V took her hand. "I think we made him uncomfortable." He turned to the faeries and saluted them, eyes gleaming. "Thank you, thank you so much."

Noli's heart jumped. He thanked the faeries for saving her. The faeries chattered in response. She still couldn't understand them.

"Shall we?" He held out his hand to her and looked in the direction James had run.

"He misses her." Noli leaned her head on his shoulder as they wove through the hedge maze and returned to the big house. She'd missed V, and the idea that he'd worried when she'd been ill made happiness bubble inside her.

"James misses Charlotte so much." He put an arm around her waist as they walked.

"I miss her, too." A little piece of her had died that day. After all, it could have been her.

He squeezed her. "We all do."

"We're in the Otherworld, together. Does this mean your quest was over, were you successful?" The dirt under her bare feet felt sinfully delicious and part of her expected her mother to yell at her to put her shoes-or clothes-on at any moment.

"Yes, we were successful. May I tell you all about it as we eat? Are you hungry?"

Her belly rumbled in reply and she laughed. "That sounds perfect. Will you please explain to me how I got here? The last thing I remember was ... " She froze as she recalled the previous events. "Your uncle. Your uncle attacked me, and threatened me-and you, too."

Steven pulled her close. "You're safe, Noli. I won't let my uncle hurt you."

"I won't let him hurt you, either. Will you teach me to use magic to defend myself? And can we continue fencing lessons?" Anything to be able to protect herself-and those she loved.

"Of course." He took her hand and they resumed walking.

"But how? Mama went to Boston and you can't be with me." She sniffed at the thought. It wasn't as if she needed him, but after being without him, she knew that she liked being with him. It felt ... right. It always had.

"We could remain here for now." Steven wiped away her tear with his finger. "While we figure things out. If you wish. You might not be allowed to wear my sigil, but you're still mine. Remember when the queen gave you to me?"

"I'm not a marble, but yes, I remember. It's protection, right, and different from the sigil?" Noli never would understand that concept any more than she'd get used to V's name being Stiofan or him not actually having to wear gla.s.ses.

"Even the queen can't take that away from you, which means that we can still be together, if you still wish to be with me." He looked at her with bashful eyes. "I'll understand if you-"

Her lips captured his before he even had the chance to finishing, telling him with her kiss what words couldn't say.

When she broke it off, he grinned. "So, it's yes?"

"I suppose," she grinned. "I meant what I said. We're in this together. I'm not a marble."

He laughed. "But you'd make such a pretty marble." She shoved him. Steven laughed again. "Yes, we're in this together. I promise."

"I missed you so much, you fussy old bodger." She squeezed him tight.

He leaned in and kissed her. "I missed you, too, darling. I missed you, too."

Twenty-Two.

Where Do We Go From Here?

"Where do we go from here?" Still in her nightdress, Noli leaned against V on the settee on the library, their finished supper sitting on the low table. She loved eating in the library instead of at a proper table, so delightfully scandalous.

Steven and James filled Noli in on all their adventures and she'd told them about hers. She was glad to hear that Rahel was at home with her father. It galled her that Vix hadn't told her about James and V's arrival. Nevertheless, Vix had been the one to summon V when she'd needed him. The idea of Vix and James knowing about the Otherworld still seemed so strange.

It felt odd to be at big house without Charlotte and she kept expecting to see her cuddling James in the window seat.

"This artifact troubles me. I think we need to ask Quinn about it." Steven rubbed his chin. "I can't believe I've never heard about it."

The artifact. She needed to remember something about the artifact. "My valise! Do you know here it is?"

"It's in your room. Vix gave it to me when we took you from Boston," James replied, mouth partially full of food. "She said that everything you had on ship was inside. Why?"

"There are important things in it." She wasn't ready to mention that she had a piece of the artifact. However, perhaps checking on it would help her remember. The watch chain was also inside her valise and that was not important but gave her an excuse. "I'll be right back."

She dashed out of the library and found the valise sitting on her bed, well, Elise's bed. But she always used this as her room. Opening the latches, she fumbled inside until she discovered what she sought-the watch chain and the metal piece. Noli also pulled on one of her simpler gowns, since James was present. She tucked the metal piece away, glad it was safe, and ran her fingers through her hair, untangling it. Watch chain in hand, she returned to the library where James and V discussed whether or not Quinn would know anything about the artifact.

"James, I made this for you." She held the a.s.sembled, but unwrapped, watch chain out to James, twitching a little in apprehension. The sprite didn't interject, perhaps she remained asleep. Noli wouldn't mind if she never woke up.

"What it is?" James took it from her. "Certainly, it's quite nice. You made this?"

"It's a watch chain, made from Charlotte's hair-so she'll always be with you."

James stood and embraced her, eyes glistening. "This is this nicest gift ever."

"I'm so glad you liked it." Her heart leapt at the idea that it pleased him, since it had taken longer than she expected to make.

"I still think the idea of weaving a dead person's hair into something is odd," V replied, as he took another bite.

"Good thing it's not for you." Noli plopped down beside him on the settee, wiggling her still bare toes. "So, you want to visit Quinn?"

"He'd be the best person to speak to. Also, I should let my father know we're still alive." V looked less excited about that idea.

"If we're venturing into the mortal realm, could we send Mama and Jeff an aethergraph telling them I'm well?" Noli took a sip of tea. "I don't want them to worry."

V squeezed her hand. "That's an excellent idea."

"She'll want me to return to Boston." As much as she missed her mother, that's not what she wanted for herself.

"You don't have to go to Boston. Do you wish to rejoin Jeff and Vix?" V looked at her through veiled lashes. "I'll support you in whatever your decision may be."

Wait. For the first time in her life she could do whatever she desired. Not what her mother wanted. Not what Jeff wanted. Not even what V wanted. Her.

