We were back with the resistance, and everyone wanted to know what happened. They'd already heard Crystal was dead, but what did that mean for them and their agenda?

They wanted details about how she died. Who was this human that was capable of doing what their warriors couldn't?

We were told Dahlia started running things the second Crystal was gone. She appeared to be totally unfazed by the loss of her Queen. Everyone was asking if she would be the next obstacle to the crown.

Questions were yelled from all directions, but I didn't care. I stopped listening. Ember sent someone to prepare a room for Clara that was big enough for all of us to sit. She knew we wouldn't leave her side.

Citrine saw how worried we were about our unconscious friend and handled explaining things. She promised to tell us if anything changed so we could focus on Clara.

We got her settled in the room, and Jolie cleaned all the fae blood from Clara's skin. We didn't find any injuries, and her breathing was normal. She just wouldn't wake up.

"She needs rest." Hedera sat back after looking her over again, "I believe she'll wake when she's ready."

There was nothing to do but wait. Jolie sat next to Clara and held her hand. Ash sat beside Jo as Tate and I leaned against the opposite wall. Hedera stayed in her spot near Clara's head, watching over her.

Tate set his chin on my shoulder and whispered, "We got her back. Try to relax." I nodded as his arms slid around my waist and a feeling of contentment took away some of my anxiety.

My eyes roamed Clara searching for changes, but she looked the same. Tall and toned with straight blonde hair that framed her sweet face. Even at rest, you could tell she was a caring person.

So what happened to her? She's one of my best friends. I've known her most of my life, and she felt like a stranger. I pictured her leaping toward Crystal and slicing that knife into her neck. "What the hell was that?"

"I don't know, but it wasn't Clara," Jolie sounded as confused as I felt.

Ash spoke quietly, "I could try to dream walk with her if you want me to."

Jolie gasped, and her eyes widened, "Yes! Do it." I nodded in agreement—anything to find out what was going on with her.

"I'm not sure what she's doing is the same as sleep, but I'll try." Ash let go of Jolie and stretched out next to Clara. He closed his eyes and became still.

We waited, and when he didn't move after a minute, Tate whispered, "He must be with her. If he couldn't connect, he would have opened his eyes by now."

Jolie gave me a hopeful nod, but no one made a sound. A minute later, Citrine stepped quietly into the room and seemed to understand instantly what was going on.

"Good," her voice was barely a whisper. "Everyone's been updated. We're trying to agree on what to do next. Dawn's checking on River to determine if he's well enough to see what's happening on their end."

"Thank you," Tate mouthed.

"I'll come back when there's a decision or if River can do something. Let us know if Ash finds anything useful."

Tate nodded, and Citrine left as quietly as she came.

A few minutes later, Clara smiled in her sleep. It was the first movement she'd made, and even that small action lifted a weight from my chest. I looked from her face to Jolie's and found her grinning at me with relief.

Seconds later, Ash opened his eyes, and we all leaned toward him, eager for information. He took a deep breath and sat up slowly.

"Did you talk to her? What did she say?" Jolie had both hands wrapped around his arm as she waited for him to answer.

"Her mind was foggy, but she tried her best to focus and answer my questions."

"Did she tell you why she attacked Crystal?" I asked. "Or how she was able to fight like that?"

"She was hoping none of it was real. She claims she saw what she was doing, and she could hear herself, but she had no control over it. She said it felt like a nightmare."

"Can we believe her?" Tate asked.

"I do. I think Lochlan was controlling her thoughts and actions somehow," Ash looked down. "Her emotions were in turmoil, but the confusion and disgust she felt were clear."

He rubbed his palm with his thumb and said, "Her hands were clean, but she kept trying to wipe them off, saying the blood was warm."

"What else did she remember?" Jolie clearly didn't want to think about that.

"The only time she felt peaceful was with Lochlan. She said he felt like a piece of her that had been missing. As though she needed him to breathe. That feeling is gone now."

Jolie cringed, "He had to be doing something to make her feel that way."

"And feel strongly enough that she was willing to threaten Mark with a knife." Tate was holding a grudge, but I wasn't. I reached for his hand, and he threaded his fingers through mine. He gave me a small smile, and I knew he'd be nice to Clara when she woke, for me.

Ash said, "When I asked if she remembered us trying to get her to leave Lochlan's home, she was ashamed. She remembers being livid and feeling like she needed to protect Lochlan and his home at any cost. A heavy sense of loss filled her when she asked if you hate her now."

