“So…tell me more about dragons.” Siofra felt almost giddy at the idea of seeing an actual dragon. And slightly terrified.
“Fire comes to mind, but that is merely a distraction. They are crafty in word and deed. Some like puzzles as a means to play with their victims. A dragon is motivated by greed. It hoards glittering gold and jewels but can never use them. Their downfall is their obsession with shiny things. It clouds their judgment.”
“We have nothing shiny.” She fingered the pendant around her neck. “What about this?”
“That doesn’t come off.”
“It also hasn’t prevented fey from attacking me. What exactly is the magic in it?”
“In the human world, no fey can harm you nor take you where you don’t want to go. In this land, no fey can take you where you don’t want to go.”
“What exactly are the fey?”
“Elves, obviously, fairies, pixies, sprites, trolls, ogres, brownies, bogies, orcs, goblins, gnomes, redcaps, nymphs, banshee—”
“Wait. Perhaps you should tell me what isn’t fey.”
“Will-o’-the-wisp are not fey. Dragons are not fey. Neither are leprechauns nor giants, though leprechauns practice magic and giants can use what magic they steal. Dwarves are not fey, though they are so attuned to the earth, they have some small magic to control it. Generally, dwarves despise magic…and elves.”
“It’s all so confusing. I don’t even recognize what I’m looking at when I do see it.”
“Using your eyes won’t help when most fey can use glamours. When you have been here longer, you will feel the magic in others.”
“If I stay here longer.”
He cocked his head to look at her. “You still don’t understand.”
“What is there to understand?”
“And I cannot tell you.”
After that, they walked along the path in silence. Siofra noted it was the usual brown hard-packed earth with the customary greenery on either side, the occasional flower or bird. But absolutely nothing magical.
“You mentioned dragons desire shiny things, but I can’t remove my pendant. What else can we use?”
“Water.”
“Dragons like water?”
“Not at all.”
When he said no more, Siofra realized he was done talking. No matter. She had things to ponder. Like what he’d said about the queen. She could have answered Siofra without sending her on a quest. Except for the ring. It was obviously important to them all. Why had the king let a dragon take it? If he was as powerful as Lysander said, he could have stopped the dragon. Granted, he was trying to bring about Siofra’s failure.
“What’s important to fey? What do the queen and king value?” Siofra asked Lysander.
“It would depend on the day…or their mood…or the person standing before them. They are ever-changing.”
“You seem nothing like them.”
Lysander swiveled his head to look at her. “Thank you. I left them long ago, and seeing the world through the eyes of the Creator has given me a different aspect on living. But you asked about values… The queen values beauty and truth and often sees them as the same. My father cares nothing for beauty, except his own, but he is passionate about truth. Therein lies the problem. They are either passionate about hiding the truth or exposing it, whichever suits the purpose of the day.”
“That’s confusing. Is there nothing they agree on?”
“Love. They strongly support true love…when it can be proven. The Seelie Court rewards all those who aid true love. My father scarcely believes in it and is always testing the truth of it. Needless to say, he rewards all those who oppose young lovers or who cause them to reveal the fallacies of their declarations.”
“This makes him happy?”
“What is happiness? Do we not all feel vindicated when that which we eschew is proven true?”
Siofra sighed. “I see. That makes sense, of a sort. In reality, neither of them is helping me. The queen just wants to live vicariously through my perseverance in finding my parents. The king wants me to fail because he doesn’t believe anyone can truly love! My life is a game to them.”
“Not entirely. What you cannot understand is that they have lived thousands of years. Think of the monotony. The boredom. To quote one of your poets, ‘There is nothing new under the sun.’ Only different players. The Queen delights when true love wins. The king delights in exposing the faults and weaknesses in us all. Truth.”
“I suppose I can understand their priority on truth. I never stopped to think what it would be like to live forever, trapped in this reality.”
“It’s dangerous as well. The Unseelie Court is full of creatures who enjoy testing my father’s newest projects. They’ve gone beyond seeking truth to enjoying turmoil, even death. I’d rather not be surrounded by that day after day.”
“So, you left.”
“Don’t assign me noble intentions. I left because it was in my best interest to be outside both courts, while a welcome visitor to both. My quest involves finding the princess, but somewhere along the way, it became ensuring the princess was safe and happy, whether or not she ever returns to court.”
Was he saying he no longer desired to marry the princess? If only that were true!
Lysander stopped walking and held up the map. “We have reached a crossroads, and a choice must be made. The shortest path holds the most dangerous opposition. The longer path might yield weapons or items of trade.”
“How? How could we get help on the longest route?”
“There is a goblin market. Know this, they will offer you your heart’s desire but demand payment of that which you hold most dear.”
“It sounds like one and the same.”
“We often don’t recognize what’s most important to us until we’ve given it away.”
Siofra swung her satchel to her other shoulder. “What’s the dangerous opposition on the shorter route?”
“An abandoned castle, guarded at night by gargoyles and by a minotaur during the day.”
“Why can’t we just walk around the castle?”
“What is rule number one when following a path?
“Never leave the path. Which way do you want to go, Lysander? Can’t you beat one little minotaur?”
“If we reach the castle by day, the only way through is a maze with the minotaur in the center. By night, the maze is hidden, but the gargoyles are hungry and nothing escapes their view. A glamour will not aid you.”
“You’re not making this shortcut sound very appealing. Why can’t we go through the goblin market without buying anything?”
“Only a human would think they could traverse a goblin market without succumbing to the lure of goblin ware.”
“I don’t believe you. Nothing could convince you to buy something you don’t want.”
“That is entirely the point, Siofra. They will offer me my heart’s desire.”
“How would they know that? It’s not exactly written on your sleeve. I don’t even know what that is, and I know you…even if I don’t know your real name.”
