• When Wolfe knocked on her window, Silanis was doing her stretches, and fell out of a particularly awkward pose on one leg. It was about nine in the morning, Wolfe had left Athlone, the Elven city, around two-thirty. Opening the window, she pulled the faerie in before anyone saw her waiting out there. It was morning, after all.

    “So, did he agree?” She asked, looking out the window a little to make sure no one was watching. Closing the window, she looked back to the faerie.

    “He is here, yes.” Wolfe replied. “A member of the line of Heyail Reid come to whisk you away for the courts of ByTalna and the Royale Megacity of Hundr Buma.”

    “And his name?” She asked the faerie, sounding pleased.

    “Dian Liberati. A nephew who has been sent because you were named heir of a courtier, a duchess of the Megacity, who had no children of her own.” Wolfe shook her head. “She had been keeping tabs on the Reid side of her family, and thought you the perfect heir.”

    “Sounds interesting, though fantastical.” Silanis said. “But it will probably work. I’m impressed. I’m blown away by everything, but still impressed.”

    Wolfe smiled, looking into Silanis’ eyes, but something was different, and she could feel it. The faerie remained silent, and looked to the ferret momentarily.

    “What, what is it, Wolfe?” Silanis asked, confused.

    “Just that Dian came into possession of something relating to the very relative we selected for him to be related to.” Wolfe replied, looking back to the human. “He had a series of drawings signed by Heyail Reid that you may wish to look over when there is a better chance. But I figured we could use them as proof, so I had him bring them along.”

    Silanis stared wide-eyed at the faerie, unsure of what to say or do in reaction to the news. Drawings made by her four-times great uncle? Possessed by the supposed nephew of a four-times-removed aunt? Her parents would have a lot to think about tonight, to be sure.

    “Well, that’s almost frightening.” Silanis said, chewing her bottom lip absentmindedly. “But a coincidence like that is certainly useful. When is he coming over?”

    “Before dinner time. But you should come out and meet him, me thinks.” Wolfe looked over to the window. Silanis lent out to see what she meant.

    There was a carriage parked in the market place, and a man with blood red hair was looking over some fruits and vegetables. She knew immediately that it was Dian, and pulled herself back inside, closing the window. Was she ready for something like this? She wondered how she would handle leaving her home to go on a weird adventure with two creatures she didn’t even think existed until the little faerie showed up in her room.

    “Silanis?” Wolfe asked, staring at her suddenly pale face. “Are you okay?”

    Running a hand through her hair, Silanis, stared past the faerie; indeed, she stared past everything in the room for a moment, looking into her own heart to see if she could handle what was now happening. In her secret heart, should she really handle having her life torn in a different direction like this? It pained her to think she may never see her family again, and while the people of this town were not hers, she would still feel a Clover Hill-sized hole in her heart for a while, wouldn’t she?

    Her pupils had taken over the whole of her eyes, turning the gray ponds into black pools of nothingness momentarily, and once more Dionysus and the feast swam into her vision.

    “Sila, love.” He said to her, taking her face in his hands and smiling down at her. “You know in your secret heart what the right thing is, don’t you? You know the thing you must do, even if you don’t think you do.”

    He leaned in to kiss her, and when his lips touched hers she came back to herself almost violently, her pupils shrinking to the size of pinpricks, eyes opened so wide it was almost terrifying.

    “Silanis!” Wolfe exclaimed, flying over to her in an instant, just as her knees buckled. The little faerie saved her from a fall, helping her down gently. “Another vision?”

    “Yes and no.” Silanis said. “I looked into my secret heart to see if I... If I were ready. But I think it is best, right now, if I don’t already know this man before he comes to the door. It would be less suspicious.”

    Staring hard into the humans eyes, Wolfe nodded. She knew what she was talking about, and Wolfe hadn’t even considered that it would be a little strange if she already knew him. Besides that, if her parents saw her talking to him, they may suspect something amiss, and that risk could not be taken.

    “Well and so.” Wolfe said, smiling. “Are you sure you’re okay, though? You look like you’ve seen not just one ghost, but an army of them!”

    “I’ll be fine, Wolfe.” Came the reply, and it sounded true enough. “I just need to finish my stretches and eat. One question, though. Will Dian give me the ring, as a token of his fallen mistress?”

    “Oh! That is a good question, indeed!” Wolfe replied, thinking for a moment. “A pretty trinket like that, and more to follow, may help convince your parents, wouldn’t you think? Yes, I’ll have him bring you the ring. Where is it?”

    “Here...” Silanis had hidden the ring when she had gone to bed, and retrieved it now, from withing her dresser, below her clothing. “Take it to him, and in about an hour, maybe less, have him come to the door. I want a little bit longer with my parents.”

    “I understand.” Wolfe agreed, nodding and taking the ring. “Not to worry.”

    Then, with scarce more than a wave, Wolfe was out the window and back to the carriage to wait a moment for Dian to join her, and Silanis... Silanis left her room to go and break her fast with her mother and father one last time.