A Fairy's Courage by E. J. Clarke

Author:E. J. Clarke
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Aladdin

* Chapter Ten *

ACROSS THE RIVER

Sylvia could feel her daughters getting closer. She looked out at the twinkling city and knew that Rowan wouldn’t stop until she made it. Rowan’s determination made Sylvia proud, but it also made her fearful. She looked down from her treetop prison and saw foxes and fairies swarming below. Rowan would be met by a whole army of them. Even her resourceful daughter would surely be overwhelmed. Sylvia strained against the bonds that held her arms and wings. She began to rub them against the rough bark of the tree in the hope that she could free herself and stop Rowan from needing to do it for her.

“We’ve just had word,” said the bitter-chocolate voice, stopping her in her tracks. “She’s been sighted—would you believe—riding a tiger.”

Sylvia turned to face Vulpes, trying to hide behind her the evidence that she’d been attempting to escape. She was unsure whether or not to believe him, but it was surely far too crazy a thing for him just to make up.

“Somewhat beggars belief, doesn’t it?” he continued, pacing around her. “What will she think of next? Is she going to arrive on a giraffe? With an army of aardvarks?”

“You’re worried, aren’t you?” said Sylvia.

Vulpes narrowed his eyes.

“A lot less concerned than you are,” he replied, clapping his hands and summoning a fairy rider. “Bring the girl to me alive,” he said to the rider. “Do with the others what you will.” Then Vulpes made as if to launch off the tree into the air, but a thought stopped him. “Including the other daughter. I have no need for her.”

Vulpes leapt into the darkness and away. Sylvia looked up at the stars, hoping that one would fall so that she could make a wish. But it didn’t. So she kept on scraping her ties on the tree, because it was all she could do.

• • •

Rowan, Aiken, Olor, and Harold were all riding on Tigris’s back now, and the tiger was stalking as stealthily as it could through the shadows, avoiding the harsh lights from the streetlamps. Willow and the zebra trotted alongside with Lutra and Fingers at their heels. Off in the distance sirens wailed, but the fairies focused grimly on the matter at hand.

“What do we do now?” asked Aiken.

Everyone looked at Rowan, because that’s what they did in these situations. Rowan shuffled uncomfortably in her seat. She had no idea what they should do now, but she felt like she needed to say something.

“Let’s head for the river,” she said.

The group pulled off the road and along a tree-lined path that led around a small marina, and looked to see where the boats must have come in off the Thames. A couple of minutes later they were back by the powerful river’s edge. Only, this time there were no boats on hand to steal. Only a quarter of a mile of cold, black water between them and the road to Greenwich. Across the river, lit up

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