After the revelations of Canker, Deglan was more anxious and determined to reach the city than before. He had intended to deliver a warning, but now it was impossible to fathom that the whole isle was not aware of the Red Cap’s presence and still none stood against them. Surely, there was enough strength left within his people to resist one Flame Binder. The thought set Deglan’s teeth to grinding. They were fools for ever locking him away and allowing him to live. Should have taken his head off and had done! Too many acts of mercy followed the Restoration of the Seelie Court. Irial’s benevolence was well chronicled, but the forbearance he showed his enemies at war’s end bordered on madness. Elves were a strange lot, for all their wisdom, and Deglan often counted himself lucky not to be born amongst their number, preferring the more practical ways of his own people. That is, until that practicality was replaced by the same blind acceptance that Irial preached. Madness, it seemed, was contagious.

Deglan glanced down at Blink and it occurred to him that he had a problem. She was the daughter of a charcoal burner, spending her heartbeat of a life in relative seclusion. Deglan did not know if she had ever met any other mortals besides her parents, much less Fae-folk. Certainly there was a settlement near to her father’s hut where he went to trade, but how often had she been there with a mind to remember? She seemed to have accepted his own presence, but he was quite sure her mind had been damaged by the loss she had suffered and there was no way to tell if that damage would ever mend. He was trying to save her life, but where they were bound contained sights that might destroy what was left of her sanity forever. Goblins lived in Toad Holm. Or hobgoblins did, if you used the proper term, but the difference would be lost on her. And why should it not? It was lost on Deglan. Still, she deserved every chance. If there was a shred of rational thought left in her wee skull, she needed to be prepared.

“I have a story for you, Blink. Would you like to hear it?”

She did not divert her attention from the spot in front of her feet.