Fragile Eternity
Page 65

Downstairs, Keenan was waiting by the Thunderbird. They didnt take the car often, so she was a little surprised.
He seemed nervous. No questions yet.
Okay. She got in and watched the sky brighten as he drove them out of town toward farmlands shed been to on rare school field trips and even rarer photo excursions, when Grams could be convinced that she would follow the rules about the faeries. Back then, trips to dangerous expanses of iron-free nature were exceedingly rare. Now, it was safe. The crowds of faeries in the fields and among the trees werent a danger to her.
Keenan pulled into a gravel lot. A battered wooden sign, hand-painted and fading, proclaimed peg and johns orchard. On the other side of the vast and mostly empty parking lot stretched apple trees in long rows. As Aislinn looked, all she could see were branches and leaves and apples.
Shed never seen so many healthy trees. Even from this distance, she could see the ripening apples that clung to their strong branches.
When she got out of the car, he was already at her door.
This is it, the orchard where She wasnt sure she wanted to finish that sentence.
Keenan didnt hesitate to say the words, to put the weight of it out there in front of her. I brought one other person here, buthe took her hands in hisyoure the only one whos ever come knowing what it means to me. I thought we could have breakfast here.
Can we walk first? So I can see it. She felt shy. It wasnt a casual thing he was offering hernot that anything between them had ever been casual. This was his private space, though; bringing her here was a gift.
He let go of her hands and got a cooler out of the car. After taking her hand again, he led her across the uneven lot. The crunch of gravel under her feet seemed loud in the empty air between them.
At the edge of the lot was a patch of grass. A dark-haired girl wearing sunglasses sat on a chair behind a table covered in baskets. An old cash register sat on the table. She looked at Keenan suspiciously. Youre not usually back so soon.
My friend needed to come somewhere special, he said.
The girl rolled her eyes, but she motioned at the baskets. Go on.
Keenan gave her a blinding smile, but her dismissive look didnt alter. Aislinn found herself liking the girl for her instinctive mistrust. A pretty face didnt mean someone was harmless, and Keenan, for all his kindnesses, could be ruthless.
Aislinn let go of Keenans hand and took a basket from the table.
Come on. He led her under fruit-heavy branches, away from the world.All I need is a red cape. She felt childhood panics rise up for a moment: venturing into the woods where faeries lurked was never safe. Grams had taught her that. Little Red had found danger because she went away from the safety of steel.Hes my friend. Aislinn pushed aside her twinge of mistrust and looked at the apples hanging overhead.
Casually, as if it wasnt unusual, she took his hand again.
He said nothing. Neither did she. They walked hand in hand, wandering among trees hed nurtured even when Winter held dominion over the earth.
Finally, they stopped in a small clearing. He set the cooler down and released her hand. Here.
Okay. She sat in the grass under a tree and looked at him.
He sat beside her, near enough that it felt unnatural not to touch him. She shivered even though it was warm. The loss of his hand meant that the warmth that had been zinging between them had receded.
This was my haven for years when I needed a place that was just mine. He looked lost then; clouds flickered in his eyes. I remember when they were saplings. The mortals were so determined to make them thrive.
So you helped.
He nodded. Sometimes, things just need a little attention and time to grow. When she didnt reply, he added, I was thinking last night. About things. About what you said beforewhen I kissed you.
She tensed.
You said you wanted complete honesty. If were to be true friends, thats what we must do. He ran his fingers through the grass between them. Tiny wild violets sprouted. So here we are. Ask me anything.
Anything? She plucked at the grass beside her, enjoying the strength of it. The soil was healthy; the plants were strong. She could feel the web of tree roots under them. She thought about it, what he was offering. There werent many things she could think to ask, exceptTell me about Moira. You and Grams are the only ones I can ask.
She was beautiful, and she didnt like me. Many of the othersAlmostall of themhe grinnedwith a few exceptions, were pliable. They were eager to fall in love. She wasnt. He shrugged. I cared for each of them. I still do.
But?
I had to become what they wanted to help them love me. Sometimes that meant adopting the fashion of the day, their newest dances, poets, origamifinding out what they liked and learning about it.
Why not be yourself?
Sometimes I tried. With Don He stopped himself. She was different, but we were talking about your mother. Moira was clever. I knownow that she knew what I was, but at the time I didnt.
Did youI meanI know you seducedI mean, its She blushed brighter than the apples above them. Asking her friend, her king, her maybe-something-more if hed slept with her mother was weird by any standard.
No. I never slept with any of the Summer Girls when they were mortal. He looked away, obviously as uncomfortable with the topic as she was. Ive never slept with a mortal. I kissed some of thembut not her, not Moira. She treated me with contempt almost from the beginning. No amount of charm, no gift, no words, nothing I tried worked.