And not only against the Dragon.

The Onyx Hall, London: November 14, 1758 Irrith only rarely attended court. The pageantry could be amusing at times, but the business Lune conducted during that time interested her very little. It was, however, the one place she could be sure of finding Valentin Aspell-aside from his chambers, and visiting him there would draw far too much attention.

The greater presence chamber, when she arrived, seemed much emptier than she recalled. Even a full court, summoning everyone in the Onyx Hall, didn't really fill the enormous s.p.a.ce, but the a.s.sembled lords and ladies seemed like a handful of dice rattling around in an oversized box. Leaning over to Segraine, who was not on duty today, Irrith whispered, "Where is everyone?"

The lady knight shook her head almost imperceptibly. "Fewer every time. Some are still in the city, but drawing back; others have gone entirely."

As Carline had predicted they would. And the comet hadn't even been sighted yet.

Lune called forward Sir Peregrin, the Captain of the Onyx Guard. Four knights followed him, carrying a long, narrow box, which they placed on the floor when they knelt. The captain said, "Your Majesty, the yarthkin Hempry has hafted a piece of the jotun ice to length of ash." He gestured, and the knights uncovered the box, revealing an an enormously long pike, its end glinting with the same near-invisible material Irrith had seen them wrestling with a year ago. "I have selected these four to be your spear-knights: Sir Adenant, Sir Thrandin, Sir Emaus, and my lieutenant Sir Cerenel. They will stand ready to do battle with the Dragon, and to stab it through its fiery heart, for the defense of the Onyx Hall."

The Dragon might or might not have a body when it returned, but it would would have a heart; that much, they were certain of. Lune thanked the spear-knights and made a speech Irrith didn't bother listening to. She waited impatiently until court was adjourned, then drifted in Aspell's direction, knowing better than to run straight for him. Still, the Lord Keeper glared when she drew near. "I am quite busy, Dame Irrith." have a heart; that much, they were certain of. Lune thanked the spear-knights and made a speech Irrith didn't bother listening to. She waited impatiently until court was adjourned, then drifted in Aspell's direction, knowing better than to run straight for him. Still, the Lord Keeper glared when she drew near. "I am quite busy, Dame Irrith."

"I have something to tell you," she whispered. He was the one who brought her into this; if her inability to skulk well bothered him, it was his own d.a.m.ned fault.

His thin-lipped mouth barely moved in response. "Crow's Head. Two hours."

For a meeting like this, it was probably the safest place in the Onyx Hall, given the copies of The Ash and Thorn The Ash and Thorn scattered around. And it wouldn't be easy to slip spies past Hafdean, the surly hob who kept the place. Irrith, lacking a pocket-watch, went early, and sat beneath the preserved human head mounted prominently on the wall. Magrat wasn't in her usual place. Perhaps the church grim was off haunting some religious folk. scattered around. And it wouldn't be easy to slip spies past Hafdean, the surly hob who kept the place. Irrith, lacking a pocket-watch, went early, and sat beneath the preserved human head mounted prominently on the wall. Magrat wasn't in her usual place. Perhaps the church grim was off haunting some religious folk.

Eventually Hafdean nudged her in pa.s.sing. Irrith hadn't seen Aspell come in, nor anyone under a glamour, but she wasn't surprised; she went through a door at the back of the main room and found herself in a small chamber that undoubtedly had another, hidden exit. Aspell was there, pacing. "You had best not make a habit of this, Dame Irrith. What do you want?"

"To tell you something Lune isn't making public," Irrith said, ignoring the insult in his tone. "I think only she and the Prince know about this." Galen had brought it up while they lay in bed together, not so much conversing with Irrith as talking at her, voicing his fears like that would exorcise them. "Do you know what Dr. Andrews has been up to?"

The Lord Keeper waved dismissively. "Some mortal thing, involving experiments and calculations. Savennis and those other bookish sorts are helping him."

As she'd suspected. The Queen was keeping this very quiet indeed. But Aspell needed to know, so he wouldn't do anything rash.

