“You saved me,” I said.
The bodyguard nodded at me, but Sorcha flinched, probably out of regret. Brendan joined them, followed by Grim and Realtín. Grim rushed to help me to my feet.
“I told you his family were no longer to be trusted,” the bodyguard said. “I never expected it to go this far, but we need to clean out our house, my lord.”
“What do you recommend?” Brendan asked.
“Líle can be trusted to watch over the true child of Ireland. She would never betray her post. There are others who should be replaced. Friends of this traitor.” He glared at the body in disgust. “If you’re agreeable, it’s time to fight back, but we need to take measures first.”
Brendan frowned. “Peace is still an option.”
“We may not have a choice.”
Brendan nodded. “I trust you, Arlen. Do what needs to be done.”
“I must check her living quarters, and yours.”
“Do it. Realtín, fetch Líle now. Sorcha, I’ll need you for the rest of the day.”
He stood there, ordering people about for the next ten minutes until Realtín returned with Líle. I had seen her a couple of times before, and she seemed pleasant enough. She was tall and wingless with burnt orange hair and eyes. Her skin didn’t shimmer so much as it burned. Her veins looked like smouldering embers under her skin.
“Líle,” Brendan said, “you are now in charge of protecting the true child until the ceremony is over. You won’t leave her side, even when she sleeps. Same goes for you two.” He gestured at Grim and Realtín. “And don’t let Cara protect you next time.” He looked at me. “Try to stay out of trouble for a few hours.”
“I need to go out,” I said.
“It’s too—”
“It can’t be any more dangerous outside. At least I’m not sitting in the same place, waiting to be attacked. Your bodyguard already said he wanted to check out my room, so I’ll just be in the way. I won’t even be alone, so what’s the problem?”
“I’ll keep her safe, my lord,” Líle said. “If there’s any trouble, I’ll drag her back here.”
“Let her go. He won’t expect the daoine sídhe to have failed,” Sorcha added.
“He?” Brendan narrowed his eyes. “You know more than I do now?”
Sorcha’s mouth tightened into a thin line. “Sadler did this. He’s playing with you, and you know as well as I do that the only option you have left is to end his life. Put him out of his misery before he causes more mischief.”
“It doesn’t have to come to that,” he said. “There’s still time to fix this. You may leave, Cara, but know that you’re at risk. Líle, your old team follows. Stay aware.”
He walked away with Arlen and Sorcha.
I looked long and hard at Líle, trying to size her up. “If you’re going out with me, you need to either humanise yourself or hide.”
“Not a problem.”
I narrowed my eyes. “And be nice to Grim and Realtín.”
She looked taken aback, but she nodded. “Duly noted.”
Satisfied, I got ready to leave, eager to get out of the fae atmosphere, despite the fact at least three fae would be tagging along. And whoever else was sneaking around where I couldn’t see them.
“Wait,” I said when we reached the front door. “I need to see Anya first.”
“I’ll fetch her,” Realtín said. “If only to stop your worrying.”
Líle frowned while we waited, and I wondered what her problem was. When Anya came to me, her eyes were sunken, her neck bruised, and her arm had been patched up.
“I’m so very sorry,” I said, hugging her carefully. “You have to cut this bond, Anya. It’s too risky.”
“It’s not for me to cut,” she said in a hoarse voice. “I am well now, and I’m glad I helped you. It’s a purpose I needed. Please don’t end the bond between us. I don’t want to go back to the way it was.”
The longing in her eyes was so familiar that I nodded, speechless. Maybe we were more alike than I realised.
“Go sleep in my room,” I said. “As soon as Arlen is finished checking it out. You need rest, and I’d like you to stay with me now. It must have been terrifying to feel…” I shook my head, my eyes tearing up. The blue-haired pixie might have acted light-hearted and carefree, but she was more of a slave than anyone. I had made her life worse by dancing with danger and flirting with a king.
“I know Arlen,” she said. “I’ll tell him I’m wanted in your quarters. But I’ll sleep on the floor. I know my place.”
