th.IcouldnotstandthesilenmeredonaboutthefatherandsonwehadfollowedandIgelsinstrus.Specktookitallinwithoutspeakingaword.

    "Squeezeoutthatwaterfromyourhair,"shesaid."Itwilldryfasterthatwayandstopdrippingdownyournose."

    "Whatdoeshemean,hefoundachild?"

    "Imcold,"shesaid,"andtiredandsidsore.twetalkaboutthisinthem,Aniday?"

    "Whatdidhemeanthathesbeenwaitingsihere?"

    "Hes.Hesgoingtogeplaceswiththatboy."Shepulledoffhercoat.Eveninthedarkness,herwhitesweaterthrewbaoughlighttoallowmeabettersenseofherpresence.

    "Idontuandwhyhegetstogo."

    Shelaughedatmyé."Thisisahierarchy.Oldesttoyou.Igelmakesallthedecisionsbecausehehasseniority,astogo."

    "Howoldishe?"

    Shecalculatedinhermind."Idontknow.Hesprobablybeenhereaboutonehundredyears."

    "Yourekidding."Thenumbernearlyfriedmybrain."Howoldarealltheothers?Howoldareyou?"

    "Willyoupleaseletmesleep?Wefigurethisoutinthem.Now,ehereandwarmmeup."

    Inthem,SpedItalkedatlengthaboutthehistoryofthefaeries,andIwroteitalldown,butthosepapers,likemanyothers,areinashesnow.ThebestIdoisre-createfrommemorywhatwerecordedthatday,whichwasfarfromtrulyaccuratetobeginwith,sinceSpeckherselfdidnotknowthefullstoryanderelysummarizeorspeculate.Still,IwishIhadmynotes,fortheversationwasyearsago,andmywholelifeseemstobenothingmorethanrestrugmemories.

    Thatmygoodfriendscoul