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Chapter Fifty-Four

RAIN

I didn't know what had set Torian off this time, but it couldn't be good. Worse, he was saying all of this out loud? Aspen and Keir had told me he wasn't in a good place, but this? It was so much worse than I thought.

Somehow, Torian was convinced he was the problem.

Not The Silent, who kept trying to hurt everyone.

Not his mother, who'd made this mess in the first place.

He was sure if he was out of the equation - and I really didn't want to think about how he hoped to make that possible - then it would all just work out with sunshine and rainbows.

Yeah, this wasn't that kind of fairytale.

Thankfully, Aspen seemed to have a plan.

I heard when she sent a text, her phone making a little noise to verify it was sent, and then she turned to face her brother.

Before my eyes, their roles had reversed.

The wild little pixie of a girl stood straighter, becoming a queen.

The dark and cruel boy was almost trembling - and I didn't have a clue how to help.

I wanted to text my dad. I knew this wasn't the best moment, but I would later. Liam could help Torian more than we could, but not now. At this moment, Torian needed to be talked off the ledge - and I really hoped that was metaphorical.

"Why does it matter if they know about our father?" she asked, cramming her phone back into her pocket.

"Because if you die," he snapped, "I'm going to get the crown, and I don't want it. Shadow doesn't want me to have it. The plants don't either. Aspen, haven't you seen that? Every fae thing around us hates the idea of me anywhere near your throne!"

"Ok," Aspen said, her head twitching slightly as if she'd just had a thought. "So why do you want Rain to take your magic? Can she even do that?"

"I don't think I can," I admitted. "I mean, if so, I don't know how."

"You just look for the lines," Torian explained. "You have to reach for the magic first, then follow the threads to the people."

Yeah, I had no clue what he was talking about. "Tor, I don't have threads."

"And I can only feel Winter," Aspen told him. "Pretty sure that's one more example of why I need you to help me learn all this stuff."

He closed his eyes tightly and pulled in a hard breath. "Aspen, you'll be fine."

"No, I won't."

I watched as Torian's shoulders slumped, yet his eyes snapped back open. "What?"

So Aspen gestured to her head. "I'm used to you being in here!

I count on you, Tor. And I think we both know you're not only wanting your magic gone.

You think you can make yourself disappear, right?

You're so fucking sure that if you're dead, you won't have to worry about this mess anymore, but guess what?

I will! I'll have to do it alone. All alone, and I'll hate you for that! "

"No..." he breathed, surging in to clasp her arms. "Asp..."

"You're going to be king," she said. "Summer King, but still king. We're going to fix this, right? We have to. That's what you told me when I didn't want the crown, but you said I had to. You said this was the only way - well, guess what? That's true for you too!"

"And I'm not the same as you!" he shot back. "I'm the one with both fucking seasons. Aspen, we can't confuse the magic. We can't fuck this up, and Titania made me to do just that. She fucking designed me!"

"So fuck her," I told him.

Both of them looked over. "What?" Aspen asked.

"Double down, Tor," I told him. "Hold my beer, right? Do it different. I don't know how, but we can figure that out."

Aspen was watching me intently. I saw it, but right now, I couldn't take my attention from Torian. He was the one cracking. He needed us to stand with him, and maybe even to lift him up. Somehow, we had to make sure he was really ok.

"The Mad Queen made you to be a thing, but there has to be a way you can stop that, can't you?"

"You could take my magic," he grumbled. "That's what I wanted. Even just the Wint-"

A rap at the door cut him off.

"Asp?" That was Keir's voice.

I rushed over and opened the door. In the hall, Wilder, Hawke, and Keir were all waiting. They looked worried, and more so when they saw the three of us inside. Without hesitation, Wilder pushed his way in.

"What's going on?" he demanded. "You said an emergency. My teacher's pissed, but we're here."

And Aspen smiled.

