“Hello, Eddie,” he said calmly. “Molly. Didn’t know you were back.”

“Clearly,” I said. “Why were you trying to force Strange to give you a torc?”

He shrugged, and tried his best charming smile. “Reverting to nature, I fear; my old self coming out again. You know how it is . . .”

“I’m really not in the mood for civilised chitchat,” I said, and there must have been something in my voice because he stood a little straighter. “Talk to me, Blue. Tell me the truth. Or I might just let Strange have you.”

“Your time away has not mellowed you,” said the Blue Fairy. “Very well; I’m afraid I wasn’t entirely honest with you when I arrived. I only came here to help myself, not you. I wanted a torc. I wanted a golden Drood torc . . . so I could take it to the elves. Present it to the Fae Court and bargain its secrets for admittance to the elven realm. I’m tired of trying to live as a human, in the human world. I’ve never been very good at it. And after my near-death experience, I thought a lot more about the other side of my heritage. And it seemed to me that they might be kinder than you. In the end, it’s all about family, Eddie. The need to belong. You should understand that.”

“Your very existence is an abomination to the elves,” said Molly. “Breeding outside the fae blood is their greatest taboo. They’d kill you on sight, torc or no torc.”

“He knows that,” I said. “But hope springs eternal in the deluded heart. No torc, Blue, not for you. Not now, not ever.”

He nodded slowly. “And you’re not going to kill me?”

“I should. But I’ve already lost one friend today.”

“I did try to warn you, Eddie. Even half elves always have an agenda.”

“That’s right, you did. So here’s your choice. You can go, or you can stay.”

“That’s it?” said the Blue Fairy after a moment.

“Yes,” I said. “I don’t have the energy to be mad at you. But if you stay, and fight alongside us in the war that’s coming, you could win acceptance. And a place here. Friends can be a kind of family.”

“You shame me with your generous spirit,” said the Blue Fairy. “I’ll stay, and I’ll fight. Now, if you’ll excuse me . . .”

I nodded to Molly, and she stepped aside from the door to let him leave. She waited until the door was firmly closed behind him, and then looked at me.

“Are you crazy? You can’t trust him! He’s half elf.”

“I know,” I said. “That’s why I want to keep him close, where I can keep an eye on him.”

“You humans, with your subtleties,” said Strange. “You’re far more frightening than I could ever be.”