One hour before dawn I was once again standing in the park. My gear bag stashed under a bench, I approached the faerie circle slowly, shivering from nerves and the early morning chill. I hoped that I would be able to keep my jeans, with their brass and my wire-rim glasses, but I was prepared to get myself into the circle any way I could, dressed if possible but skyclad if necessary. The only thing I took with me was my iPhone. The alarm was set to blast the most discordant sounds just as dawn broke. If I was still in the circle I hoped the jangling tones would catch my attention just when I was at my strongest.

Twilight was always my potent hours. When it was light, but the sun had not yet risen, or after it had set but before dark - in those hours I felt most peaceful. Most effective. Most focused. I was going to willfully join a sídhe circle to dance, and I would need every ounce of self-control if I wanted to avoid enchantment enough to walk away again. Many mortals have danced with the faeries, but few left the dance alive. The lucky ones are pulled free by someone outside the circle. Honestly, I had never heard of anyone leaving by their own free will. Sia offered to come, to pull me free, but she had heard her fill of fae song, and any additional exposure would be far too dangerous. This I had to do alone.

Suddenly I was joined by Ticktock, burning in the darkness like some furious disembodied torch. His blow gun was leveled at my left eye and he twittered angrily at me.

;

"If Dryael asks me to leave I will, but it is by her invitation I come. You cannot revoke it."

Sídhe have odd ways, but like elves keep to the old rules of hospitality. I was here by invitation, and thus protected as a guest. There wasn’t much that could persuade sídhe to go against the old ways, but looking at Ticktock I hoped that he was thinking like a sídhe rather than like a jealous boy. I tried to look non threatening as I reminded him I was draoi.

"Personally I am honored that the sídhe would offer friendship to me. The draoithe and sídhe have long been allies and its wonderful to be part of that tradition."

;

"Cut it out Ticktock," I sighed. "You’re a sídhe warrior, I don’t want to fight you, but Dryael is my friend. I would never hurt her, but I won’t give up her friendship over the threats of a jealous would-be lover. We draoithe know a thing or two about being warriors, and I can take care of myself if need be."

; Dryael whistled ;

"I’ve come to dance with you."

Dryael twirled in the air, squealing with glee before grabbing one of my fingers between her hands.

; she tugged me toward the circle of mushroom and dancing sídhe, ;

"Wait Dryael, I can only dance until dawn. Then I must leave. Do you understand?"

; she pouted, ;

"Thank you Dryael. You truly are my deirfiúr," I praised her. Over her tiny shoulder Ticktock sneered, but was soon forgotten as the eldritch music enveloped me - and unbidden I began to dance.

Being in a sídhe circle was like nothing I had ever experienced. Time and space seemed to dilate and blend. It stretched out so that adjacent moments seemed to have between them infinite space, and I felt like I was not rooted to one location. I was everywhere. Maybe even every when. Dryael stayed near me, often touching my skin gently, or softly stroking my hair. It was part of the dance, and though other sídhe flew nearby and several came into physical contact it was clear that I danced with Dryael. I was her partner, her sister, her deirfiúr.

It was easy to see why people died dancing with faeries. Their fae song was intoxicating, seductive and almost narcotic, but being in the circle - that was like gasping oxygen after almost suffocating. My feet moved beneath me with more grace than they had any right to exhibit and my arms traced complex patterns through the air like a skilled ballerina. With no sensation of jumping, the earth fell away from me, then returned to softly kiss my feet. When dawn broke in a hazy half imagined light towards the east I choose to risk the circle for a few more minutes. My clanging cell phone was ignored. When the sky was clear and bright I danced on. Sadly when the sun began to rise I knew I had to stop.

Twilight, as I’ve said before is my strongest moment. My magic, my strength and my will power were at their peak and if I couldn’t leave the circle now I probably never would.

As I tried to step away, with a breaking heart, I felt a thousand miniature hands tug at my clothes and hair. The sídhe begged me with voices at once both beautiful and pitiful to stay - stay in the circle where everything I loved, and everyone who loved me resided. Sídhe could travel almost anywhere, and I with them if I would stay. The human soul was immortal they promised me. My mother’s body only had died, but her essence lived on in another land. We could go there. They would help me search for her. If only I would stay.

