by Julie Kagawa
Except me. I was pretty much immune to the ice-boy effect. In fact, I’d made it my personal vendetta to get under his icy cold skin as much as possible, just to remind him that his natural awe didn’t work on everyone.
“Well, look who decided to join the party,” I drawled as Ash strode to Meghan’s side. Anger and resentment still simmered, but I tamped them down. Now was not the time for a Goodfellow prank, not in the middle of the Iron Palace, surrounded by Iron knights, with the Iron Queen in the very same room. The best laid pranks always took a little time. “Always appearing at the most dramatic moment, ice-boy. Tell me, were you just lurking outside the door waiting for the perfect setup?”
“If I was, any discussion about mounting your head on a wall would certainly get my attention.” Ash stopped just a bit shy of Meghan, giving her a brief, genuine smile before turning to the rest of us. His silvery gaze went to my horns and narrowed. “It seems I’ve missed a few developments,” he went on, and the flicker of worry that crossed his face was lost to everyone but me. “Would you like to fill me in, Goodfellow? Is this a curse, an evil potion, or something else entirely?”
I smirked. Ash didn’t know the original Robin Goodfellow, not really. He hadn’t been around back then, though his two brothers had been. Maybe he’d heard the stories, but he’d never asked me about the time before we met. Too bad for him. He really should have paid attention.
“The short version?” I shrugged. “Some big nasty monster showed up in the Between, kicked our butts to the curb, gave me a few new appendages, and took a swan dive into the River of Dreams. Oh, and it’s in the Nevernever now, by the way. No idea where, exactly. But it’s here.”
“That’s why Keirran sent us,” Nyx broke in as Ash frowned. “We can’t seem to kill it ourselves. We were hoping you would be able to help us track this monster down and end the threat it represents to everything.”
Meghan nodded gravely. “Grimalkin was saying the same,” she mused, and looked at Ash. “This is definitely something we should look into. The realm is stable enough right now... I’ll send for Glitch and bring him back to the capital to keep an eye on things while we’re away.”
“I can go with them, if you want,” Ash suggested. “If you’re worried about leaving the kingdom, you don’t have to do this. Puck and I can probably track this thing down and put an end to it.”
Just the two of us, ice-boy? I bit down an evil grin. I think I would like that, though it wouldn’t go so well for you. What kind of bizarre accidents would happen to you while we’re tracking this thing down, I wonder?
But Meghan shook her head. “No, Keirran sent them to us for a reason. Besides, I want to see this thing for myself. I don’t like the idea of some creature rampaging through the Nevernever, turning my closest friends...um...” She hesitated.
“Horny?” I supplied, and grinned when Ash shot me a look. “Yeah, that’s not ever gonna get old. Don’t worry about me, princess. I’m fine, just gotta be careful on polished floors. What we do have to worry about is where this big bastard is. ’Cause I have no idea where it disappeared to when it crossed the River of Dreams. It could be anywhere by now, turning the local rabbits into vicious horned dinosaur bunnies.”
“Not to mention,” came Grimalkin’s slow, superior voice, “none of you have any idea of what this creature is. And as you saw in Phaed, if you do not know what it is, you will not know how to defeat it. Rushing headlong into a battle without any sort of preparation is doomed to failure.”
I crossed my arms. “You got a better idea, Furball?”
“Indeed.” Grimalkin raised a hind leg and gave it three excruciatingly slow licks before he deigned to answer. “There is one who might know the identity of this creature,” he said. “One whose visions, on occasion, have shown her the future, the past, and everything in between. She knows much about the Nevernever, more than she wishes to at times. She would be the one to help you decipher this new threat to Faery.”
“Another oracle?” Meghan frowned. Her confusion was understandable. The original oracle, an ancient faery who could see into the future, had recently been killed by the Forgotten in the last war. “I didn’t realize there was more than one.”
“There is not,” Grimalkin answered, confusing me now as well. “When one oracle dies, another is reborn into Faery not long after the first one’s death. Or, should I say, her visions and the memories of them are reborn into another. Her name is different, as she is a different person, but she retains the memories of all the oracles before her. I believe this new oracle will have insight into the beast we are hunting.”
