Chapters 23-25 (Karolina)

Chapter 23

Characters
Aislinn
Donia

Aislinn confronts Donia – who claims that she is in the same situation that Aislinn is in, a ‘pawn’ not a king or a queen. Donia agrees to help her, and bestows a crimson bustier on her, and outlines her choices for her. She encourages Aislinn to challenge Keenan, to call him out and be assertive before he comes to her. If she acts as if she has some type of choice, then she may have power where the other summer fey do not. Aislinn asks if there is another way- and Donia states that she could become like her, and shows her herself. As frost forms where Donia is touching her skin- Aislinn admits that she wants neither, even though the summer faeries ‘want for nothing’. There is a third choice- a test, of Keenan’s choosing. One girl did avoid making a choice- which ended in her death.

Chapter 24

Characters
guards
winter fey
Summer girls
Niall
Tavish
Aislinn
Keenan
Donia (mentioned)
Beira

Keenan is at the Rath with Tavish, Niall and the other fey when Aislinn calls him and says she wants to meet and talk. Aislinn waits for Keenan outside, taking Donia’s advice on being assertive. She tells the security guards who she is, and waits. As she waits , she tries to talk to the guard – only to be told she is ‘off limits’ and that he could be beaten for touching her. He also tells her that Keenan is only one player in this ‘game’ – and the prize is control, power, and Aislinn. Aislinn finally approaches Keenan – and he can see straight away that she is there to fight him. He drops his glamour – imploring her to understand that he needs her. He suggests that she is the only thing that can save him, and the other faeries – and that she has to accept him, and be with him for faeries to exist. Aislinn adamantly argues that she does not want to be like Donia – or the summer girls, and that she does not love or want or even like Keenan. However, she does not completely reject Keenan, either. She argues that she does not want to die for the fey, as all her life she has observed them toying with mortals. Keenan states that she could change that, and rule over the fey as their Queen. Aislinn ponders going to the winter queen for assistance, but Keenan pales and tells her that the winter queen can not know of any of this. He suggests coffee and they go.

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