"Dryael!" I sobbed. "You promised!" Éan needed me. Sia was involved and likely in danger. Valentine was missing. Everything in me wanted to stay in that circle, but my friends gave me the willpower to leave. Unfortunately I wasn’t sure I had the physical strength to free myself.

"Drael!"

; cried out my true friend. I could now see her violently fighting off sídhe, but we were two against thousands. How could I break free? Valentine had been fantastically strong as he wielded Dusk - I had promised to leave it alone but I could really die here. Reaching out I found nothing. It was absent, almost as if I were in a circle. The fae were everywhere, fluttering like moths around a porch light, or piranha with blood in the water. My legs gave out and I fell to my knees. They were piranha, and it was my magical blood - my qi - that the smelled. Dryael screamed but seemed distant. I wanted to help her, or to just lay down and let the end come peacefully. If only I wasn’t in a circle I could access the Dusk I needed. But I was in a circle. I was in a circle, the thought dawned on me. A circle is where draoithe perform high magic. And I am a draoi.

With everything I had left I thrust my Intention into the ring of mushroom surrounding me willing the construct to form. Ribbons of Draft rippled as new variables came into play and access to the shimmering threads shifted the balance of power between the faeries and me. Most people wouldn’t have even noticed the change. Sia, who had much more exposure to this sort of thing, reported a slight tingling in her skin - something she wouldn’t give another thought under normal circumstances. The sídhe however were a different story. They are magical creatures, and could sense Draft as easily as any draoi. They stopped instantly, and floated backwards slightly. Most were within my circle, and they wouldn’t cross it’s boundary willingly, but they also suddenly were showing a healthy respect for my power. The fae song had ended and my head was clearing. Looking down I saw Dryael lying in the dirt, her left wing torn, and stooped to lift her in cupped hands. Her glowing cloud of faerie ember was gone and her breathing was labored. I gently kissed the top of her head as she smiled weakly at me.

"Thank you Dryael deirfiúr," I whispered, "you kept your promise at great cost. We are True friends, and for my part I count you as my sister."

Grasping the most delicate thread of Draft I could control I quickly stitched together her torn wing. It helped, but without her faerie dust she looked pale and naked -- almost like she were dying. In medical dramas they use defibrillators to jumpstart a persons heart. I needed to do the same for Dryael’s magic. Sídhe are small, but quite powerful. While it took a delicate touch to heal Dryael’s wing, restarting her magic would be like pushing a dump truck uphill. The sun was almost up as I stretched my left hand into the sky sending with it a thick pillar of Draft. Around me the awestruck faeries were dropping their defenses increasing my access and I pulled in that power as well. The clear sky darkened, and directly overhead lighting roared as I now lifted my right hand and with it Dryael. I lifted her into the lightning called and shaped by Draft into a force of resurrection rather than destruction. As the gentle rain began to fall the small creature glowed and fluttered from my hand. She seemed weak, but she was flying again and clothed in the swirling incandescent dust that typified sídhe magical ability.

With a sigh of relief I opened the circle and started to walk away. No one tried to stop me this time, but a retinue of faerie came fluttering and chirping behind. They were impressed by my show of power, and my ability to leave the circle alive. I walked through the drizzle trying to plan my next move. Dryael was at my side as I retrieved my gear bag, and I didn’t think she would leave it for some time. She would be a powerful ally, and its possible that the other sídhe behind me would be helpful as well.

As I wondered how Sia had made out checking on Valentine the two of them came walking toward me over a small hill. Valentine’s left arm hung in an improvised sling, indicating that he had run afoul of some trouble of his own. Luckily he seemed otherwise unscathed. In my haste to greet them I ran straight into a slap from Valentine’s good right arm. Finding myself on the ground with a stinging cheek I suddenly wished that Valentine had injured both arms.

Dryael and Sia both screamed in disgust, and a pair of sídhe warriors fluttered to my defense. Valentine was a powerhouse by draoi standards, but physically he was average at best. While one faerie swept his knees the other hit him high with far more force than I could have guessed possible. Valentine was on his back before he could react, but his reaction came quickly as Dusk gathered around his fallen body.

"Stop! All of you. We’re not enemies. Valentine, I can see you are upset but is this really the solution? And you," I gestured to the faerie warriors, "I appreciate you defending me, but there is no danger now. Let him explain himself." The sídhe reluctantly backed off and Valentine sat up. "Now, why did you hit me?"

