Descent into the Depths of the Earth by Undead), Paul Kidd - (ebook by Flandrel

exiled from the Seelie Court over some
crap you and I could care less about, so Clan Nightshade is a rogue. Fought
their way through three different planes and ended up here, holed up on the
Flanaess.” Her voice was toneless. “Faeries usually live in a sealed society—the
Seelie Court. It straddles several planes of existence—very old, nine clans
always stabbing one another in the back. Spawned a dark goddess once and has
kept out of mortal affairs ever since.”
    She leaned closer, her voice dropping to a whisper.
    “Nightshade is trouble. They are my clan, so don’t
underestimate them. We learned magic the hard way.” Escalla kept her face
neutral and guarded, her eyes flicking left and right for signs of scrying
spells. “The Seelie Court clans are a lot more inbred, more reclusive, more
formulaic.”
    Jus slowly stroked his fingers through Cinders’ hair. “But
these are all faeries like you, right?”
    Escalla gave the man a sharp stare. Small, slim, and somehow
sinister with her pointed ears and tilted eyes, she suddenly seemed no joking
matter.
    “Clan Nightshade is personally responsible for neutralizing
and imprisoning a goddess.” The girl narrowed her eyes. “You’re still thinking
of elves and pixies. Don’t. Faeries are the true folk. Imagine a
race of magic-using, flying creatures that can change shape and go invisible at
will.” The girl bitterly pitched a piece of grass into the wind. “Elves are to
faeries what skinks are to black dragons. Don’t make the mistake of thinking
that just because something’s short, it can’t splay your lungs all over the
grass.”
    Polk recoiled, looking Escalla indignantly up and down. “But
you’re not nasty! You’ve got honor and guts and good intentions!”
    “Polk, I’m the girl who didn’t fit in and ran away.”
    She hunched over, cradling her head in her hands. The
Justicar dragged Cinders over beside Escalla. Heaving a tired sigh, the little
faerie reached out to scratch the hell hound’s ear.
    Cinders look after faerie.
    “Thanks, man. You’re my favorite pooch.”
    Sensing that some of the plants were clearly spies, Jus
looked at Escalla as he spoke. “What happens now? Why are we here?”
    “I have a few suspicions.” Escalla’s hand tightened on
Cinders’ fur. “I’m eldest daughter to the clan head. Whatever they want, it’s
no good news for me.”
    “Are you in danger?”
    “Not immediately. It’s not like I broke any laws. Plus I’ve
already taken down some of the clan’s best spell slingers twice today. They know
I’m not quite the same little girl who ran away from home.”
    A fanfare of trumpets pealed out across the lake. An instant
later, a row of brilliantly clad little creatures popped into view. They seemed
to be a type of pixie—shorter than Escalla and far, far sillier, with long
cricket’s legs and eyes like an insects. The creatures blew on heraldic horns
then tittered with mirth as they rolled their eyes at Polk and Jus.
    “Summon come! Summon come! Come to biggie lord! Leave mortals
to play game with happy grigs!”
    Sharing a look of seething annoyance with Jus, Escalla rose
to her feet and said, “Grigs. I hate these guys.” The faerie planted her fists
on her hips. “Now hear this! These are my blood companions. A spell cast on them
is a spell cast on me.” The girl turned dire eyes on the shocked little grigs.
“I mean it! Tricksie-tricksie, pay back doubles!”
    The grigs scuffled their feet and pouted.
    “Mean!”
    “Yeah, well I’m that one! Remember me? The mean lady
is back again!” Escalla swatted at the little sprites, who scattered sullenly
away. “Half-wit relatives! You can bet your butt they don’t have to put up with
these little buggers in the real Seelie Court!”
    Peeking out of cover all around the island were a host of
tiny little shapes—all pixie-like, all small, all less formidable that the pure
faeries Jus had seen. Jus settled Cinders securely into