Page 133 of Castle of Nevers and Nightmares

We keep walking. My animal side helps me withstand the cold more than others, but I’m nowhere near as resistant as Fox. He dusts snow from his shoulder as though it’s a mere hindrance to his fashion, whereas I’m freezing my nipples off. Blowing my hands to keep warm, I go left around the central rock while he walks right. We meet on the other side, where a single, hedge-lined pathway leads into the maze.

“Fox,” I ask, having mulled over his words. “If your hive is so dangerous to Titania, why doesn’t she use the Baleful Hunt to turn you all into statues?”

“Clever little wolf.” His eyes twinkle as he tugs my braid. “She still needs us for something.”

“Does thissomethinghave anything to do with the Cornertwister calling Legion a prince?”

A quietness falls over him. He wears the same haunted expression as in the library when he showed me their history... when he shut down after mentioning the Unseelie noble who worked with the Morrigan to steal them from the Keepers.

Is Oberon that noble? That would explain why a Nightmare addresses Legion as a prince. On my first day here, Bob relayed his theory about the war. He’d overheard a Nightmare demanding that a Radiant—I gasp—give back what they stole.

“Fox, is this war because of you?” I blink. “Because Titania stole you from Oberon?”

He nods and starts inspecting the rock’s surface. “He’s a dangerously unhinged faerie with access to ancient dark magics gifted by Mother Dearest herself. If Titania can’t kill us, then she needs us alive... likely a last-resort hostage exchange.” He stops two feet down and taps his fingers on the rock, tilting his head to listen for something. “She might be a bitch, but she’s trying to keep her people safe the only way she knows how. Here.” He points at a particular section of rock. “This is the entrance to the one place I’ve been unable to search.”

It looks the same as the rest of the bluestone, but when I place my hand on the surface, fire ants scuttle up my arm, and my hand phases through solid rock.

I jump back, horrified. “What just happened?”

“You’re mortal.” He attempts to push his hand through the same place but goes nowhere. “The wards block any faerie from entering.”

“Even your wraith form?”

He nods.

I ask, “Have you tried holding metal to simulate being disconnected from the Well?”

“Guardian.” He gestures to his blue teardrop.

“Oh, of course.” His flow of magic isn’t blocked. Frowning, I test the wards again. The sense of magic is ripe as myfingers phase through the surface. But there’s something else, something extremely familiar, and I can’t put my finger on what. I plunge my hand in deeper and shudder as the sensation rolls through me.

This magic is friendly.

Fox misreads my unease and pulls me back. “Are you well?”

“I’m fine.”

A scowl darkens his features. “We’ll leave right now if you sense something wrong.”

His angry face shouldn’t be so attractive, but his eyes light up with passion.

“Quit worrying.” I reach over my shoulder and pull my serrated bone sword from its scabbard. “I get why she wants the Folk kept out of her temple, but why would she allow mortals inside?”

Fox shrugs. “Either they’re no threat, or she needs something inside cared for.”

“You don’t think Styx is alive in there, walking around... starving, do you?”

“He won’t eat you.”

“Wow,” I intone, “you sound so convincing.”

“Trust me. It’s against our very nature to harm our queen.”

I wish I shared his confidence. We stare at the rock for a long moment. I’m unsure what he’s thinking, but my mind is filled with questions. They chose me as their Shadow partly because a mortal can get through, and I’m a thief.

“Did you expect me to carry a life-sized stone statue out?” I ask. “I don’t understand where the thief part comes into play.”

He snorts. “We were to convince you to break into the temple to pilfer a powerful artifact, then trick you into completing the ritual that swaps Styx’s stone prison to you.”

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