The Last Faerie Queen (5 page)

“We could die every minute back home. We could be crossing the street, and
bam
!” Kylie slapped her hands together. “Car crash.”

“Dying here is much more likely,” Taylor said.

“So you don't want us to help her?” Alexia asked.

“I don't want you to get hurt,” he explained. “But I'm going to help her.” He turned, catching my eye. “She's insane if she thinks I w
on't.”

“Taylor—”

“Right, like we're just going to sit on our asses in faerie­land while she faces the guy who cut off her wings? Fuck no,” Alexia said.

“It isn't our fight,” Taylor said. “She's right about that.”

“It wasn't her fight back home. She still stood with us. She
led
us,” Kylie said, taking Alexia's hand. “And what do I even have to go back to? Parents who stopped loving me the minute I had feelings for a girl? The minute I realized I
might
, at some point?”

“They didn't stop loving you,” Keegan said, and it was the first time I'd heard him speak kindly about his parents. Then again, they had kicked him out at age eleven for being gay. Kylie, who'd jokingly called herself “half a heathen” for being bisexual, had been quick to follow him.

But perhaps Keegan wasn't really defending his parents. Perhaps he just wanted Kylie to feel loved.

She smiled, barely. “I want to do something meaningful with my life. And sure, I want that life to be long—”

“I always thought I would burn fast and bright,” Alexia murmured.

“But that's why we have to prepare,” Kylie said. “I bet there are wands and arrows and all sorts of things here. We could—”

“Darlings, darlings!” The Queen stood abruptly, towering over us like an ancient oak. “I believe I speak for all the bright faeries when I say I am enchanted by your offering. Here, more than ever, we have proof of the value of humanity. Let us make a toast in your honor!”

The bright faeries exploded with cheers and applause, and the humans beamed, not understanding what was happening. Not understanding that they were being dismissed. Distracted.

Still, after a moment, Taylor surprised me one more time. He turned to the Queen and said, “So you think we should fight?”

The Queen's smile slipped, but oh, she was so practiced at wearing the mask of nobility, she caught it quickly. “Far be it from me to stop you from doing as you please. That is the dark faeries' game … ”

Subtle
, I thought, biting my tongue to keep from biting her. I mean, to keep from lashing out at her. Verbally.

Oh, who was I kidding? I wanted to bite her at this point.

“But first, let us show you all the Bright Court has to offer.” She waved a hand dramatically. “There are crystalline pools so deep, you can dive hundreds of miles into the sparkling depths, and mountains so high, you can see countries
splayed out below you. There are cities built into the trees!”

Taylor perked up at that. I remembered, suddenly, my first night in his bedroom, when he'd told me he used to daydream about a city in the trees. He and his brother had even drawn up the plans. I'd almost forgotten he was an artist. Or at least, he used to
be, before his brother died.

I waited for him to take the bait.

To bite.

To sink into the Bright Lady's hook.

But even the lure of seeing his visions come to life was not enough to distract him. “After the battle, I'd love to see those things,” he said calmly. “And more. But until then, I'm going to be very busy, learning how to fight.”

“Young man—”

“And if you respect me, you won't try to stand in my way.”

“I respect you a great deal. But I also respect the princess, and if she does not want you to fight … ”

Oh, clever, shifting the blame to me.
That way, she could be the hero, rooting for the humans. And I could be the villain.

I chose my words carefully. “You've been through a
great deal,” I said to Taylor. “You risked your life for me. Your family. Your home. The last thing I want is for you to get killed in my name—”

“Indeed,” the Queen agreed, cutting me off. Then, more softly, she added, “The poor babies wouldn't stand a chance.”

“They aren't babies,” I snapped.

“They are
humans
,” the Bright Queen said. Her tone was not laced with disgust, as my mother's might've been, but still, it was heavy with condescension.

“
Human
is not synonymous with
helpless,
” I said. “Even in battle, they would not be
helpless
. I simply think—”

“Of course they wouldn't,” she agreed. “Many mortals are experienced in warfare. But when it comes to magic, and the wickedness of the dark faeries—”

“
The
dark faeries
were thwarted in the graveyard.
The
dark faeries
underestimated the humans. That's why they lost,” I said, a thrill racing through me. A thrill of possibility. Of hope.

