Page 25 of Beyond the Faerie Gate

Maeve rolls her eyes and groans. “Oh, you’ve set her off on one of her rants.”

I shush her. “I need to know. Jaro and Drystan seemed to think it was bad that I didn’t believe in Danu. Drystan made out like it—”

But Titania cuts me off. “You can’t not believe in Danu, child. You are Danu. Her physical manifestation, created to be a bridge between her power and the land. Do you not believe in your own existence?”

I roll my eyes. “I didn’t believe in Reverend Michael’s God. Why should I believe in your Goddess?”

Maeve lets out a slow breath. “Kid, you know I’m not one for mumbo jumbo shit, right?”

I roll my eyes and nod, because yes, Maeve is the least spiritual person I’ve ever met.

“Well, do something for me. Just close your eyes and feel the water around you.”

“What—”

“Just do it.”

I huff out an impatient breath, but do as she asks.

“Right, now draw your focus in from your skin. Imagine you’re going past your muscles, right into the centre of your chest.” I frown, but do as she says. “Do you feel it yet?”

“I don’t—”

“Stop talking and focus.”

Ugh, she’s so bossy when she gets like this. Fine.

I don’t expect to find anything, so when my whole body floods with an incredible feeling of lightness a few seconds later, I go rigid and instantly lose control of my focus.

“Try again.”

I don’t need Titania’s encouragement. The feeling was so inexplicable I have to experience it again.

This time, I’m prepared for it, but that doesn’t mean I can understand it any better. It feels like flying, but also like comfort. Like freedom and the warmth of a mother’s hug all wrapped up into one.

“That is your connection to Danu,” Mab explains, after a long few minutes where I just marvel at it. “She is the Goddess of all fae, and you will speak to her when you die.”

“When I… die?”

“Nicnevins don’t die die until they agree that it’s their time with the Goddess,” Maeve mutters. “Coming back hurts like a bitch though, fair warning.”

“You can be killed, and each time, you will wake in Danu’s cave, where you can receive her wisdom and heal from your experience. You’ll know when it’s your time to truly pass on,” Titania counsels, with another glare at Maeve. “May you reign for many, many peaceful years before that happens.”

“But when it does, you’ll wake up in her cave as normal, but this time your Guard comes with you. You’ll be pregnant as fuck and deliver the next Nicnevin before pegging it.” Maeve grimaces. “You won’t be able to have any other daughters before then either. It’s sons or nothing until it’s time to push out your successor.”

“And then the cycle continues.” Titania smiles, abandoning her attempts to glare Maeve into submission. “It ensures the fae are never leaderless. Because you’ve seen what happens without a Nicnevin. The magic dries up and the land falls out of balance.”

My mind is still stuck on the idea that I can die over and over again and come back so it takes me a while to form my next question.

“And she gifted you to me?”

Mab shrugs. “As much as we can figure, we’re your guides. Or we’ve appointed ourselves to the position, anyway. Someone had to teach you about your own language.”

“Someone had to teach you to defend yourself,” Maeve interjects. “Now that you’re not stuck in the human world, I have a whole new set of drills we can go through…”

She trails off, mouth twisting into a savage grin, and I groan.

Better change the subject before she starts making me do drills in the bath.

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