"We don't," I shook my head. This wasn't her fault. I think I knew all along that wasn't our Clara.

"What did you tell her?" Jolie's voice was tight.

"I told her I could feel that you both love her. That we'd carried her someplace safe, and you cleaned the blood away. We're watching her sleep, and you're holding her hand waiting for her to wake up."

"Good," Jo nodded, making a tear roll down her cheek.

"Is she alright now?" I asked.

"I think she will be. Knowing you're here waiting settled her emotions and set her mind at ease. She smiled, and I felt her exhaustion taking over, so I left."

I was relieved, but we still had too many questions. "So she doesn't know what they're up to or why Lochlan brought her here?"

Ash shook his head, but Tate had an answer. "He brought her here to kill Crystal. Clara wouldn't have done that on her own."

"Why would he need her?" Jolie was skeptical, "She can't fight like that. He had to be controlling her. So why didn't he just do it himself?"

"Is that really a thing? Is there a gift that lets one of you control someone?" I asked and was answered with silence.

A few seconds later, Hedera gasped. "Think about it. Lochlan blocked Ash and River's gifts, Crystal seemed to be following his orders, and he was controlling Clara's thoughts, maybe even controlling her physically. Who has that much power?"

Ash scoffed, "No single fae can do all of that. Definitely not Lochlan."

Tate shook his head. "It can't be. He hasn't left Unseelie land in centuries."

"Maybe that's why Lochlan seemed to have the power, so no one would know he was here," Hedera replyed.

"King Slate," the words left Ash in a shocked breath.

"Wait," Jolie held her hand up. "Some King is using Lochlan to do all of this?"

Hedera's eyes widened, "It would explain everything. Crystal was listening to him because she was working with King Slate. The rumors that she spent those years with the Unseelie were true. She came back to get rid of Ember and steal the Seelie fae for the Unseelie King."

That seemed like a lot of work to me. "If he's such an all-powerful badass, why didn't he come get the crown himself? He could have killed Ember and taken the kingdom years ago."

"Taking the kingdom from a Queen we loved with outright force wouldn't have bred loyalty." Tate's voice trailed off as he leaned against the wall, lost in thought.

Jolie shook her head, "It still doesn't make sense. If Crystal's working for the King, and he's controlling Lochlan, and Lochlan's controlling Clara, why did Clara just kill Crystal?"

The room was quiet as we tried to make sense of it. Tate paced as he spoke, "We were told Ember was killed by humans. Now, Crystal was killed by a human in front of a crowd of witnesses."

Jolie looked up at Tate, "You think he made Clara kill Crystal just so he could blame humans?"

He nodded, "He wants us to need him. If the stories about Slate are true, he's done far worse for much less."

"He's always wanted both kingdoms as his own, to rule every fae. Our peaceful way of life and love for the human world is what separates us." Hedera looked sick, "If he makes everyone afraid, no one will stop him from sealing the last of the passages and keeping us on this side of the mist forever."

"We'll be at his mercy." Tate fisted his hands in his hair and took a deep breath, "The way Crystal ran things was nothing compared to the Unseelie way of life." His hands fell, and his eyes closed as he leaned his head back against the wall. This was the most nervous I'd ever seen him.

The idea that someone so powerful hated us was unsettling, but knowing this King was enough to scare Tate was terrifying. Thinking he could trap us here and torment the Seelie was sickening.

"No," Jolie's eyes filled with tears. I knew that look; she wasn't upset. She was pissed. "I'm so sick of the jerks that run things here! You guys have magic and gifts and long lives where you have everything you need. You can just choose to live happily. Why do so many of you still follow these hateful leaders?"

"Some are bored, some are scared, and you know some of us don't follow them," Tate sounded annoyed.

"I know you don't," Jolie squeezed her eyes shut. "I hate that crappy fae keep trying to ruin everything." She spoke through her teeth, "I'm frustrated and ready to hit someone."

Ash was watching her with concern. "Your anger is unusual, love."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean? Are you okay with King Jerkface closing things down and trapping everyone here?"

"Of course not. I mean, it's taking over your other emotions completely, and that never happens with you. Even when you're angry, I can usually feel that it comes from love. Right now, there's only anger."

"Well, maybe I've had enough of this shit!" her fist slammed into the ground beside her and buried itself wrist deep. Looking at her hand with surprise, she dusted the dirt away to inspect her fingers as we stared in open-mouthed shock.

Tate was the first to get over her outburst. "Or maybe the magic Flint gave you is getting stronger."

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