Free The Torn Wing by Kiki Hamilton

don’t know how we got there. Didn’t really look like any of the parks around here.” He shrugged, his skinny shoulders lifting the thin material of his shirt. “But it was sunny and warm, and they let me pet the horses.”
    His brows knotted in confusion. “It’s a bit hard to keep it all straight now. But after awhile this Dain chap came by and asked me if I wanted to ride. He let me ride behind him on the great white horse and we rode like the wind.”
    “Is that when he brought you back here?”
    Toots grinned from ear to ear. “Eventually.”
    “I told you it was Dain.” Clara chimed in from where she was threading a string through two pieces of shiny fabric. “He talked to me when he brought Toots home.”
    “Nobody talked to me,” Fiona snapped. “Or took me to ride a horse—” she glared at Toots— “that could fly.” She moved a red checker piece with a grumpy look on her face.
    “There,” Clara said with satisfaction. “My faerie wings are ready now.” In one deft movement she swung the string over her head and positioned the shiny fabric over her back. “Tiki, watch me fly,” she cried as she held her arms out from her sides and ran around the room.
    “Clara, watch it! You’re going to bust our game up.” Toots waved the little girl out of the way as she neared their spot on the floor.
    “No I won’t,” Clara said. “I’ll fly right over the top of you.”
    “Clara—stop!” Fi said.
    Tiki sensed disaster as the little girl headed straight for the older children.
    “Clara, come back towards me, so I can see your beautiful wings shining as you fly,” Tiki called. With a mischievous grin the little girl banked her arms at the last minute and made a sweeping turn and headed back toward Tiki.
    “Toots and Fi saw me because I had my glamour on,” Clara whispered as she came closer to Tiki. “I let them see me.”
    Tiki thought she was going to faint. “Your what ?” she exclaimed.
    “Shhh.” Clara put a finger to her lips and frowned at Tiki. “You don’t want to make people supicous.”
    Tiki drew a deep breath. “Do you mean suspicious?”
    Clara brightened. “Yes, that’s what I said.”
    “Did you hear that word somewhere?”
    “Oh yes, Dain told me.”
    “I see.” Tiki wasn’t sure what to think about the little girl’s shocking comment. “It seems Dain told you lots of things. Did he tell you about glamours?”
    Clara nodded with a proud smile. “Yes, when he was explainin’ how Toots can see those boys ‘e plays stickball with.” She placed a small hand on Tiki’s knee and looked up at her with innocent blue eyes. “He said it’s just like playin’ dress-up.” She giggled. “An’ sometimes, he said even grow’in ups play.”
    Tiki’s stomach heaved. How could one of those horrible creatures have been talking to Clara and she hadn’t known? She lifted the little girl up onto her lap. Clara turned sideways and snuggled close as Tiki wrapped her arms around the child. Tiki’s heart pounded as she forced the words out of her mouth.
    “What else did you talk about?”
    “Oh, he asked me about Rieker.”
    Tiki inhaled sharply. “He did?”
    “Um-hmm. He called him William, though. Wanted to know if he was ‘round often.” Clara looked up at Tiki, her blond waves falling back, her little face glowing. “I tol’ ‘im you were best mates.” She grinned, clearly pleased with herself.
    Tiki kissed the little girl’s forehead and ran her hand over her silky hair. “If you see Dain again, you need to come find me, all right?”
    “All right, Teek.”
    “And don’t tell him anything else about Rieker. Let’s keep it our secret.”
    “I can keep a secret,” Clara said in her sweet, innocent voice.
    “Good girl,” Tiki whispered. Another faerie too close to them. What did this one want? Was he after the ring? A spy for Donegal? Working with Larkin? There was no way to know for sure. Toots had returned home safe this time, but what about