Irrith explained to him about the philosopher's stone, as well as she understood it. "It isn't ready yet; they need the other half, this mercury, and apparently that will be difficult to create. Still, it's different from anything anybody's thought of in the last fifty years, and I think it's more likely to work than those b.l.o.o.d.y spear-knights."

Aspell's pacing had halted while she spoke; now he leaned against the dirty wall and crossed his arms. "And you are telling me this because..."

"Because you need to know they do do have a plan. Not to trap or kill the Dragon, but to have a plan. Not to trap or kill the Dragon, but to change change it. That's better than-than what you were talking about. Before." Even in the Crow's Head-perhaps especially in the Crow's Head-she didn't feel comfortable naming it directly. it. That's better than-than what you were talking about. Before." Even in the Crow's Head-perhaps especially in the Crow's Head-she didn't feel comfortable naming it directly.

He seemed amused. "So you've brought me this confidence in order that I might know we have other hopes. And therefore not pursue this one too far?"

"Yes!" she said angrily, hands tightening into fists. "You said it was a last resort; I'm telling you we have others that can come before it."

His thin mouth hardened into a stone line. "Dame Irrith, I think you fail to understand something very important: if it does does come to that extremity, we shall have little or no time in which to act. A last resort is, by its nature, the thing one does when the alternative is immediate disaster. We cannot abandon our preparations unless there is a come to that extremity, we shall have little or no time in which to act. A last resort is, by its nature, the thing one does when the alternative is immediate disaster. We cannot abandon our preparations unless there is a surety surety of success with some other plan-and in truth, not even then, for this is too great a threat to admit of complacency." of success with some other plan-and in truth, not even then, for this is too great a threat to admit of complacency."

For all the soundness of his argument, it still produced a queasy feeling in Irrith's stomach. "What preparations, though? You said you would do nothing against the Queen's will."

"Indeed." He drew close, much closer than she liked, and dropped his voice so not even the sharpest-eared goblin at the keyhole could have overheard what he said next. "You already know what I mean, Dame Irrith. The Queen must agree to sacrifice herself. And if she is to do that in time to save London, then it must not come as a surprise; her mind must be prepared for the idea. When the choice comes, there will be no time for explanations or arguments."

Cold ran down Irrith's back as if someone had poured the deepest, blackest waters of the Thames over her head. He was right-and right that she already knew. After all, what had that conversation with Lune on All Hallows' Eve been, if not an attempt to raise the specter of death in Lune's mind?

She whispered, "Galen would never let her. He loves Lune too much. He'd die before he let harm come to her."

"Can he be prepared?"

To give up Lune? Not a chance. So she might lose them both: Lune, in trying to save the city, and Galen, in trying to save her her.

It felt like someone had placed iron bands around her heart. She didn't want to lose either one. Even wounded, Lune still commanded Irrith's respect and admiration; were it not for those two physical flaws, Irrith would have no desire to see her replaced. Who else could balance out this lunatic court, faeries and mortals and amba.s.sadors from distant lands?

But it did little good to save the Queen and lose her court. "So you want me to make certain she's thought about this. Before the Dragon comes."

"You are close to her," Aspell said, still in that all-but-silent murmur. "And she respects your honesty. If you say it to her, she will listen. She may not agree-not immediately-but the idea will stay in her mind."

Irrith thought he held her influence in much too high esteem; she wouldn't call herself "close" to Lune. But it couldn't hurt to try. If they found some better way, then Lune would never have to face that choice at all.

"Very well," she muttered, staring blindly at her toes. "I'll do what I can." Let him think I mean only what he asked for. Let him think I mean only what he asked for.

She would speak to Lune, yes. The rest of her time, she would spend in the Temple of Arms, training to battle the Dragon. If it came to Lune sacrificing herself, it would only be after Irrith had done everything possible to prevent it.

I don't know that I'm willing to die to protect her. But by Ash and Thorn, I'm willing to fight.

