Wishes and Wings by Kathleen Duey Page B

Dunravens,” her mother said. “We used to see the big, creaking wagons carrying off barley, wheat, oats, field crops of every kind—even cheese and eggs—all to feed the castle guards. I’m sure it’s even worse now.”
    Alida nodded. It probably was.
    Lord Dunraven had hundreds of guards now.
    She walked in silence for a while, thinking about old Lord Dunraven, and his sons and grandsons and great-grandsons.
    It all seemed so unfair.
    â€œBefore the law,” her mother said quietly, “Lord Dunraven’s guards would ride through the forests sometimes. But there weren’t many of them, and the faeries weren’t afraid of them.”
    That was hard for Alida to imagine.
    Everyone was afraid of the guards now.
    â€œWhen I was your age,” her mother said, “there were guards visiting us when a flight of dragons flew over. We all stood there, humans and faeries, amazed by how beautiful they were.”
    â€œAre they dangerous?” Alida asked.
    Her mother glanced at her. “The guards? Not then. They are now.”
    Alida shook her head. “I meant the dragons.”
    â€œVery dangerous,” her mother said. “But only if something bothers them or scares them.”
    â€œAnd the unicorns?” Alida asked.
    Her mother smiled. “Unicorns are kind and shy. I have never understood why the Dunravens would hunt them.”
    â€œHow many Lord Dunravens have there been?” Alida asked.
    Her mother glanced at the carts before she answered. “Twenty or more? I don’t know. Somewere much better than others.” She leaned close to kiss Alida on the forehead. “But there have been more than a thousand faerie queens. And I am coming to believe that you will be the next one. Just keep walking,” she said. “I’ll hurry.”
    Then she spread her wings and flew, very low, all the way to the end of the line, where Gavin was helping one of her aunts lift something into a cart while it rolled along. Alida’s sister, Terra, was carrying a baby, and she was smiling. If she was scared, it didn’t show.
    Alida kept her pace the same, thinking about what her mother had said. It felt very odd to be the one leading the way. She kept glancing back at her parents, her family, all her relatives and friends. She was so grateful to be with them again. Gavin, his grandmother, Molly Hamilton, Ruth Oakes, and John the stableman who had been the one to take her to Lord Dunraven’s castle—they had all helped to free her.

    â€œSome of the elders are having a hard time keeping up,” her mother said when she came back. “Your aunt Lily is complaining already.”
    Alida nodded to be polite, then she made sure no one was close. “I have a question,” she said quietly.
    Her mother looked at her. “Yes?”
    â€œThere’s a man named John at Lord Dunraven’s castle,” Alida began. “He was old when he took me there, and he looked the same when he helped me escape. Can humans live that long?”
    â€œNo,” Alida’s mother said. “But John is not human.”
    â€œBut he doesn’t have wings, and he—”
    â€œHe gave up his wings,” her mother said. “In order to stay at the castle, to make sure you were not hurt.”
    Alida stared at her mother. “He’s a faerie?”
    â€œYes.”
    Alida was astonished. John looked like any human.
    â€œHe wished his wings away,” her mother said. “And he wished himself taller. He’s very good withhorses, so he found work in the castle stable. He did it for me. To keep an eye on you.”
    Alida didn’t know what to say.
    Her mother sighed. “John used big, dangerous magic to make himself look human. I don’t think he could get his wings back now.”
    Alida couldn’t imagine not having wings.
    Her mother touched her cheek. “John is clever. Most of the castle positions are