by Julie Kagawa
Finally, after a much longer time than I thought it would take, I followed the eyes around a corner and found a door sitting at the end of the tunnel. Not a regular, full-size door; this one was short and square, looking like the entrance to a cupboard or cabinet. It was halfway open, and a sliver of yellow light peeked through the crack.
Crawling forward, I pushed it open and looked down.
Yep, I was in a cupboard, apparently. Right below me was a stone sink, and next to that, a long counter with piles of chopped vegetables and bloody bits of meat and bone. Were we in...a kitchen of some sort? The thought made me very nervous; of all the places to end up in the world of Faery, kitchens were not at the top of my list. All those stories about people getting stuffed into ovens or baked into pies? They didn’t happen in the living room.
“Are you ever going to come down?” Grimalkin wondered, now sitting across the room on top of a shelf. “Or are you going to sit there and gape until the cook opens the door and finds you?”
I carefully eased out of the cupboard, using the sink to balance myself until I could step down. Kenzie followed me and I helped her to the stone floor, where she looked around eagerly.
“Are we in a kitchen?” she asked, voicing my own question earlier. Looking up at the cabinet, where Keirran slid out and hopped gracefully to the floor, she frowned. “And...did we just crawl through a cupboard to get here? How...?”
“Don’t ask,” I said. “Trust me, it’s better if you don’t wonder about it.”
Puck joined us, dropping to the ground, dusting off his hands as he rose. Taking a swift glance at our surroundings, his eyebrows arched.
“Uh-oh.”
“Uh-oh?” Keirran gave him a weary look as Razor buzzed with alarm. “We’re not going to like what you’re going to tell us next, are we?”
“Well...” Puck scratched the side of his neck. “I just remembered why I stopped using that shortcut—”
Footsteps echoed outside the hall. Loud, ponderous footsteps, made by something large and heavy. Atop the shelf, Grimalkin disappeared.
Puck grimaced. “Maybe you should hide now.”
We scrambled for a nearby closet, crowding in among brooms, mops and bags of potatoes. As Keirran pulled the door mostly shut, leaving a crack to peer through, a shadow darkened the door, and a massive green troll filled the frame. It—she?—wore a once-white apron, now stained with red, and carried a meat cleaver in one thick claw. A brown braid was tossed over a shoulder, and two long tusks curled up from her jaw as she stared at Puck, her lips curling back in revulsion.
“Robin Goodfellow?” the troll bellowed as Puck gave her a cheeky wave. “You are not supposed to be here—you were banned from this kitchen for life!”
“Aw, come on, Sarah,” Puck answered as the troll stalked into the room. “You’ve missed me. Admit it.”
“Out!” roared the troll, swinging her knife, which he instantly dodged. “Get out, you miserable thief! I’ll have no more pies stolen by the likes of you! Out, out!”
Laughing, Puck ducked, rolled and finally scrambled out the door, the troll stomping after him waving her meat cleaver. Keirran shook his head as Razor cackled with glee and bounced on his shoulder.
Grimalkin was waiting on the top shelf as we emerged from the closet, looking as though nothing had happened. “Are we quite finished?” he asked, as if a giant troll storming into the room and chasing after Puck was our fault, somehow. “Are you ready to go find the queen?”
“What about Puck?” Kenzie asked.
“I am sure Goodfellow will rejoin us when he is done playing with the cook,” the cat said, leaping to the floor. “Now, shall we move on before anything else can happen?”
* * *
Following Grimalkin, we left the kitchens, opened a large wooden door and found ourselves in a brambly tunnel. Once the door was shut and we were a good distance away, no longer able to hear the furious bellows still echoing through the branches, the cat paused and turned to face us.
“That is the way to the throne room, where Titania is holding court,” he said, nodding to where another bramble tunnel twisted off into the thorns. “I assume you can find your way from here, Prince?”
“Yes,” Keirran said as Razor hissed at the cat from beneath his hair. “I take it you’re not coming with us to see the queen?”
“I have no business with the court.” Grimalkin yawned. “I brought you into the Seelie Court, as I said I would, and though it would be amusing to see how you fare with the queen, I have other things to do. Fear not, humans.” He turned and trotted off, tail held up like a flag behind him. “I am certain we will meet again soon.”
