“By the way,” Keath added. “Nice place you have here. Must be nice to live in such extravagance.”Kaevin blinked again and glanced at the shining door, the silver walls and floors, the diamond studded roof, and the exquisite expensive furniture around his room, as if he was seeing them for the first time. “I hadn’t noticed,” he said with another small smile.Keath eyebrows flew up, but he knew it was the truth. After all, faeries couldn't lie.”

“Of course I care,” Keath said incredulously. “You’re a friend. Of course, friends don’t usually throw friends into trees.” Keath winced as he forced one of his ribs back into place so it could heal properly.”

“Why are you telling me this?” Kath protested, getting to her feet. Keath was telling her how to kill him.“I just need you to know.” Keath got to his feet too. He reached out and up his hands firmly on her shoulders, looking into her eyes. She wanted to look away but she couldn’t. There was something in Keath’s eyes. He was afraid of something, something he didn't want to tell her, as though he didn't want to scare her anymore.“I want to know that if it I need to be stopped,” Keath continued. “You will be able to stop me. Just promise me that you will, Kathleen.”

“Everything had to have a weakness. It was the balance of nature. Faeries, humans, they all had weakness. If he could control his weaknesses to make them nonexistent, then he was dangerous. He was probably the most dangerous creature in existence.”

“So what are you saying?” Keath asked, though it was clear he was dreading the answer.“I’m saying is that I don’t want to be a part of this. I want my life to stay the way it is, and that means I can’t be a friend of yours. I don’t want any part of the faerie world.”“That’s how normal people are supposed to react when they find out about all this,” Carlow said, looking pointedly at Kath and Katie, who just shrugged. They had never pretended to be normal.”

“Ash!” Keath said tightly. “Please don’t do this. Do you know how hard this is for me? Do you know what this is doing to me? It feels as if my heart is being cut to pieces, and you’re making it harder.”Ashley breathed in sharply and instantly stopped struggling. When he was sure she wasn't going to run again, Keath slowly released her. He didn't get off her though, and she didn't try to push him away. They just stared at each other, caught up in the same terror.”

“It won’t kill you, or him,” Raeshon replied, his voice slightly louder than usual. “It’s nothing physical.”“Physical I can handle,” Kaevin rasped in pain. “But this, this I don’t think I can.”Kath gasped as another wave of pain wracked through her heart and she fell onto her side.“It didn't know it would be this bad,” Raeshon said quietly, his posture tense. “I really didn't.”“I think you did,” Kaevin ground out. “And I think you didn't care.”