"The secret chamber of a Bluebeard. That's where your talents are more useful than my uniform."
Donnersmarck walked haltingly toward Jacob.
"What's your business with the Dark Fairy?"
They hadn't seen each other for nearly a year, but escaping the clutches of a Bluebeard or searching for the hair of a Devil forges a bond not easily broken. Donnersmarck and Jacob had done that and more together. They'd never found the Devil's hair, but Donnersmarck had kept down the Brown Wolf that had guarded the glass slipper, and Jacob had saved him from being clubbed to death by a cudgel-in-the-sack.
"What happened to your leg?"
Donnersmarck stood in front of him.
"What do you think? There was a war on."
From outside the window came the din of carriages, whinnying horses, and cursing coachmen. Not so different from the other world. But next to Jacob's bed, fluttering above a small bouquet of flowers, were two elves, barely larger than bumblebees. Many hotels put them in the rooms because their dust helped the guests sleep.
"I am here to ask you a question, and you can probably guess on whose behalf I am asking."
Donnersmarck brushed a fly off his white tunic.
"If you were to get your five minutes, would the King of the Goyl ever see his lover again?"
It took Jacob a few minutes to absorb what he had heard.
"No," he answered. "Never."
Donnersmarck scrutinized him as if he were trying to read from his face what his friend was planning. Finally he pointed at Jacob's neck.
"You're no longer wearing that medallion. Have you made peace with her red sister?"
"I have. And it was she who told me how to bind the dark one."
Donnersmarck adjusted his saber. He had been quite a swordsman, though his leg injury had probably changed that.
"You make peace with one sister only to declare war on the other. It's always like that with peace, isn't it? Always to someone's detriment, already sowing the seed for the next war."
He hobbled to the bed.
"Which just leaves the why. I know you don't care about this war. So why risk getting killed by the Dark Fairy?"
"The Jade Goyl guarding the King is my brother."
The words seemed to make it even truer.
Donnersmarck rubbed his stiff leg. "I didn't know you had a brother. Come to think of it, there's probably a lot I don't know about you."
He looked at the window. "If it hadn't been for the Fairy, we would have won this war."
No, you wouldn't, Jacob thought. Because their King is the better general. Because my father showed him how to build better rifles. Because they made the Dwarfs their allies. And because you’ve been stoking their rage for centuries.
Donnersmarck knew all that as well, but it was so much easier to blame the Fairy. He struggled to his feet and walked to the window.
"Every evening just after sunset she walks in the palace gardens. Kami’en has them searched beforehand, of course, but his men aren't very thorough. They know there's no one who can harm her."
He turned to Jacob.
"What if nothing can help your brother? What if he stays like them?"
"One of them will soon be married to your Empress's daughter."
Donnersmarck didn't reply to that. There were voices in the corridor. He waited until they'd receded.
"As soon as it gets dark, I will send you two men. They will take you to the gardens."
He hobbled past Jacob to the door. At the door he stopped again. "Did I ever show this to you?" He stroked one of the medals on his chest, a star with the Empress's crest in the center. "They gave me this after we found the glass slipper. After you found the glass slipper."
He looked at Jacob.
"I came here in my uniform, and I hope you're aware of what that means. But I call myself your friend, thought I know you don't like to use that word. Whatever it is you know about the Dark Fairy, this is suicide. You ran out on her sister and got away with it, but this one is different. She's more dangerous than anything you've ever encountered. Just go and find the hourglass, or the Tree of Life, the Fire Horse, or a Man-Swan. Anything. Send me back to the palace to convey the message that you've changed your mind. Make peace! As we all should."
Jacob saw a warning in his eyes, and a pledge, but still he shook his head.
"I'll be here at dusk."
"Of course you will." Donnersmarck smiled wearily. And then he was gone.
46
The Dark Sister
An hour had passed since sunset, but there were still no footsteps in the corridor. Jacob was beginning to suspect that Donnersmarck was trying to protect him from himself, when he finally heard a knock on his door. There were no imperial guards, however, but a woman.
Jacob barely recognized Fox. She was wearing a black coat over her dress, and her red hair was pinned up.
Clara wanted to see your brother one last time." Her voice sounded not of brightly lit streets but more of the forest and the fur of the vixen. "She convinced the Dwarf to take her to the wedding tomorrow."
She smoothed her coat. "Looks silly, doesn't it?"
Jacob pulled her into the room and closed the door.
"Why didn't you talk Clara out of it?"
"Why should I?"
He flinched as she touched his injured arm.
"What happened?"
"Nothing."
"Clara says you went to find the Dark Fairy. Jacob?" She took his face between her hands. Such slender hands, those of a girl. "Is that true?"
Her brown eyes looked straight into his heart. Fox always sensed when he was lying, butt his time he had to manage to deceive her, or she would follow him, and Jacob knew he could forgive himself for a lot of things, but not for losing her.
"Yes, I was going to," he said, "but I saw Will. You were right. It's over."
Believe me, Fox. Please.
Another knock. This time it was Donnersmarck's men.
"Jacob Reckless?" The two soldiers standing in the doorway were barely older than Will.
Jacob pulled Fox with him out into the corridor. "I'm getting drunk with Donnersmarck. If you want to go with Clara to the wedding tomorrow, fine, but I am taking the first train back to Schwanstein."
Her eyes went from him to the two soldiers. The Fairy was probably already in the palace gardens.
She didn't believe him; Jacob saw it in her face. How could she? Nobody knew him better, not even he himself. She looked so vulnerable in her human clothes, but she would try to come with him, whatever he said.
Fox didn't say a word as they followed the soldiers to the elevator. She was still upset about the Larks' Water. And now she was about to get even angrier.
"You don't look at all silly in that coat," he said as they waited for the elevator. "You look beautiful. But I still wish you hadn't come."
"She cannot follow me," he said to the soldiers. "I need one of you to stay with her to make sure of that."
Fox tried to shift her shape, but Jacob quickly grabbed her arm. Skin on skin kept the fur at bay. She tried desperately to wriggle free, but Jacob didn't let go. He pressed his room key into the hand of one of the soldiers. Despite his boyish face, he was as broad as a wardrobe. He should be able to keep an eye on her.