And now I could remember all the black animals who had sat in the trees with me while I hunted guards. The chameleon that had pointed out the one who nearly got me. The little black fox that followed me home. And others—the blackbird I saw constantly. The crow that had cawed when guards were near. The black stag that had often watched me from afar. I’d forgotten them all within minutes of seeing them.
“I don’t understand,” I said weakly. “Why do I suddenly remember him?”
“When you first got here, there was an oath already etched into your chest.” Gillie nodded at my shirt. “You made a vow to him? Something that would make you forget?”
My breath caught. I remembered waking up after my death in the Carlin’s throne room. Lonan weeping at my feet, begging me to forgive him. I remembered sneering down at him even as tears streamed down my face. And vowing to him that I would forget him and everything we had.
“I d-did,” I got out shakily. “I vowed to forget him.”
“What were your exact words, Ash?” Nua said urgently.
My eyes darted as I tried to remember. I licked my lips. “I… I vowed to forget him and everything we had until—” My breath hitched, and I stared at Nua and Gillie. “I vowed to forget him until the day I died.”
There was a moment of silence. Then Nua’s face crumpled with grief, and Gillie’s black brows drew together in a pained frown.
“S-so I’m… going to die today,” I heard myself say in a flat voice. Emotionless, like my brain hadn’t processed it yet. “That’s why I remember him.”
“No,” Nua choked out, jerking forward and grabbing my shoulders. “Don’t go back to seelie, Ash. Don’t—If you stay here, maybe—”
“You know that’s not how it works, my love,” Gillie said in a low, solemn tone. “Events are already set in motion. If Ash remembers the prince, that means it is… There is no escaping it.”
“You don’t have to kill her,” Nua said desperately. “Just don’t go back—Don’t—”
“No,” I got out, quickly swiping at my eyes. “No. I’m going to do it.”
I fumbled with my satchel and pulled out the tiny glass jar. Gadleg’s deep green venom glistened inside, thick and viscous and coating the sides.
“I got it.”
To my surprise, Gillie let out a chuckle. “We know, lad. We knew you would.”
I stared at him. “How?”
“After you left, I took a little trip.” He shot me a wry grin. “Had some visions.”
My breath caught. “What—what did you see?”
“Nothing from your time on the island, but I saw you making your way across the fingerstones and nearly meeting your end. Then I saw you stumbling back onto the mainland’s shore, dripping wet and clutching that little jar in your fist.”
I managed a watery smile. “Told you I’d do it.”
“What was it like?” Nua asked in an awed voice. “The island.”
I sniffed and carefully set down the jar, then pulled off my satchel.
“Weird. The beach is—it’s all jewels. And the forest was… creepy. I could hear voices when I was in it. Gadleg is huge.” I let out a weak, humourless laugh. “I’d been expecting a big snake, but notthatbig.”
“How did you get it? Her venom?” Gillie asked. “I doubt she gives it freely.”
I shook my head. “I made a deal with her.”
Nua’s breath caught. “A deal? Ash, that’s so dangerous.”
I shrugged. “It was the only way to get it.”
They both watched me.
“What was the deal?” Gillie asked. “What did she want? Can you tell us?”