“Sleep on the bed. I have to start trying to make this up to you.”
She smiled, and when she walked away, I wished I could take the weight from her shoulders.
“Let’s go,” I said. “I could really use some air.”
We walked aimlessly away from the faery house. I needed time to think, time away from Brendan so I could try to understand why I wasn’t angrier with him. I also wanted time away from Drake’s body.
“What’s the deal with the pixies?” I asked.
Realtín snorted. “They’re the lowest of the low. Worth nothing.”
“They are playmates for children, playthings for any fae who wants to be entertained,” Grim said. “Slaves to their reputation.”
“All they do is laugh and dance and obey their masters,” Realtín said. “I bet they don’t even have minds of their own.”
“Anya has a mind of her own,” I said. “She’s not like the others.”
“Maybe she found something else to hold on to,” Líle said. “It’s easy for all of us to get lost otherwise.”
I wanted to ask her what she meant, but I didn’t know her at all, and I wasn’t sure yet if I trusted her.
“I wonder if more daoine sídhe will come for you,” Realtín said brightly.
“Thanks for that thought. I won’t be able to sleep now. What are the odds of me making it to the ceremony alive?”
“Nobody is going to die on my watch,” Líle said in a tone that plainly conveyed she found the idea of failure to be a personal insult.
“We’re here, too,” Realtín said. “We’ll all make it.”
“Except for Drake,” I said under my breath.
“Who’s Drake?” Líle asked.
“I, um, he’s—”
“Weren’t you supposed to meet up with that human girl?” Realtín interrupted.
I smiled gratefully at her. “Yeah, I’ll just text her.”
Zoe was with Darren and Eoin, but she seemed excited to meet up with me near her house.
“Act human, okay?” I instructed Líle on the way.
She gave a hearty laugh which made me exceptionally nervous. Zoe met me at the end of her road, waving and jogging away from the others to give me a hug.
“You keep disappearing!” she practically squealed in my ear.
“Sorry. How are you? Your mam okay?”
“Yeah, she’s fine. We went back to the house to pick up a few things, and the place had been cleaned up. It was like new. Think your dad grew a conscience all of a sudden?”
I glanced at Grim. “Yeah, maybe.”
“Mam decided not to involve the police. I think she wants to pretend nothing happened.”
“That’s going around a lot lately,” I said.
She noticed Líle for the first time. “Who’s this?”
“Líle. She’s, um, a relative of Drake’s.”
“You’re still staying with him?”
My cheeks burned under Líle’s curious gaze. “Líle’s new in town, so I thought we could show her around.”
“Yeah, definitely,” Zoe said, still staring at Líle. I wondered if some faery magic was affecting her.
Darren and Eoin came over, and Zoe made all of the introductions. I was just glad to get off the topic of Drake.
“Want to get a coffee or something?” Zoe asked.
“That would be great,” Líle said, her voice low and seductive.
Zoe grinned and linked arms
with me as we walked toward the café. Darren and Eoin trailed behind us. Realtín kept tripping them up, laughing hysterically all the while.
“You’re practically glowing,” Zoe said. “Having fun at the boyfriend’s?”
“No boyfriend,” I said firmly. “Can we not talk about this right now?”
Zoe frowned, but she got the hint. She would probably make up some reasonable explanation in her head.
A group of teenage boys passed, leering at Zoe. She didn’t notice. Darren, on the other hand, immediately started an argument. I looked back in surprise to see him squaring up to a sixteen-year-old.
“Darren, what are you doing?” Zoe demanded when he shoved the lad, knocking him to the ground.
“Shut the fuck up, Zo,” Darren yelled, his face reddening.
One of the boy’s friends whipped out a blade.
“Come on then, you fucking coward!” Darren shouted, slamming his fists against his chest like the Neanderthal I’d always suspected him to be.
Eoin headbutted a third boy. What happened next was kind of a blur. All of the bodies seemed to mesh together until Líle walked right through them, separating them without so much as a word. As if following a silent command, the group of teenagers headed off together. Eoin wiped some blood from his face with a grin.