“A new oracle,” Meghan breathed. “I had no idea. Where can we find her, Grim?”
“Currently, I believe the new oracle is residing somewhere in the wyldwood.”
“Oh, well, it’ll be easy to find her, then,” I broke in. “’Cause nothing lost in the wyldwood stays lost. Oh wait...”
The cat’s ears flattened to his skull, but he ignored me. “I suppose I can lead you to where the new oracle is staying,” he told Meghan. “If I do not, I have little hope you will ever find it on your own.” He thumped his tail against the table surface. “But there will be a favor due for this, Iron Queen. I have already been across the Between, Phaed, Arcadia, and the Iron Realm. If I am to go gallivanting across the Nevernever with you and the rest of this circus once more, I expect to be properly compensated.”
“I wouldn’t expect any less, Grim,” Meghan replied, and the cat yawned.
“Very well,” he sighed. “I suppose as I am the only competent guide here, I will endeavor to show you the way to the oracle. When do you wish to leave?”
Meghan and Ash shared a glance. “Soon,” Ash said. “Tonight. We’ll need to make some arrangements, get some things in order within the palace, and then we’ll be ready to go.”
“Yes,” Meghan agreed. “This sounds important. I don’t want to put it off any longer than we have to. Puck...” Her blue eyes found mine. “Will you be ready to go tonight?”
“You know me. I was born ready, princess.”
A sudden grinding sound filled the air, like hundreds of rocks being scraped against knives. At first I thought something in the room had malfunctioned, until I realized it was Coaleater, clearing his throat.
“Forgive me, Your Highness,” the huge Iron faery rumbled, making me blink in surprise. For as large and imposing as he was, I’d completely forgotten he was in the room with us. “But I have traveled far from the Obsidian Plains at the behest of our leader, Spikerail. Will you hear what I have come to say? I can wait, if that is what you wish.”
“Coaleater.” Meghan shook her head, as if annoyed with herself. “Of course. I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you wanted an audience. Any of the Iron herd is welcome here; you have my full attention.”
The Iron faery bowed. “You have our gratitude, Iron Queen.” Rising, he paused to collect himself, then continued in a straightforward voice. “Your Majesty, we of the Iron herd have noticed a change in the Obsidian Plains. We have always been the guardians of our territory, protecting the land around the magma pools, and recently we have felt...the only way to describe it is an unsoundness, deep in the earth. The creatures who call the plains their home have also felt it, and we have noticed some of them becoming restless and agitated, when before they have always been peaceful. It is deeply concerning, so much so that Spikerail made the decision to bring this to the Iron Queen’s attention. But now, as I hear the report that Goodfellow and his companion gave, I cannot help but wonder if they are connected.
“I would not presume anything,” the Iron faery went on, “but I wish to join you on this quest, Your Majesty. If anything, I can take what I’ve learned back to the herd. Spikerail will certainly be interested in this. And of course, I would protect you and your companions with my life. This is the Iron herd’s promise.”
Meghan considered, her bro
w creased in a slight frown. “I was unaware there was trouble in the Obsidian Plains,” she murmured. “That is disturbing news. When we are done here, I will have to pay a visit to Spikerail and see if there is anything that can be done.” She pondered a moment more, then glanced at the waiting Iron horse. “You are welcome to join us, Coaleater,” she said. “I will not force you. This quest could be dangerous. But I would welcome your strength, if you wish to come along.”
“Nothing would bring me greater honor, Your Majesty,” Coaleater said with a decisive nod. “I will not disappoint you. I happily serve the queen and the realm, as Ironhorse did before me.”
Throughout all this, Nyx had remained silent, drawn deep into her hood. Now, as Coaleater made his announcement, she raised her head, her skin pale in the bright sunlight streaming through the glass. A strange look crossed her face, confusion and fear...before she flickered out like a snuffed candle.