Slipping beneath the thick hedge, he vanished.
The walk to the end of the tunnel wasn’t far. Several dozen steps down the brambly corridor, around a bend, and then it opened into a large clearing, thorny walls still surrounding it on every side.
A pair of thrones sat in the center of the glade, shafts of sunlight streaming down on them from above. They seemed to have grown right out of the forest floor, as they were covered in vines and blooming flowers, with birds perched on the arms and back and insects floating around them. The throne on the left was empty and probably Oberon’s, the absent Summer King. But sitting in the chair on the right...
“Oh boy,” Keirran whispered, and Razor hid beneath his hair.
Titania, Queen of the Summer Court, lounged on her throne like a lazy cat, a tiny, amused smile on her full lips as she observed her subjects. She was tall and slender with golden hair cascading down her shoulders, her face that of a goddess, perfect and frightening. I was beginning to reach a point where the inhuman beauty of the gentry didn’t affect me as much anymore, but still, the Seelie Queen took my breath away.
I swallowed and reminded myself that this was the second-most powerful faery in the Summer Court, that one wrong move or word on our part could get us turned into rabbits or harts or mice, or whatever struck the faery queen’s fancy. And judging by the pack of whip-thin moss-green hounds roaming about the clearing, being turned into any sort of small animal would end very badly for us.
“Razor, wait here,” Keirran said, putting the gremlin on a branch. Razor buzzed and shook his head in protest, and Keirran frowned. “Titania hates Iron fey. I can’t have you with me when I’m bargaining with her. It will be too much of a distraction.”
“No!” Razor buzzed, looking desperate. “No leave Razor! No!”
“Here, Razor,” Kenzie said and held out her arm. “You can stay with me if you’re quiet. I won’t be talking to the queen, either.” She shot me a quick glance, letting me know she hadn’t forgotten her promise. “We’ll be quiet together.”
The gremlin let out a happy cackle and leaped to her shoulder. She shushed him, and he bobbed his head earnestly. Burrowing into her hair, the spindly fey vanished except for his glowing green eyes, peering out from behind the dark curtain.
“Kenzie,” Keirran murmured as the gremlin muttered nonsense beneath Kenzie’s hair, “I’m grateful for your support, but you don’t have to do this. You can still leave, or wait here while I talk with the queen. You and Ethan both.”
“Oh, shut up,” I whispered back and took a determined step toward the throne. “Come on. Let’s get this over with.”
Fey stared at us as we crossed the clearing, Summer gentry in ridiculous finery that defied the laws of nature. Cloaks of leaves, gowns of petals still in bloom, a cape made of thousands of butterflies, gently fanning their wings in the sun. The gentry eyed us with cold amusement, curiosity and alarm, especially as their gazes fell on Keirran and they realized exactly who had crashed their little party. Whispers and muttering trailed us through the meadow. The lyrical music ground to an inelegant halt, and someone in the crowd gasped.
Keirran kept walking, not looking at any of the Summer fey as we strode forward, his gaze only for the queen. On her throne, Titania straightened, her crystal-blue eyes narrowing to dangerous slits as they fell on
us.
“Prince Keirran,” Titania said as we reached the foot of the throne. Keirran bowed, and Kenzie and I followed his example, though the queen barely flicked a glance at us. The Summer Queen’s voice, though as smooth as honey over velvet, was not pleasant. “I don’t recall giving you permission to be in Arcadia.”
“Please forgive this intrusion, Queen Titania,” Keirran said, his tone polite but unwavering. “We would have gone through the proper channels, but I’m afraid an audience with the Summer Court could not wait.”
“Is that so?” The queen smiled, beautiful and terrifying. “Then tell me, Iron Prince. What is so dire that you would dare break the rules of my court to speak with me? You do realize I could punish you where you stand for trespassing, but I find that I am in a curious mood today. What brings the elusive Iron Prince out of hiding?” Her gaze slid to me, and one elegant eyebrow rose. “And with the Iron Queen’s brother in tow. How very amusing. There are rumors about you circulating the courts, Prince—your disappearing acts have not gone unnoticed, and many people are looking for you. Have you come for Sanctuary, then?” Her smile grew even more evil. “The Iron Prince seeking refuge from his own kind? How delicious. Well, if you want to stay here, Prince Keirran, you’re more than welcome, of course. Provided you can meet the requirements.”
