It's been a while, I know and apologize. My muse took an extended sabbatical, but she's back. As you know, this story has very long chapters, so there will be some time between postings as it take a while to write and edit such behemoths. I'm looking forward to see how this story continues to develop. While I have it plotted, the occasional twist and turn will present itself unexpectedly. Those will take me by surprise as much as any of you. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this as much as I have enjoyed writing it.

RECAP: When we left off, Rhiannon had given a history of the great battle mentioned in the Prologue when Hal Jordon came back from his harrowing encounter with Dal'Riata Abn-La, the Gray Goddess. Upon delivering his message that several sectors and Oa itself were gone, he crumbled into dust. The gray spread out from there, disintegrating everything it touched, nearly taking Flash with it, but for quick thinking from Batman and Dick's ability to halt the gray temporarily. The three with Superman were trapped in a corridor with the Watchtower dissolved around them. At the last minute, Rhiannon opened a portal through which our heroes escaped into the land of the Tuatha De Denann, often called Faerie.

WARNINGS: Language & Disturbing Imagery

"We should get back to the rest of the League," Superman told them. "Rhiannon, can you open a portal to the Hall of Justice?"

"I can but, now might be a good time to appeal to the Fae queen for assistance," the druid guardian suggested instead. "While we are here."

"You said time works differently here," Batman remarked. "How long would the delay take us? Will the Gray Woman not notice that Dick is no longer in our dimension, and if she does, how will she react?"

Flash perked up at that. "That might be a good thing. She could go searching for him and leave our universe altogether."

Rhiannon shook her head. "Time is a concern. We cannot be here long else she might destroy the universe whilst we are gone only to have her follow us here."

"It is a concern. She found Dickie while we were in Olympus," Batman reminded her.

"Fine. But if we are going to do this, we need to get a move on," Superman conceded. "We can't risk staying too long."

Rhiannon bowed her head. "Then follow me. It isn't far, but time is flying."

"Speaking of flying . . . Superman, if you can carry Batman and Dickie, I can carry the priestess," Flash pointed out as he scooped up the druid. "Okay, lady, which way do we go?"

Rhiannon pointed in the direction of the forest. "There," she said, "beyond the forest tis where the Sidhe Court resides."

"Wait!" Batman turned around. "Where's Dick? He was just here a moment ago."

The adults looked around them, but they stood in the middle of a large field. The grass, while tall, shouldn't have been able to hide the toddler, but the boy was nowhere to be found.

"I don't understand," Superman said. "How could he have wandered so far so quickly without one of us noticing."

Rhiannon frowned. "What you mean is he could not have done so without help."

"Explain," Batman snapped.

"Pixies," she clarified. "You said you met their kind before. They look small, harmless, but they are carnivores with a weakness for the taste of human blood. Children especially are considered a delicacy. They could have lured the child away right from under our very noses with their magic."

"No!" Flash looked horrified. "Tinkerbell eats people?" Flash looked confused.

"I do not know of this Tinkerbell, but pixies are quite dangerous. One by itself might not be enough to do harm, but these creatures often roam about in great numbers. If inclined, they could empty their victims of blood and rend the flesh from an adult's bones within minutes."

Her words shot fear through their hearts.

"Dickie!" Batman yelled. When he received no answer, Batman shook his head. "He knows not to wander off. I've told him it's dangerous."

"I'll go search for him," Flash announced.

"Wait!" Superman used his own speed to catch the speedster before he could leave. "I can see a residual heat trail leading off in that direction," he said, pointing in the direction of the huge, sprawling oak.

"Whatever you're going to do, do it fast," Batman growled as he pulled a tracker from his belt. Legend had it that technology and the Fae didn't get on well together. While it was possible that the tracker wouldn't work in their realm, there was still a chance that it might be able to negate the magic and lead them where eyesight alone led astray.

Batman's tracker emitted a beeping noise, its light confirming Clark's infrared vision. "Confirmed."

As Flash took off, Rhiannon grabbed Superman's arm, pointing after Barry.

