hadn’t been for the Jester. He is the reason I was able to escape from the White Tower. He is the reason that I am alive today. And I won’t leave him to die by Donegal’s hand. Not as long as there is breath in my body.”
The room was silent but for the distant sounds of the trains coming and going.
“There’s more to it than that, isn’t there?” Tiki spoke with a quiet surety. “You said the Jester had never pledged himself to a sovereign—never claimed a court. Why would he risk his life to help you?”
Rieker nodded, his face unreadable. “Tiki’s right. For once, Larkin, tell us all of it.”
Dain shifted to stand next to his brother, a frown furrowing his brow. Identical in height, together they were an intimidating presence. “Yes, Larkin, I’d like to know, too. We’ve risked our lives over and over for the Seelie Court, for the Macanna, for you. We’re about to do it again and battle a war that we all know we’ll be lucky to survive. We deserve to know whatever truth you’ve hidden from us.”
Larkin ’s gaze shifted from Tiki, to Rieker, to finally rest on Dain. She pressed her lips together and for a shocking moment Tiki thought she was trying not to cry. Instead of speaking, Larkin sank down onto one of the rickety chairs and put her face in her hands.
Tiki exchanged a glance with Rieker. This wa s a side of Larkin she’d never seen before. Was it an act? Or for once, was the faerie revealing a true emotion? And if so, what kind of secrets had she been keeping that would evoke such a response?
Dain spoke again. “I’ve always trusted you, Larkin. Now it’s time to trust me. To trust all of us. Tell the truth.”
The faerie lifted her head and pushed her golden hair away from her face. In that moment, her skin was like parchment and dark hollows carved the space beneath her cheekbones. She looks beaten, Tiki thought.
Larkin’s lips twisted in a bitter grin. “I suppose it is somehow suitable that we should return here to speak of this.” She looked around the room and her nose curled in disgust. “The hovel where I doomed Clara to live when I first left her for you to find.”
Tiki had to bite her tongue not to snap a retort that the child had been loved here, but Larkin continued.
“ The same place where you and William plotted against me. My hideaway when I escaped from Donegal.” Larkin let out a heavy sigh. “It’s been a long road. Such a long road.” She stared at the floor. When she spoke again it was as if she were talking to herself. “I never dreamed I might be the only one to survive.”
Tiki reached for Rieker’s hand and t hreaded her fingers through his, suddenly afraid of what was coming.
Larkin looked up. “But as Eridanus and Finn saw fit to hide all four of the Treasures in the mortal world, I suppose it is only fitting that you should learn the truth of their plan here as well.”
Dain sank cross-legged to the floor next to Larkin , his gaze never leaving her face. “Go on.”
Tiki t ugged on Rieker’s hand and they also sat on the floor, forming a half-circle around Larkin.
In a mercurial mood swing so typical of her, a fleeting smile lit Larkin’s face and she reached out to cup Dain’s chin. “As you listen, Dain,” she dropped her hand and touched Rieker’s cheek, “and William,” her gaze flitted to Tiki, “and Tara, you must always remember we believed it was up to us to change the future—” Larkin’s voice dropped to a whisper— “and to do that we gave up everything .”
Tiki’s stoma ch twisted and she fought the impulse to tell Larkin to stop . She had a terrible feeling she didn’t want to know what the faerie was about to reveal.
Larkin folded her hands together and rested them in her lap in a rare moment of repose. “There is so much to tell, I’m not sure where to begin, but I think the most important thing you should know, William and Dain, is that the Court Jester in the Palace of Mirrors is the man
The room was silent but for the distant sounds of the trains coming and going.
“There’s more to it than that, isn’t there?” Tiki spoke with a quiet surety. “You said the Jester had never pledged himself to a sovereign—never claimed a court. Why would he risk his life to help you?”
Rieker nodded, his face unreadable. “Tiki’s right. For once, Larkin, tell us all of it.”
Dain shifted to stand next to his brother, a frown furrowing his brow. Identical in height, together they were an intimidating presence. “Yes, Larkin, I’d like to know, too. We’ve risked our lives over and over for the Seelie Court, for the Macanna, for you. We’re about to do it again and battle a war that we all know we’ll be lucky to survive. We deserve to know whatever truth you’ve hidden from us.”
Larkin ’s gaze shifted from Tiki, to Rieker, to finally rest on Dain. She pressed her lips together and for a shocking moment Tiki thought she was trying not to cry. Instead of speaking, Larkin sank down onto one of the rickety chairs and put her face in her hands.
Tiki exchanged a glance with Rieker. This wa s a side of Larkin she’d never seen before. Was it an act? Or for once, was the faerie revealing a true emotion? And if so, what kind of secrets had she been keeping that would evoke such a response?
Dain spoke again. “I’ve always trusted you, Larkin. Now it’s time to trust me. To trust all of us. Tell the truth.”
The faerie lifted her head and pushed her golden hair away from her face. In that moment, her skin was like parchment and dark hollows carved the space beneath her cheekbones. She looks beaten, Tiki thought.
Larkin’s lips twisted in a bitter grin. “I suppose it is somehow suitable that we should return here to speak of this.” She looked around the room and her nose curled in disgust. “The hovel where I doomed Clara to live when I first left her for you to find.”
Tiki had to bite her tongue not to snap a retort that the child had been loved here, but Larkin continued.
“ The same place where you and William plotted against me. My hideaway when I escaped from Donegal.” Larkin let out a heavy sigh. “It’s been a long road. Such a long road.” She stared at the floor. When she spoke again it was as if she were talking to herself. “I never dreamed I might be the only one to survive.”
Tiki reached for Rieker’s hand and t hreaded her fingers through his, suddenly afraid of what was coming.
Larkin looked up. “But as Eridanus and Finn saw fit to hide all four of the Treasures in the mortal world, I suppose it is only fitting that you should learn the truth of their plan here as well.”
Dain sank cross-legged to the floor next to Larkin , his gaze never leaving her face. “Go on.”
Tiki t ugged on Rieker’s hand and they also sat on the floor, forming a half-circle around Larkin.
In a mercurial mood swing so typical of her, a fleeting smile lit Larkin’s face and she reached out to cup Dain’s chin. “As you listen, Dain,” she dropped her hand and touched Rieker’s cheek, “and William,” her gaze flitted to Tiki, “and Tara, you must always remember we believed it was up to us to change the future—” Larkin’s voice dropped to a whisper— “and to do that we gave up everything .”
Tiki’s stoma ch twisted and she fought the impulse to tell Larkin to stop . She had a terrible feeling she didn’t want to know what the faerie was about to reveal.
Larkin folded her hands together and rested them in her lap in a rare moment of repose. “There is so much to tell, I’m not sure where to begin, but I think the most important thing you should know, William and Dain, is that the Court Jester in the Palace of Mirrors is the man
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