KARIS

I took a wrong turn in the darkness, somewhere between the ruined palace where I left Loftin behind and where I thought my chamber was. The weight of the rock above me, lined with the bones of the dead, seemed too heavy. I was in a dark chamber, water sloshing over my boots, when the ceiling began to creep lower.

My fingers danced over the sharp rock beside me, but the walls only closed in. I tried to retrace my steps, but came to another wall, and in every direction I turned, there was another, and another.

“I need light,” I screamed, my voice echoing in the tiny space. The ceiling twinkled like starlight, a vast galaxy spreading across the darkness. Strands of tiny blue orbs stretched from everywhere on the ceiling, a web of calm, blue-green tendrils hanging down. With my forefinger, I reached for one of the glowing orbs closest to me.

“Glow worms.” Finean rose from the water, standing in front of me, droplets sluicing down his face and dropping from his clothes. “Did you make them?”

I thought I did, but I wasn’t telling him. “I’m lost,” I admitted.

His lips tipped up on one side. “I can see you back. Where is Loftin?”

Tears welled in my eyes at the mention of his name.

“He told you everything,” Finean admitted knowingly.

“I think I could live in Faery a thousand years and never know the entire truth. Lies are the mortar that holds this world together,” I answered bitterly.

Did Finean know what else I might be capable of? Or was that something else they would keep from me until I was so afraid or angry, the power exploded out of me?

“What can Nemain do? I want to know all about her powers, including the ones she claimed.”

He straightened, holding his hands behind his back. “She is destruction, decay, and terror itself.”

“I know that!” I exclaimed, a hysterical laugh tearing from my chest.

He tilted his head to the side.

“I can turn things into ash,” I offered.

“Did Loftin see this?”

“Of course he did. He was the one who suggested I try it.”

Finean’s jaw ticked in rhythm with his heart. “He was never one to waste time.”

“According to you, we have little time to waste.” I found myself defending him.

Finean walked a circle around me. “I have a theory, Karis. I’ve already told you that Nemain is destruction. She takes, steals, absorbs, and consumes. While I think you’ve inherited these dark powers, I think there is something else in you. Something that battles the darkness.”

I swallowed. “What’s that?”

He reached up, plucked a dried leaf out of my hair, and placed it in my palm. “Bring it back to life.”

“I can’t do that.”

He narrowed his eyes. “You haven’t tried. You finally figured out how to will the Asper to life. Bring the leaf back as well.”

Wait… He wasn’t with me and Loftin when the Banshee attacked, so how did he know the Asper protected us? Did he feel it beneath my skin even now?

“Have you found Iric?”

Finean shook his head. “Not yet, but I’m looking. I won’t stop until I find him, Karis. No matter the outcome.”

No matter the outcome. I pressed my eyes closed. If Iric was already dead and Finean found him… If I could bring back this leaf, who was to say I couldn’t bring Iric back, too?

Taking a deep breath, I closed my palm around the leaf and felt the crisped edges rake against my skin. I imagined them softening, a rush of water flowing into the veins, filling in the dryness. I imagined the leaf as supple, young, and full of life.

“Karis?” Finean asked, waking me from the daze I’d fallen into.

I opened my palm, and there, where the dried leaf once sat, rested a freshly plucked one. Strong, vibrant, and green.

He took my hand and closed my fingers once more. “Don’t think of yourself as a monster. You aren’t your mother.”

“But I can hurt things, too.” I opened my palm to show him the ashes that remained now, tilting it and letting them float down and land on the water’s surface.

“Yes, but you have the choice. You alone govern your actions. Every fae and every human has the ability to choose to harm or do good with what they have. Choose the good.”

He made it sound so simple, but he, I, and the silence stretching between us knew this situation was anything but.

“Learn to control the darkness before it tries to take control of you. Cling to the light.”

I glanced around us; at the glow worms still clinging to the roof of the cavern, at the way their blue-green luminescence glittered across the water’s surface, and then at him. “There’s precious little light in this world.”

Finean smiled. “It’s gotten significantly brighter since you’ve returned.” He stepped closer, the water sloshing around us, so close that the tips of our boots met beneath the water.

“Why did you do it?” I whispered.

His hand feathered over my hair. “Because I didn’t want her to hurt you.”

“How did you even know I existed?”

“You still don’t remember?”

I shook my head. “No.”

“The mirrors,” he admitted. “I was there with you.”

