Speaker 1: A forest of earth and mind. An Arcane Heart Studio production,
created and written by Ainsley Bay. Chapter nineteen, The Price
Dawn is coming, you can feel it. The night outside
is shifting, getting lighter, thinner. The stars are fading. We
are in the Great Hall. The fay are waiting. They
are standing in a loose semicircle near the fireplace, looking bored.
The envoy is examining a painting of Kir's grandfather, tracing
the brushstrokes the critical finger to the side. The cousin,
who still has no name, is standing perfectly still. He
isn't rearranging wood, He isn't touching anything. He is just examining.
His eyes track every corner of the house, even movement
of the family, cataloging everything. He seems almost lost in
the wonder of the house. Malcolm stands in the center
of the room. He looks exhausted. He's aged ten years
in a single night. I have decided, Malcolm says. His
voice is raspy. The envoy turns, Oh, do tell, we
will give you our ancestors. Malcolm says, it is a
blood line of power and history. The envoy nods. He
is lost in thought. It is a powerful offer. Some
would say generous to give us your history. I don't
know what Malcolm means, but the envoy seems to be
considering it. We all wait. Keir looks shocked at what
Malcolm has said, but doesn't object. Coy looks like he
would like to be anywhere, but in that room the
envoy is steal. I wonder if they are thinking conferring
with the others through some form of telepathy, or if
time just works differently for them. He steps forward. It
is a generous offer, but it does not bring balance.
His head moves from one of us to the other. Choose.
Kir steps forward, Take me, I gasp, Kir. No, The
envoy looks at Kir. You are the heir that tips
the balance in your favor. It is a generous offer.
But no, If not the alpha or the air, then
who Kir practically shouts the words what do you want?
All of the fee turn and look at Koi. Koi
is shaking. He's standing behind Malcolm, clutching the back of
his father's coat like a toddler McCoy. Malcolm says softly.
Cooi looks up dad. Malcolm turns and looks at Koi.
We are not offering you up son. He turns and
glares at the Faye envoy. They cannot take you. The
envoy stares at Malcolm. We can, he says, but it's
clear he doesn't want to. Koi is shaking. It's clear
that Malcolm is telling him he's not going to be taken,
while the Fay are telling him he should volunteer. Our
patience is not without limit, the envoy says, I offered
my history. Malcolm shouts. The envoy says nothing. The air
is heavy. It feels as if something very bad will
happen if Koi doesn't volunteer. In the Fay move to
take him, Malcolm will do something foolish. Kir will do
something foolish. Kir. I can't let him die. He is
too magnificent, too wonderful, too much a part of me,
and I don't think. I just move. I step in
front of Koi, No, I say. The envoy stops, his
looks intrigued, Ink girl, take me. I volunteer, Sorchaw saved me.
There is no better balance than mutual sacrifice. In the
periphery of my awareness, I hear Kir screaming no. But
the attention of the envoy is on me, and reality
shifts to just him and me or understand balance better
than they do. The envoy nods toward the Slate family.
Everything seems to be moving in slow motion. It is
just me an envoy. We accept this offer, and time
is suddenly not moving slow. It is moving fast. Div
Keir screams as he lunges for me neck. The envoy
snaps his fingers. Keir freezes. The whole Slate family is frozen.
They look at me with sadness and horror in their eyes. Kir,
my sweet, wonderful Keir looks so incredibly sad. I want
to change my mind, but I know I can't him
sad is better than him dead. The envoy reaches out
and takes my hand. His hand is warm, surprisingly warm,
like sun baked stone. Come, he says, The sun is rising.
I love you, I whispered to here, and then the
world dissolves into light. The shadows s where the light
one stood. Son whispers in They go. The wind did cry.
It calls an a fleeting acles signal marks chosen f