“She shouldn’t because she’s getting a reputation for being ruthless. No one will want to ally themselves with her if they think she might go crazy and blow them up at a moment’s notice,” Beezle said.

“I have never done that,” I said. “I only blow up people who are mean to me first.”

“If Madeline is not ruthless, she will never survive, gargoyle,” Nathaniel said. “Her enemies have no mercy, and neither should she.”

“Well, then, if you want to be a monster like everyone else,” Beezle said.

“I don’t,” I said. “But I don’t want anyone thinking they can have a go at me—or my friends—without consequences.”

The air was getting colder, and as we got closer to the peak, snow began to blow. Nathaniel did not seem even remotely bothered by the weather, but after a few moments I was shivering. I was wearing nothing but the stupid leather pants and the flimsy sweater that Puck had given me. Even Nathaniel’s body heat wasn’t helping.

After a while the snowflakes became a blizzard, and we could barely see a few feet in front of us.

“Stay close!” I shouted to the others. I didn’t want to lose anyone in this mess.

Everyone clumped up so tight that it was difficult to fly. Wings tangled together; people bumped and snarled. Beezle climbed into my lap and huddled there with his wings over his head.

“There’s the top,” Nathaniel said.

I don’t know how he could see anything at all except snow, but since his hearing had been enhanced by the discovery of his legacy, it wasn’t that far-fetched to think his vision would be as well. At least we knew we were still heading in the right direction.

Samiel was a little ahead of the rest of us. Jude was a snow-covered length of fur on his shoulders. The snow swirled for a moment, and we could all see the gray wasteland that was the end of Titania’s kingdom a few feet in front of us.

Then Samiel seemed to smash into an invisible wall in midair, and fell to the ground. Luckily, the ground wasn’t very far away.

“Samiel!” Chloe and I both cried.

Nathaniel and the others flew down to the place where Samiel and Jude had landed in a snowbank beside a large cave opening. Jude shook the snow off his fur. Samiel sat up, rubbing his head. Chloe ran to his side.

“How many fingers?” she asked, holding up her hand.

Two, Samiel signed, looking sheepish, as we crowded around him. What happened?

Nathaniel placed me on my feet. Beezle climbed up to my shoulder and settled in. Nathaniel walked toward the sharp edge where the snow ended and the wasteland began. He reached toward the space, palm out. And was stopped.

“There is a wall here,” Nathaniel said.

“There, see, you aren’t a klutz,” Chloe soothed Samiel. “There was a wall there. What’s a wall doing there?”

“This is a faerie kingdom,” J.B. said. “You didn’t think it would be easy for us to leave, did you?”

“We were chased by a spriggan and a horde of harpies. You call that easy?” Chloe asked.

“Easy is a relative concept,” I said, thinking of the Maze and the Hob and all of the other horrible faerie things I’d encountered.

I joined Nathaniel by the wall, and J.B. followed me, standing on my other side.

“What do you think?” I asked. “Could we take it down with magic?”

“You could, I’m sure,” Beezle said. “Just make with the explodey-thing.”

“Possibly,” J.B. said. “But it would likely be difficult and draining, and there’s a very good chance that the wall will make sure that anyone who tries to destroy it will pay the price.”

“Maddy might just blast the whole thing into oblivion, including any booby traps,” Beezle said.

“And us, too?” J.B. said. “If she unleashes that much power at such a close range, it’s unlikely to be good for any of us. And there’s still no guarantee it would work.”

“What can we do, then?” I said, looking through to the wastes on the other side. They were so frustratingly close. “Tunnel under?”

Nathaniel shook his head. “It will be like this world is encased in a snow globe. If you tunnel under, you will still find the same barrier.”

“Well, there’s got to be a way out,” I said.

“Not necessarily,” J.B. said. “Usually when creatures come and go from this land, they have the power to transport themselves across dimensions, or are at the very least accompanied by someone who does.”

“I refuse to believe that we are going to be stuck in this godforsaken place because of a piece of glass,” I said.

I stared at the barrier, trying to will it to come down, and that was when I noticed it. There was a cave on the other side of the wall. I glanced back at the cave that was beside the place where Samiel had landed, and then to the other side again. The two openings were mirror images of each other.

