, before slipping into the black.

She sighs and follows him.

Eventually they stop training.

In three long strides Puck reached the mouth of the alley, then turned to grin at them, red hair gleaming under the street lamps.

"Well? You coming or not? I cant wait to see the look on Leas face when you both come strolling in." His eyes glinted, and his grin turned faintly savage. "You know, I heard she does horrid things to those who annoy her. Heres hoping she wont rip out your guts and use them for harp strings, prince." Snickering, he waggled his eyebrows at them and turned away, following Grimalkin into the shadows.




Did they need a break?

She rolled her eyes. " She won't do that. I think. " she follows him into the shadows.

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.

Apparently.

She stayed silent as she followed him.

Okay, then.





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.

"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.

"Lise, 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."

" I don't think he's going to threaten anyone anymore. "