From deep inside my mind, a flash of an image surfaced. A boy, my age, with translucent hair and pointed ears. We sit cross-legged on the floor; he, on his side of the reflection, and me, on mine. Our palms touch, rippling the glass between us.

“Why did she think she needed an heir at all?” I asked, disconcerted. Nemain was all powerful, yet always hungered for more. Surely, she didn’t plan to share her position?

“She was lonely.” Such a simple statement, a simple emotion. Nemain wanted a companion. Someone she could confide in, teach, and inspire.

“I wasn’t what she expected,” I mused.

“No, you weren’t,” he admitted.

I’d never been an asset to anyone, only a hindrance. Even when I was fae, a princess—royalty—I was a disappointment. Finean’s hand raked down my arm.

“You were so much more than that,” he said softly, sensing my mood. “You had power she didn’t possess and couldn’t understand. As you grew and it became apparent that she couldn’t force or manipulate you into doing her bidding, you became a threat.”

“A threat she had to remove,” I added. My throat was raw.

“Yes.”

“So you made a haven for the fae who could escape her?”

He stared into my eyes. “I did.”

“And you wouldn’t let the fae of the Autumn Court inside?”

“You don’t understand—”

“I sure as hell don’t, Finean. You tell me to be the good, the light in this world, yet you had the power to help the innocent and chose not to use it.”

His nostrils flared.

“Can you please take me back to my room now? I’m… tired.” I wanted to curl up in bed, throw the covers over my head, and disappear. It was a cowardly thing to do, but right now I needed the brief comfort it would provide.

“Of course,” he expressed tersely, turning on his heel and striding away.

I jogged to keep up with him. When we came to my room, he held the door open for me.

“Finean?” I asked as he turned to leave.

“Yes?”

“Can you tell Loftin I’m here?”

He clasped his hands in front of him, his knuckles whitening. “He shouldn’t have stayed in here last night.”

“He was ill.”

“His scent is on your bed sheets,” he growled.

“Because we were both exhausted, Finean. Besides, the bed is big enough for ten people! You know what – just tell him I’m okay and that I made it back.”

“I’ll tell him if you agree to him staying in his own room.”

Bets and bargains. The favorite pastime of children and pompous fae males.

“If it’s next to mine, I agree.”

His teeth scraped against one another.

Males were exasperating, no matter the species.

“I’ll have Bryony come to you before dinner.” With this, he spun around on his heel and stalked down the dark corridor, his shadow lengthening in his wake, stretching across the walls in the torchlight.

I slipped out behind him and followed him down the dark corridor, keeping a safe distance.

He slid into a room and shut the door behind him, but I could hear through the door. It was dangerous to eavesdrop, but I didn’t care. He wasn’t going to hurt me if he thought I was the only one who could kill Nemain.

Alistair was in the room. “Did you tell her what we found?” he asked, his voice muffled through the door.

“Of course not,” Finean answered snidely. “She’d run off into the woods after him.”

“With all due respect,” concluded the Leancan King, “if you don’t tell her and she finds out, she might implode my lair.”

“It was a shred of cloth,” Finean countered. “We aren’t even sure if it was the boy’s.”

Iric. My heart thundered.

“You should take her to your city and show her what you’ve done for the fae. See if you can find him from there,” Alistair suggested.

“I can’t take her there.”

“Why not?”

Finean sighed. “Two reasons. One, some of the fae would want her dead just because of her parentage. Two, she’s dangerous.”

“You don’t trust her,” Alistair assumed.

“I don’t know her now. I knew her as a girl. Her heart was good then, but she’s been through a lot since and she’s changed. I need to know for sure that she’s not going to get angry and bring the wall down.”

A chair squeaked. “Does she know about the Asper? Or about your link with her?”

“No, and it’ll stay that way for now if you know what’s good for you.”

Footsteps approached from inside the room. I sank back against the stone walls and closed my eyes, chanting in my mind that I was invisible. I could smell his scent as Finean exited the room and walked away as if I wasn’t there. Magic stung my fingertips.

When he was gone, I let the magic fade away, finally noticing Alistair lounging against the door jamb. I jumped at the sight of him.

“He would be livid if he knew you were spying on him.”

Ignoring his comment, I asked, “What were you talking about? What should I know about the Asper?”

“That’s for Finean to tell you,” he answered diplomatically.

“Well he obviously isn’t planning to,” I argued. “And did I hear that you found a piece of Iric’s shirt? Where?”

