"Actually they are; I was waiting for Jeff to get back before I took them over. But if you're willing to help, I'd appreciate it. I don't like having them onboard longer than necessary," Vix replied.

Jeff wasn't onboard? Relief shuddered through him.

"Always happy to help," Hattie replied. "Which one are you here for?" she asked them.

"Rahel Heinz, she's small, blonde, and five. Her father, Dr. Heinz, contracted us to bring her home," Steven replied.

"Rahel?" Vix's brow furrowed. "I know who she is." She looked at James and squinted in the sun. "Have we met?"

"Captain, it's a pleasure to see you again, I'm James Darrow, we met a few months ago." James gave a little bow. "I'd been looking for Jeff. May I introduce my brother Steven?"

"Steven Darrow?" Vix's eyes narrowed. Without warning her fist shot out and hit Steven squarely on the jaw.

His hand went to his jaw as he stared up that the very tall woman. For a girl, she could punch pretty well.

"I guess Jeff told her all about you," James said softly, expression halfway between compa.s.sion and amus.e.m.e.nt.

Her hands went to her hips. "I'll give you the girl if you depart immediately. You should be lucky Jeff isn't here right now."

Steven didn't wish to see Jeff anyway. His jaw throbbed. "I'd be grateful if you'd give us Rahel. We have far to go and need to be on our way."

"You stay here," Vix told them. "Hittie, Hattie, will you help?"

The sisters smiled. "Of course," Hattie replied.

A few moments later Hattie reappeared with a little blond girl wearing an odd red dress, a doll clutched to her chest.

"Rahel, this is Steven and James, they're taking you home to your daddy," Hattie explained.

Her lower lip quivered. "You're bringing me to my popi?"

"We are; he misses you so much." Steven looked right at the cute little blonde with her curls and big blue eyes.

A smile broke out on her face and she did a little dance right there on the dock. "I'm going home, I'm going home." She looked around and frowned. "I don't get to say goodbye?"

"It's time for you to go home, sweetie." Hattie pushed her toward them. "How do you plan on getting back ... where are you going?"

"Upstate New York," James replied. "And I'm not actually sure."

She looked at the little girl and back at them. "Let me see if I can find you a ride." Hattie glanced back at the ship. "In fact, let's all go. Believe me, you don't want to be here when Jeff returns. Did you really break his sister's heart?"

Steven sighed heavily, a piece of his own heart breaking. "Unfortunately, I did. I'll fix it as soon as I can. I promise."

Oh, Noli. He hoped she wasn't holed up in her tree house, refusing to come out like she had after her father disappeared.

Hattie's eyes met his. "You should do that. Soon."

If only it were that easy. First things first.

Steven put an arm around Rahel. "Let's get you home."

By some stroke of luck, Hattie got Steven, James, and Rahel aboard The Indefatigable, an eagle-cla.s.s streamliner headed to New York City. From there they were on their own. But this would be a huge help considering they were on the opposite end of the United States and didn't dare cut through the Otherworld with an innocent little girl in tow.

Both he and James would have to work for their pa.s.sage, but they had their own tiny cabin and food. Most of the women aboard seemed absolutely enchanted by little Rahel, who they said was their cousin that they were accompanying home after a visit to see relatives.

Rahel played with her redheaded dolly, and the rag doll they'd used to track her, in the corner of the cabin.

Steven sat on the bed reading the book Dr. Heinz had lent him so that he could return it. Bright Lady bless, he was grateful that Vix had handed over Rahel without a problem. His hand went to his jaw which still ached. It could have been worse.

"Rahel, what's your dolly's name?" James flopped down on the bed.

"Charlotte, Charlotte, Charlotte," Rahel sang.

All the color drained from James' face as he sat straight up. "Charlotte? You doll's name is Charlotte?" His voice shook. "Which one?"

She held up the redheaded one she'd had when they'd taken her off Vix's ship.