“Young princess, you cannot possibly believe—”

“Wait.”

“Excuse me?” The Queen frowned, clearly startled by my command. But I was speaking as much to myself as to her.

“Wait, I have an idea. What if the mortals could aid my revolution without risking their lives in battle? What if they used their magic to—”

“
What magic?
”
the Queen interrupted.
“
Mortals are many things, but they are not magical.”

I shook my head. “That's where you're wrong. Kylie's more talented at craftsmanship than anyone I've ever met. Alexia's a natural chameleon. Keegan can see into you, into the depths of your soul—”

“And the leader?”

I froze, narrowing my eyes. “What?”

“The boy who's led this conversation,” the Queen said, gesturing to Taylor. The light was clinging to him the way it clung to her faeries. Her devotees. I needed to get him out of here. I needed to crawl across the table, pushing the plates aside until I reached him— 

My gaze dropped to his plate. There, in the center, was a haphazard drawing of me. And just like that, an idea blossomed in my mind, something so powerful, it could bring the dark courtiers to their knees. The missing element in my revolution.

And all of it hinged on Taylor's ability to paint.

My gaze shifted up, to the artist who'd saved my life. “Tonight, after the Queen has drawn all the forest's light into her body so the mortals can sleep, I will meet with you under the stars, and together we will discuss your part in my revolution.”

5

T
ayl
o
R

She came for me in the darkest part of the night. First I saw nothing, just darkness clinging to the sleeping forms of my friends. Then she appeared, stepping through an opening in the trees that hadn't been there a second ago. Her hair was tangled like she'd been caught in the rain, and her eyes, miraculously, were bright.

Why were her eyes always so bright?

The
Princess of the Dark Court beckoned to me, her body surrounded by mist in shades of purple and black, like the petals of a flower that only blooms at night. And in the center of the flower, a face so pale, it looked like the moon the Seelie Court was mis
sing. Red hair spilled over her shoulders in waves, curling at the ends. I wanted to slide my hands into that hair and lower my face to hers. Her head would tilt, the tiniest bit, and then we'd be kissing, really kissing.

Elora would step closer, wrapping her arms around my neck. My arms would go around her waist. I'd tug her a little, fingers digging into her hipbones, and she'd just fit, body curving into me. Slowly, we'd fall to the forest floor. We'd fall like leaves, but we wouldn't be dying.

We'd be coming to life.

In the real world, Elora was hesitant. This, at least, was a side of her I'd come to know intimately. (I know, the irony.) She lingered in the shadows like they would somehow protect her, though from me, or from some unseen danger, I didn't know.

I wanted to tell her to come closer, but I didn't. As usual, the Taylor that took the wheel in my fantasies was much braver than the one who sputtered along in reality. Then again, fantastical Taylor didn't have to worry about the very crushing weight of rejection. The ever-present sting of defeat. So, instead of doing what I wanted, I did what I always did.

I gave her an out. “You're leaving, aren't you?” I asked, meeting her at the edge of the clearing. In the middle of the space, our friends slept soundly, resting on beds of leaves and moss. The beds were surprisingly comfortable, except for Kylie, who'd called herself “the inspiration for
The Princess and the Pea
.” Still, after several minutes of careful rearranging, she'd curled up against Alexia and fallen asleep.

“I'm leaving,” Elora confirmed, stepping closer. Just like that, I took her hands. I don't even know what compelled me. Maybe fantastical Taylor was sliding into the drivers seat. Maybe he was just taking the wheel for a second. Either way, she felt amazing, and she wasn't pulling away, so I didn't question it much.

“Where are you going?” I asked, playing with her hands.

“You know where,” she said.

“And I can't come with you?”

“You know that too.”

I laughed, pushing my boundaries and hers. “You said that before, but here I am.”

That was a mistake. She stepped back, almost untangling her hands from mine. “You aren't supposed to be here. You're supposed to be home, with your family. I can't keep you here.”

“You aren't.”
The Seelie Queen is.
“And besides, my parents pretty much disowned me before I left.”

Who am I kidding? My dad never wanted me in the first place. And my mom didn't have the guts to stand up to him.

