“Enter!” Rory called out.
An Earth-Sidhe, the very one Rivella had been talking to the night before, came striding into the room. He looked a bit uncomfortable when he saw me sitting at the King's table.
“What is it, Sir Luag?” Rory asked. “And speak in English for my guest, if you please.”
Luag frowned but did as bade. “Uh, there's a problem with Halfsprings Village, King Rory.”
“What's the problem?”
“It's not there.”
Rory blinked. “Say that again.”
“The village is gone, King Rory. Just . . . gone.”
Rory cursed in Fey and shot to his feet. “Prepare a mount for me.”
“And me,” I said.
Rory swung around and stared at me. “This isn't your business, Queen Vervain.”
“But I can help. I've investigated odd things in this kingdom before and then there is my . . .” I glanced at the knight, then added, “Origins.”
The Earth King stared at me, and I could see the wheels turning in his mind. He nodded. “Very well. You may attend.”
Chapter Twelve
Halfsprings Village was now a full spring. I stood on the outskirts of a giant mud puddle. A lake of mud. Lazy bubbles trickled to the surface but other than that, there was no sign of what had been there before. I lifted my gaze to the tree line. I could smell water, and not just the stuff in the mud.
“Where is the Crystal Valley?” I asked King Rory. “What direction and how far away?”
The new Earth King frowned at the mud, glanced at the villagers of Halfsprings who huddled to one side (thank goodness no one had been lost to the mud), and then met my stare. “Crystal Valley?”
“The valley made of crystal,” I said.
“Ah, Nead Nanseud,” he said. “It's about a league that way.” He pointed.
“How many miles is a league?”
“I don't know what miles are.”
I sighed. “How long to walk it?”
“Perhaps an hour.”
“Not far then.” I noted the direction, then the direction we had come in. “That would mean the Water Kingdom is that way.” I pointed.
“Yes. Not far either. Is that important?”
“I don't know. I find it odd that the last time I entered the Earth Kingdom to investigate a strange occurrence, it was in Crystal Valley—your kneed place.”
“Nead,” Rory drew out the word, putting a different emphasis on it.
“Yeah, whatever. It was over there. In sight of the border to Water.”
“Did it have anything to do with the Water Kingdom?”
“No. It . . .” I looked at him. “Damn. I can't tell you. But it didn't involve Water—not the kingdom nor the element. This, however, looks pretty damp.”
