Fire and Ice (36 page)

She beamed at me, and although I still hadn't completely forgiven her for stealing my voice in favor of saving my life, I was glad to see there was no lasting damage from Oct
ãhvia's magic.

“What did you say?” I frowned.

“There is another way,” Fauna whispered, her thin legs dangling over the window sill. “You could go to The Unseelie Court.”

I studied her with pursed lips. “The Unseelie…”

“Shhhh,” she said, her eyes darting back and forth. But it was too late, Adrius burst through the door.

“There is no way I am willing to risk that,” he countered in a voice too calm and emotionless.

I was too stunned to marvel at the acute sensitivity of his hearing. Seconds later, Tilak and Amaryllis followed behind him.

A brownie pushed past them into my room and frowned at the unexpected assembly. He stormed back downstairs where the banging of pots and cupboards meant they'd set to work preparing appetizers, beverages, and from the sounds of it, a seven course meal. I motioned everyone out of my room since it was getting crowded, and we all filed back downstairs.

When the house brownies had disappeared into the kitchen, Amaryllis faced me. “She is right,” she said, siding with the green faerie.

“No. Absolutely not.” Adrius was still fuming.

“Lorelei is strong, willful…”

“Find another way,” he insisted. His eyes flashed in a way that left no room for compromise.

After a long pause she bowed her head. “There is no other way.”

“
Hello
? I'm still here!” I interjected after watching their heated debate. “What are you talking about? It involves me and I want to know.”

“One touch of a shadow fey could warp her, rendering her a mindless slave. How would that help anyone?” Adrius said, ignoring my request completely.

Amaryllis was wringing her delicate hands, her shoulders slumped forward. “Yes, I know this…” she said quietly.

“Tell me how going to the Unseelie Court can help. What does Zanthiel have to do with this?” I demanded. It was frustrating that decisions concerning me were still being decided for me.

The two faeries whipped around, their eyes as wide as saucers.

“How do you know that name?” Fauna gasped.

“You must be careful what you speak into the wind, Lorelei. Words will travel and bring you back their essence,” Amaryllis scolded.

I sighed. “Then maybe someone better fill me in.”

“The shadow court is the darkest point of the Unseelie. They possess a magic so vile it can corrupt even the purest soul.” Amaryllis spoke quietly. “One touch,” she added, “and the human falls under the spell of the Dark Prince.”

I looked at Adrius, but he was scowling at the ground.

“But, I'm not human, right… not fully. Doesn't my Faerie blood protect me, or at least diminish his power?”

Fauna shook her head. “Even the faeries of light cannot long endure their presence without ill effects,” she replied.

“Well, can he help me or not?”

“Yes. He is exceedingly powerful and could restore the memory of magic, but… the battle within the mind to remain in control of their thoughts drives some to the edge of madness.”

I thought back to Zanthiel's arms securely wrapped around my waist when he rescued me on horseback. If he had the ability to control me, wouldn't he have tried to then? And if he had tried, and I wouldn't put it past him… then that meant I was strong enough to resist it…To resist
him
.

“Zanthiel's powers won't be a problem. I can control it,” I said, causing even the brownies serving tea to pause, mid-pour, and stare in disbelief. “I can.” I repeated it more for my own benefit than theirs.

Adrius shook his head.

“Lorelei, no.” He touched my arm. “You don't know what you're saying.” His voice was strained. The look of worry — worry over me — only made his beautiful face that much more appealing.

If saving the people I loved meant fighting to control my thoughts, then I would do it. I gave Adrius a determined half smile then turned to Amaryllis. “So how do I find Zanthiel?”

Up until now, he had always found me.

She gulped, her eyes bulging. “You are a reckless young one. As you have already called upon him three times, you will not need to find him.” Her voice shrank to a bare whisper. “He will find you.”

Strange he garnered so much fear. It was only Zanthiel. Sure he had some sociopathic tendencies, and apparently commanded the undead… but traits like those weren't so uncommon in these parts. Everyone in the Nevermore played by their own set of rules, and he was no different. Except his rules might have been a little more graphic.

“Lorelei, I know you think you can do this, but there is more at risk than you realize. The shadow fey are dangerous. He could destroy you.” Adrius refused to give in.

