The Iron Warrior, Page 30

  “Screw the law,” I broke in, startling everyone, even myself. Why the hell was I defending him again? I just couldn’t stop myself when it came to family. Keirran deserved punishment, sure, but I was thinking more community service or maybe grounding him until he was a hundred. Death or eternal exile from his world and family seemed a little harsh, even for him.

  Besides, I’d be damned if I let the evil Summer bitch queen have her way here. I might’ve been pissed at my nephew, but I couldn’t stand Titania. “He killed the First Queen,” I went on, staring the rulers down. “The Lady would have destroyed the Veil, and Keirran chose to stop her and end the war himself. That should count for something.”

  “You know nothing of our laws, Ethan Chase.” This time, Mab was the one who spoke, though her voice was not quite as venomous as Titania’s. The Winter Queen almost sounded...regretful. Almost. “Prince Keirran is a traitor to all of Faery. He waged war on the courts, trying to bring a usurper to power. Not only that, he attempted to destroy the Veil and throw both the mortal realm and the Nevernever into chaos. He is responsible for the destruction of hundreds of lives and, had his plan succeeded, thousands more. Any one of those crimes would be cause for death or exile. We cannot simply turn a blind eye, even if the Iron Prince is the queen’s son. Even if he is kin to us all.” Mab raised her voice, her tone icy. “The law is clear. He must face the consequences of his actions.”

  “If the Iron Queen refuses,” Titania added, smirking at Meghan, “she faces war from both Summer and Winter. Do not think you can let the prince go free. The whole Nevernever will rebel if you do.”

  “I am well aware of this, Queen Titania,” Meghan said tightly. “Have I said anything to the contrary? Keirran will be punished, but perhaps you would allow me to decide my son’s fate on my own.”

  The Summer Queen glared at her. “He deserves death,” she hissed, making me tense, and Kenzie stiffened in horror. “Exile is too good for him, not with the destruction he has caused. That boy is a danger to the Nevernever and all of Faery, and we should make certain he will never have the chance to rebel again.”

  “If any would like to try,” came Ash’s deep, terrifying voice, and a sheet of frost spread over the ground, “they can step forward right now.” Unsurprisingly, no one did.

  “What would you have us do, then, Iron Queen?” Oberon asked. “Titania does raise a serious concern. Your son is a prince of Faery, with the glamour of all three courts flowing through him. You have seen firsthand the destruction he is capable of. If we exile him, how do we know he will not someday return with an army of exiles at his back to threaten the Nevernever once more?”

  “Oh, come on!” Kenzie exclaimed. “He’s right there, on his knees. Does he really look like he’s going to try to take over the Nevernever again?” Her voice softened, and she gazed down at the prince in sympathy. “He’s lost things, too,” she murmured. “More than you would understand. If you just talked to him, you would know that.”

  “Is that so?” Oberon didn’t sound convinced. “Then perhaps he should tell us these things. Speak, then, Iron Prince,” he ordered, gazing down at the kneeling faery. “Now is your chance to state your intentions, before we decide your fate. Do you not have anything to say on your behalf?”

  “I throw myself on the mercy of the courts,” Keirran replied in a flat voice, not looking up. “I have nothing to say in my defense. Do with me what you will. But...” He hesitated, then took a quiet breath. “Please, spare the Forgotten. They were pawns in the Lady’s scheme, and she...we, used them terribly. They’re not a threat to the courts or the Nevernever. They truly just want to survive.”

  “Not a threat?” Titania mocked, making me want to stab her. “The army that attacked us this very evening, who followed the First Queen and killed for her without fail, are not a threat? They are nearly as dangerous as you, Iron Prince. They must be dealt with, one way or another.”

  “Do you wish another war, then, Queen Titania?” Meghan challenged. “Or are you simply advising the complete genocide of a whole race of faery? These Forgotten are not as dangerous as the Iron fey when they were under Ferrum and Machina. Surely there is a way the Forgotten can live without being a danger to Faery.”

  A very loud, bored yawn interrupted what would’ve been another challenge from Titania. “I believe,” said a large gray cat sitting on a rock where nothing had been before, “that you are all missing the obvious solution.

