“Now, I know you said everything’s fine. But I want
to give you a chance to think about it. Have you felt faint recently? World
grow dark around the edges?”
Denise suddenly remembered the time standing on the side of
the road, waiting for the twins’ bus. She slowly nodded. “Yes. A few days ago.”
She told the doctor about the incident.
“You said you have kids. They been worried?”
“Yes,” Denise sighed.
The doctor turned Denise’s face up and examined it closely. “You’re
naturally pale. I think, now, you’re unnaturally pale. You’re going to have to
replace that battery sooner rather than later.”
“I’ll schedule something before the end of the month,”
Denise promised.
“End of the week would be better,” Doctor Jan replied.
“I—I need to check with my kids,” Denise said,
faltering. “Is it really that bad?”
“If I could, I’d have you go in today,” Doctor Jan said. “Battery
could go out at any time. But you’d fight me on that. So, end of the week. You
feel weak or dizzy, you call 911. Immediately. Your kids know what to do?”
Denise gulped. “Yes.” As long as their cell phone reception
at the house didn’t die.
In a haze, Denise set up an appointment with the surgeon for
three days hence, on Friday. When Denise got back to the car, she already had a
list of clients in mind whom she would be billing. She needed that money. Now.
***
Adele could barely contain her fury when she heard about the
warriors’ failure. That damn interfering dwarf. And they knew about the Maker
before Adele had had a chance to find her and bring her to their side. Because
the Maker had defended her brother against the fairies, it was going to be even
harder to win her over. “Damn them all!”
“Please,” Cornelius said. “Lower your voice.”
Adele bit her lip and paused in the center of the room. It
was just the two of them in the outer chamber he’d hustled her into after the
warriors’ report. Both doors leading to the throne room stayed shut, even after
her outburst. Like most of the rooms in the palace, a strip of white wood
divided the walls. The top half was painted a pale ivory, with delicate gold
vines and ivy decorating it, while the bottom half was a deep blue. Adele knew
Imogene had chosen colors she thought calming. Adele found them suffocating.
Like most of the furniture in the palace, the long couch
between the two doors was backless, making it easier to sit on with wings. Red,
blue, gold, and cream strips ran from the arms and across the seat. When
Cornelius sat, he patted the place next to him. Adele stubbornly continued
standing.
“You need to turn this failure to an advantage,” Cornelius
told her seriously. “There are already murmurings in the court about your
qualifications as ruler.”
Adele scoffed. “And who would take my place? Those fops from
the southern kingdom? Gideon? You?”
Cornelius bowed his head slowly. “There’s been talk.”
Adele drew herself up. “Would you take my kingdom from me,
old friend?”
“Not willingly, no,” Cornelius said, shaking his head. “And
not while you continue to listen to reason,” he added pointedly.
“Fine,” Adele said, flouncing down on the seat next to him. “Give
me your counsel, O wise one.”
Cornelius chuckled. “Who says warriors never listen?” he
teased.
It was an old joke between them—warriors, like Adele,
only fought and never listened, whereas royals, like Cornelius, only talked and
never listened.
However, Adele wasn’t prepared to be amused that day. “How
do I kill Kostya ?” she asked.
“Wrong focus,” Cornelius replied. “How do you capture the
heart of the human Tinker, as well as his sister, the Maker? They could be
strong allies. Though traditionally, fairy kingdoms don’t make alliances, you
should also be asking how the southern kingdom could be useful.”
Adele turned the questions over in her mind. Cornelius, as
always, used words like a weapon. Of
to give you a chance to think about it. Have you felt faint recently? World
grow dark around the edges?”
Denise suddenly remembered the time standing on the side of
the road, waiting for the twins’ bus. She slowly nodded. “Yes. A few days ago.”
She told the doctor about the incident.
“You said you have kids. They been worried?”
“Yes,” Denise sighed.
The doctor turned Denise’s face up and examined it closely. “You’re
naturally pale. I think, now, you’re unnaturally pale. You’re going to have to
replace that battery sooner rather than later.”
“I’ll schedule something before the end of the month,”
Denise promised.
“End of the week would be better,” Doctor Jan replied.
“I—I need to check with my kids,” Denise said,
faltering. “Is it really that bad?”
“If I could, I’d have you go in today,” Doctor Jan said. “Battery
could go out at any time. But you’d fight me on that. So, end of the week. You
feel weak or dizzy, you call 911. Immediately. Your kids know what to do?”
Denise gulped. “Yes.” As long as their cell phone reception
at the house didn’t die.
In a haze, Denise set up an appointment with the surgeon for
three days hence, on Friday. When Denise got back to the car, she already had a
list of clients in mind whom she would be billing. She needed that money. Now.
***
Adele could barely contain her fury when she heard about the
warriors’ failure. That damn interfering dwarf. And they knew about the Maker
before Adele had had a chance to find her and bring her to their side. Because
the Maker had defended her brother against the fairies, it was going to be even
harder to win her over. “Damn them all!”
“Please,” Cornelius said. “Lower your voice.”
Adele bit her lip and paused in the center of the room. It
was just the two of them in the outer chamber he’d hustled her into after the
warriors’ report. Both doors leading to the throne room stayed shut, even after
her outburst. Like most of the rooms in the palace, a strip of white wood
divided the walls. The top half was painted a pale ivory, with delicate gold
vines and ivy decorating it, while the bottom half was a deep blue. Adele knew
Imogene had chosen colors she thought calming. Adele found them suffocating.
Like most of the furniture in the palace, the long couch
between the two doors was backless, making it easier to sit on with wings. Red,
blue, gold, and cream strips ran from the arms and across the seat. When
Cornelius sat, he patted the place next to him. Adele stubbornly continued
standing.
“You need to turn this failure to an advantage,” Cornelius
told her seriously. “There are already murmurings in the court about your
qualifications as ruler.”
Adele scoffed. “And who would take my place? Those fops from
the southern kingdom? Gideon? You?”
Cornelius bowed his head slowly. “There’s been talk.”
Adele drew herself up. “Would you take my kingdom from me,
old friend?”
“Not willingly, no,” Cornelius said, shaking his head. “And
not while you continue to listen to reason,” he added pointedly.
“Fine,” Adele said, flouncing down on the seat next to him. “Give
me your counsel, O wise one.”
Cornelius chuckled. “Who says warriors never listen?” he
teased.
It was an old joke between them—warriors, like Adele,
only fought and never listened, whereas royals, like Cornelius, only talked and
never listened.
However, Adele wasn’t prepared to be amused that day. “How
do I kill Kostya ?” she asked.
“Wrong focus,” Cornelius replied. “How do you capture the
heart of the human Tinker, as well as his sister, the Maker? They could be
strong allies. Though traditionally, fairy kingdoms don’t make alliances, you
should also be asking how the southern kingdom could be useful.”
Adele turned the questions over in her mind. Cornelius, as
always, used words like a weapon. Of
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