at thought very hard of Lomithiel, and appeared beside her. She and an elf Kat hadn't met previously were walking through the woods.
"KatE! There's a change of plans."
Lomithiel stopped walking and smiled.
"Excited, are we Kali?"
"Oh, bother."
A moment later, Kat had resumed her extra five feet of height.
"You still have wings," pointed out Darren gently.
The wings then folded back and vanished.
"Thanks. I'm Kat, by the way."
"Darren. Pleased to meet you."
"Likewise. I have a pre-disposition for liking people, elves or fae named Darren. My partner's name is Darren."
"So I have heard," he replied with a smile at KatE. "What's the change in plans?"
"I spoke to Jade. She said they're going to Lithern, not Maelos."
"Lithern?!" exclaimed both elves in surprise. "But that makes no sense," KatE continued. "There's nothing there - at least, nothing magickal."
"I know, but Jade said she was certain.
"This alters things a bit. We'll have to go back to town and leave with them tomorrow morning. Lithern is nowhere near anywhere!"
"Agreed. Will you be back by sunrise?"
"Assuredly. Darren and I will trail the caravan from a safe distance, and meet you in Lithern."
Kat gave a quick, ironic lift of the eyebrow.
"See you there."

***

Morning dawned, and Jade awoke feeling tired, sore, confused, and starving. Someone had already entered her cell and left some thin, watery porridge and a cup of water, which she reluctantly ate and drank. It was nothing like what she'd had with Kat. Jade washed her face with a corner of her blouse and the remaining water, and sat on her bed to wait.

She didn't have to wait for long. The mages came, and removed her from her cell, shackling her to a long line of people with iron chains, which tingled as they touched her skin. She saw Lomeldur several people in front of her, and he gave her a reassuring smile. Jade experimentally tested the chain on her wrists.
"Don't bother," murmured the man in front of her. "The chains are enchanted. They nullify magic and only cause you pain if you try and escape."
A whip cracked near her feet, and the man in front of her fell silent.
"Forward march!"
Jade thought as she stumbled along after the man in front. There had been a lot of people mentioning magic as if it was very real, recently. Of course, that was all nonsense - there was no such thing as magic, was there? Just like there was no such thing as dragons, elves, or fairies. Obviously that woman up there with wings sprouting from her back was wearing a costume. Or perhaps it was... was... Jade gaped as the woman stumbled on an uneven stone and the wings shot out to steady her, in the same instinctive reaction that caused humans to break their fall with their hands. For a moment Jade saw the woman's face - it was streaked with tears, and she looked as if she was in great pain. Jade suddenly recalled that faeries couldn't stand the touch of iron, and felt a wave of sweeping pity for the creature.
"Oh, poor thing," whispered Jade. "You must hate these chains even more than I do."
Jade was staring so hard at the faerie-creature that she didn't immediately notice that they had emerged into daylight.
"I wish you could be free," said Jade, simply.

Suddenly, one of the guards shouted. The faerie-woman lost her look of endless torment, as it was replaced with one of amazement. She laughed, and leaped into the air. The wings spread and she lifted above their heads. Jade could see the marks where the shackles had rubbed her raw start to heal as her wings caught the sunlight. Jade opened her eyes, to find the faerie-woman staring at her.
"Thank you, Jade," she said clearly, in Jade's mind. "You have done me a great service. I will tell Kalianah where you are."
And then, the woman vanished.
Jade fainted.

***

Kat stood just out of town on a grassy knoll beside the road to Lithern, waiting for the Mage's caravan to pass. She held her scrying bowl in her cupped palms, and was watching the gates of Varchalos, waiting for the caravan to leave town.
"That is not going to help you, my child," said Queen Mab softly.
Kat jumped up, spilling the water onto the ground.
"Oh!"
She then sunk to her knees and bent her head, her wings materialising and spreading in the ritual gesture of dedication. The Queen laughed, then spread her wings in benediction.
"My, it has been a long time since I have done that," she laughed.
Kat raised her head to look at the Queen.
"You are free," she said breathlessly. "How? I heard you were in Maelos."
"Not so - I have been moved from cell to cell for two and a half years now. Certainly I was in Maelos at some points of that, but it could not be said that I was anywhere in particular."
"No wonder we had so much trouble finding you."
"Indeed. I will be brief, as I must rest, I have much to do, including heal myself, and my strength is not high."
"I could help, your majesty."
"No, my child. You will need all your strength to rescue the prophet. Allow me to tell my story. Firstly, are matters such that Anne-Marie sits on my throne and rules in my stead?"
"Yes, your majesty."
"Then her plan succeeded. The traitor Anne-Marie betrayed me to the human mages' guild."
Kat gasped in astonishment.
"But she was the one who told me to look for you!"
"Evidently she underestimated you then, my dear. Or she felt secure enough in her position to send you after me, knowing I could not be found. In any case, it is she who betrayed me, and therefore she who must be punished."
"But how did this happen? Your magick is so much stronger than hers."
"She had human help. Once I was bound in iron, there was nothing I could do. It has been a terrible time."
For a moment Queen Mab's face showed what she had endured, and Kat's heart ached for her. The queen noticed, and smiled.
"That is why you are the perfect warrior for this job," she said. "You can fight, but you think with your heart. You are waiting on the wrong road, Kalianah. The Mage's caravan is heading to Kithern."
"Kithern?! Why do they keep changing their minds?!"
"They have not changed their minds. Kithern was always their destination; It was to be my final resting place. The mage, Lexcie, whom traded my life so cheaply with Anne-Marie is waiting there for me. He has, apparently discovered a way of draining the faerie life-force and adding it to his own. Obviously he has already been successful, or he would not have sent for me. My life-force is not one he would waste. Be very careful Kalianah. If he catches you, I do not know that you would be able to escape alone. He has more knowledge than any mortal was ever supposed to have."
"I will be careful," Kat promised.
"Rescue the prophet, then return to my throne room. I have a feeling that I will have need of thee. I do not know how much support Anne-Marie has generated within my court."
"There is a leprechaun," Kat offered, "named Marc. He lives on the East side of the forest. He may be able to help you."
"Again, I am in your debt. Thank you. I hope to see you shortly."
"Thank you."
Kat waited as Mab vanished, then packed up her things, and vanished in search of Jade.

