25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

"The sun and the moon both shine in the fae realm. Light is the source of the fae power. Without the lights in the sky, the fae would wither like plants on the ground." – Lord Rhett, First Lord of Sídhetír.

T he carriage lurched, and I leaned against Cethin. His arm was wrapped firmly about my waist, holding me against his side. Since I'd woken up, I'd felt worse—even worse than yesterday. I couldn't keep any food down, and I barely drank any water. My vision wobbled and my knees refused to hold my weight. Still, I refused to go to Sídhetír without meeting with Queen Laoise.

When Queen Laoise extended an invitation, Cethin had asked his mother to borrow her carriage, and she lent it without question. The carriage rocked beneath me, and I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath. Cethin's light scent tickled my nostrils and eased some of the pain.

"Don't think you're getting out of what you said," I whispered.

"What?"

"To divest me of your clothes and explore me thoroughly."

I expected him to chuckle, but he didn't. The divot didn't disappear from between his eyebrows either. I rested my head against his shoulder, and he pressed a kiss to my temple. "Recover and I will do whatever you want."

"Cethin, you're being dramatic. I will be fine."

"And you are taking unnecessary risks."

I snorted, and he didn't speak further.

We continued our journey out of the Night Court, over the seam, and to the Day Court. A shudder went through me, and I straightened, feeling minisculely better. For a moment, I thought Cethin had ignored my wishes and taken me home, but this felt different.

I was intimately familiar with Sídhetír, and this sensation wasn't that. Warmth rushed up my spine, and I sighed. I almost felt like I was coming home, though not quite.

"Aidan?"

"Where are we?" I asked, touching the side of the carriage, which turned transparent. Bright sunlight filtered in, and Cethin pulled back. Green trees greeted me. The air was fresh with the dew of spring. Flowers bloomed and fruit hung from the trees. Everything was alive.

"The Day Court."

My eyes closed of their own volition. "I like it."

"Of course you do. You're half light fae. This is your other home."

His voice bore a hint of bitterness that forced my eyes to open. Jaw clenched, he turned away from me and the blinding sun. I climbed onto his lap, and his hands settled on my hips. I captured his mouth and slid my tongue against his.

Cethin started beneath me from my aggressive kiss, but he returned it with equal fervor. When I broke away, his breath was ragged. "I don't want anyone else. It doesn't matter if I'm part light fae or not. Only you, Cethin."

He looked down, but not before I caught sight of the pleased smile on his lips.

We were not meeting Queen Laoise at her castle, since Cethin refused to travel any distance into the Day Court, and the queen didn't want me close to her castle either. Cethin, she had no problems with, but me? She refused to have me deep in her realm, for I was an unknown entity.

Cethin hopped out of the carriage first, then helped me down. My steps were unsteady, and my knees shook. Being in the Day Court helped ease some of the pain, but it didn't take away the bottomless need for Sídhetír.

We were right on the border of the seam and the Day Court. Sprawling land with gentle green hills, alive with flowers, greeted me. The clean air rushed into my lungs with every inhale, soothing me. I relaxed against Cethin, and he supported my weight with his arms about my waist.

A woman with deep brown hair like that of the richest soil stood in front of me. Her skin was golden-brown and practically glowed. Her curvy frame, strong muscles, and round features spoke to the light fae she was, but the power that came off her in waves told me exactly who she was. Queen Laoise was not alone, though the two other light fae dressed in green armor didn't hold my gaze.

She smiled broadly with a friendly air as she bounced on her toes. "Lord Aidan, an interesting pleasure to meet you."

"I'm not a lord. Yet."

"Yet," she agreed. "And yet you are. Both you and Lord Jonathan Byrne are the Lords of Sídhetír at this moment. The mantle is shifting from father to son."

Fatigue weighed me down and made my thoughts stagnant. Maybe Cethin had been right? Maybe I should've gone to Sídhetír first, even for a few hours, to sleep or recover before attempting to deal with the Day Court queen. Unlike Eilidh, Laoise was not my friend or vested in keeping me alive.

Not wanting to prolong this moment, I said, "I won't allow war to come to Sídhetír."

"Won't allow. What strong words you have."

"Sídhetír is mine, and I will keep any unwanted fae from the premises."

"Yes, but there are other, more desperate ways in, and you are young. Your grasp on Sídhetír will take time to deepen. It will be easy to end the threat."

"I will protect him, Queen Laoise," Cethin growled.

With a broad grin that contained no humor, she said, "I'm sure you will, Cethin, but it does not take much to kill a half-fae, especially a common one at that."

He snarled, but I kept my hand on his arm to waylay him from stepping closer to her. "What do you want?"

"You don't play the game, do you?" she asked with a sigh, bottom lip sticking out. "How boring. I hoped to have fun."

"I have no patience for this."