“You could still reconcile … ” She looked up at me, her eyes dark and beautiful in the night. This is how I remembered her best, surrounded by branches and shadows.
A creature that was equal parts forest and darkness. “You should never have been brought into this place. It is not safe—”

“What if, for once, we looked at things the opposite way?” I reached out and tucked a hair behind her ear. Even I couldn't believe it. Who was this person taking over my body? How could I get him to stay? “Instead of looking at the downside, let's look at the positives here.”

“I'm a faerie of the Dark Court. I was trained to look at the dark side of things.”

“Trained?”

“Raised? Created? I don't know anymore.” She shook her head. “And what are the positives, exactly?”

It hurt that she even had to ask, considering I was standing right in front of her. But I knew she didn't mean it that way. She was just worried for me, worried for both of us.

“Well, you're going to fight in your revolution,” I said. “That's still happening, right?”

“Yes.”

“And I'm going to help you—”

“Without putting yourself in danger.”

“Without putting myself in danger.” Possibly. I hadn't decided yet. “And, best of all, you got to smuggle your secret boyfriend into the Seelie Court, where the dark faeries can't get to us.”

She laughed, lowering her lips to my ear. I was startlingly aware that she hadn't dismissed the “boyfriend” comment. I was startlingly aware of, well,
everything
, because her touch was so electric. It lit me up from the inside. It did the exact opposite of what you'd expect from a Princess of the Dark Court. But in the vast darkness that was the Unseelie Court, Elora was the moon, fully belonging in the night sky, yes, but also lighting it up.

“You
are
here, aren't you?” She smiled, her body inching closer to mine. This was my favorite part, the way we would start out close and get …
closer
. I'd never known how close I could get to someone, before her.

This time,
I
lowered my lips to
her
ear. “I kind of thought that was obvious,” I said.

This time, she shivered.

And this time, just this once, I told the truth. “And I kind of think that's what you wanted all along.”

“It is.” Her gaze drifted up, holding me in place. “From the moment I met you, I could see you here, standing under the leaves. Vines wrapping around you, not choking, just holding you gently. But that is the danger of the Seelie Court: it is beautifully inviting, but it does not do what you expect. And so … ” She stepped back. “I knew I couldn't bring you, not if I wanted to protect you.”

“How about this?” I followed her, taking her hands again. “You worry about what you need, and I'll take care of myself. I don't need you to protect me.”

“You don't know what you need—”

“See, that's the problem here. You wanting to protect me? That's sweet, okay, because I want to protect you. But you thinking I'm helpless? That's condescending.”

Her smile fell away. “I didn't … that isn't what I meant.”

“I know what you meant. But you talking like that makes me feel
bad.
Like some pathetic little boy who can't possibly stand up to your greatness.”

“It isn't a
male
thing. It's a
mortal
thing.” She kissed my cheek. “I have nothing but respect for you. But you are in a forest of magic, and as magical as you are, my darling, you are not prepared for the illusions here.”

My darling.
Those words drifted through my head, whispering, pulling on me. Always, she was pulling on me. Even when she was walking away. “So you're going to the Unseelie Court,” I said.

“Just to the border between the courts. I need to reconnect with my followers, to let them know that I survived Naeve's wrath.”

“Are you going to lie about what happened? I mean, are you going to tell them … ”
That you risked your life for a human. Me.

“Haven't I told you?” she asked, brow furrowing. It was the cutest thing I'd ever seen. “Faeries cannot lie.”

“For real?” The breath whooshed out of me. “So, when you tell me how you feel … ”

“It is
really
how I feel.”

I thought of everything she'd said to me in the mortal world. She'd called me her sweetest salvation. A force of nature. “Okay, t
hat's wicked.”

I expected her to smile, to flash that
wicked
grin that whispered all kinds of things. But she didn't. She looked worried.

“What aren't you telling me? Are you afraid of what your followers will think?” 

“It isn't that.” The shadows hovered around her, circling her arms like they were tasting her skin. I didn't like it. “I realized something in the graveyard,” she said. “When Naeve captured you, there was a look in his eyes—”

“Pure, unadulterated hatred?”

“Fear. He's afraid of you.”

“Me?” I resisted the urge to look behind me, to make sure she wasn't talking to someone else. “Why?”

“Because you are a human,” she said simply. “Humans have always been a great and terrible mystery to the faeries. Nature created you, and yet you seek to destroy her at every turn.”

