Chapter Thirty-Seven

 

 

 

 

Shade

 

Standing at the gate in the tower, I wondered if this truly was the other entrance to the lost realm of Faerie, the Netherworld. I was impressed that no one on this side of the gate had discovered it before now. Something told me there was a reason for that, and I intended to find out why.

“Astenos,” I called out to the faery knight who’d stood guard at the tower for many years, “how long have you been here guarding the gate to the Netherworld?”

His face betrayed nothing as his stoic features remained still. Only his eyes betrayed a spark of defiance. I could feel it ebbing from his bones. He’d guarded this place all right, and Ilarial had known about it. Why he’d not shown it to those in the Noruck Court long ago was a mystery to me. I would have to ask Ilarial what her part in all this had been.

“I’ve been guardian of the gate since it was closed, about five hundred years ago. I’ve been called away here and there, now and then, but for most of those five hundred years, I have been here almost continuously, keeping it hidden from human and fae alike, even as a city grew up around it.”

I glared at Astenos, digging my eyes into him as hard as I could. “But why? Why keep it from the Noruck Court?”

His mouth tightened, and I knew I had hit a nerve. When he refused to answer me, I cleared my throat. “What does Ilarial have to do with all this? Why would she choose this moment to tell us about it?”

“It was her idea. Closing it was necessary to keep the half-bloods from growing more powerful. There are more than just those of the Noruck Court spread out across the human world. Those immune to iron are dangerous to the fae. If they were allowed to return to the Netherworld, all of Faerie would be doomed.”

“Why do you say that? They are part faery as well. I am an Ancient of Faerie. It would be like you expelling me from my home.”

“Pardon my gruffness, Your Grace, but they are unlike either you or me.”

I started at Astenos, who glared at me with contempt. So, he was all for pure blooded faeries, but half-breeds like me were an abomination in his eyes. Even though many of the Noruck Court were pure fae, he apparently saw all of them the same way because of their iron immunity. They were tainted, and, in his mind, had spread that taint to the Land of Faerie. Still, if he had to be allies with one of us, I would be the one he’d choose.

I laughed. “How are they so different?” I asked, pressing him on the issue. Whatever he answered, it had better be good.

“Their iron affinity allows them to live in either realm. They wreak havoc on any realm they infiltrate. Do you think the land beyond the gate is beautiful? It was. Once. Then the iron-blooded fae began to multiply and destroyed it with their noxious blood. They multiplied quickly, ate all the crops, began building cities like the humans, and ruined the beauty of the Netherworld. Ilarial and I had to expel them somehow. Only when the magic of Faerie was threatened would we need to move some of them back into the realm to restore it. But not all of them.”

My eyes widened. This was very different from the story he had told Dylan and Nautilus. I’d only had a few minutes for them to fill me in, but it’d been enough. I’d learned that he’d talked about letting normal humans back into the Netherworld, but apparently the invitation did not extend to Queen Sage’s people. At least, not any more than was necessary.

“So there are more groups of iron-blooded?” I asked.

He nodded. “Yes. Not only are they hidden throughout the human realm, they are mucking up the magic of Faerie. If the mortal world has more magic in it than the Faerie world, Faerie starts to crumble. Hence why we must move some of them back in.”

“Like scales of magic,” I whispered, understanding dawning on me as I stared at the gate. It was nothing but an arch made of stone surrounded by beautiful flowers and foliage lining the perimeter. To the human eye, it was nothing but a decorative garden piece, but when it was opened, it would allow entrance into Aveta’s hidden realm beyond the nightmarish labyrinth inside the Unseelie castle.

“And the other iron-blooded? If we need more to return, how do we find them?”

“I will show you how, if I must.” He held out a sword he’d pulled out of a scabbard secured to his belt. “When Ilarial made me guardian of this place, I knew I would never be able to leave until another took the sword from me. I must have the blood of an iron-blooded royal to use the sword as a homing device to find the other groups. I am sure they have scattered across the human realm to hide better. Groups like the Noruck Court are rare. Most live in small family units.”

“Whose blood do you need?”

He smirked. “Their queen’s would suffice.”

“He’s lying to you!”

The slender queen of the Noruck Court shoved through the group of iron-blooded behind us. Her face was purple with anger as she stomped forward.

“We did not destroy the Netherworld! And how dare you demand such a gift? None of my court will help you. You dare to imprison us again? You’ll have my blood over my dead body.”

I whipped my eyes back to Astenos, who now held the sword out toward the svelte queen. “What are you lying about? What does she mean by ‘imprison’?” I asked, my heart pounding. I realized what it meant before Astenos answered me.

