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The queen leaned forward conspiratorially.“You’re recreating the legend of the original goblin queen.Excellent.What other lovers have you taken?”
“None.”
“That’s unacceptable.You’re goblin and thus a mortal.Your mother’s fae heritage might extend your life for five years, ten at most, so you have no time to waste.”
“Love is a waste?”
Clio scoffed.“Love is the most tragic waste of all.You can keep your witch.After all, his life expectancy is close to yours.But you can’t afford to limit yourself unless you’re already with child.”
Pregnancy would require sex.So no, that wasn’t a possibility, and she wasn’t discussing her sex life or lack thereof with this immortal queen.“Why did you force my mother to marry a goblin?”
“I never forced your mother to do anything.She chose to marry your father for one reason—you.She knew her fate, knew the sacrifices she would have to make, and still, she wanted you that badly.”
“She knew?”How could her mother have survived day-to-day knowing the horrible ending that would come?
“She made the choices she did because she knew you would be the fated goblin queen.”
“I don’t want their crown.”
“This is no matter of desire.”
“It’s about choice.”
“What a human concept.All right then, you can choose to save your people, or you can choose to let them die.”
“I’ll stay here.It will be enough.”
“It won’t.The goblin realm needs its true ruler.You must take your place, or you dishonor yourself, your people, your mother.”
“It’s not as if she’ll know.”Vori put her hand over her mouth, but it was too late to yank the horrible words back.
“What do you know of what happened to your mother after you went through the glass?Did you ask questions?”
“I didn’t ask people here because I didn’t want to face the answers they might give me.”The truth made her feel small.“I know my father stabbed her with iron daggers and that she fell to her death in the river below the cliff.”A place she planned to avoid for the rest of her life.
“She was a shadow-walker, same as the gift I granted you.”The queen stared at her as if she’d missed something.Something big.But what?Clio tapped a nail against the throne, more of a distracted gesture than a demand for attention.“I managed to get your mother out of the goblin realm, although not in time.My magic sustains her, even healed most of the marks carved into her skin by iron, but it can’t wake her.”
Vori’s heart did somersaults and took a nose dive toward her feet.Her skin went as cold as her mother’s vanity beneath her hands.“She’s alive?”
“She’s unconscious, but yes.”
“I need to see her.”
“She can’t leave this realm.It would kill her.”
“I’ll come there.”She had to convince Clio.
“Your world won’t survive your absence more than a few hours.”
“Which is more than I’ve had with her in the last decade.What will it take?I’ll do anything.”She’d told Perry the same earlier today.
“Anything?”
She swallowed, a lump of dread bumping from her throat down to her chest.Bargaining with a goblin could result in loss of limb.How wrong could making a deal with a faerie queen go?“What’s your price?”
“Take your crown.”
“That’s a high price.”
