Ciel had simply refused to wear shadowhunter gear again, and the four of them made an unusual group; Will and Jem in gear, Sebastian in his tailcoat, and Ciel in a cloak and top hat. They could not be described as congruous or conspicuous. However, though Will and Jem weren't glamoured, nobody paid them much heed. Though it was agreed that faeries were most likely the prime suspects, their mission was to be divided into two segments: the faeries, and the mundanes. As the problem was affecting the human world, Ciel was adamant they should survey mundane opium dens. It had been discovered to be opium, the Queen had told Ciel, through reliable testing, which had made their job significantly easier.

"It would be best to point a few things out now." Will said, as they gathered outside the Seelie Court entrance, a hole in a tree covered by curtains of hanging ferns in Hyde Park. "Faeries are notorious filthy liars, and if they don't give you a straight answer then it is almost surely a lie, or misleading at the very least. Take nothing they say at face value. Also, they hate us. Faeries do not like shadowhunters and may attack on sight. We have no more love for them. However, they will probably recognise you two as...not shadowhunters."

"So they should let us alone?" Ciel asked.

"Quite the contrary, my lord." Sebastian answered. "More likely they will sense we are other and will become violent at the drop of a hat."

"What?" Ciel demanded. "What should we do?"

"Endeavour not to drop your hat, my lord." Sebastian smirked, straightening his master's top hat, much to Ciel's significant chagrined displeasure.

Upon entering the Seelie Court, Will immediately lost all sense of direction and depth. Never had he known such darkness. He fumbled for the witchlight in his pocket and it sprung to life at his touch, lighting the dark in rays that shone through between his fingers. Around him, he could see the curved walls of what appeared to be a rabbit warren-like structure. Indeed, when he glanced up, Sebastian's hair was brushing the lacy fronds hanging from the earth roof. He passed his witchlight over to Jem, who held it up high, and by its illumination Will drew two runes on his wrist: true north, and guidance. He turned purposefully and began down the path, beckoning the others after him. Jem fell immediately to his side, his cane in hand, whilst Ciel and Sebastian walked behind with a calm practise that made Will think Ciel really had been telling the truth; he really wasn't easily shocked.

They followed Will deep towards the Seelie Courts through the bowels of the warren corridors, walking for what felt like an awfully long time.

"Sebastian," Ciel said, voice low. "Have you been memorising the route we have been walking?"

"Yes, my lord."

The group fell back into silence, twisting and turning at Will's beckoning, through the labyrinth of tunnels, their path illuminated only by Will's witchlight, which Jem still held aloft.

At the peak of a steep slope, Will stopped and Jem walked into the back of him. Under the ground, it was hot, the heat locked in by the soil and making the horizon swim with the heat. Will ached to remove his jacket and roll up his shirt sleeves, but he knew the night air would be chill when they resurfaced, so he kept his jacket on, sweat rolling down his spine.

"Down there." Will said, almost inaudibly. "The Seelie Court, it's down there."

He pointed down the slope and continued.

"We shall draw no weapons unless attacked. Do not engage."

Then he began edging his way down the steep slope, Jem at his heels, using his cane to steady himself. Ciel followed, feeling regretful at the lack of traction provided by his soles in comparison to those of Will and Jem. As string music – possibly a lute – became audible and a soft light appeared ahead, the steep got no shallower. Will felt his way down with his feet and found the decline ended suddenly in a right-angled drop, like someone had carved the end out of the slope. He leapt lightly, coming to rest by the entrance to the room from which light and music poured, signalling for Jem to do likewise. He obeyed elegantly, his feet soundlessly finding flat ground.

The two boys turned from the slope and began surveying the room from the shadows of the entryway. It was fortunate, perhaps, that they looked away, for Ciel's navigation of the abrupt end to the decline left much to be desired. It was clumsy enough to make a shadowhunter cringe. His foot found empty air and he pitched forward, a cry of surprise forming in his throat. However, before any sound other than a sharp gasp left his mouth, he was being pulled back by his waist and planted neatly on flat earth by Sebastian. Will and Jem turned to see the two of them stood close behind them. Will nodded, drew his breath, doused his witchlight, and stepped into the Court with assuredness.

The moment he entered, the heads of three dozen Fey snapped up and whirled towards him. From the centre of the throng a tall, beautiful young faerie woman stood up from a chaise longue of twirled branches and emerald moss. Atop her mane of scarlet hair sat a diadem of golden leaves and silver berries, and her eyes were completely blue, with no whites or pupils or discernible irises. She rose, the bottom of her blue robes pooling at her feet like water. This, Will realised, must be the newly appointed Seelie Queen.

"Intruders," she hissed. "Entering the Court of Seelie unbidden is in direct violation of Covenant Law."

"We are here on respectable shadowhunter business." Will replied. "We have Clave permission to be present here."

"I was not aware that any shadowhunter business could be deemed respectable." The Seelie Queen smirked. "And, besides, am I correct in thinking that those two," she waved a hand fluidly toward Ciel and Sebastian. "Are not, in fact, Nephilim at all?"

"Yes," Will answered. "That would be correct."

"Hmm." The Seelie Queen walked over to Ciel and put a hand under his chin, long nails tapping against his skin uncomfortably, predatory. He did not react, and suppressed the urge to slap her hand away. Her skin was so cold. "This one though, he is lovely. Yes, I could make a lovely decoration of him."

