“Huh, another queen,” Puck mused, an evil grin crossing his face. “Maybe we should drop in and introduce ourselves, ice-boy. Do the whole, hey, we were just in the neighborhood, and we were just wondering if you had any plans to take over the Nevernever. Have a fruit basket.”
“Father, please.” Keirran met Ash’s gaze. “Let them go. They’re only trying to survive.”
The dark faery stared Keirran down a few moments, then shook his head. “We didn’t come here to start a war,” he said, and Keirran relaxed. “We came here for you and Ethan. The courts will have to decide what to do with the emergence of another queen. Right now, let’s get you both out of here. And, Keirran—” he glared at his son, who flinched under that icy gaze “—this isn’t over. The queen will be waiting for you when we get home. I hope you have a good explanation.”
Meghan, I thought as Keirran and Puck took my weight again, and we started hobbling down the path. Questions swirled, all centered on her and Keirran. I needed to talk to my sister, not just to ask about my nephew and the “other” side of my family, but to let her know that I understood. I knew why she left us so long ago. Or at least, I was beginning to.
I couldn’t speak to her now, but I would, soon. Keirran was my way back to Faery, back to my sister, because now that we’d met, I was pretty sure not even the Iron Queen herself could keep him away.
“Ah.” Puck sighed, shaking his head as we headed into the forest. “This brings back memories.” He glanced over his shoulder and grinned. “Don’t they remind you of a pair, ice-boy, from way back when?”
Ash snorted. “Don’t remind me.”
Epilogue
Belvedere Castle looked eerie and strange under the moonlight, with armored knights standing guard along the top and the banner of the Iron Queen flapping in the wind. It was as if we’d stepped through time into King Arthur’s court or something. But the small group of humans clustered on the balcony sort of ruined that image, though it was obvious they couldn’t see the unearthly knights milling around them. Occasionally one would break away from the group and walk toward the steps, though when they reached the edge they would turn and wander back, a dazed look on their face. So, a glamour barrier had been placed over the castle, preventing them from going anywhere. Probably a good idea; the former half-breeds didn’t even know who they were and wouldn’t survive for long, out there on their own. Still, it was faery magic, repressing the will of normal humans, keeping them trapped, and it made my skin crawl.
“What will happen to the half-breeds now that they’re human?” I asked as we approached the first flight of stairs, knights bowing to us on either side.
Ash shook his head. “I don’t know.” Gazing up at the top of the steps, he narrowed his eyes. “Some of them are probably Leanansidhe’s, so she might take them back, see if they regain their memories. Beyond that…” He shrugged. “Some of them may have been reported missing. We’ll let the human authorities know they’re here. Their own will have to take care of them now.”
“One of them is a friend of ours,” I said. “He’s been missing for days. We need to take him back to Louisiana with us.”
Ash nodded. “I’ll make sure he gets home.”
Keirran stopped at the foot of the stairs, his breath catching. I gritted my teeth as the abrupt halt jolted my leg, then followed his gaze up to where Annwyl stood at the top of the steps, waiting for him.
I sighed and pulled my arm from his shoulders. “Go on,” I said, rolling my eyes, and he instantly leaped up the steps, taking them three at a time, until he reached the top. Uncaring of Ash, Puck or any of the surrounding knights, he pulled the Summer girl into his arms and kissed her deeply, while Razor jabbered with delight, beaming his manic smile at them both.
Puck shot a look at Ash, his green eyes solemn. “I told you, ice-boy. That kid of yours is trouble. And that’s coming from me.”
Ash scrubbed a hand over his face. “Leanansidhe,” he muttered, and shook his head. “So that’s where he’s been disappearing to.” He sighed, and his silver gaze narrowed. “The three of us are going to have to have a talk.”
Where’s Kenzie? I thought, gazing up the stairs. If Annwyl and the former half-breeds were safe, she had to be here, too. But I didn’t see her near the top of the steps with Keirran and Annwyl, or in the cluster of humans wandering around the balcony. I felt a tiny prick of hurt, that she wasn’t here to greet me and tried to ignore it. She must have her reasons.
Though you’d think me standing here bleeding all over the place would warrant some type of reaction.
“Sire.” Glitch suddenly appeared from the trees, leading another squad of knights behind him. The lightning in his hair glowed purple as he bowed. “We found a second entrance to the strange faeries’ lair,” he said solemnly, and Ash nodded. “However, the cave was empty when we investigated. There was evidence of other trods, leading in from various points in the park, but nothing remained of the inhabitants themselves. They cleared out very recently.”
I looked at Ash, frowning. “You had a second squad, coming from another direction,” I guessed. He ignored me, giving Glitch a brief nod.
“Good work. Though if they’ve fled, there is nothing to do but wait for them to reemerge. Return to Mag Tuiredh and inform the queen. Tell her I will return shortly with Keirran.”
“Yes, sire.” Glitch bowed, took his knights, and vanished into the darkness.
