Forever (An Unfortunate Fairy Tale 5)

Teague shifted into a black griffin as he turned toward Mina. This one had specks of white on the tips of his feathers, and his eyes stayed the same white as Teague’s. Mina climbed onto his back as he jumped from the tower and flew across the palace and over the lake. For hours they flew, watching as the Fae world reknit itself and became even more beautiful. It was everything she ever dreamed of.

When everything seemed to be in order, they flew back to the palace and alit on the steps. Mina slipped off, and Teague shifted back. He stood by her side as hundreds of Fae pressed close, crying out in tears of joy and thankfulness.

Teague’s face turned down, and she recognized his frustration. “What’s the matter?” she whispered.

“I’ve only just got you, and I’m not in the mood to share,” he grumbled as a Fae child ran up and hugged Mina around the waist. His frown turned to one of bewilderment as the same child, in turn, hugged him. He looked at a loss, and then his hand came down and gently patted the girl’s head. “She can see me, and she’s not scared of me.”

“I think people can see you if they don’t fear Death.”

The little girl whispered, “Thank you.”

At that moment, Teague must’ve appeared to others. They began to understand that it took two to save the world.

“All hail the Fates,” Adrith called out from the crowd. “King of Darkness, Queen of Light.”

“Alright!” Ever whooped.

Nix clapped eagerly. The Fae cheered on relentlessly, and the sound became deafening.

“Fate?” Mina asked as she looked to Teague.

He seemed a little confused. “What did you think I meant when I asked you to stay with me? It was a marriage proposal.” He shrugged. “So maybe it wasn’t the best one. Don’t worry, the title of Queen won’t come into effect until after the ceremony, but your fate’s already tied to mine. We became the Fates when we saved the Fae plane.”

“I guess I didn’t expect to marry a Fate worse than Death.”

Teague’s eyes lit up as he picked Mina up and twirled her around to the encore of the crowd’s cheers.

“I promise to love you forever,” Teague said when he put her back down on the ground. He reached down and kissed her knuckles.

Mina smiled and spoke softly, “Forever isn’t long enough.”

>She reached out to hand the whistle to Mina, but Annalora grabbed one of Ferah’s own daggers from her bandolier and stabbed the girl.

Ferah’s eyes fluttered in disbelief. The whistle fell from her limp fingers followed by a trickle of blood. It dropped and bounced on the floor.

“No!” Mina let the fury she had been holding back burst forth.

The room erupted into a ball of light, and Annalora backed up, her arms in front of her face. Mina turned her anger on Annalora and did as Teague had done centuries ago. She blasted the girl through the glass tower window.

Annalora screamed, and then silence followed.

Ferah lay on the ground, unable to speak. She held up her hand, and Mina rushed to her side and grasped it between her own.

“I’m so sorry,” she said in a pained whisper, “for betraying you over and over. Even in the Godmother’s Guild, I tried to drown you. I never had enough faith. I’m sorry.” She let out one last breath, and her head fell to the side.

“Teague,” Mina screamed, but he didn’t appear. She searched the floor in a blur of tears and picked up the bone whistle. She snapped it in two and threw it across the floor. Within seconds, he appeared by her side.

“Do something!” she begged.

“I can’t, my love,” Teague soothed. “Her soul has already passed to the In Between. I can meet her there and help her pass over and not be lost, but that is all.”

Mina rocked back onto her heels and wiped at her eyes. Another earthquake erupted, and the jagged shards of remaining glass rained down beside them in colored pieces.

Teague helped her up. He led her to the empty windows, and they watched as the two yellow suns began to turn dark.

“What are we going to do?”

He reached for her hand, and she looked up into his white eyes. “We save our world.”