"Go with him," she ordered. "The wee folk are tricky. They could place a glamour over the land and lead your friend off the side of a cliff."

A blue and red blur shot off in the direction Flash disappeared as the priestess and Batman ran after them.

"If they hurt him . . ." Batman snarled.

"If they hurt him, the Gray would surely come here and destroy them all," She finished for him. "The Fae are a cruel race that would hardly be missed should the Destroyer retaliate."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

"If you are worried that he is frightened or in pain, you should know that the bite of a pixie isn't painful unless they wish it to be."

"But would they kill him?"

Rhiannon looked as if she were not going to answer him but, after a hesitation, she nodded. "I'll not lie to you."

No, damn it!

His heart sped up as an icy knot formed in his gut. They hadn't escaped certain death twice to have it end here. The forest began a short distance past the oak and the tracker showed Dickie to be beyond the tree line straight ahead. A red blur cut them off before they could reach the shadowy interior. Disappointment surged when they saw that Flash had returned alone.

"I couldn't find him," he blurted apologetically. "I don't understand. I searched everywhere within a five-mile radius – twice!"

"He would be in a glen, hidden from mortal sight. They know we are here and will be searching for him. They would have placed a glamour over it. You could have run right past the boy without realizing it." Rhiannon told him.

"That would explain why I couldn't find him either," Superman said as he landed next to the others. "Somehow my vision is being affected by magic. I followed Dickie's tracks using the infrared spectrum, but the footprints ended a short way in and are disappearing as they cool."

"The tracker I placed in his clothing still appears to be working," Batman said, handing the device to Flash. "Perhaps the tech is immune to glamour tampering."

"Right! I'm on it," Barry nodded and was gone.

"We can follow him," Clark told them. "Hold on." He slid an arm around both their waists and took to the sky above the trees. A red blur was visible through the branches of the tree.

Barry didn't go far. When they landed, however, they saw nothing but trees and bushes.

"I don't get it. The tracker says he should be right here, but I found nothing," Flash lamented.

"Magic can be that way. It is stronger here in their land, close to the source."

"What source?" Batman took back his tracker as he yelled. "Dickie? Answer me!"

"Nature," Rhiannon explained. "They draw their magics from nature. Let me see what I can do." As the priestess spoke words from a long-dead language, she traced shapes in the air in an effort to undo wards the Fae might have placed around the boy.

Batman stared hard at the tracker's blinking dot. It was telling him Dick was right in front of him, just steps away. He moved forward carefully, putting out his hand to feel for an invisible form. After a moment, he brushed against something. Clamping down on the object, Batman found a thin shoulder as the magic melted away, revealing that the boy had been there in front of them the entire time. So too, were tiny Fae creatures exposed as they fed from the child's arms and fingers.

"Good God!" Flash gasped.

The child appeared entranced by the sight of several small beings suckling from the various bites he had on his fingers and arms. Enraged, Batman slapped at the winged creatures, batting them away. The pixies disappeared the second contact with the boy was broken.

"Get off him!" he bellowed.

Droplets of blood ran down the boy's hands and arms from multiple small wounds, dripping from his fingertips and elbows. He counted at least seventeen separate bites, possibly more, all of them taking bits of flesh out of the child's skin.

The glamour wards, now compromised by Rhiannon's unweaving, flickered. The buzzing of many tiny wings could be heard throughout the glen. As she finished the creatures were revealed, at least thirty of them hovering around the child, his blood staining the faces and hands of more than half of them.

"You would have drunk him dry," Rhiannon cried out in fury. "You deserve the fate you would have brought onto your greedy heads. Twould serve you right to face the Gray Goddess' wrath after this betrayal of our agreement." She snatched one of the creatures from the air, dashing it to the ground.

Batman yanked Dick to him, wrapping the boy in his cape. How much blood had he lost? Dick's face was ashen when only a few minutes before had be flush with good health. When the child wavered on the verge of collapse, Batman swept him up in his arms, holding him close.

"Dick! Dickie, can you hear me?"

The child's lids fluttered closed and he went limp.

