Page 37
I gazed at the map, my fingers hovering over a spot in the United States. Two bright red dots in the state of Louisiana, near my home town.
Todd.
Keirran scanned the table, his expression grave. “And the other courts do nothing?” he murmured. “Mab and Oberon and Titania don’t know what’s going on?”
“They’ve been informed, darling,” Leanansidhe said, waving her cigarette flute in a dismissive manner. “However, the Summer and Winter courts do not think it important enough to intervene. What do they care about the lives of a few exiles and half-breeds? As long as the problem remains in the mortal realm, they are content to do nothing. ”
“Why didn’t you tell Meghan?” I broke in. “She would’ve done something. She’s trying to do something now. ”
Leanansidhe frowned at me. “That might be true, pet. But sadly, I have no way to get a message to the Iron Queen without my informants dropping dead from iron sickness. It is very difficult to contact the Iron Realm when no one is willing to set foot there. In fact, I was waiting for this one—” she waved her flute at Keirran “—to come sniffing around after Annwyl again, so that I could give him a message to bring back to Mag Tuiredh. ”
Keirran blushed slightly but didn’t reply. Razor giggled on his shoulder.
I looked down at the map again, my thoughts whirling. So many gone. A part of me said not to care, that the fey were finally getting what they deserved after centuries of making humans disappear.
But there was more at stake now. Todd was still missing, and I’d promised to find him. Meghan would be getting involved soon. And now, there was Keirran.
I didn’t want to think about Keirran right now.
“Then,” I muttered, continuing to gaze at the map, “you’re going to need someone who can investigate these things, someone who isn’t a half-breed or an exile, who doesn’t have any glamour they can suck dry. ” Someone who’s human.
“Exactly, darling. ” Leanansidhe stared down with a chilling gleam in her eyes. I could feel it on the back of my neck without even seeing her. “So…are you volunteering, pet?”
I sighed.
“Yeah,” I muttered and straightened to face her. “I am. I have a friend I’ve got to find, but this has become even bigger than that. I don’t know what freaks are out there, and I don’t like it. If these glamour-sucking things are so widespread, it’s only a matter of time before all the exiles are gone, and then they might start on the Nevernever. ”
Where Meghan is.
“Excellent, darling, excellent. ” Leanansidhe beamed, looking pleased. “And what about you two?” she asked, gesturing to Kenzie and Keirran, on opposite ends of the table. “What will the son of the Iron Queen do, now that he’s aware of the danger? You can always go home, you know, warn the kingdom. Though I can’t imagine the Iron Queen will be pleased when she finds out what you’ve been doing. ”
“I’m going with Ethan,” Keirran said softly. “I have to. Whatever these things are, I won’t stand by while they kill off any more of our kind, exiled or not. ”
“Including Annwyl, is that right, pet?”
Keirran faced the Exile Queen directly, raising his chin. “Especially her. ”
“I’m going, too,” Kenzie piped in, and frowned at me, as if guessing I was just about to suggest she go home. Which I was, but she didn’t need to know.
“Kenzie, this isn’t your fight anymore. ” I looked at Keirran, hoping he would back me on this. He just shrugged unhelpfully. “You don’t have a stake in this,” I continued, trying to be reasonable. “You have no family or siblings or—” I looked at Keirran “—girlfriends to worry about. You didn’t even know Todd very well. We’re closer to the mortal world than we’ve ever been now, and you can go home anytime. Why are you still here?”
“Because I want to be!” she snapped, like that was the end of it. We glared at each other, and she threw up her hands. “Jeez, Ethan, we’ve been over this already. Get it through your stubborn head, okay? Do you think, with everything I’ve seen, I can just go home and forget it all? I’m not here because of family or siblings or friends—I’m here because of you! And because I want to see this! I want to know what’s out there. ”
“You can’t even see them,” I argued. “These things exist in the real world, remember? You don’t have the Sight, so how are you going to help us when you won’t even know where they are?”
