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Wynter

“ W hat ? You promised you wouldn’t go to her, Wyn.” Merri paces a few steps, raking a hand through her hair. “The human girl was never a safe option for you, but I guess you’ve always had a death wish.”

“Ether tempered Aer’s curse at your wedding,” I murmur, sinking to my knees in front of my sister.

I clasp her hands tightly, pleading for understanding.

“Remember her words, Merri? Prince of the barren earth, buried within it you must be for at least seven days and seven nights, and until your heart’s love unearths you.

Then free and forever blessed you shall be. ”

My sister’s frown fades, and her silver eyes flick toward Riven, who watches from a smaller, crescent moon throne, silent but tense.

I smile to myself, recalling the final lines of the original curse of the Black Blood princes that foretold Merri’s conquering of Riven and the end of doom and gloom for our family’s bloodline. Well, for most of us .

A halfling defies the Silver King, from dark to light, her good heart brings. Enemies unite. Two courts now one. Should Merri win, the curse is done. Not Faery born, but human sworn. One celestial day, she’ll wear his ring.

All along, my sister was the key. The silver hand that controls the Unseelie king’s power. And Riven respects and honors her role and counsel and is often found sitting in the consort’s throne, instead of the king’s imposing Sun Throne.

I squeeze Merri’s fingers. “If the worst comes to pass and I’m buried alive, Summer will free me. That’s what Ether suggested would happen. And the High Mage’s word is steadfast. As true as the four rivers that flow from the Lake of Spirits. All will be well in the end. Don’t you see?”

Merri ascends the steps and takes a seat on her throne. “I can’t let you risk your life, Wyn.” She turns to her husband. “We’ll send an envoy to fetch Summer from the Shade Court. Riven, can you recommend anyone for the task?”

The owl perched on Riven’s left shoulder swivels her great head with an eerie grace. One eye gleams green, and the mechanical one clicks softly in its socket. “The mushroom mage deserves the journey,” she croaks.

Riven’s laughter echoes through the hall, his snow-white hair moving around his metal-capped shoulders.

“Meerade, Draírdon is long dead,” he scolds his bonded owl.

“Recall how he betrayed Merri and the terrible punishment he earned for daring to plot against her. Have you forgotten how much you enjoyed telling me about his crimes?”

The owl coughs and fluffs her feathers, the metallic half of her body covered in scales tinkling like Beltane bells. It took a full year after my sister’s wedding for Draírdon’s betrayal to come to light. It took less than a few heartbeats for Riven to dispense his punishment.

Riven leans and caresses Merri’s cheek. “I shall go myself, my love,” he says. “The Shade King cannot refuse me an audience, and Summer will remember me. Does she recall her time in Faery, Wyn?”

“No. Not yet,” I reply, my jaw tightening.

“Seven hells,” Merri snaps. “If you think I’m letting you march into that shadow-cursed place without me, Riven, you’re wrong. I’ll chain you to this hall myself if I must.”

Riven shakes his head, smiling, and I drop my gaze to the floor and reach out to capture my sister’s thoughts.

Flashes come through fast: fear for her husband.

Concern for Summer. The idea of going to the Raven Realm herself, quickly quashed by worries about leaving her children.

Then an image that gives me hope flashes through her mind—me standing before the Raven King, Moiron Ravenseeker, in the ghastly Hall of Shades.

“Merri, you’re considering giving me your blessing. Of course it’s the right thing to do.”

Her eyes narrow. “Did you just read my mind, little pest?”

I widen my eyes in mock horror. “Me? Intrude upon the Queen of Merit’s private thoughts? Wouldn’t dream of it,” I say, wincing from habit even though in Faery, my barefaced lie causes barely any pain.

Riven chuckles. And Merri sends a blast of air magic to tear my hair upward and tangle the strands together. “Privacy is the last thing you care about, Wynter.”

“You’ve ruined my hair. Quick send for a comb. If you start braiding my eyebrows, I’ll declare war.” I get off my knees and stride toward the dais stairs. “Fine. Fine. I may have taken a small peek at your thoughts.”

“Why can’t you let Summer go?” she asks. “You know the risk of being with her.”

“It’s not that easy. I—”

Merri claps her hands together, her gaze sharpening. “You’ve bedded her!”

My boots are suddenly the most fascinating items in the hall. “What? No. Well… yes, no…look—” My head snaps up, and I begin to climb the stairs. “How can you tell?”

“How can I tell ? It’s written all over you. Your freckles are glowing like powdered sunlight. Your magic is humming so loud I can hear it. And you’re practically levitating, you poor enchanted fool. But you said you wouldn’t risk Air’s curse coming true, Wyn. You promised.”

“Yes. Seven years. I vowed I’d stay away that long. And I did.”

“You promised you’d forget her by then. That you’d never make her yours.”

I lean in and kiss her cheek. “I love you, Merri, but I lied. And I made damn sure not to promise that I’d never make her mine.

I love Summer, too. Right from the first moment I saw her.

When you fell for Riven, I helped you sneak away to this very court, risking your life.

All I asked in return was that when my time came, you’d help me make my way to the Earth Realm.

But when the term of the vow expired, I didn’t call in the favor, instead I found my own path. ”

“Because you had to,” she says. “You knew how upset I’d be.”