The glen lit up suddenly as a dozen tiny bodies were replaced by tall willowy beings, dwarfing the humans. While appearing as both male and female in form, only minute differences could be seen to tell the genders apart. They hissed at the intruders, baring long sharp teeth, taking exception to the interruption.

"You dare challenge us, Sassenach! You are tolerated only because the queen permits your presence. But in attacking one of us, that protection is now withdrawn." A male with long indigo hair snarled at her, towering over the strangers. "Come, my siblings. We shall feast upon the outlanders' flesh this day."

"Pick on someone your own size," Barry snapped at them.

As he ran between them, Flash's blows barely elicited a flinch. Impossibly, A violet-haired Pixie grabbed him as he passed by, tossing him twenty feet effortlessly. The same pixie turned, launching himself at Superman as the tiny ones flew at him from all sides. A screech went up in response as the little ones reeled back with broken teeth. Angered, more flew at him with tiny weapons meant to cut like a razor.

In response, Superman blew across the area, his freeze breath dropping the tiny creatures into the moss below. The cold should slow the larger beings as well, making them vulnerable to attack. The Man of Steel flicked the purple mouthy one in the forehead, throwing him backward to the sound of crashing and tinkling as frozen leaves and branches shattered at his passing.

"Any other takers?" the Kryptonian asked. Those who could, flew away.

Rhiannon helped Barry to his feet. "You hit the trunk hard. Are you okay?"

Flash waved away her concern. "Fast metabolism speeds healing," he told her. "I'm fine."

"Do you do everything fast?"

He smiled. "Not everything."

She looked at him questioningly.

He shook his head. "Never mind. You'd have to ask my wife about that."

"If we live, I just might," she promised before turning back to Batman where he was kneeling next to the boy. "How is he?"

"Pale, dazed, weak," he growled. "If we hadn't found him . . ."

"But we did," Clark reminded him. He listened to what Dick's body was telling him. "Calm down, Bruce. He's young and his heartrate is good. He should recover quickly enough."

He glanced around them, searching. "I'm surprised that the goddess didn't intervene on his behalf. Is it possible that she can't find us here in this dimension?" Although, Batman spoke this to himself, the priestess heard and answered him.

"The Fae have always managed to avoid her throughout the ages, but too, she might not have come simply because the boy didn't consider himself to be in danger," she explained. "As I mentioned before, pixies have the ability to make their bites pleasant, enabling them to feed without having to contend with a struggling victim. Dickie would have been lulled into the long sleep without uttering a single whimper of protest."

"Where's a can of Raid when you need one," Barry grumbled. "I don't know about the rest of you, but this place has totally ruined Peter Pan for me."

"Will the queen still be willing to help us after what we did?" Superman asked Rhiannon.

"She will," Batman answered before the priestess could.

"How can you be so sure?" Flash asked him.

"You'll have to trust me on this," he promised. "If she has a way to assist us, she will."

Although the others trusted his word, Rhiannon did not know him so well as that. She gazed at him skeptically. "We should leave now, before they return with reinforcements," she said. "Not all of us can freeze a glen with our breath."

"Where are they?" Wonder Woman slammed the flat of her hand down on the reinforced titanium conference table in the Hall of Justice's conference room, easily denting the metal. "They should have been here four days ago!"

"Easy, Diana. I know you're worried, but I think it's time we faced facts," Green Arrow told her. "We saw what this Gray Woman did . . ."

"Goddess," Wonder Woman corrected without looking up. "Whoever she is, she's a goddess of extraordinary power."

Hippolyta nodded in agreement. "More powerful than any I've ever met."

"Goddess, then," Ollie emended. "We last saw Superman and Batman during the attack that killed Green Lantern and The Flash. They knew the plan was to meet up here as soon as possible once we escaped the Watchtower. If they haven't arrived, we can only conclude that they never made it out."

Black Canary wiped at her eyes as she composed herself. "The druid priestess is missing as well. Did she stay with them or had she managed to escape as well? If not or if we cannot find her, then we're on our own here."

