Michael frowned. “That’s not…” He inhaled slowly. “I want to make sure we avoid misunderstandings. That’s all.”
“I’ll look into it,” I promised him. I fought off a yawn. “You know. In the morning.”
“So will I,” he said. “From my end. I’ll come visit you in two days. We can compare notes.”
“Perfect,” I muttered and laid my head against the truck window.
I had dropped off to sleep before we left the church’s parking lot.
Chapter
Twenty-Three
The Witch of November came two days after Thanksgiving, rain and sleet and fog and snow all mixed together, as Mab knocked at the castle door.
Will sent the Knights of the Bean on duty out the back door to get an early lunch, which was likely a good idea. Some of the guys had gotten ideas about looking out for me. It was just possible that they might have had a higher-than-average level of snark for some reason, and Mab wasn’t the sort to be terribly tolerant of snark.
I had scars and lumps on my skull to prove it.
I came down the stairs from the second floor quickly, with Fitz in tow. “What are you supposed to do?” I asked.
“Keep my mouth shut unless asked a direct question,” Fitz repeated dutifully. “Be courteous. Offer nothing, not even thanks. Accept nothing, not even compliments.”
“Good,” I said. “I’m throwing you into the deep end here, kid. You’re probably going to be dealing with Fae in the future, and Mab is pretty much the most dangerous one there is. Follow my rules and keep your eyes open.”
I was halfway across the emptied great hall when Bear escorted Mab in from the entry chamber. She was wearing one of those huge fur winter hats and a white fur coat that fell to her white heels. Silver-white hair spilled down her back in a cascade like an abruptly frozen waterfall. Her opaline eyes were thoughtful, her lips the color offrozen mulberries, and when Fitz saw her, he tripped over his own feet and fell.
I paused and offered him a hand up. He had kind of a stunned look on his face.
The Fae have that effect the first time you see them. And the second and the seventy-third. They are inhumanly beautiful. I didn’t trip because of my awesome wizardly self-restraint, and because experience had taught me that Mab would look that beautiful even when she was swinging an axe at my skull.
Which she had done.
She was more terrifying than she was lovely.
“It’s okay, kid,” I said under my breath. “Pretty much what I did the first time I saw one of the Sidhe, too. Remember the rules.”
Fitz swallowed, his eyes wide, and nodded mutely.
“Good man.”
We finished walking over to Mab and Bear, and I felt Mab’s eyes on me the way I would feel the winter wind on my face.
“My Knight,” Mab said coolly.
“Queen Mab,” I said, and inclined my head.
Fitz was just staring so I elbowed him. He blinked and then emulated me.
“And who is this?” she asked. There was the barest hint of a smile around her eyes.
“This is Fitz,” I said. “My apprentice.”
Mab arched a silver brow. “Is he capable, or is this another of your charity projects?”
“He set one of the Fomor’s heavy troopers on fire during the battle. He’s able to use all the basic elements. He’s got Council-level potential.”
“Interesting,” Mab said. Her eyes raked Fitz. “Young man,” she said, “there are those among my Court who could teach you the paths of power, if you wish to bargain for the knowledge.”
