Fairy War

Chapter 11

We arrived at the Punch Bowl, each of us breathing a sigh of relief when it was immediately obvious the area was unoccupied.

Me, Clint, Crystal, and the other leaders of our group remained where we'd first emerged, while a handful of scouts spread out to investigate.

"It's empty," Crystal said, looking around. "If he's really here, surely there'd be some kind of sign?"

"You're forgetting two things, Crystal," Neszra said as she tried to scan the far side of the bowl. "We're dealing with an enemy working on a fairy-sized scale, and one whose magic is almost certainly far more complex than that which protected the Shadow Glade. It's more likely we'll find it by accident than by design."

"I might have something that can help," Mickey said, pulling a pair of binoculars from his pocket and getting embarrassed at the puzzled looks this elicited from those around him. "I enjoy bird watching, okay? I find these helpful." He shrugged. "I suppose you've got a better suggestion as to how we can inspect an area this large?"

"I hate to admit it, but he has a point," I said, stifling a giggle. "This could take forever otherwise."

"Let's see if I can see anything helpful," Mickey said, putting the binoculars to his eyes and letting out a gasp just moments later. "I might have found something," he said, pointing at a place in the distance, "that tree down by the old deserted cottage... look on the lowest branch."

"I don't see..." Naarin started saying, before catching sight of the large, black shape perched on the branch. "I think that's the familiar Clint saw. But why would it be there?"

"Because that's one of the entrances," Neszra replied. "He's acting as an early warning system – if anyone tries sneaking up on it, the enemy will know within seconds."

"So we have a problem," I said, letting out a frustrated sigh. "If we can't get in that way, how the hell are we supposed to enter?"

"There's always another way," Neszra said as one of the Sidhe scouts reappeared at her side. "There's a smaller entrance near us, but we can't be sure we won't be spotted, unless..." She paused for a moment, thinking, before smiling and letting out a short chuckle. "I've got an idea, but I might need your help, Clint."

"What were you thinking?" I asked, giving her a cautious look from where I was kneeling.

"If we try and enter the city, odds are the guards will rush straight to that location," Neszra explained, "unless we're able to give them the impression they were being attacked from another direction already. So, we teleport near to the other entrance, create a diversion, then teleport back here and enter this entrance, hopefully before they realise they've been tricked. It won't buy us much time, but it will buy us some."

"If it means we get my mum back I'll do whatever it takes," I said. "Just get me there and tell me what I have to do."

"Okay," she said, grabbing my hand before I could say anything else. My surroundings shimmered for a moment before changing completely, and looking around, I suddenly found myself beneath the leaves of the tree Mickey had seen through the binoculars.

Neszra put a finger to her lips to stop me from saying anything. "Take this," she whispered, handing me what looked like a small silver flute. "When you play it, it will make a noise that will draw the familiar's attention. Don't use it for long, though; the moment they hear the noise I guarantee we're going to have company quite quickly. Do it now."

I did as she asked without a second thought, the noise sounding less like a whistle and more like a war horn. Even as I lowered the flute I found myself back among the others.