"Youth. In such a hurry. Or perhaps it's your humanity." Laoise prowled closer, making my back stiffen. "Or perhaps you are ill from being away from Sídhetír for so long."

Cethin hauled me behind him. "I will slay you if you move toward him."

Both of the light fae who stood behind Queen Laoise stepped closer, unsheathing their blades. She lifted a hand, stalling them. "Oh, Cethin, you cannot kill me, but I don't intend to harm him at the moment."

"At the moment," he repeated.

She smiled congenially. "Your demise would upset Eilidh, and that would be unfortunate, Cethin. Unfortunate, yet not unthinkable."

I squeezed Cethin's arm. While I was half-fae, fae were something else separate from humanity. Laoise would slay her friend's child if he got in her way, and I didn't think such actions would bother her.

"But no matter," Queen Laoise said, turning to me. "I don't believe you can sign the contract. I believe the magic will reject you."

"It might," I agreed.

"At least you're honest. Not all half-fae are. Can you touch iron?" she asked.

"Why?"

"Not all half-fae can."

"Hmm," I said, not answering.

Queen Laoise said, "You want me to call off Blodwen, and I want something in return."

"I assumed."

"The gate. If the contract accepts you, I want the gate. You are not going to die anytime soon."

"What makes you say that?"

She smiled. "I am not an idiot, young Aidan. I have been alive for a very long time. Longer than your mortal brain can comprehend. Half-fae live longer than humans, even without noble blood, but you are mated to Cethin. His life is yours." Laoise glanced at Cethin. "Not the wisest action you've made, son of my friend, but not the stupidest either."

"And if I can't sign the contract?"

"Then I shall march through the gate and enjoy humanity until I grow bored."

My veins turned to ice. If the day queen stepped onto Sídhetír, I doubted Lord Byrne or I could banish her. "Will you call Blodwen off?"

"Sign the contract. I'm sure she's having fun."

I moved around Cethin and stepped closer to her. "If Blodwen injures one human, I will kill her regardless of whether I sign the contract or not."

My words did not seem to bother her. In fact, they seemed to delight her. She moved closer and held my cheek. Cethin growled in obvious warning, which she ignored.

"You are more fae than I would've guessed."

"Am I?"

"Beautiful and serene on the outside, yet full of wrath like molten fire on the inside."

I had no words, but I feared what she said was true. Hell, I knew it was the truth, or at least, as she perceived me to be. I was angry, and that anger burned violently within me, searching for an escape. I would destroy anyone within my path.

Cethin's hand grabbed mine. His mouth pressed against my ear. "I know who you are, dearest. Do not allow her to manipulate or enchant you. You are who you've always been."

If the queen heard Cethin, she gave no indication. "Who was your mother?"

The sudden anger vanished, and I sagged. So fae could enchant people, or merely draw forth emotions I would rather not think about. I'd read stories about fae being able to do so, but I hadn't known if it was true or not. Now I did.

"I don't know her fae name," I said. "I only know what she called herself."

"Yes?"

"Why do you care? She wasn't a noble fae."

"Still."

I glanced at Cethin, but he was watching the queen and her lackeys. I saw no harm in it. The name wasn't her true name. "Vis Ryan."

"Never heard of her."

"I would've been surprised if you had."

"Do what I want, young Aidan, and bloodshed need not taint your land."

My lips would not form the word yes, because I didn't intend to give her what she wanted. I didn't know how I would work around her demands. Would Eilidh allow Queen Laoise to march armies through the gate if it rested on her land? I didn't know. And there were others, more precarious entries into the human realm that we couldn't guard against.

As trembles wracked my body and my knees gave out, Cethin caught me. "We must depart. Now."

"You may leave."

Cethin lifted me into his arms, and I had no energy to protest. "If you die, I will chastise you most heartily in the afterlife."

"Will you?"

"Yes, dearest."

When Cethin was about to place me in the carriage, Queen Laoise spoke again. "Should this all work out in my favor, come visit me, young Aidan."

I glanced over Cethin's shoulder. "Why?"

"You are one of my people. And this, in part, is your home."

"That is a kind offer."

"It is. Don't disappoint me."

I didn't bother to reply, and Cethin set me in the carriage before climbing in after me. He pulled me onto his lap, arms locked around my waist. His lips trailed over my neck as he rocked me.

"When we return to Sídhetír, we will go to my cottage. You will bathe in the creek water, though I will heat it first. I may even dab moss and dirt on you."

"Will you?" I croaked.

"Yes," he said, nibbling my ear. "I will rub dirt and moss onto you, then bathe you until you are covered in Sídhetír."

"Will that help?"

"I believe so."

My eyes closed as I settled closer, head on his shoulder. "I love you."

"And I you, so you are not allowed to die," he said. "Next time we visit, I will more closely monitor you and we will not stay as long."

"Hmm," was the only response I gave as waves of sleep dragged me under.