“The night of the Ball,” Quentin said. Then he frowned. “How did you know the roses died?”
“This is the only time I’ve been in this knowe and not seen live flowers.” It felt like there was something I wasn’t seeing that would make everything make sense. Something about Luna and the roses . . .
Raysel stepped around the corner and froze. She was wearing a black dress, her hair in artful disarray; she looked every inch the grieving daughter, except for the part where she didn’t look sad. Angry, yes, and faintly smug, but not a drop of sorrow.
The three of us stared at one another for a frozen moment, no one quite sure what the appropriate reaction would be. “Hello, Rayseline,” I said, finally.
She frowned. “What are you doing here?” She didn’t sound angry; just irritated, like I’d been downgraded to “minor annoyance.” Interesting.
“Lily’s dead.”
“I’m aware.” She shot a murderous glare at Quentin. “I’m not sure what that has to do with your being here.”
I silently resolved to get Quentin out of there sooner than later. Having a man on the inside wasn’t worth the risk of having Raysel truly angry with him. “I’m just here to see your father.”
“Why should I let you anywhere near my parents?” She jerked her chin toward Quentin. “He can’t help you. He’s just a page here.”
“I know that. But I have news, and I need to speak with my liege.”
“You can give your news to me. My father will listen to you, even if your message comes from my lips.” The venom in her voice was unmistakable.
The words escaped before I could stop them. “Why do you hate me so much?”
“Don’t pretend you don’t know. I won’t let you.”
“Raysel, I’m not pretending. I don’t—”
She cut me off, demanding, “Do you have any idea where I grew up?”
I stared at her, not sure how I was supposed to answer. Quentin’s expression was as blank as mine. “No, I don’t,” I said, lacking anything else to say.
“I grew up in nothing,” she said. Her eyes narrowed, and for a moment she achieved a look I’d seen on her father’s face a hundred times: pure and righteous anger. “It was dark and cold, and it hurt to breathe, and it never ended. They threw us food, sometimes, and water, sometimes, but never enough, and I was always hungry. I almost forgot what light was until the day the binding fell away, and then I thought the sun had come to kill us, and I was glad.”
“Root and branch,” I breathed. “Raysel . . . ”
“Don’t you dare say you’re sorry. Do you know what my mother said to me every day—every hour—of my childhood? Do you?! ”
“No,” I said. Watching Raysel’s anger was like watching a train wreck. It was horrifying, but I couldn’t look away. Somehow, I couldn’t shake the small, terrible feeling that she was right; this was my fault.
“ ‘Your father’s coming,’ ” she said, in mocking parody of Luna’s measured tones. “ ‘He’ll save us. He won’t let us die here.’ ” She shook her head, voice returning to normal. “But he didn’t come. So she told me about his allies. She told me everything.”
I winced. It was obvious I’d been included in those “allies.” I was starting to understand why she hated me, and I didn’t want to.
Raysel ignored my distress, continuing, “‘Evening will find us, and your father will raise an army, and Toby—’ ” She faltered, looking confused and a little lost. That was the first time I saw her truly unguarded. “Toby will come. That’s what she does. When we need her, she comes.”
“Raysel . . . ”
She glared. The moment was over. “You weren’t there. You didn’t see my mother go crazy calling for my father, calling for you. She never lost faith in either of you. She believed in you. And you never came. So you can make all the excuses you want, and Father will believe them, because he wants to. He wants to think you’re perfect, but you’re not. You’re just a stupid changeling, and you have no business here.”
“I tried to find you.” The words sounded feeble. I’m supposed to be a hero. So why didn’t I save them?
“You failed,” she said. “You died for us, but you didn’t have the decency to stay dead. You wonder why I hate you? Because you came back. You abandoned us, and then you came back and took everything away from me! My husband, my parents, everyone in this Duchy wishes I were you. What did I do to deserve that?”
She was right. Her father didn’t know her, and her mother didn’t understand her, but they knew me. They loved me. “It isn’t my fault.”