"I know you are a child," Valentine seethed, "but there is no excuse for your behavior. Éan is gone, who knows where, and yet you choose to come here to dance? Sídhe circles are far too dangerous. You could have been killed just when I needed you the most. There is much you have to learn little girl. You should have come for me, instead you’re here getting high on fae song while Sia came looking for me. She’s a normal! How could you involve her?"

"You involved her when you forced her to take a Witherwraith on as a housemate! She’s in this every bit as much as you are. And for your information I’m not here for the fae song, but for the allies. I called you and you didn’t come. I can’t handle this alone. And I knew the risks - remember that I have my own Book of Whispers. I know far more than what I’ve learned from you."

"Where did you learn to gamble your life like this?"

"From my teacher. What gambles led to that?" I pointed at his sling.

"Midnight Clerics showed up at my place just after you called. Six or seven of them. You had obviously had some trouble yourself - it was too much of a coincidence. I thought I’d ask them some questions."

"What did you learn?"

"Nothing," he admitted. "They had some pretty potent curses prepared, and I was lucky."

"I was lucky. I survived my risk unharmed, and I gained some allies."

"Fine, have it your way. We’re going after Èan. Now."

"First your arm."

"There’s no time for a doctor, and I can’t heal myself. You know that."

"I can do it. Ask Dryael."

; the pretty creature flexed the ethereal feather that served as a wing. ;

"Sister?"

; Dryael blushed, ;

"You have gained an ally Dillon, but at what cost remains to be seen. As for her skill in healing," he addressed Dryael, "I did not teach her, and must take your word in the matter."

While they spoke I surrounded the three of us in a circle of salt and Intended a construct. "If I can stitch together a sídhe wing I think I can knit bone. It may hurt," I warned, threading strands of Draft into his arm. Valentine gritted his teeth and hissed but it was over soon. Six weeks of healing in two breaths. He flexed and tossed the sling aside. It had only been a hairline fracture, which was good. I wasn’t sure I could have set a more serious break.

"Now we go."

;

"I’m not sure. I need to see the scene."

"Too late," Sia explained, "the police have sealed our house. But we know what direction at least."

"We go east," I flipped Valentine his charm. "She’s bleeding, but alive. The work at our place was done by Midnights as well. I have to believe they want her alive for now."

"So we go east," he agreed, "a wizard, an apprentice who has neither wand nor staff, a faerie and a normal. Our goal is to rescue a Witherwraith from a coven of wild Midnight Clerics."

"The stuff of epics," Sia nodded wryly. "What’s the effective range on that directional thingy?"

"Two, three miles. Maybe a bit more if you really Believed in it but too much Faith could burn it out. They probably haven’t gone too far though, Midnights are humans. They have families and day jobs. They usually operate locally."

"Then let’s get in your car and see if we can’t track down where they’ve stashed Éan."

With that Sia headed off toward the parking lot, but as I turned to follow Valentine stopped me.

"You should have come to me before you went to the sídhe."

"You shouldn’t have hit me. What would the Midnights want with her Valentine? If you’re the master and I’m the apprentice then fill me in. What are they playing at?"

"Am I still the master? You haven’t been acting that way."

"You weren’t here. I did what I thought best, and that’s done now. I hope that you will continue to tutor me, but its up to you. One thing I will say, my promise to shun shadow Draft expires now. We’re going to need those skills, and I intend to learn them with or without your help. The next time someone takes a swing at me I will be protected."

Turning from Valentine I stomped off behind Sia, all the while Dryael fluttered just over my shoulder like some fantasy parrot in a bad pirate flick. Unfortunately I’ve never stomped well, I just don’t have the bulk for it.

As I stalked away several hundred sídhe approached and with various degrees of pomp bid me farewell. Dryael would stay with me, she promised - at least for now, but the others were going about their business. Many were afraid of me, others showed healthy respect, and while I tried to be pleasant I wasn’t really in the mood. It’s entirely possible that I promoted the "stormy wizard" stereotype.

I had almost made it to Valentine’s car when he called out.

"Hey apprentice, ask your little familiar about nascáil. Then let me know if you still think you’ve learned enough to negotiate for allies on your own."

"Dryael," I whispered, "what’s nascáil? What is Valentine talking about?"