Alistair sighed before answering, “In what used to be a Wirry camp, but the Wirry had all been slaughtered. Iric wasn’t among the dead.”

“What killed them?” I asked, fingers trembling with rage.

“Banshee.”

Oh no. “She has him, doesn’t she?” I concluded.

He stared at me unblinkingly. “She won’t kill him yet. Not if she can use him to draw you out.”

“Why are you telling me this? Finean seems happy enough to keep me in the dark.”

He grinned. “I don’t answer to Finean.”

“It looked like you did last night.”

“He’s powerful, but the King I answer to is even more powerful than he. Finean will be reminded of that soon enough. But, like most things, the timing should be right.”

I ran back to my room, passing a Leancan who was feeding on something in the darkness; something shaped like a large hog, but scaled with a long, thick tail.

I had to think, had to find a way out of here. A pitcher and bowl of water sat in the corner. I splashed my face in it, remembering the Washer woman and how she pointed at me. A vision appeared in the liquid.

“Karis,” Vivica purrs. “Have you found my sons?”

I blink my eyes, clearing my vision. A woman sits at a vanity, the wooden legs mismatched and rough. The surface is covered with hair combs, brushes, and perfume bottles. In the mirror, she watches me. There is a hole in her pink, silken robe at the seam on her shoulder. I can’t help but glance between her dark eyes and that hole, unable to look at either for long. Both are desperate.

“Vivica?”

Her hair is black like the sky in the middle of the night. Her lips are lush and stained red with the berries that sit in a small bowl to her right.

“Have you found Iric and Gregoire?”

“No,” I breathe. “I was looking for them…”

“Was, or are? Why did you stop?”

Why did I stop? I search my memories and come up blank.

“I need you to bring them back, Karis. Only you can bring them back.”

“I’m trying!” I whine.

“Stop trying. Start doing.” She turns back to the mirror and picks up her hairbrush, methodically pulling the bristles through her hair until it shines, forgetting me altogether.

* * *

My knees are shredded when I land in front of the mirror, pounding on the glass hard enough to get his attention, but not break it. Where is he?

“Karis?” his voice comes from far away, but I still only see my reflection. He might not get to me in time.

Then suddenly he is there. His clothes aren’t dirty or torn like mine. He’s clean, from head to toe, and has grown both broader and taller. He isn’t as small as he was last week.

I wish I could grow stronger. My skin is shrinking against my bones more each day.

“Where have you been?” he asks hurriedly.

“She locked me away! There are no mirrors in my room. She wouldn’t even give me water,” I cry. His palm reaches up for mine and I match his print. “She must know about you.” I am scared for him.

“You have to come with me.”

I shake my head, sniffling. “She’ll know. She’ll hurt you.”

“She won’t. I promise, Karis. Your father will protect us. We can try to reach him. Let me take you some place safe.”

Footsteps come from behind me. My lips tremble as I whisper, “There is no such place.”

He pounds on the mirror, but I wave a hand, erasing him from the reflection. In case she doesn’t know. In case I’m wrong. I pray I’m wrong.

* * *

Bryony entered the room, announcing that we were having an early dinner, and that she had to hurry and get me ready. She combed my stringy hair until it shone and braided pieces from the sides, pinning them to the back of my head. I could feel the irritation rolling off her.

“Are you okay?”

She startled. “I’m fine.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Things in the lair are a little tense right now. Nothing’s right, even when it is.”

“Can’t imagine that has anything to do with me,” I teased. “Sorry if I’ve caused trouble for you.”

“It’s not you. It’s… I forget myself. I need to mind my tongue. Pardon me, Lady Karis.”

“Does Loftin have his own room?”

Her red eyes met mine in the mirror and my skin began to crawl. I hadn’t thought about it before, but wondered if Finean could be watching us right now?

“He’s right next door dressing as well.”

“Good.”

She bit her bottom lip, her long fang poking into the plumped flesh.

“I know you don’t like him, but how can everyone hold him responsible for the actions of his father?”

“Because he stood beside him, Lady.”

“Bryony, if Alistair gave you an order, would you follow it?” I asked quietly, watching her reaction.

She blinked rapidly and then whispered back, “I would.”

“What if you knew he was doing the wrong thing? Would you still obey him?”

She swallowed and inclined her head. “I would have to.”

Point made.

“Do you feel the same way about me? If you blame him for his father’s actions, then you must hate me for what my mother has done.”