The Onyx Hall, London: November 21, 1758 Abd ar-Rashid had gone into the Calendar Room again, to contemplate ways of obtaining sophic mercury without danger to Lune; he would not emerge for eleven days. Lune herself spent half her waking hours with the Goodemeades, using their countless connections of friendship to persuade undecided faeries to stay. Neither of these were matters Galen could help with, and Dr. Andrews had gone back to Red Lion Square for a much needed respite.

In that brief lull, Galen decided that he had put a certain matter off for much too long, and went in search of Irrith.

He found her at last in the Temple of Arms, where he was not looking for her; the sprite was friends with Dame Segraine, and he thought the lady knight might know where to find her. He was startled instead to discover Irrith practicing against the musket targets, with her mouth set in a fierce grimace.

The masters of the Temple had long since taken the stance that the clever folk of the court could prepare all the tricks and traps they liked; they they would stand ready for battle, and would train anyone else who wished to do the same. If all else failed, the Onyx Court would have this last line of defense, the bodies and sword arms of its bravest subjects. would stand ready for battle, and would train anyone else who wished to do the same. If all else failed, the Onyx Court would have this last line of defense, the bodies and sword arms of its bravest subjects.

Or musket hands, as the case might be. Elfshot, their usual ammunition, would do no good against the Dragon; they used it for practice, but when the time came it would be iron b.a.l.l.s they sent into their enemy's flesh. No one held out much hope that it would do more than annoy the creature that had once destroyed its iron prison. Still, that annoyance might be used to create openings for the spear-knights and their icy blade.

The black powder reek clogged his throat, but he waited until Irrith had finished her current shot. The sprite bit the end off a cartridge, poured some powder into the pan of her musket, dropped the rest of the cartridge down the barrel, rammed it home, then c.o.c.ked and lifted her weapon. Galen timed her surrept.i.tiously through this operation: nearly thirty seconds. Not nearly up to the standards of a soldier. And, judging by her deepening scowl as she lowered the gun, she knew it.

He laid one hand on her shoulder; with all the musket fire from herself and those around her, she would be half-deaf. Irrith jumped far enough to make him glad he'd waited until her gun was empty, then saw him and followed his beckoning hand, out of the practice ground.

"Didn't you once say to me that you had no intention of fighting?" he asked, once they were in the quieter s.p.a.ce of the armory.

A curious mixture of determination and guilt answered him. "I'm no good with your alchemy," Irrith said, and laid aside her musket for cleaning. "This at least gives me something to do."

Galen smiled. "In that case, I have something that might be more suited to your talents."

The hope that blazed up in her eyes dimmed when he continued, "It has nothing to do with the comet. But if I don't follow through on this now, I fear I'll lose my courage; and I will need help to do it the way I would like to."

Irrith eyed him suspiciously. "To do what?"

"To tell Miss Philadelphia Northwood," Galen said, "about the Onyx Court."

Hyde Park, Westminster: December 1, 1758 Not even the first nibblings of winter's wind could keep the fashionable away from Hyde Park, one of their preferred stages for displaying themselves to the admiration of their rivals and lessers. From her perch in a tree, Irrith could hear the distant clatter of carriages, most of them circling the Ring in the center of the park. Try though she might, she could not see the appeal of that pastime; they went 'round and 'round like spinning tops, for no other purpose than to show off their conveyances and horses and footmen. In weather such as this, there would be no fashion of dress to see, and little conversation. Why waste the time?

I suppose that that is the point-to waste time, because one has it to spare. is the point-to waste time, because one has it to spare. Irrith sneered at that extravagance even as she envied it. The creeping tension of the Onyx Hall had infected her so thoroughly she chafed at anything that seemed a diversion from their task. Like playing games with the Prince's future wife. Irrith sneered at that extravagance even as she envied it. The creeping tension of the Onyx Hall had infected her so thoroughly she chafed at anything that seemed a diversion from their task. Like playing games with the Prince's future wife.

Which was the thought that made her agree to help. If playing games with a mortal seemed like a waste of time, then Irrith had fallen far indeed.

