“You can love someone so much your heart aches, but it does not mean they are right for you. Someone can pluck your strings like a master harpist but every once in a while, play a discordant note that echoes. Listen to those notes, Evie. Listen for that echo.” She dropped to her knees and took my face in her hands. “The world has been a harsh place for you, darling. Think about what you want and who you want standing beside you when peace finally comes. Think about the people you’ve never questioned, the places that make your heart sing. Even if you’re standing alone at the end, it doesn’t mean you’ll be lonely.”
Tears burned the back of my eyes. “You don’t think I should go back to him.”
Mom’s eyes burned with love. “I think he became your world when your world was small. But you’ve seen universes since then, my darling—experienced different kinds of love. I want you to have someone who stands by your side no matter what challenges are thrown before you, someone who lets you make mistakes without judgment, someone who looks at you like you are the sunrise and sunset. Choose someone who does not choose their crown over you. Choose someone who would never make you feel small. If that is Caelan, then you know what you need to do. But if you hold doubt in your heart, do not take that final step. When you know for sure, there will be no doubt. A choice will present itself soon, Evie—one that will change the trajectory of your life. The decision will not come from your head. It has to come from your heart.”
With that, Mom disappeared in a shower of light, leaving me more confused than ever.
“Is she always that confusing?” Moira murmured.
Simone let out a snort, followed by a giggle. My lips twitched, but I couldn’t hold the laughter in either. Moira belly laughed.
“Can you believe I’m the queen of these people?” I cackled. “Especially when I’ve always been so bad at solving riddles?”
Simone wheezed.
Moira cackled. “Remember that puzzle that sat on your coffee table for eighteen months?”
I had tears coming out of my eyes. “Puzzles are dumb!”
“That’s because you put the corners together first, then work your way inside! Don’t approach it like it’s a Salvador Dalí!”
“Those are different from riddles,” I say through bouts of laughter. “I would have put it together eventually if I hadn’t lost some of the pieces.”
Moira rolled her eyes. “It’s still in the office if you want to try again.”
“No!” I barked, sending Simone and Moira into another fit of laughter.
Dark things awaited us on the horizon, but for now we had each other, a gorgeous sunset, and a full pitcher of strawberry lemonade.
All the crises could wait for a little while longer.
Chapter
Seventeen
ROWAN
Cernunnos walked far enough away to prevent the others from overhearing.
“How much do I need to worry?” I asked. Jealousy and bitterness came at people like me all the time. For all our people claimed to want a leader, being led tended to rankle a large portion of the population. Even though I was considered one of the gentler Lords, I still fended off what I felt to be an egregious number of assassination and coup attempts.
What I would give for a life away from politics and leading those who did not wish to be led.
Evie’s father watched me, a faint smile on his face as though he knew which direction my thoughts had gone. “Your tie to your land is stronger than the other Lords.”
Unsurprising he wouldn’t give me a direct answer. “Do you have any practical advice, or did you bring me away from everyone else to give me more riddles?” I studied my fingernails. “I do so hate riddles.”
He pinned me with that ancient, unforgiving stare. “You wish me to be direct?”
I threw out my hands. “Yes! Just say what you’re thinking or tell me how to fix this.” Not that he would. Dealing with thefae felt like standing in an avalanche of sand, trying to count the grains before they fell past.
His guise changed from that of a young man into the terrifying visage of the leader of the Wild Hunt. Enormous antlers grew from his head, tipped with bioluminescent moss and tiny mushrooms. His clothing morphed from athletic wear into soft leather breeches and a vest strung with bones. A god stood before me, any pretense of friendliness gone with his t-shirt and bare feet. I might think I knew him, but Cernunnos was crafty and fickle, manipulative and willing to do whatever he had to in order to protect those he loves.
“You and Evangeline are stronger together. If you hope to wrest your lands from this dark influence, you should cement your bond, allow her a claim on your land, and merge her untended property to yours. You would secure the largest stretch of territory in this country, wipe the influence from your lands, and become untouchable to the other Lords as well as less powerful fae.”
I stared at Cernunnos for a long moment, stunned. “You wish me to become king.” I’d have no issue with allowing Evie’s mark on my lands, but it would be her choice and, so far, she’d chosen not to because she cared about how I felt and what I needed. She had not yet realized that her mark was already on my land, her touch stamped deep on its Lord.
“There are worse choices,” Cernunnos said.
