Her head cocked to the side in the creepiest of creepy horror moves. “Hello, Princess.”
“Chrys,” Jasper snarled behind me, and I was snapped from my fearful daze.
The witch snarled and lunged for me, but I ducked as a ball of blue magic sailed through the air and crashed at her feet.
Thank you, Jasper. Maybe I’d throw in another acre of land. He was proving useful.
“Liam.” I approached him with caution.
He looked at me and frowned. “There’s only two…his guy got away with the other.” A tear ran down his cheek, and his eyes were threading with darkness.
“It’s okay. We’ll get the other one another time.” I reached out to him.
“Don’t touch me!” he screamed.
I whimpered, pulling off the backpack and fumbling for the healing jar of water. After this one, we had only one left. I needed to heal the crystals of their darkness before it seeped too deeply into Liam.
“You’ll hate me,” he mumbled.
“What?” He wasn’t making sense.
He stared at the crystals in his hands like they were blood. “I’ll love you no matter what, and you’ll hate me.”
Chills rose on my arms, and I looked up at him as my fingers clasped the lid of the jar. “You’re not making sense. I could never hate you.”
He was staring blankly at the wall, tears pouring down his cheeks, lost in some nightmare I couldn’t see. He looked so despondent, it broke my heart.
“It’s unforgivable…” he mumbled.
I spun the lid off and doused both of his hands with the water, upending the entire jar. As he gasped, the darkness retreated from his eyes, and he shook his head as if awakening from a dream. “I was lost,” he mumbled.
I looked down at the blue crystals in his hands and reached out to massage the back of his neck. “You’re okay now.”
He nodded. “One of my dad’s men ran off with the crystal.”
“It’s okay. Let’s get back to Faerie, stay the night there, and regroup.”
Jasper and the witch’s fight had spilled out onto the back lawn, and I didn’t want to stick around for the Winter King to come back and kick my ass. Best to retreat and live to fight another day. We’d gotten this far—one final crystal could be managed.
“My house won’t be safe,” Liam said.
I shook my head. “No. Everyone stays in Faerie. It’s your home now.”
Liam frowned. “But what about Indra? We need one more crystal.”
“Fuck Indra. I’m the princess of Spring, and the Spring Court welcomes you and the others.”
It was time I took my power back. I’d given it away or kept it hidden for too long.
We burst into Faerie, bleeding and broken. All sixty-something of us poured out into the main square and passed Meadow Park, where fae stopped to stare. This time, Indra met us halfway. She flew right up to greet us, hand on her sword and the other Elders at her back.
“Did you get them all?” she sneered.
Fucking bitch. We risked our lives, and that was the first thing she asked?
“No one died today, thanks for asking,” I snapped.
When Jasper limped up behind me and faced down Indra, the blood drained from her face. I’d begged Jasper on the way over not to out my royal lineage just yet. He was shocked to hear I hadn’t told anyone. He thought I should run through town ringing a bell and announcing it while everyone bowed to me.
No, thank you.
I wanted to wake the queen and do this properly. She could be the one who was worshiped, and I could go back to Seeking in the background. But I might need to let Indra know I knew…if it came to that. I still hadn’t seen the memory of how Indra knew my mom had hidden me and wiped her memory, but I didn’t need to. I was ready to move on from that. For now.
“Jasper Wick,” Indra said. “Last I remember, you were banished from Faerie.”
He sneered. “Lily and I have an arrangement.”
Indra opened her mouth to say something, but the village fae had gathered around us, so I shoved the two crystals into the air. “Got two more!” I shouted cheerily.
They applauded and yelled in triumph, and Indra pasted on a fake smile.
“Well done, Lily,” Rose piped up from the back. Indra cut her a glare, silencing her.
“Just two?” Aubin stepped forward and looked at the group of Halflings. “We said three or they leave.”
I reached out and handed one crystal to Liam. “Plan’s changed. If you want us to find the final crystal and restore Faerie, then they get to live here indefinitely.”
Indra’s jaw ticked.
Silence.
“The Winter King is working with the witch Chrysanthemum,” Jasper told Indra. “You’ll need all of our help to get that final crystal.”
Indra’s eyes snapped to his and glowed like molten lava. “I had hoped she was dead. It seems none of you died, unfortunately.”
“Likewise,” he shot back.
Indra rolled her eyes. “I will approve temporary lodging for the Halflings until Faerie can be restored, and then they can go off and find their own place to call home. Far away from here.”
“Far, far, away from here,” Aubin added.
Anger flared up inside of me. That wasn’t the deal. I didn’t want Liam far away from me. But I knew when to push my luck and when to stay silent.
Without another word, Indra spun and flew off in the direction of the wheat fields. Rose motioned for us to follow her, and Liam and I walked to the Elders’ home and set the crystals at the base of the tree.
When we were done, Rose pulled on my arm, giving me a look that made my blood run cold. “What is it?” I asked.
Liam got the hint that this might be a private conversation and left the
