The Promise of the Trees - Sword, Ring, and Crown Book 3 (Complete - Editing)

Chapter Fifteen - Madeline

The reasoning for me staying behind was of course sound. The babies needed me. No one else could produce their nectar for them. That didn't mean I was any happier about it. There had to be some way that we could figure this out. After working so hard on the first and second trials, I couldn't just sit on my hands and wait out all this trouble. 

Mostly everyone had left to their tasks, but Erick stayed behind as well as Leah and Duir.

Leah had been thinking hard about something for the entire trial, and from the look of mischief on her face, I believe that she'd come up with a plan that would piss everyone off, including my court

"I think I have a way for us to feed the babies, and allow you to be elsewhere."

"Míorúilt needs blood." My doubts over her plan colored my voice. "I can't ask anyone but me or Ciaran to be mauled by Mori's little fangs."

"We are willing to do it. You needn't ask at all. That only leaves two babies then that need something we can't provide. May I have a bit of your nectar?"

I put my nail into one of the blooms and deposited the nectar into a little bottle that she held out. 

"One possible thing we can do is draw out enough nectar for at least a day of feeding. Is that possible for you?" Duir asked.

I shrugged. "I haven't tried to measure how much they drink. I don't produce a whole lot in one sitting. About four nails full."

She looked at the bottle that I filled. "It appears you have about 4 ounces at a time then. When do they become full again, your flowers?"

"About," I counted on my fingers. "About every three hours."

"Hmmm... so we can store some of your natural nectar, but having an artificial alternative might be better."

Erick spoke up then, "I have an answer to help Matt. It should at least allow her to be in two places at one time."

He shifted into me and was an exact copy, except for his clothes, right down to my branches.

I gaped at him, then nodded slowly. "This could work. You look just like me. Uh, do the flowers work?"

He put his nail into one of the flowers, but returned with nothing. 

I sulked at that. "Bummer. Can't use you for a wetnurse I guess."

"I'd be of better use as a parlay with Joseph."

I brightened as I thought of something. "I'm going to ask Adrian to come back here and go with you to the parlay. With him being able to communicate with me, I can feed you any information that you need to trick Joseph into thinking you're me."

He smiled at me. "That's a great idea, Matt. A wire that isn't a wire. "

I pointed at him. "Bingo!"

I quickly contacted Adrian who appeared with Dimini. 

He was grinning at me. "That's brilliant, Ace. I sent off a couple of the Trees with the Lunantisidhe. They should be able to find Dom and bring him back."

"Who'd you send?"

"That Ivy dude, and some other guy. Forgot his name."

"As long as it wasn't Chuillen."

"Nah, man. You know I ain't stupid."

"Okay, great! I think that covers it then. The little fae should be able to attack any forces that they brought with them, and the Trees are powerful, so they should be able to grab Luis. If Joseph is by himself, then he's either got something else up his sleeve, or he's really dumb. I'm pretty sure it's not the latter."