Fragile Eternity
Page 2
He lowered his lips to hers and told her things that didnt require words. When he pulled back, he whispered, Something this good can last forever.
She ran her hand down his spine, wondering if hed think she was weird for wanting to let sunlight into her fingertips as she did so, wondering if it would only remind him of how not-mortal she was now. I wish it could always be like this. Just us.
There was something she couldnt read in his expression, but then he pulled her to him and she let go of thoughts and words.
Chapter 1
The High Queen walked toward the lobby with a sense of trepidation. She normally required that visitors be brought to her, but in this case, Sorcha would make an exception. Having Bananach roaming the hotel was far too dangerous.
In the past few months, Sorcha had moved the High Court to the edge of the mortal world, taking over a city block and remaking it as her own. Stepping within that block meant one left the mortal realm and entered the edge of Faerie. Her domain stood separated, divided from all else. The rules of the mortal worldtheir sense of time and place, their laws of naturewere all moot within Faerie, even in this space-between where shed brought her court.
It was the closest to the mortals realm Sorcha had taken her court in centuries, but now that the other courts were shifting, Sorcha couldnt stay quite so far removed. Her being in the mortal realm too long was untenable, but living at the edge of mortality wouldnt alter their world. It was the reasonable path. The boy king was enthroned with his centuries-missing queen in the Summer Court. His beloved was holding the Winter throne. And Niall, Sorchas almost-temptation, had taken the Dark Court throne. None of it was unexpected, but all had changed in barely a blink.
She ran her hand along the stair rail, touching the smooth wood, cherishing the reminder of simpler timesand promptly dismissed the lie of nostalgia. Shed held her court for longer than memory. She was the High Queen. Hers was the unchanging, the heart of Faerie, the voice of the world removed, and she was the Unchanging Queen.
The alternativeher antithesis, her twin, Bananachstood in the room. She swayed toward Sorcha with a slightly mad look in her eyes. Every stray thought of chaos and discord that could have been Sorchas found its way to Bananachs spirit instead. As long as Bananach existed to host those feelings, Sorcha was mostly spared the burden of such unpleasantness. It made for an awkward bond.
Its been a while, Bananach said. Her movements were tentative, hands glancing over surfaces as if she needed to familiarize herself with the world, as if the tactile experience would anchor her to reality. Since weve spoken. Its been a while.
Sorcha wasnt sure if these were questions or statements: Bananachs grasp on reality was tenuous on her best days.
It is never as long as Id like. Sorcha motioned for her sister to take a seat.
Bananach lowered herself to a floral divan. She shook her head, unsettling the long feathers that spilled down her back like mortal hair. Nor I. I dislike you.
The bluntness was off-putting, but war wasnt concerned with delicacyand Bananach was the essence of war and violence, carrion and chaos, blood and mayhem. The Dark Court might be Sorchas opposing court, but it was Bananach who was her true opposition. The raven-headed faery was neither contained by the court nor divided from it. She was too primal to be within the Dark Court, too conniving to be without it.
Bananachs unflinching attention was disquieting. Her abyss-black eyes sparkled unpleasantly. I feel lessright when you are near me.
So why are you here?
Bananach tapped her talons on the table in a discordant way: no music, no pattern. You. I come here for you. Each time, no matter where you are, I will come.
Why? Sorcha felt herself caught in the centuries-old conversation.
Today? Bananach tilted her head at an angle in her avian way, watching, tracking the slightest movement. Ive things to tell. Things youll want to know.
Sorcha held herself still; not reacting was usually safer with Bananach. And why should I listen this time?
Why not?
Because youre not here to help me. Sorcha wearied of their eternity of discord. Sometimes she wondered what would happen if she simply did away with Bananach.Would I destroy myself? My court? If she knew that answer, if she knew she could kill her sister without damning them all, shed have done so centuries ago.
Faeries dont lie, sister mine. Wheres the reason in not listening? Bananach crooned. Youre Reason, are you not? I am offering you Truthis there logic in ignoring me?
Sorcha sighed. So acting on what you tell me will presumably cause some sort of chaos?
Bananach swayed a bit in her seat, as if she suddenly heard a thread of music that no one else couldor would want tohear. One can hope.
Orfailing to act will cause chaosand you are prodding me to get me to do the inverse, Sorcha mused. Do you ever tire of this?
Bananach tilted her head in several small increments and snapped her teeth as if she truly had a beak. It was a version of laughter, a curious gesture Sorcha disliked. The raven-faery peered at her with an intent gaze. Why would I?
Why indeed. Sorcha sat in one of the innumerable water-carved chairs that her staff had scattered throughout the lobby. It was studded with uncut jewels, ruining the comfort of the thing but heightening its raw beauty.
Shall I tell you then, sister mine? Bananach leaned closer. Her dark eyes glittered with a sprinkling of stars, constellations that sometimes matched the mortal sky. Today, Scorpius, the beast that killed Orion, was in the center of Bananachs gaze.