“Do you think I care? Besides, it doesn’t matter now. You won’t be my problem much longer.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Do you really think I believe you poisoned my mother?” She giggled. “You’re the family dog. You couldn’t hurt her if you wanted to. That doesn’t matter, because when she dies, my finger points to you. The Duchy has its justice, and I have my peace.”
“You’ll never convince the Queen,” said Quentin.
She smiled sweetly. “I think you’ll be surprised, little boy. You’re a foster here, and your word will never stack up against mine. You have no power, no authority, and no reason to be trusted.”
“You’ll let the real killer go?” I asked, aghast. I understood revenge, but this wasn’t revenge. This was insanity.
“Oh, no. We’ll realize our mistake once you’re dead, and whoever did this will be caught and punished.” Her smile was thin and triumphant. “All’s well that ends well. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to fetch something.” She turned and stalked away, clearly intent on having the last word.
Quentin started to go after her. I grabbed his sleeve, holding him back. “No, Quentin. She’s not worth it.”
“But she—”
“Can you prove it?”
He stopped. “What?”
“Can you prove she did anything? Can you even prove we had this conversation? You and I have a past. We’ve worked together. I could have convinced you to take my side.” I sighed. “We can’t prove a damn thing.” Raysel was clever. Telling Quentin didn’t endanger her; it just gave her a chance to discredit him if he tried to come forward. We were stuck.
He stared at me for a moment, and then sagged. “This sucks.”
“Yes,” I agreed. “It does.”
TWENTY-ONE
ETIENNE LOOKED MORE DISTRESSED THAN ever when he returned. “His Grace didn’t answer when I knocked. I’ve called for Jin, but it may take some time.”
“That’s okay.” I raked my hair back, grimacing as the movement tugged on my bandages. “I could use a moment to catch my breath.”
“If you don’t mind my saying so, you don’t look well,” said Etienne, hesitating before adding, “I’ve never seen you maintain a human persona inside the knowe.”
“What?” I felt the rounded edge of my ear, resisting the urge to laugh. “Oak and ash, Etienne, I didn’t even realize I was still wearing the damn thing.” I hesitated before adding, “I’m not sure I could put it up again if I took it down right now. I’m not exactly at my best.”
“You could try.”
“That seems too much like work.”
Etienne smiled a little, looking relieved to have me back on what he viewed as familiar ground. “Still lazy, I see. I’ll never know how you survived your training.”
“The Puck looks out for the lazy and suicidal?” I suggested.
“Possibly the only explanation,” he agreed.
I was trying to figure out how to say “by the way, I’ve been poisoned” without freaking either Etienne or Quentin out when a door opened in the wall across from us, cutting off any further conversation. We turned, almost in unison, to see Dugan—the Queen’s messenger—step through. He was closely followed by Rayseline, Manuel, and five men in the Queen’s livery. All of them stopped when Dugan did.
I straightened, wishing I’d thought to drop my human disguise when I came in.
“My lad
y—” Etienne began.
Raysel cut him off with a sharp gesture of her hand. There was a strange, bright triumph in her eyes. “I told you she was here,” she said. “Do your duty.”
“With pleasure,” said Dugan, stepping forward. “October Daye, you stand accused of murder and attempted murder. Will you come quietly?”
“Don’t I even get a title when I’m being arrested?” I asked wearily.
“His Grace—” began Quentin.
“This isn’t his concern,” said Dugan.
“Yes, it is,” I said. “He’s my liege. He has a right to be here.”
“No, he’s not,” said Raysel, the triumph in her eyes bleeding into her voice. “You may be my father’s knight, Daye, but you’re the Queen’s Countess.”
I froze. “You’re kidding.”
“No, she’s not,” said Dugan. “When you took that title, your fealty changed.”
I wanted to protest. I couldn’t. Fealty is a tricky thing; it’s a debt, of a sort, one you pay with loyalty, duty, and action. Goldengreen was in the Queen’s own lands. Oberon help me, but I was hers.
“Will you come quietly?”