His face contorted. “The Netherworld was used as the prison of Faerie. For thousands of years, unwanted humans and fae alike were tossed in there by the Unseelie. There was no way out except the entrance in the Unseelie palace. Once it was cursed to keep anyone from being able to leave, they grew desperate. This gate was created to lure them all out into the world when the Unseelie blocked the exit to the castle, and Ilarial and I had to balance the power in the human world.”

“You and Ilarial did this? You emptied a faery prison into the human world?” I grimaced. What mayhem had occurred when that had happened? I was glad it’d been hundreds of years ago and not right now. That kind of chaos would have been unimaginable. “You guys are insane! I’ll have words with Ilarial after this, that’s for sure.” I hated to think the oracle had done something so treacherous. “And now you’ve arranged to put them back into the prison? Have you no morals?”

“We had no choice! They grew too powerful there, too numerous. It was only a matter of time before they found a way to break free from their realm and conquer all of Faerie.

“But the human world proved to be an even better prison. Here, they were completely cut off from the rest of the Land of Faerie. We didn’t foresee that the Netherworld would suffer so greatly from their absence. But now there are too many here in the human realm. They have to be sent back to restore the balance. Some of them, at least.” He smirked. “We had other plans for the rest.”

My face flushed in anger as my love for Ilarial waned. How could she do such things? She was older than I thought and far more devious. It was supposedly all for the love of Faerie, but how deep did that love run?

I shook my head. I couldn’t think of that right now. I had to place these people back into the Netherworld whether they liked it or not.

“Mother! Don’t give them your blood. They’ll just betray us again like they did our ancestors all those years ago.” A young woman with the blackest of hair came forward. Flanking her were two large black panthers, growling their displeasure. “I hurried back as quickly as I could. We won’t go. You can’t make us.” She held out her sword, pointing it at Astenos, anger glowing in the brightest blue eyes I had ever seen.

“Attia! Stop.” The queen placed her hand on her daughter’s shoulder, shaking her head frantically.

The panthers roared behind them, eyeing us with saliva dripping from their mouths. Their teeth were the size of my fingers. I felt no fear from them, for they wouldn’t be able to hurt me. It was everyone else I was worried about. Especially Dylan and Soap.

“They won’t go willingly,” Astenos whispered to me. “You’re going to have to make them, Your Grace.”

I threw him a disbelieving look before shaking my head. “Are you mad?”

“You’re the only one who can make them. The rest of us will die otherwise. You got them out of the mall. They’ll do as you say. No one defies an Ancient of Faerie.”

“I won’t force them.”

Astenos frowned. “Then the realms will shatter, and trust me, the chaos released will be the undoing of us all.”

I pressed my lips tightly as I felt Soap and Dylan weave their fingers through my hands, encouraging me with their closeness.

“You have to, Shade. You heard Astenos. Ilarial wouldn’t do this unless it was necessary.” Dylan squeezed my hand.

“I’ll be imprisoning them all again,” I muttered. “How could I live with myself?”

“It’ll be all right,” Soap whispered on the opposite side, squeezing my hand as well. “It won’t be a prison. You can make it a paradise again. You can see that it thrives again. You’re an Ancient of Faerie, and you can do anything.”

I glanced at each of them, feeling my heart pound at the sight of my loves. I was truly blessed at this moment. They were right. As an Ancient of Faerie, I could help them create a paradise in the Netherworld unlike any they’d had in the mortal realm. And the relationship between these fae and the other courts could be mended. I would see to it personally. I nodded and faced the queen of the Noruck.

“Your Majesty, I apologize for the sudden uprooting of your kingdom, but however your people originally got there, the Netherworld is your home. I will help you make it the paradise it once was. We need your help to restore the magic of Faerie and that of the mortal world. Without your return to the Netherworld, Faerie shatters.” I held out my hand to her, letting go of Dylan and Soap. Just knowing they were at my side was enough for me to do what I had to do.

“Lies! You make empty promises,” Attia growled as her panthers grumbled beside her. They were ready to pounce and would do so at the first command from the princess. She was a true warrior, and I could tell she did everything to protect her court and would kill whoever threatened her people.

“I swear on the Land of Faerie that I will do everything I can to make the Netherworld the paradise your people once had. It will not be a prison, but a world all your own. And you will be able to come and go at will.”

“What?” Astenos’s eyes widened as he stepped back, flabbergasted. “Are you insane? They need to be either killed or locked up! The iron-blooded are unnatural. They aren’t even true fae.”

“Silence!” I snapped, glaring at the knight. “They’re as fae as I am and deserve their freedom. We simply are giving them a secure home in Faerie, where the magic will embrace them.” I turned back to the queen and waited, hoping my oath would be enough for her.

Attia’s eyes burned in rage. It wouldn’t be enough for her, but as she lowered her sword and her mother straightened, I could tell it might just work.

“Since you bind yourself to your word that we are not prisoners, I accept.”

The queen stepped forward and held her hand out to Astenos. “Your sword, knight.”

