“We've still got a little bit of time,” Conal offered with a squeeze of my thigh. “We'll think of something.”
I wanted to throw my hands in the air, dismiss their appeasement with disbelief, but I remained silent, thoughts swirling as I struggled to determine a way forward.
“Charlotte, Dwarblrl'g Whetstone is approaching the city, he wishes to speak with you.” Lucas provided the warning in the same second an alarm sounded outside, and Misaki squeezed Matt's fingers nervously. I got to my feet and hurried to reassure them. “It's the Red Cap. He's heading towards Zaen. Lucas told me he's coming; it wasn't a full-on alarm, so I think we're okay.”
We said hurried goodbyes to Misaki and rushed towards the city wall, passing dozens of people training on the practice fields, set up on the site of the old meeting hall. The idea of rebuilding the hall had remained a step too far and I'd baulked, thinking we had more important things to worry about. I did miss the lovely little room Conal had created – with the continual sense of urgency hovering over the city like a bank of angry rain clouds, I could have done with somewhere to escape and center myself – but there just wasn't time. We were poised on a knife's edge, preparing, and dreading what would surely be the culmination of our efforts to survive. Nobody was under any illusions – once the Drâghici knew we were in Zaen, they'd try and pound us into oblivion.
Epi pulled his woolen scarf more tightly around his neck as we hurried up the steps to the ramparts. The weather was cooling rapidly, and there was a hint of snow in the air, although it had held off so far. The scarf Epi wore was about three times the size of him, wrapped a multitude of times around his neck until his head seemed small in comparison. He'd been suffering from a heavy cold for the past few days, and his bulbous nose was even redder than normal. “Close the gates!” he shouted to a group of men standing by the wall as the last of the people who'd been training with demons hurried inside, glancing over their shoulders worriedly. The reassuring sound of the gates slamming into place did little to calm my anxieties, and I took the steps two at a time.
I leaned out across the granite wall, spying the little Red Cap marching towards Zaen. His bowed legs moved swiftly, kicking at the edge of the furry cloak he'd wrapped himself in. It appeared he was wearing a pelt from some outrageously fleecy animal, and the bloody cap on his head dripped plentifully across his fur-lined shoulders. Nick and Rafe hurried up the granite steps behind us, followed by Arasinya and Goren. I exchanged a pointed glance with Arasinya and she returned the look, her face composed into a smooth mask. “I do not know, Charlotte,” she remarked, answering my unspoken question. “But if he is here, there is a reason for his appearance. The Red Caps never travel alone however, so I would suggest extreme caution.”
The little Red Cap stared up at us and scowled. When he spoke, I was stunned to hear him use English. “Dwarblrl'g Whetstone is alone, Seelie Fae, and he would speak to the curlyhead, if you please.”
I glanced at Conal in astonishment, and he nodded. “Might as well find out what he wants,” he suggested in a low voice. “Might have been nice if he'd told us he understood English before now, though.”
“Yeah, curlyhead. Why don't you ask him what he wants,” Nick smirked, enjoying the opportunity to tease.
I turned my attention to Dwarblrl'g. “Why are you here?”
He pulled the cap from his head, revealing a patch of blonde hair which had been pasted down to his head and soaked red by the blood from the cap. “The curly head came back for me,” he muttered, screwing the cap between his hands and eyeing me curiously. “The Seelie Fae ignored Dwarblrl'g's plight, they abandoned me, but the curlyhead came back.”
I ignored Nick's amused snort. “I couldn't allow you to be killed, it wouldn't have been fair to leave you.”
“Dwarblrl'g would speak with the curlyhead, alone,” the little creature demanded in a guttural voice.
Conal shook his head. “Never going to happen.”
Dwarblrl'g narrowed his eyes, his entire countenance stiffening. “Dwarblrl'g is an honorable creature. I give my word, the curlyhead will not be harmed.”
I turned to Arasinya, seeking guidance. The Fae knew more about the Red Caps than the rest of us put together, and I needed to know how to progress. Arasinya pushed a strand of long white hair, which had escaped from her elaborately plaited hairstyle in the gusty winds, away from her face. “We need to discover why he is here,” she said in a low voice. “The Red Caps are violent, but they are as honorable as Dwarblrl'g Whetstone claims. It may be helpful to speak with him, ascertain his reason for coming to Zaen.”
