Memory's Wake Omnibus: The Complete Illustrated YA Fantasy Series (75 page)

Memory stood up and ducked a very small curtsey. “I think that’s about enough for this meeting. I still wish to help if I can, but assistance only comes with honesty. We can’t hope to help each other out with lies and secrets still hanging between us.”

She directed her words straight at Finvarra, but received only a vague grumble in return.

Memory waited at the door as the fae left the room, heading downstairs to the larger party. As Nyneve walked past at the end of the line, she touched Memory’s hand softly. Memory looked up and was struck by the deep black of her eyes, lined in bright silver eyelashes. The serpentine scales on her silver flesh seemed to form swirling patterns down her cheeks and neck.

Nyneve leaned close and whispered, “I still have hope the humans will be able to help the fae, too.”

She smiled a small, soft smile at Memory before following her father.

Will leaned on the wall, waiting for Memory to finish in her meeting. He felt far too visible standing in the open, well lit corridor like this. After so long in the woods, adjusting to life indoors again with other people was taking longer than he liked. Even being in a room just with Memory’s new friends all at once felt crowded and uncomfortable.

He could hear someone walking up behind him. The man’s scent, like soap and the spiciness of cloves, and soft fall of his feet, told Will instantly it was Roen.

“Are they done yet?”

Will listened, and heard Memory stand up and end the meeting. “Almost.”

Roen glanced sidelong at Will as they waited, his hands plunged deep into his pockets and shoulders pulled in. Eloryn had left Will and Roen together for a while once, but they hadn’t really talked. Will wondered just what Memory’s new friends thought of him. He knew he was different now, that his life with the fae had made him different, much like Aine’s consort, the human man Lugh, had been made different.

But he knew he had to make an effort to fit into this new life, for Memory. And he wanted to for himself as well. Deep inside, he knew it wasn’t long ago he’d all but given up on his own life. He was Mina’s and lost all hope that the girl he waited for would ever come back to him. But now she had, now Memory was in his life again, he wanted to take his life back, to make his own decisions again and see where that life could take him.

And while ever he still carried iron, Mina wouldn’t be able to do anything about it.

Memory walked out of the Round Room then and smiled at him, and his heart’s rhythm sped. Her rich purple hair was so at odds with the misty green formal gown she wore, but she looked so confident that it worked for her. In the past, her hair color and piercings always seemed to be a mask to hide behind. Now, she owned them. She was herself, and also someone new, someone better.

Memory bumped her shoulder against his as he stepped into place beside her and they continued with Eloryn and Roen down to the ball downstairs.

“How did it go?” Will asked.

“We all made it out of the room alive, so I’d call it a success,” Memory said.

A herald announced the entrance of the queen, princess, and their partners as they reached the grand ballroom, and Will tensed as the crowd paused to stare at them and applaud. Clara had helped him dress as formally as any of the other human men out in the room, but it didn’t help. If anything, the layers of shirt, overcoat, jacket and silky scarf left him feeling breathless, strangled.

Memory glanced at him. With a clearly fake yawn, she gestured to some seating in the corner, partially obscured by a draping curtain. “Want to sit down with me for a while? I’m exhausted from the fury hamster in my chest.”

Will crooked an eyebrow.

Memory gestured to her chest, her hand going round and round. “Like my insides are an insane angry rodent, running like crazy on its wheel of fury all day. So let’s grab a seat.”

Will glanced out at the crowd again, then nodded, his mouth gone dry.
So much for taking my life back. A room full of people and I feel like running away.
He followed Memory around the edges of the busy room, and noticed she kept looking back at him, checking he was okay. By the time they sat down he was smiling again.

Memory kicked her crystal encrusted slippers off and put her feet up on a chair. She wriggled toes covered in sheer lace stocking and slouched against the backrest.

Eloryn and Roen had gone together straight out onto the dance floor and were already spinning joyfully between the other dancers. Wide hooped skirts gusted and twirled to the rhythm of the chamber orchestra. In between the humans in their suits and silk gowns, sprites and other fae creatures did their own, less structured dances. Most were seelie fae. While the unseelie had been openly invited, few seemed to accept the invitation, although Memory did identify one banshee in the mix. Tiny pixies flittered above the crowd, creating streaks of light and glitter in their path. A group of sprites at human size danced together in a ring in the center of the room, shimmering like fireworks.

Memory watched Eloryn and Roen dancing with a deep, wistful expression. Will almost asked her if she’d like to dance, but panic rose in him again, followed by a deep self-loathing that he was too scared to be the fun and sociable partner Memory deserved.

The fae royalty had already arrived and been announced into the gathering, and Will watched as they took their seats on a raised side section, reserved for royalty, above the general crowd.

The party-goers who were not dancing were cooing and fawning over the children serving food at the event. Memory and Clara had arranged for Maeve and the orphans to learn how to waiter the event, as another chance to build some bridge between the nobles and the poor of Avall. Mostly the party guests just seemed to think the little outfits the children wore were cute.