"Relax, James. It's a coincidence," Steven soothed, looking up from the pages of The Prince.

"But Charlotte is her name, Noli said so," Rahel pouted, lower lip quivering, as she clutched both dolls to her chest.

"Noli?" Steven nearly dropped the book.

Rahel nodded. "Noli gave me the dolly. She told me her name is Charlotte. I miss her." The last part came out as a baby wail and her face scrunched.

"Wait, Noli's aboard the ship?" The news felt like a blow to the chest.

"Noli's my friend," Rahel replied. "She took care of me."

It all made sense. Vix didn't know about him from Jeff. She knew because after he'd left Noli heartbroken in Los Angeles, Jeff had taken her aboard.

"Noli's on the ship." The words shook as they left his lips. "She's not in Los Angeles. She's on the ship with Jeff."

Noli must have been with Jeff. That was why Vix had been in such a hurry for them to depart. She hadn't wanted Noli to know-or him to see her.

"Flying figs," James muttered, upside down on the bed.

"Language, James. But I can't believe Noli's on the ship." And he hadn't known.

Jeff punched him in the arm. "Focus, V. She can't come with us. Now we know where she is. We take Rahel home, we get the automaton, take it to Tiana, then we'll find her."

"Yes, that would be prudent." He put the book on his lap and looked over at Rahel and the doll. Of course Noli would name a redheaded doll Charlotte.

Rahel looked up at him, both dolls clutched to her chest. "Do you know Noli?"

He smiled. "I do, and I miss her quite a bit."

"You should tell her that. She's sad a lot." Rahel made the doll dance.

The idea of Noli being upset because of him hurt his heart. He picked the book back up. "I will do just that, very, very soon."

Noli sat in a plump floral chair sipping hot tea from a dainty teacup and eating chocolate cake in Miss Molly's Teahouse. It was a bit like taking tea in a giant dollhouse, but pleasant nevertheless. She'd only known about the place because when she was at Findlay House Miss Gregory came here every Thursday to meet with her friends, leaving the girls with extra ch.o.r.es and lessons to keep busy.

Too bad we didn't bring the key to the faery garden , the sprite replied. I want to visit the wood faeries.

Right. The secret faery garden at Findlay. The bra.s.s key was on the ship.

We're not going to Findlay. It's a dreadful place. Just the thought made her shudder, though she had to admit, sometimes she did miss that wondrous garden. Hopefully it had stayed locked and no other girls had fallen through the wild portal in the old oak.

With a bit of luck, Kevighn would arrive soon. She didn't actually have money to pay for her tea and cake. Oh, it was nice to have real tea. Perhaps she'd bring some back with her.

And more cake, the sprite piped.

Kevighn sauntered through the door holding the black attache case. She waved. He wove through the tables filled with ladies and joined her.

"I trust you brought it." She took another sip of tea.

"Of course I did. You didn't doubt me, did you?" He set the case next to her. "You may check it if you like."

Sitting her teacup in the matching saucer, she picked up the case and opened it. It brimmed with green bills. Closing it quickly, she returned it to the ground next to her feet.

"I trust you-and I'm trusting that this is real, because I don't know how to check." Pity Jeff wasn't here, he'd know.

Actually, the fact that he wasn't saddened her. However, her having the money did gain her leverage with Vix. "You'll scatter the pieces?" Noli's eyes met his.

"I'll make sure they don't end up in Brogan's hands," Kevighn a.s.sured.

She sighed with relief. "Good, because he doesn't need any more power."

"It's what I thought, and yes, no good can come from him having it. He'll need all the pieces for it to work properly." Kevighn helped himself to her pot of tea and she picked up her teacup.

Noli's free hand went to her pocket where the piece hid. "Then he won't have it."

"Come with me." Kevighn's voice became a caress as he gazed at her over his teacup, yellow eyes compelling. "I'm returning to the Otherworld and I want you to come with me. I can take care of you so much better than Jeff."

