Page 50 of The Lost Fae
We needed to know who lived and who died after we left. Specifically Jase, his safety is my first priority. What had come of Zeve and Lylix's outbursts? The outbursts that saved our lives.
"That makes sense."
The rest of the walk is silent. Each of us replay the events of the previous day. It had truly been the longest day of my life. Possibly the best day too. What could compare? Is there anything better than finding your spark? Anything better than the spark itself?
My attention remains focused on Lincoln as he weaves around the trees. My heart is so full it might burst. From the very beginning I'd been attracted to him. Even when I knew nothing about him besides his cocky stature. Even when he was just the man in my dreams. I wanted him. The want has only grown over time.
A broken limb, shattered wood jutting from its edge, balances between the tree it fell from and the one next to it. Old writing is carved into its branch. The air hums and fizzes, glowing green around the edges of the portal. It's the only thing between us and the Fae Realm.
Neither of us hesitates as we take the leap and step into the hollow nothingness between worlds.
Thirteen
Time Fuck
Stepping into the Iron Court...into the Fae Realm... is like coming home. It's my home. It's our home. I look to Lincoln. His gaze eats up the view of the large black stone castle that rises high into the sky. Behind it, pink and orange are messily splashing across the clouds like a splatter painting done by a child. It only makes the shining building look that much more beautiful.
"Let's go," he says in a hushed tone, grabbing my forearm and dragging me forward with him.
"We can't just walk into the castle. What if we run into your parents?"
"You think my parents sit in the foyer, waiting to welcome unannounced guests?"
Our steps are heavy against the pathed walkway from the forest up to the place I'd stayed in for so many weeks without Lincoln at my side. I promised myself that we’d never be apart like that again. Never.
Together, we take the few steps up to the large doors two at a time. Excitement mixes with dread like a lead ball in the pit of my stomach. I couldn't be certain what we would face on the other side of that door. Not certain like Lincoln seems to be, at least.
His hand brushes the door’s glossy wood and it soundlessly opens enough for us to enter. As Ziko had said, we couldn't expect that his parents would be on the other side, but someone is. A slender form emerges from the shadows to stand in the yellow light of a lantern. There's a paper clutched in her slender fingers. Her large cat-like eyes are bloodshot, her face, neck, and shoulders are flushed.
Violet.
She pulls her shoulders back and drops her hand to her side. "What happened!?" She shrieks, rushing forward. "Are you okay?"
Her pointed nails scratch at me and Lincoln as she dances around us, looking for any injury. She grabs Lincoln's face, pulling him to her level. "You all had me worried sick. I've been pacing this floor since you left for that stupid meeting with the Shadow Court."
She must be wearing a path in the stone if she's been pacing for that long...
"You've been waiting for us for three days?" I laugh.
"Three days?" She lets go of Lincoln, who stands up and rubs at the back of his neck. "You left for the meeting almost five hours ago. I just now got this letter."
I lean away from her as if she's just told me she's going to kill me with that crumpled piece of paper. Five hours ago? I had only suspected that it could be possible. Lincoln and I... we'd stayed on that ship. We'd seen the sun rise and fall in the sky. We'd watched the stars together and escaped the pirates and the bandits. Unless I'm right. Unless time between the two worlds is drastically different. Unless an hour here is a day there...
"What letter?" Lincoln asks.
Violet huffs, her fingers frantically working to iron out the wrinkles in the paper she'd been carrying. "This." She holds it out.
Lincoln looks at me out the corner of his eye before he carefully takes it out of his sisters’ hand. He reads it over, flipping it to make sure there isn't more on the back.
"It's... from one of your spies?"
"Do you think I was going to let all three of my idiot brothers have a secretive meeting without me getting some information on it?" She crosses her arms, covering the slightest bit of cleavage shown by her glittering black slip of a gown.
"How'd you even known we were going to the meeting at all?" Kai had wanted it to remain as much of a secret as possible.
"It bodes well for me to know what everyone in my family is doing," she sneers.
"The letter says that he just saw the church go up in flames." Lincoln runs a hand through his hair, standing the black strands straight up and down on his scalp. "Did you know Kai was working with Cordelia!?" He grabs her shoulders, shaking her violently.
