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I fix aze on him "Do you have multiple identities? Or just multiple personalities?"

"There’s that twisted sense of huain" He pauses, but only to taunt me "I’m only half-fey, remember? I barely possess any of their power"

I roll randing the sleeve of my shirt "Out of everyone in your little ‘click’," he uses air quotes, "I’d think you’d be the most sympathetic to my situation The outcast that no one wants--or wanted in your case because you were lucky"

"I--I’ s so the right words, "drive s at my hair and I flinch back "What fun would it be if I didn’t?"

I start through the trees again "Can you please tell me what you know? Please?"

Heup with me "You know Helena is related to Annabella? That they are sisters?"

"And that Lucinda is their sister as well," I say, nodding

He bends a branch out of the path and I hurry through "Yes, but do you know about their rivalry?"

I waver uely I recently… paid a little visit to The Underworld where Lucinda revealed this little bit of info"

He creases his eyebrows "You paid a visit?"

"Paid a visit--was forced againstrow of crimson tulips "I don’t knohy you’re surprised Stuff like that and I go hand-in-hand"

"But they stole you," he says, watching me like a hawk "Without the ash?"

"I never said there wasn’t ash," I tell hi the truth because… well, because he’s hi antic faerie with diah the trees

"Keep walking and look straight ahead," Nicholas directs

I hold my breath and pick up the pace The Fey’sthe leaves and flowers into the ground like pancakes The h the end of the forest, into an open area bordered by tall shrubbery In the center, a stone water fountain dances water down into a pool It’s shaped like an angelic faerie, her head tipped down, thin wings ranging fro?" I breathe as I stare back into the forest

"It’s a faerie" Nicholas shrugs "I already told you we come in all different shapes and sizes"

I catch e of the fountain "So as--is the three Queens rivalry about?"

He joins ertips "Love"

My jaw drops as I stutter for words "H-huh?"

"What? You thought it was going to be sohs half-heartedly "Not this ti deeper"

I scratch at the star onof Alex "So how do I play a part in their love rivalry?"

"Because you are love," he says simply "You and that Keeper with the stupid hair…" He taps his finger on his lips "I forget his name"

I elbow him "Alex and I don’t represent love We’re just in love That’s all"

His eyes grow cold "Yes, but your little soul thing makes you a powerful representation of love"

"But you just said it wasn’t about power" I frown

He shakes his head "No, I said their rival with each other wasn’t about power, but now they’re all just pissed and want to take over the Human World Or at least Helena does"

"Why the Human World? What did the humans ever do to them?"

"We stole their love," he says "Or rather Alexander Avery did"

"Alex had nothing to do with this!" I shout "He--he would have told me"

Nicholas rolls his eyes "Not that Alex God, do you really think someone like him could charusted face "I sure hope not, especially Helena"

He stifles a sreat--well, I don’t knotirandfather frorandfather stole their love?" I think of the story Alex told to Lucinda and wonder if he knew already "From all three of the queens? How is that possible? He was a ainst immortal queens"