Kayla was now walking alongside Fay, while Nooa and Maeve strolled a few feet ahead, her head resting against his side, his hand around her waist. In the night’s darkness, they looked like a normal couple, but Kayla knew they were neither normal nor a couple.
Kayla’s head was heavy with the events of the night and her limbs were like lead. Back in the diner, she had been awake with all the anger pumping through her veins; now, she was drained and exhausted. She knew she should talk to Fay about what would happen next, but she’d rather walk barefoot on a bunch of sharp rocks.
Her gaze wandered off, into the distance where lights brightened the streets she’d walked so many times before. Even with her dad, when he was still there and took her into the city for a day or two.
“Can we talk?” Fay’s voice was a whisper in the night.
Kayla nodded and Fay led them toward the Bean. It loomed over them majestically, its sleek surface turned orange by the city lights. They stopped in front of the sculpture. Goosebumps spread all over Kayla’s skin like wildfire and she hugged herself, rubbing her arms.
“I…I wanted to—” Fay’s voice cracked. She turned away from Kayla, twisting the ring on her finger again.
“That’s a pretty ring,” Kayla said, the words tumbling from her mouth. “Where did you get it from?”
Fay dropped her hand, clenching her jaw. “It was a gift,” she said with a strain.
Kayla’s cheeks burned. She shifted her weight to her right leg and winced as pain shot up her knee. The wound might have sealed, but the bone still ached from the impact with the knight’s armor.
The glimmer of the Bean caught her eye, and again she spoke without thinking. “My friend Abby and I used to come here a lot when we were little,” she said. “We would look at our reflection in the Bean for hours, making funny faces. But it’s much more beautiful at night, when there are less tourists gawking at you.”
Fay gestured ahead, and they walked under the Bean’s belly. They gazed up at their distorted reflection.
“I still remember the day this park opened,” Kayla said. “It was before faeries took my dad.”
“I remember that day too.”
“You do?”
“Yes,” Fay said, a shadow crossing her face. Kayla looked at her, at those wild green eyes. What were the odds that they were at the same place all those years ago?
Kayla ran a hand along the sleek surface of the Bean’s belly. “I wish you’d told me about the time difference,” she said. “I’ve got a brother. He’s eleven now, but he won’t be for much longer. His birthday is next month, and I won’t be there. I had this whole thing planned already…” She cleared her throat. “I hope he’ll forgive me once I bring our dad back home.”
“What about your mother?” Fay asked.
Kayla’s hand froze on the Bean. “What about her?”
“You haven’t talked much about her,” Fay said. “But you don’t have to,” she added when Kayla didn’t respond.
Kayla dropped her arms to her side. “No, it’s fine. It’s just…” She blew out a trembling sigh. “What should I do about my dad? The Unseelies could be hurting him.”
“If they have him.”
Kayla walked to the center of the Bean. “It’s worth the risk,” she said. “This is the closest I’ve ever gotten to finding him.”
“I get it,” Fay said. “But finding the Unseelies hasn’t been easy, either. We’ve searched so many places already, used tracking spells and faerie acorns, but it’s all led to a dead end.”
“What are you saying?” Kayla said, surprised at the sneer in her voice.
Fay had noticed it too, and she tilted her head away from Kayla. “Dahlia has been trying to find the Unseelies, but it hasn’t worked so far. It might work if she’s trying to look for someone human. Perhaps this could be a way around whatever protection is keeping the Unseelies hidden.”
Kayla clenched her jaw, glancing at the distorted image of herself in the Bean. Her black hair was tangled and she looked ridiculous in those shoes. Next to her own reflection, she saw Fay, beautiful and radiant.
“And you really think this will bring me closer to my father?”
“It is the best chance you’ve got.” Fay drew up her shoulders, elbows tucked into the sides. Her eyes flitted about and rested on Kayla for a moment. “I wish to apologize… I made a mistake by taking you to the pier tonight.”
Kayla faced her. “I thought faeries don’t apologize.”
