“That’s a fine thing to say about your rescue team,” Oak says, crossing his arms tight across his chest.
“Yeah, we all helped!” Clara says.
“Even some people who won’t be mentioned,” Rosie grumbles as she and Clara wrap me up in a group hug.
“And you are fine friends indeed.” Moth’s face softens as he takes in the group that surrounds us. “Truly.”
“We were all so worried!”
“I know, I’m sorry.” I shake my head, still in disbelief about what’s transpired in the last few days. It feels like I haven’t been home in years.
“You have nothing to be sorry for,” Moth says, firm and reassuring. He gives my hand a squeeze ,and I overdramatically shrug my shoulders.
“Thatdepends on who you ask,” I counter. “Like you didn’t see my whole rampage in the Vampire Court. Oh god, you don’t think I actually hurt anyone, right?”
“It was only a little tiny bit of maiming, right?” Rosie says in a small voice. “That’s probably okay; hedidkidnap you.”
“Oh my God,” I groan, covering my face with my hands. I appreciate how ride-or-die she’s being in this situation, but it’s taking everything in my power not to jump out of my skin. My wings stay flush against my back as if the act of relaxing even slightly will cause me to transform.
“Heather, from what I saw, you did no more than minor bodily harm. You’d have to practically dismember a vampire to—I’m sorry, is this bothering you?” Holly pauses, noticing the way Clara has pushed away her plate of monkey bread. To be fair, it does look a little too much like intestines coated in cinnamon sugar for comfort.
“Oh no, no, no—we regularly talk about disembowelment at the dinner table,” Clara says, her face as white as a sheet.
Wait a second—
“No one was disemboweled!” I shout. “I … think.”
“Dis-mem-ber,” Holly repeats slowly. “No one would judge you for tearing a limb or two in your rage.”
“Dismem—Honey, we are going to have a long talk,” Mom gasps, before wrapping her arms around me. Oh God, I have so much to explain to her.
“Heather will answer to no one,” Moth says dryly, a hand on my shoulder and it’s oddly just the thing I needed to hear. “And you are not to blame, not for any of this.”
“Yeah, we support women’s wrongs here!” Clara pipes in. Moth’s eyes cut in her direction, but everyone has dissolved into giggles. They all seem to have gotten so much closer while I was gone. I guess that’s one thing I can be grateful for.
Holly lets out a sigh, brandishing her weapon.
“No swords in the house, darling!” Queen Plume says, and my mother nods in agreement.
“And Heather, their court was in the wrong for holding you against your will. It is not the days of old. One cannot just steal a bride in the name of anything but theatrics. In my opinion, they still have a boon to pay.”
“I will check on the state of affairs,” Holly announces, sheathing her sword. She bares her pointed teeth before heading to the place in the living room where a portal glows.
“How? Isn’t it still warded?”
“Oh, that was taken care of when I returned the king to his court.” She marches toward the portal before pivoting on her heel to face her mother. “I will give you a full report of the chaos. Mother, you should join me, the leaders of both courts are meeting to discuss his fate.”
“You go, darling,” Queen Plume says adoringly. “You will be queen one day, after all. Have some practice while I get acquainted with Heather’s mother.” Why do I have the strange feeling these two are about to become BFFs?
Holly beams, clearly delighted by the task, before reaching the portal she doubles back, launching herself into my arms. “I am glad you are back, sister.” She says the words in a whisper, holding me close. Tears burn my vision but instead of blinking them away, I let them fall freely.
If anyone is allowed to be an emotional mess right now, it’s me. By the time she lets go, I feel exhausted, yet refreshed. I wave her off as she hops a world away.
The room buzzes with questions. I fill them in with what I can and am deservingly mocked for the whole dating profile thing—though, Queen Plume says it was‘crafty’which I will take. The faeries in our midst clearly feel a level of guilt for not warning me about things like bargains, but I’m just glad to be free from it.
“Can we take a walk?” I ask Moth, reaching out for his hand. He squeezes mine tightly.
“You would prefer that to resting?”