Her mouth gaped open. “No, my Lady. I don’t think it’s the same situation at all.”

I tried to smile. “It’s exactly the same. Look, it’s natural to want to blame someone, but infinitely harder to put the blame where it belongs.”

She stared at me through the looking glass, like she was trying to see if I was real and whether I had a weakness. Bryony may be loyal, but she wasn’t stupid. She could feel the power thrumming beneath my skin, roiling like the smoke that was my breath.

Dropping the conversation, Bryony offered, “Finean has provided a gown.”

Why did we have to dress up to eat? It was ridiculous, not to mention wasteful and frivolous. “Where are the clothes I took off earlier?” I swept my eyes toward the fireplace, finding it cold and empty. Nothing lay in front of it. “And where are my boots?”

The torch on the wall flared in relation to my rising irritation. Bryony backed away from me. “They were soaked and dirty,” she stammered. “I took them to be cleaned. I’ll bring them back as soon as they’re ready.”

“I’d like them now, please.” I sure as hell wasn’t wearing his gown, but the perfectly fitted tunic, pants, and boots were nice. I’d keep those.

She swallowed and nodded. “Of course.”

Bryony was scared. She took another step back as I stood. “Why are you afraid of me?” I asked.

She shook her head quickly.

“They told you, didn’t they? About the ash.”

“They told us not to anger you, just in case…”

“In case I lose control,” I finished for her.

Part of me felt like pouncing on her and dragging claws across her face. Another part wanted to cry. I was a mess. Bryony scurried away to retrieve my clothes.

A few moments later, two soft knocks came at the door. I wrenched it open to see Loftin standing in the doorway, his eyes raking quickly over me and the soft dressing robe I still wore. He tugged at his collar, looking away.

I pulled him into the room. “Bryony’s getting my clothes,” I said in a rush. “I want to leave as soon as possible. Did Finean tell you what new power we uncovered?”

“No, what’s that?” he asked.

Loftin didn’t know I could bring things back. Things, being the operative word; not necessarily fae or humans, but the possibility was there.

“What happened?” Loftin straightened, his orange eyes seeming to glow in the torchlight.

Of course Finean wouldn’t tell him. He wouldn’t want him to know sooner than necessary that there was a possibility of bringing back his father. Cold, cruel bastard.

“Where does Finean’s court fit in with the Seasonal Courts?” I asked.

“Finean didn’t establish his court until after Nemain’s wrath fell upon all four Seasonal Courts. It literally rose from the ashes,” he added with a grin.

I hit his shoulder. “That’s the worst joke ever.”

His grin faded away. “I can’t imagine the Queen and Kings would be happy about sharing the power of the Seasonal Courts, or the fae who have been under their control, with him. However, if you succeed in defeating Nemain and he stands by your side after your victory, he could claim the full power of another court for himself. Force their hands.” And use me to do it, was his unspoken warning.

Bryony entered the room with the folded clothes; still filthy, but I needed something I could move in. Not ball gowns. They reminded me of her. Loftin grabbed my arm. With a look, I promised to tell him everything soon.

She stared between us, mouth agape as if she wasn’t sure if she should speak or what to say. “Thank you, Bryony.”

“They’re waiting for you,” she informed me.

“I just need a sec to change.”

* * *

NEMAIN

The boy scuttled away from me, backing further into his cage.

“What is your name?” I demanded.

He pinched his lips together defiantly.

“I would hate to start our friendship off on the wrong foot. So in the spirit of being completely open and honest with you, I will warn you that I’ll break every bone in your left leg if you do not answer my questions.”

“Iric,” he begrudgingly barked.

I smiled. “How do you know Karis?”

“How do you know Karis?” he countered.

I fought the urge to follow through on my promise to him. “I am her mother.”

His mouth gaped open. “You’re her mother? You’re the one who abandoned her?”

“Not at all,” I argued. “She was taken away. I’ve been searching for her for ten long years. So, I’ll ask you again…how do you know Karis?”

“She’s like a sister to me,” he conceded, his eyes fastening on the pointed tips of my ears. By the bewilderment in his expression, whomever hid her away must have glamoured her appearance.

“Did you think she was human?”

“Yes,” he said, swallowing.

“You thought wrong, but thank you for keeping her safe for me all this time. She’ll come for you soon.”

“She won’t leave Ironton,” he cautioned sternly.

I smiled. “She already has.”

