Taylor looked around at the other creatures. By Itaea's side sat another goblin who looked a lot like Everett. Everett clapped his hand on the goblin's shoulder and cheerfully introduced him to Taylor as his brother, Waskel. Next, he introduced a badger named Hammond, and a happy-looking beaver, his mouth parted into a perpetual grin, called Lyric.

"And this is Ulysses, the dark fairy." Itaea motioned towards a strikingly handsome young fairy of perhaps six inches high ...