“Guess that’s our cue, as well,” Puck said, stepping away from me. “Back to Arcadia, then?”
“Not yet.” Ash turned to gaze into the forest, his eyes solemn. “I want to do one more sweep, one last search around the cave, just in case we missed anything.” He glanced over his shoulder, smirking. “Care to join me, Goodfellow?”
“Oh, ice-boy. A moonlight stroll with you? Do you even have to ask?”
“Ethan,” Ash said, as Puck gave me a friendly arm punch and sauntered into the trees, “we’ll return in a few minutes. Tell Keirran that if he even thinks about moving from this spot, I will freeze his legs to the floor of his room.” His eyes flashed silver, and I didn’t doubt his threat. “Also…” He sighed, glancing over my shoulder. “Let him know that the Summer girl probably shouldn’t be here when we get back. She’s been through enough.”
Surprised, I nodded. Huh. Guess you’re not a complete heartless bastard, after all, I thought grudgingly, as the dark faery turned and melted into the woods with Puck. I didn’t think you’d be the type to look the other way. Catching myself, I snorted. I still don’t like you, though. You can still drop dead anytime.
“They won’t find anything,” Keirran stated, a few steps away, and I turned. The Iron prince stood behind Annwyl with his arms around her waist, gazing over her shoulder. His eyes were dark as he stared into the forest. “The Lady will have taken her followers and fled to another part of the Between. Maybe she’ll never reemerge. Maybe we’ll never see them again.”
“I hope so.” Annwyl sighed, and Razor hissed in agreement. But Keirran continued to stare into the trees, as if he hoped the Lady would step out of the shadows and call to him.
And, one day, she will.
“Where’s Kenzie?” I asked, clutching the railing as I limped up the stairs, pushing dark thoughts out of my head for now. Keirran and Annwyl hurried down to help, but I waved away their offered hands. “I didn’t see her with any of the humans,” I continued, marching doggedly forward, up the stairs. “Is she okay?”
“She’s talking to one of the half-breeds,” Annwyl said. “Todd? The smaller human. I think he was starting to remember her, at least a little bit. He was crying when I saw them last.”
I nodded and hurried toward the top, pushing myself to go faster, though my leg was beginning to throb again. As I persisted up the steps, I heard Annwyl’s and Keirran’s voices drift up behind me.
“I think I should go, too,” Annwyl said. “While I still can, if Leanansidhe even takes me back.” Her voice grew softer, frightened. “I don’t know what will happen to us, Keirran. Everyone saw…”
“I don’t care.” Keirran’s voice was stubbornly calm. “Let them exile me if they want. I’m not backing down now. I’ll beg Leanansidhe to take you back, if that’s what it takes.” A dark, determined note crept into his words. “I won’t watch you fade away into nothing,” he swore in a low voice. “There has to be a way. I’ll find a way.”
Leaving them embracing in the middle of the stairs, I reached the balcony where the group of humans still milled aimlessly about, looking as if they were sleepwalking. Pushing my way through the crowd, I spotted a pair of figures sitting by the wall, one hunched over with his head buried in his knees, the other crouched beside him, a slender hand on his shoulder.
Kenzie looked up, and her eyes widened when she saw me. Bending close to Todd, she whispered something in his ear, and he nodded without raising his head.
Standing, she walked across the balcony, dodged the humans that shuffled in front of her, and then we were face-to-face.
“Oh, Ethan.” The whisper was half relief, half horror. Her eyes flickered to my face, the blood streaking my arm, splattered across my shirt and jeans. She looked as if she wanted to hug me close but was afraid of hurting me. I gave her a tired smile. “Are you all right?”
“Yeah.” I took one step toward her, so that only a breath separated us. “I’m fine enough to do this.” And I pulled her into my arms.
Her arms came around me instantly, hugging me back. Closing my eyes, I held her tight, feeling her slim body pressed against mine. She clung to me fiercely, as if daring something to take me away, and I relaxed into her, feeling nothing but relief. I was alive, Todd was safe, and everyone I cared for was all right. That was enough for now.
She finally pulled back, gazing up at me, tracing a shallow cut on my cheek. “Hi, tough guy,” she whispered. “Looks like you made it.”
I smiled. Taking her hand, I led her over to the railing, where the wall dropped away and we could see the pond, the forest and most of the park stretched out before us.
I jerked my head toward the lump huddled in the opposite corner. “How is he?”
“Todd?” She sighed, shaking her head. “He still doesn’t remember me. Or our school. Or any of his friends. But he said he does remember a woman, very vaguely. His mom, I hope. He started crying after that, so I couldn’t get much more out of him.” She leaned against the railing, resting her arms on the ledge. “I hope he can get back to normal.”
“Me, too,” I said, though I seriously doubted it. How could you be normal again when a huge piece of you had been stripped away? Was there even a cure, a remedy, something that could restore a creature’s glamour, once it had been lost?