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"What are they all here for?" The only reason faeries kidnapped humans was to use them for their own purposes, as servants or slaves, or to torment them for fun. And they didn't do it very often, either, most faeries never bothering to come over to the mortal realms. This community free from faeries and filled with people doing relatively normal things made no sense whatsoever.
"Yes, what could they possibly be here for," Reth said, but his tone of voice was sarcastic, like he already knew. "Again, evidence of the Dark Queen's innovation and efficiency. And very bad for anyone who is unfortunate enough to be a part of it. She is-" He stopped, then pulled me behind the trunk of a tree. "Someone is coming. "
We peered around the edge of the trunk to see a door open up in a flash of light, about fifty feet away. A faerie I'd never seen before, tall and thin as a reed with flowing emerald-green hair stepped through, and holding his hand was a young girl, and holding her hand was an older woman, and holding her hand was a teenage boy, and holding his hand. . . I watched, aghast, as a train of twenty people came through, each holding the hand of the person in front of them. When they were all out of the Paths, the faerie spoke to them; they all watched with rapt attention.
A few of the villagers, for lack of a better word, had gathered as well. The faerie nodded and gestured to them, and the villagers walked forward, smiling, their arms open in welcome. The new people filtered through into the crowd.
One little girl sat on the ground, crying as the faerie left, and a plump blond woman rushed over, taking her in her arms and patting her back soothingly.
"Reth, I can't-Please, we have to find Lend right now. I can't see anything else, I can't handle knowing this stuff and not knowing what it means or what's going to happen to them. Please, please, can't you find Lend faster?"
He stopped watching the people and turned to me. "I will do my best. The only way onward is forward. "
I was so tired and numb I didn't even hurt anymore, my mind shutting down so I wouldn't have to think about what I'd seen or ponder its implications. Lend. Lend.
The trees shifted again, this time from cool colors to pure white. White trunks, white leaves, and white flakes drifting and sparkling in the light. I held out a hand to catch one, expecting snow, but it settled there like a little drop of sunshine.
I hated this place. I hated that it was beautiful and warm and welcoming, and that it hid so much evil inside. Well, duh. Faeries. Of course it was that way.
Reth stopped suddenly and I drew up short, almost losing my balance again on my sensationless feet.
"Can you feel her?" he asked, and his tone chilled me in spite of the flakes of warmth swirling around us.
"I-" I paused, and closed my eyes. And there, yes, I could. It was like a tug, a pull toward emptiness, toward blissful oblivion, pulsing out and with every beat telling me that I was nothing, nothing, nothing, hers, hers, hers.
I squeezed Reth's hand, hard. "I'm scared. "
He laughed his silver laugh. "High time for that. "
"Don't-Please, don't let me lose myself, okay? The first goal is to save Lend, but I'd rather die than lose myself to her or help her in any way. "
He locked my eyes with his. "Evelyn, my love. I will not let that happen. "
I nodded, biting my lip. He wouldn't, not if he could help it. I trusted him on that. "Okay. Okay. Any tips?"
"Remember who you are. "
I laughed, part shrill panic and part bitterness. "And what if I have no idea who I am?"
He shook his head, exasperated. "Repeat your real name in your head. Don't say it aloud; whatever you do, don't give it to her. But hold on to it and it should help. "
I took a deep breath. Neamh. Neamh. Neamh. I was me, and she couldn't have that, just like she couldn't have my Lend. Another deep breath, and another, all the while holding the image of Lend's true face in my head. "Let's do this. "
Reth put my hand in the crook of his elbow again and we walked forward, together, through the trees and into the heart of the Dark Queen's court.
Chapter Seventeen
WHAT'S IN A NAME?
We stepped out of the trees and into the middle of a throng of faeries. My heart beat like a wild bird in my chest, fluttering against my rib cage and desperate to get away.
The faeries were all standing, arrayed like satellites around the gravity of the Dark Queen. I had expected thrones of gold and gems, but she sat in the middle of everything on an enormous, deep purple calla lily. Her dress today shimmered with every color imaginable, a prism in fabric form, and her black-oil hair danced with life along her bare, alabaster arms. On either side of her stood a faerie, one with midnight-blue hair and eyes, her face dotted with tiny points of light like stars shining beneath her skin. The other was the Goose Down Hair faerie from the Center. The one I'd set free, straight back to help my greatest enemy.
And there he was. . . Lend. My hands flew to my lips to stop from crying out in joy, because he was here, my Lend was here, I'd found him! He was at the Dark Queen's feet, lying perfectly still, in his real form and thus nearly invisible under his clothes. He wasn't-oh no, no no no, he wasn't dead, he couldn't be dead. If I'd lost him forever, my world was over. A small, animal sound escaped my mouth, then there was the slightest shift, a twitch of his hand, and I let out a muffled sob. He was still alive. I could still save him.
"Ah," the Dark Queen said, snapping my attention back to her. Maybe I couldn't still save him. I tried to avoid looking into her pure black eyes, instead focusing just above them on her high, smooth forehead. "The Empty One comes to me. "
Her voice shot through me like a hook, catching on my back and then drawing me forward. My feet moved against my will, again.
