"Erin Tinker. Yes, she's a nursing student at the University. They were...well, anyway, when he..." Eochy yanked his specs off. "His wings popped up, and she screamed, and he squooshed."

"He squooshed with his wings extended?" another fairy asked.

"Ouch!" said one compassionate listener. "Didn't you explain the facts of life to your brother, Gaelen?"

"My father did," Gaelen replied, angry his family was the center of such a scandal. When Gaelen got his hands on his little brother, Lucas would have more to think about than a pair of sore wings.

But such a mishap would explain the pain Gaelen sensed when he'd had contact with Lucas earlier. He felt Lucas's injury in the right wing, the torn connective tissue underneath the shoulder blade. A sympathetic twinge reminded Gaelen of a similar injury he himself had sustained in similar circumstances.

But not with a human, for Bridget's sake!

"He's hurt, Eochy."

"All the more reason to handle this matter right here. He must be brought before the Council. He must be dealt with. The girl, too."

Gaelen shuddered. "What are you saying?"

Eochy's wise old black eyes fixed on him. "We might be able to handle this ourselves. But we must not be discovered. If we can contain this, prevent the tabloids from spreading the story, maybe I can convince the Elders to rescind their order. But we can't risk our literal lives for the sake of our lives in the Otherworld. If the humans find out about us..." Eochy spread his hands. "Well, you know how quick they are to disbelieve."

"Some of them believe," Gaelen said.

Eochy nodded. "Some of them will believe anything. But humans as a race cling to the belief they have a clue about what's going on in the universe. When the scientists get started..."

A murmur arose in the assembly followed by a wave of fear.

"We'll all end up on ice at Area 51 with the aliens," came a gruff prediction from the gallery.

The idea of being a scientific curiosity appealed no more to Gaelen than it did to anybody else. If this story was true, then Lucas had committed a major felony.

"So, what do you want me to do?" he finally ground out.

"Find him. Bring him to us so we can handle this, or the Elders will."

"What will you do to him?" Gaelen asked, his belly twisting as he waited for the answer.

"You know the penalty for consorting with a human and revealing the fairy nature."

Bile filled Gaelen's throat. He gulped it down and tried to keep his wings from trembling. "Eochy, you can't be serious."

Eochy closed his eyes and nodded gravely. "Banishment to Tir-Nan-Og."

Oh, Bridget. Eternal life with no responsibility might sound good in theory, but the lack of challenge made a man soft, useless. After a few thousand years of constant partying, one would plead for the rigors of Hell out of sheer boredom.

Personally, he'd rather be disbelieved to death. At least then he'd see what was on the other side.

"And the human girl?"

Eochy wouldn't meet Gaelen's eyes. "We will not be discovered, Gaelen."

Gaelen's sick stomach flipped over.

"Find him and bring him to us." Eochy rose. "If there is no other matter to be discussed today, I will close this meeting." He looked across the table to Gaelen.