The Glass Man (22 page)

“You don’t have to. Your reputation as a hard case preceded you.” He chuckled and averted his eyes for a moment. “Though now that I’ve met you, I see it was greatly understated.”

I mocked a laugh. “Yeah, you’re really funny.”

“Just make a threat you’re willing to enforce.” Nix looked skyward. A heartbreaking smile grew on his lips. “Look.”

The swirling gold from the sky descended on us, bathing us in light and warmth. Their presence surrounded me: my mother, Milo, my sisters, Nan. Their essence filled me with echoes of laughter before retreating back to their resting place.

I inhaled the sweet fragrance of the garden and stared in awe. A tremendous weight lifted from my soul. My mother was happy. Her joy passed through my body—a beacon of sunlight through an endless night. She held no regret, no shame, nothing but certainty that I would find my own way. I took a deep, shuddering breath and beamed. I kissed my fingertips and raised them to what remained of a life I’d forgotten, to the contented spirits of my family.

Nix was right. I had to ensure the safety of the city and its people, but I didn’t want to force them all to do it. That would solve nothing in the long run. Maybe I could find a compromise, meet my mother’s methods half way.

My task still lay before me like the foothills of an impassable mountain, but I could finally see the path. I only needed to start walking.

I placed my hand on Nix’s arm, in need of something to ground me again. “What happens if a fae never returns to the faerie mounds?”

“If they don’t return at least every few decades, their Light will fade, and they’ll age the way normal mortals do.”

Perfect.
“How do the portals work? I know Parthalan can control who comes and goes from the Black City.”

“The reigning king or queen can interact with the portal and give it commands.” His eyebrow lifted. “What are you up to, Lila?”

“Just curious. Now shut up, I need to get back to the Court.”

I dashed back to the white tower and sprinted up the steps with Nix on my heels. When we arrived in the main hall, Gallagher stood outside the doors of the Court. Voices still crashed on the other side. A closer look at my royal aid revealed a clenched jaw and deep furrows in his brow.

I stopped in front of him, my arms limp at my sides. “What now?”

Gallagher sighed. “I’ve received another message.”

I held my hand up to stop him from speaking, unwilling to let my wounds go any deeper. “Parthalan has Garret and Liam.”

He nodded.

Liam had blocked me from sensing him, but their capture was inevitable. I had no time to dwell on my aching heart. My decision had already been made, and none of them would approve.

Least of all, Nix.

26

I opened the well of energy, spilling delicious heat through my body.

Nix grabbed my arm. “What are you doing? When I said force, I didn’t mean for you to destroy the Court to make your point.”

A ghost of a smile curled my lips. “What do you feel?” I placed a hand against his cheek, urged him to stand closer to me. “Do you feel anger in me now? Destruction? Do I feel out of control?”

He sighed, leaned into my touch and cupped his hand over mine. Gallagher stepped in behind him, his eyes narrowed with worry.

“I feel purpose in that power.” Nix’s voice sounded breathy. “It’s incredible, like being filled with the rays of the sun.”

Some of the tension went out of Gallagher’s shoulders, and he offered an approving smile.

I placed a kiss on Nix’s forehead. “You wanted me to be queen, so I’ll be queen. Trust me now.”
Hold on, Liam. I’m coming. Please be okay.

Nix gasped and stumbled back when I released him. A drunken smile quirked on his lips. “They won’t know what hit them.”

“That’s sort of the point.”

A few of the guards opened the doors to the Court. Raging voices smashed into me. Gallagher and Nix followed me as I entered. My hair whipped out behind me on current of energy.

I raised my hands to the sides, shoving my Light out through my fingertips. Slowly, the noise diminished to hushed whispers.

The guards spread out and mounted the platform as I climbed up after them. When I whirled to face the Court, I found the fae’s mouths hanging open. Most sported a deep scowl, and the air shimmered around them. Some wore grins of pleasure as my Light continued to saturate the room.

“Callandra was right.” My voice echoed into the distant ceiling. “I’m not my mother, nor will I ever be like her. She taught me nothing of the Court. She didn’t even tell me I was fae, or why I could do the things I can do.” I sat on the arm of the ridiculous throne. “But I think she knew none of that would help me, that I needed to find my own way here, to see and experience the cold place the world has become. It hardened and honed me for this task. I didn’t understand that until today.”

I winked at Nix. “She knew kindness, glitter and protocol wouldn’t give me the weapons I needed to go to war.” I launched to my feet. “And this is war. The second fae war if I understand our history correctly. If Parthalan wins, you’ll be under his rule, and the humans will cease to exist as anything but cruel, carnal beasts for his amusement.”

Mouths began to close and some of the fae shifted forward in their seats.

“I also know none of you can help me against Parthalan, so I won’t ask it of you. But that doesn’t mean you can crawl off again until it’s over. If I fail in what I’m about to do, then he’ll come for this city, and whoever doesn’t pledge their fealty to him will die along with Dun Bray.”

Nix shot a wary glance at me.

I edged farther away from him. “Before I leave here, I will alter the portal.”