  “The Forgotten are huddled in the Between,” Grimalkin went on, curling his tail around himself as the entire Summer, Winter and Iron courts turned to stare at him. “They must not become a danger to the Nevernever or the Veil, that is very clear. Who is the only one, besides the First Queen, that can slip between worlds? Who has already carved out a place, an entire kingdom, within the Veil? Whom do the Forgotten already listen to?” With another yawn, the cat shook his head and bent to lick his back toes. “Really, it is a wonder Faery has survived this long,” he mused. “I shudder to think of what would happen were I not here to point out the obvious.”

  Silence fell after Grimalkin’s statement. Titania looked like she wanted to say something, but couldn’t find the words to argue or protest. Oberon merely looked thoughtful, but Mab had the faintest trace of a smile on her lips. It was gone in the next instant, but it was there.

  I looked at Meghan, saw her exchange a glance with Ash. He gave a grim nod, and she closed her eyes.

  Straightening her shoulders, she gazed down at Keirran.

  “Prince Keirran.” Her voice rang with authority, and everything went perfectly still, holding its breath. Keirran was motionless, staring rigidly at the ground, waiting. “You have been found guilty of treason against the Iron, Winter and Summer courts. As monarch of Mag Tuiredh, I hereby sentence you to exile...in the Between. You are no longer welcome in the Nevernever, the trods will be forever closed to you, and you are not to enter Faery through the Veil or by any other path.” Her voice trembled for just a moment, before growing strong again. “From this day on, you will be known as the Forgotten King, Guardian of the Veil, and you will make sure your subjects never again threaten the Nevernever. Do you understand?”

  “Yes, Your Majesty,” Keirran whispered, sounding dazed.

  “Then rise, King of the Forgotten,” Meghan said. “And return to your subjects.” She blinked rapidly as Keirran rose, still in a state of shock. “Go to the Forgotten. They are your responsibility now. Tell them that the war is over, and the courts will leave them in peace if they do the same.”

  “I will, Your Majesty,” Keirran said, and there was a change in his voice now. Determined and grave, that same resolve I’d seen before, but without the stubborn abandon. “I promise, I will make this right. I will earn my title and my redemption, even if it takes me a thousand years.”

  “It might, Forgotten King,” Mab said softly. The Winter Queen did not seem angry or hostile, but her voice was a subtle warning. “We are fey. We do not forget. We do not forgive. And we will remember this day for eternity. If you hope for redemption, I’m afraid you will be waiting a very long time.”

  Keirran bowed to them all. “Then I had best get started quickly.”

  “Hold,” Meghan said as Keirran took a step back. Facing the other rulers and the army of fey behind them, she raised her voice. “It is done,” she stated. “The sentence has been carried out. Keirran will depart the Nevernever momentarily, but before he leaves, I would speak to my son alone.”

  Oberon nodded. The three rulers turned away, after Titania shot a vicious, disgusted look at Meghan, and the army behind them began to clear out. Soon, it was just me, Kenzie and Puck standing across from Meghan, Ash and Keirran. I looked around and, with a start, saw that Wolf had vanished, slipping back into the unknown where he’d come from, having finally gotten tired of crowds and eternal faery politics. Grimalkin sat on the same rock a few feet away,
still washing his fur but probably listening to everything we said. Razor poked his head out of Kenzie’s hair, bared his teeth at the cat and ducked back again, muttering “bad kitty” under his breath.

  “Well.” Puck sighed, lacing his hands behind his skull. “Here we are, one more time. I guess this is See Ya Later, for all of us.” He glanced at Keirran, raising an eyebrow. “I hope you don’t expect me to call you ‘Your Majesty’ now, kid. ’Cause that ain’t gonna happen.”

  Keirran gave a sad smile. “Thank you,” he whispered, soft enough that no other faery would catch it. “All of you. I know I don’t deserve it but...I’ll try to do this right. For the Forgotten. And Annwyl. Ethan?” He swallowed hard, and his gaze rose to mine. “I know I’ve wronged you the most of all. And you still came back for me. You and Kenzie both.” He glanced at the girl beside me, and she smiled, though Razor hissed at Keirran and muttered “Bad master,” then turned his back on him. Keirran’s eyes clouded with pain and guilt, and he took a second to compose himself.

