Fairy Keeper (33 page)

“Exactly,” said Corbin.

Queenie did a backflip, her excitement thrumming through Sierra.

Nell cleared her throat, stating wryly, “Anyone going to explain to the rest of us? It sounds good, but I don’t get it.”

Corbin put an arm around her shoulders as he explained to everyone, “Look, Bentwood uses merfolk to carry their deep sea nets and drag the ocean floor for clams and oysters. The thing is, I’ve heard he keeps some of them pinned up as hostages to keep the other merfolk in line and for, well, entertainment. I wouldn’t put it past him.”

Micah’s eyes flashed dangerously. “Merfolk are a kind and helpful people. Who would do something like this?”

“Supposedly, their work started off as part of a barter system, so the merfolk could get certain foods, iron tools, and medicines and would pay with service. Something changed over time, though, and Bentwood’s been working the merfolk like slaves since, well… since I can remember.”

Sierra hid a smile as Corbin used what she privately called his “lecture voice.” He loved to share his knowledge, which really did benefit those who paid attention.

He continued, his voice rising with excitement, “But the merfolk could carry us to the other side of the peninsula, right up to the shore of his fortress, without us ever being seen!”

Nell chewed on her lip. “We’d still have to get to Phoebe once we landed, but yeah, it’d be a clever trick, assuming you could convince the merfolk to help us and not drown us.”

“You want me to ask for their help, knowing we cannot do anything to set them free?” Micah looked stricken.

Nell snarled. “Who says we can’t?”

Sierra expected Corbin to be uncomfortable with the idea of fighting, but he held his little herb knife, his face deadly serious. As always, he could read her mind.

“Bentwood’s got Phoebe. He’s got merfolk kept hostage. He’s a dark alchemist who abuses his people. Yes, Sierra, I can fight.”

A swell of love sprang up in Sierra for her friends who would do what was right no matter what. But fighting their way into the city would be suicide with just the four of them. She couldn’t let them throw their lives away. There had to be a better way.

Suddenly, her little fantasy about Jack and a fairy swarm was more than an idle, impossible daydream. It was something that could save them all. But no one would like it. To put it mildly.

Nell’s source told them Phoebe was down in the cellar of the main operations building. They called it the new trainee center. It was a place where they broke people and ensured they would never dare to refuse an order. That was where Phoebe was. She’d been there for two days. Sierra didn’t have time to mess around.

“Here’s another idea,” Sierra offered, trying to sound casual. “Once we get on the peninsula, if Queen can draw the other fairies here, what if they swarm the operations building? Bentwood’s people would be too busy rolling around on the ground to stop us while we run in and grab Phoebe.”

Now everyone really did look horrified. It was one thing to think about fighting Bentwood, but asking innocent fairies to possibly attack a bunch of his people seemed too unclean for anyone else to consider.

As expected, Corbin, with his unbreakable moral code, objected. “How can you even think of doing that? If they were given a choice, I bet most of the people there would choose to help us, but they can’t. They don’t all deserve to die, which is what would happen, you know. Even fairy keepers can die from a sting. I’ve never heard of a non-fairy-keeper surviving a sting, until Nell.”

Sierra agreed but didn’t have the luxury of caring. Micah was the only one who didn’t look shocked. His face was completely neutral. She didn’t know what that meant, but she was thankful someone wasn’t looking at her like
she
was a dark alchemist. She could all but hear sand hissing through an hourglass, though, and her heart raced. They needed to get there. Immediately.

Sierra turned to Queen. “Is that something you can do? Can you rally the other queens to swarm?”

Queen flashed in the air, agitated.
Don’t want to…
the words were sharp in Sierra’s mind. Queenie squealed a little in distress.
I knew you’d live. They probably won’t.

“I know, but that’s the point, Queenie. We may have to hurt a lot of people to get Phoebe out safe, and it’s not our fault they’ve chosen to work for that man.”

They are with the bad man? Man who kills merfolk and takes our nectar?

Sierra stared intently into Queen’s brilliant golden eyes, so large for her tiny face. Sierra felt she could lean forward and fall right into them. “Yes, that’s what I mean.”

Heat laced through her from Queen’s rage, an anger that set the little fairy’s wings vibrating. The strength of the feeling tinged Sierra’s vision with red, forcing her to breathe deeply to keep from staggering. This sharing-emotions business required a lot of getting used to.

We will do what we must.

It wasn’t so much a thought as a feeling. As it turned out, it was a feeling Sierra could get completely behind. She smiled at Queenie, aware it was a cold smile, but it wasn’t directed at her fairy. Sierra was imagining hordes of screaming Port Iona men running for their lives, sparing her friends, while she got her sister. Queenie, sharing those images, sent a feeling of fierce satisfaction, proving they were entirely united in their burning desire for justice.

“Uh―what’s going on?” Nell broke into their conversation.

Only then did Sierra realize she had fallen on her knees, Queenie still standing on her palms. Queenie was glowing brighter than she had since the worker fairies died, but she wasn’t golden. She shined with a sullen red hue she’d never shown before, and Sierra’s neck simmered with heat.