Diana shook her head. "No. I refuse to believe that they are gone. Superman went back for Batman. Clark would have made certain they all got out."

Carter sighed. "You were with us when we watched Hal . . . die. You saw what happened to Barry the moment he touched him. If Superman or Batman went back to try to save Barry, they would have been disintegrated as well. What other reason could there be for their absence in the face of this existential threat?"

Aquaman stepped forward. "I refuse to go down without a fight. The Atlanteans will stand with us when and if the Gray Goddess deigns to appear here on earth." He looked at the Hawks. Carter and Shayera both appeared reserved. It was unlike them. "What news have you heard from Thanagar? Are they willing to join us?"

"Thanagar isn't responding to hails," Shayera admitted softly. "Thanagar lies near the region H-Hal said was destroyed . . ." her voice trailed off.

Their faces were hidden behind their masks, so reading their emotions was more difficult than usual. The couple was quite vocal about their opinions normally. Still, no one could miss the way Carter's jaw tightened.

"It is likely," he said, "that Thanagar has fallen to our enemy, but rest assured," he pledged, "that Hawkman and Hawkwoman will stand beside your Atlanteans to avenge our people and those who have already fallen to this witch."

"You may include the Amazons to your army," Hippolyta spoke up.

"I have a suggestion put forth by the priestess and Batman," J'onn murmured from where he stood next to Diana.

"What suggestion is that?" Diana asked.

"You build an army, but we must fight this enemy on many fronts," J'onn told them. "It would behoove us to recruit as many members as we can in order to battle this goddess."

"No argument there," Ollie agreed.

"We are limited in numbers, even with the aid of the Atlanteans and the Amazons. We should look farther afield." J'onn looked at the faces of those around him. They would not like what he had to say.

"Agreed. We have yet to contact Black Lightning, Mr. Terrific, and the things I've heard of Firestorm would make him an ideal candidate to bring in." Dinah interjected.

"Does anyone know how to contact Shazam? No offense, Diana, but we're going to need another heavy hitter with Superman," Ollie hesitated before adding, "erm . . . missing in action."

"I think I could convince Swamp Thing to join with us," Zatanna offered.

"All good choices," J'onn murmured, "but not the only ones."

"Exactly how far afield are you talking about, J'onn?" Ray Palmer spoke up from his position beside Dinah's coffee cup. As the Atom, he stood only a couple of inches taller than the mug. He had a special mic built into his suit to amplify his voice enough that his teammates could hear him.

The Martian hesitated, but time was of the essence. "The Legion of Doom."

He didn't have to wait long for the reactions of his fellow Leaguers to follow.

"Are you crazy?" Ollie sputtered. "The Martian has finally lost his fucking marbles!"

Wonder Woman narrowed her eyes. "I do not remember Batman or the priestess mentioning any such suggestion."

J'onn inclined his head. "Perhaps not aloud, but the idea had been in the forefront of both of their minds. Had Hal Jordon not arrived, and the meeting continued, I am certain one, if not both of them, would have brought it up."

"Most are in prison," Zatara frowned. "Are you suggesting that we release them back into society?"

Shayera rolled her eyes. "They would resort to looting and pillaging."

"You do them a disservice, Hawkwoman," J'onn retorted. "This is their world, too. I believe, as did Batman and the priestess, that they would be willing to fight against annihilation. It would be highly improbable for them to ignore the threat in favor of what might be a few short weeks of prosperity before an extinction-level event."

Arguments broke out over the possibility from around the room. Some for all the help they could get, others adamant that to do so would create additional chaos that could hinder their efforts to present a united front. Atom dialed up his mic's projection before interrupting.

"It's a good idea," his voice boomed throughout the conference room, breaking off increasingly heated arguments as those present turned to him.

"How can you agree with this, Atom?" Arthur demanded. "The entire concept is ludicrous! I have no doubt that my brother would use the opportunity to undermine my reign in Atlantis over this."

"Let the tiny warrior speak," Hippolyta told them. Although her own reign was far away on Themyscira, people in the room bowed to her voice of command.