  “I...owe you more than my life,” Keirran went on, stumbling a bit over the words. “And after what I did to you, I can’t ever begin to apologize, but—” he raked a hand through his hair “—I just... I wanted to let you know...”

  “Oh, shut up.” I sighed, and held out a hand. “Apology accepted. Just shake my hand and stop talking before this gets even more awkward.”

  Keirran smiled. Stepping forward, he grasped my palm, nearly crushing my fingers in relief. I clenched my jaw and endured, gripping his hand in return. “I guess you’re going home after this,” he said, finally dropping my hand. “Back to the mortal world?” I nodded.

  “Yeah. Hopefully for good this time.” I thought of my parents and how long it had been since they’d seen me last. Back in the real world, my eighteenth birthday had come and gone, and I hadn’t been there to celebrate. Thinking about Mom, sitting in the house on my birthday, crying over an unlit cake, made my throat tighten. I, too, had a lot to make up for.

  He nodded. “Goodbye, then, Ethan. Maybe I’ll see you around someday. Kenzie, you, too.”

  “Hold on,” Kenzie said as he stepped back. “You owe someone else an apology, Keirran.” When he stopped, puzzled, she pointed to the gremlin on her shoulder. “I think you have something to say to Razor, don’t you?”

  “Ah.” Keirran blinked, then smiled sadly. “Yes. I would have earlier, but gremlins are faeries. They hold a grudge forever. He has every right to be angry with me.”

  “That’s not an excuse! You threw him over a wall, among other things.”

  “You’re right.” Keirran held up his hands, then looked at the gremlin. Razor’s head was turned away, deliberately not looking at him. “I’m sorry, Razor,” the prince said, very solemnly. “I know you’re angry, and that’s okay. Thank you for taking care of Kenzie.”

  The gremlin’s ears twitched. Slowly, he turned his head, meeting the prince’s gaze, and sniffed. “Bad Master,” he said, almost a reprimand. “Not care about Razor. Don’t hurt pretty girl again. Promise!”

  Keirran’s eyebrows rose in shock. “Oh,” he said, as the gremlin glared at him. “I...I won’t. I promise.”

  Puck laughed, shaking his head at the prince’s expression. “Looks like you just got scolded by a gremlin, Your Majesty,” he chuckled, and crossed his arms. “Ah, can’t say I’m not gonna miss you two. We had some fun times, right, princeling? Saddest part is, I won’t ever hear ice-boy complain that I’m corrupting you again. But, I guess all good things must come to an end.” He sighed, gave Keirran a friendly arm punch and raised his hand. “See ya ’round, kid. Try not to let those Slim Shadys suck out all your fun. Ethan Chase?” Puck winked at me. “I’m sure I’ll see you again, whether you like it or not.”

  “Yeah,” I deadpanned. “So looking forward to it.”

  Puck laughed again. “Don’t you forget it. Until the next adventure, kiddos.” Sticking his hands into his pockets, the Great Prankster sauntered off, whistling, until he reached the edge of the trees and vanished into the shadows.

  Keirran watched him go, then took a breath. “I guess that leaves me,” he murmured, staring around at the forest, as if memorizing it. “It’s strange. I never thought it would be this hard to leave it behind.”

  Meghan embraced him once more. “I love you, Keirran,” she whispered, as the prince buried his face in her shoulder. “Always. No matter where you are, never forget that.”

  “I won’t,” Keirran choked out. “And I’ll make you proud. Someday, I’ll redeem myself and come home. I promise.”

  She pulled back and kissed him on the forehead. Ash gripped his shoulder, sharing a brief, knowing look with his son. Then Keirran stepped back, bowed to them both and turned away.

  We watched him walk across the clearing, to the place where the Forgotten had poured through the barrier earlier that night. Watched him raise his arm and part the Veil, revealing the darkness of the Between through the tear. Keirran looked back only once, blue eyes and silver hair glowing in the moonlight. For a moment, I was reminded of that first night, the first time I’d met my nephew, perched on a balcony railing in the Iron Palace, bright and carefree with the moonlight blazing down on him. He gave a brief, fleeting smile...

