“Don’t make that terrible sound again, human sorceress. Your magic leeches my youth, and that’s something I refuse to give up.”
What’s she talking about? I’m no sorceress, but if she believes I am, I’m not about to contradict her.
Suddenly, I hear ragged breathing at my back. Water drips next to my legs. Ever. He’s alive.
“Looks like you chose the wrong mortal to mess with, Aer.” He spits beside her hair, a crass gesture I never imagined I’d see from a high fae.
The órga falcons and the sylphs are back, swooping through the arena like swallows.
“Kill her,” I say, my words hoarse. “Please, Ever, before she can—”
“You know I can’t. She’s one of the Five, Lara. The kingdom falls without her power.”
“Allow me to deal with my sister,” says a disembodied voice. And, hallelujah, Ether appears from the mist, arriving in a blaze of silver, her fathomless black eyes wide and framed by a fluffy halo of white hair upon which sits a starry crown. “Better late than never, Prince Everend.”
Ever’s smile is a wonder to see. “Indeed. What will you do with her?”
She scowls first at the blood dripping from Ever’s gashed stomach. “After I heal you, I will bind her in service to the elves. If they show her more mercy than she deserves, then so be it. But her power to harm ends now.”
“No.” Aer tries to rise only to find herself slammed against the ground with a mere glance from Ether. “Sister, you cannot do this.”
“It is done.” Ether turns toward the castle ruins, beckoning into the shadows. “It is safe to come out.”
Raff comes forward leading a solemn tribe of moss elves. They gather around us, holding my hands and my cloak as the High Mage enfolds Ever in her arms. His eyes roll back in his head, and I hold my breath.
The world flashes white, black, then white again, and when Aer steps away, his bloody wound is only a long slash of puckered skin.
I go to his side, my arm encircling his waist. “I can’t thank you enough, Ether.” I swallow before continuing. “But I need to ask one more thing of you… can you somehow break or lessen the curse?”
Her white head bows, the stars in her crown sparkling. “I am sorry, Lara, for this is how the curse is written: If by another’s hand the chosen dies, then before their blood fully weeps and dries, black will fade to gray, gray to white, and white to never. Never was the darkest taint and never will it ever be. Or take the chosen for a bride, and the poison ceases deep inside. I’m afraid only Everend has the power to end his suffering. It is his fate to abide by these words.”
“But what do they mean? He has to kill me if he wants to end it?”
Claw-like fingernails tear my clothes, pulling me close. Aer. She’s on her feet and flanked by scolding, muttering elves. “That’s right, mortal,” she says. “Our prince will never be yours.”
“Silence your drivel,” says Ether, and Aer’s lips disappear, leaving wrinkled skin where her mouth should be. “I would never have opened the portal and brought Lara to our land had I known you planned to harm them both if you could not have your way.”
Aer can only answer with muffled moans.
The tallest woman and leader of the moss elves bows in greeting. “Fairest Black Blood prince and his lady, valiant Lara of the human realm, we wish you much happiness and joy. Take heart, a new dawn always follows the darkest of nights. May your paths be always filled with light.”
Ever and I bow, and the elves drag a snarling Aer into the trees. As they go, they sing the mournful Fairy Boy, the song I performed for the Merits. How have they managed to learn it?
“Lara, are you well?” Ever kisses my forehead, and when I draw back, I touch my throat in wonder.
“Yes, but how the blazes did I do that?”
He smiles. “I knew your voice was magical, but I did not know its full power. It was extraordinary. You’re extraordinary. If it weren’t for you, I would be dead.”
I say to Ether, “You told me music is magic here in Faery. I didn’t quite understand that you meant it literally.”
She smiles but explains nothing. Damn perplexing faeries.
“Brother,” Raff says. “I’m sorry I failed you. When I left Ether, I could not find Aer in all her usual haunts. She was already on her way to you.”
“I thank you for bringing the High Mage in time.” Ever gives him a back-slapping man hug. “Forgive me, I must speak to Lara.”
“Then meet us at the cave when you are ready.” Raff gives me a soft glance, and he and Ether walk up the path toward the Black Castle.
“What does he mean, Ever? Ready for what?”
Words tumble out, rough and urgent. “I swore to break my queen, to kill her when I found her because I would do anything to avoid becoming king, and Aer’s miserable puppet she could torment forever. I swore it so I could free Raff from the same fate. But I cannot break you, Lara. I can’t do it.”
“You’re saying you care about me, but you want me to leave. That’s illogical. We can find another way to stay together.”
Around us, the wind buffets and roars, the fresh smell of rain tickling my nose.
“For us, there is no other way. You must return home where you’ll be safe. And the curse will live on as it must. If I could change this, I would.”
“No.”
“Remember the night you stayed in my chambers? The game I won, remember what you promised?”
“No. No, I don’t remember,” I lie. How could I forget? I remember every single thing he’s ever said to me.
“If I won, you promised to give me a word. This word is the debt you owe, and now is the time to pay it.”
I have no idea what the word might be, but I can only imagine what the manipulative prince has in store. It won’t have anything to do with what I want. And I’m not having any part of it.
Determined to hold my ground, I meet his gaze. “No. No way. I won’t do it.”
“You will.” Silver eyes flash and narrow to slits. “Do you want to know the word you must say?”
“Nope.” Pressing my palms to my ears, I turn away. I won’t look. I just won’t look at him.
He grips my wrists, pulling them roughly, and sound rushes back. “The word is yes.”
“Okay. Great, that’s easy to say. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. There you go—now you have it many times over. Debt paid. You’re welcome.”
“Lara, listen to me. Will you promise to leave this place and return to your human life?”
“Nope.”
“Lara. Give me what you promised. Tell me the word. Will you leave this place and return to your home?”
A charge zings through the air as he grips my shoulders, the temperature dropping several degrees. Snowflakes fall through the air, drifting on currents, then lace his lashes and hair. It’s beautiful. It’s also perfectly horrid.
I close my eyes and picture my bedroom, hear the sounds from the park next door. I imagine hugging Isla, the clink and clank of dishes, the smells of Max’s diner—spaghetti sauce and frying hamburger meat. Home. I should want to go, but I don’t. Instead, I want to sink into Ever’s arms, feel the bite of cold metal against my cheek, smell his clean, woodsy scent.