I looked up and saw Morgant, hovering in the air above me, arm outstretched. Inches from me. I stared at the prince, the wind tearing at his white hair. He’d been there, ready to catch me.
A crooked smile curled his lips, and he handed me Torin’s sword. “You need to get out of here, Isavell. Take your Seelie king to his home before anything happens to him.”
I breathed in a shaky breath. Was he really letting me do this?
Pounding my wings against the air, I raced up to the castle’s battlements. My magic sizzled through my limbs as I soared above the tower, taking in the view of the queen. With a growl, I seized control of the vines and commanded them to slither around her, a coffin of vegetation to trap her in place. As the plants slipped toward her, she bared her teeth.
With a flick of my wrist, I pulled the vines off Torin, freeing him. He gasped for breath, his hands going to his throat.
I flew up and wrapped my arms around his waist. He did the same, his forearms locked tightly to me.
I breathed in the scent of him, the earth and woods mingled with his blood, and carried him into the air. The effort of lifting him nearly kept me rooted to the battlements, and pain shot through the top of my wings as I took off. The wind whipped over us as I carried him over the wall, and Torin’s weight dragged us down to earth.
I could fly now, but my wings weren’t made to carry a large, muscular man. I angled them to slow our fall, hoping for a smooth landing.
I didn’t achieve that. We landed hard in a tangle of limbs and wings, the ground battering us.
I winced and looked for Torin. Streaked with dirt and blood, he arched an eyebrow and shot me a lopsided smile. “Graceful.”
“Let’s get to the horses, Torin.”
I bit my lip, turning back to the castle. I could rip it apart. I could use the tree to pull it stone from stone and bury every Unseelie in there so I wouldn’t have to worry about a single person following us.
But I had no idea how many people I’d be killing, and the queen’s haunted eyes blazed in my mind. I swallowed hard.
I only needed my brother to keep her bound long enough for us to escape.
34
AVA
The horse’s hooves pounded hard against the rocks, kicking up dirt. We’d been riding for hours.
After we’d landed beneath the castle, my wings had disappeared again. Now, I leaned back into Torin. He held me tightly as we rode east, his arm an iron bar around my waist.
After all that time, those weeks in the cell, replaying his death in my mind until I’d nearly gone mad, it was hard to believe he was really here with me. Tangible behind me, solid as the earth beneath us.
A month of darkness, and now I felt as if the sun were lighting me up from within.
Even after several hours, my heart hadn’t slowed its unrelenting hammering. The wind slid over us, carrying with it the scent of molten rock and ashes.
I sighed. “If I go home to Shalini’s apartment, what do you think the chances are that I’ll find Aeron there, too? ”
“Quite high, I should think. Assuming Orla is ruling in my absence.”
I bit my lip. “What do you mean?”
“Only the monarch of Faerie can grant someone permission to leave or return.” His deep voice rumbled from his chest. “And I haven’t been there to grant permission.”
“So, if I wanted to pop by for a visit, I’d need to ask you first?”
“Ava, my love.” His voice sounded husky, ragged. “You won’t be able to visit Faerie. The curse doesn’t work here, but it will in my kingdom. You can’t be around me in Faerie.”
I felt as if shards of glass pierced my chest. What I understood the most right now was that I wasn’t ready for this to end. “Sure.”
“But if you return home, Ava, and you realize that you want someone to drive a sword through Andrew’s throat, please send word to me, will you? I do believe I can murder him without consequences.”
“Thanks. Pretty sure I can do my own killing now.” My voice sounded small, and a heaviness weighed on my chest. “Did you hear what Mab said? She said some bitter Seelie crone is the reason you’re all cursed. Modron—the one who looks back. She said if you kill her, the curse would be lifted.”
“Do you believe her?”
I took a deep breath. “Mab is a terrible person. But I really don’t think she lies.”
By the time we reached the ruined temple by the riverside, morning rays pierced the leaves, igniting them with the first blush of dawn. Flecks of honeyed light danced over the ruined stones of the temple, columns of stone and a crumbled roof open to the sky.