In the 17th Century, the ancient sprawl of Epping forest is bursting with magic and those who go unseen by human eyes: the elves who rule the summer court, and the goblins who rule the winter court. It is said that if a human catches the eye of one of the fey, they are either doomed or blessed. Contains the stories: Wulfren and the Warlock: When Wulfren wakes from a strange dream of a human captor with long silver hair, and grey eyes, his brothers tell him they rescued him from a warlock, and take Wulfren back home to the goblin king's palace. But Wulfren isn’t so sure the matter is that simple. Why was he missing so long? What are the strange dreams of the beautiful man with the silver hair? Dalliances with humans are severely frowned upon, especially by Wulfren’s father, but Wulfren is willing to risk the scorn of his family to find the human who haunts his dreams. Quiller and the Runaway Prince: After a hard winter, Quiller is sent deep into the forest on a family errand, and is surprised when a human stumbles into his path. Quiller swoops in to pester him, perhaps even eat him, but there is something special about the human: his scent is royal, though he protests that he is not, and soon Quiller finds himself agreeing to help the human with his troubles—in exchange for a kiss.

Goblins

Further along the human path the trees gave way to flat lands and fields. Wooden posts appeared, lining the path. In the distance I could make out little clusters of activity; human dwellings, with humans and animals moving about. Such strange noises I hadn’t heard before. I cawed quietly, ruffling my feathers.


“We’ll have to go the long way round to the castle,” Cashel said. “I don’t want anyone in the village to see me, or they’ll wonder what I was doing out.”


“Who do you answer to?” I asked, my voice squawky in bird form.


“Who do I…?” He blinked. “Well…no one. I am Gregor’s guest. He has made me feel more than welcome.”


“Cah! Then don’t worry what others wonder of you.”


“Because…because…” He sighed. “I find this very difficult to say to a bird. I rather fear I’ve imagined everything and you aren’t really talking to me. Perhaps I hit my head when I fell.”


Chapter 39