“Because it is frowned upon by other faeries. But you are human and…” Fay clasped her hand to her mouth as if she were stifling a sob. Kayla moved toward her, but Fay held out one arm to block her. “You got hurt, because of me. I brought you into this world, I took you to the pier, and I risked your life. It is all my fault.” She lifted her head to look at Kayla, her eyes glimmering with tears.
Kayla’s chest tightened. “I know I haven’t shown it but…” She took another step toward Fay, offering her hand. “I’m glad you brought me to Tír na nÓg. For my father.”
Fay shifted closer. She cupped Kayla’s hand in her own and stroked a thumb over the back of it, her eyes lost in the movement. “Will you forgive me? For bringing you into this world the way I did and for risking your life tonight?”
Kayla trembled at Fay’s touch. She nodded, unable to find her voice.
“Even if tonight didn’t work out?”
If Kayla was being honest, it sucked that she hadn’t gotten any answers from Dahlia. Especially now that she knew how fast time was passing with every day spent at the Seelie Court. And it upset her that they had let the Unseelies escape, but Nooa was right, Fay seemed to care about her. She had protected Kayla from the Unseelies without hesitation or fear for her own life. Without Fay, Kayla wouldn’t even have found the faerie world.
Without Fay, she’d still be stuck.
“Yes, I will forgive you,” Kayla said.
A rare smile lit up Fay’s face for a split second, and then she leaned in, brushing her lips against Kayla’s cheek. She whispered in Kayla’s ear, “Thank you.”
Then, Fay was gone, walking away from the Bean and over to her friends waiting by the Faery Path. Kayla touched her fingers to the spot where Fay had kissed her, the skin hot and tingling.
She took another glance around at the city she called home. Even in the dark night, she could see the looming shape of Hancock Tower, and she knew Abby wasn’t far. Further north, beyond Lincoln Park and Milwaukee Avenue, was her family. Her mother and her brother.
But one person was missing from that place. And she could finally bring him back.
15
REPERCUSSIONS
When they returned to the Seelie Court, Fay found the raven Bran perching high on the oak tree, watching them with beady eyes.
“I believe Dahlia has sent word to Ophira already,” she told the others. “We should talk to her.”
Two knights were waiting for them at the entrance of the Citadel and guided them to the throne room, where they were ordered to remain. Maeve wore a fixed expression while Nooa glanced around the room, fidgeting with his flute. Fay stood beside Kayla, who wouldn’t meet her eye, as they waited for the queen’s arrival.
Ophira came in after a while, followed by Chancellor Pwyll and the knight Fionn. After settling on her throne and adjusting her gown, her gaze fell on the group before her. “What news do you bring?”
Fay stepped forward, straightened her shoulders, and told the queen everything that had happened, from Dahlia to the humans at the pier to the Unseelies. As she talked, she watched the queen’s changing expression. First, her nostrils flared and her eyes narrowed into a glare. Later, when Fay admitted that the faeries causing the mayhem were most likely Unseelies, she clutched her chest.
“And you are certain?” Ophira asked.
“I did not want to believe it at first either,” Fay said. “They certainly did not belong to our court. And I do not think they were Wild Fae. They rarely harm humans. Those f
aeries were brutal. They…” She lowered her voice. “They killed a faoladh of the Chicago pack.”
If Ophira was shocked by the news, her face didn’t betray her. “You have told no one else, have you?”
“No. Only the faerie cat and the local faoladhs know what happened at the pier. I instructed the leaders of the pack to maintain secrecy, for now.”
Ophira dropped her hands into her lap and turned to Pwyll. “Summon the council,” she said. “Tell them it is of utmost importance.” He nodded and left.
“Your Highness, I—,” Maeve began, but Ophira flung up her open palm.
“Maeve ón Aine,” she said, her loud voice echoing off the walls. “With your reckless behavior, you have overstepped your boundaries and risked the lives of your friends. You are not a knight of this court. You are a merchant. If you receive knowledge of a distress call, you are to forward it to your queen.”
“But—”
“And not act on it yourself!”
Maeve’s eyes flicked away for a second. Then, she bowed her head. “Yes, your Highness.”