Alarm jolted my entire insides, but before I could say anything, she reappeared in a blink, though the expression in her eyes was now one of weary resignation, as if she knew what was happening.
The Fade was taking her. Right in front of me.
13
WE DO NOT FORGET
“Nyx!” I lunged, catching her as she collapsed to her knees, winking out again for a fraction of a second. Coaleater snorted in alarm, and Meghan and Ash came forward, their gazes somber, as the Forgotten flickered and sputtered in my arms like a dying flashlight.
“Nyx. Hey, look at me.” I gripped her forearms, feeling helpless and terrified as she slumped against me, going transparent for a heartbeat. Golden eyes met my own, her expression solemn but calm. “Focus,” I urged in a whisper. “Talk to me, assassin. You can’t leave us yet. If you Fade out now, I’m going to have to tell Keirran that the Iron Realm was too much for you to handle after all, and having to say ‘I told you so’ for the next hundred years would be exhausting.”
A faint smile crossed her face, even as she wavered at the edges for a moment. “Are you...trying to annoy me into staying, Goodfellow?”
“I play to my strengths. Is it working?”
“Well, you have succeeded in making me want to stab you,” Nyx whispered, but she had stopped flickering like a weak candle and was slowly regaining color. Or at least not looking like a transparent wraith. She took a deep, careful breath and straightened, gripping my arms for balance, testing her range of motion. “It’s over,” she told me. “I think...I’m all right now. Whatever happened, it seems to have passed.”
“You didn’t tell us you were Fading,” came Ash’s voice over my shoulder, and part of me bristled at the proximity. “We could have helped you, had we known.”
“The Iron Realm has some of the most advanced healers in the Nevernever,” Meghan added, stepping forward. “They can’t stop the Fade, but they might be able to slow it for a time.”
But Nyx gave her head a stubborn shake and rose, drawing me up with her. “There’s no need,” she insisted. “I’m grateful, Your Majesty, but I think I just need to rest. My apologies, I didn’t know I was that close to Fading, but it’s done. I’ve always been fairly certain my time here was limited.”
“Screw that,” I said, angry now. “If you’re so close to Fading, chasing down some big monster who nearly killed us before can’t be great for your health.”
But Nyx met my gaze, calm and unruffled, and she gave a wry smile. “I am fine, Puck. Whatever that was, it must have been a fluke, or a reaction to the sun and the Iron Realm at the same time. I know my duty, and this will not stop me from continuing the mission. I am in no danger of disappearing, at least not for a while.” I took a breath to argue, but she overrode me. “And even if I was, what could you do about it? Some things are beyond anyone’s reach.”
I crossed my arms. “You’d be surprised.”
“Regardless.” She raised her chin. “I’m coming with you. I don’t plan to return to Keirran until I’m certain the creature is dead.”
I snorted. And that would be the end of it. Unless I wanted to physically restrain her, which would probably result in a knife to the ribs, she would go chasing down the monster—the monster that had nearly killed us—with the rest of the group. Weakened, possibly Fading away, but as stubbornly persistent as the most stubborn faery I knew.
Me.
“If you are certain,” Meghan said, and gave a decisive nod, gazing around at us all. “Tonight, then. We’ll meet in the courtyard when the moon rises. And we’ll get to the bottom of what is happening in the Nevernever once and for all. Fix, if you would please show Nyx and Coaleater to the guest chambers. Puck...” She glanced at me with a warm smile. “You know the way. Now, if you would all excuse us,” she went on, and looked to Ash, who nodded grimly, “we have a few things to take care of before this evening.”
And with that, the rulers of the Iron Realm strode from the room, closing the doors behind them as they left.
Fix waddled forward, looking troubled as he turned to Nyx and Coaleater. “If you would both please follow me,” he said. “I will show you where you can rest until this evening.”
Nyx gave me a brief glance, and I shrugged. Stubborn assassin would do what she pleased, regardless of consequences. I would just have to make sure she didn’t Fade away on me, even if I had to risk getting stabbed to do it. “Don’t worry about me,” I told her as she still hesitated. “I know this place like the back of my hand. I’ll see you tonight.”
