Though the drop was short, the landing made everything hurt again, and this time the pain lingered. He curled up on the ground, groaning, as his body underwent a flood of pins and needles and cramps and burns.
“Grady!” It was Kit’s voice. A second later his cousin threw a coat over his back.
The pain eased, at least partly, and Grady found he was shaking like a leaf, cold beyond endurance, naked in the snow. His skin was pale and soft and human again. Kit’s thick black winter coat was draped around him. He clutched it shut, staggered to his feet, and looked in horror and remorse at his cousin. Grady had stood by and done nothing while they tried to kill Kit and Livy.
“Oh my God,” Grady said. “Oh my God, I’m so sorry.”
Kit was bloodied, bruised, and dirty, but he beamed and clapped a hand on Grady’s shoulder. “Not your fault. It’s good to see you back.”
Around them the ring of fire still held off the furiously screaming goblins.
Next to them, Skye and Livy sat on their knees, locked in a tight hug, tears running down their cheeks. Skye was bare-legged and bundled in Livy’s mud-smeared coat, her hair a disheveled mess. Still beautiful.
Tears stung Grady’s eyes. His stomach churned. Everything he’d done with her, to her, all the things she’d never have wanted from him if it hadn’t been for magic…it was unforgivable. So many things he’d done in the past month just shouldn’t be forgiven.
The frog faery darted over, and addressed the goblins. “These humans have been returned to their rightful tribe, and your contract with this man’s bloodline has been broken, paid for in blood by these four.”
Livy and Skye rose. The four of them exchanged a bewildered glance. Paid for in blood?
“You have no right!” Redring yelled from the other side of the fire.
“We have every right,” the frog said. “Furthermore, your unjust actions against this tribe, and against all of ours numerous times, give us the right to take permanent action against you. Goblin tribe, you are disbanded and transformed, and shall never be goblin again.”
“You cannot!”
Redring’s howl was lost in a wave of whistling, sizzling, splashing, and cracking. Sparks and lightning flashed. Snow evaporated to steam. The ground rumbled and bits of earth and moss landed upon Grady and the others from some minor explosion nearby.
The ring of fire fluttered down and became a circle of magenta fireweed blossoms, which hopped away and vanished.
Grady, Kit, Skye, and Livy stood in a stunned cluster and watched the vanquished tribe get apportioned out to the four elements. Some became seals, jellyfish, or other swimming creatures; an impromptu stream formed from the snow’s meltwater, and they dove into it and splashed out of the forest in the direction of the Sound. Others took the shapes of mushrooms or gnomes, and burrowed into the ground and disappeared under beds of moss. Another quadrant flashed away as sparks and tiny dragons, leaving a whiff of smoke in the air. The rest became moths or birds or bats, and twirled into the sky on transparent wings.
The last to be turned was Flowerwatch. She cowered alone, trembling. The frog descended to almost ground level, and spoke to her kindly. “For your assistance, I am pleased to let you choose your tribe. I only regret I cannot any longer return you to humankind, for it has been too long and surely you would die.”
Flowerwatch nodded, stunned. “Then…air. Becoming a flying creature is one of my few joys. Thank you.”
The frog gave her a nod, and the white cloudy forms of air fae swirled around her and obscured her form. A second later, a new moth arose, pale blue and decorated with marks on its wings that reminded Grady of flowers. She and her new tribe soared upward into the dawn sky, and flickered out of sight.
A startled gasp from Skye drew Grady’s attention. She splayed her left hand in front of her. “My finger!”
Livy lifted her own hands. “Oh!”
Kit and Grady checked theirs out too.
“Well, shit.” Kit sounded shaken.
His ears ringing in shock, Grady stared at his right hand, on which his smallest finger was completely missing, as if it had never existed. He turned to compare with Kit’s: same deal. Livy and Skye stretched theirs out, the four of them in a huddle, hands in the center. Missing pinkies all around, healed and totally painless, just gone.
“Blood payment,” Livy said.
“Guess that counts,” Kit said.
“Left hand for me,” Skye said. “Right for the rest of you. Our dominant hands.”
“How are we going to explain this to our families?” Grady asked.
Skye met his gaze for a second. She had spoken freely, and her features looked mobile rather than spell-fettered—all of which was a dream come true. But she looked ill, probably mired in remorse and disgust, just as he was. That is, he was only disgusted at having had sex in front of the goblins, not at having had sex with her—never that, not even with the spell finally torn out of his head. What if she was disgusted at having been with him? God, she would hate him once she thought about everything for a few seconds. She should hate him.
Sure enough, her gaze slid down after a moment, and she looked more nauseated than before. He felt like he’d been quietly stabbed. He looked away.
“Your families will already know,” the frog said. Grady looked up, through his shivers and heartbreak, and focused on the golden creature. “It is part of the spell. It will be as if your fingers never existed, in everyone else’s memories.”
“Even in photos and things?” Livy asked.
“The spell should affect all records. Brave humans, you have done well. You are free of the goblins, as are we, and we thank you for helping us forge a path to them.”
“What happened to Redring?” Kit asked. “I didn’t see.”
“We sent her to the water fae,” the frog said. “It was merciful of us. Her mate was turned to water-nix, long ago, far away. There is always the chance she might yet find him. Even if she does not, her angry soul can be healed in the seas, and her vengefulness turned to better cause. Now we must return you to your tribe, as well.”
“Wait,” Livy said. “What if we need you again? Can I summon you?”
“You may try.” The frog flicked its wing. The four-element gold ring flew through the air from somewhere in the forest and bounced at Livy’s feet. She picked it up. “But we only answer if there is reason,” the frog added, “and I doubt you will have reason. Nonetheless, Olivia Darwen, our protection will always extend over you in thanks for your kindness to our home. It will extend over you all, so long as you keep showing our woods and waters such respect.”
They all nodded at once in agreement.
“I’m free?” Kit sounded stunned. “The liaison contract, it’s really gone?”
“You are free,” the frog said. “I am sure none of you will enter lightly into any agreement with the fae again.”
“Hell, no,” Skye said, speaking quite well for all of them.