"So..." Calix shoved his hands in the pockets of his trousers and rocked back on his heels. "How do we do this?"

Jones pinned me with his deep brown eyes. "I can try to take you both the same way I brought you here, but I have a feeling if your mate is right, then it has to be your magic that moves you through realms for him to follow."

A hollow feeling expanded in my stomach. "I have shown no signs of magic."

"That doesn't matter. Changeling magic is different. You could be very weak in all forms of magic, but you will always have the ability to move between realms. It was an inherent part of being Fae before the Vow."

He trailed off, his body stiffening as his eyes went wide. "You bound yourself to the Coire."

"We already established that."

"Yes, but..." He cursed and rubbed his hand over his short hair. "I was told that binding yourself to the Coire would prevent you from crossing realms. It's why I have never done it."

Calix looked Jones up and down, his silver eyes gleaming with curiosity. "Is going back to the human realms worth denying yourself of the power you clearly possess? Binding yourself to the Coire would unleash it all."

"If I must choose between power and seeing my mother again, I will choose my mother every time."

I sucked in a sharp breath as Calix's lips turned down. Even without the bond, I would have known what he was thinking right now. That if he had the choice, he would take his mother over all the power in Faerie. As the pain in his expression faded, a glint of respect for Jones replaced it.

"Jones," I said, bringing his attention back to me. "What other Changeling has bound themselves to the Coire since the Vow occurred? How do we know it will block us from traveling?"

"None," he admitted, bringing one shoulder toward his ear. "But Eire said the Coire would bind us to Faerie, and that we would be bound to the Vow."

"Well, it was a good idea—"

"Or perhaps," I said, cutting off Calix with a glare, "she only told you that because she doesn't want you to come into your full power."

I didn't know enough about magic or being Fae yet to understand how Calix knew that Jones possessed great magic, especially if he had not undergone the change, but if Calix believed Jones was powerful, then he must be very powerful indeed. What threat would Jones pose to the Winter Court queen if he shed his human weakness?

It was a brilliant theory. One I needed to be true because I had to get back to the human realm. There were questions that only my father could answer.

"Luna has a point," Calix finally muttered. "You're more useful to Eira if she can control you, and the Winter Court is unique in how it chooses its rulers. If what I sense about you is right, you would could easily challenge her."

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

Jones huffed and rolled his eyes. "The Winter Court crown follows power, not blood, though often the two things coincide. While it's not unusual for noble families in Faerie to choose breeding partners based on magic, the Winter Court is meticulous. All births must be recorded, and Eira keeps a close eye on the babes as they grow."

"To off any of them that might depose her one day."

Jones shook his head. "Eira is cold. She isn't cruel."

"It doesn't matter," Calix responded. "As long as she's not at my throat or posing a threat to the Summer Court, I don't particularly care. She could be a tyrant or a teddy bear. Right now, we need to find out if she's a liar."

"Look, it's either going to work, or it isn't, right?"

"Right." He shook out his shoulders and arms. "Grab Calix's hand."

I nodded and did as I was told. Calix's fingers were warm and strong around mine. The gentle squeeze he gave them as we stood there brought a smile to my lips.

Jones bent down to check on Felius. The Fae remained unconscious, his chest moving in the steady rhythm of sleep. Satisfied that his lover was unharmed, Jones stood and paced before us.

"It's always easier to move from Faerie to the human realm. The magic here is so much stronger it kind of gives you an extra push. Once you do it a few times, it will become second nature, but it may take a few attempts the first few times."

He stopped in front of me. "Now, close your eyes and try to block out everything but the thudding of your heart. When its rhythm fills your ears, focus on the vibrations it creates around you."

"And then what?" I murmured, closing my eyes and centering myself. This felt a little too much like meditation, and I had always been terrible at that.

"The veil between our worlds is very thin. Almost imperceptible. But your connection to both worlds will allow you to see it. Every time your heart beats, it will move. Like the faintest ripple on a still pond. You'll reach for it and slip through."

Eyes tightly closed, I tried to do as Jones instructed, even as I fought against the absurdity of it all. Vibrations and heartbeats and reaching out with my mind...He spoke like it was a given that I understood how to do any of this, and the longer I stood there with my eyes shut, the louder the world around me got.

Focus on me. My heartbeats for you always, little moon.

Calix's voice echoed in my mind. It was as clear as if he had spoken directly in my ear, and the shock of hearing him like that nearly drove me to open my eyes.

Focus. You can do this.

Calm washed over me, and in moments, I could hear nothing but the beating of my heart, just as Jones had said. Except...There were two heartbeats. Mine and Calix's. In such perfect sync, it was hard to distinguish between the two.

Now push out.

Something bright sparked in my chest. A warm, golden light that traveled down my veins and made the two spots on my back itch. I ignored the novel sensation, searching for the surrounding vibrations, and just when I started to despair, I felt one. A ripple in the air.

Once. Twice. Three times it pulsed, and then I lunged for it. Calix cheered and squeezed my hand again, and like it had when Jones brought me to Faerie the last time, the world spun and flashed around us. There was no telling what was up or down, and every color imaginable burst behind my eyelids, nearly blinding me.

And then, all at once, it was over. I staggered and clutched my stomach. Thankfully, I held onto the contents of my stomach this time. Only after I was certain I wouldn't puke did I open my eyes.

"We did it!" I shouted, spying the familiar park benches. I spun around. "We did it, Calix! We d—"

This time, there was nothing magical about the way my world tilted off its axis. Because the space beside me was empty.