“No way,” Conal snapped, wrapping his arms around my waist.
“Can they lie?” I asked.
Goren shook his head. “They are bound to the truth, as we are, but like us,” I caught a glimmer in his purple eyes, “they can bend the truth… a little… if it suits their needs.”
“This isn't a good idea, Lott,” Nick declared. He was still leaning across the rampart, scanning the horizon. “There could be a hundred of them out there, waiting to slaughter you the minute you step foot through the gates.”
“Untrue, friend of Seelie Fae,” Dwarblrl'g grumbled. “Dwarblrl'g is alone, Dwarblrl'g is curious about the message.”
I quirked an eyebrow, exchanging a hasty glance with Epi before I responded. “You'll help us with the message?”
“Dwarblrl'g would read the message, curlyhead. Dwarblrl'g doesn't need to tell the curlyhead what the message says.” He crossed his arms, tapping one little foot impatiently.
I shook my head, even as Conal gave my arm a warning squeeze. “No. We must know what it says.” I glanced at Arasinya, saw her nod. “Perhaps we could negotiate something… of benefit… to the Red Caps if you'll help us.”
The Red Cap became agitated, foot tapping even harder against the ground. “Dwarblrl'g cannot negotiate with Seelie Fae. Seelie Fae are not trusted by Red Caps, they steal our belongings, and enter the Caves of Abergel'dg without thought or recompense.”
My eyes flew back to Arasinya's, and the Fae Queen had the good grace to lower her gaze.
“Dwarblrl'g would ask to speak to the curlyhead, if you please.”
“Talk to him,” Lucas urged. “Take Arasinya and meet with him.”
I pulled my coat more tightly around my body; not only suffering from cold, but a tendril of anxiety that snaked up my spine to clutch at my chest. I was no nearer to having the fear under control; in fact, I worried endlessly about how I could face what was coming. More than once, I'd told myself I was a coward – that I'd done this countless times before, and why should this time be any different – but it was. Archangelo's manipulation had nearly broken my psyche and the thought of facing this strange little man was enough to have my knees buckling.
“Perhaps it's time to take your destiny back into your control,” Mom suggested, her voice a soothing balm to my shattered nerves. “The Red Cap message is integral to what comes next and you're stronger than you believe.”
I stared down at Dwarblrl'g Whetstone. “You're alone?”
“Yes, curlyhead.”
I scanned the horizon; there was nowhere to hide in the immediate vicinity, although there was nothing to say there weren't a thousand Red Caps hiding out in the woods on the horizon, just waiting for us to open the gates. I wrestled over what to do. Even if they were there, they couldn't enter the city now the extra sigils were carved into the granite. If we went outside, all we'd need to do was get back through the gates to be safe. Providing the Red Caps hadn't eaten us, before we got there.
I believed in the power of the sigils over the gates. Testing the theory with the new Fae members in our group – who'd bravely agreed to try entering the gates without Nememiah's mark – had confirmed what we'd expected. The new sigils would keep the Fae out, and in turn, increased our security level. I suspected if they worked on the Elves and the Fairies, they would also work against the Red Caps. “We can't let you in—”
My name wa
s hissed in a low tone by nearly everyone standing on the ramparts and Conal's grip on my arm was going to leave a bruise, but I shook him off and continued. “We can't let you in, because the gates are marked to keep you out,” I said, pointing to the freshly-carved sigils, “but I'll come out and speak to you. I need to bring the Fae Queen with me, it is Queen Arasinya who needs to negotiate with you.”
The effect of my words was instantaneous – an uproar of hushed conversations broke out, even as the little creature stood far below us considering my proposal. I held up a hand, warning everyone to be quiet and turned to Arasinya. “I need you to come with me, try and work out an arrangement which suits you and the Red Caps. We need that message translated.”
“There is no way I'm letting you out there,” Conal growled. “Jesus, Charlotte, this is insane!”
Arasinya had remained focused on me throughout the discussion, and Goren was speaking to her, just as frantically as Conal was to me. She lifted her chin determinedly. “Charlotte is correct. We must negotiate.”
