She took a step back. “Recruits, in the days to come, may you rise, or may you drown. As you deserve.”
Her words echoed, then faded. They seemed to vibrate through me, and it occurred to me that I felt the same excited pulse I did to a favorite,fast-paced song at the pub dances. Irritation rose in the wake of that realization; her magic was manipulating us all.
But still, my heart was pounding. Eager to rise.
While the other clan leaders let her words resonate over us all, Fear was already moving.
He broke from their line with a decisive, slicing stride, cutting straight toward me.
His wings rose and he launched into the air without ever changing his stride. But Kiegan was between us, and to my surprise, he dropped out of the air, landing beside Kiegan. The crowd stirred, murmurs rising like wind through a thousand leaves.
When Fieran dropped his clan’s sigil in Kiegan’s palm, Kiegan looked stunned. Then bowed. He was always so stony, but joy, disbelief and relief flashed across his face.
I felt myself smile. Kiegan glanced my way, gratitude lighting his eyes, and my grin widened.
Fieran had listened to me. It was a dizzying, surprising thing.
Kiegan and I would be together in Bismyth. In that moment, I could have kissed Fieran.
“Cara.” Ander’s voice was commanding. The marble beneath our feet rocked as he landed at my side.
His brown hair was wind-tousled, jaw tight with tension. I stared at him in shock. At the sigil clutched in his fist.
The cost.
“Why?” I whispered.
“It’s the simplest way to keep you from being Fieran’s weapon.” His gaze softened, studying me. “To keep you from being his tool, Cara.”
“Is that your plan or the queen’s?”
“It’s the only one that works,” he said.
“Will she curse my brother again if I choose Fieran?” The world reeled sickeningly around me. I already knew the answer.
Ander leaned in. “He used your sister, Cara. That day he stole her magic. And he’s been using your brother. Don’t let him use you, too.”
“I should let you use me instead?” I demanded.
The ground rocked beneath my feet again.
“Yes,” Ander said, quickly, purposefully. “We can resist this kingdom’s cruelties together, but not in Fieran’s open rebellion. We can protect Tayandfight for mortals. But you have to come with me now.”
Fieran’s shadow fell over both of us.
His expression was unreadable. He held his sigil out to me.
“I just want to protect my family.” I stepped back, heart hammering. What was their rebellion to me? Stonehaven had been ignored by the Fae all these years. If I could just go back home, with Tay…
Returning home was a fantasy. There was no turning back the pages and slipping back into the past.
Fear’s gaze sharpened. “Cara.”
“I won’t take it.” This was the cost of my brother’s life. Turning my back on Bismyth. On things I had begun to want: to sit at Bismyth’s tables surrounded by my friends, with Fieran’s arm around me as the two of us traded fond insults.
Wind tugged at his cloak. That was a story of bright belonging I was spinning for myself, but it was just a selfish fantasy. Reality was Tay, pale and dying again.
Quietly, he said, “I will always choose you.”