I wanted to ease the worried lines of his brow. If only I could tell him, but what would I say?
No worries, he's touched me already, lots of times, and it's all good
. There is no way
that
conversation would end well. Instead I tried to reason with them.

“
Someone
has survived it, right? I mean how else would you know so much? Besides, it's just one touch, how much harm can Zanthiel do in so little time.”

Adrius sighed, raking his hand roughly through his hair and sat back down.

Amaryllis blanched, going limp, like a wilted flower under the searing desert sun.

“No, no, noooo, silly,” green girl piped up. “Activating the memory of Faerie magic doesn't come from a mere touch… it can only be restored by—”

An explosion of white light filled the room, the force of it slammed into me and I staggered forward, dropping to my knees.

The blinding light dimmed and it became apparent my little cottage in the woods had vanished. Adrius, Tilak, and the faeries were missing too. In their place stood someone I hadn't expected to see again quite this suddenly. Yet there he was… pulsating wickedness — tall and slender, his porcelain skin casting a faint glow in the haze— gazing with eyes like molten lead. Behind him tattered, veined wings beat the air twice, before folding behind him and disappearing.

He swaggered toward me with catlike prowess, although glided would be a more accurate description based on the way he moved. The way he always moved… as though the ground itself was sliding beneath him.

This was not the summer court of Tir Na Nog. It was cold. Colder than cold. The type of weather expected in the winter court. The air here was like dry ice, the kind that burns your lungs when you inhale. Though it was all too evident the chill growing in the pit of my stomach had little to do with the temperature.

The physical appearance of the Unseelie Court bordered on the macabre. Twisted trees forced into unnatural growth by the bitter cold and lack of sunlight scattered haphazardly through the hall, growing through crevices in the floor. Curtains of shadows, stretching from floor to ceiling, only partially hid the blood-soaked corners of the room. Drawn back in the middle, the gaping crevasses revealed unwilling guests captured for the amusement of the court, chained to the wall and to one another. Like flies caught in a spider's web, their emaciated bodies writhed on the ground while dark faeries raked fingernails over their exposed skin and licked the blood. Despite the waves of nausea I couldn't look away. The moon shone through a skylight over violent blooms of nightshade and devil's weed growing along the floor, providing a sinister light to the madness. Plants both beautiful and deadly, with flowers even I knew enough to stay away from covered the frosted walls. Hawthrin said they fed their guests just enough devil's weed to keep them in an hallucinogenic state to stay willingly. And for those who wouldn't conform to their sadistic play, they tied them to a Manchineel tree, which is so toxic just standing under it when it rains can cause blindness.

Even the throne of the Shadow Court was shaped like a great shadow dragon, a creature of midnight and darkness, no doubt like the queen herself. And like her son…

“Zanthiel,” I said in an icy tone.

“You may rise.” He smirked down at me.

“I wasn't kneeling. I lost my balance,” I snapped, barely controlling my anger. I stood up and brushed the dusting of frost from my clothes.

He circled me, his eyes sweeping from head to foot. “Hmm, still no wings after all this time in the summer court.” He sounded disappointed. “Pity… yes, you would be quite beguiling with flight I'd believe.”

I wasn't sure how to reply to that, so I responded with, "Okaaaay."

He stalked around me in a loop, the way faeries do, studying me closely. "Yet…" He circled once more and I followed slowly to keep my eyes on him. "You would make a good one. Far better than I hoped."

He circled again, a smirk playing on the corners of his lips.

Better
what
than he hoped for? …Faerie? …Princess? …Slave?

"That's great," I said, narrowing my eyes.

"Quite impressive altogether." A grin crossed his face, mischievous and evil.

“Why am I here?” I asked with forced diplomacy. "Is this another of your twisted games?"

"Do they ever stop?" He chuckled lightly, rubbing his hands together.

He circled me once more. I was starting to get dizzy, but then he stopped and his expression shifted in a way that made my skin crawl. His nose brushed uncomfortably close to my hair.

"You really do smell good."

Okay. Enough.
I was done with his games and not impressed by his abduction. “You brought me here for something. So what is it?” I jammed my hands under my arms to keep them warm.

