Emma patted Kazim’s shoulder lightly and said, “You know, I wonder every day if Vara would still be here, if she hadn’t made that contract with the Spring Princess.”
My jaw tightened. When we’d been on the Spring Princess’s island to retrieve the Seelie stone, the hervilahad put Arthur under a spell. He would’ve danced himself to death if Vara hadn’t bargained with the Spring Princess to let her and her mate go free. Years off her life, in exchange for their freedom. I thought Vara had more time… I was devastatingly wrong.
“Didn’t Lucien have a similar agreement with the Spring Princess when she kidnapped him as a child and put a changeling in his place?” I asked.
“Yes,” Emma agreed. “An identical one, right down to the last word.”
My lips flattened. “I don’t understand. Lucien and Vara made the same deal with the Spring Princess—years off their lifein exchange for leaving the island.But Lucien is far older, and he’s still around. Why is he alive and Vara is not?”
“I don’t know,” Emma said miserably. “Fae magic issocomplex. Illusions are intentions, but that can mean almost anything. Just because Vara and Lucien took the same contract doesn’t mean the terms are the same. The wording the Spring Princess gave them could mean anything. We don’t really know what they promised.”
“Perhaps Vara was fated to die young, and her deal took what was left of her life,” I murmured.
“It’s what I concluded,” Emma said. “Nothing else makes sense.”
It was hard to comprehend the actions and words of the Spring Princess, a being who was nearly as powerful as a deity. Lucien and Vara had made an identical agreement. But somewhere along the line, the contract each of them had made with her was wildly different… and so were the results.
“Is Arthur aware of the contract she made?” I asked. “She made that bargain with the Spring Queen to save his life.”
Arthur had been bewitched byvilaat the time. I don’t think he remembered much about leaving the island, or many of the details surrounding what had come before.
“He doesn’t know about the deal. Vara never told him, and what point is there in torturing him with the facts?” Emma asked. “He’d blame himself, say Vara sacrificed herself for him. Whether she did or not, tormenting my brother with the truth will only hurt him now. It won’t bring Vara back.”
I nodded solemnly. I didn’t like keeping secrets, but sometimes, lying to someone was necessary to prevent harming them further. Arthur was heartbroken enough.
The door creaked open lightly. It was Ozzie— there was flour streaked across his clothes, and powdered sugar flecked over his cheek. He’d been baking, as always.
Ozzie made a giddy sound when he saw Kalina and Kazim sleeping in our arms. “Ooh! They’re so cute,” he whispered, bending over to take a look at Kazim. “NowIwant one.”
“You’d have to talk to Jasper about that,” Emma said, giving a quiet laugh.
At the mention of his mate, Ozzie frowned. He drew himself up and said, “I feel for Jas. He’s not eating. I even made him his favorite dessert the other day, and he barely touched it. I can’t make him smile anymore.”
If anyone was a mess besides Arthur, it was Jasper. I knew he’d been close with Vara, and he was taking her death very hard. “It’s not you. He’s just grieving.”
“I know.” Ozzie pouched out his lip. “Anyway, I came by to tell Ethan that Finlay wants to speak with him in the foyer. Urgently, if you please.”
“Why didn’t he walk up here and tell me himself?” I asked, cross.
“He’s not good with babies,” Ozzie said, shaking his head. “His clomping around bothers them.”
Well, that was a good point. Finlay must have elephant shifter blood in his ancestry, because he never did anything quietly. “Would you like to hold Kalina while I go talk to him?”
“Would I ever!” Ozzie held out his arms, and I slipped Kalina into them. Kalina snuggled into his shirt, and Ozzie brightened.
“She thinks you’re sweet,” Emma offered with a smile.
“I smell like cupcakes. I’ve been in the kitchen all day,” he said with a giggle.
Emma and Ozzie chatted quietly while I did my best to walk out without waking the twins.
Finlay was leaning against the wall when I entered the foyer. He jerked his head to tell me to come near, and the movement irked me.
Finlay and I weren’t quite friends, but we were allies. Didn’t mean we got along spectacularly well.
“What is it?” I asked in a bruske tone.
“I think I’ve found it,” Finlay said eagerly. “The Unseelie stone.”
