Jennet spent most of Ancient History class trying not to think about Tam sitting in the back row. It was no good. She couldn't shut off her awareness of him, any more than the moon could stop rotating around the earth.

Every time she glanced over her shoulder, she found he was looking at her, too. Finally Ms. Lewis noticed and asked her to stop fidgeting. Jennet let out a low breath.

No matter what Dad said, no matter the consequences, she and Tam couldn't stop seeing each other. There was way too much at stake. The Bright King would twist human desires to his own ends. The Dark Queen would wreak havoc on the mortal world. She shivered, an icy chill settling in her bones.

How could she and Tam possibly stop them?

At lunch, she squared her shoulders and walked back to their usual table. She didn't think Dad would have spies at school, but it was a chance she'd have to take.

Marny gave her a solemn look from her place at the table - clearly she knew the basics.

"Hey," she said. "You better plan on sitting here, Fancy-girl. Or are all your friends off limits?"

Jennet set her tray down with a dull thunk. "I guess you heard I'm not supposed to see Tam."

"Last I checked, he's not here. Sit down." Marny took a bite of her sandwich. "Besides, you know we have to talk about what's going on. All three of us. At the same time. Now, sit."

Pressing her lips together, Jennet slid onto the bench across from Marny. She glimpsed Tam from the corner of her eye, coming toward the table. He paused, and Marny gave him a scowl that could curdle milk.

"Stop tweaking about this," she said, beckoning to him.

Tam stood there for a second, not meeting her eyes, then put his tray beside Marny's.

"Ok," the big girl said. "I hear Tam was caught at your house last night, Jennet. That was careless of you guys."

"It's not what you think," Tam said. "I wasn't even in her room."

"He had to come over," Jennet added. "Because of the game - he needed to get on the Full-D system in order to come into Feyland and get me out. Did he tell you that?"

Marny nodded, her bobbed black hair swinging around her shoulders. "And Roy was there, too?"

"Yeah," Tam said.

"Then where is he - still stuck in Feyland?"

"I haven't seen him today," Jennet said. "I don't think the Bright King injured him, but - "

"No such luck," Tam said. "He just walked into the cafeteria. And he's heading over here."

Jennet glanced up, relieved to see Roy safely back in the real world - though he didn't look happy about it. His clothes were rumpled, his hair messy and unstyled, and there were dark shadows beneath his eyes. The frown on his face deepened as he stalked up to the end of their table.

"Well, well." He folded his arms. "It's team Feyland. Planning to ruin any more lives today?"

Marny looked him up and down. "You look like hell, Roy, but ruined? I wouldn't take it that far."

"Oh, I'm ruined all right." Without asking, Roy sat down next to Jennet. She scooted away, putting several more inches between them.

He leaned forward, his words coming low and bitter. "Whatever you did at the Bright Court, you wrecked everything. I've spent the morning in detention, trying to explain why I've barely handed in any schoolwork. Everyone's looking at me like I've turned into a toad. I got in such severe trouble with my mom, she's taking my grav-car away. And it's all your fault." His hot, angry gaze slid over Jennet, then came to rest on Tam. "Especially you, Exie."

"Stop it." Jennet wanted to punch Roy, she was so mad. "You were the one who made the bargain with the Bright King. Did you really think it wouldn't come back to bite you?"

"Not like this." He pinned her with his furious brown eyes. "I had the most flawless deal going, ever."

"Yeah," Marny said, "At other people's expense. How's Keeli doing, by the way? Did you ever bother to visit your girlfriend when she was in the hospital?" Her mouth curled with distaste. "I can't believe I thought you were anything special, Roy Lassiter. You're so ordinary it hurts."

"Shut it!" His cry made the nearby students look over at their table. Hunching his shoulders, he glared at Marny. "Like you should talk about being ordinary, fat girl."

She bared her teeth at him in the semblance of a smile. "You said it yourself - I'm different. I'm the biggest girl in this school, and I own it. What do you own, rich boy? And I'm not talking about your fancy toys."

She'd cut right to the heart of him - Jennet could see it in his eyes. His anger was swamped for a second by a scared, desolate look.

Roy was as lost as any of them - probably even more so. At least she, Tam, and Marny had a clue about who they were.

"I know you're angry with us," Jennet said, "but what you were doing was wrong, Roy. Wrong at a really deep level. Can't you see that? Getting tangled up in Feyland never brings any good. Trust me - I know." Her experience with the Dark Court had been more serious than Roy could imagine.

Roy stood abruptly, not meeting any of their eyes. "Just leave me alone. Stay out of my way - and out of my life."

"Gladly," Tam said.

Jennet didn't say anything as Roy stalked away. The girls who used to flock to him stepped aside as he passed, and the other students rubbed their eyes, staring after him in a confused way. Without the faerie glamour, Roy Lassiter was back to being just a regular guy.

"Good riddance," Marny said, stabbing her fork into the pickle on her tray. "I'd be happy to never talk to him again."

Jennet watched as Roy ducked out of the cafeteria, all his cocky assurance gone. Brief sympathy twinged through her. She knew how it felt to be the new kid at school, and one of the rich outsiders, at that.