“Tell me what I’m accused of,” I countered. “You owe me that much.”
“We owe you nothing,” Raysel said sharply.
Too sharply; Etienne’s eyes narrowed. “My lady, she is sworn to your father. You overstep your authority.”
“Fine,” said Raysel. “Dugan, read the charges.”
Dugan looked at her sharply, clearly displeased by her casual orders. Then he cleared his throat, and said, “You stand accused of the murder of the Lady of the Tea Gardens and the attempted murder of the Duchess of Shadowed Hills.”
“What makes you accuse me?” I asked, fighting to keep my temper in check. Getting mad wouldn’t do me any good. Etienne looked like he was fighting the same battle; he was glaring daggers at Raysel. “It could have been anyone.”
“I saw you run out to the terrace just before the Duchess collapsed,” said Manuel, with unconcealed malice. “You went out and spoke with her, and then she fell.”
“You know I’d never hurt Luna.”
“Like you didn’t hurt my sister?” he hissed.
“You were a captive in the Tea Gardens, and now their Lady is dead.” Raysel ignored Manuel’s outburst. “You became a captive because of my mother, and now she’s dying. An interesting coincidence, don’t you think?”
“That isn’t all we have against you,” said Dugan. “Manuel?”
Manuel pulled a leather pouch from his pocket, handing it to Dugan. Dugan held it toward me, asking, “Do you recognize this?”
“No. What is it?”
“Open it and see.”
I took the pouch, feeling the weight of it. My heart sank, and kept sinking as I untied the strings and looked inside, seeing the contents for the first time.
Lily’s pearl looked like some strange, half-rotten fruit. It was the size of my fist, and glossy white, except for the black streaks marring its lower half. I reached into the pouch and scooped the pearl into my hand, turning it until the blackness was all that showed. Gouges scored the enamel at the center of the decay.
“That was found at the edge of the Tea Gardens,” said Dugan, taking the pearl from my unresisting hand. “An uncorked vial was driven into the mud a few inches away. It was empty when we found it, but had it held poison—”
“—the current would have carried it over the pearl and into the scrapes. Oh, root and branch, how could we have been so stupid?” Of course Walther’s samples tested pure. The poison was so diffuse by the time it reached the main water system that it registered as normal contamination of the groundwater. “When was this found?”
“Yesterday morning. The Undine guard such treasures fiercely. How many people knew that fiefdom well enough to know its location?”
“You found this before Lily died?” Fury rose hot in the back of my throat. I tamped it down, demanding, “Why didn’t you save her? Why didn’t you try? The Queen—”
“Has no jurisdiction in the park,” said Dugan.
“So why is she trying to prosecute me for a crime committed outside her jurisdiction?” I snapped.
“It was in her Kingdom. She could not prevent, but she can punish. Now will you come quietly?”
“I don’t think she has to,” said Etienne.
“Stay out of this,” snapped Raysel. “It’s not your concern.”
“Actually, it is. She’s your father’s knight, Rayseline, just as I am. Would you turn me over so easily?” Etienne shook his head. “This isn’t right. The Duke must be told before we allow them to take her.”
Dugan was opening his mouth to answer when a tired, familiar voice said, “The Duke must be told what?” We all turned, even the Queen’s men, to watch Sylvester step into the room. “Have I missed something, Rayseline?” he asked. “Hello, October.”
“Hello, Your Grace.” I bowed. The Queen’s men hastened to do the same. “These nice men were just arresting me.”
Rayseline shot me a look dripping with hatred. “They’re taking Countess Daye for questioning, Father. They think she might help them answer some questions about Mother’s illness.”
“Is that so? Interesting. Are you here on the Queen’s orders?” His question sounded almost aimless. I knew better. Sylvester’s at his most dangerous when he sounds like he doesn’t care.
“Your daughter requested our presence, Your Grace,” Dugan replied.
“As I expected. She’s a good girl, but sometimes she rushes things.” Sylvester smiled, looking no less exhausted. “You’ll have to speak to the Queen before I let you remove my knight from my fiefdom. I’m sure you understand.”
