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Chapter twenty-three

Roisin

A t Father’s command, all the guards and the scribe rushed back from the tower. No one had witnessed Father create the tower. One day it had appeared, but Father was so powerful anything was possible in his kingdom.

He kissed Mother in a passionate display that had all of us looking the other way.

“Everyone ready?” Father asked.

“For what?” I asked.

“Power unlike any other you’ve experienced.” He grinned.

Mother stepped back with us children. Father lifted his arms into the air, his hands glowed a silver iridescence as power flared from him. The silver floated in the air, up over the tower. It swirled around the tower in a vortex until we couldn’t see the building through the thickness of its magic. Faster and faster the vortex churned, then Father clapped his hands and the misty magic flared outward in an explosion, blasting our hair back from our faces. Once the mist cleared, the tower was no longer there.

Shivers danced up my arms as though my power was responding to Father’s.

His hands glowed even brighter, then he kneeled and shoved them into the soil. The entire ground glowed with his power. It raced across the soil, under our feet, and further still until I imagined his magic covered the entire Summer Court.

Father’s head drooped between his shoulders as the power pulsed in waves like water rushing over the land. Then his head snapped up, he raised his hands into the sky, and his power shot upward in a blast that turned the sky silver. He clapped his hands again, and the same blast of power exploded in the sky, except this time, tiny silver particles fell like millions upon millions of fireflies dancing in the evening light. Once they hit the soil, they disappeared as though the very ground was soaking in the power.

“It is accomplished,” Father said.

I dropped to my knees, as did my brothers and sisters. The surge of power coming from the soil, and all around me was too much. My hands glowed. Ice covered them. I counted as I breathed, trying to reign back the pulsing power eager to escape. Impatient to reach for the now open Veil.

One by one, Father walked over to us and helped us to our feet.

“I’d forgotten,” Rian said. “How it felt with the Veil unlocked. ”

Aislinn shook her glowing hands, reached for one of her daggers, then twirled it around her fingers in a way that calmed her. Soon her hands stopped glowing.

I glanced over at Saoirse who’d claimed her baby from Arrow and was talking excitedly with them. She, too, would have experienced this power before Father locked the Veil. It was only me and Ciara who were experiencing it for the first time. Ciara walked over to me and hugged me.

“You did it this time,” she whispered into my ear. “You’re the one who convinced Father to open the Veil. I realized it would be you.”

I smiled. “Have you ever sensed anything so wonderful?”

“It’s almost as good as marking my fated mate.” She released me and winked at Malachi.

Malachi turned a light shade of pink. They were so sweet together. I was glad they’d had each other all their lives, even if they didn’t realize how important they were to each other until leaving the Summer Court. Perhaps if the locked Veil hadn’t muted our powers, then they would have realized it sooner.

“Be safe, and come back soon,” she said.

“I will.”

“Roisin,” Father called.

I turned around to the open Veil. Father had parted it in another dazzling display of his silvery power. I’d never seen the Veil so vibrant, so alive as in this moment. It was a thing of beauty that I’d remember this moment forever. I ran into the Veil next to Father and Mother, who was standing beside him. Neither of them said goodbye to the others, and I didn’t either. We’d be back. I had to believe we fixed the spring and the Veil to see the future for how bright it would be now our powers and immortality weren’t at stake. Now my siblings were mated and happy. Now they’d have more children for me to be an aunty. I’d be able to travel to Earth and visit Saoirse, Arrow, and Ailbhe any time I wanted. Especially with the strength of the power pulsing in my body.

The magic of the Veil vibrated against my skin. Father grinned as though he experienced it, too.

“This is glorious!” He threw his head back and lifted his hands. “I’d forgotten too.”

Mother laughed and lifted her hands, her power joined with Father.

“Fintan,” she said. “Never regret keeping us safe all these years.”

His head dropped back down, and he kissed her upturned lips quickly.

Should I wait to have a love like theirs? Or would the feelings I’d developed for Brandon be enough for now? Briana’s words hadn’t lessened the pull I had for Brandon. I couldn’t explain the way my heart thudded every time I thought about him or the way my skin tightened and tingled knowing I’d soon be near him again.

Father lowered his hands and parted the Veil. “The Winter Court.”

We stepped from our magical curtain into the icy wonderland of the demon kingdom. A flock of demons descended from the sky, swords before them, ready to take us down.

“Lower your swords,” Father said. “We’re here under invitation from the Demon King.”

“We have no orders of visitors arriving,” one guard said.

“I should have used the stone Tay gave me,” I said.

“What stone?” asked the guard.

I lifted the warm stone from my pocket and showed it to the guards.

“Tay said to use it to return here.”

“If she gave you one of those, then you’re meant to be here,” the guard said. “But not those two. You can return to wherever you came from.”

Father puffed out his chest. “I’m King Fintan of the Summer Court and I’ll wait here until you speak to your King.”

Murmurs ran through the guards, then one demon guard took flight.

