The Truest Heart

by E. D. Baker

  “And she’s a very nice person,” Cory told him. “I really think that—”

  “Excuse me,” her grandfather said in a lowered voice, “but it looks as if we have more company. Here comes Laudine. She hasn’t come over since your grandmother was here.”

  Cory turned around. Laudine was striding purposefully across the lawn, headed in their direction.

  “Hello, Laudine,” Lionel called. “How good of you to stop by.”

  “Hello, Lionel. It’s been a long time,” said Laudine. “I just came by to tell your granddaughter that WU will not be joining the alliance. I never did feel comfortable joining ranks with either Mary Mary or Flora Petalsby. They’re a pair of ninnies as far as I’m concerned. ‘Treat your guild members right and they’ll be loyal forever’ is what I always say. WU has never mistreated a member and never will. It’s disgraceful what those two women have had done to fairies who once belonged to their guilds. That’s all I wanted to say, so I’ll leave you to your party.”

  “It isn’t a party, or at least it didn’t start out as one,” said Cory. “Would you like to stay for lunch? Serelia Quirt and her new apprentice just stopped by. You might enjoy meeting them.”

  “Actually, I think I would!” said Laudine. “I’ve heard of Serelia, but I’ve never met her. I’ve never been to Misty Falls, for that matter.” Without waiting for an introduction, Laudine left Cory and Lionel and walked up to Serelia on her own.

  The two women were soon talking and seemed to be enjoying themselves. Cory didn’t want to interrupt them, so she said to her grandfather, “We might as well eat now, too. I see the putti have set up chairs by the river. We can serve ourselves and go there to eat.”

  “That sounds very nice,” said her grandfather. “Ladies first!”

  By the time Cory and Lionel got in line, Serelia, Rina, and Laudine had already gotten their food and carried it to the chairs by the river. Cory helped herself to a sampling of salads while her grandfather took a few spoonfuls of different things. Lionel and Cory found seats near their guests and began to eat. Rina started chattering about Shimmer, who was asleep at her feet, and Cory sat back to enjoy her friend’s company.

  They hadn’t been sitting there long when Rina pointed at the water. “Look at all the fish!” she exclaimed.

  “That’s odd,” said Serelia as she squinted at the river. “It’s not a normal school. There are all different kinds of fish swimming together.”

  “I’ve never seen that before,” Laudine told her. “Strange.”

  Macks had come over at the first mention of fish. “I should go get a net! Hey, Alecks, do you have a net with you? You wouldn’t believe the fish over here.”

  The ogres came running, some still carrying their plates.

  Lionel leaned forward, nearly dumping his food on the ground. “What is that shape coming up through the water?”

  “Whatever it is, it’s huge and it’s coming fast,” said Cory.

  Suddenly, a reddish-brown shape erupted from the water, sending waves over the bank and the feet of the assembled party. Shimmer was washed into Rina’s legs and woke up, flapping her wings and hissing.

  Instead of sinking back, the shape floated on the surface like an island, taking up most of the river’s width. When Cory saw two eyes as big as dinner plates staring at them, she shouted, “Get back, Rina!” and reached for the child. Macks was faster, however. Plucking Rina from her seat, he handed her to one of his friends, who carried her farther inland with Shimmer following them, crying.

  Orville was running as fast as his babylike legs could carry him toward Lionel, calling out, “I’m coming, sir!” when two enormously long tentacles stretched out in front of the monster, reaching for Cory and her grandfather. Eight not-quite-as-long arms waved above the water, waiting to receive their victims.

  “It’s a kraken!” shouted Macks.

  When Cory saw her grandfather stand, she jumped up and knocked her chair out of the way, clearing a path for him to leave. She had started to pull him back when she glanced at the kraken and saw that there wasn’t time; the tentacles were only feet away. And then the ogres were there, throwing themselves on the tentacles, squeezing them with their powerful arms and stabbing them with whatever they had in hand—a knife one had been using to cut his meat, a soup spoon, a trowel from the back of the solar cart.

