“That’s enough,” she said again, quietly, as the magic flickered and died. “Ethan, I’m sorry, but I’ve made my decision. You’ll remain in the Iron Court until we can find out what’s going on. You’ll be a guest in the palace, but please don’t try to leave the grounds.” She exhaled, her shoulders slumping wearily. “Let’s hope we can figure this out quickly.”
“You’ll keep your own brother hostage?” I spat at her. “Against his will?”
“If I must.” Meghan didn’t flinch as she stared at me, solemn and grave. “You can be angry with me all you want, Ethan. I’m not going to lose you.”
I sneered, lowering my weapons. “It’s a little late, sister. You lost me a long time ago, when you walked out on us.”
It was a low blow, meant to hurt her, and I was sorry as soon as I said it. Meghan’s lips pressed together, but other than that, she didn’t respond. I did feel a sharp chill at my back, and realized I was pushing Ash dangerously, as well, speaking to his queen like that. My relation to Meghan was likely the only thing keeping him from drawing his sword and demanding I apologize.
Good, I thought. How does it feel, Ash? Not being able to do anything? Being forced to just watch events unfold around you? Pretty damn frustrating, huh?
The Iron Queen turned back to the throne. “Grimalkin,” she said softly, and the cat raised his head from where he’d been curled up in the corner, blinking sleepily. “Will you be able to take Mackenzie home? You know the way, right?”
Crap. I’d forgotten about Kenzie. Again. What did she think of all of this—this morbid family drama, with me at my very worst, lashing out at everyone around me?
God, she must think I’m an absolute freak.
Grimalkin yawned, but before he could reply, Kenzie stepped forward. “No,” she said, and Meghan glanced back in surprise. I blinked at her, as well. “I’d like to stay, please. If Ethan isn’t going home, then I’m not leaving, either.”
“Kenzie, you don’t have to stay,” I muttered, though the thought of her leaving made me realize how alone I really was. “Go home. I’ll be fine.”
She shook her head. “No, it’s partially my fault that we’re here. I’m not going anywhere until we can leave together.”
I wanted to argue, but at the same time, a part of me desperately wanted her to stay. It was selfish, that small piece that didn’t want to be alone, even among those who were supposed to be family. Because, even though Meghan was my sister, she was still the Iron Queen, still fey, and I was a human intruder in her world.
Meghan nodded. “I won’t force you,” she said, annoying me that Kenzie had a choice and I didn’t get one. “Stay if you wish—it might be safer for you here, anyway. Though I’m not sure when this issue will be resolved. You may be with us for some time.”
“That’s all right.” Kenzie glanced at me and smiled bravely. “It’s been several days in the real world, right? I might as well stay. I probably can’t dig myself any deeper.”
Ash moved, gliding into the room to stand by Meghan’s side. I noticed he watched her carefully, as if she were the only person in the room, the only presence that mattered. I could be a gnat on the wall for all he cared. “I’ll tell Glitch to send a message to the other courts,” he said. “With Elysium approaching, we’ll need to call this gathering soon.”
Meghan nodded. “Grimalkin,” she called, and the cat sauntered up, blinking lazily. “Will you please show Ethan and Kenzie to the guest quarters? The rooms in the north wing over the garden should be empty. Ethan…” Her clear blue eyes fixed on me, though they seemed tired and weary now. “For now, just stay. Please. We’ll talk later, I promise.”
I shrugged, not knowing what to say, and when the silence stretched between us, the queen nodded in dismissal. We followed Grimalkin out of the throne room and into the hall, where the motionless Iron knights lined the corridor. I glanced back at my sister as the doors started to close and saw her standing in the center of the room, one hand covering her face. Ash reached out, silently drawing her into him, and then the doors banged shut, hiding them from view.
You really are a jackass, aren’t you? Guilt and anger stabbed at every part of me. You haven’t seen Meghan in years, and when you finally get to talk to her, what do you do? Call her names and try to make her feel guilty. Yeah, that’s great, Ethan. Pushing people away is the only thing you know how to do, isn’t it? Wonder what Kenzie thinks of you now?
I stole a glance at her as we made our way down the halls of the Iron Court. Gremlins scuttled over the walls, laughing and making the lights flicker, and Iron knights stood like metal statues every dozen or so feet. I could feel their eyes on us as we passed, as well as the curious stares of the gremlins and every other Iron faery in the castle. If I wanted to get out of here unseen, it was going to be challenging to impossible.