She ran her hand down his spine, wondering if hed think she was weird for wanting to let sunlight into her fingertips as she did so, wondering if it would only remind him of how not-mortal she was now. I wish it could always be like this. Just us.
There was something she couldnt read in his expression, but then he pulled her to him and she let go of thoughts and words.
Chapter 1
The High Queen walked toward the lobby with a sense of trepidation. She normally required that visitors be brought to her, but in this case, Sorcha would make an exception. Having Bananach roaming the hotel was far too dangerous.
In the past few months, Sorcha had moved the High Court to the edge of the mortal world, taking over a city block and remaking it as her own. Stepping within that block meant one left the mortal realm and entered the edge of Faerie. Her domain stood separated, divided from all else. The rules of the mortal worldtheir sense of time and place, their laws of naturewere all moot within Faerie, even in this space-between where shed brought her court.
It was the closest to the mortals realm Sorcha had taken her court in centuries, but now that the other courts were shifting, Sorcha couldnt stay quite so far removed. Her being in the mortal realm too long was untenable, but living at the edge of mortality wouldnt alter their world. It was the reasonable path. The boy king was enthroned with his centuries-missing queen in the Summer Court. His beloved was holding the Winter throne. And Niall, Sorchas almost-temptation, had taken the Dark Court throne. None of it was unexpected, but all had changed in barely a blink.
She ran her hand along the stair rail, touching the smooth wood, cherishing the reminder of simpler timesand promptly dismissed the lie of nostalgia. Shed held her court for longer than memory. She was the High Queen. Hers was the unchanging, the heart of Faerie, the voice of the world removed, and she was the Unchanging Queen.
The alternativeher antithesis, her twin, Bananachstood in the room. She swayed toward Sorcha with a slightly mad look in her eyes. Every stray thought of chaos and discord that could have been Sorchas found its way to Bananachs spirit instead. As long as Bananach existed to host those feelings, Sorcha was mostly spared the burden of such unpleasantness. It made for an awkward bond.
Its been a while, Bananach said. Her movements were tentative, hands glancing over surfaces as if she needed to familiarize herself with the world, as if the tactile experience would anchor her to reality. Since weve spoken. Its been a while.
Sorcha wasnt sure if these were questions or statements: Bananachs grasp on reality was tenuous on her best days.
It is never as long as Id like. Sorcha motioned for her sister to take a seat.
Bananach lowered herself to a floral divan. She shook her head, unsettling the long feathers that spilled down her back like mortal hair. Nor I. I dislike you.
The bluntness was off-putting, but war wasnt concerned with delicacyand Bananach was the essence of war and violence, carrion and chaos, blood and mayhem. The Dark Court might be Sorchas opposing court, but it was Bananach who was her true opposition. The raven-headed faery was neither contained by the court nor divided from it. She was too primal to be within the Dark Court, too conniving to be without it.
Bananachs unflinching attention was disquieting. Her abyss-black eyes sparkled unpleasantly. I feel lessright when you are near me.
So why are you here?
Bananach tapped her talons on the table in a discordant way: no music, no pattern. You. I come here for you. Each time, no matter where you are, I will come.
Why? Sorcha felt herself caught in the centuries-old conversation.
Today? Bananach tilted her head at an angle in her avian way, watching, tracking the slightest movement. Ive things to tell. Things youll want to know.
Sorcha held herself still; not reacting was usually safer with Bananach. And why should I listen this time?
Why not?
Because youre not here to help me. Sorcha wearied of their eternity of discord. Sometimes she wondered what would happen if she simply did away with Bananach.Would I destroy myself? My court? If she knew that answer, if she knew she could kill her sister without damning them all, shed have done so centuries ago.
Faeries dont lie, sister mine. Wheres the reason in not listening? Bananach crooned. Youre Reason, are you not? I am offering you Truthis there logic in ignoring me?
Sorcha sighed. So acting on what you tell me will presumably cause some sort of chaos?
Bananach swayed a bit in her seat, as if she suddenly heard a thread of music that no one else couldor would want tohear. One can hope.
Orfailing to act will cause chaosand you are prodding me to get me to do the inverse, Sorcha mused. Do you ever tire of this?
Bananach tilted her head in several small increments and snapped her teeth as if she truly had a beak. It was a version of laughter, a curious gesture Sorcha disliked. The raven-faery peered at her with an intent gaze. Why would I?
Why indeed. Sorcha sat in one of the innumerable water-carved chairs that her staff had scattered throughout the lobby. It was studded with uncut jewels, ruining the comfort of the thing but heightening its raw beauty.
Shall I tell you then, sister mine? Bananach leaned closer. Her dark eyes glittered with a sprinkling of stars, constellations that sometimes matched the mortal sky. Today, Scorpius, the beast that killed Orion, was in the center of Bananachs gaze.
