I laid my head on the side of a bed in the ICU at the Eastpoint Medical Center. A bed in which held my mother, Rebecca. Holding her hand anguish and frustration flooded my small frame. The sorcerer Eá²ghan warned that security was an illusion. In my naivety, I assumed that he was threatening my safety. Guilt threatened to overwhelm me, I happily accepted protection from the Kincade’s for an afternoon of fun while my mother drove home defenseless.

The family meeting had not gone on very long before Stephanie broke the news. After almost all but the oldest children left the room, along with some of the mothers with younger children, Richard Kincade began the introductions. My job brought some gasps, but overall the attitude was accepting. The Kincades had lived next to the forest long enough to understand the benefits of having an Arbitrator. A few Arbitrators were working inside the Fae Realm as a go-between in disputes the ultimate being, of course, the Fae Queens. However, I was unique an Arbitrator in the mortal realm as well, making me an Ambassador for my people.

Only one of the Kincade family members scoffed at the idea of me being in charge of anything. How could someone like me force the Fae to do anything? I could tell that there were others who thought the same but only Andrew, Williams’s oldest son challenged me. He even called me a little girl.

Tired of being called little I calmly explained while drawing in a portion of my power that I was a Princess of the Summer Court and daughter of Mab Warrior Queen of the Fae. The effect was startling. I will have to try that in front of a mirror I must look very different. Andrew looked even more nervous when Mal moved his chair away from Andrew to sit on the other side of the room. He said it was to keep out of the line of fire. I could see a satisfied grin on Mal’s face when he did that.

With my accreditation in order, we discussed Deputy Dan’s kidnapping. When I explained that his life force had been absorbed and that he was a victim of a Curse, I could feel the fury in the room. Stephanie commented that the hospital scheduled his release sometime next week. It was good news. The deputy still needed time to heal his spirit and body and being at home in a loving environment would be better than from a hospital bed.

Richard Kincade brought up my attempted kidnapping, and I talked about the Fae I faced. Although I described the attackers, I reminded them that all Fae have the ability to be unseen. The meeting went no further as news of my mother's accident was revealed to me.

I remembered little of leaving the Kincade compound. Stephanie grabbed her husband and Mal, brought me to her car and drove me to the hospital. They tried to keep my spirits up, but I was numb.

“Morgan, they are going to allow you to stay the night.”

Stephanie reentered the room after speaking with the doctors. Although the Kincade’s were not immediate family, they do have connections inside the hospital. I cannot describe the relief of her staying by my side. The doctors tried to comfort me, but my mother’s prognosis was not very good. I could tell that they were surprised she survived the crash. Stephanie insisted that they tell me the whole truth. I thanked her for that. I needed to know exactly what was wrong with my mother.

“Thank you, Stephanie.” I tried to smile. Turning back to Rebecca I continued to concentrate. My mother’s injuries were horrible, and I spent the time reinforcing her own body’s ability to heal. Maybe in the future, I could just wave my hand and heal someone, but now I was afraid I would cause more harm. Already I could tell that she was out of immediate danger. I looked up visiting hours were over. Reaching over I kissed my mother on the head and left the room with Mrs. Kincade.

The three of us sat in a small private family room next to the ICU. Stephanie held me for a few minutes as tears ran down my face. Enough I thought to myself and drew in my power. I turned to Greg.

“What happened?”

All three jumped at my change.

Greg pulled out his phone and began to read something off the screen. “According to the Police reports her car left the highway and slammed into an embankment. At first, it was believed your mother lost control, but there is some evidence she was forced off the road.”

“No witnesses?”

Greg shook his head. “What are you going to do?” He knew I was more than a simple teenager and he was right.

++++++

I sat staring out the window as the Kincade’s discussed their plans. Stephanie insisted that she spend the night with me at the hospital, which I was thankful. Deciding she would need some things so Greg and Stephanie would return to the compound and leave me with Mal to keep me company. Mal agreed. I could tell that he was feeling protective towards me.

With the parents gone at least for a little while, Mal nervously moved next to me. We sat in silence for a few minutes before he asked me if I was hungry. Food was the last thing on my mind but I told him to go ahead and eat. He stood there obviously conflicted about what to do. He seemed ready to leap forward to comfort me but I could also feel a little fear.

“Mal you know….”

“Hey Morgan, I wanted to tell you thanks for slamming Andy.”

“Andy?”

“My cousin the guy who decided that you’re just a little girl so you can’t do anything” He emphasized the little girl part. “He’s been a total jerk all summer. Just because he is going to college this year doesn’t make him better than the rest of us.”

I giggled. “You should have seen his face when you said you were getting out of the firing line.”

We both laughed, that seemed to lessen the tension between us. Mal was a nice person, he really was but I had no desire to start dating boys. In addition, I was going out with Abigail. I calmly ignored the Sidhe part of me stating that having multiple lovers is quite acceptable.

“Oh my, aren’t you just scrumptious.” A sultry voice interrupted the nice atmosphere. “Is he your boyfriend your Highness.” A white hair woman dressed in tight jeans and a green blouse sauntered into the room giving off strong sexual energy.

Mal shot up in an instant but goat girl’s glamor slammed into him. He looked confused, his face all flushed as he stepped towards her. Suddenly Mal shook his head and stood their defiantly. I was glad to see him throw off the glamour quickly he had a strong will. The pair then stood toe to toe almost growling at one another.

“Enough of that.” I projected my voice. I almost laughed aloud as the two jumped back looking embarrassed.

“Mal, you said you were hungry. Please go get something to eat while I speak with Sile.”

He reluctantly left but not before giving Sile a threatening glare.

“I don’t imagine you’re here to gloat?”

