Page 70 of The Brightest Fell

“The last time you needed fairy ointment, you must not have been this mortal,” said Simon gently. “I am so sorry.”

“Don’t be.” I put the cap back on the to-go cup and shoved it into the pocket of my jacket. It didn’t quite fit, but it was secure enough that I wasn’t worried about losing it. If anything, I was worried about how much Simon had made. Just how long did he expect my newfound humanity to last?

Madden was still looking at me anxiously. I smiled at him, trying to look encouraging, or at least like I wasn’t on the cusp of dropping dead.

“It’ll be okay,” I said. “Call Arden when you think she’ll be up, let her know that I’m going to need to borrow the hope chest. I’ll explain everything when I get to Muir Woods.”

“When will that be?”

The Luidaeg’s deadline was almost upon us. I sighed. “Not too long now.” Turning to Simon, I asked, “Do you know where she’d have gone? It’s not like I can sniff her out when I can barely find my own magic.”

Simon shook his head. “Anyplace familiar enough that I could put a name to it is too likely to be considered ‘home’ by the damned curse the Luidaeg sold her. I’m useless.”

I hesitated. “Not entirely,” I said finally, and reached into my other pocket, producing the candle. It was still tall and red, and the wax was cool and clammy in my hand, like the skin of a corpse. I swallowed a shudder of revulsion. Faerie was trying to reject me, reminding me that no one as human as I was could possibly belong there.

Faerie could stuff it. Unlike August, I had made no deals that would sunder me from my home, and I knew where I belonged. After so many years of running, I finally, genuinely, knew where I belonged.

“Here.” I held the candle out to Simon. “Tell it to follow her.”

His eyes widened. “October,” he said, slowly and carefully, like he was speaking to a child. “Are you sure you want to do this? I’m not bound any longer. I could take the candle and run after my daughter, and leave you here to face the consequences of my actions.”

“I trust you,” I said, and I did; I was telling the whole and honest truth. I trusted him. I knew that he wouldn’t leave me. Because he hadn’t told Riordan the truth. Because his illusions had covered me.

Because sometimes the best intentions could lead to some very dark places, and once you were there, it could be almost impossible to find your way home again, unless there was someone willing to help you. Unless you could get there and back by the light of a candle.

Then, because those words didn’t feel like enough, I added, “I forgive you.”

Simon’s smile was slow and indescribably beautiful, in a way that had nothing to do with the mortal awe for the fae. He looked genuinely happy.

“Then we go,” he said, and took the candle from my hand. The wick burst into flame, burning a mellow pink, like rose petals, like dawn. He looked toward Madden. “Your hospitality has been much appreciated, and will be remembered. You are a credit to your name.”

“If you hurt her, I’ll rip your throat out with my teeth, and nobody will punish me, because the Queen in the Mists loves me more than she loves almost anyone else in the world,” said Madden pleasantly.

Simon nodded like this was exactly what he’d been hoping to hear. “Then we are in agreement,” he said. “October?”

He reached out his hand. I took it. There was a ghost of a scent in the air, the faintest overlay of smoke and mulled cider, mixed with rotting oranges. I inhaled it greedily, grateful for even that small reminder that there was still magic in the world, that I hadn’t cut myself off from it completely. Unlike August, I hadn’t traded my road home for anything. It was narrower than it had been, harder to see through the briars, but it was still there, and I was going to take it.

The weight of Simon’s don’t-look-here settled over us. Still hand in hand, we followed Madden up the stairs and into the body of Borderlands Books. Jude, the general manager, was behind the counter, looking at something on the store computer. She looked up at the sound of the door closing, and frowned.

“Everything okay, Mads?” she asked.

“Oh, everything’s fine,” said Madden, stepping to the side and casually holding the door open so that Simon and I could make it past. The basement door opening when there wasn’t supposed to be anyone downstairs would definitely attract attention. “I just needed to call home. I guess I didn’t do the dishes this morning.”

Jude made a sympathetic face. “Your turn?”

“Yeah.” Madden shut the basement door. Simon and I walked on, two people following the flickering light of a candle. The screen door sometimes swung in the breeze. I took a chance and pushed it open with my free hand, allowing the two of us to step outside.

Through the store window I saw Jude glance in our direction, confused by the door opening on its own. Her eyes focused on me for just a second. Then, quickly, they unfocused again, and she no longer knew I was there. To the mortal world, I was a ghost.

Simon squeezed my hand. “Courage,” he whispered, and held the candle higher. The flame leaped, a burning rose clawing at the sky, and we started down the street, following the light, letting it guide us down August’s trail.

It was funny. It was the middle of the day: Simon had to be exhausted, but I felt almost invigorated, now that I’d adjusted to the oddly heavy feeling of my limbs. The caffeine coursing through my body was like live electricity. Kicking the habit had definitely resensitized me. That was nice. At least one thing was going right today.

I was virtually human, walking hand-in-hand with a man who I would have once called my greatest enemy, and while I couldn’t say I was happy—there was too much at stake—I was at least willing to pause, and breathe, and allow myself to hope that everything would eventually be okay.

Speaking of okay . . . I pulled my phone out of my pocket and winced as I saw that I had six missed calls. I dialed my voicemail and raised the phone to my ear.

Beep. “Um, Toby, hi, it’s Quentin. I hope Simon hasn’t turned you into a rock and run away or anything like that. Anyway, I just wanted to call and let you know that the Luidaeg has Officer Thornton. She wants me to stay for a while, so she can question me about where we found him and what his living situation was like. Um. Call if you need me? And let me know where you are.”