“My own father doesn’t know my real name. Fey name themselves, so no one can compel us.”
“I’m hungry.” Siofra settled in the center of the path and pulled out all her food choices. Fruit from the Seelie Court, un-magicked, of course. Slightly stale rolls, which she was more than happy to chew, a block of cheese and a flask of water that never seemed to empty. She’d have to thank Mrs. Sgot for that.
She held up a roll with a chunk of cheese in the center. “Would you care to join me? It will help us think.”
Lysander dropped beside her and reached for the roll. “Alright. If there were no danger involved, which direction would you choose?”
“That’s easy. I would always choose shopping.”
Lysander laughed. “I didn’t see you as a miss who loves to buy fripperies.”
“I didn’t say I like to buy. Men buy, women shop. I like to look. I rarely make purchases.”
“There is hope for us yet.”
“Then we’re going through the goblin market?”
“We are,” he said. “Fill your stomach overly full. I can’t break the enchantments on the food, and if you eat it, no other food will ever satisfy. You’ll be forever pining for the goblin food until you waste away to nothing.”
Siofra took a large bite of another golden apple. “Why does this world have to be so fraught with peril? I think I was happier in England, where it’s dull, but safe.”
Lysander’s hand froze halfway to his mouth. “Is that true? I can return you this moment.”
Was it true? On several occasions, she’d been afraid for her life, but would she walk away now when she might find her parents? Then again, did she really want to find parents who would be nothing at all like her? Lysander had convinced her the fey value system was nothing like her own. How could they ever make up for the beloved human parents who had raised her?
She looked across her satchel at the elf who had come to mean more to her than anyone she knew and smiled broadly. “I want to stay, but I would dearly love a cup of tea.”
Lysander’s hand burrowed in his pocket and pulled out a tiny cup of fine bone china. “As my lady commands.”
Siofra’s hand flew to her mouth. “I…I don’t know what to say. Just how much magic did that cost you?” She reached for the cup. “Thank you.”
The tea tasted like pure ambrosia, just the right sugar and heat. “Mmm, this is phenomenal. Seriously, Lysander, how much magic did this cost you?”
“Don’t worry yourself. I have plenty to spare.”
“You are the most amenable friend.”
Siofra savored the tea without any more conversation, giving it the attention it deserved. When she drained the last drop, she set the cup down. “That was the best cup of tea. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Now that you’re hunger, and your craving, is satiated, we should discuss what could happen at Mhargaidh Aislingean.”
“I know that word. Market of Dreams. Yes, tell me what could happen. Is this a place I should hold your hand the entire time?”
“That would not be practical. You’ll be able to see the path. They want everyone to find the market. And I need my hands free.” He slid a knife part way out of its sheath then replaced it. “You never know what you’ll meet at Mhargaidh Aislingean.”
“You’ve been there before?”
“Only once. I barely escaped intact. The lure to buy something is magical, like a compulsion. You think you know yourself, what would appeal to you, but there are wonders there that delight the eyes and ears.” Lysander rested his arms over his chest. “Tell me. How will you deny yourself something you’ve always wanted?”
“Are you certain we shouldn’t hold hands? I think that would solve the problem.”
“You’ve yet to keep hold of my hand…even when it mattered. Think of something else.”
“You could chain me up or put a blindfold over my eyes.”
“The call to prospective customers is just as enticing as what you see.”
“I don’t know! How can I think of ways to combat shopping fever when I’ve yet to experience it?” She sat up taller and held the pendant aloft. “I know. The pendant prevents anyone from taking me anywhere I don’t want to go. Well, I don’t want to go into any shops.”
“That won’t help. The stalls are outside in the marketplace. One call, and you’ll falter. Then you’ll want to go with them.”
“Just put a spell on me, so I can’t think at all, like a baneling.”
Lysander shook his head. “Do you realize I will have issues of my own?”
“What could you possibly want at the market?”
“Never you mind.” He stood, then held out a hand to pull Siofra up. “But we do need to find a weapon for the dragon. We must be agreed. We buy nothing that won’t defeat the dragon.”
“Agreed. What will defeat the dragon?”
“I’ve no idea, but it will be at the market.”
“What will we use for trade? I’ve got my sugar.” Siofra patted her satchel.
“Sugar is a low-priority item. It may appeal to the lower fey, but they don’t usually frequent the market.”
“Can you make me invisible so they won’t call to me?”
“I told you…the goblins at this market can see through magic.”
“Sorry. Sorry. Just thinking. You have all sorts of things in those pockets. Anything you can give away?”
“It would have to be something they value or something someone else values that they can use for trade.”
“Having never dealt with a goblin, I have no idea what they’d value.” Siofra pursed her bottom lip as she thought. “It does remind me of something the queen’s steward said. What I consider profitable may not be what others consider profit. What motivates a goblin?”
“Winning.”
“It is difficult to win if you don’t know the rules of the game. I can’t believe they aren’t frightened of offending your father. Aren’t they afraid he’ll turn them into mice or something else small?”
“On the contrary, they would consider it the ultimate win to have something over my father, including my life.”
“Then we’ll be safer facing the gargoyles.”
“Nonsense.” Lysander reached over and patted her shoulder. “I think we’ll do well to find something against the dragon.”
“If you’re sure. What can you remember about the market? Is it beautiful?”
His soft smile was so indulgent she felt like a child. “It’s truly wondrous. Favors, spells, magical objects—”
“Like magic mirrors?”
“Assuredly. And candles, oils, poisons, and potions. But what would probably impress you more is the silks, the lace, and cashmere. They also have the wares of the dwarves—precious metals and gemstones you’ve never even seen, along with the finest crystal and spun glass.”
“You really make me wish to see, but that’s not good.”
“I thought you were the shopper, not the buyer.”
“Yes, you’re right. I will not buy.”