“No your Highness.” Sile took a chair across from me. “You made a mistake so learn from it. You are new to the game and trust me Eá²ghan won’t give you a second chance. That advice was free. The rest is going to cost you.”

“Why”

She hesitated for a second then realized that wasn’t my question. “Your Highness let me explain to you that I am a self-centered, self-absorbed bitch. The members of the Winter Court only look out for themselves. So I am not doing this because it’s the right thing to do.”

“You’re looking out for yourself. So why are you interested in…leaving Eá²ghan?”

“I had tried before. As usual he was in search of increasing his power and we ended up somewhere deep in Poland. The Emperor had just passed through on his way to Russia and the chaos that it caused gave Eá²ghan time to track down what he wanted.”

Emperor? I then realized she was talking about Napoleon.

“Little did he know we were being hunted. I still have no idea how those mortals found us, they should not have been able to see us. We ended up trapped in a small village outside Kraká³w. In the middle of the fight, I ran for my life. I hoped that they would kill Eá²ghan and I could be free. Obviously he survived the attack.”

I was surprised to see her agitated and a bit sad. Not something I would expect from a member of the Unseelie Court. “Why is he here?”

“Eá²ghan found me a few years ago in Paris. He walked into my flat, killed my lover and dragged me out. I don’t think he was even looking for me all of those years.” She sat in the chair staring at the floor. “He found something interesting in this town apparently. As usual he won’t tell me all of his plans.”

“What about the Wild Hunt?”

She looked up and gave me a smile. “Plans within plans, I don’t think he cares about the Host. He will call a Hunt to hide what he is actually doing. “

“So why are you claiming Sanctuary Sile.” I remember the runes carved into the table at the Norse.

“I wish to be free of that sorcerer.” She whispered. “You can protect me. I will of course need to hide for a while, maybe a hundred years or so then I will get out of your hair.”

“I am not happy about your nature Sile, this town is not your hunting ground.”

“I understand. Let me tell you Morgan I haven’t killed anyone in fifty years. Not because I didn’t want to but because it wasn’t good for me. I fed and they were none the wiser. I promise that I will do no ‘real’ harm to any humans in this town.”

“What about the other night?”

Sile closed her eyes. “I have to thank you for that your Highness. I almost lost myself. Your presence brought me back. I don’t say thank you ever but I will do so now.”

I’ll have to work something out, I wasn’t going to let Sile loose on Skogshaven. A thought for a moment, a hundred years of living with Sile, “If you help us Sile I swear that we will protect you from harm. You may claim Sanctuary. By Ash, Oak and Hawthorne so do I swear.” I say very formally.

I could see the tension flow out of her. She nodded. “Remember your Highness that I am a self-absorbed bitch so if things go badly I am going to run.”

“I understand.” I still didn’t trust Sile as far as I could throw her and that was pretty far.

“The people who tried to kill your mother are called the Dunkelheit. They are swords for hire among the Unseelie Court. They are not interested in blood during the hunt but slaves.”

A chill ran down my spine.

She stood up. “I must leave your Highness. Eá²ghan believes I am out feeding.” She began to walk out the door but stopped. With her back to me, she said. “You know Morgan, you’re a prisoner here as much as I am. No one in the Winter Court wants an Arbitrator running around and not everyone in the Summer Court approves of you either. It’s one thing to like humans. It’s another thing to live with them.”

What she said came to no surprise. I wondered why there wasn’t a flow of help from the Fae Realm. “Politics.”

She laughed. “Politics, I am glad you understand. I hate stupid allies.”

A detailed van with heavily tinted windows drove down a small country road in eastern Massachusetts. It slipped quickly in the shadows almost as if it was a shadow itself. Manfred sat back pleased with tonight’s work. Eá²ghan would pay well in flesh and Manfred’s power would rise inside the Dunkelheit. The Princess was a whelp. She might have sounded sure of herself under the sun but she didn’t know the powers that faced her.

The occupants of the van so sure of themselves failed to see the forest closing in around them. As the vehicle made a turn, a large root burst from the ground throwing the van into the air. The occupants cried out as a second root, tearing up asphalt along the way wrapped itself around the van crushing it. The dark Fae tried to escape but heavy growth poured from the roots covering the windows and doors.

Screams of surprise turned to terror as the roots started to drag the van towards the forest. Suddenly on the edge of the woods, a great hole opened up under the trees. Like a great maw, the roots pushed the vehicle down into the hole. The screams continued as the ground slowly closed upon the occupants of the van. The forest was then quiet all evidence of the violence erased.

A tall woman in the purist white, with long blond hair stepped out of the woods. A crown of white stars circled her head. “Duke Uilleam quit your hiding, it’s beneath you.” The woman commanded.

A tall Sidhe dressed in casual Golfing attire stepped out from the other side of the forest. He walked up to the woman in white and kneeled. “Your Majesty.”

“Oh get on with it Uilleam, what?”

“I don’t think the Court will approve.”

“Fiddlesticks, I was just taking out the trash as the humans say.” The Sidhe Queen looked down. “Oh do get up Uilleam you look ridiculous in that outfit by the way. So where is your son?”

Duke Uilleam smiled at his Queen. “He is on his way, Mab. He isn’t pleased about it though.”

“We all have our duties, you know that as well as I. Plus no one will object to him coming to her aid. In fact, they will all secretly approve.”

“Perhaps but I think you are correct.” The Sidhe Duke knew that his Queen was the master of Court politics. Looking about the forest, Uilleam could not help but admire her style. “I will say that was splendidly done.”

“Trust me Uilleam, no one threatens my child and gets away with it.” Mab at that moment looked every bit like the Warrior Queen of legend.