Luke's POV
No one spoke. Every one of us was crying, some trying to comfort each other. The Queen tried to comfort Sean. Something about the burst of light that came from his scream had awakened her. Surprisingly, she was fully aware of everything that had happened. She said it was like she was trapped in a tiny room just watching all these years.
I sat kneeling next to the flowers that had fallen when she vanished. I was afraid to even touch them, afraid that they too would disappear. I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned to see Kota and Nate standing over me. "Come on, Luke," Kota tried to convince me to move, but I just turned back to the flowers. "She's not coming back," he whispered, kneeling next to me.
"Don't say that," I muttered.
"Luke, please," he begged and tried to pull at my arm.
I pushed him back with all the strength I could muster, "Don't you fucking say that! She isn't gone, she can't be!" I screamed. My chest felt like it was exploding, I couldn't breathe, I couldn't see straight. I felt arms wrap around me and I began to sob uncontrollably.
"It's okay, brother, let it out," North whispered as he held me tight. I clung to him as if he was the only real thing left. "Scream, yell, hell, punch me, just don't hold it in, Luke."
I don't know how long we sat there like that. It wasn't until Gabe spoke that I became aware of my surroundings again. "Luke's right. This can't be over. I mean for fucks sake, we've all seen and done impossible things over the weeks and months." He held his hand to his chest, "I still fucking feel her."
"But the marks," Brandon said, his voice hoarse from crying.
"Gods dammit, I know!" Gabe snapped, "but I can still fucking feel her soul, can't any of you?" He glared at all of us. "Kota, what about Cade - can you still feel your claim?"
Kota closed his eyes for a moment, and when they opened, Cade's amber ones shone through. "The mage is right. Something is still there, but I don't understand it," Cade's voice spoke. After a few moments, we could see his wolf pull back as Kota's green eyes shone through. "I'm so sorry Luke, I shouldn't have doubted you. We need help. Your Highness is there a library or any elders we might consult about our suspicions," he asked, turning towards Pixie's mom.
She blinked slowly, "I can take you to the library, but I'm not sure who to ask for help. The kingdoms have been corrupted for so long, and with Zura gone, my allies are few. Are there any on the council you still trust?" She stood throwing the cursed crown to the ground. Victor shot a bolt of flame at it, making her smile. Her body straightened as she smoothed her dress. "If he's right," she motioned to Gabe, "then we will need all the help we can gather. We will start with the library, then travel to the falls."
"What's the falls," Axel asked.
"It is a sacred place only our Priestesses travel to usually. While the Summerlands are all around us, it is a holy place where the veils thin and this is where the Morrigan crosses." She reached out to touch his hand. "Death to a Fae is not like death to most creatures. Our very land is alive. The flowers you see are a sign that Fairie reclaimed their bodies when their souls traveled to the Summerlands. Eveleen's destined one is correct that her soul is not gone. There is no true death in Fairie."
"Wait, are you saying Owen isn't really dead either? But how, he's human?" Sean gaped.
"I don't know, perhaps Fairie claimed him because he saved her and I both," the Queen mused.
"I don't understand how he saved her, Rion had already killed her." Victor shook his head in confusion.
"Her physical form, yes, but he still had her soul captive in the stone. Putting her soul in me would have been no different than placing it in a shade. She would have been forced to destroy my soul to make room for hers, then live inside my body facing whatever horrors he had in mind for her." The Queen shivered, wrapping her arms around herself as she spoke. "Not to mention, Erebus was still influencing the stone. Rion would have killed her once he forced her to give him an heir."
"But if he crushed the stone, did her soul still move on to the Summerlands?" Nate added.
"Yes, I'm sure of it. Her soul was only trapped as long as the stone remained intact. Once he destroyed it, she was released, similar to the way a genie releases from a bottle." North stood and pulled me up from the floor with him. We all looked at the flowers unsure what to do with them, but not wanting to just leave them. "My attendants will gather them. No matter what we find, we shall take them to the falls as an offering to the Morrigan for protection over them," she said, taking me by the arm.
She wrapped her arms around my shoulders as I leaned into her. "Thank you," I whispered.
"Of course, my son. We are family after all, aren't we," she gave me a smile and kissed my forehead. She tapped my forearm, "Your bond to my daughter makes you all my family. No matter what we discover, you will always be welcome in Fairie."
I felt a small weight lift in my heart. I knew deep down that I didn't think I could ever leave here. Even if Pixie is gone, this is where I would feel closest to her. With one last glance at the foxgloves, daisies, and daylilies that were littering the floor, we headed towards the palace library.
The library was a towering room with cathedral-like ceilings. "How do you reach all those books? I don't see ladders anywhere?" Marc asked, craning his neck upwards. He was right, the shelves had to be at least 12 feet or higher and there wasn't a ladder in sight.
The Queen's laughter sounded like music as she flew up to the top shelves. "Fairies don't need ladders, dear ones."
Raven chuckled, "Neither do I, feya matʹ." He lifted himself on a current of air to a high bookshelf with Corey tucked tight against him. I chuckled to myself, Raven floating was definitely something I never thought I'd see.
We all started looking for information, while Kota, Sean, Nate, and North reached out to the Council and our patrons. Of course, I knew Loki wouldn't answer. I knew we needed to find him and help him, but right now, we needed to figure out where Pixie and Owen really were and if we could bring them back.
Author's Notes: Not gonna lie, my inner villain contemplated not posting the entire weekend. Please comment, follow and vote, my lovelies!