“Aw, shucks. You flatter me.” I didn't exactly love it when she talked about humans like that. Even if it was true.

“Taylor. I did not mean—”

“I know.” I tightened my grip on her hands, keeping her close. “You don't blame me for nuclear war. I don't blame you for the fact that your mother's a psycho. That's why we're so good together.”

She smiled. “We are, aren't we?”

“The best,” I said softly. “So tell me more about The Great and Terrible Taylor, capable of striking fear into the hearts of dark faeries everywhere.”

“You have a power they do not understand. And your world … ” Her eyes glittered, and for a second I believed everything she'd said. Believed I was great and terrible. “Nothing quite terrifies them like the human world.”

“It's too bad we can't transport them to the middle of a city, and
then
attack. God, can you imagine the look on Naeve's—” I froze, staring at Elora. She had the wildest grin on her face.

“Have I told you how brilliant you are today?”

“Well no, but if you stay a while … ”

She laughed. “We cannot transport the dark faeries to the mortal world, true. But perhaps we can bring the mortal world to them.”

“How?”

“All it would take is a few quick sketches. Simple renderings of the mortal world. Nothing fancy. Then I could use glamour to make them
think
they'd been transported … ”

“Renderings?” I stepped back, pulling my hands from her grip.

“Just a few quick sketches. We want the illusion to be realistic, and you know the mortal world better than I—”

“You want me to draw?” My pulse was pounding and my heart was racing, like I'd woken up in the Seelie Court all over again. Woken up and remembered what I had done, and what it had cost.

“I know it's a lot to ask. But Taylor—”

“A lot to … ” I huffed, shaking my head. “I haven't painted since my brother's death. You know that. You know it was my fault! How could you ask me to … ”

“Taylor, please. It wasn't your fault.”

“You weren't
there
. He climbed that tree because of
me.
To get my father to stop … ”

Abusing me.

But I'd never said those words. I'd never even framed it that way in my head. Abused kids got thrown into walls and locked into rooms and touched in ways they didn't want. My dad was a hardass, sure, but he hadn't
abused
me.

He'd only broken me down every time I felt good about myself. Ridiculed me in front of my brother. In front of my friends. He'd taken every good thing I could do and found something wrong with it.

I could paint, but only when something was right in front of me. Never from memory. Never from my own mind. So what?

“He
taunted
me,” I said, leaning into a tree. “People were calling me a prodigy, and my dad made me feel so stupid. Like nothing was good enough. Aaron was just trying to help. He was the best kid brother you could ever hope for. He was my best friend, honestly.”

I closed my eyes, resting my head against the bark. When I opened them, Elora was standing in front of me. “I've relived that moment so many times,” I said. “Aaron racing out of the door, and me running after him. He was convinced I could paint from memory if I just saw the right thing. He climbed that tree for me, so I would have the perfect image to remember, so my dad would stop taunting me.” I ran my hands through my hair, swallowing and swallowing. “He was just a kid, you know? Growing up in that house, with all that yelling … He thought he could fix everything.”

Elora crept closer, like she was approaching a wounded animal. “Forgive me,” she said softly.

“There's nothing to forgive.” I turned away from her, looking up into the trees. Looking anywhere but
there
, into those eyes. “It isn't your fault I'm
useless
.”

“You aren't useless, Taylor. You're brilliant and sweet and—”

“Brilliant? Please. You're the one coming up with all these big ideas, and I'm the one dragging you down.”

“No.” She took my face in her hands. “You're the one keeping my feet on the ground. My ideas are big, yes, some might say out of this world, but I need them to work in this world. Do you understand? I need a plan we can execute, not something so grand and dramatic that we'll never pull it off.”

“You can pull off anything.”

“That's what I thought when I entered the human world. I thought I could sneak into a high school, steal a mortal offering, and be off before my enemies caught me.
Why
did I think that?”

“Because you've got that killer self-confidence that's so common in people our age?”

She laughed. “I thought I could prepare for every eventuality. I
always
think that. That's why Naeve was able to capture me in the graveyard. He found the one thing I wasn't prepared for, and used it against me. He found … ”

“Me.”

“Yes, you. And tonight, when you offered yourself up to fight in my revolution, I realized something.”