“That’s the way out,” I said, pointing at the cave on the wasteland side.

J.B. followed my gaze, and then looked over at the cave on our side. He nodded. “You’re probably right. It’s got the feeling of a faerie solution.”

“That means that the cavern will be some kind of obstacle course or proving ground,” Nathaniel said.

“Of course,” I said. “Nothing is easy, especially when faeries are involved.”

“Hey,” J.B. said mildly.

“You’re only half-faerie,” I said. And nothing is ever easy with you, either, I thought, but I didn’t say it aloud.

We walked back to the others and explained what I had found.

I’m willing to try it, Samiel said.

“Sure, why not?” Chloe said. “It’s not like I’m claustrophobic or anything.”

“You’re claustrophobic and you work in that little room every day?” I asked.

“I have all the light I want in there,” Chloe said, her breath visible in the cold air. “That’s not going to be the case in here.”

We all paused at the mouth of the cave. A current of warmth came from the interior. It should have felt comforting, especially in the bitter cold, but it didn’t. It felt like standing near the mouth of a dragon that’s about to make you his dinner.

“This could be a trap,” J.B. said.

“I’ve already considered the possibility,” I said. “The only other option is to go back, and we know there’s nothing for us in that direction.”

“Heigh-ho, then,” Beezle said. “No time like the present.”

I stepped into the darkness.

13

AS SOON AS I STEPPED INSIDE I FELT SOMETHING inside me go black, like it was being smothered, and I realized it was my magic.

“Wait!” I said to the others, but they were already beside me. “Am I the only one who can’t access their powers?”

“No,” Nathaniel said, his voice grim.

His answer was echoed all around, Jude included.

“I’ve turned back into a human,” he growled.

The darkness was absolute, and the sounds of the wind howling outside had ceased as soon as we entered the cave. I could hear a drip of water, and the harsh breath of everyone else.

“Okay,” I said, thinking hard. “I’ve got my sword, and so does Nathaniel. Does anyone else have a weapon?”

“I’ve got the little knife, and some bobby pins in my pocket. Somewhere,” Chloe said.

“I’ll take that as a no,” I said. “We can’t make nightfire to see. And I bet we can’t get out of the cave now that we’ve gone in.”

“No,” Jude said. “I already checked.”

“So we’ve got to go forward,” I said.

Part of me had expected something like this. Faeries loved their games, and they didn’t like you to have advantages. It was more fun for them if you lost.

“I don’t want to lose anyone in the dark,” I said. “So everyone chain up. I’ll go in front, and Nathaniel in the back since we’re the only ones with weapons.”

“I will go in front,” Nathaniel said.

“Don’t try to be a man,” I said. “I can swing a sword just as easily as you can.”

“I’d prefer if Nathaniel went in front, too,” Beezle said. “I don’t want to be the first in line when some slavering monster appears out of the darkness.”

“Then go sit on Samiel’s shoulder,” I said. “Because I’m going first.”

“I would, if I could find Samiel,” Beezle said.

There was no way in hell I was letting anyone else take the fall. That had happened twice now. First Gabriel had taken the sword that was probably meant for me. And then J.B. had taken Titania’s abuse. No one was standing in front of me anymore, no matter how much it hurt their masculine pride.

“Madeline,” Nathaniel began.

“No,” I said. “You will trust me.”

“There’s no reason for…”

“There’s every reason,” I said, and my tone said that we were done discussing the matter.

I groped in the darkness for the hand of the person nearest me, and Jude was there.

“I’m right next to you, Agent,” he said to Chloe.

There was a rustling as everyone formed in a line. I drew my sword carefully and found that the darkness was not absolute. There was a very faint silver gleam as the blade was revealed.

“It would be helpful if you would light up like you did in the Maze,” I said to the sword.

Nothing. Not even an answering wiggle from the snake tattoo on my palm.

“Who are you talking to?” Jude asked.

“My sword,” I said.

“Don’t ask,” Beezle said. “You’ll just get an answer you don’t want to hear.”

I slid forward as quietly as I could, my hand slick with sweat in Jude’s grip. The others followed.