Poison

Abstract

When the phaeries steal her baby sister, Azalia, sixteen-year-old Poison sets out to bring her back. The elderly Fleet, who taught Poison legends and lore, connects her with Bram, a wraith-catcher. Bram transports Poison to Shieldtown, befriends her, and stays to protect her. Passing through the House of the Bone Witch, Poison encounters Peppercorn and Andersen, a beautiful young girl and a clairvoyant cat, serving the witch. After Bram and Poison kill the witch, the girl and cat join them. They meet the Phaerie Lord, who proposes a task. Poison must steal a two-pronged dagger to exchange for Azalea. Poison completes the task, but the secretary to the Phaerie Lord steals the dagger, and Poison learns that the Phaerie Lord plans to kill them. They follow the phaeries to the Hierophant, the master writer, a human who controls all, and reunite with Fleet, who lives in the Hierophant castle and helps collect stories of the realm. The Phairie Lord plans to make the secretary the Hierophant, and wipe out mankind. Although the secretary murders the Hierophant, the supremacy plot fails. Both the Phaerie Lord and his secretary are killed. Poison becomes the Hierophant. Azalea was released before Poison reached the phaerie kingdom. Her kidnapping was merely a catalyst for Poison’s journey.