“We don’t know what they’re capable of. They managed to get inside Eden’s head, so how can you be sure they haven’t learned how to trick the goblet?” Besides, Helen was definitely hiding something, and she wasn’t going anywhere until Cedar learned what it was.
As she slipped in through the door, the chatter in the room died down and several of the guests took a step back and bowed.
“Stop bowing!” she said, a smile spreading across her face. “It’s a party, for goodness sake!” She wound her way through the room to Eden, who was sitting beside Finn at the head of a long table weighed down with pink and yellow flowers and several trays of food. Friends old and new surrounded them. Finn’s twelve-year-old sister Molly was the closest in age to Eden. The two got along well, and they shared the experience of having been born and brought up on Earth. But Cedar knew that if this party had been held back in Halifax, Eden would have been surrounded by a gaggle of little girls, not stuck in a room full of grown-ups.
“Happy birthday, baby!” she said, giving her daughter a big hug.
“Thanks,” Eden said, but she didn’t look at all pleased.
“Um…do you like the balloons?” Cedar asked her. “I got them from home; I didn’t think they’d have balloons here, and I know you like them.”
“They’re okay.”
Cedar stood up and clapped her hands. “Thank you for coming to celebrate Eden’s seventh birthday!” Everyone in the room cheered and clapped. “Please, sit down and enjoy the food!”
The guests found seats and turned their attention to the feast, loading up their plates. Cedar had asked Seisyll and Riona, who had volunteered to help, to prepare Eden’s favorite dishes. Some of the party guests had never been to Earth, and they were examining the offerings with interest—ham and pineapple pizza, spaghetti with meatballs, and macaroni and cheese. Finn filled a plate for Eden, but she just pushed the food around her plate with her fork.
“What’s the matter, Eden? Are you feeling sick?” Cedar asked, but Eden shook her head. “How were the ponds in the mountains?”
“They were great!” Eden said, brightening up for a moment. “I want to go there again!”
“I’m sure we can,” Cedar answered. “I’d love to see it.”
Eden’s face fell. “Well, it’s kind of me and Daddy’s special place. Would it be okay if just the two of us went there?”
“Oh,” Cedar said. “Of course. I’m sure he’d love to take you again.”
“So, Your Majesty!” boomed a voice to her left. Gorman was looking at her with an air of great amusement. “You skipped out on holding court today—again.”
She smiled back at him, trying to look relaxed. “I’m sorry. Something important came up.”
Rohan, who was seated next to Gorman, laughed. “Your father was the same way,” he said. “Constantly giving his guards the slip to go off hunting, which he greatly preferred to meetings. Used to drive them mad.”
“Not that you ever tried to stop him,” Riona said, giving her husband an affectionate look. “You were as bad as he was.”
“Well, he needed me to come with him so I could close the sidhe, that’s all!” Rohan blustered.
“Mum, where is Felix? He said he’d be back in time for my party,” Eden asked.
Cedar looked around—it was true, Felix wasn’t anywhere in sight. “I don’t know, baby,” she said. “Back from where? Where did he go?”
Eden suddenly looked guilty, and she wouldn’t meet her mother’s eyes. Cedar fixed her with a sharp gaze and lowered her voice to a whisper so that only Eden and Finn could hear her. “Wait a second. Did you open a sidh for him? You know you’re not supposed to do that.” She gave Finn an exasperated look. “Did you know?”
“No,” he said, frowning. “It must have been while I was setting up for the party. Eden, I’m surprised at you.”
“He said it was important,” Eden muttered. “I thought it
As she slipped in through the door, the chatter in the room died down and several of the guests took a step back and bowed.
“Stop bowing!” she said, a smile spreading across her face. “It’s a party, for goodness sake!” She wound her way through the room to Eden, who was sitting beside Finn at the head of a long table weighed down with pink and yellow flowers and several trays of food. Friends old and new surrounded them. Finn’s twelve-year-old sister Molly was the closest in age to Eden. The two got along well, and they shared the experience of having been born and brought up on Earth. But Cedar knew that if this party had been held back in Halifax, Eden would have been surrounded by a gaggle of little girls, not stuck in a room full of grown-ups.
“Happy birthday, baby!” she said, giving her daughter a big hug.
“Thanks,” Eden said, but she didn’t look at all pleased.
“Um…do you like the balloons?” Cedar asked her. “I got them from home; I didn’t think they’d have balloons here, and I know you like them.”
“They’re okay.”
Cedar stood up and clapped her hands. “Thank you for coming to celebrate Eden’s seventh birthday!” Everyone in the room cheered and clapped. “Please, sit down and enjoy the food!”
The guests found seats and turned their attention to the feast, loading up their plates. Cedar had asked Seisyll and Riona, who had volunteered to help, to prepare Eden’s favorite dishes. Some of the party guests had never been to Earth, and they were examining the offerings with interest—ham and pineapple pizza, spaghetti with meatballs, and macaroni and cheese. Finn filled a plate for Eden, but she just pushed the food around her plate with her fork.
“What’s the matter, Eden? Are you feeling sick?” Cedar asked, but Eden shook her head. “How were the ponds in the mountains?”
“They were great!” Eden said, brightening up for a moment. “I want to go there again!”
“I’m sure we can,” Cedar answered. “I’d love to see it.”
Eden’s face fell. “Well, it’s kind of me and Daddy’s special place. Would it be okay if just the two of us went there?”
“Oh,” Cedar said. “Of course. I’m sure he’d love to take you again.”
“So, Your Majesty!” boomed a voice to her left. Gorman was looking at her with an air of great amusement. “You skipped out on holding court today—again.”
She smiled back at him, trying to look relaxed. “I’m sorry. Something important came up.”
Rohan, who was seated next to Gorman, laughed. “Your father was the same way,” he said. “Constantly giving his guards the slip to go off hunting, which he greatly preferred to meetings. Used to drive them mad.”
“Not that you ever tried to stop him,” Riona said, giving her husband an affectionate look. “You were as bad as he was.”
“Well, he needed me to come with him so I could close the sidhe, that’s all!” Rohan blustered.
“Mum, where is Felix? He said he’d be back in time for my party,” Eden asked.
Cedar looked around—it was true, Felix wasn’t anywhere in sight. “I don’t know, baby,” she said. “Back from where? Where did he go?”
Eden suddenly looked guilty, and she wouldn’t meet her mother’s eyes. Cedar fixed her with a sharp gaze and lowered her voice to a whisper so that only Eden and Finn could hear her. “Wait a second. Did you open a sidh for him? You know you’re not supposed to do that.” She gave Finn an exasperated look. “Did you know?”
“No,” he said, frowning. “It must have been while I was setting up for the party. Eden, I’m surprised at you.”
“He said it was important,” Eden muttered. “I thought it
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