Rory looked down.
The women stepped forward, over the vibrating stone.
King Rory shoved them back so roughly, they slammed into the fireplace and tumbled down into the cinders. I stared at them, wondering if this was yet another aspect of the story unfolding.
“Queen Vervain, you said you can follow a trail underground,” King Rory said.
“I certainly can.” I stared at the spot he stood over. “She's there. Right beneath your feet.”
Rory didn't waste a second longer. Standing back, he summoned Earth. Great clumps of dirt erupted from the floor, sending the paving stones tumbling as if they weighed nothing. With this earth-geyser came Rivella, gasping for air and clawing her way out of her grave. She wore only a shift, but that hardly mattered when she was covered in dirt. Rory flicked his fingers and every speck of soil flew off her. My eyes widened at the casual show of power.
“Rivella!” Rory launched forward to catch her as she tumbled. “What have they done to you?”
Vines shifted and stones rumbled. I had just enough time to fling up an arm as the cottage came down on our heads. Magic swirling about them, the evil stepsisters passed through an opening in the wall and called for their mother. In seconds, the sound of a battle ensued. But I was more concerned about not getting buried alive. Poor Rivella screamed, facing it a second time.
Faeries are immortal, but they can be killed. The easiest way to kill one was with an element not their own. Stab a Fire-Sidhe with an ice sword, and they'll die. Stab them through the heart, and they'll die nearly instantaneously. A slower, more torturous method was to enclose a faerie in an opposing element. A Kelpie had almost drowned me once, but my goddess immortality revived me. Rivella had been on the verge of drowning herself, just in earth instead of water. Goodbye, Cinderella. No happy ending for you.
Soil went flying again. Stones and vines too. It all blasted away from us as Rory roared in fury. The explosion sent debris everywhere, hitting the soldiers, the women they were restraining, and the poor unicorns. The animals reared again but proved themselves to be made of firmer stuff and didn't flee. Unlike the fluffernutter Rat Boys.
“You're not going anywhere!” I screeched and yanked the water out of them.
The talking mice stumbled to a stop and rolled onto their backs, whimpering.
Satisfied with that, I turned back to Rory and Rivella. He had her in his arms, his head bent to hers. Rivella trembled and clung to him, tears running down her cheeks. She'd been so brave. Too brave. It had nearly got her killed.
“You saved me,” Rivella whispered. “I thought I was going to die down there. In the dark. In the earth.” She wept. “I didn't think anyone would ever find me. But you did.”
“Shh, sweetness,” Rory hushed her, then said a bunch of stuff in Fey.
I didn't mind. In fact, I eased away from them to give them some privacy. Making a game of it, I kicked the rat boys toward the Earth knights, who gathered them up and put them in a sack. They had the mother and her daughters manacled in magic-suppressing cuffs already. All three cringed when I approached.
“So, what happened?” I asked them. “You saw a Fire-Sidhe wandering about in a pretty dress and thought she was easy pickins?”
“Easy pickins?” one of the daughters asked. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, you tried to murder a woman for her dress, didn't you? Spider-silk is very expensive.”
“She doesn't belong here!” the mother sneered. “She was invading our kingdom. Just walking about our forest as if she were an Earth Fey. And in that dress, no less. She deserved to be robbed.”
“She had permission to be here,” I said. “But even if she hadn't, murder is a big leap from robbery.”
“She's too pretty,” one of the daughters muttered. “Too pretty and she knows it. Too prideful. She needed to be taught a lesson.”
“Wow, you really are evil,” I muttered.
Then I felt a presence behind me.
“Queen Vervain, if you could please look after Rivella for a moment?” King Rory asked.
“No,” Rivella said and tapped his chest. “Put me down. I will face them beside you.”
I grinned at her, then at Rory. “Fire-Sidhe don't cower while someone else gets revenge for them.”
“No, we don't,” Rivella said, her glare on the women. “You attacked me for my clothes, then tried to kill me out of jealousy. You bring shame to your people, but I will cleanse it from them.” She looked at Rory. “With your king's permission.”
Rory bowed to Rivella, then nodded at his knights. The knights drew back, taking the unicorns with them. The one with the Fir Darrigs tossed the bag at the women. The mother caught the squirming bag, her eyes wide.
“Wait,” she said.