It was a look of such hope, but I didn't understand why. Torian was spiraling, and bad, but his sister looked at her duke with so much relief and happiness in her eyes. As a smile began to take over her mouth, she glanced over to Torian again, then back.

Hawke and Keir came in, giving me confused looks. That made me feel a little better, because I was pretty sure I'd missed something really important. The moment I closed the door, Aspen let go of her brother and rushed to grab Wilder's hand.

"You're a duke," she said.

"Yeah?" Wilder sounded very confused. I felt that way too, so it made sense.

"And both of your parents were noble."

He nodded. "They were. Dad was technically Oberon's third cousin. Mom was from three different lines of Winter nobility. Why?"

"You're not taking his title, are you?" Hawke asked.

Aspen didn't bother answering. If anything, her smile grew even more.

"Wilder Reed, Duke of Avalon, I hereby name you as my heir, contingent on any future children I may have.

In the event the Winter Crown falls from my head, I decree that it shall be put upon yours as long as you will rule the power of Winter fairly and evenly. Do you agree to this?"

Wilder looked at Torian, then Hawke, and swallowed hard. "Asp?"

"Say yes," I whispered.

"But it doesn't work like that," Wilder pointed out.

"I don't care! " Aspen snapped. "I don't fucking care.

I am the queen. I shouldn't be, and the crown should still be on Faerie, but it's not.

I am the queen, and if magic can change in people, then so can inheritance.

I decree this, and maybe, just maybe, it might even work.

Torian doesn't want to be my heir, but I need one, Wilder.

I need one I can trust, so that leaves you.

You're my only option, and isn't it worth trying at least?

If this could save my brother's life, then can't you at least try? "

For a long time, Wilder looked at her. I could see him thinking it out.

Once, he glanced at Torian, but just when I was sure he'd refuse, he swallowed hard - then nodded.

"Ok, yes. I vow that if ever you fall and I stand, I will accept the responsibility of the crown and rule Winter with warmth and hospitality, as our season deserves. "

And from below me, darkness began to grow. The light in the room dimmed as darkness rolled up the walls like waves crashing. A moment later, Shadow stood, forming as it grew taller. This time, when it opened its eyes, they were back to mere gaps of no-shadow.

"What the..." Keir breathed.

Ignoring him, Shadow reached over to Wilder and touched his brow. I saw nothing happen at all, but on the other side of it, Torian sighed, his body finally relaxing.

"I felt that," he breathed. "I don't know what it did, but I definitely felt it."

"I think it just changed the line of succession," Hawke said, sounding awed. "Actually fucking changed it!"

"Court!" Jack cawed. "Queen!" Then he looked at Torian, twisting his head. "Prince?"

"It's a new word!" Aspen squealed.

"Am I?" Torian asked Jack.

Emphatically, Jack slung his beak up and down, a clear yes. "Prince!"

"Just the Summer Prince?" Torian asked.

Jack paused, looking over at Shadow.

And the creepy-looking thing's face split as its grin appeared. Then it lifted a hand and flicked its thumb up.

Torian sighed hard and backed up until he could drop down to sit on the edge of his bed. "I'm no longer a Winter Prince?"

Shadow flattened its hand, then rocked it from side to side.

"I think you're still a prince," I told him. "Just not one who can inherit the crown?"

This time, Shadow thrust its thumbs-up in my direction.

"And this is a good thing?" Keir asked.

"Uh-huh," Hawke said. "Means that no matter what, Tor can't fuck up the magic now."

Those words made my entire body still. "Did someone say something to you, Tor?"

"A girl," he said, waving that off.

"No," I pressed. "Who?"

"I took her to Ms. Rhodes," he admitted. "She's in third with me, and we were talking on the way to fourth. She pointed out how her suitemate mentioned my father. Our father, Asp. Combined with a few other things that sounded like the Children of the Exodus? Yeah, they know."

"And who would know that?" I pressed. "I thought everyone came here a long time ago. That the gates were closed way back when."