Both Gallagher and Nix reacted with a rush of power, but with my Light already flooding the air, I thrust my hands out to them and said, “Sleep.” I’d counted on them both having their guard down, and I’d found some luck at last. My will burst through their consciousness, and both fell in a heap at the edge of the platform. “I’m sorry.”

Neve and a few of the other guards shifted beside me.

“You need to trust me now.” I met each of their eyes. “Nix and Gallagher don’t understand yet. This is what I was born to do. Now let me do it.”

They backed off. Neve grinned at me, touching my shoulder.

I turned my attention back to the fae spread before me. “Anyone who flees Dun Bray before Parthalan dies will be permanently barred from entering Seven Gates. Most of you have useful
cumhachts
, so I hear. So get ready to defend your city, or join the mortals permanently. Choose carefully.”

Callandra rattled in her seat. The air wavered around her.

I stared at her. “I don’t bluff. If by some miracle I return, then be prepared to get your polished manicures dirty with the humans. You’ve all grown lazy, turned your back on the Goddess. This is me reminding you of your pledge to her. Don’t disappoint her again.”

With that, I leapt off the dais and ran down the main aisle with the guards at my heels. Every eye followed me out. The shouting rose to a roar again, but I didn’t give them a second glance.

The redheaded guard opened one of the doors. I nodded to him as I passed through. He closed them behind me.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Neasa spat the words at me as I emerged in the main hall. Brígh stood beside her, rolling her eyes. “You can’t treat your mother’s people this way.”

“I’m trying to save my mother’s people. Don’t you get that?”

Her whole body shook—a cat prepping to pounce. “They will never stand for this. I will not stand for this.”

“Then they’re free to leave, as are you.” I turned toward the outer doors, but she centered herself in front of me.

“I will not let you humiliate us.” Her Light invaded me, draped me in a black veil.

My knees buckled when my mind filled with darkness. I stumbled, lost in my own head. With the darkness came despair thick enough to drown in. A voice screamed in the distance. The sound sent my heart into a frantic gallop.

Where am I?

I couldn’t think past the anguish. If I didn’t find a way to escape it, my sanity would disappear into the frigid night.

Madness.

It waited for me to give in, to embrace it.

I need to do something. Liam. I had to get to Liam.

My sight returned to the hall with a flash. The screaming I’d heard in my head poured freely from my mouth. I stopped, my lungs struggling to feed me air.

“Lila?” Pink hair fell around my shoulder before a youthful face appeared above me. “It’s all right,” she said.

I stared at her for a few seconds before my mind cleared. “Brígh?”

“Yeah.”

“You need to get up.” I searched past Brígh to find Neve standing nearby, shaking her blood-dappled hand. Neasa lay sprawled out on the tile beside Neve.

Fists pounded on the Court doors behind me. A few of the guards stood braced against it.

I clamored to my feet. “What the hell just happened?”

“She attacked you,” Neve said. “I clocked her in the face when I figured out what she was doing. But there’s no time. When she interrupted your Light, Nix and Gallagher broke free of your Will.”

Shit!
They could still stop me. Without another thought, I bolted out the main doors, stumbled down a few steps before Neve appeared beside me and took my arm. Whatever Neasa had done to me lingered, the slightest sound startling me. Brígh took my other arm a moment later, and the two of them pulled me along the street toward the portal door. It appeared as we approached.

“You can control the portal.” Neve drew open the door. “Put a temporary seal on it so nobody can get out until you’re gone.”

I nodded. “Thank you. Both of you.”

“Come back to us, Lila.” Brígh touched my cheek.

“I don’t make promises I can’t keep.” I stepped through the portal without looking back and closed it behind me.

Still a little shaky, I drew up my Light and touched the back of the door. I thought about the new rules and forced my will into the smooth surface. Nobody out for an hour, and after that, any who fled before I’d killed Parthalan’s ass would be forever barred from re-entering.

Instead of the meadow I expected as I passed through, I found the outer entrance of the cave before me. Everything else—the lake, the mile of twisted caverns—had disappeared. I stepped out under midday sun.

“Lila!”

I stumbled back into the stone wall with a hand over my franticly beating heart.

A small group of people stood a few yards away. They wore brown cloaks and fur capes draped around their shoulders. One stepped away from the others and peeled back the hood, pouring sandy blonde hair over her shoulders.

“Willa?” I rushed toward her, letting out the breath I’d held. “What are you doing here?”

“Waitin’ for someone ta come out so we could find yeh.” She smiled. “I know there isn’t time. The selkies heard what happn’d ta Donovan. We tried, but …” Her smile faded, and she cast her eyes down.

The knot in my stomach tugged tighter. “Tell me you didn’t go back there.”

“Doesn’t matter. What’s done is done. We’ve come to offer what help we can.”

“Parthalan has Garret and Liam now too, but you can’t come with me. I won’t let you.” I fidgeted with my T-shirt, forcing the tears away.

Willa wrapped her arms around me. For a moment, I allowed myself the comfort, then stepped away.

“I’m so sorry things’ve taken such a turn.” She held me at arms length. “We’ll do what’s right, and I’m afraid it’s not yer choice. We’ll go back with or without yeh till there’s no life left in us.”

