Firestone Read Free Page A

decided that we do not need help from fairies ,” Jill said.
“You . . . people  . . . don’t
seem to hold the concept of children in the same way human’s do.
I’d rather allow my children to be children, and not pawns in some
political games.”
    “ You’re angry,” Liban
said.
    “ Angry?” Jill asked.
“Disgusted.”
    “ I understand,” Liban
said. “I assure you, the situation with Prince Kirk was unique. In
fact, all of Fand’s children’s situations were unique.”
    “ Fin was raised by
Manannán’s human wives,” Jill said.
    “ He told you?”
    “ He told Tanesha,” Jill
said. “He said that his sisters were raised by fairies and that
Kirk was in the care of one of Manannán’s great-grandchildren when
he was taken and she was killed.”
    Jill sniffed.
    “ Just gross,” Jill
said.
    “ I see what you see,”
Liban said. “I understand why you say it, and I would tell you that
my sister’s children and their situation is unique. My
sister . . . Well, as you saw, she’s not much of a
mother. She was born a queen, born to bear a queen’s
responsibilities. Her fairies take all of her time, energy, and
thought. I’m not sure she was intended to fall in love. As you
know, some things just happen. She is no mother. She couldn’t
understand a child if she tried.”
    “ Why is she so interested
in Katy then?” Jill asked.
    “ She believes Katy to be
similar to herself, and thus in need of special teaching and care,”
Liban shrugged. “You have impressed Fand, though. You are Katy’s
mother, just as I was mother to my children. You know that Ne Ne
raised Yvonne.”
    Jill scowled.
    “ You’re angry about Kirk,”
Liban said.
    Jill crossed her arms and furrowed her
brow.
    “ I understand,” Liban
said. “Would it help to know that he no longer remembers what
happened to him?”
    “ What about the scars?”
Jill asked.
    “ The wounds healed the
moment he arrived in this world,” Liban said. “His body shows that
he’s suffered but his mind remembers none of it. He can remember
it, though.”
    “ How?”
    “ If you remind him,” Liban
said.
    “ Where is he?” Jill
asked.
    “ Your friend, Heather?”
Liban asked. “Didn’t she leave to speak with her social worker?
Something about . . .”
    “ Emergency placement,”
Jill’s voice was filled with awe.
    “ Of course, the Oracle has
agreed to raise him,” Liban said. “But he needs a place tonight.
Tomorrow his . . .”
    “ Aunt . . .” Jill whispered.
    “ So you do know,” Liban
said.
    “ Heather called when she
found out,” Jill said. “She’s taking a boy for a few
days . . . Keenan . . .”
    “ Keenan means ancient
one,” Liban smiled.
    “ And his mother?” Jill
asked. “Queen Fand?”
    “ She and the Oracle agree
that she will be in his life, but he will grow up human,” Liban
said. “Like his brother, Fin.”
    “ Like Fin,” Jill’s voice
was vague, as she thought through what Liban was saying. “Fin and
Abi?”
    Liban gave Jill a broad smile.
    “ Love is unusual for us
fairies,” Liban said. “We don’t usually mate for life. If we find
love, it is strong, overpowering even, but fades. We rarely love
another fairy unless, like Gilfand, we draw a mortal into our
world. That takes the kind of power only available to the ancient,
like Gilfand or myself.
    “ But Fin and
Abi . . .” Liban smiled. “She’s supposed to
be his mate. He
is a fairy ruler, a prince, thus she should be a lady of court. She
should not be on the fairy corps. And
yet . . .”
    “ They are both here,” Jill
said.
    “ As I said, love is
unusual for us,” Liban said. “But then again, my nephew is
half-Manannán.”
    Jill looked at the wall to think it through.
There was a large picture of Katy sitting on the table along the
wall. Jill smiled at her baby-girl.
    “ I like that you ask me
about the boy before you ask me about what you get,” Liban
said.
    “ What I get?” Jill asked.
“What