"Maybe," she said.

She had a feeling they weren't done with Roy Lassiter.

***

Jennet was dreaming - or was she? She stood in a meadow spangled with white flowers, the sky a clear blue dome above. The soft air of Feyland wrapped around her, scented with mint and lavender. She'd been here before. With Tam.

As if the thought summoned him, he appeared next to her. His brown hair was sleep-tousled, and instead of silver armor, he wore a black t-shirt and low-slung gray sweats. Her heart jolted with happiness. Sitting with him at lunch wasn't enough - it just made her ache inside even more.

"Jennet." He smiled and stepped forward, opening his arms.

She went into his embrace like a diver too-long submerged, breaking at last into the sweet, essential air. It was almost painful, the intensity of joy flowing through her. She hugged him hard, feeling the wiry muscles, the lean strength of him.

This was a dream - she wasn't responsible for her actions here. She tipped her face up to his. Without hesitation, he kissed her. This was more than the simple, soft kisses they had exchanged before. Fire sparked her nerves as their mouths molded desperately together.

She wanted to climb inside his skin and stay there with him, forever.

"Ahem." Someone coughed, discreetly, behind her.

It had to be Thomas. He was always a part of this dream, too.

Slowly, Jennet pulled back, though her lips begged to stay touching Tam's. She stared into his clear green eyes for a long moment, then turned to face her old friend. Tam slipped his arms around her, and she leaned against him with a sigh.

"Hello, Thomas," Tam said, his voice vibrating her back. He didn't sound surprised to see the bard, either.

Thomas made them a bow, his eyes sparkling. "Greetings, Tam and Jennet. Once more you are victorious within the Realm. And I am pleased to see you have at last reached an understanding."

Tam looked down at her with a crooked smile. "If only the rest of the world understood, we'd be fine."

"Oh, they will." Thomas's expression sobered. "There are more battles ahead, my friends - trials that will tax you to your very limits. Trust one another, and trust those who rally to your side."

Jennet swallowed, her happiness fading. "You have to tell us, Thomas - how can we keep Feyland from being released?"

He let out a deep breath. "You cannot, any more than you can hold back the water when the dam is fatally cracked."

"Then what can we do?" Tam's arms tightened around her. "The mortal world's about to be in serious trouble."

"The way will be revealed," Thomas said. "When it opens, you must take the path without hesitation, even if fear rises up to choke you."

Frustration blazed in her chest. "That's so not enough. Thomas, you have to help us. Tell us how - "

"Already I stretch the boundaries of what is allowed." The bard gave her a sorrowful look. "Do not ask more."

"Can't you at least tell us where we need to go?" Tam asked.

His eyes weary, Thomas shook his head.

"Aha!" a high voice cried. "He cannot - but I can."

"Puck!" Jennet scanned the meadow until she caught sight of the sprite leaping over the white flowers. He made a complete flip, then bowed jauntily at their feet.

"Are you supposed to be here?" Tam asked.

"I come and go throughout the Realms as I please," Puck said.

"Aye, causing mischief in your wake." Thomas gave the sprite a half-smile.

"Tis simply to give you more to sing about, Bard. You should be glad of it. But Bold Tamlin, you speak true - trouble is not far from your mortal world. There is only one place you may turn to for aid. A place deeper than the Realm of Faerie. A place where even I tread lightly."

Jennet's throat went dry, but she had to ask. "What place is that?"

Puck gave them a look - more serious than she had ever seen. "The Twilight Kingdom."

His words hung in the air, and the light dimmed as though clouds had covered the sun. Jennet was grateful for Tam's warm, solid presence at her back.

"How do we get there?" Tam asked.

"As I told you," Thomas said, "You will know the way when it opens before you."

"Why do you have to be so secretive?" Jennet wanted to shake him.

"He must," Puck said. "The allegiance he has sworn binds him. Now hurry, this place-between is fading. Kiss one another once more, 'ere the moment is over."

"Farewell," Thomas said, holding up his hand. "Stay true."

Then he was gone, and Puck as well, the sprite's laughter still chiming in the air. Jennet turned in Tam's arms. His lips were warm on hers, but fading, fading...

She was alone, on the edge of waking. A cold wind bent the meadow-grasses and the light took on a purplish hue.

She opened her eyes in the dimness of her own bedroom.

Everything was quiet, with the early-morning stillness that descended in the hour before dawn. The memory of Tam's kiss kept her warm, though the dark shadow of the future was rising quickly before them.

A future that led to a place she'd never heard of ...

The Twilight Kingdom.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

NOTE- Feyland: The Twilight Kingdom is not currently available on Wattpad. You may purchase it in ebook or print form at all online retailers. However! I will send you a free ebook copy if you email me at [email protected].

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Thank you for reading FEYLAND: THE BRIGHT COURT! If you enjoyed it, please consider helping other readers find this book:

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The final book in the trilogy, FEYLAND: THE TWILIGHT KINGDOM, is available in print and ebook at all online book retailers~

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Did you miss the first story? Feyland: The Dark Realm is here on Wattpad, and also available from all online retailers.

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