Lilywhite said nothing.
Creed walked out of her bedroom and said, “I prefer Abernathy Commandment #17: Love is a risk, so if you embark upon it, do it with no reservations. Never halfway.” He clamped a hand on Zephyr’s shoulder. “No bargains. No compromises. If we all stick together, maybe we can have a future we want.”
“I’m not attacking humans, Zeph. I’m not giving up Lily either. We just need a plan. Either we work to put Lily on the throne or—”
“I don’t want the throne,” Lilywhite interjected.
“Fine,” Creed continued with a shrug. “Then we try to reason with the queen. Her granddaughter is alive. She has a grandson.” Creed nodded at him. “There are no reasons to keep on this path of war with humanity. With Rhys and Eilidh on our side, we stand a chance at being done with the things she wants of us.”
For a glimmer of a moment, Zephyr considered it. He wanted to believe the pretty fantasies Creed and Lilywhite spun. Reality was different.
“I won’t be a part of any treason, Creed. Not even if my father is a part of it. I won’t tell our queen, but that’s the most I can offer you. If she orders me to wed Lilywhite, I will. If she orders me to die, I will.”
“And if she orders you to kill?” Creed prompted.
“I obey our queen,” Zephyr said.
“You’d kill us? The people you’ve been trying to protect?” Creed didn’t sound angry. His voice was twisted with challenge and doubt as he pushed harder. “Can you truly say that? Without lying, Zephyr, can you say you’d kill us?”
Alkamy looked up at him with nothing but trust in her eyes, and both Lilywhite and Creed stared at him expectantly. Then Alkamy said in a clear, strong voice, “I wouldn’t fight against the blade if you had to do it. I will stand at your side no matter what.”
He swallowed against words he wanted to say, promises he couldn’t make. Then he met Creed’s eyes and said, “I will obey our queen.”
thirty
LILY
Lily couldn’t say that she was surprised by Zephyr’s choices. She suspected he wasn’t truly surprised by hers. They’d both been raised to believe certain truths. For him, that meant unerring loyalty to the faery queen; for her, it meant that she would fight for her own beliefs and choices.
The unavoidable fact, though, was that she and Zephr were still at odds. The queen had ordered Zephyr to bring Lily to the Hidden Lands. She could run, of course, but doing so was sentencing the rest of the Sleepers to punishment. Going, on the other hand, meant that maybe she would be able to convince the queen that there was no need for war. She’d started it over her daughter’s death at sea, but Iana had survived. Lily was proof of that. Maybe the queen wasn’t as terrifying as everyone thought. Maybe the stories Lily’s mother had left behind were reason for hope.
“I’ll meet her,” Lily said. “I’ll come willingly to see her. I can’t make any promises beyond that, but . . . I will go with you to see her.”
Zephyr nodded. “Thank you.”
She said nothing. No matter how much Lily rationalized it, entering the Hidden Lands felt akin to entering a dragon’s lair. The primary difference, of course, was that the Queen of Blood and Rage was real—and far more vindictive than the dragons of lore.
“Alkamy can’t come,” Zephyr pronounced.
When Lily still said nothing, he added, “Roan and Will should stay here too.”
“So . . . just you, me, Creed, and Vi?” she asked.
“I’d rather leave Creed behind.”
“Not happening,” Creed said. “I wasn’t joking when I gave her my fealty, Zeph.”
“I didn’t think you were,” Zephyr said in a remarkably calm voice.
“Fealty to her outweighs any authority you might have over me.” Creed strolled over to Lily and wrapped his arms around her.
“Lily could order you to stay.”
“Nope,” Creed said, popping the p loudly. “Not if she’s walking into danger. You know better, Zephyr. She’s the heir, the true heir to the joint throne of the Seelie and Unseelie Courts. A knight charged with the safety of his liege puts her safety above any order—including her own.”
Lily stared at Creed, not sure she was ready—or ever would be ready—to think in terms of lieges or knights or anything of the sort.
“I’m not going to be Endellion’s heir,” she said quietly.
This time both boys frowned.
“You are the heir. It’s not an option to suddenly be something else,” Creed said. He exchanged a look with Zephyr, before saying, “Even if I hadn’t pledged myself to Lily, I’d be coming with you. She’s going to get herself into more trouble than I can even imagine if she says these sorts of things to the queen.”
“We’ll see.” Lily shrugged. “‘Abernathy Commandment #18: Better to die free than be controlled by anyone.’ I won’t let Endellion—or anyone else—rule my life.”
Neither boy commented. Instead, they went to Roan and Will’s room where the others all were and filled the rest of the Black Diamonds in on Lily’s plan to go to the Hidden Lands.
“I’m coming,” Violet interrupted quickly. “Kam and the boys should stay here.”
“I go where Zephyr says,” Alkamy said levelly, her gaze sweeping them as if daring anyone to object.
“Here,” Zephyr said. “I need you here where you’re safer.”
She nodded.
Roan and Will both shrugged. Will prompted, “Zeph? Lily?”
“I don’t want all of us there,” Lily started.
“But Vi can come,” Zephyr finished. “The queen has asked after her in the past. She stands a better chance of survival . . . I think.”
“I’m coming,” Violet repeated.
“You are,” Zephyr agreed. “The rest of you . . . stay here.”
His gaze darted to Creed, who simply smiled and shook his head. He’d already made his argument. Zephyr sighed, but didn’t press the issue.
No one else questioned the plan. Even though they’d seen Zephyr at his weakest now, they were still looking at him with the same faith Lily had seen since she’d met them. The difference was in how they watched her. Being the daughter of the missing heir made her even more special in their eyes. She saw it—and hated it—but she wasn’t going to allocate time to it today.
Decision made, the three of them followed Zephyr to the entrance he used to access the Hidden Lands. Lily had resolved not to let fear reign over her, but resolve only went so far when she was entering another world, especially one where she was going to have to face the most feared being in either world.
“Are you okay?” Creed asked softly as they stepped through a toadstool ring.
“No.”
“Anything I can do?”
“No.” She reached out and took his hand. She needed the simple comfort of a touch, and Creed wouldn’t reject her.
They were barely a breath inside the Hidden Lands when Rhys’ voice drew their attention. “Lilywhite.”
“Uncle,” she greeted after a pause.
Rhys nodded, and then looked at Zephyr. “Son of mine.”