  While the ogres fought the tentacles, Cory tried to get her grandfather away from the water. Orville finally reached them and began tugging on the old man’s hand, trying to lead him to safety. It wasn’t until Lionel was behind the row of fallen chairs, on his way up the lawn, that Cory noticed Serelia. The water nymph was standing at the river’s edge, holding her arms over the water. As the river began to roil closest to where she stood, the kraken’s gaze shifted toward her. The disturbance in the water grew until it was pushing against the kraken, shoving it farther from the shore. Flailing its arms, the kraken fought against Serelia’s current, trying to stay by the riverbank. Then Rina was back and water pounded on the kraken’s bulbous head. The kraken rolled under the surface and came back up, closer than before.

  The two water nymphs worked together then, beating at the kraken and trying to shove it away with the very water that supported it. “Maybe I can help,” said Laudine. Chanting something under her breath, she made intricate motions with her hands. A moment later, the kraken’s arms tied themselves in knots and the monster sank from sight.

  Still working together, Serelia and Rina created a surge of water that carried the kraken downstream. Cory could see it just below the surface as it rushed past, struggling to free itself from the knots and the current. The water nymphs stayed by the river’s bank long after the kraken was out of sight.

  “What are they doing?” Macks asked Cory as the other ogres helped the putti pick up the chairs and clean up the debris left by the kraken’s attack.

  “I can answer that,” said Laudine. “They’re pushing the kraken downriver and out to sea. It’s a long way, so they’ll be at it for a good long time. While they do that, I’m going to register a formal complaint with the Itinerant Troublemakers Guild, file charges with the FLEA, and call a meeting of my guild. I don’t know if the allied guilds did this because I refused to join them and it was a last act of desperation, or if they’d already had this attack planned. Whatever the reason, it was the wrong thing to do. These guilds aren’t going to get away with this. They just bought themselves a whole cauldron full of trouble that I’m sure they weren’t expecting.”

  While Laudine strode off, her jaw set in a grim line, Cory went looking for Shimmer. The little dragon was huddled under a table, shaking, as three putti tried to coax her out. As soon as she saw Cory, Shimmer launched herself at her, making frightened mewling sounds. Cory carried her up the lawn to the terrace, where she settled into her chair.

  Shimmer had pressed her face into the crook of Cory’s arm when Cory began to sing softly to her. She was stroking the baby dragon’s back when Orville toddled up and said, “May I get you something, miss?”

  “Just tell me how my grandfather is doing, please,” Cory told him.

  “He’s fine. I took him to his room so he can rest. That was a lot more excitement than he’s used to here.”

  “I don’t think anyone could ever be used to that much excitement,” Cory said with a laugh. “Please let me know if he needs me.”

  “I will, miss,” Orville said, and went back inside the house.

  Cory was still holding Shimmer on her lap when Serelia and Rina joined her. “I’m going to call for an emergency meeting of the Water Nymph Guild,” Serelia told her. “As past president, I still have a lot of pull. People are going to answer for this.”

  “Thank you both for all that you did,” said Cory. “I don’t know what would have happened if you and Laudine hadn’t been here.”

  “It was fun!” Rina declared. “Let me know if I can help out again!”

  “I hope that’s the last time I need that kind of help
,” said Cory. “But thank you for offering!”

  It was very quiet after Serelia and Rina left. The ogres had gone inside to change out of their wet clothes, and the putti had finished carrying all the food and dishes, chairs, tables, and trash inside. Cory was still sitting on the terrace with Shimmer when Blue walked up.

  He bent down to hug her, earning a squawk of protest from Shimmer. “I heard about what happened,” he said, cupping Cory’s chin in his hand as he looked into her eyes. “Are you all right?”

  “I’m fine. We all are,” said Cory. “But I’m afraid that there isn’t any evidence for you to collect this time.”

  “I think I’ve got it covered,” said Blue. “I have enough witness reports right here to convince any jury.” He tapped his leaf pad and set it on the table. “And from what I hear, certain guilds are going to be facing a whole new set of lawsuits if Serelia Quirt and Laudine Kundry have anything to say about it.”

  “Which they will,” said Cory.