"Sorta," Keir said. "There were always fae here. Earth was a sort of vacation spot. When the Queen went mad, the Exodus began. When she began killing the Winter Court, it ramped up."

"The gates didn't close until I was born," Torian said. "Titania wanted to make sure she had options, but once I was born, she didn't need them, so she started her revenge."

"Eighteen years," I breathed, trying to sort all of this out in my head. "She sent the Wild Hunt here, then closed the gates? So did she send anyone else?" Immediately, my thoughts jumped to Ms. Rhodes, the woman who'd once been her general.

I didn't want to think she could be working for the Mad Queen, but it would make sense.

Dictators relied on the military for support.

They had soldiers do the dirty work, but Ms. Rhodes had done nothing but help us.

Still, Torian kept acting like I was an idiot for wanting the adults in my life to help me.

"I don't know," Torian admitted. "She didn't tell me those things."

"Ms. Rhodes?" I asked, looking at my friends, hoping they'd tell me I was wrong.

Torian quickly waved me down. "Titania wants her dead. She says Ivy Rhodes betrayed her. I do not think she's working for my mother."

"But someone is," Keir said softly, reading between the lines.

"Maybe the Children of the Exodus are their kids?" Wilder offered.

"Or just The Silent?" I suggested.

"The problem is, we don't know," Hawke pointed out. "And tossing out names isn't really going to help us."

"But this did," Torian told us. "Aspen, naming Wilder as your heir?" He looked up with the most relieved smile. "That was brilliant."

"And not what I wanted," Wilder said. "You know that, right, Tor?"

Torian chuckled. "Trust me, Wilder. I know. I'm also glad you accepted." His eyes dropped to the ground and a little laugh slipped out. "I'm no longer the heir to both thrones."

"Which means you're not going to destroy the magic," I reminded him.

"Prince!" Jack said before flying over to land on Torian's shoulder. "Prince-court." Then he nibbled on Torian's ear, up at the top. "Prince-knight." Jack nodded. "Prince-Morrigan! Prince-queen. Prince-duke-duke!"

"Duke-duke," Hawke said, tapping Wilder's arm with the back of his knuckles. "We have a ship-name now."

"Duke-duke?" Keir asked incredulously. "No. I think you're supposed to be something like Wawke, or Hilder."

"Eww," I said. "No. I think duke-duke is much better."

"I am not calling them duke-duke," Keir said.

"Could just use our names," Wilder pointed out. "Also, we all missed fourth period. Someone's going to need to explain that."

"I'll do it," I assured them. "Pretty sure Ms. Rhodes will give me a pass on this one too." But I leaned a bit to see Torian through all of our friends. "And it'll be easier if you agree to talk to my dad."

"Rain," he grumbled.

"If nothing else, to update him on all of this."

"I got it," Wilder offered. "The rest of you can go down and grab us meals. I'll make sure Torian has an appointment, then we'll join you."

It was well done, and subtle, but Wilder was clearly hinting that he wanted to talk to Torian alone.

Granted, what Aspen had done was a big thing.

That Shadow was still standing there, watching us?

Yeah, that made me think it was more important than any of us were going to admit out loud, so I decided to help out.

"Yep, I'm starving," I said. "Jack, you staying or coming with me?"

"Jack-Morrigan!" he replied, flying over to claim my shoulder. "Knight, queen, duke, Morrigan, Jack!"

"And we're good, Tor?" Aspen asked.

Torian merely looked up at her and smiled. Still, Aspen waited for a moment, watching him and likely sharing something only they could hear. When both of them smiled, I was almost sure of it.

Then Aspen turned, nearly skipping toward the door. "Today, we need cake. This is going to be a celebration, so don't make us do it without the men of honor."

"Promise," Torian told her.

But the weight of the ripple that made? I knew he wasn't only agreeing to meet us for lunch. It seemed that finally, Torian had realized he deserved to live.