  ...and vanished into the Between, slipping away like he was never there at all.

  Meghan blinked, a tear crawling down her face, before she wiped her eyes and turned to me.

  “All right,” she said, and though the terrible grief lingered on her face, she tried to smile. “It has been a very, very long night. Let’s get the both of you home.”

  Eight months later

  I stood in my room, staring at my bed, arms crossed as I scanned the assortment of clothes folded in the open suitcase. Shirts, pants, underwear, socks, toiletries...was I missing anything? Other than the anti-faery items, stuffed into another duffel bag, that is. Not that I needed them much, anymore. Being immune to magic and glamour, I was no fun to torment now, as most faeries soon discovered and left me alone. I wished humans were so easy to sway.

  It had been one year since the Veil disappeared, since humans became able to see the fey, and even though it had been for only a few minutes, it had left its mark. Nothing large or obvious, but the world had changed in subtle ways. Even in my small corner of reality. At school, the art and music programs had exploded in attendance, and you couldn’t go one week without seeing flyers for a poetry jam or a sign-up form for drama class, at least according to Kenzie. Five months ago, I’d received the shock of my life when Todd Wyndham showed up on my doorstep, his memory fully restored, wanting to discuss everything that had happened. He was still human, but he could see the fey again, and we’d spent several long evenings talking about the Hidden World and what he would do now. We weren’t exactly close, but Todd was another person who could see the fey, who understood that part of my life and knew what I was going through. When he and his family moved to another state in the summer, I was sorry to see him go.

  Todd wasn’t the only one affected. Everywhere I went, people seemed...less frantic, I supposed. Less cynical and jaded, and more willing to believe things lurked out there in the dark. The fey world, too, had changed, at least on this side of the Veil. The faeries I glimpsed in the mortal world were brighter now, more...real...than They’d been before the Between went down. I felt that, with just a little more glamour, a little more belief, They just might pierce the Veil and start becoming visible to those who wanted to see Them.

  Or maybe I was crazy. Maybe seeing the fey for so long had skewed my perception of reality. But, ever since I’d returned from the Nevernever, I’d noticed that the world around me—both worlds, actually, were a little different than before. I suspected it would be a while before things truly returned to normal, if ever. Maybe that was a good thing.

  “Ethan?” Mom tapped on the door of my room. “MacKenzie i
s here. Should I tell her you’re busy?”

  I jerked up. “No! Be right out,” I called. Closing the suitcase, I zipped it shut, then put it on the floor next to the duffel bag and opened the door.

  Kenzie smiled at me over the threshold. “Hey, tough guy,” she greeted, as Razor cackled and bounced from her shoulder into my room. Though her smile was cheerful, her eyes were shadowed. “Thought I’d get here a little early, seeing as I’m going to lose you tomorrow.”

  I drew her into my arms, kissing her deeply. “You’re not losing me,” I said as we pulled back. “I just... I have to get out of here, Kenzie. You know that. Too many whispers. Too many rumors surrounding me and my family. I need to find a place where nobody knows me, where I can try to start again.” Kenzie sighed, and I held her tighter. “I’ll be back,” I promised. “I’m not leaving you.”

  She sniffed. “I know.”

  “Besides,” I teased, running my fingers through her hair, “you’ll be off to college soon, Ms. Scholarship Girl. And you’ll be so busy with parties and classes and sorority clubs that you’ll forget all about me.”

  “I very seriously doubt that,” Kenzie said, her gaze flicking to Razor, chewing on one of my pencils on the desk. “Hard to forget what we’ve been through when there’s a gremlin staring you in the face all the time.” Her brow furrowed, and she shook her head. “I don’t know what’s going to happen when I leave for college, because there’s no way Razor is staying behind. When I told him to go back to the Iron Realm last week, he nearly short-circuited all the lights in the house with his tantrum. So, looks like I’m stuck with him.” She rolled her eyes. “Whatever happens, it’s gonna be interesting.”