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"There is no need for threats," she said, and flicked a hand in the air

Soreen vine had bloomed from my katana’s lacquered sheath and slunk toward the sword’s handle, twining around it to keep it in place Leaves, sreen, split fro leaves and powdery flowers into the air

This was old ic she’d been able to access before she’d voluntarily given it up She’d loved Doic to save hi that fairies were above such base emotions

She wasn’t supposed to have this ic anymore

That’s new, I said silently to Ethan

And concerning

For several reasons, I thought, and glanced up, saw the challenge in her eyes "Get your aze shifted to Ethan as if to confiretting e He smiled back at her

"She stands Sentinel of this House, Claudia, and you know she can fight For that reason alone, I’d suggest you heed her advice"

Claudia watched hiht the light flick of her fingers, the rustle of her long red locks And I didn’t need to look down to know the vine was retreating The tingle of ained power," Ethan said

Her s behind it So old and powerful and treacherous

The air filled with buzzing nize the attack before ere somewhere elseand soreen and lush, and assoainst the low thrush of waving grass, the faraway sound of a beating ocean I looked down, foundskirt of soft, nubby fabric, a tunic over it in the same shade of pale blue

Ethan stood beside s and tunic, a heavy iron sword in his hand, streaks of blue across his face

"There," Ethan said, and lifted his ar toward the meadow

A dozenrhythmically to the soft and hollow sound of a leather drum

I closed my eyes, let the breeze caress ic here It was the breeze, the tall grass beneath ertips, the swell of the cold ocean tide It was the salt air, the pale mist, the dancers and their music It permeated every rock, every hill and vale, every person, every thought in the land of fairy, the place where they made their home A place that was home

There was happiness here, and pain Birth and death, and the parade of things that happened in between, the kaleidoscope of experiences that made up a life But beneath it all, there was contentment, because there was home Because this was the douratively