"Colin!" Luna yelled.
"Penguin to the rescue!" Reggie shouted and leaped into the storm.
Neko made a sound that might have been disbelief or rage. He started to move, but Shosha caught hold of him with a wail of despair. He almost tried to shake free of her, but she might have fallen out of the boat as well. Neko didn't want to go flying after her.
Neko had to trust his spirit animal to save their fae friend.
He wanted to pound his head against something.
It wasn't necessary, though. The storm started pounding him with hail. Shosha hissed. After a moment's hesitation, Neko did as well. Maybe the storm listened to them. The wind eased, and the boat settled into a much gentler rocking motion.
Neko dared to dash across to where Luna leaned over the side. He almost leaped on her shoulder, but suddenly, Reggie hopped up over the railing with Colin hanging over his shoulder. He unceremoniously dropped the fae and then fell on his back.
"I flew," Reggie said, looking Neko in the face. "I am the first penguin ever to have flown.
"And?" Neko asked, watching as Luna helped a still-dazed Colin sit up.
"I enjoy having my feet on a solid surface," Reggie answered.
That sounded wise to Neko. He almost said so, but Colin turned his attention to Neko, who felt a rush of embarrassment. "I'm sorry, Colin," he said, bowing his head.
"You were right. I was so focused on the feel of Maude that I lost track of the actual storm. We were heading for serious trouble. I think she might have put us on that path. She could have slipped the thought in and kept me watching where she wanted."
"Instead of where?" Shosha asked.
Now, there was a good question. All of them looked around with a start, and gradually, they all focused on the northeast corner of the storm. Flashes of sullen red light defined those clouds as they swirled and drew closer.
"Time to leave," Colin said. "Everyone, hold on. Dorian?"
"Ready." His voice seemed to come from every direction.
That was all the warning they had. Neko glanced toward the clouds in time to see a giant hand reaching for them. He didn't have time to give a warning.
And didn't need to. A gale-force wind rushed over and around them, the sails flapping in all directions and sending them skittering along the edge of the clouds. Neko held on to Shosha, who seemed to bounce higher than the rest of them. Neko thought it was her fur.
The wind struck the clouds and tore them to shreds amid bright flashes of lightning and deafening thunder. Sunlight broke through in a dozen spots, leaving Neko half-blinded.
His instincts said to move. He caught Shosha on a bounce and bounded halfway across the craft to where Luna and Reggie still had hold of Colin. Lightning struck so close behind that Neko felt it burn his tail as the boat shattered.
He hardly had time to panic before Dorian swept them all up into a magical net. Maude screamed with rage and fear as she fell past them.
"Dorian," Colin gasped. He held to the glowing magic. "We need help."
"Yes, my friend, we do. Hold on. We are going through The Veil."
Neko wondered if he should feel worry or delight. Going through the Veil meant they were leaving the human world and going to the fae realm.
Unless they went to some other realm entirely. Neko had read about a few, and he knew they could be dangerous, although when measured against an enraged witch like Maude, they were probably delightful vacation spots.
No one asked his opinion. They reached the edge of the veil and were going through the swirling rainbow colors before he could form a logical protest. Passing through the veil made his skin itch. He wasn't sure if it was the veil or his worries about where --
They came out into a storm. Of course, there was a storm. They had no dry days. This one at least felt normal. They drifted downward in a spiral that threatened to make Neko dizzy. The combination of rain and movement also made it impossible to get a feel for the world. Was this the fae's home world? Was it somewhere more human? Did Colin know?
They settled onto a small boat sitting in a stream. The current tugged the craft away from the veil. Dorian, not using magic, leaped from the bank into the stern and gave a friendly nod, acting as if this madness was all part of a well-scripted plan. He signaled for silence.
Reggie moved closer to Neko and Shosha. Neko watched the landscape of bright flowers and birds. Scattered trees blocked some of the sunlight, helping to keep the temperature moderate. This was the most pleasant place they had been in a while.
They kept silent for at least five miles. Neko thought he heard a shout of frustration once and felt a touch of dark magic, but it seemed as though the land neutralized it.
This was a fae place, then. He leaned back and closed his eyes.
"There will be a welcoming dinner when we get there," Dorian said. The idea of food got Neko's attention, even asleep. "But the council wants to talk to us, so don't expect too much formality."
"There is something to be grateful for," Colin replied. He sounded exhausted. "Bringing us to the outer realms was brilliant, as long as they don't hold any trouble against us. So, a few rules this time, my friends. Take any insult with a smile, but do not counter it. If someone is rude and shoves you aside, bow and let them pass. Neko and Shosha should remain silent until Dorian or I ask you a question. Don't let them know you can speak and understand."
Neko realized that made them perfect spies.