And I’m supposed to be able to shade-walk.
I haven’t tried since the day Nine dragged me to Faerie and I had to let myself faint in order to travel back through the shadows. I spent most of my lonely nights at the Wilkes House playing with shadows, testing my control. I must have gotten pretty okay at it, since I managed to hide my body inside of them before he used that rock to find me.
Can I jump through the portal and get out of here without Dr. Gillespie and his interesting necklace following behind me?
Well, only one way to find out.
Before the doctor can move any closer, I rise up from my partial crouch, sidle a few steps down the alley, then turn and run toward the portal.
“Riley, no!”
With Dr. Gillespie’s furious shout a dying whisper behind me, I jump into the shadows, close my eyes, and hope like hell that I didn’t just screw things up even worse.
19
I land on a fluffy bed of grass. It’s soft and bouncy and, oh boy—
Blue
It’s blue.
Damn it.
Faerie. Of course I’ve landed in Faerie.
It was my biggest fear. It’s the reason why I kept from trying to shade-walk on my own, or while I was awake. I didn’t know what I was doing and, after the way I must have fallen into a trap the first time I shade-walked, it seemed inevitable that I would end up crossing over instead of popping out of another portal in the human realm.
Which is exactly what just happened.
I immediately hop back up, leaving my sunglasses and my cap on the ground where they fell. No time to retrieve them. I can’t protect myself if I’m flat on my belly or even on my hands and knees so it makes sense to get up first, worry about my disguise second.
Once I’m standing, my anxious hands flexing and twitching and trembling inside of my gloves, I spin around, hoping with everything I’ve got in me that I made it to the opposite side of Faerie.
Just not—
“Ah, crap,” I mutter.
The Fae Queen’s gardens. There’s no denying that’s where I am. The sky is the same dark magenta shade, mixed and swirled with clouds that are this deep golden color. Blue grass that’s soft and springy, and looks like cotton candy. And the trees… sparkling silver, dripping with icicles that are more crystal than ice.
I take a deep breath and choke on the oppressive air. It’s hot. Humid. A never-ending summer.
Now I’m pretty sure I know why. The Fae Queen rules all of Faerie, but she’s got the power of the Seelie behind her. Nine told me once that she keeps her domain in the Summer Court.
It would explain the heat, at least.
I’ve got to get out of here.
My heart in my throat, I shield my gaze with my hand, looking for some way out. I turn. Nothing. No shadows. No portals, either. No pockets. All I see are the glittering trees, the weirdo grass, and the sky that looks like sunset no matter what time of day it is.
“Not leaving so soon, I hope.”
At that sweet, soft female voice, I swivel back around.
And there she is.
She’s… I don’t want to say beautiful, because that doesn’t do her justice. Gorgeous? An understatement. Stunning is close, since I’m totally stunned as I stare up at her.
Like the best of the fae, she’s tall and slender, though she’s also got a set of curves that make my stick figure want to cry out in envy. Her long, flowy gown is molded to every line of her perfect body, accentuating her trim waist. The skirt reaches just past her calves, revealing bare feet. Despite the way she’s standing outdoors without any shoes on, her feet are as pristine and immaculate as every other inch of her.