Page 25 of The Iron Raven

We looked up. Nyx stood at the edge of the living room, watching us without expression. Seeing her, I felt a huge bubble of relief swell up from the pit of my stomach. She was all right. I mean, I’d known she’d be fine; she was one of the toughest faeries I’d come across, not to mention stubborn, stoic, impassive, refusing to acknowledge when she was hurt...

Wait, had I just described a female version of ice-boy?

Miss Stacey, however, gave a huff and whirled around to glare daggers at her former patient. “Another one!” she exclaimed, throwing up her wrinkled hands. “Why is this a trend with all your friends, Robin? You are not supposed to be on your feet yet, young lady. I did not spend the wee hours of the dawn stitching those wounds shut for you to go tromping off into the wyldwood with Robin to fight more monsters and undo all my hard work.”

She gave a dramatic sigh, and her shoulders slumped in resignation. “But that’s exactly what you’re going to do, isn’t it? I shouldn’t waste my breath. It’s not like I haven’t been through this exact same argument with Robin and company before. So, go on.” She raised an arm, waving her hand like she was shooing a fly. “Go ahead and get yourself torn open again. I’m sure I’ll see you back here before long.”

I was rolling my eyes through Stacey’s long-winded but familiar rant when Nyx surprised us both by stepping forward and sinking to one knee before the gnome.

“I am grateful for your assistance,” she said, holding out a hand. A small, crescent shaped coin glimmered against her fingertips, and she held it out to the healer. “Our mission is urgent, and I apologize for not heeding your wishes, but we must go. I’m afraid I have nothing to offer in payment except my skills. If you ever need me or my blade, hold on to this and speak my name. I will hear it and come immediately, if I am able.”

“Oh.” The gnome deflated, losing most of her fury, and shook her head. “You don’t have to do that, dear,” she said, gently pushing the hand away. “Robin is an old friend of mine, despite all his idiocy. I am happy to help.” She shot me a glance. “I just wish my charges would take better care of themselves. Robin will continue tothinkhe’s unkillable, until the day he’s not.”

“I have yet to be proven otherwise.” I grinned.

Stacey snorted.

Nyx rose gracefully to her feet, pulling her hood up. “I’m ready,” she told me. “We should go.”

“Yep,” I grunted, climbing to my feet as well. Unfortunately, I’d forgotten about the half-full mug and bumped it with a knee, sloshing hot liquid over the hardwood floor. “Oops. Uh, you go ahead and wait for me outside,” I told Nyx, feeling Stacey’s glare on my back. “I’ll just be a second.”

The Forgotten gave me a slight nod and glided out, making no sound. I started looking around for a cloth or napkin to soak up the mess, but Stacey sighed and waved a hand at me.

“Get out of here, Robin,” she said in a half-resigned, half-exasperated voice. “Before you cause any other mishaps. But before you go, answer me this. That girl... Does she know who you really were, the old Goodfellow?”

“No.” I shook my head. “She doesn’t know anything about me. Before today, she hadn’t even heard the name Robin Goodfellow, shocking as that is.”

“Hmm.” The gnome pursed her lips. “Then perhaps you should consider this rare opportunity, Robin. For once, your reputation does not precede you. Maybe try to make a good first impression, before she hears too many tales?”

I raised a brow. “I always make a great first impression, Stacilla. Not always a good one, but it’s definitely memorable.”

She rolled her eyes in defeat. I took that as my leave and slipped out, joining Nyx in the cool twilight of the wyldwood.

“Okay, that’s done,” I announced, dusting my hands together. “Ready to head out?”

“Are we truly free to go?” Nyx asked, tilting her head at me. “I feel strange, leaving this debt unsettled. By rights, I should at least owe her a favor.”

“Don’t worry about it.” I waved it off. “Stacey and I have helped each other so many times we’ve lost count of who owes whom.” Crossing my arms, I gave her an appraising look. “I gotta say, though, that turnaround was awfully quick. You sure you’re okay?”

“I am fine,” Nyx assured me. “I won’t impede our progress or slow us down. This isn’t the first time I’ve been wounded while on a mission.” For just a moment, a haunted look passed through her eyes but was gone in the next breath. “If I was given a task, the Lady expected me to complete it, no matter what.”

“That sounds familiar,” I sighed. “Sucks, doesn’t it?”

She blinked. “What?”

“Knowing that you’re just a pawn in someone’s game,” I went on, “and they don’t see you as anything but the means to an end. I get it. I’ve been there. Oberon isn’t as bad as some of the other rulers—he’s no Queen Mab, at least—but he is still a faery king. They tend not to take no for an answer. Of course, once you realize this, you have one of two choices. Continue on to the best of your ability, knowing your place is to serve and not ask questions, or rebel and make life very difficult for yourself.” I paused, then shot her a toothy grin. “Guess which path I always choose?”

Nyx frowned, looking confused. “And your king doesn’t punish your disobedience?”

“Oh, all the time. If he can catch me, that is. Turns out you can’t punish what you can’t see, and I’ve learned to avoid Lord Pointy Ears when he’s in one of his moods. Eventually Oberon calms down and remembers I’m much too valuable to banish forever. He actually does have a level head on his shoulders when he’s not being all high and mighty. Titania, on the other hand, has absolutely no patience for anything, and her hissy fits are legendary. She’s so much fun to piss off.”

“Piss off?” Nyx frowned. “I don’t know that expression. And what is a...hissy fit?”

“Ah. Basically I make her so mad she throws a massive temper tantrum and I have to avoid the Summer Court for a few months until Oberon calms her down. Or she finds a shiny new plaything to distract her. Lucky for me, she’s very distractible.”

“You deliberately make your queen angry.” Nyx’s confusion now held an edge of disbelief as she shook her head. “The Nevernever is a very different place now,” she mused. “If I even hesitated when answering the Lady, she might order the rest of my kin to hunt me down for treason. And she did not forget.”

I blinked. “Your kin? There are more of you?”

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