“But you hate bargaining with the fey.”
“I know.” Tugging her forward, I slipped one arm around her waist, keeping my voice soft. “It’s not about me anymore. And I’m not going to be like Keirran and make deals that are too high, or promise something that will hurt others, especially you. But we do have to find Annwyl soon. And if bargaining with Leanansidhe will get us there faster, then I’m willing to do it. If the cost is something I can live with. Something we both can live with.”
“Okay.” She nodded slowly. “Just be careful, tough guy.”
“I will. And if you think I’m going to end up as a harp or something, just kick me.”
“I am not,” Leanansidhe said in an annoyed voice as we turned around, “going to turn you into a harp, Ethan Chase. One, I already have a substantial collection. Two, you would make a terrible harp, far too whiny and brooding. No elegance at all. But that is beside the point.” She straightened regally, staring down her nose at us. “Are you ready to hear my terms, darling?” she demanded. “Or should I not even bother wasting the breath, because we all know Ethan Chase does not bargain with faeries, and the price is going to be significant?”
I swallowed. Everything in me was telling me to refuse, but I forced myself to ask. “What’s the price?”
Leanansidhe smiled.
“One year,” the Dark Muse said in a low, eerie voice, “of your life, forfeited to me. All your ideas, all your dreams, fears, emotions, everything that you would have felt or experienced in those twelve months, will be mine.”
My insides turned themselves into a knot.
“One year?” Kenzie demanded behind me. “Just for using the trod? That’s a bit much, don’t you think? I gave you a month to get the Sight—why is it so high for Ethan?”
“Because, my darling,” Leanansidhe said, “and don’t take this the wrong way, but, you are not as important to the Nevernever as Ethan Chase. He is the Iron Queen’s brother. He is part of a prophecy. His blood ties him to all three courts of Faery. He is intricately bound to our world, and a life like his only happens once in a blue moon.” She shrugged. “Also, I’m still cranky about my Charles collection. Do you know how long it took me to gather all those humans? No, Ethan Chase.” She held up a finger. “One year of your life, no more, no less. Of course, you can still travel to the Deep Wyld via the normal route. It will only take you, oh...three weeks, Faery time? If you don’t run into trouble on the way.”
“A year of my life, huh?” I murmured. “And there’s nothing I can say or offer that would shorten that a bit?”
“Actually,” Leanansidhe purred, “there is.” Smiling, she regarded me over steepled fingers. “Your life is not the only one I am interested in. I’d be willing to split the cost with the other half who has caused me so much trouble. In fact, just for you, darling, I’ll let you completely off the hook...if you promise me a year of the prince’s life instead.”
Kenzie gasped. “Can you do that?” she blurted, staring at us wide-eyed. “Promise away a year of someone else’s life? Even if they don’t agree to it themselves?”
“Normally, I can’t, darling,” Leanansidhe said. “But this is a special case. You see—” she gestured in my direction “—Ethan and the prince are tied together by more than blood. They are two halves of a prophecy, and that makes them, and this situation, unique. Keirran has already taken Ethan’s life. Therefore, Ethan could tip the scales and take a portion of the prince’s life in return. If he wanted to.”
“But...Keirran is part fey,” Kenzie said, furrowing her brow as she tried to understand. “Technically, he’s immortal. How do you shorten the lifespan of something that can’t die?”
“All faeries can die, my darling,” Leanansidhe said. “They just don’t wither and die of old age like you mortals. But you are a clever girl to remember that.” She sounded begrudgingly impressed and annoyed at the same time. “I wouldn’t be shortening the prince’s life so much as taking a portion of it away. A year’s worth of dreams, emotions, glamour, happiness, everything that he would hold dear.”
“What would that do to him?” Kenzie asked.
“Who knows, dove?” Leanansidhe shrugged. “I’ve not made this type of bargain before, not with a faery recipient. All my dealings have been with mortals. Perhaps the prince will shrivel, become a shade of his former self for a while. Perhaps he will spend a year out of sorts, knowing something is missing, but unable to put his finger on what. It doesn’t really matter, though, does it? The Iron Prince is your enemy now, the enemy of all true fey. Who cares what this will do to him?” She turned back to me expectantly. “So, what say you, Ethan Chase? You can take your revenge on Keirran right here. Take your vengeance for his betrayal, for killing you, his own family member, to save the Forgotten.” At my hesitation, her voice became low and cajoling. “It’s only fair, wouldn’t you agree, darling?” she crooned. “‘An eye for an eye,’ isn’t that one of your human sayings? Don’t you think that Keirran should be punished for all the pain he’s caused?”
“Yeah, but...” I scrubbed a hand over my head, thinking. Truthfully, and I might’ve been a rotten human being for admitting it, the offer sounded pretty tempting. Keirran had hurt so many people. Not just me, but Kenzie, Meghan, Ash, Annwyl, my parents, Razor, Guro, everyone in the Mag Tuiredh, the list went on. And in siding with the Forgotten Queen, he was endangering a hell of a lot more. I wanted him to pay. I wanted him to know the consequences of his actions, and that I wasn’t just going to roll over and accept that he’d tried to kill me. I wasn’t okay with that, dammit. Just because he didn’t have a soul anymore didn’t mean I could excuse all the crap he’d put us through.