Evelyn raised her hand to the queen's door but saw it had been left ajar. Instead of knocking to announce her presence, she slowly pushed it inward and peered inside. Siobhan sat at her vanity, a bristled brush clutched in her hands. Her head was bent, and Evelyn could see from her reflection that she seemed to be lost in thought.

"Is it true?" Evelyn asked, entering the room.

The faery queen raised her eyes to meet Evelyn's gaze in the mirror. "Speak your words plainly," she replied. "Otherwise, leave me in peace."

Evelyn collected her nerve. "Is it true that Maura's father is here? That he is . . ." Her words trailed off.

The queen did not respond immediately, and at first, Evelyn thought she meant not to. "Brendan," she said at last, his name but a whisper on her tongue. "Yes. He is here."

"You have been hiding him," Evelyn said. "Keeping him secreted away. For more than a year."

The queen turned on the stool, her expression hardening. "Do you judge my actions?"

Evelyn lowered her eyes and curtsied. "No, my queen. Never. I am only trying to understand them."

Siobhan raised the brush to her head, and for several seconds there was nothing between them but the rhythmic sound of hair being smoothed into place. She remained silent as she plaited her hair, winding it on top of her head, but Evelyn noticed the crease between her brow.

"He owed me a debt," she said when she was done. "Honestly, Evelyn. I thought you would have figured it out before now."

"Figured it out?"

Her answering sigh was explosive. "That Maura is Brendan's daughter. That she is the debt."

Evelyn's face burned with embarrassment. "There have been so many girls, my queen, especially lately. Maura was but a child when I last saw her, and that encounter was fleeting."

The queen snorted, as though she didn't believe Evelyn's words.

"Luke discovered who Maura's father is. He did not recognize her, either. But he found a picture of them together, and—"

Siobhan's face changed in an instant and she slammed her palm on the vanity. "Is that why he is protecting her?! Because he discovered who she is?"

Evelyn wasn't sure what the correct answer was. "P-protecting her?" she said, stumbling over her words.

"Get out."

"My queen?"

"Get out, you silly girl! Leave me." She cradled her head in her hands. "I am so very tired and need my rest."

Evelyn hurried from the queen's chamber, her heart pounding in her chest and her eyes shimmering with tears.

**********

Siobhan knew she was dreaming. She was young again and human. And madly in love with the boy called Brendan.

Brendan, with hair like fire and eyes a tempestuous sea, whose tide she was powerless to resist. It washed over her, capsizing her and pulling her under.

Drowning her.

Siobhan's eyes fluttered open, though she could still feel the ebb and flow of churning water. And desire.

Had she been destined to venture down this path all along? Was she no more than a cog in something much larger than even she could comprehend or imagine? Composure slipping, she raised her hand to her mouth, stifling a sudden cry. She had wondered all of this before. It was enough to drive one mad.

"Evelyn?" Siobhan called out. Her head ached terribly. She knew there was nothing the girl could do for her—not really—but her presence was comforting nonetheless. "Evelyn?" she called again, but her voice was strained with pain, weak and nearly inaudible. Evelyn did not answer. She did not come.

A sob did escape this time. "Have you abandoned me, as well?" she whispered, even though she was the one who had sent the girl away. She was probably in the mortal realm minding her son, as well as the girl. Still, who would tend to her now in her time of desperate need?

Siobhan clenched her fists and gnashed her teeth, angry at herself. "Stop," she commanded. "You are Queen." She inhaled deeply through her nose and exhaled through her mouth as memories from many lifetimes ago assailed her.

The former queen had had a soft heart, yielding to Brendan's pleas to spare Siobhan's life when he'd been tasked to collect her essence. "I love her," he had said. "Truly. Please, do not take her from me." The queen had acquiesced to his wishes.

Siobhan had lived in their world among the fay, and quite happily, too, hardly missing her human life or family. So in love was she! But her happiness did not last forever. She was human, after all, and Brendan was immortal. As she aged, he stayed the same beautiful boy he was when they first met. He swore it did not matter, promised her that his love for her would never diminish. But the more she aged, the more his attention waned until they were nearly strangers altogether. She could have asked to be returned to the human realm, but she did not. There was nothing left there for her. It had become a foreign land full of foreign people.

And then, one day, she was Queen herself, immortal and with Brendan by her side once again, though their relationship remained maddeningly platonic. She knew full well what he was about when she sent him to collect the essences of young girls, how he played upon their naiveté and wooed them until they were helpless to resist. The illusion of true love was powerful and persuasive. She held her breath every time he returned to her, dreading the confession that one of those girls had stolen his heart, as she had done his, once upon a time.

