I frowned. Someone was dying?
Indra stepped into the room, cleared her throat, and I followed her awkwardly.
The other three elders and Kira bowed their heads slightly as we walked in.
My eyes immediately fell to the limp form lying on a crystal bed.
For a moment I had an out of body experience. For just a split second I thought it was my mother and I actually gasped. Then I saw the differences. The nose was sharper, chin more defined, but still … the resemblance was uncanny.
“Who … is that?” I asked, fighting the dizziness that threatened to overwhelm me.
“Is she stable enough for the next few moments?” Indra asked Kira, ignoring my question. Kira nodded and her eyes flicked to mine, but neither of us said a word. I prayed she kept my secret about Liam.
When the Winter elder passed, he lowered his head. “Indra, are you sure the child can—?”
“Out,” she ordered sharply, and nerves chewed at my gut. The rest of the elders scurried from the room, Rose giving me a sad nod as she passed. Kira left as well, leaving just Indra and I alone with a woman who looked like my fucking mother.
Just what the hell kind of secrets was my mother hiding?
When they had left, shutting the door behind them, Indra turned to face me. “This woman was formally Princess Dahlia of Spring Court, and now is formally the only living queen of Faerie, and she’s … your aunt.”
To my credit, I didn’t laugh. No, instead, my knees gave out and I collapsed to the ground in shock. How does a Fae with wings fall? I don’t know, but in that moment I couldn’t stay upright anymore.
Indra gave me a compassionate look and sat down on the floor in front of me, crossing her legs.
She looked at the woman on the bed. “Your mother, Violet, and Queen Dahlia share the same mother, but different fathers. They’re half-sisters. Your mother was born … out of wedlock.”
Oh.
Well it happened from time to time. I never knew my grandparents. They died in the Dark War.
“Okay…” I said.
Indra’s eyebrows raised. “Royal lineage is a very, very, big deal. Our people are tied to our royalty and our royalty is tied to our land. That’s why Spring is the only court left that hasn’t fallen.Shekeeps us alive,shekeeps this small bit of Faerie alive.”
Holy shit.
“But the crystals … I thought they—”
Indra nodded. “They do. The queen needs the crystals to keep the tree healthy.”
It hit me then. “The tree, she’s … connected to it?”
Indra looked solemnly at the bed, nodding her head. “When the crystals were taken, Queen Dahlia bound her soul to the tree to keep it alive until your mother could bring them back. Only replacing all twelve will bring her back from where she slumbers. Only then can she restore Faerie.”
Restore Faerie? I leapt up and shook myself. “No. This is fucked up. Way too much pressure.” I backed up until I hit the wall. First, I had to save Faerie, and now my undead, half aunt’s life was on the line?
Hard fucking pass.I would majorly screw this up.
Indra looked alarmed, like she expected a twenty-year-old whose mother died a few days ago and was tasked with not only saving the world but also saving the sleeping queen to act differently.
I laughed, I couldn’t help it, I was losing my grip on reality. “You just thought I would take this news great? That my only living relative is a fucking queen and she’s dying? You expect me to march out there and get all the crystals for you? This is crazy! My mother should have told me sooner! I. Can’t. Do. It. Alone!” I shouted, feeling the stress of the past few days weigh on my mind.
I was in shock; I was finally losing it. Indra’s face became angry, crumpling into a mass of dark wrinkles. Reaching behind my head, she grabbed the back of my neck and dragged me forward.
“Ow!” I shouted as she pulled me by the back of the neck over to the bed. “Did you hear a word I just told you?” She shoved my face closer to the woman and tears sprang into my eyes. She was the spitting image of my mother: dark pink hair, long lashes, high cheek bones. She smelled like lavender and just being near her made some of my madness ease. My heart ached to be with my mother again.
“Your mother’s sister is alive. Youhavefamily. You arenotalone. This woman, our queen, needs you. The people of Faerie need you. You cannot give up because you are one person, or you are too young, or you are scared. If your mother had done that, we would all be dead.”
