Page 81 of The Iron Vow

A world’s worth,the Nightmare King had whispered.Almost certainly, it will be more than you can give.

No, I couldn’t accept that. Gritting my teeth, I pushed harder, and the light flowing into the tree intensified, sending out streaks of lightning that snapped around the trunk. We had come so far, and everyone had already lost so much. For Nyx, for Keirran, and for a world that existed only in a dream, we could not fail now.

My magic sputtered, the light flickering out for just a moment. I clenched my jaw, struggling to keep it steady, feeling my arms begin to tremble with the effort. I was reaching my limit; my magic reserves were almost gone. Behind me, I could feel Ash shaking as he, too, struggled to expend the last of his glamour. And yet, even as the branches glowed and the candles flared brightly, the tree continued to drain our magic, sucking it into a never-ending void.

Not enough, I realized in despair.It’s not going to be enough.

Puck staggered, going to one knee but still keeping a hand outstretched toward the trunk. On his other side, Nyx flickered, blinking from sight for just a moment.

No.I closed my eyes, reaching out desperately, to any who would listen. Not even knowing who I was trying to reach.Please, we have to do this. We can’t let this entire world die. Help us. We’re not strong enough on our own.

Then let us lend you our strength.

My heart skipped a beat. Was that...? That wasOberon’svoice. Was I losing my mind? Gasping, I opened my eyes, searching beneath the branches of the tree for the Summer King, who could not possibly be here. He and the other rulers were in the Nevernever, on the other side of the seal.

We hear you, Iron Queen.An icy, familiar voice joined Oberon’s. Mab, Queen of Winter and the Unseelie Court.What was done to the Evenfey should not have been allowed to happen. And the Nevernever itself was scarred by the consequences of that choice. It is time to correct the mistakes of those who came before, and make Faery whole again.

Because apparently, you cannot do it on your own.Titania’s voice now echoed through the void, as disdainful as ever.So, we will come to your rescue once more.

I blinked sweat and tears from my eyes, searching in vain for the owners of the voices. The perimeter around the tree was empty save for us. “Where are you?” I gasped. My legs trembled, and I fought to stay on my feet. Behind me, Ash staggered a little, but his grip around me didn’t waver, keeping me upright. “I don’t see...”

We are here,droned a deep, feral voice.We are with you. Let our strength be enough to carry you through.

Eyes glimmered in the water, shining gold and green. I looked down and saw them all—Oberon, Titania, Mab, and the imposing form of the Wolf—standing around the tree. Only their reflections; the space above the water was empty, but I saw them as clearly as if they were standing beside us.

“How...?”

We heard your voice,Mab said.Through the cracks in the seal, your presence reached us. We heard their voices, the Evenfey, and we made our choice.

To restore a world,Oberon added,will take more than the magic of a few. It will take the entirety of the courts. So, the courts have come. For this one final decision, we will stand together.

He raised a hand, splaying his fingers, and a surge of Summer glamour shot from his palm, crashing into the trunk of the Nightmare Tree. Mab and Titania did the same, their reflections lifting their palms to the tree and releasing their magic. Summer and Winter glamour swirled with ours, and the glow around the trunk grew almost blinding.

Above us, the candles flared white, then began winking out one by one. Keirran threw back his head, his jaw clenched and his hands curling into fists. Rips opened up on his body, the skin on his cheeks, arms, and forehead splitting open, light shining through the tears. “Not...enough,” he gritted out, making my heart clench. “Not there yet. I can’t...hold on much longer...”

Sorry I’m late, darlings.

There was a shimmer in the water, a flutter of light, and a striking faery with copper hair and a long black gown appeared in the reflection.Meghan, my dove. Leanansidhe greeted me with a smile.Whatever you’re doing, I can feel the ripples all the way in the Between. Restoring the Evenfey, are we? Well, I certainly can’t let myself be shown up by these three.

My eyes stung, blurring with tears, as the Dark Muse raised a hand as well, sending a brilliant flare of glamour out to join the rest. “They’re all here,” I whispered, and felt Ash’s fingers weakly squeeze mine. “We can do this. One last push, everyone. For Evenfall.”

I felt my husband gather himself, calling on the last of his strength to keep us both upright. Puck raised his head, his face haggard but his green eyes hard with determination as he pulled himself up, following Nyx as she staggered to her feet. The tree was now almost too bright to look at, candle flames nearly lost in the glow around the trunk, the luminance swallowing the throne and the figure seated atop it. Eyes streaming, I searched for Keirran within the light, but the brilliance burned my eyes, and I dropped my gaze to the reflection beneath.

My breath caught. In the water, Keirran sat on the throne with his head bowed, face tight with pain and concentration. But two figures stood on either side of him, holding his hands tightly. A girl with raven-dark hair, and a grim-faced young man, his jaw set as he gripped Keirran’s shoulder, his mouth moving with words I couldn’t hear. A tiny, bat-eared creature sat on Keirran’s other side, glowing eyes bright with alarm.

A hand reached around the throne, gently embracing him. A face appeared, a girl with long brown hair and green eyes, who smiled at Keirran and whispered something in his ear.

The tree flared, and the last of the candle flames vanished, snuffing out in a burst of smoke. Keirran threw back his head, and with a cry that tore at my soul, vanished in an explosion of light, magic, and color that swallowed him and the Nightmare Tree completely. I turned away, pressing my face into Ash, who wrapped his arms around me as remnants of glamour swirled through the air and snapped against my skin.

Silence fell. The swirls of energy and light faded, the magic vanishing into the void, and the world grew dark. Carefully, I pulled away from Ash and turned, gazing around at what was left.

The Nightmare Tree was gone. Not even a stump or withered branch remained of the once great structure; it had truly just vanished as if it never was. The void stretched on, endless and eternal.

But now we were not alone.

Fey surrounded us, crowds of them, some blinking and gazing around in bewilderment, some standing motionless with an awed look on their face. I saw the familiar form of a Skitterfolk scratch its ear, looking around as if it had just come out of a long sleep. Beside it, a pill bug faery blinked slowly as it observed the crowds of Evenfey, its expression one of lazy surprise. Through the pain, weakness, and utter exhaustion, I felt my heart lift in wonder. The Evenfey had come out of the Dream. What were once the Faded memories of the Nightmare King were real once again.

“Outsiders?”

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