“So you just gave up?” Belin said. “You didn’t threaten them?”
“I-No.”
“Set fire to their house,” Belin said. “Let them know you’re serious.”
“You told me to bring Erris unharmed.”
“Can’t jinn control fire? Frighten them.” Belin looked at Luka, and Luka nodded.
“Jinn, I want to trust you,” Luka said, and Ifra noticed how he was not referring to him by name. “But I’m not sure you’re strong-willed enough to do what needs to be done.”
“No,” Ifra said. “I only thought…” The king was right, really. Ifra didn’t care for violence. He couldn’t bring himself to fight a house full of women to kidnap Erris.
“Father, I told you, we have to bind him to the throne,” Belin said.
“Wait! Please,” Ifra said. Something else had happened there that would interest the king, but he couldn’t quite remember. “There’s something… My memory…” He pulled out Violet’s ribbon again. He remembered her anew, and too late he realized, he didn’t want to tell the fairy king about her.
“What is it?” Luka said. “What is that?”
“It’s… a hair ribbon.” Ifra looked at it in horror. He’d forgotten her enough to make this mistake, and now he remembered her too much to lie. “There was a girl there.”
“A girl? At Ordorio’s?” Luka said. “I heard he had a baby with Melia, but they were both killed. Ordorio didn’t-he couldn’t-the bodies were mangled, so I heard.” His voice rose again. “Was it Ordorio and Melia’s child?”
“Yes.” Ifra wanted to ask more questions about this-how did Luka know?-but it didn’t seem the best time. “There’s some sort of spell on her so people forget her.”
“How’d you get her hair ribbon?” Luka asked. When Ifra didn’t answer right away, Luka said, “She wanted you to remember her, did she? Well, well.”
“Father!” Belin said. “This could be the perfect solution. I could marry the girl. Then we’d have a Tanharrow on the throne and I can still be king. How old would she be?”
“Fifteen,” Luka said. “Yes… you’re right.” He gave his son a sharp look that Ifra didn’t quite understand. They were plotting with their eyes now, between themselves.
Ifra wrapped his fingers tight around the hair ribbon. He’d never meant for this to happen. “I’ll go back,” he said. “And bring her to you.”
“Yes,” Luka said. “This time I’ll make sure of it. I’m sorry, Ifra. I do want to trust you, only-”
“Wait,” Ifra said, trying not to beg, trying to ignore the glittering hunger in Belin’s eyes. “I’m trustworthy. I did go looking for Erris, just as you asked, and I’ll go after him again. I just didn’t know how long you wanted me to take.”
Luka looked at Belin. “Son, could you leave us for a moment.”
“But, Father-”
“I said, leave us. Don’t make me argue with you, I’m already weary.” Luka waved a hand, and this time Belin obeyed, but he looked upset.
Now Ifra stood alone with Luka. The king’s eyes were regretful, tired beneath the glamour.
Ifra dropped to the floor, touching his forehead to the rug. “Please,” he said, his voice calm, his insides anything but. “Even as your bound servant, my magic is not infallible, but know that I live to serve you.”
“I’m sorry,” Luka said. “I wish you were not a kind young man, because these are not kind times. I don’t need a good heart, Ifra, I need someone trustworthy, and you are not a good liar. It is now my wish that you will be bound to serve the one who sits upon the fairy throne until the end of your days.”
Worse than hearing the words was the feeling that swept over him-a sickening feeling, like a vise clamped around his heart, forcing his will to obey whatever Luka asked of him. He had known this feeling before, when he had to grant a wish he didn’t really want to grant, but this feeling was far worse-as if he not only had to grant the wish, but he
“I know it must be hard for you, Ifra, but if it helps, know that you are precious to me. I’ll care for you. I reward men for a job well done, and I’ll reward you too. You’ll have anything you want-money, feasts. A lovely wife. When you come back, if you wish, I’ll throw you a feast and invite all the loveliest girls in the fairy kingdom. Your work may be distasteful, but you will protect my kingdom and my people, and when you aren’t working for me, your hours will be all your own. I have no doubt the people will love you. You’ll be a hero.”
Ifra took a deep breath, absorbing the words. He could have a wife. He would be a hero. If he had to be bound, most jinn would envy the situation. Was it really worse than his childhood, snatching fun only when his tutor wasn’t looking? He got to his feet. “All right, master.” He couldn’t call him Luka anymore, not when the king had done this to him. “What would you have me do?”
“I want you to bring me Melia’s daughter unharmed, and destroy the clockwork body of Erris Tanharrow.”
Chapter 17
The shortest day of the year passed us by, celebrated with music and popcorn and a pie made from jarred summer cherries. The mornings were positively frigid, and the stove wouldn’t hold a fire overnight, so I came downstairs every morning to find Celestina bundled in a coat thrown over her long underwear, getting it started so we could all have tea.
“I know you’re afraid of magic,” I told her one particularly frigid day. “I certainly understand why. But you should learn to warm yourself. It’ll make the morning more pleasant.”
She didn’t resist for long. That cold kitchen, with all the water too frozen to drink, could’ve motivated anyone to sorcery. I showed her how to draw the warmth from the stove, very slowly, using her breath. It took her several mornings to master, but I saw her eyes light the moment she had it.
“We’re going to turn into a houseful of witches,” she said with a grin.
Her words turned out to be even truer than I expected.
One day in January, after a week of surprisingly mild weather, with just enough snow to make everything lovely, I heard a soft knock on the door. Erris was outside with Violet, and Celestina was in the kitchen. I was just coming downstairs with some of Ordorio’s books-I’d been extracting what kernels of information I could from them.
I supposed I was as good a person to answer the door as anyone. And the jinn hadn’t been much for knocking in the past, so I had no reason to assume it was him. Still, I took an umbrella from the stand by the door and held it behind me.
A small woman stood, clad in a black velvet hooded cape, clutching a bag and an armful of books. She smiled. “Dr. Greinfern sent me. I’m the help you requested.”
“
I had only ever seen Annalie Parry in a room lit by the glowing, firefly-like orbs of the spirits that followed her everywhere. There was no sign of them now. She was out in the daylight like an ordinary woman, although with gloves and a hooded cape, which she now pushed back, revealing her thick chestnut hair caught in a loose knot at her nape.
“I didn’t really go to Karstor’s because he was worried about me. He wanted to see if he could lift the curse, but I didn’t tell you in case it failed. I’m still sensitive.”
“That’s… that’s wonderful!” I hardly knew what to say. She was the last person I’d expected to see. “Did you take the train up?” What a ridiculous question. Did I think she’d stolen a ride on the back of a magical bird?
“Yes. Goodness. I hadn’t been on a train in so long, but it was nice. I sat near the sweetest family. They own a big strawberry farm down south and the little girl told me how to make strawberry cake. So earnest. But then when I got here… well, the people here in Cernan are… charming, aren’t they? They told me Ordorio-”
“Sold his soul to the devil?” I offered.
“Yes, and that some sorcerer was training a coven of witches here.” She wiggled her fingers, mocking the ominous warning. “Of course, the fellow looked at me like he thought I’d fit right in.”
“No, they don’t exactly like us in town,” I said. “But we keep to ourselves.”
