Ash nodded. I stepped back and tossed the same illusion over myself, making a pair of almost identical Summer Knights. Glancing at my fellow guard, I grinned. “Ready?”

He sighed again, raking his fingers through his now unfamiliar hair. “Lead the way.”

* * *

The two knights guarding the bridge nodded politely as we crossed, but other than that didn’t even glance at us. I caught one of them hiding a smirk as we passed, but that was understandable, given the circumstances. I didn’t think ice-boy had seen it, but I was wrong.

“Who are we supposed to be?” Ash asked as we continued into the lands of the Erlking. Past the bridge, the heat of the summer sun blazed down on us, warming my skin and making me sigh with pleasure. Of all the things in the Seelie Court, I missed the sun the most. The wyldwood was too dark and Tir Na Nog was too cold; only in Arcadia did the sun shine full and bright, and the sweetest apples grow on the trees over the thorn fence, always ripe for the picking. If you could get past the two cranky giants who owned the orchard, that is.

“Oh,” I said, grinning. “Right. Names. Well, you’re Sir Torin, and I’m Sir Fagan, and we’re two hedge knights who travel all over the Nevernever on quests of glory for our king and court. You know, we right wrongs and slay dragons and search for mythological treasures, stuff like that.”

“So, they’re well respected.”

“Well…” I scratched the back of my head. “Not exactly.”

Ash stared at me. “What do you mean, not exactly?”

“Ever read Don Quixote?” I asked. And Ash closed his eyes, indicating that, yes, he had read it. I snickered. “They’re very eager,” I continued, trying not to laugh at the look on his face, “and they do have very noble intentions, I will give them that. But those two couldn’t find their way out of a broom closet without a map. It’s sheer dumb luck that they haven’t gotten themselves killed or eaten by now. They keep begging Oberon to send them on noble, important quests to prove their worth, and Oberon ends up giving them some ridiculous mission just to get them out of his hair.”

“And, of course, these are the identities you stole for us.”

“It’s perfect, don’t you think?” I flung my arms out grandly. “Sir Torin and Sir Fagan are almost never at court, the other knights usually avoid them and we have a reason to go see Queen Titania, to announce the completion of our most recent quest.”

“And if the real Torin and Fagan happen to be there?”

“Well.” I shrugged, annoyed with his logic. “Then we’ll improvise.”