"Thank you, your majesty," Ray nodded in her direction, appreciative of her support. "Look, I get that some of our enemies would rather watch the world burn if they cannot rule over it. We don't have to release those people. Certainly, if Batman was considering such a move, he had no intention of releasing someone as criminally insane as Joker, but what of Mr. Freeze or Bane or Poison Ivy? Certainly, those criminals would prefer to stand beside us than to meet their end in a holding cell."

He looked at Wonder Woman. "What of you? Would Cheetah sit passively by while the destruction of the world was carried out around her? Wouldn't Circe want a chance to gain vengeance for the one who wrecked Olympus?" He turned to each of the others, naming off criminals they had each gone up against time and again, even picking out members of Superman and The Flash's own rogue's gallery. "Lex Luthor has as much to lose as any of us. Gorilla Grodd . . . Where would they go should the universe end? Ruling the dust for as long as it takes before even that winks out of existence?"

"Hold, Atom," Aquaman said, holding out a hand. "Your point has been made."

"We can go to them, but will they believe us?" Mera interjected.

"I doubt even they would believe we would willingly release them on a whim." Diana pointed out.

"Hand them a telescope," J'onn offered. "The skies do not lie."

The door pinged before sliding open.

Wonder Girl stuck her head through. "Sorry to interrupt, but you have visitors."

"We are not accepting visitors today, girl," Arthur spoke sharply. "Diana, have you not made clear the importance of this meeting?"

Diana snapped back. "Of course, she knows Arthur. The Teen Titans should have joined us for the meeting. Batman himself sent them the message to come to the Watchtower." Her voice softened as she spoke to her sister. "Who are these visitors? They must obviously be of some importance."

Donna smiled slightly as she stepped back and allowed an older man and young teenager to enter. "People at least some of you might know."

"I do beg your pardon, Lady Diana," Agent A apologized as he and Robin walked in. The sounds of a puppy could be heard coming from the other room. "But we came to see if Batman and the others had joined you yet."

It was obvious that several of the Leaguers recognized the new faces.

"Robin?" Hawkwoman asked, "Wait! You're not the Robin I know. That Robin was taller and older than you. I don't understand."

Agent A bowed to the winged woman. "Of course, the meeting on the Watchtower had been cut short of our introduction. I am called Agent A and this young man will be stepping into the role of Robin as the previous holder of the title is unavoidably detained."

"Hold on!" Oliver stood up. "Are you saying Batman, Superman, Flash, and that priestess chick are still alive somewhere?"

Hope lit the faces in the room.

"Ah yes, somewhere would the appropriate term, I do believe."

Diana stepped up to greet him. "It's a relief to see you both alive and unharmed, my friend. Are the others in route?" She leaned in to whisper, "And Dickie? Is he in the other room or . . .?"

Agent A smiled, but she could see the strain in the lines of his face not hidden by the mask.

"How are you two holding up?"

"About as well as to be expected when one is left waiting," he answered.

"Should we step out or do you plan to enlighten the rest of us in the room to whatever is going on?" Carter raised his voice to gain their attention.

"Oh dear, I suppose I've been quite rude."

"No apologies," Wonder Woman stepped in between the two new additions. "For those who have yet to meet them, this is Agent A, a trusted member of Batman's team. And, this young man is the new Robin, if you hadn't already guessed."

"But what happened to the original Robin?" Mera wondered aloud. "He isn't . . ." She didn't wish to admit her thoughts out loud. Although, she hadn't had the chance to meet the original Robin, she had heard stories of the young man from her husband.

"No," Agent A was quick to assure her. "He is well . . . as well as can be expected. You see, the first Boy Wonder had the unique and unfortunate experience to meet the Gray Woman first, when she presented herself in Bludhaven."

The silence followed as those Leaguers who did not yet hear of the young man's predicament assumed the worst. All of them had heard the horror that had befallen Bludhaven.

"He survived the meeting," Agent A assured them, "but not without consequences. For whatever reason, the Gray Woman chose to change him."

"Into what?" Arthur asked.