Astenos, with a scornful look, reluctantly handed over the sword. The queen ran its blade along her palm and smeared her crimson blood across the metal. It sizzled, absorbing the blood, hungry for more. Her hand healed quickly as she held the blade out to me, her eyes bold and hopeful.

“Here. Use it to find the rest of my people. I take it you’ll find a suitable warrior for the quest?”

I nodded, smiling at the queen for the first time. “I will. I swear it.”

She gave me a curt nod and let go of the hilt. “Very well. I entrust our future to you.”

I turned toward Dylan and Soap, who watched with great interest. “Your rings… I didn’t know my pain would unlock another world by forging your rings into keys to a forgotten realm at the Heart of Fire and Ice, but our sacrifice was enough to be given this gift. It’s time to open the gate.”

They nodded and stepped forward. As they neared it, Astenos grabbed the sword from my grip and yelled out, swinging it back toward Dylan and Soap’s arms. They manage to dodge him, and I was about to use my magic on him when he suddenly stopped and dropped the sword. Another blade stuck out of his chest, where Attia had shoved it.

“You are not worthy to guard the gate any longer,” Attia snapped, jerking her sword out of his chest. He was dead before his body hit the ground, blood gurgling from his mouth.

Staring down at the knight, I wondered who our enemies truly were now that the magic of Faerie would balance out. Even in a time of peace, there was always someone who wanted to steer the direction of things. Why Ilarial had been part of this, I intended to find out. There had to be a purpose. Balancing the power of Faerie couldn’t have been the only reason she and Astenos had kept the gate a secret for so long. Astenos’s reaction had told me plenty. He’d spun a series of lies to keep me from learning the truth. Ilarial never did anything without a good reason, and now I knew there had to be more than one.

Dylan looked up at me, and I nodded for them to proceed. With the entire Noruck Court silently watching, Dylan and Soap reached the arch and held their arms into the air. At first, nothing happened, but a second later, the air ignited in a flash. Sparks ran up their arms, crackling with electricity as the forest that we could see through the gate wavered. It blinked out to reveal the forgotten land that lay beyond.

Aveta was standing on the other side, Cranston at her side. “Ah, Shade. You never fail to impress. You did it.” She turned toward the queen of the Noruck. “Welcome home, Vitya, my dear sister.”

“Aveta! I knew this was too good to be true,” the queen scowled in disgust.

“You disappeared into the labyrinth that fateful day so long ago. Did you think you could escape forever? I followed you in, but I was too young. My nursemaid helped me get through the traps of the maze, and I still couldn’t find you. How you eluded me all this time is truly amazing.”

The two glared at each other for a tense moment before breaking out into laughter and running to one another, embracing like long lost siblings should. I couldn’t say I wasn’t holding my breath, but I inhaled sharply, relieved the moment they hugged. Things weren’t as bad as I’d thought. Now to fix other problems.

As the group of iron-blooded began to enter their new home beyond the gate, I turned to look at Soap and Dylan.

Soap winked as he held out his arms to me. “How about we go home and say hello to those two young ladies I know will be dying to see me?”

I melted into his arms and laughed, enjoying his scent more than ever. It felt unreal yet exhilarating. When I finally let him go, I turned to find Dylan watching us, an uncertain look in his eyes.

“Dylan?” I asked. “Are you okay?”

“Yes. I’m fine. I’m more than fine now. I was just thinking about how different things are now. It’s been a long road, and we’ve hurt each other in so many ways, Shade. How do we go forward from this? Do you even want to?”

A knot formed in my throat. “Yes, I do. And you?”

He held his position for a moment, pain flashing in his eyes. Could he learn to forgive me? I had fought to return to myself when the magic of Faerie had stifled me, choking out who I used to be in order to make me into an efficient but unfeeling ruler. What good was magic if there was no way to love anyone? I had fought it and knew that it could be done. At least, it was possible for a half-blood girl with nothing but heart.

“I do. I really want to fix this,” he finally said. Relieved, I ran right into his arms as he held them out. I held on to him more tightly than I ever thought I could.

“We will. We’ll go back and start again. Now I know we can.”

He nodded, not letting me go as he stroked my hair, kissing the top of my head. His heart beat hard beneath his chest, as loud as a drum. I hoped it beat for me, for our daughters, for everything we could be.

Finally releasing Dylan, I held him at arm’s length, my heart jumping with elation. The fae of Noruck had finally returned to their rightful home, and I knew I had to help them make it comfortable, repair the damage done, and restore it to its former beauty and prosperity.

“As soon as we’re done here, we’ll go home to our daughters,” I said.

I took my husbands by their hands, and together we walked through the gate and back into the Land of Faerie. As we passed beneath the arch, I swore upon every bit of magic within me that I would never be parted from them again.