No, he is my friend!

Anger gave her newfound resolve.

An instinctive sensation burned down her arm as the staff came to her defence by instantly appearing in her hand. She grasped the warm wood tight, having no time to wonder.

Elvie stepped in front of Flynn, the staff fixed in two hands as she stared the creature down.

‘You don’t want to do this, do you?’

The wild, red-rimmed eyes of the creature conveyed no understanding. Muscles flexed as a growl rolled from its throat.

It hurled itself into the air.

She brought the staff upwards in both hands to club the creature across the head. The skillless strike still saw the weapon thud into its face, eliciting a howl of shock and pain, as the dog-monkey sprawled to the ground with a helpless yelp.

‘Daryan!’ Flynn yelled again, as another shield appeared between her and the creature.

Staggering momentarily, dark fur rippled as the creature drew itself back to its feet. Its red eyes were wary, but its teeth were exposed as it growled again.

‘Elvie! Focus!’ Flynn pleaded.

She turned to see the two creatures Flynn’s shield had knocked down, back on their feet. They growled in their throats as they split and circled like cattle herders. Flynn’s shield blocking the third beast dissipated, as he and Elvie backed away together.

Elvie waved the staff back and forth in as threatening a manner as she could muster. ‘Get back!’ She screamed at them.

The creatures slowly, inexorably, came towards them.

The now tell-tale sign of bunched muscles heralded the attack, when the sound of fluted music reached their ears from a distance.

The dog-monkeys froze.

Music came again, closer this time, and the growls of the creatures turned to whimpers. They backed away, heads lowered, eyes wide in panic before they turned and fled.

Elvie drew ragged breaths as they ran.

‘Out of the pot and into the fire, I think,’ Flynn said quietly, wildly looking for the source of the flute. Elvie noted his eyes flickered between the source of the music and the staff in her hands.

She shrugged awkwardly as if to say ‘sorry’.

A man swept into the clearing, tucking his flute behind his belt. He had long blond hair and dark eyes, with handsomely angled features like an artist had perfectly captured his likeness or even chiselled it from stone.

He spoke calmly, with a soft lilt. ‘Peculiar, it is. Peculiar. It has been a long time since the Dynleath walked the forests of Twyr Lamach.’ His voice was accented, and he overemphasised the letter t.

‘Dynleath? Twyr Lamach?’ Elvie was confused.

‘Dynleath – Humans. And the Fey, as you humans call Twyr Lamach. It wouldn’t make much sense for us t’be calling it by the human name, would it?’

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‘The Fey,’ Elvie repeated slowly. ‘Is that where we are?’

He nodded. ‘That’s right. You’re in the Fey.’

‘You mean you’re not human?’ Flynn asked. ‘Are there humans in the Fey – we would like to find some, if we can?’

His teeth flashed in a smile that made Elvie’s mind race. Were his teeth pointed? She wasn’t sure as the smile had come and gone too fast. ‘There’s not been humans in the Fey for a long time. Millenia? Centuries at least. I cannot say for certain. Now, tell me why you’ve come here and why I had t’be saving you.’

Elvie made to speak, but Flynn grabbed her arm to shush her.

‘Ahhhhh. You’re not t’be certain you trust Nan Caenach. Sensible, I suppose.’ His smile flashed again to reveal regular teeth, settling Elvie somewhat. ‘Many creatures make their homes in the Fey, many, many creatures. And out of those y’can meet, Nan Caenach is the nicer. You should be thankful. I did, after all, stop you from becoming dinner.’

‘We’ve only your word for that,’ Flynn countered.

‘As with all facts known by one. But unless I be missing my guess, it is you needing my help, not the other way round.’ His charming smile returned.

Flynn’s vice-like grip on Elvie’s arm dropped, which she took as a sign to proceed. She told Nan Caenach the story of how they’d arrived in the Fey. What other choice did they have?

‘You do be lucky I came when I did. Many dangers exist in the Fey if you’re not aware of them; some are dangerous even if y’do. Not many would welcome humans in the Fey at all – they’ve never been fond of magicians, not since… well, those old angers burn deep. But it is strange you may cast your spells to gain passage, but not to leave. It seems t’me you’re not knowing what you can and cannot do, and I wonder, how do you not be knowing your own magic?’

‘We think it’s a slightly different spell,’ Elvie told him. ‘Or if it is the same one, then something must be preventing it from working.’

‘I would likely be difficult with the pathways sealed for all this time.’

‘You mean they used to be open – you could travel here easily?’ Flynn was intrigued.

‘It was my thought. The pathways did exist, but not anymore. This is why everyone is t’be angry with the magicians. They caused it t’be sealed.’

Elvie assumed pathways meant Elder, but Flynn thought differently. ‘Why would Magicians seal the path to the Fey?’ he demanded. Any knowledge always set him off.

Nan Caenach shrugged. ‘Long ago it happened – but I never much cared t’know. It is Seelie Court business, or it was. Now it is the Unseelie Court, I suppose, but definitely not Nan’s business.’ He studied their blank expressions. ‘You don’t know the Seelie? I guess you are just as cubs. But surely there is learning about the Fey in the human world?’

‘The don’t,’ Elvie told him; at the same time, Flynn said: ‘No.’

Nan Caenach frowned, then shrugged.

‘Can we come back to the pathways? They’re formed from Elder House, right?’ Elvie wanted to focus on two things; getting back to 1933, at the very least, but also gaining any knowledge she could on travelling through time.’

The creature of the Fey shrugged again. ‘That may b’so. I do not do your magic.’

‘Well, you said there are no more pathways. Do you at least know why?’

He nodded. ‘Long time ago, the paths were sealed. There is no knowledge Nan has on how that happened, or why they came t’be sealed. All I do be knowing is that spells were cast to prevent any breaches of the Fey… Makes Nan wonder how you did just that?’

The Fey. A world that ran beside their own in… whatever this was. A different dimension? A different world? Had Elvie transported them to a different planet entirely? Alistar would be astounded if they could return with this knowledge – if they could find their way out of the Fey.

‘Why is there no knowledge about the sealing of the Fey?’ Flynn asked.

He shrugged again. ‘The Seelie were terrifyingly powerful and was a blow to their rule. They could have done that act, but now they’re gone from here to… wherever they have gone. King Silvris. The Sovereign Queen, Lae. The Quinterain. Nan knows not. Then there is the Unseelie, the other ruling court. I’d not be thinking a human would want t’be meeting the Unseelie. They do as they please – including with you.’

‘But I’ll help you if I can. For I know a secret that may give you the knowledge you want. Good ol’ Nan certainly does know one secret of the forest. There is a Hollow – a remnant, you could say. She lingers not far from here, with knowledge that may be useful to you.’

‘You’d take us there? Why would you do that?’ Flynn asked.

Nan Caenach nodded. ‘Nan is nice – I told you so. There are others who you do not want to meet, but Nan helps those in need. It isn’t a long walk, but you should be wary if you were to venture on your own. If you walk with Nan, you’ll be safe.’ He patted the instrument at his side, leaving Elvie and Flynn to wonder what his music actually did.

Flynn gave Elvie a look: can we trust him?

Elvie gave Flynn a look back: what choice do we have?

He stared at her blankly.

Flynn wasn’t one for subtle messages. ‘Please show us – we’d be very thankful,’ she told Nan Caenach.