The King shrugged. “Where do goddesses live?”
“You're not starving,” I growled. “You're overgrown. Danu must have forgotten about you, as the Seelie did. And yousummoned her. Somehow, you tricked her into coming here, and you trapped her in her sorrow.”
The King lifted his chin. “The Seelie saw the good in the Garden. They took the Goddess' gift. Their monarchs knew this was a path to Danu.”
“You're evading now.” I grimaced and looked at Tiernan. “Step into the tunnel, babe. It's time.”
Tiernan stepped backward without taking his eyes off the King of the Somber Ones. His fey feet knew the way, retracing his steps until he stood just beyond the cavern opening.
I faced the King.
“Queen Seren, it doesn't have to be like this.” The King came toward me.
I blasted a wave of Light through the cavern, strong enough to melt the darkest emotion and the brightest of magic.
Chapter Thirty Four
There were no screams this time. Just a blinding light and the sound of shattering glass. The mountain shook around us. It felt as if all of Fairy trembled.
When the Light faded, the cavern went dark. Tiernan summoned several fey light orbs and sent them floating through the cavern to illuminate bare rock. The vast space was empty, not a single petal left. Nothing but that oddly carved rock—Goddess-carved rock. A part of me mourned the beautiful flowers, but beauty often hides a poisonous heart, and the Garden's heart had been full of toxic emotions.
“Seren!” Tiernan shouted.
I glanced at him and then followed his stare to the ceiling. A silver mist hung there, glowing softly. Where the light from Tiernan's spheres hit, it shifted and sparkled. Remembering the clouds that possessed our soldiers, I stepped back. Then it separated into two, and one-half of it condensed.
Tensing into a battle-stance, I watched the cloud take form. At first, it was just humanoid, then it filled out—muscles bulging and masculine features forming a face. Silver changed to sunlight, becoming pale Seelie skin, and platinum blond hair cascaded over a pair of broad shoulders. I froze, seeing the Kingof the Somber Ones come to life, leaving behind his dark visage for one I had seen before—in a painting that hung in the Seelie Royal Gallery. The truth had literally been staring me in the face the entire time.
“Solas,” I whispered.
“Do you like it?” The King stepped forward, arms outstretched. “He was the first flower in my garden.” He ran a hand over his jaw. “Is he handsome? I have a hard time judging these things.”
“I destroyed the Garden. How are you still here?”
Before he could answer, the remainder of the glittering mist fell to swirl around the King before it blasted apart and vanished.
“What the fuck?” I whispered.
The King ignored the explosion, speaking as if nothing had happened. “I must thank you for destroying the Garden, Queen Seren. Danu created the living crystal to hold all those dark emotions—only light can cage the dark. Century after century, the emotions festered, and every new royal added their pain to the bitter nectar. It blossomed into sentience—me. Centuries more passed, but it wasn't until there was a pause in the pain, a stop to the sowing, that I found the strength to seep past the Garden's confines.”
“Seren's right. You weren't starving,” Tiernan said. “It's all been a ruse to get us here.”
“Yes, of course. You're very wise, King Tiernan. I am a liar. I do apologize for the deceit, but it was the only way to get you to destroy the Garden. And you played along perfectly.” KingNot-Solas bowed. “You followed my trail, and without Danu guiding you, you acted rashly.”
“Where is she?!” I growled. “What have you done with her?”
“I simply took a little more, but I've just given it all back.” He waved upward.
“The explosion,” I whispered.
“Yes, I returned her pain. But I am not her only concern. Things are rising from the heart of Fairy, and it is weakening the Goddess. I don't know where she is, but I imagine she's stuck there.”
“That's it.” I lifted my hands.
King Not-Solas laughed and opened his arms.
The Light blasted from my palms, engulfing the King. But when it withdrew, the King remained.
“Impossible,” Tiernan whispered.
