"What are...you...doing...to me?" I rasped out, blinking against the inescapable darkness. Get out of my head. Get out of my head. Get out of my head. I thought over and over again, trying through the force of my will to save mu mind. 

There was a dark chuckle of amusement in my head, it is a valiant effort to keep me out but you left the door wide open, practically invited me in. 

I bit into my cheek as he plucked at my thoughts and memories, Get the fuck out of my head. 

Why would you want to remain with these humans? When I can see all, they have done is hate and mock you. His voice grated through my mind. 

Not all of them, I thought as I continued to push at the darkness spreading through my mind. 

Not all of them you say? I bit down harder into my cheek realizing I had betrayed myself with my thoughts. I had not been prepared for this kind of assault. Loved by some. Don't worry daughter mine, I'll take care of that for you. 

I didn't understand until I felt the sharp pain as he plucked one of my memories, a day my mother took Harrison and I to the beach. The feeling was warm, and it seemed to glow in the darkness of my mind. I wanted to reach for it. I felt the darkness eroding it, eroding me. It was like I was slowly suffocating. 

No. Please don't. I felt all wrong. I could feel myself forgetting how the sand had felt, what the air had smelled like, how my mother's laughter had sounded...Stop! 

It shattered, and then I knew nothing. In its place was a hollowness, the imprint of something that had once been and was no longer. I tried hard to remember what had been there. My mind trembled with the need, with the desperation, but there was nothing. Nothing. I screamed out in agony and rage as another memory was plucked from my mind. 

Jezebel, Cian voice seemed to echo in my head, it was sounded full of fury and fear. Was he actually concerned about me? Or was he afraid of losing possibly his only chance at freedom. I held onto the thought of Cian in mind, held onto it tightly, as tightly as I held to Seth. I was going to die. I could feel that, there was going to be nothing left of me, but I selfishly I didn't want to die alone and hollowed out. I didn't want to be alone in the darkness. I screamed loud as memory after memory was shredded, ripped from my mind, and eaten away by the darkness

In the back of my mind something burned, and seethed. All at once the darkness evaporated and the creature that had been sifting through my mind was gone. I took in a shuddering breath, tasting freedom on my tongue along with the metallic tang of my own blood. Something warm and wet, dripped onto my cheek and I lifted my face to see the Erlking had been impaled through his chest. I could smell the metal of the blade as if it were hot, and it had me wanting to recoil. 

"You grew too ambitious, my king." Cian's voice hissed with the mockery, "flew too close to the sun. Now, you'll burn for it." His words felt like a riddle but I understood them. He had fixed his own undoing the moment he had taken Cian into his court. The blade was pulled free. 

Cian looked like a god as he brandished the hulking sword, the Erlking's blood staining the Iron. His body was a burning sun, it was hard to look at him but it was hard to look away from him. He was every bit the king, in this moment, that he had claimed to be. I thought perhaps he had been glamouring me all this time, keeping me from seeing exactly who he was. 

The Erlking seemed surprised by the turn of events, having not accounted for the fact that Cian might turn on him. I had done well to bury that thought deep in my mind, holding it as he had ripped and destroyed memories. In their place was an emptiness, a word that sat on the tip of my tongue but would never come out. I wanted to cry for the things that he had stolen from me, but all I felt was darkness. It dripped from every ounce of my being. The Erlking's gaze drifted from the bleeding wound in his chest, staring down at me, eyes bottomless pits of darkness. 

There was a spark of something in his eyes, a mix of adoration and death. It made my stomach revolt, "Goodbye, father." I hissed at him, calling upon the shadows. This time he was not spared. They swarmed him, ripping and pulling at his body, devouring him. I didn't turn away, the old me would have, but not now. Now I wanted to watch. I wanted to make sure that he was dead. 

There was nothing left of the Erlking. He became nothing but ash in the wind and I was thankful for that. For a moment, I hadn't been certain that we would win but by some strange luck we had survived. We'd come out as the unlikely victors. 

The court was silent as Cian tossed the sword to ground in disgust before lowering a hand toward me. I took the offering, wincing as I rose from the rubble. I had survived being turned fae, killed the Erlking, and now it was time to save Seth. The room was deathly still as we both turned to face them. I had no idea what to expect next but I stood ready to fight if I needed too. To my surprise, one by one, each of them took a knee, holding a fist to their hearts. 

"What are they doing?" 

"Pledging their allegiance. You killed their Erlking." 

"No, you killed him...I just disposed of the garbage." 

"You took the last breath from his lungs. They recognize you as his killer. This procession now answers to you, Jezebel." I wasn't sure how I felt about that information. I didn't want to think too hard on what that meant in the long run. I didn't want to think to hard on anything that had happened I had things in the present that require more immediate attention. 

"If that's true..." I mumbled, clearing my throat, "Bring me Seth." I commanded. They looked confused, casting glances at one another as if they were trying to figure out what I was asking. 

"She would like to lay claim to the soul that Lord Jareth took." Cian spoke confidently. This seemed to spark them into action. 

Seth was brought forward and I almost cried with relief, only I knew now was not the time for that. Especially with a horde of vicious Faeries around me. I wasn't sure what I should do next, looking toward Cian for guidance. His lips twitched with amusement, though it was clear to see he was just as tired as I was from our battle with the Erlking. 

I cleared my throat, "You're all dismissed." Again, they stared at me blankly, which only frustrated me, "The hunt is over. Go home before I turn you all into ash." I snapped. That seemed to be the ticket, because the people in the room began to disburse though rather disgruntled and reluctantly. 

I turned to Cian unconcerned about anything else but getting Seth back to his body, "I kept up my side of our deal. Now it's your turn." 

He looked over Seth with a slight annoyance, "Alright, let's put your human back together again. I'm not making any promises there won't be any after effects but he'll be alive." I found myself reaching out and wrapping my arms around him. I couldn't explain the compulsion, perhaps it was because of everything we had been through. Sure, I didn't really trust him, and he had only ever been a manipulative prick. Still, he was helping me save the man I loved. 

Cian relaxed at a moment, leaning his body more into mine, "If you're not careful, I might actually start to think you like me." His whispered words brought forth a rush of heat. I pulled away from him, catching the smug smirk on his lips, ruining any fondness I might have felt a moment before. 

"Let's just go." I mumbled moving toward a silent Seth. He stared down at me and I gave him a weak smile, "I'm going to fix you. Promise."