Page 18 of The Iron Raven

“Go,” he ordered. “Find it. I think it’s headed for the River of Dreams.”

“Keirran...”

“Go! Don’t worry about me, I’ll catch up in a second. Just stop that thing before we lose it completely.”

Nyx looked reluctant but turned and sprinted into the trees, heading in the direction the monster had disappeared.

I groaned. “Right, chase down the unkillable monster instead of letting it walk away and leave us unmauled,” I said, and followed the Forgotten into the mist. “I love this plan.”

We came out of the trees, and the bank of the enormous River of Dreams stretched before us, its dark waters shrouded in the thick fog creeping up the bank. The largest body of water in Faery, the massive river wound its way through the Nevernever, into the Deep Wyld, and flowed all the way to the literal End of the World, where its waters cascaded off the edge into empty space. Very few had ever seen the End of the World (yours truly being one of them), but everyone in Faery knew about the River of Dreams, carrying the glamour of billions of snoozing humans through the Nevernever, infusing it with the magic of dreams and nightmares.

And speaking of nightmares.

It was standing at the edge of the river, a hulking, twisted form against the fog rolling up the bank. The tendrils on its back writhed as it turned and regarded us with those empty, baleful eyes that seemed to both chill and burn right though you. A section of fog curled away behind it, revealing a long, rickety dock extending out over the water and vanishing into the wall of mist.

The creature stared at us. For a moment, it seemed we would have another fight on our hands. Its lip curled up, showing jagged fangs, and its tentacles snapped eagerly as we sprinted toward the riverbank. Then it whirled and bounded onto the dock, its long, gangly limbs carrying it toward the river. Toward the wall of mist hovering on the water’s surface. It thundered down the dock and hurled itself off the edge. An enormous splash followed as the massive creature plunged headfirst into the River of Dreams.

I slid down the bank and sprinted to the end of the dock, searching for the monster as my boots thumped against the rickety planks. I caught a glimpse of the creature’s twisted body just as it vanished beneath the surface. In seconds, fog coiled around the hole left behind, the rippling waters stilled, and the monster was gone.

6

BRINGING IN THE BIG GUNS

“You caused this.”

The accusation came from behind me, hanging in the air as I watched the mist curl around the spot where the creature had disappeared. Nyx stood at the top of the bank, swords in hand, glaring at me with narrowed golden eyes.

“Why didn’t you wait for us?” she demanded. “If we had worked together, we might’ve been able to kill it. Why did you decide you could attack it on your own? Now we have to track it down again, because you thought you could be a hero.”

Her words stung for a second, because she was right. Imight’vebeen a tad overconfident back there, and as the saying went: pride goeth before a nasty tentacle thing stabbing you in the chest and body-slamming you to the ground.

But then anger flickered as something ugly uncoiled from a hidden place deep inside, spreading through me like an oily stain.

“Funny.” I turned to face the other faery, feeling an evil smirk cross my face. “I don’t remember having to answer to you. Are you a queen now? Did you and Keirran elope and have a secret marriage ceremony no one knows about?”

For some reason, the thought of Keirran with Nyx annoyed the crap out of me. I had the urge to slip the Forgotten King a potion that would give him permanent donkey ears. Then he would look the part, too.

“I don’t answer to anyone, my good assassin,” I told her. “Every king and queen of Faery will tell you, Robin Goodfellow does what he pleases, whenever he pleases. Even Oberon can’t do anything about that, and believe me, he’s tried. If you thinkyouchange that now, well, I welcome the challenge.”

What the hell are you doing, Goodfellow?Deep down, part of myself looked on, appalled. This wasn’t me. Or it was, but it was a side of me that I’d buried long ago, when Robin Goodfellow was still the incorrigible prankster, but his pranks were sadistic and cruel, especially toward humans and those who had insulted him. Ice-boy wasn’t the only faery with a bloody past. Once, I had been Puck of the woods, Puck the nature sprite; wild, carefree, dangerous...and kind of an asshole.

I pushed that tiny voice down as Nyx took a step back, golden eyes widening. Her look of anger was swallowed by alarm, and her arms came up, putting her blades between us. “What is wrong with you, Goodfellow?” she demanded. “You’re different.”

“Am I?” I grinned toothily. “Or am I just who I was all along?”

“No.” She shook her head. “Youlookdifferent.”

“Are you two all right?”

Keirran came striding up, his expression, too, one of alarm, though his lacked the shadow of anger on Nyx’s face. My eyes narrowed, and I felt the dangerous smile creep farther up my face. The spitefulness in me flared. Suddenly, I wanted to hurt him. This kid who represented my greatest loss, the rejection that still cut to my heart, even to this day. If he happened to disappear, then those responsible would know the same pain I was feeling. Why should they get their happily-ever-after? When would it be my turn to come out on top?

“Puck.” Keirran’s face paled as I turned toward him. “Are you all right? What happened? Did the monster escape?”

“Yep.” For some reason, my daggers were in my hands, and I continued to grin as I stepped forward. “It did. But you know, I don’t really care about that right now. How much glamour did you use up fighting that thing, princeling? I’m curious.”

Like a ripple of shadow, Nyx placed herself between me and her king, both swords in hand as she faced me. “Another step, Goodfellow, and you’ll have to deal with me.”

“Aw, so loyal.” I smirked at her, relishing the thought of fighting this amazingly fast, lethal killer. From what I had seen, she would be a challenge for certain. And I hadn’t had a decent one-on-one duel since ice-boy. “What a good little assassin. I’m almost amused that you think you stand a chance.”

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