Mr. Hebert and I were looking up at Stripe who was stuck high in a tree and yowling loudly. A storm was coming, but she seemed scared to climb down since she’d fallen from a tree a couple of days before.

Count Juniper appeared beside me.

I asked him, “Canst thou get the cat down as one of the favors owed?”

Count Juniper looked up at me then up at the cat. “Cats and Fairies have had a mixed relationship since the beginning of time. That one is young, injured, and about to have kittens. She’s completely feral. I wouldn’t advise any Fairy to risk getting near it. Let time and nature deal with it. Some matters are best left alone.”

The wind started whipping more violently. I looked at Mr. Hebert, but he didn’t have an answer. I looked at the shadows. They were just barely there and dancing violently in the wind of the coming storm. It wouldn’t be any easier later, so I took to shadow, went up the tree, and reached out. The limb I was on made a cracking noise. The cat clawed me and lost its grip on the tree. When it touched me, I went back to shadow before the limb could break and the cat fall. I was on the ground, but the cat was still in air only touching me where its claw had snagged the skin on my wrist. It twisted and tagged my arm with its hind leg as it took off for the trees.

As I sat on the ground examining the two bleeding cat scratches, Count Juniper said, “I did warn thee. Shall we give thee another lesson?”

We went inside as the first drops of rain started to fall.

#

In the room we’d converted into a pottery study, I was finishing an ocarina, a type of clay whistle, when Count Juniper asked, “Thou art not dying, art thee?”

I coughed. “Is that thee, Count Juniper? Sorry, I can’t see thee. I guess I should wash up and go back to bed if I’m hearing voices again.”

Count Juniper turned visible. “Thou art not fooling anyone. I’m shocked and offended that thou wouldst even make such a pathetic attempt. I may have to get a double helping of bread pudding to make up for my distress.”

I held up the ocarina and examined it, hoping it would survive firing. I was pushing the limits of clay to try and improve the sound, so I didn’t have much hope for it. “I made the rum sauce with some good bourbon. I think it turned out pretty well.”

He rubbed his hands together and looked happy. “I have a friend who would love to try thy bread pudding. He’s a Fairy king and can only show up in Real as a crow, but thou couldst give him a takeout box.”

I smiled. Mr. Hebert’s plan was beginning to work. The simplest plans were the best, and Mr. Hebert’s was brilliant. “So, Count Juniper, I don’t feel good inviting a guest to Mr. Hebert’s house without his knowledge. But if this is a friend of thine, I’d be happy to make a bread pudding for thee to share with him and several variations of rum sauce for him to try. I’m sure my feeble attempt will fall flat, but if it entertains thy friend, I really don’t mind.

Count Juniper said, “Don’t count thy efforts short. Thou shouldst know, he has a nice place with large trees and lots of water. No mosquitoes at all. At least, not the mosquitoes that bother people. He has a few musicians, and he was rather amused by the thought of a percussionist perched on a crate and beating a rhythm on it.”

#

In a real building made with beautifully veined green marble pillars, a young boy in a green tunic sat in a dramatic, thoughtful pose on a carved green marble throne with large green cushions. He waited until he was certain we’d seen him posed before he jumped up and ran over to see what I’d brought in the sealed plastic containers I was balancing.

I bowed and he laughed. “Don’t bow, we won’t be stabbing anyone for not bowing. Not here.”

I asked, “Would it be possible for me to paint a picture of thee on thy throne?”

He looked disappointed. “Thou hast not brought thy crate.”

I smiled. “It has some adjustable rattles inside, so it would not be ideal for carrying bread pudding in. Also, the rattles are steel. Since I don’t have the sight, I’m rather concerned that I might injure one of thy subjects if I brought steel into thy world.”

He backed up and looked me up and down. “Seriously, Rummage is afraid of someone sightless? What power doest thou wield that makes thee so fearsome?”

I put the plastic containers on the table. “Nothing special. I can’t make even the simplest of illusions, so maybe she’s scared that if I saw her, I might paint a bad painting of her. That or a sculpture. I’m not sure what would be worse, a clumsily painted picture or an amateurish sculpture.”

He said, “The sculpture, for certain.”

I passed out bread pudding and sauce on paper plates. I felt someone bump into me as I was picking up the empty plastic containers, so I said, “Excuse me,” turning carefully to avoid moving from the spot I was in.

From my vantage point at the table, I could see the side of the throne. It had an eagle and a swastika. I quickly summoned Mr. Hebert, and he brought me home.

#

Mr. Hebert was in the kitchen. I gestured and pointed down.

He widened his eyes and I nodded. He turned off the oven and led me outside.

Count Juniper appeared on the pedestal of a statue we were passing. “Phil, thou didst leave too soon.”

I shook my head. “I bumped into someone that I didn’t see. Tell them I’m terribly sorry to be so clumsy. I left before anyone could stab me for my offense.”

