“You could go, you know,” Mom said, staring at me over the rim of her mug. “The fae lands have no borders with you. As the bridge, you can go anywhere. No king or queen can keep you out.”
I grimaced. “I know nothing about those lands. Even here, I’ve never ventured further than your barrow mounds.”
Mom shrugged. “Every realm holds danger, Evie. My lands are relatively safe on the marked roads and villages. But you belong here just as much as I do, and my people will sense your blood. There are few who would dare attack you here.”
“But not in the other realms.”
Mom shrugged. “I have no control over the other places in our lands. Most rulers do not allow the savage things of the wilds to infiltrate their cities and towns, though.”
I studied her. “You’re saying stick to the main roads and stay out of the forests.”
“In many ways, our lands are similar to yours. Stay out of the dark alleys and trust no one with a sharp smile.”
“I’d be a fool to go alone.”
“Your vampire friend’s power grows every day. She or one of your preferred Lords might be a good companion.” She paused for a beat. “Or perhaps…I would be a good companion.”
I tilted my head. “You’d want to come with me?”
“We’ve never had a true adventure together, daughter. You’ve been too busy hating me.”
“Mom,” I growled. “You gave me no reason not to hate you.”
“Perhaps,” she said. “Youth sees what it wants to, but games of the immortals dig far under the surface and grow roots longer than you or I can see.”
“Pretty words,” I grumbled. “You can’t just call Tess back?”
Mom shook her head. “Not in the fae lands. Earth is one place. Our lands are not. They exist atop each other, every realm unique in its own way.”
A thought occurred to me. “Are the stars the same?”
Mom frowned. “Pardon?”
“The night stars. Are they different in each realm?”
Her eyes crinkled at the edges. “Yes. Quite different. Consider each realm a different planet in a separate solar system. Earth and Mars have the same solar system, with different atmospheres. Tir Tairngire, where Tess has gone, has a breathable atmosphere for all fae, but it is in an entirely different space than my land.”
“Is it dangerous?”
Mom shrugged. “As lands go, it’s one of the better ones. The humans call it the Land of Promise. They believe if they reach the place, all their dreams have the potential to come true.”
“Have you been there?”
Mom shook her head. “No, though your Father has traveled extensively to all the fae realms. He may be a better person to accompany you than I am.”
She gave me a side-eye. I groaned. “He spoke to you?”
“Enough for me to know you two have had a falling out. Is there anything I can help with?”
“Can you make a fae king stop meddling?” I grumbled.
Mom laughed, a bright, amused sound. “Meddling is his very favorite thing to do! I could sooner stop the sun from shining.”
“That’s what I thought.” I sighed and set my mug down. “Can you feel if Tess is in any distress?”
Mom shook her head. “She’s too far away to be sure, but the cord binding us together is firm and strong. I do not believe she’s in distress.” She frowned. “Are you sure she hasn’t gone willingly?”
“She’d leave a note.” Wouldn’t she? I wasn’t sure about anything these days. Tess had always been independent. She showed up for work on time and never called in sick, not that any of us ever caught a cold, and she rarely used her vacation days. But as far as what she did in her downtime, I couldn’t say. For a while, she and Ash spent much of their time together, but once they broke up, Tess had pulled away seemingly from all of us.