He did come to her one day, but not with an admission of love. "My queen," he said. "You must let me go."

By then, she had lost count of how many years had gone by. "As you have let me go?" she said.

Brendan was steadfast. "I want to leave The Otherworld and live as a mortal in the human realm."

Siobhan's cheeks burned and she became suddenly very aware of her handmaiden Evelyn standing at her right, ever-present and faithful. She had misinterpreted his words. She had thought he was asking her to let him go, to stop loving him. Despite everything, she could never do that.

"You wish to leave the kingdom," she said.

"I do."

"But this is your home, Brendan." Before he could reply, she asked, "Are you in love?"

He met her eyes directly. "I have been in love only once in my life."

Siobhan's heart soared! She wanted to reach out to Brendan, but propriety, as well as the girl's presence at her side, stayed her hand. What she wouldn't give to be alone. "Evelyn," she said. "Fetch my son."

Evelyn bobbed a curtsy. "Yes, my queen."

When it was just Siobhan and Brendan in the room, she finally let her guard down. "Do you remember when you loved me?"

Brendan blinked, his gaze softening. "I feel affection for you still, my queen."

She laughed and shook her head. "Affection, he says. My queen, he says. I was once Siobhan to you, a pretty girl who stole your heart." When he didn't say anything, she continued. "I understand, Brendan. Look at me. I am old enough now to be your mother. You are the same age as my son."

"Your son," Brendan answered with contempt. "You mean your pet."

Siobhan rose from her throne. "I mean my son!"

"You stole him from his family. I can still hear their wails in my mind!"

"He was mine to have!" She realized she was yelling then and clamped her mouth shut, running her hands down her dress and taking her seat once more. "I love him," she insisted. "He loves me."

A moment of silence passed, and then: "Will you permit me to leave, my queen?"

"I will," she said through her teeth.

Brendan's shoulders sagged with what seemed to be relief. He raised his chin and met her gaze, unwavering. "Will you grant me mortality?"

Sudden rage billowed inside her, and at that moment, she wanted nothing more than ravage him. "Why would you wish to be mortal?"

"I wish to be something other than what I am."

She exhaled forcefully, her patience waning. "I cannot grant you true mortality."

"But you are Queen," he said. "It is in your power to do so."

"Yes, I am. And yes, it is."

He stared at her, and she could see the moment understanding dawned on him. "I believe what you mean is that you won't grant me mortality, not that you cannot." When she gave no reply, he asked, "Why?"

The truth of the matter was, she did not know. Was it only that she wanted to cause him unhappiness, to deny him what he wanted? She stood. "Turn."

His brow furrowed, but he did as she said. She made her way toward him and placed her hand on the knotted leather cord holding the vial around his neck. She said the words that released him from duty and obligation.

"For every year you live in the human realm," she said, clutching the vial, "you will age but a fraction of that." Brendan whirled to face her, his mouth hard. She raised a brow. "Would you challenge me?"

Brendan blinked. He could not know how her heart was breaking. "I accept your terms," he said. "When may I leave?"

"Immediately, if you desire."

He turned from her then, striding away without another word. When he had reached the door, though, she called out to him. "You owe me a debt!"

Brendan froze, his entire body tensing. He knew what those words meant. "Did I mean nothing to you then?"

"No," Siobhan said. "You meant everything to me."

Brendan left without another word, and Siobhan collapsed onto her throne, still clutching his vial in her hand. He would return to her. One day, he would return.

"Mother?"

She raised her face to find Lucas coming toward her with Evelyn at his side. He looked so young, so . . . utterly human, even though she had granted him immortality long ago. "Brendan is gone," she said.

"Gone?"

"Let us not be sad," she added, forcing a smile she did not feel. "In the meantime, you will take his place."

"No!" Evelyn exclaimed.

Without warning, Siobhan struck Evelyn across her cheek, surprising everyone in the room, but most especially herself. She had never struck the girl before. "He belongs to me," Siobhan seethed.

Evelyn stood mute with her hand on her cheek, her eyes wide and shining.

"Mother," Lucas said. "Are you unwell?"

"Fetch me a spare vial from the cupboard," Siobhan said to Evelyn without apologizing. She made a shooing motion with her hand, sending the girl scampering off on her errand. Luke's eyes followed her retreat, and it was all Siobhan could do not to slap his cheek, as well. She loved him so much it sometimes caused her physical pain. To think that he could ever leave her . . .

His eyes met hers. "You want me to take Brendan's place," he said. "Why?"

"Because he is gone," she said. "And now all of our lives depend on you."

*****

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