Count Juniper said, “None took offense.”

Again, I shook my head. “I’m just a common Goblin from a broken family. I wasn’t raised with great etiquette, and I barely know how to say thee and thou. I should stay away from the nobility and courts. I have no idea what I’m doing and reason to fear any action I might take.”

Count Juniper narrowed his eyes. “Here I thought that thou wert a common and clever rogue like so many of the humans that enjoy tricking the Fay. Yet thou has not taken any treasure from Rummage and left before thou couldst get a gift for thy amazing pudding.”

I shook my head a third time. “’Tis made with old crusts and spare bits of bread. No great expense and not worthy of a court exquisitely crafted from green marble. I’m not worthy to look on the gentry, and these were of much higher station than that. It’s kind that thou hast taken time with me and my education, yet, I feel I’m imposing too much. Tell Queen Rummage that I hold her to no debt. I don’t seem to be getting ill, so all I had was the pain of a cut and that was mended.”

Count Juniper nodded to me and disappeared. I followed Mr. Hebert into the carriage house and into the room with all the saddles. Mr. Hebert lifted the hatch on the floor, and we went down the ladder. Mr. Hebert closed the hatch above us, and we entered the steel vault and closed it.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

Mr. Hebert asked, “What happened?”

I said, “I bumped into one of them. When I looked up, I saw the eagle and swastika on the side of the throne. Those Fairies were Nazis.”

Mr. Hebert said, “Phil, the swastika has been, until quite recently, a symbol of good luck and divinity. The eagle has been a symbol of royals as long as mankind has been passing their wealth and power to their children. They might not be Nazis. The odds are good that their Fairyland’s older than the Nazis. There are a lot of different eagles and swastikas.

I opened the hatch that went back to some of the storage area and knelt in the dust. I drew the eagle and swastika that I saw in the dust on the floor.

Mr. Hebert looked over me and watched me draw. “You see, the Nazis were a recent thing and— Oh, my. Yes, that would be the Nazi war eagle. Okay, that sets our plans back quite a bit, but we have time. No need to rush these things. Phil, erase that. It’s safe down here in this iron vault with all the horseshoes on the only passage in, but just in case, erase it.”

I wiped the floor with my sleeve and got up.

#

I couldn’t see them, but from a box of rags I kept by the washing machine in the carriage house, I could hear kittens mewing. I went and got Mr. Hebert.

Mr. Hebert listened to the mewing for a while then looked at me. “If their mother returns and smells you on them, she might not take care of them.”

I said, “I’m going to a pet store to see if they have something to feed young kittens. I thought I heard mewing earlier. I haven’t seen Stripe, and normally she’d be trying to get my attention for me to toss her some bait.”

I went to a couple of pet stores. When I got back, Mr. Hebert was in the kitchen using a baster to give milk to a kitten. “Phil, I don’t think the mother’s coming back. Usually a mother stays near and watches. I went to the far end of the tanks and waited. I didn’t see her.”

I rinsed a pair of bottles and put kitten replacement milk in them. I handed one to Mr. Hebert and picked up the other kitten. “I can take the night shift. We Goblins are used to missing sleep.”

Mr. Hebert took the bottle and started feeding the kitten. “My new plan for getting you gifted is a lot simpler, and the Fairylands involved are reasonable. By the way. I bought the place in Arkansas. Should we try and negotiate with the Fairyland?”

“I don’t think so. I don’t mean them any harm, but I don’t want to deal with them.”

Mr. Hebert said, “You know Rummage, at least you know it better than anyone in Real. Trade with them is possible, and it can be pretty lucrative. You forgave them a debt or at least an offer of a hundred and twenty pounds that could be gold. You also passed on five of the gifts you could have gotten, and they partially owe you for a Fairyland at the very least.”

I answered, “Money that I made through the suffering of others would seem tainted. I think we should go somewhere on the day the gateway here is open. You never know when fear will turn into hatred.”

“I agree. In any case, we need to arrange for you to be able to see the folk when they do come.”

#

I summoned Jordan. It took a while before he answered. “Jordan, it’s me, Phil. Jordan, this is Phil calling.”

Jordan said, “Phil when did you learn magic?”

I said, “Almost a year ago. I was nervous about calling. Is this a good time?”

Jordan answered, “Good as any. Good to hear from you.”

I said, “The old man died. I buried him on the hill. We lost the house, but I’m doing well. I have an opportunity you might like. We can get passports from another country and have identification for a few years. We’re putting together a children’s musical group for a tour. Any of the family interested could travel overseas, see the old country, and we might have a chance of visiting and being gifted at one of the nicer Fairylands.”

Jordan said, “That just leads to more involvement with Fairy. Nothin’ against it, but every time a Goblin gets involved in Fairy, it gets complicated. Some outright disappear. Some have strange accidents. Most visit less and less as they fade to Fairy.

