I close my eyes, the cave spinning around me.
Lorelei’s whisper takes on a harsh quality. “Would you rather beg Henry Duveau for your life?”
Her words ignite a ripple of fire, and with it comes a sense of clarity. I connect to the fire, let it burn away my fears.All I can do is try,I remind myself.
With a deep breath, I step forward and meet the eyes of my audience—my people. They don’t truly feel like my people, not only because they are fae but because they are unseelie. However, that must change. If I am to become Queen of Fire, I will have to consider the termunseeliewithout fear or disgust. I will have to fight for them as strongly as I fight for the humans.
“Your kind are suppressed by the radical seelie like King Ustrin,” I say. The hesitation in my tone is obvious, but I call forth more fire to burn it away. Thoughts of King Ustrin allow my anger to rise. I think about what he did to my mother, to the apothecary. Until I can fight for the unseelie without forcing it, I can at least fight againsthim.
“King Ustrin maintains his power by turning his back on the Old Ways.” I’m not even sure what I’m saying, but my voice is stronger now. “He betrays his own kind to keep a throne he never earned. The council he supports grows more and more seelie every day. If allowed to fall too far into the hands of the radical seelie, the Old Ways will be eliminated entirely. The unseelie will be eliminated. You’ll be forced into clothes, forced to obey laws that strip you from the traditions you’ve held onto for countless centuries.”
Even though my words only echo what I learned from Aspen, I find myself feeling the truth in them. My audience seems intrigued, their gazes intent upon me. I continue. “The Council of Eleven Courts has been broken and a war between the fae is coming. The radical seelie seek control while the rebels seek freedom.” I put my hand on my heart. “I am part of that rebellion. As Unseelie Queen of Fire, I will fight the forces that threaten your way of life. I will fight against King Ustrin and win us back the Fire Court. I will win back our home.”
A kitsune lets out a bark that sounds like approval, while other encouraging sounds emit from several other fae.
Nyxia looks almost impressed.
Movement at the back of the crowd snags my attention and the masses return to quiet. The black dragon uncoils, extending its lithe neck toward me. “You are of human blood.” The voice is part hiss, part whisper. “You may promise to fight for us, but how do we know you won’t fight for them more? How can we trust you won’t be worse than King Ustrin?”
My confidence falters. To say I won’t fight for the humans would be a lie. Am I ready to promise I’ll at least fight for them equally?
Nyxia seems to sense my loss of momentum and takes a step forward. “Like I said, dear ones, this is but an introduction. We know it will take time for you to trust what Evelyn has to offer. In the meantime, I ask you to trustme. Trust me when I say that I believe Evelyn is the answer to tipping the balance in our favor. Spread word of what you learned tonight, but do it discreetly. Rally the unseelie fire fae and anyone who seeks an end to King Ustrin’s reign. We will gather again when Evelyn is ready to make her move against him.”
“Will she show us her unseelie form then?” asks an orange sprite.
Queen Nyxia plasters an exaggerated smile over her lips. “Yes. Until then, do as I’ve requested.”
The cave erupts with commotion, and the three of us turn to leave. All I hear is the pounding of my heart in my ears as we exit the cave, my feet flying beneath me. Once we return beneath the forest trees, I halt and round on Queen Nyxia. “You lied.”
“I cannot lie.”
“You told them I would show them my unseelie form next time I meet with them.”
“And you will.”
My eyes bulge as I stare at her. “You don’t understand. I don’t have that kind of power. I can’t shift like the full-fae can.”
“Sure you can.” She walks on ahead, leaving me gaping behind her.
I turn to Lorelei, silently begging her to argue some sense into the queen.
Instead, she says, “She’s right.”
“How do you figure?”
“You’ve already proven yourself capable of using fae magic,” Lorelei says. “That’s all you need to shift. It’s simply a matter of knowing how, which you have yet to learn.”
“How can you be so sure? I’m only one-quarter fae.”
She shrugs, and we hurry to catch up with the queen. “The half-fae children of the Chosen have always been able to shift, and none of them seem any more adept with magic than you.”
This takes me by surprise. “They can?”
Nyxia turns to look over her shoulder at me. “Yes, and so will you. It is your only hope of winning over the unseelie fire fae completely.”
I rub my temples. “Great. Let me just add that to my list of unrealistic things I’m supposed to do to save the isle.”
“Evelyn, you’ve been to the Twelfth Court,” Lorelei says. “That’s all it takes. That, magic, and intent. All magic stems from intent. You’ll learn.”
