by Julie Kagawa
Page 61
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?
I suddenly realized the irony: here I was, wishing I could give someone back their magic, to return them to the world of Faery, when a few days ago I didn’t want anything to do with the fey.
When did I change so much?
Kenzie sighed again, gazing out over the pond. The moonlight gleamed off her hair, outlining her slender body, casting a hazy light around her. And I knew. I knew exactly when I had changed.
It started the day I met you.
“It sure has been a crazy week,” she murmured, resting her chin on the back of her hands. “Getting kidnapped, being chased around the Nevernever, faeries and Forgotten and talking cats. Things will seem very dull when we go home. ” She groaned, hiding her face in her arms. “God, we are going to be in sooooooo much trouble when we get back. ”
I stepped behind her, putting my hands on her waist. “Yeah,” I agreed, making her groan again. “So let’s not think about that right now. ” There would be plenty of time to worry about the trouble we were in, the Forgotten, the Lady, Kenzie’s disease and Keirran’s promise. Right now, I didn’t want to think about them. The only thing on my mind was a promise of my own.
I wrapped my arms around Kenzie’s waist and brought my lips close to her ear. “Remember what I promised you?” I murmured. “Down in the cave?”
She froze for a second, then turned slowly, her eyes wide and luminous in the moonlight. Smiling, I drew her close, slipping one arm around her waist, the other sliding up to her neck. I lowered my head as her eyes fluttered shut. And on that balcony under the stars, in front of everyone who might be watching, I kissed her.
And for the first time, I was
n’t afraid.
