“In the Pool, I saw a path, diverged by two roads.” Odette held up two fingers. “You were standing at the crossroads, trying to see which path to take. On one path, you allowed the demon to take Ethan’s life. On this path you stayed alive.”
Odette shivered. “But on the other, you saved Ethan from the demon. The two of you mended your relationship, but it was all for nothing, because Ethan led the Hidden King right to you, and you died as a result.”
“But we know who the Hidden King is. It’s Elijah,” I argued. “Ethan would never lead his cousin to me.”
“I’m not so sure.” Odette shook her head rapidly. “I know that Ethan will be the key to the Hidden King destroying you. Ethan won’twantto. It’ll be an accident, but it’ll bring about your death.”
Odette quaked with fear. “This is serious. If you’re not careful, the Hidden King will hurt you. I asked my ancestors if there was another way, but they told me this road only leads to two paths. Your life, or Ethan’s.”
My entire form had turned to ice. “So I have to let this demon kill Ethan. If I don’t, he’ll be the reason Elijah kills me?”
“Yes. Mydrycaancestors made it clear I’m not to interfere with any choice you make. This is your decision alone. You can save yourself if Ethan crosses into the Great Hunting Grounds beyond.”
Odette took a deep breath. “But if you save Ethan from this demon, and get back together, the Hidden King will find you. And youwilldie.”
Odette was white-faced. “The sight of you lying there, your eyes glassy and clothes covered in blood… Emma, it was so scary. I never want to witness that again, especially not in real life.”
She reached out to take my hands as her big blue eyes shone with tears. “Emma,promise meyou’re going to let Ethan go. You have to, if you want to save yourself. The shifter you love is already gone. This is the only way.”
Odette gripped my fingers tightly, but no matter how hard she begged, I just couldn’t make that promise. I loved Ethan. My life, or his? A futile decision, even with how far gone he was.
But the prophecy had taken this out of my hands. I had a choice to make. And no matter what road I chose, there would only be one thing waiting for me at the end of it.
Pain.
Chapter Eleven
Ethan
Freezing rain pounded against the window panes of the school. I was sure by tonight, it would turn to snow.
Candles hovered overhead, powered by Lord Lucien’s telepathy magic. They were the only source of light within the stone classroom. Conversation was quiet today. I huddled against my desk and tried not to shiver.
Cold. Everything felt so cold lately. The demon snarled as it curled against my bones. I barely remained focused as Lord Lucien carried a box around the room. Flowers levitated out of the box and landed in front of each student.
“As you all know by now, Shadow Work is necessary for all fae to master,” Lucien said. “It is the magical art of forgiving yourself— of moving on from your past, and letting go of your deepest troubles. Even as Seelie fae, all of us have a dark side. In order to progress, both in our lives and in our magic, we must be willing to face it. Since the beginning of the semester, you’ve all been working on journal entries detailing your worst mistakes and greatest traumas. Today, we’ll use magic to face them.”
I suppressed a hiss. I was failing this class. I was failingeveryclass— but Shadow Work was by far the worst. My journal, which was supposed to be full of entries by now, was a mess of scribbled nonsense. Lucien didn’t read the journals, thank the gods, but I was expected to put down something, so I’d mostly filled the pages with things like notes from other classes, daily to-do lists, and personal reminders instead of the shadows I was supposed to be facing.
As Lucien passed by my desk, a flower hovered out of it. The leshane chuckled with glee as my emotions turned black. My lip curled upward. A white rose. How ironic.
Everyone else had gotten a carnation, an aster, a daisy or a lily. I was the singular person who’d received a rose. Lucien put the empty box down on his desk as he returned to the head of the room. “Your shadow self holds all your darkest fears, worries, and troubles. It is what causes you to judge others, as well as yourself. It is where the guilt from your past lies. Exceptional fae are not made unless they have achieved the ability to move on from their past. Shadow Work never ends, as we all have to live with our darkness, but if the shadow inside of you grows too strong, it can take over your magic and ruin your life. This class is essential for you to learn how to manage it.”
Lucien hovered an aster in front of his face. “Observe. I acknowledge my past. I face what has been haunting me. I accept it without allowing myself to become it. I realize that the shadows are a part of me, but they do not make up who I am. I ask the shadows of these feelings to flow into the flower. If the spell is performed correctly, all the petals will fall from the flower, and the stem will vanish.”
We watched carefully as the petals from the aster began trailing to the floor. The stem vanished in a puff of smoke. Lucien took a deep breath— his shoulders appeared lighter.
“You might not be able to catch the hang of the spell the first time, but if you have gotten one petal to fall, it is an accomplishment. It shows you are willing to move on from the past and go onward toward the future,” Lucien said. “I expect all of you to make some progress today.”
I heard journal pages turning as people got to work. I didn’t bother opening mine. I hovered the rose in front of me and tried to concentrate. I personally thought this class was a load of horseshit, but that wouldn’t help keep up appearances.
Although the things I regretted weren’t listed in my journal, they were in my head— they never left.
Losing my leg.
Killing my father.
Hurting Emma.
