Do you see? whispered a voice behind me, and I whirled around. No one stood there, but from the corner of my eye I caught a shimmer, a presence, though it slid away whenever I tried to focus on it. Look around you. This is what would have happened had Meghan not become the Iron Queen. Everything, everyone you knew, destroyed. The Iron fey would have corrupted the entire Nevernever, were it not for Meghan Chase. And she could not have succeeded had you not been there.
Who are you? I searched for the owner of the voice, but the presence slipped away, keeping to the very edge of my vision. Why are you showing me this? This was nothing new. I was fully aware of what wouldve happened had the Iron fey been victorious. Though, even in my worst imaginings, I had not pictured quite this much destruction.
Because, you need to see, really see, the second outcome for yourself. I felt the presence move closer, though it still kept infuriatingly out of sight. And your judgment was impaired, Ash of the Winter Court. You loved the girl. You would have done anything for her, regardless of the circumstances. It slid away, behind me, though Id given up trying to search for it. I want you to look around carefully, son of Mab, and understand the significance of your decision. Had Meghan Chase not survived to become the Iron Queen, this would be your world today.
The burning inside was growing unbearable. Each breath stabbed like a knife, and my skin was starting to blister as well. It reminded me of the time Id been captured by Virus, one of the Iron Kings lieutenants, and had a sentient metal bug implanted in me. The bug had taken over my body, turning me into Viruss slave, making me fight for her. And though Id been fully aware of everything I did, I was powerless to stop it. I had felt the metal invader, like a hot coal in my mind, burning and searing, making me nearly blind with pain, though I couldnt show it. This was worse.
I sank to my knees, fighting to stay upright, as my skin blackened and peeled from my bones. The pain was excruciating, and I wondered, through my delirium, why I hadnt woken yet. This was a dream; I realized that much. Why couldnt I shake myself free?
I knew with a sudden, grim clarity. Because the voice wasnt letting me. It was keeping me here, tied to this nightmare world, despite my efforts to wake. I wondered if it was possible to die in a dream.
Im sorry, the voice murmured, seeming to come from far away now. I know its painful, but I want you to remember this when we meet again. I want you to understand the sacrifice that had to be made. I know you dont understand now, but you will. Soon.
And, just like that, it was gone, and the ties holding me to the vision were released. With a silent gasp, I wrenched myself out of the dream, back into the waking world.
It was very dark now, though the skeletal trees glowed with a soft white luminance that left them hazy and ethereal. Several yards away, Puck still sat in the branches, hands behind his head, chewing the ends of a grass stalk. One foot swung idly in the air and he wasnt looking at me; Id learned long ago how to mask my pain and remain silent, even in sleep. You dont show weakness in the Unseelie Court. Puck didnt know I was awake, but Grimalkin crouched in the branches of a nearby tree, and his glowing yellow eyes were fixed in my direction.
Bad dreams?
The tone of his voice wasnt exactly a question. I shrugged. A nightmare. Nothing I cant handle.
I would not be so sure of that, were I you.
I glanced up sharply, narrowing my eyes. You know something, I accused, and Grimalkin yawned. What arent you telling me?
More than you want to know, prince. Grimalkin sat up, curling his tail around himself. And I am not a fool. You know better than to ask such questions. The cat sniffed, regarding me with that unblinking gold gaze. I told you before, this is no simple task. You will have to discover the answers for yourself.
I already knew that, but the way Grimalkin said it sounded ominous, and it irritated me that the cait sith knew more than he was letting on. Ignoring the cat, I turned away, staring into the trees. A stray sod emerged from the darkness, a tiny green faery with a clump of weeds growing from its back. It blinked at me, bobbed its mushroom hat, and quickly slipped back into the undergrowth.
This seer, I asked Grimalkin, carefully marking the place the sod had vanished so as to not tread on it when we left. Where is it located?
But Grimalkin had disappeared.
TIME HAS NO MEANING in the wyldwood. Day and night dont really exist here, just light and darkness, and they can be just as fickle and moody as everything else. A night can pass in the space of a blink, or go on forever. Light and darkness will chase each other through the sky, play hide-and-seek or tag or catch-me-if-you-can. Sometimes, one or the other will become offended over an imagined slight and refuse to come out for an indefinite amount of time. Once, light became so angry, a hundred years passed in the mortal realm before it deigned to come out again. And though the sun continued to rise and set in the human world, it was a rather turbulent period for the world of men, as all the creatures who lurked in darkness and shadow got to roam freely under the lightless Nevernever skies.