I turned to Epi. “Write what we need translated on a piece of paper. I'll take it with us.” I was growing in confidence, and the gentle upswing of voices in my head only boosted the certainty that this was the right thing to do. They hadn't set off a screaming warning regarding Dwarblrl'g's sudden arrival – and that spoke volumes about the level of threat they viewed him with. It was time I learned to listen to the voices again, to take their advice and heed their instructions, and it was time to take my life back and stop letting fear railroad me into a path which could only lead to disaster. I needed to take some control, no matter how hard I found it to do. I dampened down a smile which threatened to appear as the spirits voices lifted in unison, confirming this was the right path.
“Little One, I cannot condone this action, and will not permit Arasinya to go with you. We have come too far, dealt with too much, to place her in harm's way again,” Goren announced.
Arasinya reached out to Goren, placing a comforting hand on his forearm. “Would you have us sit and wait for what will surely be the inevitable conclusion to this war, if we do not take risks? Would you have us both being tortured, murdered by Aethelwine and the Drâghici? Remember what happened to Blane. Remember what they did to your brother, his wife, your treasured nephew. If we do not take a risk, if we do not follow Charlotte's guidance in this matter, I fear that you and I will be facing the same death as your Blane, and for me to watch that happening to you; it would be more than my heart can bear.”
Goren's purple eyes were shadowed with fear when he stared down at his wife – his Queen – and slowly shook his head. “I cannot risk you, my Queen.”
“You must take that risk, my heart. Because I believe that Charlotte is correct. We need that message translated, and we need to reach agreement with the Red Caps. I fear it is the only way to move forward.” She reached up, pressing her palm to Goren's cheek. “We have come this far, with Charlotte's guidance and assistance. You and I would both have died in the Drâghici stronghold, if not for her saving us. Now she needs our help, and I'm going to give it, whether you agree with that decision or not.”
Goren stared down at his wife, the air around them charged with emotion as he considered. I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding when he nodded his assent, and dropped to one knee in front of his wife, placing his forearm against his chest. “My Queen,” he said formally, “as you wish.”
Chapter 38: Accord
Standing outside the gates, a dozen pairs of eyes bore into my back as Arasinya and I worked to broker a deal with Dwarblrl'g Whetstone. It had taken a lot of negotiation to even get the Fae Queen and Red Cap talking to each other, and without the assistance of Lucas and the other spirits, I doubted we'd have gotten as far as we had.
Dwarblrl'g Whetstone had kept to his word – after more than an hour out here on the freezing plain, we remained a group of three, with no sight nor sound of ambush. I'd been staggered to discover the little man had not only come alone; he hadn't returned to the Realm in the interim. None of the Red Caps knew he'd taken this step and I was none the wiser as to how he'd known to follow us here, nor even how he'd known Zaen existed in the first place. The idea of negotiating with him, not knowing if he could broker a deal on behalf of his own kind was worrying, but what choice did we have?
It had taken nearly forty minutes of imploring before Dwarblrl'g agreed to Arasinya and I meeting with him – a further thirty minutes had passed outside the gates while I pleaded with the Red Cap to acknowledge Arasinya's presence. We'd been at this for almost two hours now, and the Fae Queen and the Red Cap had only just begun speaking to each other without using me as a go-between… and I suspected my toes were going to snap off when I moved, frozen solid by the bitterly cold wind.
Arasinya was treating the Red Cap with the utmost deference, lowering herself to a bended knee to negotiate; apparently, a mark of great respect to this strange race. I stood to one side, hoping we could breach the ocean of differences between them. I was impressed by Arasinya's negotiating skills, she was firm but practical, and clearly understood how important this was to everyone.
Just when I was beginning to suspect I'd need Epi to magic up a bonfire and thaw out my frozen bones, Arasinya nodded deeply to the little man and got to her feet. To my amusement, Dwarblrl'g took off his cap and bowed so low, his bloody head touched the dirt.
“Dwarblrl'g Whetstone will read the message, curlyhead,” he announced formally. “Seelie Fae Queen has promised to pay compensation for our Ju'Dng stones that Seelie Fae have stolen and Seelie Fae Queen says curlyhead will make sure they do it.” He glanced at Arasinya triumphantly, before holding his hand out and tapping his foot again.
