one
AftertheProcessionofSpirits, all anyone wanted to do was sleep. To fall into a deep slumber and pretend the army of spirits that had risen from the black waters of the river was nothing but a terrible dream.
But sleep wasn’t in the cards. With the chilling revelation that the veil between realms had grown paper-thin, a core group of us who had been present at the Procession of Spirits retreated into the castle before daybreak.
It was the first time I’d walked into the castle with the intention to truly use it. Until now, I’d avoided stepping inside, unsure of my right to claim it, to make it my own. The title ofFae Queenstill felt like something foisted upon me, a mantle too heavy and too grand for an average woman from New York to bear.
With Fenlon fanning dissent across The Isle, occupying the castle had seemed presumptuous. But after tonight, there was no question that I needed to start owning my title…and doing something about the forces trying to take it from me. If I didn’t,I wouldn’t be the only one who suffered. And as I looked down at Liza’s soft, downy hair, I knew I couldn’t let that happen.
“Where’s Fenlon?” I asked tiredly. “Do you think he’s out spreading the word about the Darkest Lord’s appearance?”
Ranger X raised a shoulder. “Licking his wounds, more like. He was just proven wrong in a big way in front of his friends. They’ll be retreating and figuring out what to do next, most likely how to save their own tails.”
“Wouldn’t surprise me if they fled the island entirely,” Silas growled. “Cowards, all of them.”
As we stepped into the castle’s stone-cold halls, I was surprised at the warmth that awaited us as we passed beneath marble archways and into a more personalized interior. There were more furnishings present than I’d expected, considering this thing had risen out of the water mere weeks ago.
Torches were lit on the walls, candles burned on every spare surface. Cozy chaises stretched next to mirrored end tables, suggesting quaint spots to sit and rest. When we entered what seemed to be a dining area, there was a marble table ringed by chairs, place settings at the ready.
I glanced at Millie, who gave a little shrug. “It’s my job to anticipate Silas’s needs and now, by extension, yours. I’ve been doing a little work because I figured it was only a matter of time before you accepted your title.”
“Thank you,” I said, touched also by her confidence that it would someday be mine, that someday I wouldfeellike it was mine, even if that day hadn’t yet arrived. “It’s perfect.”
The castle was small by royal standards, but even its modest stature didn’t detract from the regal atmosphere that lingered in the grand halls, the stone as pale as a pristine seashell. I could almost sense the former Fae Queens walking beside me in spirit; I could envision them discussing life and death, war and peace,in their own times, just as we were about to do now. The castle echoed with reminders of my past.
We all began to take seats. I sat next to Silas along one side of the table. Ranger X and Lily sat across from us, and Zin—Ranger Z—sat next to them. Millie pushed through a set of heavy swinging doors into the adjoining kitchen, presumably starting a pot of tea and scrounging for some food.
Several more Rangers filed in. Liza was there, too, but at Millie’s whispered beckon, the girl disappeared into the kitchen. When Silas groaned next to me, I knew what it meant before I saw him: Atlas.
Silas’s brother stood in the doorway, his presence felt by everyone in the room, judging by the way necks craned in his direction despite his soundless appearance. He lounged against the door with all his usual smirk and swagger, and when the room went silent and still, he gave me a salute.
“Good morning, Queen,” he said easily. “That crown looks good on you. Told you it would.”
“Sit down,” Silas growled. “Is Olympus helping or not?”
Atlas flopped into a chair. “Olympus is interested. I’ll have more information soon.”
Silas rolled his eyes. Millie popped out of the kitchen then, offering an array of fruits and toast that told me furniture wasn’t the only thing she’d been preparing. The kitchen must have been stocked by her at some point. Her way of anticipating Silas’s needs was coming in extremely useful. My own stomach growled, even though I didn’t feel hungry. It’d been a long, exhausting night, and food meant energy. I helped myself to cut strawberries and bananas, doused them with a heavy whipped cream, and gratefully cupped my hands around a warm mug of peppermint tea.
An exhausted hush fell as everyone ate; we were all hungrier than we’d realized. At some point, Millie led Liza upstairs,stopping to tell me she’d made up a bed for the girl so she could get her rest. When breakfast wound down, I glanced around the table.
“Does anyone have experience with the spirit world?” I asked. “Or with the Darkest Lord that can kick things off? Give some clarity to what happened here this morning?”
Atlas and Silas traded a look that twisted my stomach. I knew from my conversation with Silas that there was some history between my mate and the Darkest Lord, but I didn’t want to be the one to spill his secrets to a roomful of people.
“Olympus has clashed in the past with the underworld,” Atlas said carefully. “There’s some experience there. The gods and titans are not on the best terms with the Darkest Lord, hence their interest in his appearance on your island this morning.”
“Taking a step back, we should explain that the Darkest Lord was banished to the spirit plane—the underworld—by the Greek gods themselves,” Silas added. “The Darkest Lord has never been thrilled with the arrangement. He’s been looking for a chance to breach the mortal realm for centuries.”
“Why now?” I asked. “Wouldn’t it have been easier to strike before a new Fae Queen appeared? Granted, I am still brand new, and I haven’t mastered my powers. But the fact that I exist is…something.”
“It’s more than something,” Atlas said. “But it’s also the greatest upheaval in power structure in wards that this island has seen in millennia. As you gain power, it will become harder and harder for him to access your world. The time for him to try is now, before all is settled. He’s been counting on you having rocky footing in the beginning and is trying to capitalize on that.”
“Fair.” I spread my hands wide in offering. “But I don’t love the idea of sitting around and waiting for him to strike, hoping the shaky wards that are in place will hold. I would prefer a plan.”
“Alessia’s absolutely correct,” Ranger X said. “We do need a plan. It would be better, still, to make the first move.”
“But how can we make a move when we barely understand what we’re up against?” Lily asked, resting a hand on her husband’s forearm. “Nobody can simply walk into the underworld.”
