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“You’re a king,” I said. “Why can’t I put my knife to your back and order you to do it?” I carried no knife, only Antonio, but the little soldier could jab an eye out at least.
He threw back his head and laughed. “I could snap my fingers and break every bone in your mortal body, mortal.” It was a far cry from my Queen. “Your dagger couldn’t convince me to take you to your home. Ambassadors are the bridge to the mortal realm, and only they have the power to cross into it. If it pleases you, you can think of the rest of us as trapped here alongside you.”
I pushed as much authority into my voice as my quivering body could muster. The insanity of falling through empty skies hadn’t quite faded away. “Will you die in two years as well?”
The side of his mouth curved up. “I certainly hope not. I’m not much older than you are.”
Oh. I thought he would be much older. It was hard to tell with these fae.
The first of the islands appeared in the distance, marble buildings creating a gate along the border where sand collected to spill grains over the edge. Mother told me of an island just as this. Of all the tales of the fae realm, hers had been the most accurate. It would have pleased her. But her story, just like all the others, missed one fatal detail.
“How can I be queen over all this, yet be so powerless?”
Bastian brought the chariot closer and a dozen more floating islands came into view. “You are not powerless. You hold more power over the fae than you know.”
I gave him a sideways glance. “Yet I’m still to die.”
“Even I can’t stop that.”
That was all anyone had said about it. They don’t want the Mortal Queens to die, but they can’t do anything to keep them alive. The knowledge that he wanted me to live didn’t bring any comfort as it was yet another disheartening answer. I tightened my grip on Antonio.
“What’s this?” Bastian noticed my fisted hand.
I held Antonio behind my back. “It’s a token from home.”
His expression was unreadable. His majestic blue cloak rippled off his broad shoulders as he nodded. “I see. You must love someone there very much to be willing to die for them.”
“I didn’t want to die,” I mumbled. “But yes.” Cal would laugh if he heard I thought hurling myself into the sky would somehow land me back on the center island.
Bastian stroked the chariot, and just as it neared my new home, it twisted to the side and carried us away from the palace. We passed each island I could see from my chamber window and ventured beyond. New islands appeared, larger than before. One was purely made of water, with falls running off each edge to land on four islands beneath, where lakes touched forests and stone cottages clustered around fires. Another held a string of mountains with caves carved among them.
Bastian watched me absorb it all.
“I can’t take you home,” he said quietly. The chariot swept low. “But I can bring you to mine.” Before us sat the largest island yet with a grey palace towering over it all, built into a mountain against a valley. A sea so dark it was like gleaming ink at the foot of the palace.
“Welcome to Umbruin.” A courtyard was chiseled into the side, and the chariot landed there near the face of magnificent glass doors opening into the mountain.
I stepped off the chariot. Solid stone chilled my bare feet. I still wore last night’s dress, though the pink flowers had wilted, and many had torn from the fabric due to my jumping escapade.
“I own Umbruin and every other island as far as your eye can see.” His navy boots clicked on the ground, and the doors opened at the sound. “If it’s land you desire, I can grant that. If it’s friendships, I can order anyone to be kind to you. If it’s a star . . .” He held out his hand. A brilliant white light melted from the sky to reform in his hand. The star flicked light across his cheeks and brightened the gold mask. “I will give you a star.”
Heat caressed my face, and I gazed at the orb in his hand. It danced at the will of his fingers.
“Why would you do something for me?” I spoke with an awed voice, still fixated on the star before me. All he did was hold out his hand and the skies bent to his will.
With a toss of his wrist, the star flew to retake its position above. “In exchange for an alliance.”
My fascination gave way to suspicion. “Why? What would I do for you?”
“You can fix my reputation.” He gestured to lead me inside, where the walls were glass and the ceiling was a rocky cove. “I’ve been king for only a short time and am still considered very young in fae years. An alliance with the Mortal Queen would give me the credibility I need to convince those faithful to my father that I’m worthy of ruling.”
“Can’t your father make a declaration on your behalf?”
His lips twitched. “That’s unlikely, being as I recently stole the throne from him.”
“Ah. I see.”
He paused in the middle of the room. Just like in my palace, his throne sat at the far end of the first room, the spools of it stretching almost to the ceiling. I rather doubted he looked as foreign on his throne as I did on mine.
