Page 51 of Fairies Don't Fall

I blinked at her, then patted her head. “I don’t know Cinderella, but it could be arranged. The people would love a ball. We could invite some elven musicians, make it part of the whole coronation ceremony. Good idea, Ruin.”

She stared at me in shock. “Wait, you’d actually have a ball and invite all the eligible men to see which one is hot? But how will you know if they’re nice? Anyone can pretend to be nice for a few hours. Even me.”

My heart constricted at the thought, but I just shrugged. “I suppose the moon will bring me my consort.”

She narrowed her eyes. “You sound like Max.”

“Well, maybe he rubbed off on me. That was a lot of insanity for one person to keep all to himself.”

She shrugged, but was still looking at me weirdly. “True, but it seemed like you kind of liked him.”

I laughed and sounded slightly hysterical. “Of course I like Max. He’s an excellent leader, and I’m always looking for ideas on how to be better.”

“And you think he’s hot.”

“Of course, but…Waiter, would you come and take my friend’s order? Vervain is paying.”

She gave me a raised brow and then focused on ordering.

I couldn’t talk about Max without wanting to burst into tears. He was so good. Not that it mattered. He was a werewolf and I would make a point of never seeing him again. Maybe a ball with random men to dance with would be a good thing. Essential to my future happiness and that of all of Fairyland.

When we got off the train, I walked with purpose towards the portal, crossing fields in the darkness until I got to the small copse of trees.

“I don’t see a portal,” Ruin said, looking around.

I grabbed her arm and knelt down to peer at the tiny door in the rock. “It’s there. Are you ready to go to Fairyland?”

Her eyes grew enormous. “Is Fairyland so small that it fits inside a rock?”

“No, it’s just really a lot of energy to make a portal, so we keep it small and shrink while we’re going through.”

“Wow. Will I get stuck tiny?”

Vervain exhaled loudly, reminding me that he was waiting patiently, directly behind us.

I patted her shoulder and then grabbed Vervain’s hand. I shrunk us all, so the blades of grass were poking up above us, and the cobbles had to be leapt from one to the next.

Ruin laughed, and her voice was tiny and hilarious. I laughed just from hearing it. Vervain did not look amused. When we got to the door, I opened it and stepped into the darkness, coming out with Ruin on a large, smooth platform. I unshrank and smiled at the guard, who had strangely golden eyes and very thick hair. He had werewolf blood? There were some children born while the wolves were in Fairyland, but I hadn’t seen any this close before.

I smiled at him. “Protect my miniature guest, if you please. Vervain will be here shortly. I have business.” I opened another portal and stepped through, coming out in the courtyard I’d seen in Shotglass’s mind. It was empty.

I searched the house of the Rising Sun, but the entire, formerly glorious place was stripped to the bones. Even the golden chandeliers were gone.

I walked back to a balcony that overlooked the surrounding slopes of mountains and valleys, beautiful woods that shifted in the afternoon light, and felt nothing.

Vervain found me like that. “You didn’t wait for me.”

“I didn’t want you to torture her, but she’s already gone. She knew I was coming for her.”

“I didn’t betray you.”

I glanced at him over my shoulder. “I know, but it would be strange if she didn’t have connections in Singsong City if she was able to arrange a snack factory to poison goblins and werewolves. Max was going to get a list of everyone who could have been involved. I’ll have to send someone to go get it.”

“You could set up a communication sphere.”

I blinked at him. Seeing Max would be torture. But I wanted to anyway. I shook my head, because wanting him was absolutely off the table. “No, I’ll send someone. I’m going to bring the court here. We’ll establish a new Queen’s Court when we have the ball. You should announce Dawn’s treachery so she has no place in our world to hide. No one would easily forgive her betrayal.”

“The ball?”

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