So she sat in a tree just north of the Serpentine's cold waters on this bleak December day, waiting for the approach of a particular carriage.

Blast Galen anyway. The plan he'd described to her was a farce, one she was embarrased to take part in. Irrith dangled her legs off the branch, careless of the icy air, and decided she would do this her own way. And if that frightened off Delphia Northwood... well, then the woman wouldn't last long in the Onyx Hall anyway.

The Hyde Park setting gave her a good idea, too.

The rattle of wheels stopped the swing of her legs. Peeking through the leaves, Irrith saw a carriage approaching along the rough path that followed the north bank of the Serpentine. Already it was quite close; she had to hurry, throwing on a suitable glamour before dropping light as a leaf onto the ground below. Then she ran out in front of the carriage and flung one hand up in imperious command.

The horses shied very satisfyingly. The man holding their reins swore, then flinched at his own ill manners, which would not be appreciated by the ladies inside. Irrith grinned at him. By all appearances the driver was a servant of Mrs. Vesey's, but that was as much a lie as her own seeming; beneath the illusion, it was Edward Thorne. Galen thought it better to keep this entire affair in the hands of those who knew what it was about. The only one here today who did not not know was Miss Northwood. know was Miss Northwood.

Who might or might not be the future Mrs. St. Clair. Right now, that was in Irrith's hands.

"You, out of the road," Edward called in a loud voice, and shook the reins. He did a remarkably good job of making it sound like he was trying to goad the horses onward, but it was a great deal of noise for very little effect, and the animals weren't going anywhere until Irrith told them to. He gave her an uncertain frown, though. Galen had given very specific instructions, and one of those had been that the stranger who stopped them in Hyde Park would be a woman.

Irrith flicked her long coat as she dropped into a grand bow, hat over her heart. Then she stuck her tongue out at Edward, in case he hadn't yet guessed that she hid under the masculine glamour. But she had to straighten her expression hastily when Miss Northwood's wide-hooded head poked out one carriage window, looking to see what the problem was.

Her eyes went very wide when she saw Irrith.

The sprite paced with deliberate strides past Edward, who by then had a.s.sumed a posture of blank, unseeing trance, as per the Prince's instructions. Miss Northwood drew back in fear, and murmured something half-audible to her companion in the carriage. A moment later Irrith drew level, and opened the door to find Mrs. Vesey prepared to play her part.

"Ladies," Irrith said, with a courteous bow, "I apologize for troubling you. But at noon today I am bound to appear in a meadow of this park and face my mortal enemy in a duel, and if I am to have any hope of defeating him, I must bear the good luck of a maiden's kiss."

She wished she had a mirror in which to see her own glamour. For this, she had added every detail she could think of: a man's suit all of green; hair as silver as Lune's; a fresh hawthorn blossom growing out of her b.u.t.tonhole, ignoring the December chill.

And a face that, while not her own, was as faerie a face as any in the Onyx Hall.

Miss Northwood appeared to be staring at the exaggerated point of her ear. Mrs. Vesey said, in a tone of artful regret, "Oh, good sir, I would-but I was wed many years ago. Delphia, my dear-"

The young woman startled like a cat, and stared wildly at Mrs. Vesey. "What?"

"A kiss for the gentleman," her friend reminded her. "So he may win his duel."

She was supposed to be a woman, begging a pin to keep her tiny faerie cows from straying. This was Hyde Park, though, where men held their illegal duels, and that was far more interesting of a story. Fortunately, Mrs. Vesey adapted quickly. Miss Northwood, on the other hand...

The brief flash of her tongue over her lips betrayed the young woman's uncertainty. Still, Irrith had to grant the strength of her nerves when she said, "Sir, I fear you are not human."

"No, I'm not," Irrith agreed cheerfully.

Even though it was obvious to see, the admission made Miss Northwood's eyes widen. "How-how am I to know that you deserve to win your duel?"