Kenzie saw me looking at her and smiled. “Your sister seems nice,” she offered as Grimalkin turned a corner without slowing down or looking back. “Not what I was expecting. I didn’t think she would be our age.”
I shrugged, grateful for the shift of focus, the chance to talk about something other than what had happened in the throne room. “She’s not. Well, technically that’s not right. I guess she is, but…” I struggled to explain. “When I saw her last, several years ago, she looked exactly the same. She doesn’t age. None of them do. If I live to be a hundred years old, she still won’t look a day over sixteen.”
“Oh.” Kenzie blinked. A strange look crossed her face, that same look I had seen back in Grimalkin’s cave; thoughtful and excited, when she should have been disbelieving and terrified. “So, what about us? If we stay in the Nevernever, do we stop aging, too?”
I narrowed my eyes, not liking this sudden interest or the thought of staying here. But Grimalkin, sitting at a pair of doors facing each other across the wide hall, raised his head and yawned.
“Not to the extent that you are immortal,” he explained, eying us lazily. “Humans in the Nevernever do age, but at a much slower rate. Sometimes countless years will pass before they notice any signs of decay. Sometimes they remain infants for centuries, and then one day they simply wake up old and withered. It is different for everyone.” He yawned again and licked a paw. “But, no, human. Mortals cannot live forever. Nothing lives forever, not even the immortal Fey.”
“And don’t forget time is screwy here,” I added, frowning at the contradiction but deciding to ignore it. “You might spend a year in Faery and go home to find twenty years have passed, or a hundred years. We don’t want to stay here any longer than we have to.”
“Relax, Ethan. I wasn’t suggesting we buy a vacation home in the wyldwood.” Kenzie’s voice was light, but her gaze was suddenly far away. “I was just…wondering.”
Grimalkin sniffed. “Well. Now, I am bored.”
He stood, arched his tail over his back as he stretched, and trotted off down the hall. Even before he turned the corner, he vanished from sight.
I eyed the guards stationed very close to the “guest suites,” and resentment simmered. “Guess these are our rooms, then,” I said, crossing the hall and nudging a door open. It swung back to reveal a large room with a bed against one wall, a fireplace on the other and two giant glass doors leading to a balcony outside. “Fancy,” I muttered, letting the door creak shut. “Nicest jail cell I’ve ever been in.”
Kenzie didn’t answer. She still stood in the same spot, gazing down the corridor where Grimalkin had vanished, her expression remote. I walked back, but she didn’t look at me.
“Hey.” I reached out and touched her elbow, and she started. “You all right?”
She took a breath and nodded. “Yeah,” she said, a little too brightly. “I’m fine, just tired.” She sighed heavily, rubbing her eyes. “I think I’m gonna crash for a bit. Wake me up when they announce dinner or something, okay?”
“Sure.”
As I watched her walk toward her room, amazement and guilt clawed at me, fighting an equal battle within. Kenzie was still here. Why was she still here? She could’ve gone home, back to her family and friends and a normal life. Back to the real world. Instead, she’d chosen to stay in this crazy, upside-down nightmare where nothing made sense. I only hoped she would live to regret it.
“Ethan,” Kenzie said as I turned away. I looked back, and she smiled from across the hall. “If you need to talk,” she said softly, “about anything…I’m here. I’m willing to listen.”
My heart gave a weird little lurch. No one had ever told me that, not with any real knowledge of what they were getting into. Oh, Kenzie. I wish I could. I wish I could…tell you everything, but I won’t do that to you. The less you know about Them—and me—the better.
“To my whining?” I snorted, forcing a half grin. “Very generous of you, but I think I’ll be fine. Besides, this is just another way of wheedling an interview out of me, right?”
“Darn, I’ve become predictable.” Kenzie rolled her eyes and pushed her door open. “Well, if you change your mind, the offer still stands. Just knock first, okay?”
I nodded, and her door swung shut, leaving me alone in the hall.
For a moment, I thought about exploring the palace, seeing what my sister’s home looked like, maybe checking for possible escape routes. But I had the feeling Meghan was keeping a close eye on me. She was probably expecting me to try something. I caught the impassive gaze of an Iron knight, watching me from the end of the hall, heard the gremlins snickering at me from the ceiling, and resentment boiled. She had no right to keep me here, especially after she was the one who’d left. She had no say in my life.
But they were watching me, a whole realm of Iron fey, making sure I wouldn’t do anything against their queen’s wishes. I didn’t want a pack of gremlins trailing me through the palace, ready to scamper off to warn Meghan. And truthfully, I was exhausted. If I was going to pull something off, I needed to be awake and alert to do it.