I don’t have time for this!
The thought of putting such a tender soul back in Parthalan’s hands put an extra squeeze on my burdened heart. I ran along the rock without thinking about which way to run or how I’d get back to Arizona.

“Quinn can transport us,” Willa called after me, a note of triumph in her voice. “It’ll be faster than runnin’.”

I stopped and hung my head before I turned and jogged back to them. “Okay, fine. You can come with me that far, but I won’t give him another hostage.”

Willa smiled as another of the group stepped forward and dropped his hood. He had short sable hair that invited touch.

“Are we off, then?” he asked. A scar ran the length of his face from above his left eye down to his chin. It did nothing to take away from his handsomeness but gave him a rugged edge.

I didn’t know how the transport worked, so I stood amongst the group. My spine tingled.
I’m coming, Liam. Don’t you dare die, or so help me I’ll find someone to resurrect you so I can kick your ass.

Quinn gazed skyward and reached his arms out to the sides. He uttered something in Gaelic. I knew a little of the language, but I didn’t understand what he said. The air compacted and pressed down on me. I wobbled on my feet. Flashes of dark and light lit up my vision and churned my stomach. The silence convinced me I’d gone deaf.

When the world stopped spinning, I fell to the ground at Quinn’s feet. My ears transmitted sound once again to the point the wind rushing past caused a deafening roar. He reached a hand down to me. I took it and stood, clinging to him until my head cleared.

“God, I’m so sick of this otherworldly crap,” I said. “I’ve fallen on my ass more times in the last week than I have in my entire life.”

“Yeah, it’s quite a ride the first time.” Quinn glanced toward the canyon. “Off you go. Draw ’em all outta the chamber if yeh can.”

“No!” I searched for Willa. She came to stand beside Quinn. “I told you, you’re not coming with me. I don’t want to have to worry about all of you, too. I’ll free Liam and the others, and then I’ll deal with Parthalan.”

That innocent smile again, her brown seal eyes shone with it. “Yeh may be stubborn, and I might be afraid, but the selkie don’ back away from something so vital, even with death starin’ us in the face. The riddance o’ that king benefits the lot of us, and we’re here to give yeh the best chance of gettin’ it done. Like it or not.”

I’m sure the shock showed on my face. “The portal will let you fall.” I didn’t think she had it in her.

Quinn cleared his throat. “I’ll port us directly ta the chamber. I’d send us somewhere else, but we’re wary o’ the Sluagh.”

“I could force you to stay.”

“But yeh won’t.” Willa’s grin never wavered. “Now get off with yeh before I have ta get Althea ta give yeh a push. Probably get a kick out of it, too.”

I hadn’t even noticed her in the crowd. She nodded to me but didn’t appear entirely happy to be back there. That made two of us.

“But what will you do once you’re down there? The place will be crawling with Unseelie scum of one kind or another.”

“Exactly.” A shadow of a smile lifted Quinn’s lips. “Distraction, then we’ll wing it.” In his eyes, I found the same determination, the same desperation that drove me.

I sighed and turned. “It’s your asses. I guess you can decide for yourselves how you’ll die.” I hesitated, glanced over the group of ten, maybe more, wondering how many more had fallen trying to save my father. “Thank you. All of you.” The words would never be enough, but for the moment, they were all I had to give.

With a few deep breaths, I pushed aside my fear and sprinted the rest of the way to the ledge. With no hesitation, I leapt into the canyon with closed eyes. The wind whistled in my ears as I fell. It occurred to me that Parthalan might have led me back only to send me hurtling into the ground.

Too late.

When I’d fallen far enough my theory gained merit, the portal drew me against the rock, and I toppled onto my knees in the chamber.
Empty.
Not a soul within the building. That I didn’t expect.

Peering into the shadows, I crept to the doors and eased the left one open. Someone grabbed me by the shirt and yanked me through. His cologne stung my nose. The world spun as I tumbled to the ground and smashed the side of my face against the cobblestone. Before I could right myself, he jammed a knee into my stomach and wrapped his hand around my throat. I coughed through the pain and the squeeze on my windpipe.

My Light came bursting out of my skin, but I couldn’t locate the mind controlling the body that gripped me.

After a few seconds, my eyes focused. My heart skipped a few beats. For a moment I wondered if it would stop all together.

“Ah, this brings back memories, doesn’t it?” Rourke’s grinning mug hovered inches above my nose. His dark tangle of hair blocked all but his face. For a brief moment, I hoped my father hid beneath his Rourke illusion again, but the stone cold eyes stole away my hope.

“It seems to me this is how we met.” He chuckled, pushed his knee into my stomach. I grunted as I struggled in his grasp. “In case you’re wondering why you can’t bully me, Sebastian has warded me against you. But you have bigger problems, my pet. Your King awaits you, quite impatiently in fact. He’s very disappointed that you sullied your goodies with that insolent half-blood, Liam. And you’re so late. Parthalan doesn’t like to be kept waiting. Good thing he has a few things to—amuse himself with.” He grinned. “Shall we go?”