For the newly dead, they fared pretty well. Their discolored skin had sunken around their eyes, and Matthew’s cheekbones were visible through torn flesh on his cheeks. Below the collar of his black cloak, I could see the ugly striped t-shirt Kelly and I bought him for his birthday, the shirt he was wearing the night of the fair. The collar charred around the edges, as did the hem of Louise’s favorite floral maxi dress.

“Maeve, we miss you.” Matthew’s jaw jerked open and shut.

“Come join us.” Louise’s skeletal hand stretched from her dark robe. Cold fingers brushed my cheek, shooting needles of ice into my skin. My body froze, torn between two actions – wrapping my arms around them and accepting their embrace, or running as fast as I could in the opposite direction.

My jaw moved, but I could form no sound. A flicker of magic passed over my palm, and with it a fury, so raw and hard it frightened me. I shouldn’t have to face them like this. I should never have to say goodbye a second time.

“We just want to be a family again,” Matthew cracked, his jaw jerking like a ventriloquist dummy. “You, me, your mother, Kelly—”

“You stay away from Kelly!” I yelled, throwing a blast of spirit magic at him. He reeled for a moment, then urged his horse forward. The animal took another step toward me. Matthew’s hand extended down, the fingers outstretched, tender, ready to scoop up his little girl and make everything okay again.

Matthew froze. His hands flew to his chest.

A green-tipped arrow stuck out of his robes, right where his heart would have been.

Matthew’s mouth hung open in silent terror. The glow in his eyes flickered out and he toppled off his mount. His cloak flapped around his body. Louise screamed as he hit the ground and shattered into a pile of bone and dust.

Her scream cut off as a second arrow punched through her forehead, bending her head back and sending her toppling over the arse of her horse. Louise sprawled across the grass, her dress balled up against her knees. She opened her mouth in a silent cry as her body collapsed to dust.

The two black beasts bolted, heedless to their lost riders. They cantered down the slope, their hooves fading into the woods as they disappeared between the trees, becoming just another secret of the ancient Crookshollow Forest.

I whirled around, searching for the source of the arrows. My heart hammered in my chest as I scanned the trees sheltering the garden. At any moment I expected to feel a barb pierce my chest.

“We meet again, witch,” a cold voice rasped in my ear.

I spun back around so fast I lost my balance and toppled into the statuesque figure standing uncomfortably close to me. A pair of brilliant emerald eyes regarded mine with the wry amusement typical of the fae. She clasped a bow in her good hand, while with the other she unwound the rope that formed her makeshift firing device.

Liah.

“They were my parents,” I said, not certain if I should be hurting her or thanking her.

“Not anymore.” Liah slid the bow up on her back. “I assume you know why I’m here.”

“I wouldn’t know.”

Liah peered at me with a quizzical expression. “I thought you were the clever one. It’s obvious.”

“Nothing about this situation is obvious.”

Liah sighed. “Corbin explained it all in your dream. I’ve come to help you defeat Daigh.”

“That’s no good. Daigh escaped. I assume a demon helped him, because the door to Ryan’s safe was blown to pieces. I’d like to have that kind of power.”

Liah rolled her eyes. “It’s hardly impressive. It’s just the right kind of energy applied at a specific pressure point, exactly as you have just done to banish the Slaugh. Even your human metals have their weaknesses.”

A laugh escaped my throat. “You sound like me.”

“Your lover has said as much on many occasions these past days,” Liah said. “It’s not a compliment.”

I laughed again. “It’s hard to believe that all this time, you were on our side. It would’ve been easier if you’d just said something.”

“I was never on your side. I was only ever on the side of the trees.” Liah’s gaze traveled to the forest, where a crisp breeze shook the branches. For the first time ever, warmth flickered in her eyes. She held out her stump to me. “Will you come with me?”

Trust another fae? Not bloody likely.

I slipped my fingers around Liah’s forearm. Thick scars crisscrossed her skin, forming a magical symbol that hummed with residual power as I traced its lines. It reminded me of the deep cut along Arthur’s arm, and I squirmed. Beneath my fingers, the scars split open and black tendrils curled out, creeping up her arm and encircling both of us. They felt like ice where they licked my skin.

Liah brought up her other arm. The moonlight glinted off a bone knife clenched in her fist. In slow motion, I watched her swing her arm around and jam the blade into my chest.

I stared down at the handle protruding from between my ribs. Cold crept through my body, radiating out from the blade. I expected there to be pain, but there was none. Just a pleasant, humming numbness.

I tried to cry out, but I couldn’t work my jaw. I tried to free my hand from Liah’s arm, but found it quite impossible. Messages from my brain didn’t seem to be reaching my body. A dull roar quaked in my ears, like the rumble of the Slaugh approaching, but from inside my head. My own doom marching toward me.

The thought occurred to me that Corbin and now I had a similar appendage. It’s like we’re twins. I burst out laughing. Blood bubbled up in my throat and splattered down my t-shirt as I gasped and chortled at the ludicrous situation.

“Good luck,” Liah said. She placed her hand against my chest and pushed. I toppled backward, and darkness claimed me before my body hit the ground.