Donovan took me by the arm, supporting me. “Show them the goblet. Tell them we’re working together.”

“We are,” I panted to Chrissy. I pulled the goblet from my pocket and held it up.

Chrissy let out a squeal of happiness. Jade Blossom licked her lips. They both wanted it.

“The price has changed.” I had planned on saying this with confidence, firmness. Instead I just tried to get enough air in my lungs between words. “You have to send all of us back to our homes.”

Jade Blossom’s wings flared open, fast, haughty. “The arrogance of mortals. You don’t set the price—not when Queen Orlaith’s servants swarm the skies on their way to find you.” She turned her glare on Donovan. “You had skill and invisibility. How could you let this girl best you? How could you let her drag you into a hopeless partnership?”

Donovan stepped protectively closer to me, as though worried Jade Blossom might strike me.

Chrissy pressed her hands together in a clap of discovery. “How sweet. He’s fallen in love with her.”

Jade Blossom’s mouth fell open, and she let out an indignant cry. “Of all the underhanded tricks!”

Chrissy’s wings flapped happily. “Love trumps skill and invisibility. My mortal wins.”

Jade clenched her wand, anger making it tremble. I was afraid she was about to curse someone, but instead she let out a humph and disappeared. All that remained of her was a falling trail of green glitter where she’d stood.

“So,” Chrissy said in a cheerful tone that didn’t match our surroundings. “The good news is Jade Blossom doesn’t get the goblet. The bad news is I don’t have enough magic to send three of you to the twenty-first century.”

My heart stuttered. “What?”

She shrugged apologetically. “I did tell you I’m only a fairy godmother in training. I have restrictions on what I can grant mortals.”

The birds were coming. The rumble of their cries sounded from somewhere over the forest. Donovan pointed to the goblet. “We know how much your people want this cup. In order to get it, you have to send all of us back. That’s the deal.”

Chrissy returned his gaze steadily. “I’d help you out if I could. Really, it would be much easier to wave my wand than stand here and argue with you about it, especially when Queen Orlaith and her minions are about two minutes from reaching us.”

Jason nervously switched his weight from one foot to the other and searched the sky. “I don’t want to be a frog again.”

“Magic is being rationed,” Chrissy went on. “The trees are dying here, and they’re not doing so well in my land either. I had to cut corners on your wishes as it was.”

I knew it. If Queen Orlaith hadn’t been about to converge on us, I would have had a thing or two to say about that.

“There must be a way,” I said. “Borrow some magic. Call someone.”

“There’s not enough time.” Chrissy raised her wand, glimmers of magic running along its edges. “Choose who to take with you.”

Jason nearly pounced on me. “She’s taking me.” He gripped my arm. “You promised.”

I looked at Donovan, hoping he had another solution.

“Take us somewhere safe so Sadie can decide,” he said.

Chrissy shook her head. “Queen Orlaith already sealed off the area.” Her voice was as calm as if she was talking about some inconsequential weather front moving in. “I have enough magic to get myself and two other people out of here—preferably to send you to your final destinations.” She glanced at the sky over the forest. “You have about a minute and a half left to decide.”

Jason tugged on my arm. “You said you would get me home or die trying.”

I had promised, but I wanted to take Donovan. I had to. I stared at him and gulped.

“It’s okay,” he said. “Go. I’ll be fine.”

I saw our entire future slipping away. All of the things Donovan and I planned to do together when we got home. It was gone. “No,” I said.

“Yes.” Jason gripped my arm harder. “Listen to Donovan on this one.”

Donovan pointed a finger at Jason. “You’re not getting off that easy. You’ve got to promise you’ll do whatever she asks. You’ll help her with her singing career. You’ll let her open for your concerts. You’ll take her to prom.”

“Prom?” I interjected. Why would he think I wanted that? I hadn’t even wanted to dance with Jason at the midnight ball.

“It will cause a sensation,” Donovan explained. “The tabloids will love it. It will launch your career.”

“I promise,” Jason said, nearly yelling. “Now give the fairy the goblet.”

Donovan pulled the invisibility cloak up so it covered his shoulders. He smiled, his eyes locking on mine. “You’ve got the most beautiful voice I’ve ever heard. The world needs you. You’re going to have a great life.”

He was trying to make me feel better, but each word stabbed me with regret. I didn’t want to do what I knew I had to do. I couldn’t see another way, though. Only two of us could go.

Jason hung onto my arm like a human anchor, so I didn’t walk to Chrissy. I tossed her the goblet. Well, technically I threw it at her. After all, there’s a fine line between toss and throw.

She caught it easily enough, plucking it from the air before it smacked her in the stomach. “Who do you choose?” She examined the goblet, turning it eagerly over in her hands. The glow around her grew brighter and her wings lifted in excitement.

“Jason and Donovan go,” I said. “I stay.” It had to be that way. I couldn’t strand Donovan here. Not when his brother needed him. Not when Queen Orlaith was coming, looking for vengeance.

Donovan’s eyes flew wide. “No!”

“You’re smart, clever, and good,” I told him. “The world needs that sort of person more than it needs singers.”

He stepped toward me, but it was too late. For once, Chrissy did what I wanted. Lights sparkled and flashed around us. Like a concert, I thought. An auditorium full of fans taking pictures.

I heard sounds of creaking and popping coming from the forest trees. Perhaps they were leaning in for a closer look at what was happening. Perhaps they were reaching for the goblet one last time, trying to grasp hold of it. The lights faded and I stood alone. No, not alone. The shriek of birds coming from above let me know they’d found me. Any moment now Queen Orlaith would arrive.

Chapter 28

I didn’t run, couldn’t. The birds swooped down, swirling around me, ravens and owls alike, a whirlwind of flapping wings. “Girl! Girl!” the ravens shrieked. The flap of their wings sounded wrong too loud, like thunder rumbling across the sky. With each pass they tightened their circle until I felt like I was in the eye of a hurricane. They smelled of dirt and steel, of sword blades that had yet to be drawn. I held my hands in front of my face to keep them from diving in and pecking me.

“Stop!” a voice yelled. The queen’s.

The birds pushed upward. Several black feathers littered the ground near my feet, dropped in the frenzy. The birds flew back into the trees, disappearing like smoke vapor.

No, they hadn’t all vanished. One large black raven sailed across the sky toward me, cutting a slash in the moon’s silhouette. The queen watched it with a sigh.

In a flash, the bird transformed. One moment its wings were outstretched and gliding, the next Kailen dropped down in front of me, elegant and muscular. He was dressed in his usual black, but his hair wasn’t smoothed back in a ponytail like it had been at the dance. It was loose around his shoulders and the ties of his top were undone as though he’d been relaxing somewhere and hadn’t bothered to do them.

“Well, our thief is revealed.” He eyed me smugly. “What do you have to say about that, Mother?”

“I shall apologize to you at length later.” She stepped closer, eyes firm and hard in her pale face. Her red lips were vicious, nearly snarling. “Right now I only have one thing to say.” She leaned toward me, her face inches from mine, and enunciated her words with icy resolve. “Where is my goblet?”