“And the name Mouse was the natural choice as a stand-in?”
She shrugged. “He thought it was funny after he found me hiding from him in the bend of a staircase. He started calling me Dormouse, which shifted to Mouse. From there, the staff caught on. Eventually everyone called me Mouse, and no one remembered my real name.”
“You hated it?” Thornwood asked, the words only half a question.
“At first,” she said, then smiled at him. “Now, I like that I can keep my true name to myself. And it saves one from wicked, thieving Faeries.”
He took her cue, chuckling softly as he changed the subject. “You should get to sleep. Likely, you will be sore tomorrow, and you may have a small scar, but, overall, I believe the spell was a success.”
“Good,” Mouse sighed, curling up on the bed. “There’s no way I’ll be able to drag myself up to the Matchbox tonight. I’ll stay here. If I’m not down at nine, send Mickelwaithe up to check if I died of exhaustion in the night.”
Before she could hear his answer, she was asleep.
14
Mouse woke to wavering candlelight dancing over the ceiling. She stared in confusion before the events with the dragon rushed over her. Her robe was gaping open under the covers, tangling around her legs. She rolled over, kicking her feet out to free herself, only to find Thornwood watching her, amused. Although the blanket brushed against her nose, she clutched it to her with a squeak. She fumbled with the opening of the robe under the sheets.
“What are you doing here?”
He held up the book in his hand. “Reading,” he said, as though it was the most natural response in the world.
“I can see that, but why in this room?” She finally managed to right everything beneath the covers.
He laid the book aside with an exaggerated sigh that set Mouse’s already tattered nerves on edge. “Mickelwaithe and I kept close throughout the day. Both of us have experienced magical fatigue before, but you have not.”
Mouse gulped. “Magical fatigue? What did you think would happen?”
“Hopefully, nothing but a night of deep sleep. However, it was not outside the realm of possibility that you might develop a fever or have a seizure. I’ve seen both.”
He leaned forward, placing a placating hand on top of the sheet.
“The odds of either were much lower than your wound getting infected if left untreated. Besides, now that you are awake, there is an even smaller chance of serious fallout.”
She groaned, falling back against the pillows. Despite her exhaustion, the pain in her leg had faded to a buzzing soreness.
“You said ‘throughout the day,’ ” she said.
“Yes. You fell asleep around two last night, and it is now half past midnight. I went out to speak to your Mr.Hobb. He was not happy to see me but seemed to accept my story that you had a cold and were sleeping it off. Probably best if you make an appearance in the morning; I sense that he does not trust me.”
“I wonder why.” She pushed herself up onto her elbows and moaned in pain. “God, I feel like I was hit by a train.”
“The feeling should wear off by tomorrow.”
Mouse gasped, clutching at his hand. “The dragon? Did it make it through the night?”
“Yes, it did,” Thornwood said, returning her tight squeeze. “It slept until noon and spent the rest of the day following me from room to room like a shadow.”
“Did Mr.Hobb see it?”
“Of course not. At least, not as a dragon. It is a clever creature. It has adopted a glamour.”
“What kind of glamour?” Mouse asked, the image of a deer or a raccoon traipsing through the house blossoming in her mind. What did a Faerie think would be a good disguise?
“I’m sure it is outside the door now, if you want to see it. As I said, the creature is very intent on staying near you or tailing me.”
Mouse tensed as he stood and strode toward the door. She watched as he grabbed the doorknob, telling herself to prepare for anything. As soon as it cracked open, scrambling scratches sounded just out of Mouse’s sight, and the door swung open.
A dog, no taller than Thornwood’s knee, bounded into the room. It leaped upon him, and he sneered. A startled laugh burst from Mouse’s lips, and the dog turned to look at her. It threw itself up onto the bed, leaving the Faerie forgotten in the excitement.