He grumbled under his breath about perky pixies and precarious perches and focused on getting himself across.
“Are you always so alliterative when you’re upset?” Celesta asked him curiously as he set both feet down on the solid platform with a sigh of relief.
“Do you always have such good hearing?”
She shrugged. “I guess? I don’t know what normal human hearing is like, so I couldn’t say.” She glanced at the building behind her, and Alex took a moment to examine it now that his world was stable once more. It was painted in shades of green with gold accents around the doors and windows. A sign bearing the wordsCapitulum Confectionsin delicate script hung over the door. Through the open windows, he could see that, despite its rather out-of-the-way placement, the shop did not seem to be wanting for customers.
“Speaking of hearing, it’s probably best if we don’t mention that you’re human. Uncle is probably looking for you, and he may have guessed that you came through to Faerie.” Celesta bit her lip in an uncharacteristic sign of worry.
Alex looked down at himself, noting his uniform clothes and remembering Celesta’s reaction to his build. “Won’t it be rather obvious?”
She hummed thoughtfully. “You are a little brawny for an elf,” she conceded. “But not if we say you have some dwarfish blood in your background. Just make sure nobody sees your ears.”
Celesta stood on her toes and reached up with both hands as she said the words, arranging his hair so that it would fall over the tips of his ears. Her fingers lingered in his curls for a moment, her touch sending shivers of warmth down the back of his neck and arms. The pixie’s eyes were bright with fascination as she gently tugged the end of a curl and then let go, sending it springing back into place.
Alex swallowed and cleared his throat, doing his best to ignore his reaction to her attention. Other than the nurses at the hospital, the last person to touch him so familiarly had been his mother.
The little ballerina met his eyes for a moment as her cheeks and ears turned a rosy shade of pink. “Sorry,” she said in a rush. “Your hair is just so soft. And bouncy. Anyway, just remember to keep your ears covered and don’t say anything about being human. If anyone asks, you’re part dwarf. But maybe faun would be better, with the hair? Although then you’d probably also have horns or something, and it wouldn’t explain the muscles since they tend to be a little on the scrappy side. No, dwarf is probably best.” She finally stopped talking long enough to take a breath and gestured towards the shop. “Shall we?”
He said nothing, afraid of starting another torrent of words, but motioned for Celesta to lead the way.
A small bell tinkled overhead as they pushed the door open, and immediately Alex’s nose was filled with the warm, rich smells of chocolate and cream. Everything in the interior of Capitulum’s was made of light, polished wood, from the floor to the tables and chairs that sat on thin, gracefully curved legs. Spider plants and ferns sat in the window sills and hung in clay pots suspended from the ceiling, spilling their long leaves down the sides. The room was full of the quiet hum of conversations from the patrons, who sat with delicate plates and cups in front of them.
A long counter with a glass case ran the length of one wall. The shelves were full of trays of sweets–brittle, taffy, hard candy, cocoa-dusted truffles, and chocolates of every size and shape. A dark-skinned fae with her hair held back in a net of delicate green vines stood behind the counter. She wore a brown apron over a leaf-green dress and busied herself in replacing the contents of one of the trays of chocolates.
Celesta stepped lightly over to the counter. “Hello, Briar! Do you have anything special today?”
“Celesta! I was hoping you’d be by soon.” Briar settled the tray into place in the counter and wiped her hands over her apron. She returned the pixie’s wide smile and glanced in Alex’s direction. “Who’s your friend?”
“Oh!” Alex could see Celesta’s shoulders stiffen in response. They had not discussed what name he was supposed to use. “This is…Al. He’s visiting from Autumn for the first time, and I wanted to make sure he got a taste of the best chocolate in Faerie. Apparently dwarfish mines don’t have a great selection.” She relaxed as she spoke, even as Alex worked hard not to wrinkle his nose in distaste at the hated nickname.
Briar’s eyes lingered on him appreciatively for a moment before she turned back to Celesta. “Then you’ve brought him to the right place. What would you like? A sampling of everything?”
“Yes, please!” Celesta answered eagerly, clasping her hands behind her back and bouncing on her toes. “And any seasonal flavors you happen to have.” She looked over her shoulder at Alex before adding, “Perhaps a piece or two of your darkest chocolates.”
“Of course. Anything to drink?”
“No, that will be all.” Celesta reached into a hidden pocket at her waist and pulled out two coins. “You can keep the change.” She exchanged the coins for the brown paper bag that Briar held out to her.
With a wave and word of farewell, Celesta led the way to a small table tucked away in the corner. Alex pulled out a chair for her, then took his own seat. “I hope we’re not staying long,” he grumbled. “Wouldn’t it be better to be spending our time sending a message to Drosselmeyer than eating candy in the treetops?”
Celesta was peeking inside the paper bag. “We’re staying as long as it takes to read this,” she answered, pulling a small envelope from the inside of the bag.
“What’s that?” Alex was curious in spite of himself.
The little ballerina broke the seal and opened the letter, somehow managing to make even a mundane task like reading mail graceful and elegant. “A letter from Drosselmeyer. He knows I stop here every time I come to Arboris, and he will often leave messages with Briar for me.” Her brow furrowed and her lips pressed together as she read. Whatever message the letter contained, it seemed to be rather unsatisfactory.
She finished it with a sigh and handed it to him. “Here. You should probably read this.” She plucked the bag from the top of the table and popped a chocolate in her mouth.
Alex flattened the letter against the table. The handwriting was thin and spindly, and rather reminded him of the notes he had seen scrawled on the doctor’s pad back in the hospital. He quickly scanned the contents.
My dearest goddaughter,
I regret that I cannot be there in person to speak to you, but events have transpired that require my immediate attention in the south of Summer. The gate to the mortal realm has shattered, and until it is repaired, we have no hope of defeating Stahlmaus. As the magic was drawn from Faerie itself, a shard from the mirror has returned to each of the Courts. It will be up to you and Mr. Monde to track down the pieces in order to restore the gate. I can offer little help in this endeavor, tied up as I will be with this business, but I can give you this advice: the shards will be found in places where the heart of Faerie is reflected in mind and body. Look for those reflections, and you will find what you seek.
I also urge you to move with caution. Stahlmaus experienced a setback when you sent him back through the gate, but it will not be long before he regroups. It is likely that he knows, or has surmised, that Mr. Monde has fallen through to Faerie, and he will be looking for you.
Move quickly, be smart, and don’t forget your training. I will come to you as soon as I am able.