“Look at him,” Memory said in a whisper just loud enough for Will to hear over the noise of the ball. She flicked her chin across the room at Finvarra, currently being served by the two redheaded orphan girls, Isa and her sister. “He’s looking at them like they are the food.”

While watching, someone else caught Will’s eye. He frowned. Mina stood across the way, just standing, glaring, and fuming at him.

He felt for the small iron tool he carried in his coat’s breast pocket, reassuring himself it was still there. Regardless, he doubted Mina would act out in a setting like this. The very fact she couldn’t seemed to be making her even angrier.

When Memory leaned across from her chair and put a hand on Will’s knee, laughing at a young man trying to hit on Clara, Mina stomped a foot and took a few steps toward him.

The midnight haired daughter of the unseelie king, Nyneve, interrupted Mina’s path. They seemed to exchange a few words, and with one last look at Will, Mina followed Nyneve away.

Memory was giving two thumbs up and a lewd grin to Clara across the room. She turned back to Will, gasping with laughter.

“Hey, do you want to…” Memory paused, a slight frown over her smile. She glanced at the dance floor, then again at Will. “You want to get out of here?”

Will bowed his head. “Yeah.”

Will and Memory talked long into the night, reminiscing and laughing at how strange it was that Memory now recalled their past more clearly than Will did. They dragged cushions and blankets out onto Memory’s balcony and sat there together, wrapped up in a huddle, watching the stars and a new, light fall of snow, until they fell asleep in each other’s arms.

Memory woke up in her bed the next morning. Inside her chest the fire of the stored magic still burned as usual, and a warm happiness sat beside it.

Looking around, she wondered where Will had gone. Since raiding Finvarra’s lair, Will had been nearly constantly by her side. It felt like that was how it should be, and even though she couldn’t see him now, Memory was confident that Will would be close by.

Smiling, Memory climbed out of bed, greeting Clara who had come to help her prepare for the day. She was meant to be meeting Eloryn, Roen, Maeve, and a handful of other people their age who stayed at the palace, for a brunch in the palace gardens. It had been Eloryn’s idea, in order to make some new friendships, to normalize their lives a little. Memory had invited Will, but he seemed reluctant. It was clear he still had trouble being in crowded situations, which made Memory sad for him, but she knew he would need time to adjust to the changes in his life. She was happy to give him as much time as he needed. He had waited so long for her, after all.

Memory dressed in one of her new outfits, which were much faster to get on without help than the gowns in her wardrobe. The tailor had managed to create a new pair of jeans for her, although the denim wasn’t really denim, but rather a soft canvas dyed gray-blue. She pulled them on. Over a collared cream shirt, she clipped a royal purple and cream striped corset closed then sat down to put on a little make up.

“Have you seen Will this morning?” Memory asked Clara.

Clara worked on brushing Memory’s hair and pinning it into a braided up do. She had bobby pins between her teeth as she said, “He’s already out in the grounds with the others.”

Memory jerked her head in surprise and Clara scolded her, taking out a few pins and redoing the section again.

“Will? My Will?” Memory asked.

“Yes,
your
Will.” Looking above her head in the dressing table mirror, Memory could see Clara smirking.

Memory tried to stand up, and Clara pushed her back onto the seat.

“Is my hair done?” Memory asked.

“Almost. What’s the hurry? You’re the one who slept in. Overcome with a sudden jealousy that
your
Will might be interacting with other people?” Clara was downright grinning now.

“No, just…”
Just what? Worried? Proud?
Or Jealous?
Memory wasn’t sure. She just knew she wanted to be there with Will. “Can I go?”

Memory stood up as Clara tried to hold her head still to slide in one last pin. “All done.”

“Ouch,” Memory grunted, then placed a quick kiss on Clara’s cheek. “Thanks, Clara.”

Memory was already dashing out of the room as Clara giggled. “You’re welcome.”

Pulse tapping in her throat, Memory ran all the way through the palace. Breathless, she dashed out into the private grounds at the back of the castle, near the hedge maze. The air was chilled and dry and made her throat ache. The sky was clear blue, and a light fall of snow remained from the night before, making topiary hedges and shrubs look like cakes dusted in icing.

On the large area of mosaic pebble paving, a long table had been brought out and spread with tiered food stands. A dozen people sat around it, including Eloryn. Maeve was standing aside with Erec who seemed to be on guard duty, but paying more attention to her. Memory also recognized Laudine and another girl from the finishing school.

They all watched a fast, dangerous looking swordfight taking place between Roen and Will. Everyone smiled and clapped when one of the two fighters made an impressive move.

Boys
, Memory thought.

Will hadn’t noticed her yet, and she watched quietly from the side of the yard.

A small hollowness of jealousy opened in Memory. She didn’t want or expect it, but seeing Will interacting with other people so openly brought it anyway. He had been something that was hers, just hers, and that was changing. Only a moment after, happiness filled that space, flowing into her like taking a deep breath. It rushed inside her with the realization that Will had stopped being
hers
, and started being
his
. Seeing him adjusting to his new life, embracing his new life, made Memory swallow back a happy sob.