Eire of Hostility

  *

  In the restaurant, a commotion of movement ensued. Jack checked on his mam, Fiona immediately began soothing her startled children. Liam began to gather napkins to staunch the spilled drinks. Serving staff had begun to hurry over. The table of tourists remained seated, but all turned to the calamitous table in shock.

  Just as Brody was about to assist Liam, Kate hastily whispered in his ear, "Sparkles outside."

  Brody spun his head toward the picture window, but didn't expect to see anything. Instead, he locked eyes with a clean-cut young man with wet, dark hair wearing a damp red coat. The stranger was slowly backing away from the window with a surprised expression, and was just dropping his hands from his ears.

  Brody instantly thought that the normal-looking fairy was playing some sort of a prank; with Jane's nerves already fragile, he didn't think it was one damn bit funny.

  Brody's attention was diverted when Jane scurried over to his left side pressed into him, as if taking cover from enemy fire. When he looked down at her - as did Kate, who looked past him to check on her little sister - Jane looked at them both with frightened eyes and breathlessly uttered, "Ogre."

  That was enough for Brody; no one, not even one of the Other Crowd, was going to terrorize his loved ones if he could help it. For Jane to go to their world and be scared shitless was one thing, but for the Other Crowd to come to theirs and openly stalk her was another. Without being taught there were repercussions, who knew what they might do.

  He squeezed Kate's hand before launching from his chair and toward the restaurant doors. Simon, already on his feet, sped after Brody, ready to share any trouble that might be waiting for his cousin.

  Kate pulled Jane next to her in a reassuring hug. She saw that Cora and Jack were watching Brody and Simon hurry away, and that Jack was about to follow. Before he could rise, Kate quickly said, "Don't trouble your temper with it, Jack. Janie, em... she saw two young dossers, probably knackers, breeze in. One, em, threw a rock or some such, and gave her a scare. I'd say it gave us all a shake, right? Brody and Simon have it well in hand. See if you can get Shey to settle like you always do, would you?"

  With a disappointed grimace, Jack reluctantly nodded and turned to his son in a highchair next to him. On Jack's other side, Cora helped Liam and a waitress dab up the spill, but looked at her youngest daughter who still clutched to Kate. "Jane, dear," her mam said, "do you still have a dose of whatever had you down this morning?" When Jane nodded against Kate's shoulder, Cora said, "If you're still out of sorts come morning, I'll stay off work and keep you company."

  Kate said, "I think that's a grand idea, mam." She looked sternly into Cora's dark eyes. "I think we all should take a day for a nice chat."