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

“Th-That bird!” Cameron pointed wildly at me. Jacob, still at the door, stared in shock.


Cashel smoothed my wings down and shushed me gently. “Cameron, you’ve unsettled my bird, and he doesn’t appear to like you.”


Todd barked a laugh. “Aye, clever bird.”


I cawed in agreement, then turned and nibbled Cashel’s hair. What am I doing? Protecting a human?


“A devil!” Cameron declared. “The devil sits on thy left shoulder!”


“Oh, come now, Cameron,” Aneurin said. “Don’t be upset because a tame bird doesn’t like you. Maybe it smells something on you? Did you step in something?”


Cameron turned his glare to Aneurin. “Don’t make light of this, old man! We all know the sort who would keep a familiar: a witch. You must call a witch-finder at once!”


“Oh, poppycock!” Cashel snapped, anger in his voice. “He’s not a familiar, he’s a bird. If you’re so upset by him, then take yourself out of the room at once!”


“I—” Cameron stared, open mouthed.


Chapter 46