Delight began to tickle Irrith's heart. Let Carline collect the beautiful people; Irrith preferred the ones with spirit. "Does it matter?" she asked. "I'll grant you good luck in return for for your kiss, and the outcome of the duel is hardly any concern of yours."

"It does does matter," Miss Northwood insisted, eyes darting to Mrs. Vesey in a desperate plea for either confirmation or a.s.sistance, possibly both. "I should not want to help you win if you don't deserve to. And to ask a matter," Miss Northwood insisted, eyes darting to Mrs. Vesey in a desperate plea for either confirmation or a.s.sistance, possibly both. "I should not want to help you win if you don't deserve to. And to ask a kiss, kiss," she added, warming to her topic. "It's very inappropriate, sir; I do not know you."

Perhaps the pin would have been the better course after all. Irrith floundered for a reply. She'd done all she needed to, really; the notion was to have Miss Northwood encounter faeries, and then for Mrs. Vesey to admit calmly to their existence, whereupon the young woman would be advised to speak with Galen, as if he hadn't arranged it all himself. Far too complicated, in Irrith's opinion, but he'd learned his lesson too firmly after Dr. Andrews: faeries first, explanations later.

But she refused to give up so easily. She'd asked for a kiss, and she would get one. "It need only be on the cheek," Irrith said. "I am a gentleman, I a.s.sure you. As for your doubts about my honor..."

Well, she'd eaten bread. That wouldn't make this enjoyable, but at least it wouldn't hurt her. "If either of you ladies has a cross about you?"

Mrs. Vesey's eyes widened. She looked to Miss Northwood, and Miss Northwood looked to her; both of them shook their heads. This modern age, This modern age, Irrith thought, caught between annoyance and amus.e.m.e.nt. Irrith thought, caught between annoyance and amus.e.m.e.nt. Time was, you couldn't throw a rock without hitting someone with a cross. Time was, you couldn't throw a rock without hitting someone with a cross. Resigned, she said, "I was Resigned, she said, "I was going going to swear on a cross that I intend no harm this day to anyone who doesn't deserve it. But you've spoiled my plan-and, I might add, quite spoiled this meeting, which was supposed to be a brief and mysterious encounter. Look, a magical stranger in Hyde Park! But no, you had to to swear on a cross that I intend no harm this day to anyone who doesn't deserve it. But you've spoiled my plan-and, I might add, quite spoiled this meeting, which was supposed to be a brief and mysterious encounter. Look, a magical stranger in Hyde Park! But no, you had to argue argue."

She glanced up to find the most extraordinary expression on Miss Northwood's face. It turned out to be laughter, bubbling up out of the young woman's throat and lighting her eyes. Even Mrs. Vesey began to chuckle. Edward Thorne sat very still, but Irrith could tell he was dying to turn and say something.

"Here." Miss Northwood leaned forward and planted a brief kiss on Irrith's cheek. "For your luck, and I am sorry that I don't know how to behave properly when accosted by a faerie."

Irrith mock-frowned at her. "Serve you right if I gave you no reward. But you've amused me, and for that I'll give you two things. One, when you return home, you'll find your favorite rosebush in bloom. Second, I will bless your dreams, miss, that you may find happiness in them." And she swept Miss Northwood a grand bow.

"Thank you," the young woman said gravely.

Not anything like Lune. Nor, for that matter, like me. But Irrith could see why Galen had chosen her-and, though it made her teeth hurt to admit it, she couldn't fault the choice. But Irrith could see why Galen had chosen her-and, though it made her teeth hurt to admit it, she couldn't fault the choice.

In which case, this encounter deserved to end properly, even if the middle had gone awry. Irrith vanished herself before their eyes, then patted Edward Thorne's leg in pa.s.sing as she stole away, behind the tree in which she'd hidden before. She listened as he came out of his "trance" and called out to the ladies; Mrs. Vesey rea.s.sured him, and then they drove onward, leaving Irrith to guess at the conversation that ensued.

Not at all what Galen had intended. But it would do the work.

And I have to get to Rose House, or that bush will be a sore disappointment when Miss Northwood goes looking.