“She’s a danger!” Raysel snapped.
“You’re not in charge yet, Rayseline,” he said, tone sharpening. “I appreciate your initiative. Now get your friends out of my knowe before I get angry.”
She stared at him before she whirled and stormed past me, the Queen’s men following in her wake. My fealty might belong to the Queen, but Sylvester was right; without either a direct order from her or his consent, they couldn’t take me.
“This isn’t over,” Manuel hissed as he left.
I held myself stiff as I watched him go. So this was the way they wanted it? Fine. At least we all understood where we were coming from.
It was only a few moments before Sylvester, Etienne, Quentin, and I were the only ones in the room. Sylvester sagged. “Toby, I’m sorry. I didn’t know she would . . . ”
“It’s okay,” I said. “You didn’t know, and she hates me. She always has.”
“I expected more from her.”
“I’m sorry.” What else was I supposed to say? Raysel was his only child, and his wife was dying. He wasn’t going to get another chance unless I somehow solved this.
“I know.” He shook his head. “Did you come here for a reason? Etienne seemed quite set that you should see me.”
“Yes, I did,” I said. “I think I know who’s behind this.” I tensed, waiting for him to fly off the handle again.
He just looked at me dully, and asked, “Oleander?” I nodded. Sighing, he said, “I assumed you’d try telling me as much. I’ve had Jin prepare a calming tonic to keep me . . . reasonable while this is going on. Is there proof?”
“More all the time. Someone poisoned the meat Tybalt feeds to his Court with pure extract of oleander flowers; several Cait Sidhe are already dead. The Queen’s men have Lily’s pearl. They found it next to an empty vial.”
“Poison?” asked Etienne.
“I think so. And . . . I went to see a Tylwyth Teg named Walther, who used to work for Lily. He ran some tests on my blood. I’ve been poisoned, too. Low-grade—it’s intended to confuse me, not kill me—but it’s still poison.”
Sylvester’s mouth thinned into an angry line. “You say these things and then expect me to let you go charging back into danger.”
I sighed. “Because I know you w
ill. It may be Luna’s only chance.”
“You’re right,” he said, softly. “Toby, you can’t come here again. I’ll send Quentin or Etienne if I need you, but I can’t stop the Queen if you’ve been accused.”
“I understand. Go back to Luna; stay with her. If I can fix this, I will.”
“If you can’t fix this, she’ll die.”
“And so will I.”
“I know.” He turned away. I started to reach for him, but stopped myself, shaking my head. There was nothing left to say.
Etienne stepped up beside me, offering his arm, and I took it without hesitating. Shadowed Hills was no sanctuary for me anymore. In the end, there’s never a sanctuary. You run until there’s nowhere left to run to, and then you fight, and then you die, and then it’s over. That’s how the world works, and if there’s a way to change that, I hope someone’s eventually planning to let me know.
TWENTY-TWO
I WAITED UNTIL QUENTIN AND I were halfway down the hill outside the knowe before saying quietly, “Try to stay out of Raysel’s way. If she’s gunning for me, she may start gunning for you, too—out of spite, if nothing else.”
“Yeah.” He sounded subdued. The poor kid was practically worn through. If we survived this, I was going to take him to Great America and make him ride roller coasters until one of us threw up. Never doubt the restorative powers of a good amusement park. “I think she’s probably going to try.”
“If she accuses you of anything, run for my mother’s tower. It will know you from Jan’s funeral, but nobody else who’s not family will make it past the gate.” The dream I’d shared with Karen was still vivid in my mind. I needed to call her. Even if she didn’t know why she sent the dream, she might remember details I’d forgotten.
Quentin cast a sidelong look in my direction. “I still can’t come with you?”
“She’d add kidnapping to the list of charges, and I need you here so you can get Connor out, too. I don’t trust her not to hurt him.” He didn’t love her. With the way she was acting, that might be enough of an insult to let her justify punishing him for his insolence.
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