  “Oh, I’m sure you’re right,” Blue told her. “I have some news for you, too. The trial is just about over. They gave their concluding arguments today. Now all that’s left is for the jury to deliberate. I doubt it’s going to take them very long.”

  “I’d like to be there when they announce their decision,” said Cory.

  Blue chuckled. “I’m sure a lot of people want to be there, but you’ll definitely have a seat. Tomorrow should be a very interesting day.”

  CHAPTER

  19

  The courtroom was already crowded when Cory took her seat between Lionel and Macks. She spotted Stella Nimble sitting with Jack and Marjorie a few rows away. Laudine was in the next row with Serelia. Delphinium was sitting behind Mary Mary, who kept turning around to talk to her.

  “Who is that seated beside Flora Petalsby?” Cory asked her grandfather.

  “That’s Torsha Potts,” said Lionel. “She’s been head of the Frost Fairy Guild for a few months now. The brownie beside her is Twyven Deen, head of the Housecleaning Guild. I was surprised when he allowed his guild to ally themselves with Mary Mary and Flora Petalsby. He’s usually very levelheaded. The man with gray hair is Kile Sleepwell, head of the Sandman Guild. I believe the woman beside him is Patsy Phuzz, head of that new Belly Button Lint Guild. The fairy at the end of the row is Solomon Bundy. He looks like a nice person, but he’s actually quite ruthless, which is exactly what the Itinerant Troublemakers Guild needs. I wasn’t at all surprised when his guild joined. Solomon jumps at any opportunity to show what the ITG can do.”

  “I see members of the other guilds seated on that side of the room, but I can’t tell if anyone else from the ITG is here.”

  “Probably not,” Lionel told her. “Most of them like to keep a low profile.”

  “Look, there’s Blue over by the judge,” said Cory. “And that’s Officer Deeds standing next to him.”

  “Is that the goblin you told me you’d seen in your vision?” her grandfather whispered in her ear.

  Cory nodded. “He is,” she whispered back. “And he’s not at all nice. Oh, good, the judge is coming in now.”

  The courtroom grew quiet as the tall elf woman took her seat. After she asked the foreman to give the decision of the jury, everyone turned toward the box where the eleven members were seated. People seemed to hold their breath when one of the nymphs stood up holding a leaf. Cory leaned forward, eager to hear the decision. As each verdict was announced, her heart began to soar. The jury’s decision was the same for every count: the guilds were guilty.

  A cheer rose from the side of the room where Cory was seated, but was quickly silenced when the judge rapped her gavel. “Court is dismissed,” the elf woman declared. “I will deliver the sentences this afternoon.”

  “This isn’t right!” shouted a voice from the other side of the room. “The guilds didn’t do anything wrong!”

  The few brownies who were there huddled lower in their seats while the fairies jumped to their feet, Delphinium among them. “We want a retrial!” Cory’s mother shouted.

  In an instant, the court was in an uproar. People shouted and frost shot through the air, freezing the judge’s bench and half the empty witness stand. Three witches stood up, waving their arms to melt the frost and bind the arms of the offending fairies to their sides. The brownies tried to slink from the room while fairies rushed the judge’s bench. Cory gasped when she saw her mother fling herself at the judge, who was almost out the door. Then Officer Deeds was there, grappling with Delphinium and pulling her away from the judge.

  “Now is as good a time as any,” her grandfather told Cory with a grin.

  Cory laughed out loud. If she was going to do it, now was definitely the time. Bow! she thought, making time stand still. When she pulled the arrow from the quiver, it read “Delphinium Marigold Feathering.” Setting the arrow to her bow, Cory shot her mother without hesitation, even though Delphinium was facing the other way. After worrying about the decision for so long, Cory suddenly knew that it was the right thing to do.

  Although the arrow hit her mother in the back, it worked just as it always did. Gold sparkles were already covering Delphinium when Cory reached for the other arrow. “Wilburton Greenbough Deeds” stood out in gold letters. The moment the arrow hit the goblin officer, gold sparkles shimmered around the pair. Cory wished her bow away and sat down. Time began to move again.

