Page 91 of Fae Crown

“Nope. It’s just me now.”

I flicked a quick look at Edsel. His face softened, some of its wrinkles smoothing out.

“Well,” I started, unsure what to say next. “I really don’t think it’s wise to take you into certain danger. It’d be better for you to remain behind,” I added gently. “That way you’ll have your whole life ahead of you.”

“Yeah,” she said with a snort. “What kind of life do you think I’ll have if the queen keeps doing what she’s been doing?”

A shitty one, if any at all.

“Still,” I said.

“I made a promise.”

By her own admission, it was her mother who had, but I understood regardless. Again I glanced at Edsel, searching for guidance.

Noticing our silent exchange, the parvnit drew closer still so that she had to plop down onto the bed and lean back into her arms to see me. Compared to her, I was a giant.

“I can help,” she insisted, tiny eyes wide and imploring. “I swear I can. I’m super useful. I can hide so that no one, not even the queen, can see me unless I want her to. And I can transpop, so long as it’s not too far a distance.”

“What’s transpopping?” I asked.

“I’ll be somewhere one moment…” A loudpoprang out as she vanished, then a secondpopsounded when she reappeared—next to the door. With a proud grin, she zipped toward the bed with a blurring buzz of her wings, stopping to hover near my face. “…and then somewhere else the next.”

I shrugged at Edsel. “That seems handy.”

“I am handy,” she trilled. “Sohandy!”

Then we both studied Edsel, waiting.

He frowned. His nostrils widened, shrank, widened again. Then he really scowled, his discontent all but spelled out in glowing letters across his downturned lips.

Loudly, he harrumphed. Grunted. Harrumphed again. Another grunt. Next, on an exaggerated scowl, “Fine. Ye can come.”

The parvnit squealed and clapped.

“Nothing to celebrate, girly,” Edsel grumbled. “Yer life will be in constant danger once we…”

He trailed off. The little parvnit was twisting her arms and hips, shimmying her shoulders, in what looked very much like a celebratory dance. Her wings buzzed behind her the entire time. When her hat almost tipped, she pushed it back in place.

I tugged my lips back and forth. “You do understand we’re talking about going towar, right? Against the most fearsome woman in all existence?” I couldn’t very well call her acuntanymore now that I knew there was a child present. “Who now thinks she’s immortal, which is absolutely terrifying?”

The little parvnit continued her grinning and elated dancing.

Edsel shook his head. “I’m regretting agreeing to her coming along already.” He frowned. “Nothing says I can’t change my mind…”

As if Edsel held the strings that operated her limbs, she stopped at once.

Her hands clasped in front of her in supplication. “You won’t regret it, I promise.”

“Ye shouldn’t be so loose with them promises,” Edsel muttered.

I couldn’t help but agree.

She went on as if he hadn’t said a word. Her tiny eyes took on a dreamy cast as she continued to clutch her hands to her chest. “I’ve got a purpose, and a big one too. Finally they’ll see I mean something.”

Edsel and I were in the middle of exchanging another loaded look when footsteps hurried along the hallway beyond my door. I hadn’t yet walked through it; I’d been deep under the effects of the olvidian when they transported me here.

An unintelligible bark—a command, by its tone—was answered by a deep …wawaa,wawaaa… croak? What in dragonfire…?

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