"Right..."
Jade instantly filed him away as "not quite right in the head", and looked around the room.
"Is there a bath, or something... I want to get clean. After those cells..."
"Certainly."
Matt walked across the room and pulled back a small screen to reveal a luxurious bath-tub. He removed a plank of wood, and water began flowing into the bath. Jade stared, as the water seemed to be steaming.
"How..?"
"The water comes from a hot spring," Matt explained. "It's a little sulphury, but I think it's worth it for a hot bath without carrying water up here."
"Oh."
Matt finished filling the bath, then looked around the room.
"There is soap and towels in that cabinet," he said, pointing. "When you are done, pull out this plug, and the water will drain away. That is what will let me know you are finished, and I will return."
And with that, he vanished.
It was then that Jade noticed the room had no doors, and only one high, narrow window.
She was a prisoner, again.

***

Mab arrived at the place Kat had described, and looked around for Marc, the leprechaun Kat had mentioned. She was exhausted, and wouldn't be able to move against Anne-Marie for several days, probably. She reached the tree Kat had mentioned, and knocked. Marc opened the door, and looked at her for a moment. Then he bowed, and let her in without a word. After Marc closed the door again, Mab turned to him.
"Your majesty," he said with a deep bow. "How may I serve you?"
Mab smiled at him.
"All I need is rest and recovery. May I stay here for a few days?"
"My home is yours," Marc offered generously.
"I was hoping you would say that," laughed Mab. "And for that, you deserve to know the whole story. Let us sit, and discuss."
Marc and Mab sat by the fire, and talked well into the night.

***

Kat sat down at the edge of the road, and watched as the former prisoners regained strength and vanished - the few who weren't actually fae at all were resting by a stream, regaining strength before the long walk to the next town. Few were willing to return to Varchalos again.
"Lexcie is in Kithern, Jade said they were going to Lithern, Matt's place is in Maelos. What is it with all these places?" Kat complained.
"Well, it was definitely Matt that took her," Lomeldur said. "So Maelos is our next stop."
"Darren has gone to get help from father," KatE reported. "We should go on ahead."
"I hate Maelos," Kat complained. "Alright then. Ready? Let's go."
Kat, KatE and Lomeldur vanished.

***

"She's in there?" murmured Kat, looking up at the stark stone tower.
"I would say so," replied Lomeldur. "How are we going to get in? And get her out?"
"I could take her," Kat suggested.
"He might catch you then."
"He might not too."
"It's Maelos... if we can generate some magickal energy the monks might take care of him for us."
"He is a monk."
"He's still not allowed to use unauthorised magickal energy."
"He's fairly high."
"So we open a portal to hell. That's illegal, even for gold-robes."
"That's a *bad* idea, Kat. Can't you see what that would do the Maelos?"
She just laughed. "I hate Maelos anyway."
"Why don't you just go on in and see if you can find her in there first. If you're not back in 5 minutes, we'll assume that you've been caught and bring in the elven forces."
"What a sight that would be," muttered Kat. "Alright then. See you in five."
And she vanished.

***

Meanwhile, Marc was busy trying to convince Mab to organise a revolt, and steal back her throne.

Jade simply smiled, her dark eyes glittering.
Then she took his arm, and they vanished.

***

Kat appeared outside again, standing by Laure.
"Well?" he asked. "What in the seven hells was that?"
Kat sighed, sadly.
"She accepted the necklace, and put it on of her own free will. She has forsaken good. The Goddess can do nothing, and she is understandably saddened by this... Her own daughter, fallen to evil. And so, she's doing the only thing she can."
"She isn't!"
Laure looked horrified.
"She is," Kat confirmed, sadly. "She's closing the mortal gate on magic."
"But... the priests! The people!"
"There is nothing we can do about it, Laure. Unless Jade takes off that necklace of her own free will in the next 12 hours, the mortal world will have no magic left. And so the worlds will be separated. Faery will be Faery, Earth will be Earth and the Veil will become thicker and harder to pass through. We will become separate worlds."
Laure groaned.
"The dragons!"
"Can pick. But come. I must tell Mab what's happened, and you must tell your father. Perhaps some of us will be able to talk some sense into her, but we need to be prepared for the worst."
Laure called the elven troops, and in an instant, every magickal creature had passed through to Faery.