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No. If the Shadow ended the Fae Queen, then Carolina would’ve been freed from the bargain she made with Melisandre.
Only the queen’s still standing. And Lina—
“She’s dead,” I tell her. “You let her die.”
A heartless shrug shouldn’t be so beautiful. “She did it to herself. I expect unwavering loyalty from my pets. Silly girl. She tried to save you, you know. She should’ve known better than to betray me.”
“Betray you? She never betrayed you.” No. Considering she died without admitting the identity of her mistress, even going so far as to convince me that she was a Dark Fae, Carolina protected Melisandre.
She doesn’t see it that way.
“But she did, Shadow. She knew so few of our secrets, yet she couldn’t keep them. Like iron. Like the charm she has you wearing.” Waving at my chest, she orders, “Take off the necklace.”
And throw away the only protection I have?
I gulp, suddenly fearful again, then shake my head. I don’t even care that she knows I’m wearing it when it’s tucked beneath my shirt. Doesn’t matter. I’m not about to take it off.
Melisandre’s lips curve.
“Rysdan,” she calls out. “Remove the Shadow’s necklace. If you have to take her head to do so, so be it. I thought the halfling might want to bargain with me. It seems as if she’d rather throw her life away. Suits me just fine.”
I don’t know what hits me harder: her casual threat or the way she calls Rys by a different name. Rysdan… is that his fae name? Like how Nine’s is Ninetroir? If the Fae Queen invokes it, will he be compelled to do what she says? I mean, she is the Fae Queen, the head of the Seelie Court, and he’s one of her soldiers. Hell, if magic won’t compel him, duty might.
Or, I realize as Rys takes a step out of formation, will the Light Fae come at me with his sword because I’m the one who destroyed his perfect, perfect face?
I’ve got no choice. Decapitation or capitulation? Yeah. No contest.
Holding out my hand, warding him off, I stammer out, “I… I’ll take it off.”
For the second time that I catch, Melisandre’s gaze flickers over the leather stretched over my hand. I hate that she seems interested in my glove. What if she commands me to take that off next?
The iron nail is one thing. I won’t take off my gloves. I won’t.
“Toss it to the ground,” Melisandre orders. “I’ll have one of my pets retrieve it later. I wouldn’t want to risk it harming any of my loyal guards.”
Ouch. Nice way to r
emind me that I used iron against Rys—and that he’s standing at her side, not mine.
Keeping my eyes on the queen, I dip my hand beneath my hoodie, pulling out the leather strap. I lift it up and over my head, then toss it to the ground like she told me to. For good measure, I nudge the iron nail away with the tip of my sneaker so that I’m not tempted to grab it again.
Melisandre purses her lips in open approval at how easily I gave in, then folds her hands in front of her belly. Prim and proper, not the least bit murderous.
Yeah. Right.
“Tell me, Shadow. Is there anything else you shouldn’t be carrying into my realm, you tricky girl?”
Since I don’t want to risk her ordering Rys to come at me with his sword again, I think about it. Is there?
I have Carolina’s baggie of money in one pocket, plus the scrap of paper I found near her cold hand. That’s it. I’ll need one if I manage to get out of this mess I’m in, and I refuse to part with Carolina’s note before I get the chance to read it.
“No.”
“Are you sure?”
Pretty sure. “Yes.”
“Then what’s in your pocket?”
