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Asfaloth and Calista wiggled and squirmed, but they were unable to break free. After a moment, the beam stopped and the diamond went dark. However, the Shining-Shadow Throne wasn’t quite done with them. It spoke again.
“You shall both be cast into the Mortal Realm,” it informed my cousins. “You may not enter the Realm of the Fae again until you repent of your evil deeds. But you will never regain your magic.”
Then it was as though invisible hands were lifting Asfaloth and Calista roughly to their feet. The Sun Crown flew off Asfaloth’s head and landed with a clink at his feet. A portal suddenly appeared in front of them—a shining silver oval. When I looked through it, I saw the Mortal Realm with all the people dressed in their strange blue trousers.
“You cannot do this to us!” Asfaloth howled. “I am the King of the Summer Court!”
“And I am the Queen!” Calista shrieked.
The throne paid no attention. The invisible hands shoved my cousins forward and together they stumbled into the Mortal Realm. As soon as they did, the portal closed with a final sounding pop!
I stared at where they had been, scarcely able to believe it. My cousins, who had tormented me all my life—who had killed my brother and most likely my father—were gone forever. Stripped of their magic and banished to the Mortal Realm.
I burst into tears.
35
“Alira? Little bird? What’s wrong, baby? What’s wrong?” Liath gathered me into his arms at once, stroking my hair gently as I wept.
“I don’t…don’t know,” I finally choked out through sobs. “I hated them—they were so cruel to me! And they killed Quill and probably my father, too. I don’t know why I’m crying.”
“Maybe you’re crying with relief, little bird,” Liath said gently. “They can never hurt you again. They’re gone and they’re not coming back.”
“Not unless they repent completely—which I rather doubt,” Stableforth put in.
“You’re probably right.” I sniffed and swiped at my eyes with the long sleeves of my gown but I made no move to leave my husband’s strong arms. His warm scent comforted me.
“And even if they do come back, the Shining-Shadow Throne has taken their magic from them and probably added it to its own considerable supply,” the centaur went on. “What it needs now is a ruler—or rulers,” he added. Bending low, he picked up the Sun Crown which had fallen off of Asfaloth’s head.
“Stableforth, what are you suggesting?” Liath growled. “Are you saying that Alira should try to sit the new throne? Because she barely escaped the Shadow Throne—I don’t want to risk losing her!”
“I am saying that you both should try the throne,” Stableforth told us. “After all—there is room for two and you and the Princess are the last ones left of both the Seelie and Unseelie Royal bloodlines.”
I had a sudden thought.
“What about Asfaloth and Calista’s mother—my Aunt Lyrah?” I asked.
“Ahem…”
I turned and saw to my joy that it was Tansy standing there. My brùnaidh maid was looking uncomfortable but anxious to see me.
“Oh, Tansy!” I wiggled out of Liath’s arms and ran to hug her tight.
“Princess.” She hugged me back. “What are you doing here?”
“That’s a very long story,” I told her. “But I promise I’ll tell you once I figure it all out myself.”
“That’s fine then.” She nodded her head. “But I thought I heard you ask about Her Ladyship Lyrah.”
“Yes—where is she?” I asked. I had never been fond of my Aunt but it was undeniable that she was next in the line of succession, since she was my mother’s sister and she was older than me.
“Ah, I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, Princess Alira,” Tansy said. “But I’m afraid that Lady Lyrah passed the very night as Good King Euberon.” She tapped one cheekbone, right under her eye. “Very suspicious it was, if you take my meaning.”
I took it all right. Had Asfaloth and Calista killed their own mother as well as my father and brother? Maybe the Shining-Shadow Throne had let them off too easily! They ought to die for their awful crimes.
“Death is easy and far too quick. Their punishment will be long and difficult,” a voice said in my head.
I jumped and looked at Liath.
“Did you say something?”
He frowned and shook his head.
“No, why? Did you hear something?”
“I thought…” I looked at the silver throne, glimmering at the top of the dais.
“You thought what, my Princess?” Stableforth said.
“I just…” I shook my head as I walked slowly back to where Liath was standing. “I thought I heard the Throne talk to me—in my head. It said that Asfaloth and Calista’s punishment was going to be long and difficult. It was the same way the Shadow Throne talked to me and told me to prove myself.”
“And you have proved yourself,” Stableforth said gravely. “You and Prince Liath should come and sit upon the Shining-Shadow Throne. The two of you have earned it.”