“Yeah, exactly. But now I’m asking you this… let me go to Summer. Let me die for love, if that’s the price I must pay. The mo rtal, Grian Brady, owns my heart, and nothing in the Seven Realms will ever change that.”

Merri’s eyes shine with unshed tears. “Oh, Wyn. How can I refuse such a foolish and romantic request?”

She passes me a tray with a goblet of water on it and warm meat pastries dotted with honeyed figs. “Will you rest a little while, take time to formulate a plan? We should speak to Father or King Raff. You mustn’t go alone.”

“No. Not our father. No one from the Emerald Court. Please, Merri.”

She frowns. Riven rests a hand on her knee, then blasts me with his intense blue gaze, cold as frost and steady as stone. “Let me at least send envoys with you, Wyn. A small band of warriors to ensure—”

“Fine, I’ll eat,” I interrupt, tearing into a still-warm pastry, barely chewing before swallowing.

“Then I’ll just… improvise.” I set the food on the stairs, keep hold of the cup, and take a drink.

“I need to go alone. In fact, I insist. If you refuse to help me open a portal, Merri, we’re through. ”

Fists clenched, she rises from the throne. “Wyn! How can you say such a thing?”

“I’ve never been more serious. Not even you can keep me from Summer.”

Tears spill down Merri’s cheeks. “It’s too dangerous. I insist you travel accompanied.”

“No.” The word cracks the air like lightning-struck stone. “No envoys. No warriors. And definitely no older sister or even her loyal husband.” I force a breath through clenched teeth. “The Shade Court will take one look at you and Riven and call your presence a provocation. ”

She steps forward, silver eyes fierce. “And you think they’ll welcome you with open arms?”

“No,” I say quietly. “But they will tolerate my presence.” I scrub a hand through my messy hair.

“Landolin especially will want to gloat and sneer, toy with me. He’ll know precisely why I’m there—to retrieve Summer—but my visit won’t spark a political nightmare that after your death, your children might spend their lifetimes unraveling. ”

Merri’s brows knit, and I feel her thoughts race along the bond—fear for me mixed with fury, love, and then finally surrender.

“You don’t trust me to handle this properly,” she says.

“I trust you with everything but this.” I glance toward the shadows where her children’s laughter recently echoed. “I won’t have the Shade Court sniffing at your family’s door because I dragged you into my mess.”

Riven shifts on the throne, eyes narrowing. “And if you die?”

I let out a bitter breath. “Then I die. Better me than the whole damned realm if the Shade Court turns the Hunt against us.”

My sister’s lips press into a thin line, but the wet shimmer in her eyes tells me she understands. Even if she hates it.

Merri clutches the sculpted armrests of her throne, knuckles white as her head drops back, a vision overtaking her. Her body shakes, and Riven gently holds her shoulders, keeping her safe.

She mutters under her breath words I can’t understand, except for the final few. “The dead waker… The shadows seek the dead waker.” After a few minutes, her silver eyes open.

“What did you see, Merri?” I ask.

“Summer isn’t who Landolin needs. He’s taken the wrong girl, hoping to shape her into the Hunt’s weapon. ”

“Sister, what are you talking about? Explain,” I urge.

“That’s all I’ve got. Tell Landolin. Convince him Summer can’t help his court, and there’s a good chance that he’ll let her leave with you.”

“I’ll tell him. This is something positive at least. Now you can let me go with a lighter heart.”

“Promise you’ll be careful. I mean it, Wyn.”

“Of course. I’ll have no trouble getting Moiron Ravenseeker to see me. Convincing Landolin that he doesn’t need Summer, that will be the difficult part.”

“Remember that no matter how much you want to, you cannot kill Moiron or his son,” Merri warns. “The truce between our realms still binds us to—”

Silverware clatters as I slam my cup onto the small table between the king and queen. “I know what the truce states,” I say through gritted teeth, not admitting that I’d happily tear the treaty to pieces, destroy the peace in every realm if it meant I could save Summer from the Hunt.

“Calm down,” commands Riven, power crackling through his hair.

I school my features into a serene mask, hiding the truth. If Merri knows how far I’m willing to go, she’ll have me put under lock and key in the Merit castle. Possibly forever.

I cross my arms. “Then tell me… how do I travel to the Raven Realm.”

Merri stiffens. “You’re not seriously thinking of leaving right now without any—”

“I am.” I meet her gaze without flinching. “I need you to take me to the portal.”

Riven leans forward, composed as ever. “Our court’s powers can send you anywhere, even to the lower Unseelie Courts. We will be honored to help you retrieve Summer.”

I nod, my shoulders sagging with relief. “Thank you.”

Merri’s hand clenches over her chest. “Wyn—”

I cut her off with a warning glare. “I’m going. And now.”

Resignation slackens her features. “Fine. But listen, Wyn, if you ever breathe a word of this to Father, if you tell him I helped you, I’ll bury you in a bottomless pit of shadows myself. And not even your earth magic will save you.”

“Understood. I’m ready to go. What should I do?”

“Come here. Let me give you a proper hug before I take you to the portal.”

Merri opens her arms, and as I relax into her embrace, too late, I notice her give Riven a swift nod.

A flash of blinding silver light—then nothing.