Zanthiel pressed close behind me. “
You
called for
me,
” he whispered in my ear. The cold herbal scent of his breath gave me shivers. “Surely my response is no longer a surprise to you,” he added. “So perhaps you should tell me what it is that
you
want.”

I squinted up at him and frowned. What was it Amaryllis had said about saying his name three times? Pausing for a moment, I peered at my reflection in the silver glimmer of his eyes. In the dimness he was even more feral and wild… much more like a shadow fey.

Bargaining with him had not gone so well in the past, but now I'd run out of options. I needed his help and I'd have to hope he didn't demand my firstborn child in return.

“There is something I need… want… ” I drew out the words but then fell silent for a moment to navigate the verbal minefield of Faerie favors.

“I need your—”

“You need my help,” he finished, lifting a lock of my hair and letting it fall, sniffing the subtle breeze. “Yes, I know this. It is why I have come. Why I have always come.”

“Why does this place feel so familiar? I've never been here before.” I took a step back, suddenly feeling engulfed in a feeling of
déjà-vu
. You know that acute sense where you know you've been somewhere before, but can't remember when?

“Haven't you?” He smiled his stunning grin, making it physically difficult to look at him.

But I wasn't here to be charmed by his glamour or seduced into serving him for all eternity.

“I have not yet decided what I will claim in this bargain. But I can restore your power, Princess Ilyandra.”

Low and sinister his voice skittered across my skin like a million cockroaches.

I shuddered. “Why are you still calling me that?”

“It was your name once,” he replied evenly, taking a step closer.

“My name is and always has been Lorelei. You know that.”

“I'm speaking of a time before that name was given by the pet human your father took up with.” The disdain in his voice was palpable.

“Pets are
animals
, not people.” I snapped, folding my arms.

“Animals, humans, they are interchangeable. One in the same really.” He shrugged.

"Why do you keep insisting I've been here before when I haven't?"

"Oh, but you have. You were born here, Lorelei. You just do not remember. The same way you have forgotten your magic.” He leaned in. “I can help you remember.”

I stared at the dark faerie I'd known my entire life. With trembling fingers, I clutched the fabric of my skirt. “Where is my father? You promised to keep him alive. Is he here?” I glanced quickly at the depraved scene, hoping he hadn't been subjected to any like it. But that fragile flicker of hope was dashed in the realization he might be enduring something far worse.

“Shouldn't you concentrate on saving one parent at a time? And to clarify, you have not yet come close to fulfilling your end of our first bargain,” he said. “Rescuing him in your current state would be impractical. Weak. More human than fey. Unable to access your magic. You would die trying to free him.”

I glared but held my tongue. That would have to be tomorrow's argument. I couldn't in all good consciousness risk the lives of my mother and Adrius and all of the Nevermore to run off on a suicide mission for someone I barely knew, even if he was my father. It would have to wait. And I would come back for him. I had to.

If I was going to get another favor from this strangely beautiful shadow fey and escape with my own free will intact, I would have to control my emotions. I took a deep breath.

“Alright. Since you know why I called for you, and you came… I mean, brought me here…” My gaze darted back to the humans squirming in pain and ecstasy, and quickly looked away. “I assume it means you're willing to help me.”

“I have already offered my help.” He nodded.

I held out my arm tentatively, unsure of what to expect. Amaryllis had said his touch was the only way he could restore my Faerie memory. With my eyes shut tight, I waited, wondering if this particular touch would be painful or feel like his usual iciness.

Zanthiel laughed. The sound was like a cool metallic breeze.

“The magic of a Faerie cannot be restored by a simple touch,” he said, moving closer. “It is in the breath… and must be placed on your lips.”

“What does that
mean
?” I asked, my eyes springing open. Hairs were already rising on the back of my neck.

“It can only be restored… by a kiss.”

I gasped, retracting my arm. “You want me… to kiss you?” I stammered.

“No,” he said slowly, his lips curling into a smirk. “
You
want
me
to kiss you.”

He stepped forward and I stepped back, keeping a safe distance. The chained captors in the corner moaned, crying out in a twisted blend of agony and pleasure. The rusty metallic smell of blood wafted by me and my stomach lurched.