“What the hell?” I said.
“This is what I’m talking about,” Zoe said, her face paling. “It’s freaking me out. And look! People just walk right by as if nothing is happening. Nobody calls the police, nobody interferes, nobody even looks their way. Nothing makes sense anymore.”
“Yeah, I know exactly what you mean,” I said.
“I feel like leaving them alone will make things worse,” she admitted. “Like they’ll be completely out of control. That kid pulled a knife, Cara, and Darren didn’t give a shit. Look at him.” Her upper lip curled in distaste as Darren and Eoin shouldered each other, celebrating as if they had won something. “Sometimes I wonder how I ended up with him.”
Líle shepherded Darren and Eoin ahead of us. Both of them laughed and joked as if the trip had never been interrupted. Zoe and I followed at a distance. Realtín flew around Líle and the boys, surrounding them in a halo of light. Grim stayed by my side, his expression worried.
“It’s like they don’t even care,” I said, more to Grim than Zoe. He gave me a knowing look.
“I know,” Zoe said. “I’m so stressed out. Erika and Fiona had a massive row yesterday. I thought they were going to tear each other’s hair out. My neighbours down the road went on a rampage and slashed everyone’s tyres. I heard a teacher in the secondary school behind your house punched a student last week. Some bad mojo in the air.”
I sucked in a breath. “It’ll be over soon. Maybe it’s a full moon or something.”
“Well, whatever it is, I’m swiftly losing patience with it. You’re the only person I don’t want to slap right now, I swear.”
I gave her a worried glance. If Zoe succumbed to whatever bad energy was in the air, I would never forgive myself. Worse, if Darren hurt her because of the fae running wild in the world… I couldn’t even think about it.
We made it to the café without any other disasters occurring, but even Grim was restless, as though the unpredictability of my human friends had affected him, too. I had to keep reminding myself that it wasn’t their fault, that it was the fae influence over them, but it was hard whenever I remembered Eoin’s grin as he wiped blood from his face. It reminded me too clearly of the black-winged faery and his enjoyment in inflicting pain.
I desperately wanted to return to the safety of Brendan’s home. At least there I knew to expect the madness. The outside world held nothing but questions.
We ended up sitting in the café for over an hour, Zoe and Líle flirting shamelessly with each other the entire time. Darren grew more and more sour, and Eoin insisted on aggressively trying to engage me in conversation.
Growing more frustrated by the minute, I made excuses as soon as I could, leaving Zoe with Darren and Eoin. “What was that?” I blurted as soon as we left the café.
Líle grinned. “I enjoy your friend.”
“Weirdo. You can’t put spells on my friends.”
She looked offended again. “I do not need to put spells on humans.”
“Okay, relax.” I held out my hand. “Can we at least have a truce?”
She took my hand and squeezed it. “I have no problem with you, true child.”
I wasn’t sure yet. “Thanks for stopping that fight earlier. It could have gotten nasty. Well, nastier.”
She nodded grimly. “Fae manipulation. Darker fae provoking the humans. Looks like one has gotten a grip on your friend’s boyfriend. The sooner we have a leader, the better.”
“Is she safe with him?”
“For now.”
I grew nervous the closer we got to Brendan’s home. I had been attacked there more than once, but I had other reasons to be nervous of the fae king.
“The rumours are true then,” Líle said softly. “The king is not himself.”
“There’s nothing wrong with the king,” I said sharply.
She raised a brow. “Who is Drake then?”
I hesitated. “Someone I met one night. It was easier to say you’re related than make up a new story. That’s all.”
“You’re a terrible liar.” She glanced at me. “The rumours are building about Brendan. They say he’s weak, but I don’t believe it. I grew up on his deeds. There’s never been a more powerful fae than he. And in the house, people whisper of the other soul refusing to let go.”