She kissed V so deeply that James cleared his throat in protest in the background.

"So, you'd like to return to the Vixen's Revenge? I think you're well suited to being a ship's engineer." V's cheeks pinked in embarra.s.sment.

She liked bashful V and b.u.mped him with her hip. "You are a fussy old bodger. Is staying here truly an option? It feels ... indecent."

It wasn't as if she could return to her home in Los Angeles-or walk right into a university and start tomorrow.

On the other hand, this would totally and utterly ruin her reputation. Oh, her grandfather would probably spin some tale about her being off, but still, they'd know, they'd disapprove. Even Jeff and Vix would probably disapprove.

The thought of such disapproval from her family hurt. At the same time, where else did her choices lay?

"It's just until we figure things out ... perhaps we should apply to the university together ... for next term. I think we're not too late." His fingers intertwined with hers, but she didn't completely relax.

"I like that idea," she replied. As much as he tried, V didn't quite fully understand mortal conventions-or why she clung to them. But if she didn't cling to them, that would be admitting she was no longer mortal and no longer wished to be so. That the queen had won.

Also, going to the university and becoming a botanist was still a goal.

"You two could just go to the university here." James rolled his eyes, still toying with the watch chain. "That's what the Academe is, right? A university?"

"There are universities here? I didn't know that." Noli looked at V for confirmation.

"A university," V confirmed. "The Academe is very different from universities in the mortal realm. We can look into it, if you'd like. I've wanted to use their libraries for research. I'd also like to travel to the cloisters and to visit their library."

"Cloisters, too, what sort?" There was so much she didn't know about this realm.

"Men and women who dedicate themselves to the Bright Lady. They have excellent records and libraries. If any information exists that would help return you to yourself if would be in one of those places." He touched his forehead to hers, sending little shivers up her spine.

James yawned, not bothering to hide it. "That sounds so boring."

V looked down his nose at his brother. "What? Dedicating your life to the Bright Lady or researching in the library?"

"Both." He threw his feet over the chair, food abandoned, as he continued to finger the watch chain.

Researching wasn't Noli's favorite thing, but if it would help return her to her old self she was willing to try.

"The plan is to return to the mortal realm, speak with Quinn, let your father know you're alive, let my mother and Jeff know I'm alive, then come back here and visit to the university here and the cloisters?" It wasn't as if she had anything else to do. "While we're there we could research the artifact as well." For some reason that seemed important, but she couldn't quite remember why. What was it she needed to recall about the artifact?

"Definitely. I'd like to know who Kyran is-and I still don't believe that Kevighn actually scattered the pieces in the mortal realm." V made a face of disgust.

"Will you stop?" Noli shoved him. "He said he would and I believe him."

V held his hands up in surrender. "Fine. I'll believe you until proven otherwise."

"We could go find him, if you'd like," Noli goaded, feeling the need to make V squirm a little. "I know where to leave word for him."

"You do?" V c.o.c.ked his head. "Why?"

"Because he told me." She met his eyes, daring him to say anything.

V sighed and pulled her closer. "I don't want to fight. No, we don't need to find him."

"Kevighn told me that if anyone could return me to my old self it would be Ciaran. Do you think that's true?" Noli writhed in her seat. Kevighn said a lot of things and sometimes it was hard to know what was truth, especially when she wanted it to be.

"Oh, I didn't think of that," James interjected from his chair.

"But that doesn't mean he would, or that his price would be something we'd be willing to pay. Ciaran is as dangerous as the high queen. More." V's lips pressed into a hard line.

Right. There would be a price, and if he was the dark king ...

"I don't know. That could be less scary than asking the Bright Lady herself-or the magic," James replied.

"You're barking mad," V retorted. He squeezed her shoulder. "We'll fix it. I promise."

She nodded in agreement. "Of course we will"

Somehow.

Noli lay in the bedroom she'd come to think of as hers. The b.u.t.terflies and flowers James had painted for Elise long ago danced across the walls. Ruffles and bows trimmed many a surface, though it didn't bother her. Usually she ended up sleeping in V's arms on the rare occasion they were able to stay the night in the Otherworld. This had become a room in which she'd stored things and got ready in.

As elated as she was that V had found a way for them to be together, there was still the fact that oath or no, Queen Tiana would never permit them to marry. Neither would Mr. Darrow.

She also felt torn. Where did she belong? This realm with him, since ultimately he'd become the rightful king of the earth court? Or the mortal realm with Jeff and her mother?

Confusion swirled around her and she sobbed into her pillow. Somehow she'd thought getting V back would remedy everything. Instead, it merely exposed a new set of problems.

She hadn't told V that she felt odd from either her illness, her experience in the tree, or both. That there was something she had to remember, but couldn't.

Thankfully, the sprite had been quiet, but Noli knew she still lurked in there someplace.

"Don't cry, darling. Please?" V whispered from the doorway.

"I'm not crying," she choked. He had enough to worry about.

"Come sleep in my room? I missed you." His shadowy figure entered the room.

"I missed you, as well." She sat up and peered at him through the darkness, wiping the tears from her eyes. "The queen will be angry, won't she, that we're still together? Your father, too." Her chest tightened. Mr. Darrow didn't have any power over her. Not anymore.

The queen, however ...

"I don't care. I nearly lost you." His voice broke as he approached the bed. "I don't think you understand what seeing you lying so still and small in that bed in Boston did to me. Now that I have you back, I'm not letting you go unless you tell me to. I'm sick of being told what to do- and she can't take you away without breaking her oath. If you wish to stay with me, be with me, then I won't allow them to keep us apart." He held out his hand to her.

She took it, his conviction giving her inner strength. "Queen Tiana scares me."

"She scares me as well. But we can't let fear rule our lives. Right?"