He was filthy and covered in his own blood where the Wirry had made tiny cuts all over his skin to bleed him and tenderize his meat. “What are you going to do to me?” he asked.

“I’m going to use you as bait,” I answered simply. “I’ll let Karis know where you are, and when she comes for you, I’m going to tear out her heart and eat it.”

Calling for a Banshee, I nodded at the boy. “Send a piece of him to Karis.”

I walked away as he fought against the ghoul in vain, his screams filling the castle and echoing over the arched ceilings. I wondered what piece she chose…

* * *

KARIS

Dinner was strange. This time, our meal didn’t include a room full of Leancan. There was only Alistair, Finean, Loftin, and me. Alistair drank his dinner, Leancan servants making sure his cup never emptied. Finean, Loftin, and I were served breasts of perfectly cooked pheasant and several root vegetables, and sipped from goblets of wine and water. For the better part of the meal, no one uttered a single word. The only sounds were sips, chewing, utensils on ceramic plates, and the bottoms of the glasses occasionally hitting the mahogany table. We would already be gone if it wasn’t for the fact we were both starving. Loftin and I needed to fuel up if we planned to run north.

“Can I restore the fae that Nemain ruined?” I finally blurted.

Loftin’s chewing slowed as he glared from me to Finean, as if asking what the hell I was talking about.

“I believe so. That’s actually what I wanted to speak with you about over dinner,” Finean replied. He didn’t even bother to glance in Loftin’s direction, but kept his chin tipped up haughtily.

“Well, we’ve been having such an intense conversation, I can see how you haven’t had time to bring it up,” I said hotly. “Just like you haven’t brought up the fact that Iric has likely been captured by Nemain, and you’ve given up on searching for him.”

Loftin sat up straight and wiped his mouth on a napkin. He brushed his dark hair behind his ear.

Shifting to him, I tried to explain. “I brought a leaf back to life. At first I didn’t know what it meant, but then I wondered if I could heal other things. Like people who are in stasis, or like the Banshee… Oh, and they found Iric’s shredded shirt in a Wirry camp. All the Wirry had been killed by the Banshees, but Iric’s body wasn’t found. My mother seems to have found my weakness and plans to exploit it. It’s just been an all-around terrible few days,” I reported conversationally.

Loftin gaped at the news, turning furious eyes to Finean.

“Banshee?” Alistair asked curiously. “How can one heal a Banshee? She just is.”

I glanced at Finean. “One attacked us earlier. I used the Asper against her, but before she died, I touched her. When I did, she transformed into her original body.”

Loftin explained, “We think Nemain transformed the Seelie fae caught during her attack of the Autumn Court into Banshees, who are bound to do her bidding.”

Alistair was shocked, his lips parting in surprise, but Finean didn’t even blink. “You knew?” I asked him pointedly.

“I suspected it. I knew she’d done something with the captives she took, but had no proof until now.”

“What about everything else?” Loftin asked. “Are all the beasts we think are Unseelie, actually former members of my court?”

Finean shrugged, lifting his chin. “That remains to be seen. Karis would have to touch them.”

“The Puca are real,” Loftin muttered.

I shook my head. “It didn’t touch me. It grabbed me by my boot and clothing, but not by my skin. But the Brownies are real. They ate some of me and didn’t change.” Alistair’s eyes flicked to my throat. Damn vampire. He wanted a bite, too.

Finean’s eyes shifted between me and Loftin. “I have a proposal,” he finally declared, interrupting our staring contest. Loftin was reeling, thinking of the possibilities and whether I could actually do what my mother had promised to if he gave her to me.

“What’s that?” Loftin asked Finean, a sharp edge to his voice.

Finean raised one brow and tilted his head at the Prince of Autumn, his words full of scorn and dismissal. “My proposal is for Karis.”

Under the table, I squeezed Loftin’s thigh. He gritted his teeth, but kept them together as I looked at Finean. “What’s your proposal?”

“Try to revive the Queen of Spring. If that works, we will quickly bring back the other Kings and anyone else you fear might truly be Seelie. We’ll need their power to fight Nemain, and an army to battle the beasts she will unleash when she finds out what you’ve done.”

“And if she fails? If she can heal a leaf but not restore their life forces, what then?” Loftin growled.

“If she fails, nothing is lost. It can’t hurt to try. And if you succeed,” he murmured to me, “we have everything to gain. The three of us can train you as we cross Faery and raise your army. If we move fast and spirit away the fae Kings and Queen you restore into the Court of Reflections, Nemain won’t be the wiser. She’ll never see you, or your army, coming. It’s the only advantage you might have over her. We don’t know what she controls, what beasts are actually our brothers and sisters. And we won’t have another chance at the element of surprise.”

