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"Where are we?" I whispered Even the low flutter of hout the cha at the alabaster beauty of the walls

His arm curved protectively around ainst the top of my head "I’y before, and it makes me nervous Are you sure that Tom is here?"

I nodded "I sense him But how did he find this place? This portal isn’t listed with the OIA, thatcloser, I shivered The daic rippled up and down my arms Whatever had created this place--or whoever--was powerful indeed

And then, before Morio could answer, a noise caught our attention I stepped away, readyingA voluptuous wo stepped from behind one of the limestone pillars in the center of the roo down froal and serene

"Who are you?" The words tumbled out of my mouth before I could stop them "And where is Tom Lane?"

She blinked once, then a smile broke across her face "You lanced at Morio, who shook his head, as obviously confused as I was "I don’t understand Your pet? Who are you?"

As she smiled, I saw the flecks of silver in her eyes Was she one of the Sidhe? But then ends were true So she’d refused to cross over when Otherworld severed connections with Earth

"You’re Titania, aren’t you?"

As she gently inclined her head, my stoerous and unpredictable She was far less huh she’d reaze never left my face "And noould you tell one mad as a March hare, Tam Lin?"

CHAPTER 15

Tam Lin? Tom Lane? It all made sense now But Tao Tom couldn’t be Tam Lin, who lore said had lived out the rest of his life with his wife and children Or could he?

"How is that possible? Tam Lin’s been dead for hundreds of years" I slowly skirted to the left, not trusting Titania to play fair Rue and had lost all sense of reason

"Has he now?" Titania spoke to er in thebecause he see "Let us speak to Toht She was becolow in her eyes growing brighter Her breasts seeh she’d taken a long breath and held it "Our Witchling won’t tell ht?"

I blinked Some, Titania homed in on Morio "You, however, I don’t know Perhaps you’ll be gracious enough to give lanced at him Titania sounded three sheets to the wind Maybe she was drunk, or the ht Or maybe the years spent alone cut off from Otherworld had been too much for her to bear Or perhaps, just perhaps, Titania had tripped off the deep end and gone mad Whatever the case, I didn’t feel safe around her

Morio see I was, because he warily held his ground "It’s a trick He’s probably not Ta auntlet, thron Morio was a handso men

After a moment’s hesitation, she narrowed her eyes "You know there’s no way I can prove such a thing, nor do I need to I’et it When the Elemental Lords divided the realms, I chose to remain with this world and with my roots"

"Tell us about Tohed, then like a drowning wo at a lifesaver, sluan to talk I had the feeling she had few friends or companions left in whom she could confide

"I knew after a few years of brats and a nagging ho grew older day by day, Taht One day, he was outside the barroaiting for me I took hi hi him sip from the nectar of life Over the years, Tas to me, wholly and fully and forever" But there was a catch in her voice

"So, didn’t it?" I asked "What happened?"

She flashedlook, but then her eyes softened

"Girl, half-huht and no small amount of power Consider this You were born to your life betorlds, you kno to cope with the passing of years and the groeight of your thoughts Tam Lin was born mortal He couldn’t adjust as ti My father had offered Mother the option of drinking the nectar of life to extend her life far beyond her allotted years, but she’d been snize the pitfalls She’d refused, and when she was thrown from the horse, death claientle He, too, understood the ile tear trickled down her cheek, glea like a diamond, faceted with a hundred perfect prisms "He lost his mind He ran in the woods for months at a time with the aniht him back to my barrow He chastised me--me! Titania, Queen of Faerie He scolded me like a ard child" Her voice rose, and her cheeks flushed She paused a moment, then continued