The faerie took her place in an ominous chair at the head of the table. It was tall and had what looked like horns that curved in and then out, carved from ebonized wood. She gestured to the other end of the table, where a matching chair rested. “As the guest of honor, you shall have that one, Phillip. And you, my dear,” she said to Aurora, “can be seated at my side.”

A possum faerie wearing a cape pulled out Aurora’s chair. It was carved in the shape of spread wings and gilded so that it shone almost as brightly as her locks.

Other faeries began to scamper to the table and find themselves places; some climbed up onto stools, others onto piles of pillows, and a few of the taller faeries sat on low seats made from hollow logs.

At the far end of the table, Phillip considered what Maleficent had in store for him. Even the tableware was alarming. He had what appeared to be a small silver pitchfork on one side of his pewter plate and a dagger on the other. He lifted the dagger experimentally and found it heavy in his hand, the way a real weapon would be.

A small hedgehog faerie poured elderflower water into a black glass goblet in front of him. It perfumed the air with a scent so pleasant that he allowed himself a sip.

It tasted like sweet, pure water, the kind that bubbled up from springs. He guzzled it all in what felt like a single swallow.

This won’t be so bad, he thought a moment before he noticed that one of the dishes was creeping toward him on crab legs. He startled, rocking back in his chair.

“Something the matter?” Maleficent called down the table.

“N-no!” Phillip said as another plate scuttled around on the table, veering toward what appeared to be a woman made entirely of roots and greenery. Fat globes of grapes bounced toward him, followed by a dish of mushrooms—chanterelles, chicken-of-the-woods, faerie ring champignon, wood ears, and honey fungus, all cooked with wild garlic leaves. Then marsh samphire, sautéed. A collection of hard-boiled eggs paraded before him next—snake eggs, starling eggs, quail eggs, white and brown, some speckled and some blue. A few plates were carried on the backs of beetles, while others rested on the backs of turtles. Others appeared enchanted to move on their own.

Then a pile of blackberries and damson plums wriggled forward, beside a pot of fresh cream.

Behind it was a plate of crispy fried spiders and a tray of oblong white snake eggs.

A large tureen on wheels was being pulled down the table by a tiny faerie. It contained a bright green potage of wild leek and nettle. The faerie waved around a ladle in a slightly threatening manner and then dumped some of the soup unceremoniously in a bowl in front of Prince Phillip.