“Return the weapons you have taken to the armory,” Ophira said. “As long as you stay away from trouble, this will be all the punishment you receive.”
Maeve nodded, then bowed again.
“Now to you, Nooa ó Siân,” Ophira said, facing him with a stern expression. “It is not the first time you have followed Maeve’s lead. I suggest that this is the last time. You two are excused.” Nooa and Maeve left the room with hanging heads.
Upon the throne, Ophira expelled a heavy sigh. Then she rose from her seat and strode over to Fay and Kayla. The sunlight caught in her wings, emphasizing the fine green lines that ran through them. “My child,” she said, “I wish you would have come to me first.”
“The matter appeared urgent,” Fay said. “Still, we have underestimated what we were up against and we should not have acted as we did.”
“Amend your actions. Then you will be forgiven.”
Although her mouth was in a grim line, Ophira’s gaze was gentle on Fay. Perhaps Ophira feared for Fay’s life after all. Fay offered a brief smile to Ophira, who shifted her gaze to Kayla, the softness vanishing.
Kayla bowed to the queen, or at least she tried. Fay felt a pang of sympathy for Kayla, who had been thrown into this world, but braved any danger for her father. All Kayla wanted was to find him. Fay understood that now, but she wished she didn’t, because it wouldn’t make it easier to keep up the false pretense.
Ophira sank back onto her throne, hands folded in her lap. The gesture didn’t hide the slight tremor that shook her. “Tonight, an enemy of our past placed your life at peril,” she said. “We cannot change what has been done, but I assure you that you are safe in this court.”
Fay glanced over at Kayla. Her deep blue eyes were wide, circles underneath marking her exhaustion. But her strained expression and tousled black hair made her look even more beautiful. Fay tore her gaze away. “There is one more thing,” she said to Ophira. “Some Unseelies tried to take Kayla. They said they had something of hers.”
“What do they have?” Ophira asked.
“It has to be my dad,” Kayla said before Fay could speak. Her hands at her side were clenched into fists, and the determination she’d shown back in Chicago burned even brighter now. “That sign on the message, it’s theirs. We have to find them.”
Fay was impressed how Ophira feigned surprise by clasping a hand to her chest. “But it cannot be…”
“I saw it. And Fay did too.” Kayla whirled at Fay with a desperate look on her face.
“It is true,” Fay said. “One of the faeries at the pier wore the same emblem on her skin. I am thinking that perhaps the boar had not been sent after me, either.”
“We were mistaken, so it seems,” Ophira said, her head drooping. Fay thought that some of Ophira’s worry was genuine.
“Yes, you were,” Kayla said. “We have to get to them before they hurt my father.”
Ophira’s eyes bore into Kayla. “You must not leave the Seelie Court. Do you understand? The Unseelies are far too dangerous.”
“But my father—”
“You will not save him by handing yourself over to the traitors,” Ophira hissed. “If they truly sent that boar to harm you, they are after you for a reason. And you can trust me, their intentions are not benign.”
Kayla was close to tears now, her arms shaking at her side. “I don’t care if they hurt me,” she said, sniffling.
Ophira drew in a deep breath. “Would your father want you to risk your life to save his?” she said. “We cannot march against the Unseelies, because we do not know where they are hiding. We cannot find them, but Dahlia might find your father. She will, if you let her.”
Now Kayla was hanging her head, too. Fay had the urge to reach out and squeeze Kayla’s hand, but she couldn’t move. She feared that if she tried to say something, no words would come out of her mouth. Kayla was her responsibility, and she was letting her down. She had disappointed the queen too.
“I will worry about the Unseelies, if you keep your end of the bargain,” Ophira said. “Do you understand?”
“Yes,” Kayla murmured.
“You may retire to your room now.”
Once the double doors had closed behind Kayla, Ophira slumped back in her chair, a deep crease forming between her eyebrows. “Now she knows that Titania is after her.” There was sorrow in her voice at the mention of her sister’s name. “What have you learned at the faerie cat’s?”
“Not much. We will have to go back soon.”
