She rolls her eyes and grabs Ashs hand. Her claws are out a little, but only enough to pinch and not enough to do any sort of actual damage.

The gremlin might not have survived its trek to the table if everyone was still in the tent, as one or more knights would probably have cut it down as soon as they saw it. Oberon's rep watched the hissing faery with the look of someone observing a particularly disgusting insect, but did nothing more than blink.

The kobolds heaved the cage onto the table, where the gremlin snarled and spat at them, flitting from one side of the container to the next. The largest kobold, a yellow-eyed creature with bushy hair, grinned, flicking his tongue like a lizard.

"It isss ready, Queen Mab," he hissed. "Would you like to perform the ritual?"

Mabs smile was thoroughly frightening. "Give me the amulet, Heinzelmann."

The kobold handed her something that flashed briefly in the dim light. Still smiling, the Winter Queen turned back to the gremlin, watching it with a predatory gleam in her eyes. The gremlin snarled at her. Raising her fist, the queen began chanting, words that they didn't understand, words that rippled with power, swirling around her like a vortex. The gremlin arched its back, mouth gaping, and gave a piercing wail. There was a dark, ragged wisp, like a dirty cloud, rise up from the gremlins mouth and get pulled into the vortex. Mab continued to chant, and like a tornado being sucked down a drain, the vortex vanished into whatever she held in her hand. The gremlin collapsed, twitching, sparks jumping off its body to fizzle on the stone. With a final shudder, it was still.




He still flinches nonetheless.

She was silent, looking between maband the now dead gremlin.

"Get on." She's clearly getting impatient.

Mab turned back to them, a triumphant look on her face.

Mab raised her hand. An amulet dangled by a thin silver chain, flashing like a drop of water in the sun. It was a tiny thing, shaped like a teardrop, held in place by prongs of ice. The teardrop was as clear as glass, and there was something writhing like smoke on the inside.

"We have found a way to trap the Iron creatures life essence," Mab purred, sounding horribly pleased with herself. "If the amulet works, it will draw the Iron glamour from the wearer into itself, cleansing and protecting him from the poison. You will even be able to touch iron without being burned. Severely, anyway." She shrugged. "At least, that is what my smiths tell me. It has not been tested yet."



"I don't understand why."

,, Because youre coming with me. Im not bringing Ares there so youll make for a good replacement. ,, So hes on the same level as a horse. Great.

Well...she cherished that horse, so...

"Coming with you where?"

,, The iron realm, to kill your stupid brother. ,, She rolls her eyes. ,, And hopefully we wont have to go back to kill a third iron king. ,,

"Oh." He hauled himself up onto Ares, who glared back at him

" Cool. "