Corbin choked out, “Your mark―it’s glowing.”

She couldn’t see it, but she sensed it.

Nell planted herself right in front of Sierra. “Care to share? You’ve been holding back, Fairy… Keeper.”

Sierra blinked and Queenie disengaged, flittering off into the fading blue sky. Sierra gazed after her queen until she disappeared in the distance.

xplanations didn’t come easy for Sierra. By the time she stammered her way through the confusing story of how things had changed with Queenie, she wished she had Jack’s ability to twist words to her own benefit. Obviously, that trait skipped her.

“What do you mean, she
talks
to you?” Corbin yelped.

Sierra hung her head and gritted her teeth. They didn’t have time for this. She didn’t need the guilt. And for all the money in the world, she wouldn’t want to hurt Corbin this way.

“It’s not exactly like words, though sometimes I hear words, yeah, okay? Happy? I’m sharing my brain with a tiny magical creature who has always acted like she wished I were dead. Micah says you might develop this same thing, so don’t judge.”

Sierra glared at Corbin, heat suffusing her cheeks from shame and embarrassment. She should have told him before now. She could have been more gentle in private. They always shared everything. She wasn’t sure if she was sorry he didn’t have this connection with his fairy, or jealous. But it was a handy ability to have right now. The fairies could be a weapon and would even the odds of saving Phoebe, even if no one else wanted to use them that way. Sierra didn’t want to either, not unless she had to, no. But if it came down to a choice of who lived, she would choose Phoebe every time.

Sierra glanced at Micah, who said nothing as he stood quietly to the side. She couldn’t hold his gaze. Even knowing he might hate her if she asked the queens to swarm, she’d do it to save her sister. What other choice was there?

Corbin pushed past his shock to plead for more time. “Look, give me one day―
one day
―to go before the elders at the port and explain our situation. They don’t all work for Bentwood. You sneak in with the merfolk for Phoebe. Meanwhile, we’ll provide a distraction
and
hopefully get to save the fairies. Then we can try to help the merfolk later.”

Nell’s snort was audible in the fading darkness, but he continued as if he didn’t hear.

Sierra asked Nell, “Is he insane?”

She replied, “I’d rather not answer that.”

Corbin huffed and strengthened his voice a little. “I’m just saying, maybe we can still work this out peacefully.”

His palms were spread wide, asking Sierra to reconsider. His fairy was back with them, joining them after wandering through the woods. She seemed to have the same connection with him she always had. It was clear that she loved him from the way she cuddled against him, but his mark hadn’t changed, and he surely hadn’t seen any bizarre glowing colors lately. Lucky him.

“Fine. You and Nell go in together, through the main road,” Sierra decided. “And you can try to get the elders to hear you. Micah and I will see if we can get these merfolk to sneak us in to get Phoebe. We’ll meet you in the port’s main square after the hearing. Send your fairy to find us if we’re not there. But if they refuse you or don’t believe you, which I don’t see why they would, then I’m going to do whatever it takes.”

Corbin’s face lit up. He stopped listening as soon as she said he could try his plan to protect the fairies and the world. Nell frowned as she looked off into the dark waters of the ocean. She didn’t want to split up, but Sierra honestly didn’t see how else Corbin would waltz in there and make himself understood. She couldn’t risk getting taken by Bentwood herself; Phoebe would never be rescued. But even though Sierra wouldn’t be able to help Corbin with his chosen mission, no one would stop Nell. She could be enough to get Corbin his audience with the elders.

By the time their discussion ended, dusk had slipped into night. Last evening together before the big day tomorrow. They didn’t dare light a campfire. Nell sharpened all her knives and gave Sierra and Micah two of her biggest. Nell’s family was safe at the inn, but Sierra was sure Nell worried about them. Sierra tried not to think about Phoebe tonight, what might be happening to her, so close and so far all at the same time.

Soon, Sierra heard Corbin snoring. Ah, the sleep of the innocent. Nell tossed and turned for a while, but soon her steady breathing filled the air. Micah, though, never made a sound. The stars above were brilliant, and the temperature dropped quickly after the sun had set. Sleep hid just out of her grasp for a long while, but it eventually took Sierra from her worries.

In the morning, she awoke before the sun completely rose above the sea. It didn’t take them long to get ready, but before they went their separate ways, Sierra had to speak to Corbin.

“Are we… okay?” she asked as they hugged goodbye, standing a little way off from Nell and Micah.

Corbin tilted his head and smiled that sweet smile of his. Of course he knew exactly what she meant without her having to explain.

“It’s not your fault, little sister. I’m really glad for you. You finally seem content with Queen. About time!” He nudged her shoulder.

Sierra shook her head and punched his shoulder. “Well, I hope you and Nell take care. I think she’s liked you for a long time, Corbin,” Sierra admitted. “She really cares for you, so I hope you two are happy.”

“I am! But you’ll always be my best friend, Sierra.” He tugged her braid, making her smile. “I’m glad you two have finally been getting along, though, you know?”