Free The Quicksilver Faire by Gillian Summers Page A

lane where lanterns made of the same sparkling metal as the fairy doorknob floated in midair, illuminating the narrow, crowded streets. Jostling throngs separated from the parade and moved down the street before them, and Keelie grabbed Elia's hand as Sean pulled them free of the parade. They were joined by a group of giggling girls, arms around each other, who looked like any of Keelie's friends on a mall outing-except for the glistening, fluttery wings that arched out behind them.
    A stout woman with a basket on her arm, who had her reptilian tail tucked tidily out of the way, passed them. Behind her, a great hulking shape in a hooded robe plodded along, swaying side to side. Keelie was sure she didn't want to see his face; his smell was enough to make her back up a step. Not the image of a medieval English market she'd conjured in her mind.
    The bad smell diminished as the creature trudged on, its stench replaced by delicious smells that wafted from a cafe-one very similar to the Crystal Cup in Big Nugget. Red-checked gingham tablecloths covered the wooden tables (rather than wrought iron tables, since most fae found iron toxic), and the cafe chairs had twisty backs, the wood embellished with crystals. It looked like the furniture Keelie's father made. A woman with fuzzy ear tips, like a cat's, sticking up through her dark hair exited from the restaurant. She carried a tray loaded with glistening pastries, and when she turned around, Keelie saw that she had a cat tail, too. She felt her mouth drop open, and closed it.
    The cat-tailed girl turned around and smiled at them mischievously. "Would you like to eat a bite of me cakes? One bite, and you'll never want for food, again."
    Knot hopped on the table and glared at the girl, tail whipping back and forth.
    "You." The girl's smile vanished and her own tail started to swish angrily.
    "Yeow," he replied. They glared at one another.
    "You never returned after Beltane. Is she the one?" the cat-tailed girl almost shrieked, pointing at Keelie.
    "Let's leave them to work this out." Coyote herded Keelie, Sean, and Elia away from the cafe and down the path.
    "But those pastries looked good. I'm hungry." Elia rubbed her stomach. "I love faire food. Maybe we can find turkey legs like the ones at the mundane faire."
    Coyote motioned toward the pastry shop. "My lady, I must remind you once more that if you eat fairy food, you will hunger for it always, as will your child. No human or elven food will nourish your body or your soul, and eventually you will die of hunger."
    "Oh." Elia protectively placed her hand over her belly.
    Even though she was a major pain in the butt, one thing Keelie knew for sure was that Elia would be a good mother.
    "Let's get this meeting over with," Sean said. "I've had enough of this world already."
    "Why elf, you've just entered our realm. Is that any way to treat your hosts?" A tall, slender fae wearing a long black robe had appeared before them. His hair gleamed silver and his eyes glowed with an alien tint.
    Despite his unusual looks, Keelie felt drawn to the fairy-an immediate physical attraction that made her feel warm and fuzzy on the inside, as if she'd had several cups of mead.
    He bowed elegantly. "My Lady Keliel."
    She knew she was falling under a spell of enchantment, but she didn't care. It felt so good. "Who are you?"
    He rose from his graceful bow. "I am Fala. Your guide to the queen."
    The whispers of beware floated to the forefront of her mind until Coyote's wet nose nudged her hand. The enchantment lifted.
    Fala frowned, as if he knew that the glamour magic he'd spun to entrap Keelie had been broken.
    Another fairy laughed as he appeared next to Fala. He turned toward Keelie. His skin was eggplant purple and his gorgeous, long white hair was woven through with strands of silver, which glinted in the light of the lanterns. He carried a quiver of arrows and a crossbow on his back. He reached for Keelie's hand and kissed it. "My Lady Keliel. I