The Earl's Childe by T. J. Wooldridge Read Free Book Online Page B

eyes at me. “And how would you define what is necessary and to what extent?”
    My heart was hammering all the way up to my throat. I had to swallow several times, words spinning in my head, the hum of ideas from Tom in my head, everything I’d read in my mum’s books on faerie in my head. After I swallowed enough spit so I wouldn’t choke, I put the words together to make a question. “How would you define what you’re asking m-me to command him to do t-to protect the Seelie stronghold?”
    Lord Cadmus and Lady Fana looked at each other, then at me. Lady Fana said, “To the extent of being our sworn ally, should our stronghold come under attack from one who would seek to harm all of us, human and faerie.”
    â€œAnd what does that mean?” I was quite proud of myself for not rolling my eyes at the utter lack of definition that was going on.
    â€œIt means you would vow allegiance on behalf of your family to aid us if we go into battle, and in return, we would share our resources to protect you from harm from this same enemy. Are you willing to do so?”
    Um, I don’t think so was my first thought, but I was already working to keep my thoughts hidden and avoiding eye contact with, well, any of the daoine síth. They could really mess with your head—way worse than Tom or Ehrwnmyr could—if you looked them in the eye. I didn’t know what else to say, though, and I felt like…pillows were in my brain, keeping me from thinking. Tom’s voice in my head “sounded” too far away to hear clearly anymore.
    I glanced back at him, but only sensed him looking at me sidelong. Every muscle was tense, still, even in his tail, which bristled.
    And I could feel how hard Lady Fana and Lord Cadmus were staring at me.
    This was a very important answer for me to furnish, and it would have a whole lot of weight for both of us. I could feel that, too.
    There was no way, no way at all, that I was ready to answer this kind of question.
    I took a deep breath and did my best to buy time to talk to people more qualified to answer this—my parents. “Lady Fana, Lord Cadmus.” I made a respectful inclination to each as I said their name. “I’m honored that you’d ask me to strengthen the ties between my family and the faerie, but while I’ve been chosen to be the liaison, I’m still…underage by human standards. I need to consult with my parents on something this important for all of us. Would you permit me the time to do that?”
    â€œWill Lord Calbraith await our answer any further?” asked a sour-voiced daoine síth, a male dressed in myrtle green and summer yellow. “Or will he simply act against us if we do not respond to his request for what he claims to be his entitled lands?”
    Lord Cadmus sneered at him. “That would be a poorly played move on his part, to take action out of turn like that…” As much as I wasn’t fond of Lord Cadmus, I couldn’t help but mentally cheer his burn of the other daoine síth, who, for his part, withered just a little. “If he dares do so, we would be assured support from higher courts and,” he glanced at me, “likely our neighbors. Calbraith is Unseelie, hot-headed, and yes, very dangerous, but he is not stupid.”
    Soft murmurs broke out among the other fae in the clearing. Lord Cadmus and Lady Fana allowed them to continue for a few moments.
    After a glance at his wife, who nodded, Lord Cadmus looked at me and continued, “Go to your parents, tell them everything you’ve seen and heard here, and return to us with your family’s response by tomorrow sundown. Tom can lead you back to us.”
    Lady Fana scanned the circle of faerie around us. “We will meet again tomorrow evening and make our decision. Until that time, go in peace to your respective clans, but be prepared if we must defend our lands.”
    My heart was still