“We never wanted him split. Just his powers bound.”
“The first who attempted and failed now sleeps in stone at the bottom of the lake.” King Lucian’s voice carried an edge of anger, and Mina couldn’t help but wonder if he referred to the siren.
“The second Fae split him into two. Although she didn’t fail, she didn’t do what we asked. That sprite was not who she said she was, and we banished her to the human plane,” Queen Maeve said.
“Oh,” Mina said sadly.
“Even if we were able to split him again, there’s no guarantee that Teague’s personality would divide down the same path. You could end up with two different personas of the current Teague,” the queen said sadly. “And as dangerous and unpredictable as he is, I’m not sure that’s worth the risk.”
“Plus he would never let us get that close to him again,” King Lucian said. “We barely escaped with our lives at our last encounter. You on the other hand…” His voice trailed off as he studied her thoughtfully.
“How?” Mina asked. “You’re the ruling Fates. How did one boy overpower the both of you?”
Queen Maeve looked pained at the question. She brought her finger up to her lips and made a shushing noise. “Follow us.”
She beckoned Mina to follow her through the reeds. A few feet away, the grass parted before the Fates, mud slurping out of the way, reeds bending backward to clear a path so they could move to an area outside of the swamp. They walked to a grove of willow trees.
King Lucian pulled the low hanging branches apart and let his wife enter the shelter of one, and then Mina. As Mina passed through, she could hear the faint sound of crying.
Apparently, in the Fae plane, the willows really did weep. Mina had never seen a weeping willow so large or beautiful. Its long, hanging branches appeared more white than green as they formed a swaying rooftop.
Within the protection of the boughs, King Lucian waved his hand, and gold magic wove up and around the tree, encasing them within a cage of power.
“No!” Mina rushed to the side, but King Lucian stopped her.
“Don’t touch the ward. You will be instantly killed.”
Those words didn’t make her feel any safer. She pulled away from the king and stood awkwardly in the center of the cage.
“It’s only a sound barrier to keep prying ears from hearing,” Queen Maeve waved her hand, and silver willow branches slowly dropped from above to form a small swing for the queen to sit in. She smoothed out her skirts and watched her husband expectantly.
King Lucian rubbed his beard and nodded. He prepared to sit on air, when a large purple mushroom formed beneath him, creating the perfect stool.
Mina felt a little bit perturbed that no one offered her a seat, but why should they? They were the Fates. They created their own seats. Using anger more than common sense, Mina focused on a small blue flower. Envisioning what she had in mind, she felt the prickle of power come to her and pushed it toward the flower.
She couldn’t hold back the smirk when the flower grew and morphed—not into just a larger version of itself. Three of the petals grew exponentially larger, one creating the back and two others forming armrests. Mina didn’t just create for herself a chair to sit on in front of the Fates. She went so far as to challenge them by fashioning herself a flower throne. She was about to sit on her throne when she noticed how covered in mud she was.
Well, that wouldn’t do. She pushed the power and made the mud disappear from her clothes. Then, crossing her legs, she settled back in the throne and waited.
King Lucian laughed. “Well done. Well done, girl. I see you have not only power, but sass. I like that. I like that very much.”
Queen Maeve just shook her head at her husband’s verbal adoration.
“You were about to say?” Mina prompted them with a nod of her head. Her smile did not dim in the light of the king’s laughter.
“What we are about to tell you cannot leave this tree.” Queen Maeve warned, her voice threatening.
Mina would have none of it. She leaned forward on her throne, her voice matching the queen’s with its own threat. “One of your Death Reapers took my mother. I make no such promises. I’m here for revenge. I’m not worried about wounding your pride.”
This time it was Maeve’s turn to look shocked but pleased. “Very well. But you must know this is very sensitive information we are going to share.”
“Then why share it with me?” Mina asked. “Especially if you blame me for what happened to your son.”
Queen Maeve stilled her eyes, slowly closing them with barely hidden anger. “Even though I may not trust you, and despite what the Godmothers believe, we do care for our people. And you, child, can save not only your world but ours as well.”
“How exactly can I do that?”
King Lucian crossed his arms and spoke slowly. “We are chosen as the Fates, because we are the most powerful Fae. We marry into powerful lineages to protect our line.”