Page 16 of The Kingdom Cursed By Iron

Later, I will block out what comes next: leaving the cottage, hugging Dad, and pushing away my own questions about when I’ll see him again. Then Ruskin takes me round the side of our house to the big barrel we keep outside for collecting rain and offers me his hand. I cautiously take it, closing my eyes for just a moment, unable to resist homing in on where my skin connects with his. I remember the first time he touched me, how I was surprised by his warmth. The memories of the hundreds of kisses and caresses we’ve shared since then threaten to crowd in on me.

“What are you waiting for?” I ask, my throat tight. He secures his grip on my hand, and the next thing I know we’re plunging into darkness.

I’m better prepared for the heady whirl of portals as Ruskin jumps across Styrland. It will never be my favorite mode of travel, but I can’t deny it’s efficient. When we finally come to a stop, we’re deep inside the Kilda. Last time I was here with him I couldn’t stay awake, the magic overwhelming me until I fainted. Now my mind is clear and sharp, despite the frantic day I’ve had, and whatever magic is in the air feels natural to me. I take in the amber trees, remembering the changeling’s revelations, conscious of the man beside me.

“Why don’t you use the water to travel straight to the Seelie Court?” I ask, the thought only now occurring to me. “Why use the gate?”

“Because you can’t use water for travel across realms, only within the realm you’re currently in. You need something much more permanent for a cross-realm passage. Water isn’t nearly stable enough.”

“What would happen if you tried?”

His eyes glint, and I think he’s amused by my questions. I refuse to be embarrassed by them, however, waiting pointedly for an answer.

“You’d probably just end up in the wrong place in the same realm. But if you had enough power, it could be much more dangerous.”

“You could die?”

“You could end up stuck somewhere that isn’t a realm at all,” he says. “Somewhere in between.”

That sparks about a dozen more questions in my mind, but I swallow them down. I don’t actually need answers to all of life’s questions, no matter how much I might want them. What I do need is to keep us from falling back into the old rhythms of our banter. I can’t let myself forget: that’s not who we are anymore.

He gestures to the trees around us.

“You haven’t seen the common gate before, have you?” he asks, the trace of humor gone from his eyes.

“No.” I look ahead of where he’s standing, scanning the unbroken line of trees. “I don’t see it.”

“Look again,” he says, and nudges me forward, not commenting when I quickly step away from his touch.

The trees creak in the breeze as a huge arch three times my height unfurls into existence. At first I think the thing is metal, the point of the arch breaking off into flourishing scrolls and elaborate knots. Then I squint and see that, like much in Faerie, the thing has been grown, and the pattern of an orange fleur-de-lis adorning its sides are real leaves sprouting from its surface.

Between the pillars supporting the arch is a thick curtain of foliage and flowers. It looks dense as a hedge, but when Ruskin reaches his hand up to it, it parts like a single layer of lace, folding back to reveal the unmistakable green of the Emerald Forest beyond.

“Welcome back,” Ruskin murmurs to me, as I pass through the sweet-smelling doorway into another realm.

Chapter 6

“Stop right there.”

The voice echoes down the palace corridor. Despite myself, I smile. When I turn, Destan is striding towards us, his jade-green shirt billowing in the warm air, his curly hair bouncing with each step.

“You actually brought her back and you didn’t tell me?” He throws Ruskin a look like he’s committed a terrible crime, then takes my hand and offers an elegant bow.

“He didn’t bring me,” I correct. “I came of my own accord.”

Destan’s eyes widen and he looks between us.

“So that means?—”

“She’s not staying,” Ruskin interrupts gruffly.

“No, I’m not.” I drop my hand. “I’ve got a job to do, that’s all.”

Destan pouts. “How dull. And here I was thinking you’d actually missed me.”

I roll my eyes fondly, but before I can answer, a tall, armor-clad fae steps out behind Destan.

“You should’ve alerted me to your return,” Halima says, addressing Ruskin. I search around, not for the first time, trying to work out exactly where Halima came from.

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