“I didn’t come for refuge, Queen Titania,” Keirran said before the Summer monarch could go any further. “I’m well aware that the Iron Court is searching for me. I will return to Mag Tuiredh soon. Your generous offer of Sanctuary is not needed at this time. But I did come...to ask a favor.”
Titania’s eyes gleamed, and the hairs on the back of my neck rose.
“A favor, Iron Prince? Do go on.”
“You had a maiden named Annwyl in your court once,” Keirran continued, oblivious or uncaring of the glee in the queen’s eyes. “Do you remember her?”
“Annwyl.” Titania wrinkled her nose, appearing deep in thought. “The name does sound familiar,” she continued in a vague manner, though it was fairly obvious she was being coy. “Wasn’t she one of my servants? A simple, plain girl if I remember. It’s so hard to keep track of the help. They all begin to look the same after a while.”
Keirran didn’t show any outward signs of offense, but Kenzie stiffened beside me, eyes narrowing angrily. Hidden in her hair, Razor growled and mumbled under his breath. I hoped neither of them would lose it in front of Titania; that would play right into her game.
“Annwyl was exiled from the Summer Court and the Nevernever,” Keirran continued, his voice as coolly polite as before. If you didn’t see the stiff set of his shoulders, you wouldn’t know he was angry or upset. “She was banished, but she didn’t break any laws. I am officially requesting that you lift her exile and allow her to return to Arcadia, in the same manner and with the same expectations as before her banishment.” He hesitated a moment, then added, “Please.”
“Lift her exile?” Titania sniffed and sat back on her throne, regarding us with amusement. “Why in the world would I want to do that? If I banished the Summer girl, I’m certain I had good reason for it.”
You didn’t, I thought angrily, and by the thinning of Kenzie’s mouth, I knew she was thinking the same. Titania must’ve caught something in our expressions, though, for her piercing, slightly feral gaze zeroed in on me.
“You’re being awfully quiet, Ethan Chase.” Titania’s smile sent a chill through my stomach. “Your disdain for our kind is well-known. You have never bothered to venture into the Nevernever before, not even to visit your sister. Why the change of heart?”
I swallowed the dryness in my throat and tried to keep my voice light, uncaring. “I’m just helping out a family member,” I said, shrugging. “When this is done, I’m going home, and you’ll never see me again.”
“How very noble of you,” Titania replied. “But being in my court means you are subject to my rules, and you are just as guilty of breaking the law as the prince. Therefore, you will share his fate should I decide to punish him. You and your little friend there.”
Panic flared as the Summer Queen’s cruel gaze fastened on Kenzie. Calm down, I ordered myself. Don’t jump to her defense; that’s what Titania wants. If she suspects how much you care for Kenzie, she’ll use that as a weakness against you. Don’t give her anything.
“Queen Titania,” Keirran began, but she raised a hand, silencing him.
“I will be with you in a moment, Prince Keirran,” she said without looking his way. “Right now, I am very curious as to what the mortals are doing here.”
Kenzie remained silent, though I could see it was a struggle. I was amazed, and sort of proud, that Kenzie was keeping her head, not giving the queen anything that could be used against her. But Titania wasn’t done yet. “You are adorable, aren’t you?” the Summer Queen went on, regarding Kenzie with a lazy smile. Kenzie met the queen’s stare, quiet but unafraid, and Titania chuckled. “And quite fearless. You’d make a lovely rosebush, I think. Or perhaps a hart?”
Kenzie bit her lip. I could see she was trying not to say anything, and the queen turned a purely sadistic smile on me. “What do you think, Ethan Chase? Perhaps I will have you choose the girl’s form. Do you think she would make a better rosebush or hart?”