Ophira grabbed the armrest of her throne, her knuckles turning white. “The pookas are already restless. We lost a member of the pixies and now one of the faoladhs too. I believed the girl was the sole answer to our problems. Perhaps we must also strengthen our alliances.”
Fay shuddered at how Ophira had called Kayla the girl. As if she wasn’t a person full of hopes and dreams, of her own emotions and thoughts. As if she was just another human pawn. “Your Highness,” Fay said, carefully, “what is the faerie cat looking for?”
“The truth. I can sense there is so much more to the girl than it seems. When I had the vision…” Ophira gestured to the crown on her head, the emerald embedded in the front. “Sometimes, these visions are as clear as reality. Sometimes, they are a bit blurred, the edges are smudged, and the voices distorted. But that vision of the girl… it was as if I were watching it through a veil. So many shadows and faces I could not see, but she was glowing like a Faery Light in the night.” Her own face lit up as she spoke and some vigor returned to her body.
“But…” Fay’s voice came out in a croak, “Dahlia is not looking for Kayla’s father, is she?”
“She was not, at first. However, if my sister is not fooling us, finding Kayla’s father might lead us straight to them.”
Overcome by a sudden nausea, Fay clutched a hand to her stomach. “So we keep deceiving her? She should have a right to know her father is not the only reason why she is here.”
“And you believe she will stay after she has learned the truth?”
“Yes,” Fay said, sounding breathless. “She might understand.”
Ophira rose to her feet, her wings fluttering as they spread from her back. She walked up to Fay and cupped her hands within hers. They were almost the same height, yet Fay felt so much smaller than the queen. “I can see this is difficult for you, and in some way, I admire this human characteristic in you,” Ophira said. “But you should not forget that the safety of this kingdom rests on our shoulders. It is our legacy and our duty to put our people first.”
Fay stared down at her hand resting in Ophira’s. Her ring shone as bright as the golden floors, and Fay couldn’t stop the painful memory that surfaced in her mind.
Her mother, face pale and sunken, her cold hands clinging to Fay’s. “You must look after him,” she’d said, her voice only a whisper. “He needs you.”
Fay remembered her mother’s icy
fingers against her cheek, wiping away the tears. She remembered how her mother had pressed her lips against Fay’s forehead, crying. “I love you.”
And Fay remembered leaving her old home behind, failing her mother’s last wish.
As quickly as the memory had come, Fay shoved it into the back of her mind and focused on Ophira. She would not fail her queen too.
“I will protect my people,” she said, unwavering. “No matter the cost.”
With a small smile on her lips, Ophira released Fay’s hands.
After Fay had related the events once more, she left the chamber to the sound of the councilors arguing about the next step. She was used to them disagreeing, but she hadn’t been prepared for the silence that followed Fay’s revelation. Even Farren had been quiet.
Fay left the Citadel without stopping at her room first. She noticed people glancing at the torn hem of her dress as she made her way toward Nooa’s hut, where her friends were waiting.
Maeve was sitting on the floor, legs crossed, and braiding her hair, and Nooa was pacing back and forth. The square room was darkened by the moss and ivy creeping in, scarcely illuminated by a solitary fire burning in a grate. In front of the grate was a wooden table with six chairs.
As soon as Fay entered, Nooa dashed toward her. “Are you in trouble? We are in trouble, right? I knew it!” He spun back around to face Maeve. “This is all your fault!”
She glared up at him. “I don’t care what Ophira says. If we hadn’t been there, more than one faoladh could have died. We did them a favor.”
“I cannot believe you.” Nooa slumped onto a chair and buried his face in his hands.
Fay sat on the chair beside him. “It was reckless of us to go with Dahlia, but Maeve is right.” At that, Maeve perked up, a smug smile on her face. “This doesn’t mean we should do this again.”
“Whatever,” Maeve muttered. Her braid finished, she scrambled to her feet and sat on the opposite side of the table, placing her hands flat on the surface. She stared down at her webbed fingers. “We can’t just sit here and do nothing. The Unseelies are back and they’ll go after the crown. We can’t let them have it.”
Seelie Princess (The Crown of Tír na nÓg Book 1) Page 13