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think I feel like answering your questions, Monad.” He turned to Etta and smiled. I noticed she blinked under the force of that smile and I felt better. But I recognized this as his exit line and wasn’t about to let that happen.
    Reaching out, I grabbed his wrist and twisted hard. His eyes widened as I bent his muscular arm around behind him and shoved him to the ground. I went with him, landing astride his back.
    Leaning down I placed my weapon at the base of his skull. “If I have to I’ll pull you between the layers with me. You’re not using that dust to escape me again, human.”
    “Thank you for saving me the trouble, Warrior.”
    My surprised gaze jerked upward to find Queen Tana, surrounded by what looked like half her court. All fully armed with crossbows and swords.
    “Your majesty. I appreciate that you have questions for this human, but I also must question him.”
    She stood straight and tall, her lithe form draped in a paper thin, silver material that molded her every curve and puddled softly on the ground. The dress covered her from throat to toes, while giving the appearance of not covering her at all. A belt of flowers draped her tiny waist, and encircled her shimmering silver hair. Her gaze never left Ian Lavelle as she nodded. “You will have your chance to question him, Warrior. And then I will hang him slowly…from our tallest tree.”

Chapter Three
     
    Hanging Slowly
     
    I an shared a long look with Queen Tana that had me wondering if there was more to her obvious anger than the fact that he’d intruded on her lands and stole her faery dust. I stepped back as two of her burliest guards grabbed my prisoner’s arms and yanked him to his feet.
    Ian grunted a bit as his arms were wrenched but landed on his feet with a smile. “Queen Tana. It’s very nice to see you.”
    Her bejeweled gaze could have formed ice from molten metal. “Save your charm for those who can be charmed, human. I have no use for it.”
    I glanced at Ian and was surprised to see his smile widen. But he simply lowered his head slightly in acquiescence.
    Etta and I fell into step behind the fairies as they headed back toward Tana’s castle.
    The wood grew thicker, livelier, and more magical as we headed into its center. Queen Tana ruled all of the fairies, elves, brownies, leprechauns, and sprites around the world. They were free to live wherever they pleased, but most of them lived in the Wood. They liked the camaraderie and security of living amongst their own, free from outside interference. And they thrived in the magic saturated atmosphere.
    In fact, the magic was so thick in the Wood that my skin tingled with it as we walked. I noticed that even Etta rubbed her arms and looked around as if expecting to be accosted by some winged creature at any moment.
    Guardians are simple carriers and dispensers of the light, the healing power of God. They are a kind of power repository. They don’t have their own magic, so they don’t mix well among those who do.
    While Monads are also creatures of the spirit, we have our own magic. We have to, in order to manage our charges in the magical world.
    After an hour of walking through the Wood, the trees became gradually thinner until we found ourselves walking under a burning mid-day sun on thick, fragrant green grass. The gates to Tana’s kingdom rose tall and magnificent in the near distance and I realized we’d reached the exact center of the wood, which encompassed several thousand acres of faery woodland. The forty foot tall mother of pearl gates swung slowly open as we approached and a perfect, double line of fairies astride the most beautiful Unicorns I had ever seen trotted out to provide an avenue for the queen to walk through. They held gently arching mother of pearl poles covered in vines thick with fragrant flowers over our heads to create an arbor for our passage.
    It was a welcome respite from the burning sun and the air beneath the vines was thick with the