A few faeries smiled, but no one answered. Instead, there was a restless shifting around, foot shuffling, and downcast gazes. They were nervous. Maili had caused that, sowing seeds of dissention and inviting the Summer King to walk among them. There were reasons they all eschewed the courts; more than a few solitaries had once belonged in one or another court—not all of the solitaries, of course, but at least a few of their number had lived among the stiffer sort of faeries. Some had left on their own; others had been cast out. A few had even lived in Faerie itself, a place ruled by an unchanging queen who—if myths were true—was one of the first fey. Here in the desert was as far from Faerie and the courts as they could get.

And Maili would have a regent come here!

Sionnach remained as still as when he was watching the sky; his expression didn’t hint at his thoughts or his feelings about the assembled faeries’ scrutiny. His jacket was folded over one leg, and his posture was relaxed. Almost casually, he looked up at the sun. “I’ve been here far too long to want to move. Things don’t often change out here . . . not really. But sometimes, changes must happen.”

They waited.

“We need to work on letting the mortals have peace here.”

Grumbling rose up at Sionnach’s words.

“Why?”

“Where’s the sport in that?”

“Just because you’re with—”

Sionnach fixed the latter faery with a glare that stopped him mid-sentence. Then, he looked back out at the sky and said, “The new Winter Queen was once a mortal. The missing Summer Queen was a mortal. The new Dark King loved a mortal. Would you have any of the courts come here angry?” He looked at them, allowing his gaze to slowly drift over the crowd, before adding, “Or would you keep your freedom?”

A few nodded. Some exchanged looks with one another. They knew; they mightn’t like it, but they knew that he was right. All things changed in time. As mortals spread over the world, mingling more and more in the matters of faeries, a change was upon them all. Maybe if the courts had never left Faerie things would be different, but they had left. They’d come here, set up their courts and lived among mortals. Now, because of a curse, mortals had become fey, and as the regents loved and lived with mortals, their stances had changed. Sionnach had to do his part to protect those under his sway in the desert.

“I won’t let Maili or her ilk take away my right as Alpha in our home.” Sionnach bared his teeth. “Aside from Rika, no one here is strong enough to wrest power from me.”

“And where is Rika?” a faery asked.