He had a point, but was he pushing me toward his own ambitions? I needed the council of someone who knew this world better than I did. Not only the terrain, but the politics of the old court system.

“I need a moment, please,” I pleaded, wiping my mouth. I stood, scooting my chair back. “Loftin, could I talk with you in private?”

Surprise flickered over his face, but he quickly schooled his features. “Of course.”

He followed me out of the dining room and we retraced our steps through the bones to the lower levels of hewn rock, where our chambers were located; past the flickering torches and the Leancans who weren’t invited to dine with us, whose red eyes glowed menacingly. Male and female. It didn’t matter, they were all hungry and we had something they wanted.

I’d never been happier to lock my door in my life. Taking a blanket from the bed, I covered the mirror on the small vanity. Just in case.

“I know you want me to bring your father’s life force back, and I promise I will if I can, but that aside, Loftin… is Finean right? Do I need them to fight her? Do I need an army?”

“No, you don’t. She could easily wipe them out like she did before. She could turn an entire army to ash. Nothing can stand against her but you. He’s stalling.”

“Why?”

“I’m not sure,” he replied, rubbing his hand over the scruff on his jaw.

“When you found me, you were scared of me, weren’t you?”

I understood why he would be afraid. I was the daughter of the woman who did horrible things to his kind, to his family and his court. My mother ruined everything he’d ever loved. Why would he assume I would be different?

“I was, but I was also grateful. I had no idea how I’d get into the human city or get you out of it, and then there you were. Although, I’ll admit I had some help. I met a girl named Trava.”

“Did you hurt her?” I asked, eyes wide, remembering the Sloper.

He looked hurt. “Of course not, but she’d already been attacked when I saw her.”

“You didn’t save her,” I stated.

“She didn’t want to be saved. She told me she couldn’t go back without the smoke, because that would disgrace her family.”

“You should have glamoured her or something. Made her return.”

“Would her family have accepted her, or would they have shunned her? Sometimes there are worse things than death.”

“Is she dead?”

“Most likely. She was wounded and bleeding.”

I bit my lip until I tasted copper.

He raked his hands through his hair. “Scorch me,” he cursed. “I’m a real bastard. I know that, and I’m sorry. Humans have always hated the fae, yet they sent their own into our world, knowing they would probably be slaughtered. Until I met you and got to know you, I didn’t know they could be good. Just hearing you talk about Iric, I can understand why you’d risk your life to save him. He was good to you.”

“He loves me, Loftin.” I watched him swallow. “And it’s not about being good or bad; it’s about loving someone and being willing to do anything to keep them safe. When you love someone, even if it’s not the romantic kind of love, you protect the person you love no matter what it costs you. Iric did that for me for ten long years, and I’m going to make sure he gets out of this mess unscathed if it’s the last thing I do, because I love him. He’s family.”

“If you’ll allow it,” he rasped, stopping to clear his throat, “I’d be honored to go with you on this journey. If Nemain has him, his time is limited, but I’ll fight with you to the death, Karis. I owe you that and much more.”

His face was solemn and strong, like he’d already mentally begun to prepare for the battle against my mother. He meant every word of the vow. “I appreciate that more than you know, but you better be careful. Standing next to your father got you in trouble once. I can’t imagine standing next to me will be any better. It might even be worse.”

“I don’t care,” he breathed. He reached out and then let his hand drop back to his side.

“Watch out, Loftin. If you’re not careful, people might start to think you care for me,” I joked, grabbing his hand and holding it in mine.

“What?” his eyes widened.

“I mean, if you plan to protect me to the death, it sounds just like what Iric’s doing, and what I’m trying to do for him and all the humans. It’s bigger than just the two of us now. This fight is for everyone.”

“You’re fighting like you love them all, but the humans weren’t kind to you,” he pointed out.

“No, but I’m not fighting for what they are, I’m fighting for what they have the potential to be. If we make a better world, a world where fae and humans live together peacefully, it would be worth everything. I’m fighting—we’re fighting—for hope and the possibilities it brings. I can’t think of a better cause. Can you?” I asked.

He shook his head, looking down at our joined hands. “No, I can’t.”

“Then let’s right the wrongs, Loftin.”

“Together,” he promised.