I pulled the piece of paper from my pocket and handed it over, exchanging an anxious glance with Arasinya. She remained cool and calm, watching as the Red Cap carefully studied the words, his finger working ponderously across them as he considered each one. My heart thumped at double time, hoping it was indeed written in Red Cap, and Dwarblrl'g would keep to his word and tell us the meaning.
The minutes seemed to pass at a snail's pace, as Dwarblrl'g read and reread the message. His plump lips moved as he went through it again. I was beginning to doubt he could understand the message when he looked up at us, nodding in time with his words. “This is a message to the Red Caps from Nememiah himself – a message of greatest importance to our future.”
“May I ask what it says?” Arasinya said, with a graceful curtsey towards the odd little creature. “We must know if it is of pertinence to the war we fight.” She'd managed to hide her revulsion throughout this meeting, and although she kept a wary eye on him, she was dealing with Dwarblrl'g with grace and composure.
To my utter frustration, he went through the note again, in the same slow manner, his lips moving in perfect synchronization with his thumb as he studied each word carefully. When he looked up, he turned his attention to me. “Curlyhead is fighting a war she cannot win – not without the Red Caps.”
“Will you tell us what the note says?” I asked, curtseying awkwardly. It didn't seem a natural action, but I'd seen Arasinya's deference to the little creature and figured it couldn't hurt.
He scratched at his bleeding cap, and I swallowed down revulsion when he carefully licked the excess blood from his fingers. When the Red Cap looked up at us again, there was a glint of anticipation in his eyes. “The message says Seelie Fae must give us control over our land, if we help you win this war you fight. Curlyhead, child of Nememiah Angel is to give us our freedom and the Seelie Fae can no longer rule us.” His gaze shifted to Arasinya. “Does Seelie Fae Queen Arasinya agree to those terms?”
“We would need to negotiate for access to the Ju'Dng stones—” Arasinya began, but the little creature immediately scowled, crossing his arms over his chest again and tapping one foot in a staccato rhythm against the hard ground.
“No, no, no! The Ju'Dng stones belong to Red Caps and Red Caps alone! Seelie Fae sneak i
nto caves and steal the stones, killing, and maiming the Red Caps.”
“And I have offered you compensation for what we have already taken. We must have the stones – without them, we cannot power our cities,” Arasinya pointed out. “We will negotiate a fair recompense for the stones with you, Dwarblrl'g Whetstone, and you can take our offer to the Red Cap king.”
“No, no, no!” Dwarblrl'g announced emphatically, shaking his head violently with each repeat of the word. “Ju'Dng stones grow in our caves, on our land. Not for Seelie Fae to steal and use!”
I was swiftly growing tired of this argument, and besides, I still suspected I would soon freeze to death. A quick glance at the wall revealed Conal was nearly beside himself, and his patience wouldn't last much longer before he would be down here with us – and that wouldn't help matters at all.
“Dwarblrl'g Whetstone, do you believe I am Nememiah's Child?”
He stared up at me, his eyes narrowed. “Dwarblrl'g believes so. This message could not have been received by anyone but a Nememiah Angel daughter or son, methinks.”
“Would you allow me to hold your hand for a moment?” The prospect was intimidating; despite his small stature, it was apparent from the bloody cap, the pointed, fang-like teeth, and the vicious claws on the ends of each of his four fingers that this was a creature that could probably eviscerate me in seconds, but I needed to move things along. The countdown in my head – the clock of doom, ticking down the seconds leading to an inevitable attack by Archangelo and the Drâghici – was pounding away without pause.
“Charlotte,” Arasinya caught hold of my arm and drew me to one side, “this is not wise. The effect of joining the Red Cap's spirits to your own could be catastrophic, you know how you've been affected by my father's spirit, how strong the Fae ancestors are. I have no way of telling what effect the Red Cap spirits might have, even if you can reach them.”
“He approached us, Arasinya. Not the other way around. If he intended to harm us, he would have done it by now, and if he genuinely wants to approach the other Red Caps to broker a deal with us… this might help. If I can prove to him that I'm Nememiah's Child by telling him details of his ancestors, it might sway him towards helping.”
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