"Into . . ." he hesitated, unsure of how much Batman had meant to share with them, but there was no point in hiding the fact. The master was loathed to let the boy out of his sight for long since the unthinkable happened. "Into a child."

"A-A what?" Shayera stuttered.

"A child," Robin blurted out, tired of the adults beating around the bush. "The Gray Woman shrunk him into a three-year-old kid and snatched away all his memories while she was at it."

"Robin," Agent A chastised softly.

"What? They were going to find out anyway the moment Batman gets here." Robin looked back at the stunned Leaguers. "Little Wing was with Batman and Superman when they went back to save Flash."

"Little Wing?" Arthur frowned.

"The first Robin," the current Robin clarified.

"They went back to save Flash?" Even Diana was shocked to hear that. "Nothing, not even the gods of Olympus were able to stop the gray from advancing." She shook her head. "Why in Hera's . . . Hera's name, would he risk the child? What the hell was he thinking?" Dinah gasped aloud. "Why didn't he leave Di . . . the boy with you?"

Agent A laid a hand on Robin's shoulder and answered her question cautiously. He didn't know how much Bruce was willing to share about Dick's relationship with the Gray Woman. "One can only hypothesize at this point." He brought the subject back to the one that had driven him and Jason to leave Gotham to journey here. "However, we came here today to ask for your assistance."

"Whatever you need, my friend?" Zatara asked.

"The priestess had an amulet, given to her by the Fae queen to assist her in her duties. The amulet had magical properties that she used to open a portal into this other dimension, allowing her to move from Faery to Earth and back again. After she helped the lad and I to escape the Watchtower, she went back in order to retrieve Batman, Superman, the boy, and Flash had they succeeded in saving him."

"So, they're alive then?" Ollie laughed. "Those lucky SOB's!" He grunted as Dinah elbowed him to watch his language, rubbing his side. "So, where are they now? Wait! Don't tell me . . . in the land of Fairies!"

"Indeed. For whatever reason, the Lady Rhiannon has not returned to this plane with our people as yet. I fear for their safety for a number of reasons and beg your assistance in determining their fate and providing them a way home." Agent A finished.

"How dangerous is this place you're talking about?" Ray asked. "I mean, the priestess said that these folks aren't exactly the Disney version, but they were helping her by providing the way to and from their dimension to here."

Robin shuddered. "The one we met looked harmless at first, but she was like a cross between Tinkerbell and a piranha."

"A fish?" Arthur looked confused.

"Just the teeth part, man. Big, sharp, nasty-looking teeth," Robin said.

"We can only assume that they chose to confront the queen while there and request her assistance in battling the Gray Woman. From what I understand, she isn't likely to be helpful."

"Superman is with them, though. Certainly, that would give them an edge if the situation came to a head," Carter remarked.

Zatara waved a hand in caution. "One of Superman's only weaknesses include magic, remember. The land of Faerie would be overflowing with it."

"So, they could be in trouble," Dinah concluded. "If that's the case, then how do we go about helping them? Any thoughts Zatara?"

Zatara looked thoughtful. "I may have an idea on that, but it will take the combined abilities of Dr. Fate, Constantine, Jason Blood, my daughter as well as myself."

"So many?" Diana wondered.

"The land of the Fae is warded heavily and, since the return of the Gray Woman, any obscure entries would have been sealed. Once open we may need to send a couple of us through to find them while the other three maintain the portal."

"How long will this take? They've been gone three days already." Carter asked.

"Tis no simple task," Zatara warned.

"Remember too," Constantine spoke up from where he had been quietly observing from the corner of the room, "time moves differently in Faerie. In their view, they've probably only been there for twenty minutes or so."

"Then we should stop talking about it and do what we need to do," J'onn told them. "While you four work to locate and return our members, the rest of us will begin recruiting to our cause."

The earthen mound wasn't anything special to look at. Barely tall enough to notice, it was covered in velvety carpet of green grass and sprinkled with wildflowers of unusually vivid colors. What set it apart from the landscape was that it had a lone rowan tree growing at its center, here and there its roots were visible, spreading throughout the mound and into the surrounding area.