  No longer interested in anything but the goblin who had his arms wrapped around her waist, Delphinium let go of the judge and turned to face Officer Deeds. Cory wished she could see their expressions as their struggle became an embrace. Without Delphinium to hold her back, the judge ran from the room and slammed the door.

  Although most people didn’t notice what had happened between the tooth fairy and the goblin officer, at least two people did. Lionel was holding his stomach and laughing when Cory glanced his way. When she looked around the room, Laudine was laughing so hard that her shoulders were shaking. Turning her head, her eyes met Cory’s. The head of WU and the most powerful witch around wiped the tears streaming down her cheeks as she nodded at her. Apparently, Lionel wasn’t the only other person who thought that Cory had done the right thing.

  Lionel had told the putti that there would be three people for supper that night, and he wanted it to be a special one. Cory, Blue, and Lionel ate in the family dining room, which wasn’t nearly as big as the formal dining room just down the hall. It was lovely, however, with a crystal chandelier made in the shape of a bouquet of violets, Cory’s grandmother’s favorite flower. The color of the violets had been picked up in the vases on the mantel, some of the flowers in the chairs’ upholstery, and the narrow stripes in the silk curtains. Although Cory liked all the rooms in the house, the small dining room was one of her favorites.

  Lionel waited until the putti had served smoked salmon to Cory and brought perfectly grilled steaks to Blue and himself. When Orville and the two putti helping him finally left the room, Lionel turned to Cory. “The judge pronounced the guilds’ sentences about an hour ago. To be succinct, the guilds are being fined a great deal of money, their control over their members is going to be strictly curtailed, and the heads of the offending guilds are to go to jail for harassing witnesses. They can no longer punish members for quitting, nor harass them in any way.”

  “Thank goodness!” said Cory. “I couldn’t be happier.”

  “We’ll see about that,” said Lionel. “Because I have another announcement to make. I have decided that it is time I officially retire. From now on, I will no longer perform matches, deal with the day-to-day work of a Cupid, or in any way perform a Cupid’s duties. I will be here, however, should you need any advice or instruction. You are no longer a Cupid; you are now the Cupid in charge of matches in the land of the fey. Be forewarned, I have not been the best example for you. For a number of years now, I’ve not been able to travel as I once did, nor actively seek out matches. As the Cupid, you will be required to travel, sometimes great distances. Yo
ur personal life will be secondary to your duties and responsibilities as Cupid. It’s just a formality at this point, but I must ask this. Corialis Feathering, will you take on this title and task of your own volition and desire?”

  Cory knew that she didn’t have much choice. If she didn’t take on the job, no one else could do it, which meant that it wouldn’t get done. Turning her back on it wouldn’t stop the visions. They would just keep coming if she couldn’t make the matches. She didn’t really need to think about it. Besides, being Cupid had to be the most exciting and fulfilling thing she could do with her life. Wasn’t that exactly what she’d wanted when she gave up being a tooth fairy? What better way to help people than to match them with their soul mates?

  Before Cory could answer her grandfather, she had another promise to keep. Turning to Blue, she said, “What do you think, Blue? It’s a big decision that will influence the rest of our lives.”

  “If it’s what you want, Cory, I think you should go for it,” he replied. “It’s what you were born to do, isn’t it?”

  Cory nodded and turned back to Lionel. “I, Corialis Feathering, accept the title and responsibilities of Cupid by my own volition and desire,” she said in the voice that wasn’t quite her own.

  “Excellent!” Lionel said as if a great weight was no longer on his shoulders. “I was waiting to do that until the court case was settled and I knew that you would be all right. Oh, before I forget to mention it, there are a number of benefits that come with the job. The house is now yours. The putti are now your employees. They will defend and assist you to the best of their abilities, and you’d be surprised what the little ones can do! Money will never be an issue for you again. There is no way to charge people for what you do, but you won’t need to because you now have accounts that are always replenished. Did I forget anything? Ah, yes. You’re your own boss and the only thing driving you will be your visions. Your free time is your own and you may do with it as you will. That means you don’t have to give up being in your band as long as your bandmates understand that there might be times when you are unavailable. Any questions?”