“We’ll wait for word from the King,” a guard said. “So long as you try nothing.”

Father rolled his eyes, reminding me of Briana.

“The King requested our presence. We’re not here to harm anyone.”

The guard lowered his sword but kept it in his hand, still not trusting us. I imagined Father’s guards would be the same in the Summer Court now the Veil was open. Would demons be able to travel there? Or was it just Fae still? I couldn’t very well ask Father in front of the demons .

We waited for what seemed like an eternity before the guard returned.

“It’s true,” he said. “They’re guests here. The King is waiting for them.”

“Shit, we better hurry then,” the guard said. “It’d be faster if you could fly.”

“Alas, we don’t have wings like you,” Father said.

The guards sheathed their swords and marched with us through the snow. It reminded me of when I’d arrived here with Brandon and how he’d almost died out here. I hoped they had him locked up safely inside the castle where it was warm. How I hungered to see him again. It seemed like months had passed, but it hadn’t even been a day for me. How long would it have been for him? Would he still want to see me?

The trek was endless through the white expanse of snow.

“It’s so different to the Summer Court,” Mother said.

Father chuckled and wrapped an arm around her shoulders before dropping an affectionate kiss on the top of her head.

“Whatever happens here, remember, I love you.”

“I love you, too, Fintan,” Mother said.

Up ahead grew the shape of the castle. Smoke billowed from a chimney that I hoped was Brandon’s room. Every urge in my body said to run, but common sense said the guards might not take too kindly to that, so I kept pace with everyone. As we reached the castle, a pair of guards opened the double front doors. The other guards halted and watched us walk inside .

They’d decorated the foyer in red from the carpet to the wall coverings, to the wooden furniture with a red hue in the carved wood. Two more guards stood at the foot of the stairs in the grand entrance.

“Where to now?” I asked.

“Someone will be along to escort you soon,” one guard said.

Mother walked over to a painting hanging on the wall. I joined her and examined the picture of a man and woman wrapped in each other’s arms.

“It’s almost as good as your paintings,” Mother said.

“Please,” the demon voice I recognized as Tay scoffed. “It’s way better than Roisin’s painting.”

“How would you know?” Mother asked. “And who are you?”

“The better question is who are you?” Tay asked.

“I’m Niamh, Queen of the Fae.”

Tay stumbled down the last step, which was so unusual for her normal competence.

“Now tell me who you are,” Mother said. “No one talks about my daughter’s paintings like that.”

“You may call me Tay,” she said. “Roisin’s painting is quite good, but I suspect she needs practice perfecting the male body. The one she painted of the human didn’t quite capture all his assets, if you know what I mean.”

I blushed so hard my face burned.

Mother stared at me, but I rushed over to Tay.

“Where is Brandon?”

“Upstairs in the bedroom where you left him.” Tay smirked as she looked at my mother over my shoulder .

What must my parents be thinking? That I’d slept with the human, no doubt.

“The King is waiting for you all. Follow me.”

“I did what you wanted. Now release Brandon.”

Tay turned and strode back up the stairs. “All in good time, little rose.”

I scowled at her back as I followed her up the stairs. If she was family, I didn’t like her very much. She looked over her shoulder at me and winked.

Mother touched my elbow. “Did you and the human…”

“No. He was asleep in a chair when I painted him. It was nothing like she’s insinuating.”

“Come now,” Tay said. “I recognize the sight of kiss-ravaged lips when I see them.”

I wished I had one of Aislinn’s daggers strapped to my body, so I’d stab her through the heart and shut her up for a minute. Instead, a pulse of my power flared from my hands and hit her back.

“I guess the ice princess has some bite to her after all.”

“You’ll find out how much if you don’t bring me Brandon.”

Tay held up her hands. “We have family matters to discuss first before you take the human back to Earth. I have no intention of keeping him here. He was simply a way to make sure you returned.”

I opened my mouth to say more, but Mother placed a calming hand on my arm and hummed a soft tune. At once, the urge to cause Tay bodily harm diminished and peace swamped my mind. Saltine may have removed the luring call of a Siren from Mother’s voice, but she’d left her with other powers in her voice. I hadn’t even thought about where Mother’s unusual powers came from. She was simply my mother, and I’d accepted who she was as a wonderful, caring parent.

What a sheltered life I’d lived staying in the Summer Court.

Well, no more. Now the Veil was open, I’d see everything possible. Starting with Brandon.

“If Roisin would like to see the Fellowship member to confirm he’s still alive, then she shall do so before we talk to the King,” Father said.

“Fine,” Tay said.

We reached the top of the stairs and a guard rushed forward.

“Take Princess Roisin to the human.”

The guard nodded. I cast a panicked glance at my parents, torn between separating from them and finding Brandon.

“Go,” Father said.

Mother clutched his arm and watched me turn around. I hoped I hadn’t made a great mistake by leaving them. I hoped Brandon was still alive, and this wasn’t a ploy to kill my parents and I’d just sent them to the slaughter.