"The Otherworld." Tea sloshed out of the cup onto the pristine white tablecloth. "But you were exiled."

"From the five main courts. I don't think Tiana realized that once, long ago, I was affiliated with the dark court and they would welcome me back." He took a sip of tea.

Noli sucked in a breath as she remembered Ciaran and his ruffians. "Yes, you would be, wouldn't you?"

"Are you insulting me?" He recoiled as if slapped.

"Not at all. I met Ciaran once. He seems more ... your people ... than the high court." She'd learned quite a bit about the high court and wondered how someone like Kevighn had stood it.

He took a sip of tea and nodded, visibly relaxing. "Yes, they are far more my people-and they could be yours. They loved Creideamh and they'll love you. If anyone could reverse what the queen did to you, it would be Ciaran."

She hadn't thought of that. As tempting as getting her old self back might be ...

"I can't go with you." She met his eyes as she said that. "You're still not good for me and you never will be."

He reached across the table and tilted up her chin with a rough finger. "Yes, I can. That earth court rogue hurt you-and he'll continue to hurt you. You deserve better."

She flinched as if his words burned. "V is more man that you'll ever be."

Kevighn stood. Taking her hand, he kissed it, lips lingering a little too long. "You sound so much like Creideamh it hurts my heart. I only hope that it doesn't take your death to show you the error of your ways. If you ever need me, leave word at The Thirsty Pooka. It's a tavern in the blackwoods." His hand lingered on hers. "I will always be there for you, Noli. Always."

With one more kiss to her black-gloved hand, Kevighn strode out of the teahouse.

Well, that was interesting, the sprite replied. Now, let's order more cake.

Noli returned to the air terminal alone, attache case clutched tightly in one gloved hand, a paper sack in the other, parasol under her arm. Where could Jeff be? Was he angry with her? Her chest tightened. He must be. Otherwise he would have come to Miss Molly's.

Vix stood on a ladder, carefully sanding the ship's hull, Jeff nowhere in sight.

"Captain, may I speak with you?" Noli's heart thumped in her ears.

She glanced over at her from her perch on the ladder. "Where's Jeff?"

Noli sighed, disappointed he'd never shown. "I don't know. Please, may we go inside and talk?"

This wasn't the place to discuss King Brogan-or the attache case full of money.

"Of course." Vix climbed down the ladder, her usually annoyed expression replaced with one of concern. "The girls are gone, by the way."

"They are? I didn't get to say goodbye to Rahel one last time." It was like a knife in the heart and her hand went to her chest.

She's gone? the sprite cried.

Yes she is, Noli sniffed.

"Rahel is on an airship to New York to be reunited with her father," Vix a.s.sured, herding Noli onto the ship. "She'll be home soon."

"I'm glad." Noli dabbed at her eyes. She looked around the quiet common area of the ship. "Where could we speak privately?"

Vix gestured to the table in the galley. "We could sit here. No one's...o...b..ard but Winky and he's below.

Let me make some tea. Do you drink tea? I bought some." With some of the money in the attache case. After all, she had to make sure it spent. Noli busied herself with boiling some water in a pot since they had no kettle.

Vix sat at the head of the table, looking at Noli with something halfway between concern and amus.e.m.e.nt. "I do drink tea sometimes, I'm not a complete heathen, but don't go telling everyone that," she added conspiratorially.

"I brought you cake." Noli set a bag from the teashop on the table in front of Vix. She had another with the extra piece for the sprite.

Captain Vix eyed the slice of cake. "Do you often do this? Use food to solve problems?"

Noli made a face as she found a clean fork and handed it to Vix. "I ...I know so little about you. All I know is that my brother loves you, you return stolen children to their families, and you like chocolate cake."

"Oh, we haven't actually gotten to talk much, have we?" Vix took a bite of cake as Noli prepared the tea. "Where is Jeff, did he go on the drop alone?" She froze. "There wasn't a problem with the drop, was there?" Her dark eyes narrowed at Noli.