The panic in my chest grew, making it hard to breathe. Dammit, I have to get her attention off Kenzie, but how? A heartbeat, and then I knew. I have to make her think I don’t care. If she believes nothing she’d do to Kenzie would upset me, maybe she’ll leave her alone. Taking a furtive breath, I shrugged again and said in my most flippant, jackass-y voice, “She’s been following us around for days and she never shuts up. Turn her into whatever you want—maybe I’ll finally get some peace and quiet.”
My stomach twisted even as I finished those words, but I pushed down my fear and concentrated on not showing any emotion in front of Titania. Like sharks or wolves or rabid dogs, faeries could sense fear a mile away.
“Harsh words, Ethan Chase,” the queen mused at last, and I could see her scrutinizing me, maybe searching my glamour aura for the truth. “Do you not have any compassion for your fellow humans?”
I searched for that cold, hostile loner I was before I met Kenzie, and threw him up again, even managing a faint smirk as I stared at the fey queen. “Not when my fellow humans are annoying, pushy and won’t leave me alone. Maybe a couple weeks as a rosebush will teach her not to follow me into Faeryland. So, by all means...” I shrugged again. “I can’t stop you, so do whatever you want. It makes no difference to me.”
All the while, I could feel Kenzie’s eyes on me, and I hoped we would be around long enough for me to apologize.
Don’t say anything, I begged her. Don’t draw attention to yourself and maybe we’ll all get out of this without any major catastrophes.
Titania stared at us, while I forced myself to breathe normally, to give her the impression that I really was the coldhearted jackass who didn’t care if she changed one of his friends into a plant. The queen blinked and seemed about to lose interest, when Razor suddenly poked his head out of Kenzie’s hair, baring his teeth at the Summer monarch.
“Bad queen!” he hissed, flattening his ears. “Not hurt pretty girl!”
Titania recoiled. “Ugh! What is that...thing?” she spat, and the rest of the nobles drew away with gasps and cries of alarm. Rising, the queen towered over Kenzie, pointing at her with a slender white hand. “How dare you bring that abomination into my court, mortal? Out! Both of you—get out of my sight!”
Razor hissed and ducked back into Kenzie’s hair, and Keirran quickly stepped forward.
“Apologies, Queen Titania,” he soothed as the queen’s furious glare turned on him. My heart pounded, but at least she wasn’t staring at Kenzie anymore. “The gremlin is mine, so it’s my fault that he’s here.”
“You try my patience, Prince,” Titania said, narrowing her eyes. “I am quickly becoming annoyed with you and your little mortal friends, so perhaps you should all b
e on your way.”
“Of course. We’ll leave, as soon as we have your consent to let Annwyl back into Arcadia.”
“I do not bow to the requests of you, Prince Keirran.” Titania sneered. “This is my court, and you have no power here, even if you are the Iron Queen’s son.” She straightened, fixing us with a cold glare. “If you want me to raise this girl’s exile, you will do something for me in return.”
Okay, now we came to the heart of the matter. When asking a favor of any faery, always be ready to bargain for something in return. Keirran was prepared for it and simply nodded.
“What would you have of me?” he asked in a calm voice. Titania smiled again. Settling back on her throne, she regarded us all with a smug, pleased expression, making us wait.
“There is a place in Tir Na Nog,” the Summer Queen began, and my heart sank at the mention of the Winter Court, “in the region they call the Frozen Wood. It sits just beyond the Ice Maw, the chasm that separates the wyldwood from Mab’s territory. Do you know of it?”
“I’ve heard of it,” Keirran said cautiously.
Titania preened, looking like a cat with a mouse in its claws. “Deep below the wood lies an ancient creature,” she continued in a grand voice, and my heart sank even further as I suspected where this was going. “It has been sleeping for centuries, but its very presence keeps the land above it eternally frozen. The Cold it generates is a living thing itself, stealing into the wood, snuffing the life from all who venture there. Nothing can live in the wood for long—creatures that wander or get caught out in the open become trapped in ice, forever.” The queen gave a disdainful sniff. “Barbaric, don’t you think? And all because of this creature. Something should be done.”
I sighed. “You want us to kill it.”
The Summer Queen blinked. “Why, Ethan Chase, what a horrid idea. Certainly I would not risk offending Mab by suggesting you slay the beast. However, if the creature does meet some untimely demise, well, nothing can live forever, can it?”