She nodded once. “Tonight,” she murmured, almost a promise. And then she and Coaleater followed the waiting packrat out the double doors. I watched them leave, watched Nyx until she had turned a corner and was out of sight, and told myself that this was not the last time I would see her.
“Well, then,” I muttered as the doors slowly swung shut, leaving me alone in the room. The stillness was suddenly resounding. “Guess I’ll go see what kind of trouble I can get myself into.”
* * *
“You’re falling for her.”
It was early evening in the Iron Realm. The sun hung low in the sky above the Iron Palace, and the clouds were streaked with pink. I had wandered down to the palace gardens because, one: they were the closest thing to a forest I could find in Mag Tuiredh. And two: I was bored and trying to avoid the temptation to start a gremlin riot in the castle. Meghan had not been amused the last time.
So, I was leaning against a metal trunk in the sprawling palace gardens, watching a flock of tiny blue birds flit around a steel fountain, when a deep, familiar voice echoed behind me. I glanced up to see the Ice Prince himself at the edge of the walk, watching me with a look of wry amusement.
“The Forgotten,” Ash said, as if there were any question as to who he meant. “Nyx. I’ve seen that look before, Goodfellow. Not often, but enough. You always seem to go for the ones that can kill you.” He shook his head with a faint smile. “She’ll be fine, by the way. There are no further signs of Fading. I spoke to a healer, and he believes that as long as she stays out of the sun, she should be all right. So, you can stop worrying and tell me how you two met.”
Relief for Nyx flared, but it was drowned in the flood of memories that roared through me as soon as I heard his voice. “Is that why you came out here, ice-boy?” I drawled, pushing myself off the tree trunk. I felt Robin Goodfellow’s evil smile tugging at the corners of my mouth, the demonic, toothy grin that made kings blanch and dragons hesitate, and forced it back. Not yet, Goodfellow. Not here. Patience. “Was castle gossip not juicy enough today?” I went on, smirking at the former Ice Prince across the courtyard. “Or were you just curious about my new lady friend?”
“You’re avoiding the question,” Ash said, frowning. “But yes, as a matter of fact, I was curious. About a lot of things.” Abruptly serious, he took a few steps toward me, his expression grave. “Meghan is worried about you,” he went on. “We both are. You’re not acting like yourself.”
>
“Is that so?” I challenged. “And how do you think I’m acting, ice-boy?”
“I’ve heard the stories, Puck. My brothers would sometimes tell me about the Puck of the woods, the Robin Goodfellow that caused so much chaos and pandemonium, even they were hesitant to face him. For a long time, I thought they were exaggerating, that they were simply trying to scare me. Because the Puck I knew wasn’t like that.”
Ash hesitated. He had stopped a few feet away, those bright silver eyes boring into me. His posture wasn’t overly cautious or suspicious, but an aura of wary concern surrounded him.
I snorted and turned away, gazing out over the gardens, because if I kept looking at him, I might be tempted to start another feud right here.
Ash didn’t come any closer, either. Though I could still feel that intense gaze on the back of my neck. “But then,” he went on, “the more I got to know you, the more I realized those stories weren’t exaggerations. Because I’ve seen that side of you, Puck. Not often. And never without cause. But every once in a while, when you’re truly angry and think I don’t notice, I see the Goodfellow everyone was afraid of.”
“Observant of you, ice-boy,” I said without turning around. Anger was stirring, not vindictiveness or spite, but real anger, and I clenched a fist to shove it back. “What exactly is your point?”
“My point is that I see him right now,” the Ice Prince finished in a somber voice. “More than I ever have before. He showed up today, in the middle of the Iron Palace, with horns and hooves and that look in his eyes, and he hasn’t left yet. And that worries me. Meghan doesn’t know this side of him, she hasn’t been around long enough, but I’ve seen what this Robin Goodfellow can do, and I know what he’s capable of. So my question to you is, what exactly did that creature do to you, and when do we get the real Goodfellow back?”
