“No,” said Aodhan, with total honesty.
“It’s okay. I’m bad with names too.” She held out her hand. “I’m Cathy.”
Some mad instinct almost had him reaching out to clasp those slim, strong fingers. He caught himself just in time, freezing before his hand had made more than the slightest motion toward her. There was an exceptionally awkward pause.
“I’m sorry.” Cathy dropped her arm back to her side, her cheeks going pink again. “I don’t know your customs. Do your people not shake hands?”
“They don’t have hands. Apart from myself.”
Cathy tilted her head to one side. “Other alicorns aren’t shapeshifters?”
“I’m a mage, not a shapeshifter.” Aodhan walked around her as he spoke, dragging the stick to scuff a circle in the dirt. “Shapeshifters are born with the ability to change form. I had to learn it. Don’t move.”
Cathy froze in position. “What are you doing?”
“Trying to construct a complex magical ritual out of bark chips and pebbles.” Aodhan finished the circle, scribing a trefoil knot to seal it. He began placing pinecones at the cardinal points. “Like I said, we need to get back to my library, and fast.”
Cathy looked down at the scattered debris with a rather alarmed expression. “Are you going to teleport me?”
“I would need a lot more than sticks and stubbornness to do that. No, this is a very half-assed attempt at a summoning ritual. With a bit of luck, it should attract some kind of flying creature for you to ride.”
He was braced for Cathy to ask why he couldn’t carry her, but she just nodded.
“I suppose you can’t call a taxi in fairyland.” She frowned. “Um, that’s a kind of car. Oh dear. I suppose that doesn’t help. A car is—”
“I know what a car is,” he interrupted, before she could work all the way back to explaining the wheel. “I’ve read about them. Librarian, remember?”
She blinked at him, clearly startled. “You have books about my world?”
“I have books from your world. Contact between our realms is technically forbidden, but I’ve still managed to build up a sizeable collection.” He couldn’t help his chest swelling a bit with pride. “I’ve read many of your classics. Pride and Prejudice, To Kill a Mockingbird, Fifty Shades of Grey—”
A delighted smile broke across Cathy’s face, banishing the tight lines of worry. Just for a moment, Aodhan saw what she would look like unshadowed by grief. He stuttered, breaking off his recital.
“You’ve read Fifty Shades?” Cathy shook her head, suppressed laughter sparkling in her eyes. “Oh dear. No wonder you’re not keen on humans.”
“I, ah.” Aodhan swallowed, feeling like he’d just stared straight into the sun. “I do understand that it’s a work of fiction. I promise not to take it as a handbook on human behavior. And I trust you aren’t expecting me to act like the wretched fluttery creatures in your children’s fairy tales.”
“Let’s both agree not to make any assumptions based on stories.” Cathy glanced at his half-formed ritual. “They’re clearly inaccurate on multiple counts. Magic seems to be a lot more complicated than just waving a wand and reciting some secret words.”
“If only. Though I do, in fact, use a wand.”
Cathy’s gaze dropped to the holster at his belt. “Can you do magic without it?”
“Some, but it’s rather like trying to finger-paint a portrait. It acts as a focus for my will. Makes it a hell of a lot easier to draw accurate runes.” Aodhan stepped back to survey his handiwork and grimaced. “Next time I rush out to rescue a fair maiden, I’m packing a travel chest first. We need something to act as an offering. I don’t suppose you have a handful of dried chicory about your person?”
“I’m afraid not.” Cathy shrugged her bag off her shoulder, peering inside. “I have mini pretzel pieces, though. Does that help?”
“I don’t know. Are they infused with arcane energies?”
“Um. They’re filled with peanut butter?”
Aodhan sighed. “Hand them over, then. Hellfire, for all I know pretzels might have more power than phoenix feathers. It’s not like the great mages of yore conducted extensive research into the magical potential of human snacks.”
Cathy produced a small, brightly colored packet from her bag. Aodhan sniffed at the contents, shrugged, and poured a small pile of the crunchy pellets into the summoning circle.
“If this works, it’s going to be a minor miracle.” Aodhan pulled his wand from his belt. “Well, might as well make the attempt, at least. Ready?”
Cathy moistened her lips. “Are you sure this is safe?”