“Pssst. Claudia.”

  I nearly fell off the path when I heard my name being whisper-shouted at me by a figure standing in the shadows of the trees. I steadied myself and tried to play it off like a simple stumble as I tried to figure out who it was trying to get my attention.

  I soon found a familiar face beckoning at me from the darkness, and a few pieces started falling into place. I tucked my hands in my pockets and strolled off the edge of the path, stopping near the tree.

  ”Are you the one I have to thank for the invitation to this prestigious party?” I asked, glancing sideways at Crystal. She stayed tucked behind the tree next to mine, and she relaxed visibly when I addressed her.

  ”It took some negotiating but I have more than a few friends that I can rely on, and as time grew closer they became more eager to secure your attendance.”

  ”So whatever is going on here has been happening for a while, then?”

  “Long enough that even the best are having trouble hiding the ripples, and we’ve yet to find a way to reach the root. I heard some of the higher ups whispering about something feeling familiar, so I did some digging of my own. Patterns are spreading and repeating at a rate that is beginning to become concerning. Someone somewhere is playing a very long game.”

  ”I have been getting that impression as well. Whoever it is, they’ve brought some old magic out to play. Not sure how far along things actually are on their side, but this is far from the first time Ive run into them. My friends are on the lookout, but if there is more you know that I can pass along, that might help.”

  ”All I know is that something is preventing spring turning to summer and the change from crossing the fae courts. I also know that winter took longer to leave than normal, but otherwise the variations in transition time haven’t been out of the ordinary. Then again, that doesn’t mean much.”

  “It’s hard to see the true chaos when the courts are involved, because in the courts, everything is chaos.”

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  “Exactly.”

  ”So, why are we hiding this conversation?”

  “Because there are eyes everywhere and if you want to do something about it, it would be best if no one expects it.”

  ”Good point. So, any possible players on this side of things that I should be on the lookout for? Also, do you know where the gateway is going to be yet or is that still unclear.”

  “Can’t say.”

  ”Can you show?”

  She nodded, disappearing further into the shadows before reappearing a few yards away, stepping once more into the festivities. I followed her at enough of a distance to not be obvious, interacting with those I passed while watching to see who she interacted with. I didnt know her well enough to know for sure how she would signal, but I knew she probably had something up her sleeve.

  And time quickly proved that she did. There was a family of crafters who studied the fae magic and other similar sources and used that to fuel the designs for some delightfully interesting little toys. I’d seen my share of production setups in my visits to the pole, among other places, and I had some friends who loved collecting the different designs.

  As she walked, Crystal would drop one of the little finder toys and they would roll into the nearest hiding spot. While I didn’t have the seeker toy, I had something that looked like one and, honestly, I didn’t need it.

  It was much more fun to find them on my own. And find them I did, outside of the meeting places of a few fae belonging to the spring court who were not at all interested in handing over their place of power.

  “And why should we?” One of the off duty guards whispered. “The other courts have had their chances to shine already. It’s time that spring has its due.”

  ”Yeah, and isn’t the world a better place when it's full of life and growth? Spring should be king all year round!”

  “Then lets make sure it stays that way. If we can keep the other courts from passing through the gateways, we can make sure that our power remains unaffected. Don’t let the others get any ideas or any help.”

  “Why stop there, when we can find a way to exile them all?”

  The conversation picked up in intensity and I quickly moved away before anyone could realize I was listening.

  The situation was worse than we thought. I needed to find Maguire.