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“Uh. Yeah.”
“Cool.”
Behind me, Rys steps into my back. I can feel his warmth seeping through my leather coat—plus the shadowy cloak that’s got to bother him—his hair brushing my neck as he bends slightly. His hand finds mine, interlacing our fingers together, offering me some of his silent strength.
He’s not gloating. He’s not snarkily claiming victory. He’s not reminding everyone here that I chose him time and time again. Maybe not in words, not openly or anything like that except for whe
n we were alone together, but even I have to admit that, from the moment I crossed over into Faerie, I never really had a choice.
It’s Rys for me.
It’s always been Rys.
But that didn’t mean I wanted to lose Jim.
Not like this.
Rys knows what it’s like. To believe he found the one fated for him—twice—only to lose her. But Riley was never meant to be his ffrindau. I was. And even if it hurts to have Jim look at me like a stranger, I honestly believe that every impulsively reckless decision I made, every incautious step I took, every moment led me straight to my scarred Seelie.
Oberon said it was fate. That Jim had a part to play.
Is this it?
For his sake—and for mine—I have to believe that.
14
I have the crystal. That’s the good news.
The bad news? I’m walking with a man who thinks of me as a long-ago high school acquaintance, who a quick quiz reveals he knows he’s in Faerie, he remembers everything else about everyone else (except me), and he believes that he’s here because of Morgan.
Okay, then.
What’s so weird is that Morgan is more than willing to go along with. I don’t know if it’s because he’s human or because there’s something about Jim, but she takes him under her wing immediately.
Once we head back to her cottage, she can tell right away that something’s different. Instead of questioning it straight off, she welcomes us inside again, offers us dinner—including food safe for Riley and Jim—and, still wearing her gloves, puts more cream on Jim’s face. She asks if Rys will be joining us, but even if it wasn’t for her shadow barrier, he couldn’t.
My scarred Seelie takes his role as protector seriously. Even though Grimly got what he wanted in his lopsided trade, Rys doesn’t just believe the gnome left after he ran off. Of course he doesn’t. I sure as hell didn’t. So, after the gnome slipped into the darkness again and he made sure I was alright, Rys followed behind him, double-checking that Grimly actually left.
After that, he promised he’d return and keep watch over the barrier. Especially now that we know that someone is targeting Morgan, it’s important to keep her safe so that we don’t fail Oberon.
Plus, she’s still my friend.
And, because she’s my friend, I finally grow a pair and confess everything to her. I wait until she gives Jim a place to rest and recover and it’s just me, Riley, Nine, and Morgan sitting together in her living room before I act like a fountain and let it all pour out.
I’ve gotta say, Morgan takes everything better than I would’ve if I was in her shoes.
“Oh, Elle. You’re not the first one that tried to get to me. Melisandre sent countless assassins over the years, hoping to end me so that I couldn’t rise up against her. That’s why I created my curtain. If you mean me any harm, you can’t get inside. It’s as simple as that. No trickery. No way around it.”
“I never asked for your hair,” I blurt out. “I kept coming up with excuses. You’re my friend. I never would’ve hurt you.”
“I know. It’s okay. I promise. Now, if you ever did betray me…”
The freakiest thing happens. As Morgan’s clear voice trails off, her pale body turns… it turns almost icy blue, her silver gaze going completely white. And I mean completely. No pupil No iris. Just white.
I gulp.
In the blink of an eye, she goes back to normal. “...things would be different. But they’re not. So we’re okay.”