Grim piped up eagerly. “This experience will make him a better king. He’s learning from the other soul. Drake is teaching him humility and mercy. Brendan’s a far better choice than the queens.”
Líle nodded. “Some of us are still loyal. Arlen has his work cut out for him. Even with this other soul, the girl is seen as the king’s biggest weakness.”
“She’s his strength,” Grim said. “She’s the key to his true power.”
“Stop talking about me like I’m not here,” I said, feeling uncomfortable. “It’ll be over soon, and then you can all get on with your lives.”
Realtín patted my cheek affectionately. “I know it’ll hurt when Drake’s gone, but the pain will soften eventually.”
Líle stared at me in surprise. “You’re keeping the other soul here?”
“I’m not doing anything,” I said. “He’s strong, too. That’s all. What the banshee did was unnatural.”
“Drake cares for her, and she for him,” Realtín said. “It’s not their fault this happened.”
“This is strange,” Líle said. “I thought there was something going on with the king—I mean, he indulges her so—but not a relationship with the other soul.”
“Nothing’s going on. There’s nothing,” I said. “There’s no future. He’ll be gone, and Brendan will be done with me. You lot will forget Drake and me. Everyone will forget.” Except for me.
I walked fast, keeping my head down. I hated thinking about what would happen. As much as I wanted Drake to stay, the thought of Brendan fading was almost as bad, but I would never admit that aloud.
“You could speak to the Goddess,” Líle said.
“What?”
“Brendan might be king, but there are higher entities. Humans have religions; this is our version of that. Some of us pray to the Goddess, others sacrifice to the priestesses, but it’s all one.”
“And it’s all forbidden,” Grim said sharply. “Brendan made sure of that when he last reigned.”
“He did,” Líle said. “But that doesn’t stop the Goddess from existing, and Imbolc is Brighid’s own festival.” She looked at me. “They say she drew power from her worshippers, but Brendan feared her name. He was young and foolish, and perhaps that was his true downfall. Perhaps the Goddess punished him for his sins.”
“You’re a follower,” Realtín said in a hushed voice.
“I have g
ained comfort from praying to the Goddess,” Líle admitted. “I have an affinity with the Three, and I think it’s wrong for any king to tell me who to worship. Royalty are not gods. Those already exist.”
“Why are you telling me all of this?” I asked, remembering how upset Brendan had been when he told me about his version of Brighid.
“If I had been male, I would have been forced to stand with those fae that night. By a twist of birth, I could have been the one pushed out of my own body. We’re all under the thumb of another. I take pride in my loyalty, but my faith is far deeper.”
“How could I do it?” I asked. “How do I… make the Goddess listen?”
“No,” Grim urged. “Don’t do it, Cara. Don’t involve yourself in these matters. Brendan would be angry if he learned of it, and the Goddess’s servants are fickle. They grant requests in ways you don’t expect. It’s not worth the risk.”
“I have to try something,” I said.
“Trust me,” Líle said. “Anything is possible, and nothing is set in stone in this world. Complacency is what ruins royalty. We’ll see if Brendan truly learned his lessons, but that doesn’t mean this other soul is lost forever.”
For the first time, I felt a true spark of hope that I could find a future I wanted. And then I remembered I was relying on fae.
Chapter Twenty
The next day, the cat was sprawled across my bed as I stared out of the bedroom window. The gardens were beautiful, but I wondered just how much of it was real. Brendan walked amongst the rose bushes with Sorcha, his shoulders hunched. Líle and Anya were playing cards, but Líle’s eyes had been trained on me for a while. Realtín and Grim whispered in the corner.
“I’m going for a walk,” I announced. Every one of them rose to their feet in a bustle, and I sighed at the idea I would never have privacy again. “Just in the garden,” I clarified, but even the cat moved to the windowsill as if to watch over me.
Outside, my little entourage followed me to the rose bushes where Brendan was still wandering with Sorcha. He didn’t meet my eyes when we approached, and I felt a little pang of longing. I had spent the night with that body, but the current soul couldn’t look me in the eye.