She pursed her lips. “I’ll…think of something. ”
“I may be able to help with that, darling,” Leanansidhe broke in. We looked up, and the Exile Queen smiled at Kenzie, twiddling her cigarette holder. “You are a spunky little thing, aren’t you, pet? I rather like you. With all the riffraff from the Goblin Market hanging out in my living room, I’m certain we’ll be able to find something that will help you with your nonexistent Sight. However…” She raised one perfectly manicured nail. “A warning, my dove. This is not a simple request, nor does it come cheap. To grant a human the Sight is not something I take lightly. I will have something from you in return, if you agree. ”
“No!” My outburst made Kenzie start, though Leanansidhe blinked calmly, looking irritated and amused at the same time. “Kenzie, no,” I said, taking a step toward her. “Never make a deal with the fey. The price is always too high. ”
Kenzie regarded me briefly, then turned back to the Exile Queen, her expression thoughtful. “What kind of price are we talking about?” she asked softly.
“Kenzie!”
“Ethan. ” Her voice was quiet but firm as she looked over her shoulder. “It’s my decision. ”
“The hell it is! I’m not going to let you do this—”
“Ethan, darling,” Leanansidhe ordered, and brought her finger and thumb together. “Shush. ”
And suddenly, I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t make a sound. My mouth opened, vocal chords straining to say something, but I had gone as mute as the paint on the wall. “This is my home,” the Dark Muse continued, and the lights flickered on and off as she stared at me. “And here you will obey my rules. If you don’t like it, pet, you’re welcome to leave. But the girl and I have business to conduct now, so sit down and be a good boy, won’t you? Don’t make me turn you into a very whiny guitar. ”
I clenched my fists, wanting to hit something, wanting to grab Kenzie and get us both out of there. But even if I left, Leanansidhe wouldn’t let Kenzie go, not without completing the bargain. Attacking someone as powerful as the Exile Queen was a very stupid idea, even for me. I wanted to protect Kenzie, but I couldn’t do that if Leanansidhe turned me into a guitar. So I could only stand there, clenching and unclenching my fists, as Kenzie prepared to deal with the Exile Queen. Keirran watched me, his gaze apologetic, and I resisted the urge to hit him, too.
“Ethan. ” Kenzie looked back at me, horror crossing her face as she realized what had happened, then whirled on Leanansidhe. “Whatever you just did to him,” she demanded, bristling, “stop it right now. ”
“Oh, pish, darling. He’s just a little tongue-tied at the moment. Nothing he won’t recover from. Eventually. ” The Exile Queen gave me a dismissive wave. “Now, my dove. I believe we have some business to conclude. You want to be able to see the Hidden World, and I want something from you, as well. The question is, what are you willing to pay?”
Kenzie stared at me a moment longer, then slowly turned back to the Dark Muse. “I take it we’re not talking about money. ”
Leanansidhe laughed. “Oh, no, my pet. Nothing so crude as that. ” She strolled forward until Kenzie was just a foot away, gazing up at the Exile Queen looming over her. “You have something else that I’m interested in. ”
I started forward, but Keirran grabbed my arm.
“Ethan, don’t,” he whispered as I glared at him, wondering if I shouldn’t lock his elbow out and force him to his knees. “She’ll do something nasty if you try to interfere. I’ve seen it.
Even if it’s not on you, she could take it out on others. I can’t let you hurt yourself…or Annwyl. ”
“I can feel the creative energy in you, pet,” the Exile Queen mused, lightly stroking Kenzie’s long black hair, and Keirran had to tighten his grip on my arm. “You are an artist, aren’t you, darling? A smith of words, one might say. ”
“I’m a journalist,” Kenzie replied cautiously.
“Exactly so, darling,” said Leanansidhe, moving a few steps back. “You create music with words and sentences, not notes. Well, here is my bargain, my pet—I will offer you a little of my…shall we say ‘divine inspiration,’ for a very special piece I’m willing to commission. ”
“And…what do you want me to write about?”
“I want you to publish something about me, darling,” Leanansidhe said, as if that were obvious. “That’s not such a horrible price, is it, pet? Oh, but here is the real kicker—every word you put down on paper will practically sing from the page. It will touch everyone who reads it, in one form or another. The words will be yours, the thoughts will be yours. I will just add a little inspiration to make the work truly magnificent. Let me do this, and I will give you the ability to see the fey. ”
Kenzie, no! I wanted to shout. If you let her do this, you’ll be giving a piece of yourself to Leanansidhe. She’ll take a bit of your life in exchange for the inspiration, that’s how the Dark Muse works!
Kenzie hesitated, considering. “One piece?” she said at last, as I turned desperately to Keirran, grabbing his collar. “That’s all?”
Say something, I thought, beseeching the faery with my gaze. Dammit, Keirran, you know what’s going on. You can’t let her agree without the full knowledge of what she’s getting into. Say something!