Page 63 of Queen of Ever

‘It’s what you are,’ he said.

I let out a frustrated sigh.I could see he wasn’t going to do as I asked.The fact that it bothered me probably made him enjoy it all the more.‘Whatever, just lead the way.’

He did exactly that without another word to me and Marietta followed closely behind, as if she wasn’t sure she should walk next to me.It was a good thing for the lesser fae that Cassian wasn’t the only one trying to convince me to help their cause.I kept that thought to myself as we walked the winding passageways of this giant ant nest until finally coming to a set of double doors that were completely mismatched.One was a dark wood coated in a varnish, the other was a lighter shade with intricate carvings around the edges.It was clear that this place had been built with whatever materials were available.

Cassian pulled open the door and waved me in, the gesture almost gentlemanly.Almost.

Inside, a long table ran most of the length of the room, maps and papers scattered about it.The chatter died as all eyes turned to me—some familiar, the queen herself, some not, like the leathery, bent creature behind her, whose burning eyes and scaly hair immediately halted me in my tracks, heart pounding.Even with her wings folded in tight at her back and her docile posture, taloned hands clasped before her, I knew she was one of the creatures that had taken me.A fury, if the word screamed in Oberon’s throne room had been accurate.

‘Ah, Imogen,’ the queen said warmly, offering me a friendly smile.‘I’m glad you could join us.’

Did I have a choice?I wanted to ask but decided against it.My eyes kept going back to that fury standing behind her, a sense of unease clawing at me.

‘I’m Freja,’ the fury said, and even if her voice was raspy and set my teeth on edge, she seemed to be trying to speak gently.‘My sisters and I tried to be very careful in transporting you.’

‘Uh-huh,’ I said, not really sure what else to say.There were a couple of other faces I didn’t recognise but I assumed they were Queen Sylara’s inner circle and honestly, I doubted I’d retain any more names if they were thrown at me.

‘Now that you’re here, I’d like to propose another solution to our little problem,’ the queen said with a smile, holding her hand out to me, which I supposed meant I was supposed to go to her.With Cassian scowling at my back, I decided it would be best to do as I was asked.I moved towards her, aware of the eyes in the room following me.I took a seat at the queen’s side, a seat that had probably been left for me.Marietta took the seat on my other side, and even though she’d kept so many secrets from me, it was still comforting to have her nearby.

‘I assume by ‘little problem’ you mean the war with the High Fae,’ I said.The light-hearted way she’d put it not exactly filling me with confidence.

‘That and what comes after,’ she said.‘We’ve been talking in circles about war and assassination intrigues and new rulers of the High Fae courts.But there is another option.Tell me, Imogen, do you know what magic it is you possess?’

‘Yes, water magic.But I’m not good at using it, so I hope your other option doesn't hinge on it,’ I said, not entirely sure where she was going with this line of questioning.From what I’d come to understand, it wasn’t exactly an uncommon type of magic, and neither was it one of the stronger forms.

‘Is that what the Seelie King told you?’she asked.

‘He didn’t tell me, I discovered it…’ my sentence trailed off as I remembered how I’d discovered it.‘On my own,’ I finished, ignoring the quizzical looks at the pause.

‘So, the first time you used your magic it manifested water,’ the queen said, nodding as if that made sense.‘But that’s not your affinity.’

‘What do you mean?’I asked.

‘You, my dear, have a very rare form of magic that hasn’t been seen in centuries, not since the time of Oberon himself,’ she continued as hushed whispers started around the table.‘You possess creation magic.’

‘You’ve got to be kidding me,’ Cassian said, shock clear on his expression.‘She can’t possibly.’

‘Why not?’Marietta asked, and her lack of surprise meant that she already knew.How long had she known?How long had she kept the truth from me and why?

The voices around me grew louder.I couldn’t even make out the individual words anymore.‘Can we just back up a minute here?’I asked, raising my voice so I could be heard above the noise.‘What the hell is creation magic?’

‘It’s a complex magic,’ Marietta said.‘You can create almost anything, although it’s also known for being unstable and difficult to wield with intention.You’ll have to work hard to master it.’

‘Okay… so I just make things?’I asked, not really sure why this was such a big deal.

‘Creation magic isn’t just about material things, it’s linked to life,’ the queen said.‘You could create life, whether that is plant, animal or even fae.’

‘Are you saying that Oberon was some kind of god?’I asked.

‘There are those who believe that.Another more plausible legend is that the gods created the fae and then gave Oberon a portion of their power to protect and nurture them,’ Cassian said, surprising me so much that I couldn’t keep it from my face.‘What?I’m not just a dumb grunt, you know,’ he said moodily.

My head was reeling with this new revelation.It seemed too surreal, that I could potentially create anything out of...what, nothing?‘That all seems a little bit far-fetched,’ I said, realising that everyone was looking at me.

‘Creating life is not something to be taken lightly,’ the queen said.‘The toll is a hefty one, and if you use your powers in the wrong way or use too much of your magic, it can kill you.’

Great.

‘So, what exactly is so special about this magic?What is it you expect me to do with it?’I asked.

---