So it was still full dark when Puck and I started out again, following the cait sith into the endless tangle of the wyldwood. Grimalkin slipped through the trees like mist flowing over the ground, gray and nearly invisible in the colorless landscape around him. He moved swiftly and silently, not looking back, and it took all my hunters skills to keep up with him, to not lose him in the tangled undergrowth. I suspected he was testing us, or perhaps playing some annoying feline game, subtly trying to lose us without completely going invisible. But, with Puck hurrying after me, I kept pace with the elusive cait sith and didnt lose him once as we ventured deeper into the wyldwood.
The light had finally decided to make an appearance when, without warning, Grimalkin stopped. Leaping onto an overhanging branch, he stood motionless for a moment, ears pricked to the wind and whiskers trembling. Around us, huge gnarled trees blocked out the sky, gray trunks and branches seeming to hem us in, like an enormous net or cage. I realized I didnt recognize this part of the wyldwood, though that wasnt unusual. The wyldwood was huge, eternal and constantly changing. There were many places Id never seen, never set foot in, even in the long years of hunting beneath its canopy.
Hey, were stopping, Puck said, coming up behind me. Peering over my shoulder, he snorted under his breath. Whats the matter, cat? Did you finally get lost?
Be quiet, Goodfellow. Grimalkin flattened his ears but didnt look back. Something is out there, he stated, twitching his tail. The trees are angry. Something does not belong. His eyes narrowed, and he crouched to leap off the branch.
Right before he vanished.
I glanced at Puck and frowned. I guess wed better find out whats going on.
Goodfellow snickered. Wouldnt be any fun if we didnt run into some sort of catastrophe. Pulling his dagger, he waved me on. After you, your highness.
We proceeded cautiously through the trees, scanning the undergrowth for anything suspicious. At my silent gesture, Puck stepped away and slid into the trees to the right of me. If something was lying in ambush, it would be better if we werent together when it pounced.
It wasnt long before we started seeing evidence that something was decidedly out of place here. Plants were brown and dying, trees had spots where they had been burned, and the air began to smell of rust and copper, tickling my throat and making me want to gag. I was suddenly reminded of my dream, the nightmare world of the Iron fey, and gripped my sword hilt even tighter.
You think theres an Iron faery here? Puck muttered, poking a burned, dead leaf with the point of his knife. It disintegrated at his touch.
If there is, I muttered, it wont be here much longer.
Puck shot me a glance, looking faintly unsure. I dont know, ice-boy. Were supposed to be at peace now. What would Meghan say if we killed one of her subjects?
Meghan is a queen. I stepped beneath a rotting branch, pushing it away with my sword. She understands the rules, just like everyone else. By law, no Iron fey can set foot in the wyldwood without permission from Summer or Winter. It would be a breach of the treaty if the courts found out, and at worst it would be seen as an act of war. I raised my sword and hacked through a cluster of yellowed, dying vines that smelled of rot. If there is an Iron faery here, better we find it than scouts of Summer or Winter.
Yeah? And what happens then? We politely ask it to go home? What if it doesnt listen to us?
I gave him a blank stare.
He winced. Right. He sighed. Forgot who I was talking to. Well then, lead on, ice-boy.
We pushed deeper into the forest, following the trail of dying plants, until the trees thinned and the ground abruptly dropped away into a rocky gorge. The trees in this area were blackened and dead, and the air smelled poisonous and foul. After a moment, I realized why.
Sitting against a tree, his armor glinting in the sun, was an Iron knight.
I paused, my fingers tightening around the hilt of my sword. I had to remind myself that the knights were not our enemies anymore, that they served the Iron Queen and followed the same peace treaty as the rest of the courts. Besides, this one was clearly no threat to us. His breastplate had been staved in, and dark, oily blood pooled beneath him. His chin rested limply on his chest, but as we got closer, he opened his eyes and looked up. Blood trickled from one corner of his mouth.
Prince Ash? He blinked several times, as if doubting his own eyes. What what are you doing here?
I could ask you the same. I didnt approach the fallen warrior, standing several feet away with my sword at my side. Its forbidden for your kind to be here. Why arent you in the Iron Realm protecting the queen?
The queen. The knights eyes widened, and he held a hand out. You you have to warn the queen
I took two long steps forward and faced the knight, looming over him. Whats happened to Meghan? I demanded. Warn her of what?
There was an attempt on her life, the knight whispered, and my heart went cold in fear and rage. Assassins snuck into the castle tried to get to the queen. We managed to drive them off and followed them here, but there were more than we first thought. Killed the rest of my squad He paused for breath, gasping. It was clear he wouldnt last much longer, and I knelt to hear him better, ignoring the nausea that came from being this close to an Iron faery. You have to warn her he pleaded again.