Next to me was an open window, I moved toward it, hoping the cool fresh air might help keep me conscious. Inhaling deeply, the cold penetrated me as I stared at the snowy dystopian surroundings. A forest of white trees littered the ground — dead and leafless. Their branches gnarled and bare, like boney hands desperately reaching for their next victim. Strange, spider-like creatures skittered through the frost-coated grass, leaving a web of glistening, invisible threads behind them. A bird flew into an intricately woven web and was trapped. It flapped wildly for a time, and then fell still, giving in to its inescapable fate. In that moment, I knew exactly how it felt.

How could I kiss someone else when my heart and soul belonged to Adrius? And a Shadow fey of the Unseelie Court… I had no idea what horrors could come from that. My pulse quickened as I turned to look at him. I wanted to wipe the annoying smirk off his ghostly face.

He watched my thoughts play like a movie until I focused, closing my mind to him. It was something I was getting good at, although I'd been doing it my entire life. Shutting out the world… a deadpan poker face pasted on, while school shrinks, counselors, and my mother had all tried to penetrate it. They had encouraged me to give it up… now it would likely save my life.

“I really don't see that happening,” I said then swallowed. From the corner of my eye I spotted the branches of a tree reaching toward me through the window.

Gnarled limbs coiled around my wrist, vines entangling themselves in my hair. In a moment of panic, I shrieked, ripping them away from me. Shaking them loose I stepped away from the window, and inadvertently closer to Zanthiel.

“You are a curious being,” he said, his head cocked to the side. “You willingly seek the ice sorceress, take company with Dwarves, and refuge in the home of Elves; yet you fear the touch of a fey. It is only a kiss. Why should that frighten you so?” A smirk danced on the edges of his lips. “Perhaps you're afraid you will enjoy it.”

I gazed up at him under my lashes. Why did he suddenly look so incredibly gorgeous? Was it that slender athletic build, like many of the races in this realm? Like the Fey of the Seelie Court, he shone with a silvery white luminescence. Clearly not mortal, and completely amoral, yet there was something unbearably gripping in the way he gazed at me. I looked away, determined not to be swept up by the powerful glamour he was emitting… another tactic to lure his unsuspecting prey.

“I know what you're trying to do to me, and it won't work,” I said to the ground.

“Is my appearance too much for you? Perhaps this will please you more.” In a flash he changed. Standing before me was the same male Faerie, but it wasn't Zanthiel's face I saw… it was Davin's. My stomach jumped.

“Or perhaps another is more becoming to you?”

In a fleeting moment he changed again, his features shifting imperceptibly until I was staring at the face of Adrius. My body went rigid. Although I wished it truly was him, and not this doppelganger illusion, I refused to let my feelings show.

“Your original appearance will suffice,” I said coolly, folding my arms and tucking my hands to hide the slight tremble. I'd never encountered this type of magic. Shapeshifting was another of those mythical occurrences I would have labeled make-believe. Like fairies and witches. But now with the lines between real and imaginary not only blurred, but erased completely, I had to accept anything as possible.

“As you wish…” A stiff breeze filled my nostrils with the scent of lemon and thyme. As I blinked Zanthiel returned to himself. A sight that would be far more appealing was it not for the fact that it was terrifying. It was an irrational fear. He wouldn't hurt me, not even the darkest fey of the Shadow court would risk provoking the high Elven Council. They had begrudgingly shared a peace bond for centuries. As the prophesized future ruler of Mythlandria I was well protected from physical harm. But that wasn't what worried me. It was what he could do to my mind that left my nerves raw.

How useful having power like that could be right now… the ability to shapeshift and to manipulate the thoughts of others. I gave my head a shake. There was such a thing as too much power. And although my intentions were good, magic couldn't be trusted. Something so immense could easily become overpowering, changing me into something I wasn't. If light and dark lived within everyone, how could I be sure the dark wouldn't consume me? For a moment, I faltered, almost regretting my decision to take on such magic.

Inhaling sharply, I strained to focus. It was difficult in the dark mist of the Shadow Court. Everything was obscured in a thick pale lavender haze. The air itself was intoxicating, amplifying every fear, magnifying even the nuance of a desire.

“It is only a kiss, Lorelei. If your love of the elf is as true as you claim, what harm can come of it?”

I blinked back the drowsiness and confusion.

“I am not afraid of you or your kiss. I would just prefer doing this another way.”