“Phil, follow your heart on this, but be careful. We won’t be following you to Fairy. Don’t summon Dennis and ask him. He’s reckless. He’ll offend the folk and get you both killed. I wish you well, Phil. Always knew you had an odd path ahead. Even when we first took you, we knew you were different. Visit if you can, but don’t bring the attention of the Fay to our family. Take care, Phil.”

Jordan disconnected, probably to keep me from hearing him crying, just the way I was right then. I didn’t think Titans cried much at all. We Goblins did and a lot of us had a lot to cry over. I needed comfort so I went to the room Mr. Hebert had converted for the kittens to stay in.

#

Uncle Anthony had a large box in the back of his car. “Phil, I got this for you. If you’re going into Fairy, you need one that doesn’t have iron or steel, so I had one made special for you by a fellow who came highly recommended.”

I smiled up at Uncle Anthony, thanked him, and shadow stepped with the box into the music room. I didn’t tell him that no box was going to replace my original, but it didn’t hurt to have a spare, and I didn’t want to risk taking mine overseas.

Inside the box was a cajon in a padded backpack bag. I opened the bag and pulled out a beautifully finished piece that looked mighty fancy compared to my old crate. The finish was not too heavy, and I could tell just taking it out of the bag that every spot on it resonated. I tapped it a few times and started to find the sweet spots. I adjusted the snare, then I took out the instruction book from the side pouch on the bag and started to read.

There was a note written on the first page:

“Phil, I hope you’re doing as well as me.

I have to thank you for setting me on this journey. As you can see, I’m enjoying making cajons and finding it rewarding. As I’ve improved with my craftsmanship, I’ve often thought how I’d like to replace the crude box that was my first cajon.

I knew when your Uncle Anthony gave me the measurements and described your box that this one was for someone special. He had a few interesting requirements that reinforced my suspicions. I feel bad that I charged for this, but your Uncle Anthony wanted it to be a gift from him, and I didn’t want him to know that we’d met.

This is about the best cajon I know to make, so I would appreciate it if you let me know how to improve on it.

Your friend, Mr. Miller”

It was sad in a way, marking my new instrument with tears, but the sound of the wooden panels seemed to echo the bright and sad resonances I wanted to make despite the moisture.

As I played, Uncle Anthony and Mr. Hebert came in with the kittens and sat with them, feeding the kittens from bottles.

Uncle Anthony nodded toward me. “He already knows how to get the sound he wants out of it. That’s amazing.”

Mr. Hebert said, “Of course he does. Phil, take care of that box. Make it last as long as you can. It, too, is part of me.”

I nodded. Odd how things were, but as Mr. Hebert’s lessons in Titan physics were teaching me, bringing a new object into a room can change everything, and two ships passing in the night end up sharing and influencing each other more than they’ll ever know.

I stayed up late, like Goblins do, beating on my new drum.

#

When Uncle Anthony arrived, Mr. Hebert was explaining the Giants’ concepts of physics to me, “Humans have a lot of theories, but the Giants’ concept of light was entirely based on observation. Giants didn’t care if light was a wave or a particle or whatever. All they cared about was what light did, so they never put a speed limit on it since their concept of time was different. The only thing close to a theory that they held was a suspicion that light created distance. Since they couldn’t see light until late in their history, they regarded light as an untrustworthy and inconsistent signal between electrons. Beams of light were not even a concept until giants were developing focusing eyes.”

Uncle Anthony sat and cleared his throat. “That was the general consensus, but some Giants had known about beams of light for ages. As a general principal, they didn’t share their secrets willingly.” He looked at me. “But more to the point, I met a Goblin at a guitar store.”

I smiled up at him. “You know, my family mostly avoided other Goblins. They broke off with the old family when the old family stopped rummaging and started stealing. That was before my time, but they said a lot of Goblins started stealing and a lot of Goblins disappeared. Some of the Goblins were bullying others, so my family decided to lay low and only occasionally met with other Goblins.”

Uncle Anthony said, “Well, this one works for a living. He probably doesn’t hang out with troublemakers. One never knows, but you don’t have to worry about bringing them home. Since having part of your family join you and tour as a musical group fell through, we’ve been thinking about forming a small band with humans, but humans that look your age are going to come with parents who will complicate things.”

Mr. Hebert nodded. “I don’t know that I consider it right, even if it’s fairly safe, to bring folk into Fairy without warning them of the possibility of it happening. I don’t see explaining any of this to a human child’s parents.”

I nodded. “Show me on a map, and I’ll check it out.”

I didn’t mention to either of them that I often felt the trails of other Goblins as they shadow stepped or that sometimes I kept still in places and listened to other Goblins. As I traveled, I wondered for a moment if Mr. Hebert and Uncle Anthony were releasing me into the wild. It didn’t feel like they were dumping me at the side of the road, but I’d only know for sure if I came home and found they had cleared out and left.