Leicester Fields, Westminster: December 2, 1758 "Oh, thank goodness goodness you're home this morning." Cynthia hurried across Galen's bedroom, with free disregard for her brother's half-dressed state and Edward's meaningful cough. "You're needed downstairs. Delphia has called upon me, but you're the one she wants to speak to, only she can't call upon you and have it be proper. Mama, thank Heaven, is out with Daphne, and I can make Irene be silent; so long as you are quick, Papa will never know. But you must come downstairs you're home this morning." Cynthia hurried across Galen's bedroom, with free disregard for her brother's half-dressed state and Edward's meaningful cough. "You're needed downstairs. Delphia has called upon me, but you're the one she wants to speak to, only she can't call upon you and have it be proper. Mama, thank Heaven, is out with Daphne, and I can make Irene be silent; so long as you are quick, Papa will never know. But you must come downstairs now now." Edward coughed again. "After you've put some clothes on, of course."

Galen sat blear-eyed and staring at the carpet through her entire speech. d.a.m.nation. Too soon! d.a.m.nation. Too soon! The plan was for Mrs. Vesey to arrange a visit at her house, where they could speak in greater safety-and even that had worried him enough that he'd scarcely slept last night. But Miss Northwood, it seemed, was too impatient to wait. The plan was for Mrs. Vesey to arrange a visit at her house, where they could speak in greater safety-and even that had worried him enough that he'd scarcely slept last night. But Miss Northwood, it seemed, was too impatient to wait.

Unless she didn't intend conversation. Perhaps she'd come to Leicester Fields to cry off their betrothal.

That thought jolted him to unpleasant wakefulness. Edward was already there, with a shirt and breeches and everything else he needed; Galen was at present wearing only a set of drawers. Cynthia, blushing a little, retired to let him dress. Galen hurried everything on, with such speed that he almost went out without his wig; fortunately, his valet was more alert than he.

At the door to the parlor, he stopped and tried to slow his heartbeat. But the pounding refused to answer to the commands of his will, and so it still shook his ribs when he walked in and found Delphia Northwood waiting on the settee with his sister.

"I'll see to Irene," Cynthia said with a mischievous giggle, and slipped past Galen. What she thought they intended, he could only imagine; surely it fell far short of the truth. Whichever truth that might be.

What did a woman look like when she had made up her mind to cry off? He had no idea. Miss Northwood was letting nothing slip; the firm clasp of her gloved hands upon each other could have indicated anything at all. He stood in awkward silence, not knowing what he could possibly say.

Seen any faeries lately?

Are we still betrothed?

Chilly morning, isn't it?

Miss Northwood said, "Did you arrange that incident now so I would have time to find a way out of this marriage?"

Galen's heart attempted to leap straight out of his mouth. It took him three tries to swallow it back down. Then he said, unsteadily, "I suppose it would be foolish of me to pretend I did not not arrange it." arrange it."

"Yes. It would." She rose, hands still clasped tight, and then stopped as if she did not know where to go. "Why did you do it?"

He looked down. There was a small muddy scuff in the carpet just ahead of his left foot, not fresh; the maid should have cleaned that away. "I wanted you to know because it seemed unfair to leave you in ignorance of the greater part of my life. It happened now because yes, I thought you should have the opportunity to escape if you wished to. And I arranged it in such roundabout fashion because..." The words clogged in his throat. "Because I could not imagine sitting in Mrs. Vesey's parlor and explaining it all to you, as if I were lecturing on some foreign land. I wanted you to see. And I thought that would be a safe way to do it, for if you were terrified by the experience, then Mrs. Vesey would tell you nothing, and I would know this is not something I could ever share with you."

But Mrs. Vesey had had told her, clearly. That gave him a tiny bit of hope. told her, clearly. That gave him a tiny bit of hope.

Her sudden exhalation made him realize she had been holding her breath. "How very characteristic," Miss Northwood said, and sat down hard precisely where she had been before.

"Characteristic?" Galen said, daring to lift his gaze.