Fragile Eternity

They followed Bananach into a gutted concrete abyss. A sickly smell, like burned sugar and musky bodies, lingered in the air. The floor was sticky underfoot, so that each step was accompanied by a squelching sound. Aisli

Red-palmed Ly Ergs gri

Aisli

“Do you like it?” Bananach whispered. “How they want to eat you alive? You took away the last king’s mortal. You make the new king mourn for both of his mortals.”

“His mortals? Seth is my—” Aisli

But Bananach crowed. Her shadow-wings stretched out behind her and she dragged her talons over Aisli

In front of them, Aisli

In the center of the carnage was a table of sun-bleached bone. Skulls were stacked high for legs; ribs and arms and spines were woven together with sinew to make the flat of the table. Bananach sat at the head of the table—and Seth was stretched out on it in front of her.

The shadow Bananach in the image caught Aisli

He screamed.

It’s not real. It’s not real at all. But the war faery’s earlier words made Aisli

Keenan pulled her to him. “It’s not real, Aisli

The image shattered then as one of the Vilas spun through the room. Her delicate shoes, held to her feet with silver chains, made an unpleasant clattering noise as she moved across the cement floor.

“It’s an illusion,” Keenan said. “Seth is not here.”

“Are you so sure, little kingling? Can you be sure of anything?” Bananach reached out and laid her hand over the site of Aisli

Aisli

“What a good question,” Niall said.

The Dark King had come up behind them. He paused beside Bananach. “Well?”

“They were in my nest; they are in your presence. The mortal isn’t here. But you know that….” She leaned on his shoulder and let her wings curl forward to embrace him. Her wings were still shadowy, not fully tangible, but they weren’t illusory anymore.

“Don’t.” Niall walked over to a throne on a raised platform. Unlike the Summer and Winter Courts, the Dark Court actually had a dais. The Dark Court embraced a bizarre mix of old-fashioned ma

Aisli

Why is she keeping company with the Dark Court?

Aisli

Niall lounged in his chair and watched them with a mixture of amusement and derision. “Why are you here?”

“I need to know what happened to Seth. Where he is. Why he’s gone.” Aisli

Faeries laughed raucously at that.

“My Bananach?” Niall gri

The raven-faery was suddenly beside the Dark King; she gripped his neck like she’d strangle him.

Niall didn’t react. “They have questions.”

“Hmm?” She had drawn blood and was watching it trickle down Niall’s throat.

“Questions,” he repeated.

The room stilled as Bananach looked around and said, “My war comes. Wars need lambs and cinders.”

Her wings solidified as everyone watched her.

“Unless you ruin it all, we are where we must be.” Bananach kissed Niall and whispered, “We shall bleed, my King. If we’re lucky, you might even die horribly.”

Then she took flight. Aisli

Once Bananach was gone, Niall made a gesture of dismissal. “You have the only answers you’ll find here. Go now.”

There were more answers to be had. Aisli

Her resolve broke. “Tell me what you know,” she begged. “Please?”

The look Niall gave her was akin to the disdain he’d had when they’d argued at the Crow’s Nest. The stillness that had accompanied Bananach’s mad muttering held. When the Dark King broke the silence, he said, “I know that you are why he is gone, and I don’t know that you deserve his return.”

“He’s okay, though?”

“He is alive and physically unharmed,” Niall confirmed.

“But…” Aisli

The room was full of faeries who were staring at her as she fought not to break down in grief, or perhaps rage. They licked their lips like they could taste her feelings. Vulgar and hateful, these were the faeries she’d feared. They were nothing like her court.

Beside her, Keenan tensed. He extended a hand. She took it. “Will you tell him I—”

“I am not your messenger boy.” Niall’s scorn was chokingly thick. His faeries giggled and whispered.

She started toward the Dark King, but Keenan tugged her back.

“No. Come closer, Aisli

“Aisli

When she reached him, she dropped to her knees at his feet. “Will you tell me where he is?”

Niall leaned forward and whispered loud enough for everyone to hear, “Only if he asks me to.”

And to that, Aisli