What wasn't visible, however, was an entrance.

"Are you sure we're in the right place? Maybe you got turned around or something." Flash stared at the unassuming bit of land.

"This is the place," she assured them as Flash set her on her feet. The wind whipped at her hair.

"Seems kind of small," Flash noted skeptically. "You sure it will hold all of us?"

She shrugged. "It's bigger on the inside."

Batman held the sleeping child wrapped in his cape as he walked around it. "Where is the entrance?"

Superman glanced at the sky. "Is it always this windy up here?" he wondered aloud. "I think a storm might be blowing in."

Rhiannon turned to look in the direction he indicated, taking in the swath of darkness in the distance.

"We should hurry." The priestess climbed up onto the mound and sat down. "Don't just stand there," she said with impatience. "Climb up."

The men exchanged glances but did as she instructed, taking their places beside her.

"Now what?" Flash asked as he sat on one side of the woman.

"You lie down and wait for the mound to accept you." She settled down onto her back as if she were planning to take a nap.

Batman cradled Dick in the crook of one arm as he laid down on the other side of the priestess. Superman moved into position beside Flash.

After a minute, Flash grew restless. "Maybe we knock or something? I mean, how will they know we're here?" He knew Rhiannon was getting annoyed, but this seemed like a waste of time and time was a luxury they didn't have.

When she didn't answer him, he turned his head and sat up abruptly. "What the heck? They're gone!"

Superman sat up and stared. The grass didn't even show a mark where Batman and the woman had been. He used his X-ray vision, but all he saw was dirt, small pebbles, and tree roots. There was no sign of a cavern beneath them. Worse, there was no sign of Batman, Dickie, or the Rhiannon.

"So, what do we do now?" Barry asked standing up. "Do we follow then somehow? Dig maybe?"

"I don't see a cavern beneath us to dig to," Clark told him. "Damn it! I hate magic."

"Guess the mound didn't like us."

"Apparently not."

"Well, you did freeze a few of them," Flash reminded him. "And the broken teeth . . . They probably didn't like that either."

"I don't like this. We shouldn't be separated."

"You want to dig, then? I'm game. I hate waiting."

Clark sighed. "They'd probably hate that even more than the broken teeth."

"I guess we're going to have to trust Rhiannon to know what she's doing." Barry plucked a piece of grass and stuck it in his mouth as he lay back down.

Clark grumbled. "I hate that even more."

"Yeah, I noticed that. You don't trust her. Why is that?"

Resting his arms across his knees, Clark thought about his answer. "I don't know. I think it probably stems from the way I met her."

Barry waited for him to continue.

"She was sparring Jason out near the cliffs beyond the manor's gardens. When I spotted them, she had a knife against the boy's throat."

"What? Why?" Barry frowned.

"She said she was training him," Clark admitted. "and Jason agreed with her. It's strange, though, seeing Bruce take her word so easily."

"You think she has him under a spell or something?"

Clark shook his head. "No. No, I don't. I can't explain it and that bothers me. I'm usually the one that tends to trust too easily. Bruce gripes to me about it all the time."

Barry sat up. "She's human, right? She's not one of these fairies out to trick us?"

"No. She's human," he had scanned her as soon as she had stepped away from Jason.

With a goddess intent on the destruction of the universe who already had an affinity with one Bat, he had wanted to be sure this wasn't her. Clark frowned at the sky. The dark clouds had grown larger.

"Well, I doubt she's working with the Fairies after she bashed one of them earlier. They seem to have an uneasy truce going . . . or did anyway." Barry plucked another piece of grass. "I hate waiting."

Clark stood up. "Don't worry. You're not going to get a chance to be bored. Those aren't clouds."

Barry stood up and squinted at the dark splotches in the distance. "They're closer. If it isn't clouds, then what is it? Not the gray. Please tell me that isn't the gray coming."

"Not the gray," Clark assured him, looking grim. "Birds. Those are Ravens, Barry. She found us!"

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