19. By the Spindle #2
Lorntre Hollow is at the heart of the Red Forest, where the Lorntre tree still stands, singed by the fire that put the Reds in power.
No one has reached the core of the kingdom in centuries and lived to tell the tale, but legend says dark souls nestle in its branches.
They say witches are always welcome at the Hollow Tree.
That our destiny lies in wait for us there.
The Reds call it propaganda from an evil spirit who wants fresh blood to shower its roots, but the Dark One gives us our power. He provides guidance. Even grants our wishes, sometimes.
“With enough manpower, we could reach the Hollow tree, sneak inside the castle grounds, and kill the Red Queen. We could reclaim our lands, Maxie,” Nick adds.
Ever since he was old enough to grow a beard, Nick has been obsessed with going back to Faerie and killing the ones responsible for our mother’s death. But he never just wanted to find her murderer—he wants to bring down the entire system. It all sounds too good to be true. Too simple.
“If we killed the Red Queen,” I say slowly, “another one would be crowned in her place. Just like last time.”
“Not if—” He breaks off, a wild spark flaring in his eyes.
“What?”
“According to Lysandra, the Red Circlet automatically passes to the one who kills the reigning queen if that person was born on Red soil. If that were to be a witch, they think it could break the curse that prevented the Hollow tree from healing after the fire. That it would give us back our full power.”
I see the light in his eyes. He says witch, but he wants it for himself. The crown that destroyed our forest, the magic that tore us apart—he wants to wield it. Taste it. Destroy it.
Gods help me, the terrifying part is that if any mortal could walk into a cursed woodland, sneak inside the Red Keep, and claim a Fae crown, it would be Nickolas Bloodsinger.
“I’m the only male ever to be born on Red soil that we know of. There must be a purpose for that. If I managed to kill the Red Queen and inherited her crown,” he continues, his voice low, “I think it would shake the Reds’ entire religion to its core. Unsurmountably so.”
Mabel has always loved Nickolas, yet she’s long been apprehensive about the destiny awaiting him. As a male, he’s an impossibility, something of a legend himself. Now I’m beginning to understand why she was so fearful of him ever returning to Faerie.
“But how could we kill a Fae Queen?”
The fire in his eyes flickers to life once more. “The spindle might be enough to buy us an end-all blade. If we find it.”
He looks radiant with purpose.
I’m worried and distracted.
An artifact is sealed somewhere in this very house. An artifact that could bring the dead back to life.
My heart pounds so violently I nearly miss whatever Nick says next. He’s dreaming of kingdoms and revolutions, his hands animated, his ambitions bigger than the room we stand in, but I’m only catching half of it. The other half of me is spiraling.
Fear sizzles through me—hot and impossible to hide. I don’t want my brother to fight to the death for a Fae crown. And I don’t want to get rid of a tool that might bring E back to life.
Nick notices my silence. He always does.
“You’re not listening,” he says.
“I am,” I lie.
“Barely.”
I exhale, rubbing my hands over my face. “It’s just…a lot. We shouldn’t decide anything until we get up in that attic and find the spindle. It might not even be up there.”
I’m lying to myself because I would become just as ruthless, just as power-hungry as Nick if it meant going home. I know exactly what I’d trade to stop running, to stop hiding, to walk back into Faerie and just be.
The whisper that maybe I belong somewhere, that maybe this fire in my soul isn’t meant to burn me to ashes—that I don’t have to snuff it out with special tea, a normal career, and mortal beliefs—worms its way into my brain.
Maybe, just maybe, this new power inside me could be beautiful.
The possibility steals the air from my lungs.
Is it so wicked of me to enjoy the company of death? If Nick is allowed to dream of tunnels and blades and Fae crowns, why couldn’t I lust for a chance to love someone who shouldn’t exist? Someone I should have never met?
Ambitions and longings have always lived side by side in this house.
Nick hungers for power, for justice, for a world remade.
My own desires are smaller, but no less dangerous.
Somewhere in all this chaos, there might be a version of reality where I’m allowed to exist exactly as I am, without apology, and that’s intoxicating.
Nick waves a hand in front of my face. “Earth to Max?”
I blink one too many times. “What?”
He pushes to his feet in one sudden motion. “I feel restless. We should find out if your ghost is as useful as you think he is and get him to burn those runes.”
My mouth goes dry. “Now?”
“That’s all I could think about on my way here. If your ghost can get us up there, I’ll tolerate his presence for the time being. We can do another séance to juice him up and be upstairs within the hour.”
Another séance in front of Nick… My cheeks flush. So far, all of them have been really intimate and confusing. I’m not sure I’m ready for my brother to see that.
“I figured you’d want to rest after traveling all day—there’s no rush.”
He shoots me a rogue smile. “Come on, Maxie. What are you afraid of?”
My jaw clenches, the childish instinct to stick my tongue out at him for his teasing rising in my chest. I’m not afraid. “Nothing. Let’s go.”