William plane shifts the group - less Lady Talbalt, who heads back to Cillamar to organise the defenders - to faerie.  The intended desination was the Goblin Fair, but the spell sends them somewhat off-course.  This was expected, however, and the plan is for Zook to teleport half the group to the fair, then teleport back and bring the rest of them the next day.

As with many plans, this one goes awry.  Zook's first teleprt takes himself, Zabrit, Chicken and Mei Ling to a random part of Faerie which none of them have seen before.  His second attempt takes them to a place that looks much more like the Goblin Fair ... but isn't.

This, it turns out, is Happy Valley ... a community of animal spirit fey (humanoid foxes, hares, beavers and other such creatures).  The locals are very excited by the sudden appearance of the travellers, and immediately drag the group off to see their queen.

The queen has a sad story to tell; her daughter has been kidnapped by evil crow fey, who intend to sacrifice the fair princess!  She begs the heroes to rescue her daughter "before the day - and her life! - is ended".  They agree to take up the tasks.

The crow fey live in a storm-lashed mountain several hours from Happy Valley.  The foursome travels there, battles their way past several defences, and at last faces off with the crowkin leader.

It's a brutal battle on both sides: Zook is simply reduced to a drooling vegetable, his mind blasted to splinters; while Mei Ling is simply eviscerated by her enemies.  Zabrit, Chicken and Zook's Pet seem like they might be gaining the upper hand, however, when the Crowkin leader offers a deal: give him the (feebleminded) Zook, and he will hand over the princess.  He needs a powerful soul as a sacrifice, and Zook will do just as well as his current victim.

Zabrit, after ascertaining that she can take away Zook's finger (and Mei Ling's remains) agrees to the deal.  It will, she reason, be easier to reincarnate Zook than heal him, in any case.

The druid returns quickly to Happy Valley, where the grateful Queen covers the cost of restoring the fallen adventurers.  Both return as members of the same race and gender, though Zook is now ginger-haired and Mei Ling's southern ancestry has vanished.

Meanwhile, the Crowkin leader discovers too late that Zook's soul is already sworn to Aranea - an oversight that will cost him dearly when his god comes to collect his offering!