“Odie?” Mom’s eyebrows knitted together. “Are you okay? What happened?”
I was about to tell her that I wasn’t sure, when Eva fell out of the portal from the human realm with a yelp, and pressed her hand to her forehead.
The truth crashed over me.
La Voisin had mentioned that timewalking and traveling between realms would loosen our ties to our ghosts. Louise and Claude had stayed with us through two rounds of timewalking, already an extraordinary feat. Had the shift into Faerie been too much for them to remain bound to us?
Louise? Are you there?
There was no reply.
CHAPTERTWENTY
Once I was sure Eva was okay—ghost-less and growing more Faerie-drunk by the second, but otherwise fine—we continued with the reunions.
Parents spilled into the room and clung to their kids. Mom and Dad fretted over a ghost having been in my head, even though Louise was long gone. Eva’s parents exclaimed over every other story she shared. Both Wardwell units couldn’t get over the timewalking.
Everyone cried, even Headmistress Wake.
After the initial reunions were over, Eva, Alex, and Hunter were shown to bedrooms to sleep off the Faerie-drunk sensation. Everyone else settled into a room Mom dubbed the “leisure room.” Families congregated together, save Andre and Sam, who perched next to Headmistress Wake and Diana because their parents weren’t present.
We’d been seated no more than a few seconds when two unfamiliar figures wearing long silk robes entered the room. Ayla, Sana, and their parents shot out of their seats and fell into deep bows. Mom and Dad did the same, as did the other witches who had been in Faerie for a while.
Alrighty then . . .
I rose andfollowed suit.
“Welcome to the Riverlands Court,” the man, presumably the king, said with a warm smile. He was very tall, with long, brown hair that covered his pointed ears, but he had no wings—an elf, then.
His wife, on the other hand, greatly resembled the Tornas with her bright red hair, silver-veined wings, and pointed ears that marked her of the faerie race.
“Yes, welcome,” the queen continued. “I do hope that everyone is well after the journey. I apologize that we’re not more appropriately dressed to receive guests, but you arrived at such a late hour. Please sit.”
Everyone did as she requested, and once we were settled, the queen spoke again.
“My name is Aquatia Vapos. This is my husband, and king consort, Elan Geysis from the Cove Court. I apologize that our son, Crown Prince Halad Vapos, is not here to greet you. It seems he has taken to a night out in the city.” She pursed her lips, indicating that she didn’t agree with her son’s late nights out. “However, we’re so pleased that you’re all here and safe.”
Her eyes landed on me. “You must be the one the demon queen is after. You look just like your mother, who has told me much about you.”
I smiled at the compliment and nodded. “Thank you, Queen Aquatia. It’s a privilege to visit your kingdom, and even more of an honor to be given refuge.”
“An enemy of the Dark Court is a friend to us,” the king said. “I am from Cove Court, a cousin to the current king. As you probably have guessed, I have not seen my family in many years.”
“Because of the Rift, right?” I asked, wanting to be clear.
The queen nodded and placed a sympathetic hand on her husband’s arm. “The Rift spanning the inland boundary of the Dark Court is a terrible thing. It not only cuts those of the Dark Court off from the rest of Faerie, but the coastal kingdom of the Cove Court too. Although we realize that your battle is in the human world, there are parallels here. We’re hopeful that if you defeat the demons, it will weaken their ally, the crown of the Dark Court.”
“That would be wonderful,” I said.
From the mountains of the Snowcap Court, I’d seen the Rift, the black swirling cloud on an otherwise pure emerald landscape along the border of the Riverlands Court. I’d heard tales of what happened to fae that tried to escape through it—and it was nothing good.
“That being said.” Queen Aquatia smoothed the skirt of her robe. “We have been waiting for your return. To learn how we can be of assistance.” Her eyes scanned Ayla, Diana, Andre, and Sam. “Besides providing a bed, of course.”
After timewalking, reuniting with friends, walking miles through the forest, and arriving here, it was no surprise that our fatigue was noticeable. As much as I wanted to hear what was happening, the exhaustion was real.
Still, with Louise’s and Claude’s departure, I did need help. Since the queen was offering, I might as well ask a favor now.
“This might be a shot in the dark, but you wouldn’t have a spirit walker and talker hanging around here, or the fae-equivalent, would you?”