Ciel let his eyes unfocus so he would feel less inclined to glare at her face, which was inches from his, her mouth curled up into a sly smile.

"We merely wished to ask you if you had any involvement with the current drugs issue." Will said.

The Seelie Queen removed her hand from under Ciel's chin sharply, nails dragging and scratching the boy's skin, and turned to Will with a fiery glare.

"What?"

"We are not allowed to disclose the specifics, but we need a yes or no; did you or your people tamper with mundane opium supplies?"

"No." the Queen spat, whirling on Will. She radiated anger, pure rage pouring off her in waves. "We did not. Is that a direct enough answer for you, you little brat? You dare to come into our Court and suggest such a thing? We do not take kindly to being accused, foolish shadowhunter."

"Pardon us," Jem said, catching Will's arms and backing away, pulling his parabatai back with him. "My friend did not wish to offend you. We merely..."

"Silence!" The Seelie Queen screeched, and spun to the rest of the gathered Fey, her robes fluttering. "Attack them! Seize them! I want them dead!"

Will drew a knife from his boot and a blade from his belt, both made of iron, which was harmful to Fey. Jem released the blade from his sword-cane and swung it up in front of him. Sebastian looked undistressed that he was unarmed, merely requesting Ciel remain close by. Jem swung his cane out and sliced his sword across the face of a faerie, leaving a long, deep cut that poured blood. The faerie clutched at his face, blood dripping into his eyes and slicking his hands. Someone snatched at the back of Jem's jacket and he drove the handle of his cane back into their stomach, forcing the breath from their lungs and breaking their rib with the jade dragon head handle.

Someone grabbed Ciel and put a blade to his throat.

"Sebastian!" he gasped, skin pushing against the knife as the word left his mouth. He kicked back hard and his heel connected firmly with his attacker's knee. Then the blade was gone from his neck and he looked down as Sebastian swiftly broke the faerie knight's wrist and they dropped to the floor, screaming in agony.

Will had plunged himself into a small crowd of faeries and they were dropping to the earth floor one by one. A faerie knight swung a staff of wood tipped in metal at Will, who ducked and sliced at their legs. She dropped, falling at his feet, and thrashing out with her staff fiercely. It grazed his arm, leaving a tiny cut on his skin but tearing right through his shirt and jacket sleeve.

"Well, that isn't very hospitable." He said, in mock offence. "You should learn to care for your guests better. I don't know if you know this, but you're in the presence of an Earl."

Will spun to gesture to Ciel, but he was nowhere to be seen.

"Ah," Will said. "Perhaps not."

"Sebastian!" Will yelled. "Sebastian! Ciel isn't here! He's gone!"

Sebastian turned, looked around, and sighed. He snapped the neck of the faerie whose head was in his hand almost absently. He nodded as Jem came over, breathing hard and wiping blood from his cane.

"Where's Ciel?" he asked, concerned.

"It appears my young master has been captured." Sebastian exhaled. "Come along, gentlemen, we must retrieve him."

"Sebastian, I...we're sorry we didn't keep an eye on him." Jem said, hurrying after him and stepping carefully over a dead faerie. "We ought to have taken better care of him."

"Do not concern yourself overly, Mr Castairs." Sebastian assured him swiftly. "It happens quite often. He is perfectly alright."

The two shadowhunters followed Sebastian – who seemed to know exactly where he was going – from the room, and hurried to keep pace with the butler's purposeful stride. Now his master was in danger, he was completely determined to fulfil his one mission; find Ciel and make sure he was okay. Will and Jem had to admit, Sebastian was a butler who would go to the ends of the earth for his master. It was actually rather admirable.

They found Ciel without trouble, bound in vines and in the centre of a crowd of half a dozen faeries. His eyes were squeezed closed and his eyepatch lay beside him, his mouth gagged by ropes of trailing plants. He had a red weal on his cheek and a bruise beginning to form on his temple, but he wasn't struggling.

"Pardon me," Sebastian smiled. "I have come to retrieve my master."

He swept two guards out of the way, sending them flying with what appeared to be a light brush. Another was treated to a slight touch on the wrist that made them writhe in agony and a second was sent to the floor with a tap on the shoulder that made their knees buckle as if under enormous strain. The last couple backed away as Sebastian approached without protest. He bent down and the vines binding Ciel tore as easily as paper chains. He swiftly untied the gag and touched a hand to the bruise at his master's temple, the red mark on his face.

"Oh dear. It appears your hosts have quite mistreated you, my lord. They haven't looked after you very well at all."

Ciel sighed in response.

"You do have a particular talent for getting yourself taken hostage, young master." Sebastian said, securing Ciel's eyepatch again. His blue eye opened. "It far surpasses your talent for fighting."

"Oh, shut up." Ciel scowled. He winced as Sebastian gently pressed on the wound at the boy's temple, feeling for anything serious. "Let's get out of here before they find us."

"Yes, my lord." Sebastian said, easing Ciel carefully into his arms like a breakable china doll. He stepped swiftly over the fallen guards, who let him go without protest, and past a gaping Will and Jem, who were waiting in the doorway. Will went to reapply his earlier runes, but Jem put a hand out to stop him, for Sebastian was navigating his way quite easily. And sure enough, only ten minutes later, they re-emerged onto ground level, brushing aside the fronds at the Seelie Court entrance and blinking in the moonlight.