himself.
When they arrived at the Clearing, Lottie said, âWe should talk it over.â
So they all crawled into Lottie and Adelaideâs yew, and only after the guards had left and the yew branch splintered back into place did everyone start to speak.
âFather seems to think itâs a good idea,â said Oliver.
âYes, well, he was forced into it by the Tailor,â said Fife. âUncle probably threatened him with disembodiment.â
Oliver shivered. âWhatever the case, it isnât fair Lottie and Eliot are being backed into it.â
Adelaide was crying. âThis isnât what I meant when I said I wanted proper tutelage! What kind of qualified teachers can there possibly be in the North? Theyâre all barbarians!â
âI dunno whatâs left to discuss,â said Fife. âTheyâve made our decision for us.â
Eliot looked over nervously at Lottie.
âDonât worry,â she whispered for only him to hear. âIâm going home with you. Nothingâs changed.â
Though something
had
changed. Lottie had promised Eliot she would return home. He missed his father, and Lottie knew Mr. Walsch must miss Eliot terribly, too. And she couldnât possibly let Eliot go home on his own. He coughed even when he was with her. What would happen if she left his side?
And yet.
Rebel Gem had offered to train her.
The
Rebel Gem, leader of the Northerlies, had a keen like her own. The memory surfaced in Lottieâs mind: the bloodied wisp guard who had struggled for life while she looked on, powerless, unable to help or heal. She wasnât getting anywhere under Mr. Wilferâs instruction, but what if she could make better progress with Rebel Gem?
Then her memory threw up the awful, unwanted image of the Southerly Kingâs cold eyes as he crushed a helpless boyâs genga in his hand, a crowd cheering,
âFifthed! Fifthed!â
âDo you think the Tailorâs plan would work?â Lottie asked. âDo you think if the wisps get hold of the addersfork, they can really kill him?â
âWho knows?â said Oliver. âBut it sounds like the only plan theyâve got.â
â
Lottie
is the only plan theyâve got,â corrected Adelaide. âBut itâs unjust for the Tailor to banish the rest of us up North when weâve nothing to do with this silly scheme.â
âCome on, Adelaide.â Oliverâs eyes turned a green as coaxing as his voice. âIt wonât be that bad. I bet the Northerlies arenât nearly as uncivil as you think. Some of the most powerful sprites in history have been NortherliesâFiskes included.â
Lottie perked up at this. In all the ruckus and confusion, sheâd forgotten the fact that her mother was a Northerly.Her mother had probably visited the Northerly Court, too. The thought made her heart lurch.
âIâll go,â said Adelaide, sniffling, âbut I wonât go happily.â
âWhat about you, Lottie?â Fife asked. âAre you really going back to Kemble Isle? The Tailor isnât going to take kindly to that decision.â
He didnât sound accusatory, but he did sound upset.
âIâm really sorry,â Lottie said, âbut I have to. I care about all of you, and about Albion Isle, but Eliot isâI mean, Eliot couldâhe couldââ
âNo oneâs angry with you, Lottie,â said Oliver. âYou donât have to explain.â
Lottie wanted to say,
But
Iâm
angry with
myself.
âHow long will you be gone?â Adelaide asked.
âNothing was definite,â said Lottie, âbut weâd planned on staying several weeks at least.â
âHow will you even get back here is what I want to know,â said Fife. âThe Tailorâs hardly going to let you come waltzing back through his silver-boughed tree after you refuse to cooperate with his plan.â
âI