“You're about to miss the village,” I said.
“Oh!” He swung around and headed for solid ground—what there was of it.
“Wait,” I said. “Let's take a better look from the air.”
Arach circled the village overhead, and we peered down in amazement at the undulating ground, rocking the houses wildly.
“What in Faerie is this?” Arach whispered.
“That's the question,” I muttered.
Earth Fey cried out and clutched each other as they watched their homes start to sink. I scowled at the ground, noting bubbles coming up through what was quickly becoming mud. Again, water was the problem. But unlike Halfsprings, Jurell had been built on sturdier stuff. Many homes didn't sink at all, and those that did only went a few inches. But the streets through the village had gone wet and anything left out upon them faltered and sank into the earth. I smelled salt.
I summoned my Moon again, pulling the same feat as I had in Halfsprings. This time, I was early enough to stop most of the damage. Early enough and aided by the village's foundation. I reached out a hand and pulled the seawater forth, drawing it up in tiny droplets that soon became spirals of water that I sent shooting toward the Water Kingdom.
Arach gaped at me and then the water. “A Dragon-Sidhe controlling Water. You are . . .”
“Not now, Arach,” I growled, concentrating on the magic.
It took several long minutes to siphon off the seawater and send it into the Water Kingdom. As I finished, movement caught my eye. Off in the jungle, a group of disappointed Ballybogs rolled away. But below me, the villagers cheered, their eyes wide with wonder.
“There,” I said just as King Rory rolled up. “It's done. You can put us down.”
“You are a treasure,” Arach said. “And I hope you will be my treasure, Vervain.”
That got a smile out of me.
Chapter Nineteen
Arach hadn't come alone to the Earth Kingdom. He'd brought some Red Caps with him, including Fearghal, the Captain of the Goblin Guard. They arrived at Jurell along with King Rory, his knights, Rivella, and Arach's horse. All the latecomers stood to the side, watching with wide eyes as the King of Fire and I went sniffing around. Literally. We walked the whole village while smelling for something that didn't belong.
“I got nothing,” I grumbled.
“I have sensed nothing unusual either,” Arach said. “But there must be something here. The first village sinking was strange, and if another part of the kingdom had turned into a mud pit, that would troubling, but this was another village.”
“The odds against a natural phenomenon happening to two villages and not some random spots in the jungle are small,” I agreed. “These places were targeted, and that means someone is behind this. With both villages close to the Water Kingdom and the seawater involved, the culprit must be a Water Faerie.”
“I think you're right,” King Rory said as he and Rivella walked up to us. “No one else would be able to summon Water.”
“Except for my Queen,” Arach said proudly.
“Well, it wasn't me,” I said.
“I didn't mean to imply that,” Arach rushed to say.
“Nor do I believe it,” King Rory added. “But I know what action to take now. I must pay a visit to the Queen of Water.”
“Please, tell me it's not Dubheasa,” I said.
“It is,” Rory said. “Do you have an issue with her?”
“It was the other way around.” I shook my head. “I can't let her see me. It could change the future.”
“Don't worry yourself, Queen Vervain. I will visit the Water Kingdom alone,” King Rory said.
“I don't advise that,” Arach said, looking grim. “Queen Dubheasa can be . . .”
“She's a horrid bitch,” I finished for him.
