Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands (Emily Wilde, #2)

by Heather Fawcett

My beast looks very fetching.

“The path is eternal,” he said. “But you mustn’t sleep—I made that mistake. Turn left at the ghosts with ash in their hair, then left at the evergreen wood, and straight through the vale where my brother will die. If you lose your way, you will lose only yourself, but if you lose the path, you will lose everything you never knew you had.”

“Where would I be without you, Em?” he said. “Probably still flailing about in Germany, looking for your door,” I said. “Meanwhile, I would be sleeping more soundly without a marriage proposal from a faerie king dangling over my head.”

Watching Wendell with a sword is like watching a bird leap from a branch—there is something thoughtless about it, innate. One has the sense that he is less himself without a sword, that wielding it returns him to the element most natural to him.

I scooped several of the tiny embers of magic into the pouch, wondering if they would simply go out as the sheeries’ lights had. Then I tucked the pouch into my pocket beside the borrowed collar and helped Wendell through the door.

Thats a surprise tool that can help us later

A nexus is a door that connects more than two places.

“You are allowing Rose to come because he makes a good cup of coffee.”

I love this man

Of late he has shown more interest in lengthy naps by the fire than romping about the countryside. And yet, the idea of leaving him behind was simply not one I would countenance; nor, I suspect, would he.

I know im not boutta see a dog die this book

“The problem is not the packing, I admit; I simply dislike travelling. Why people wish to wander to and fro when they could simply remain at home is something I will never understand. Everything is the way I like it here.”

Truthhhhh

He tilted his head in exasperation, clearly anticipating some sort of lecture. He went completely still when I strode up to him and kissed him.

He let out a sharp breath. “Damned if I know. Dani did, though.” “She found it,” I murmured, and he gave a grim nod.

And then Wendell did something I have only observed from a distance. He stepped into the landscape, and took me with him.

Holy shit

“Is there anything I can do?” “Yes,” he murmured. “Say that you’ll marry me.”

but naturally there was a large kettle of drinking chocolate bubbling lightly over the fire.

The shadowy birds are, quite clearly, an omen of death.

Nooooooooooo

I was gripping the piece of bone too hard and forced my fist to unclench. Poe had given me his door.

Poe is your BESTIE girlie

When I am well again, I will summon a grove of magnificent aspens for him and his descendants, and he may build himself a court and live as a lord among brownies.”

kissed him matter-of-factly. He drew back, and at last he seemed to understand the significance of my interest in spending the night in a tent, as well as my joke about the wine. “You know,” he said, beginning to smile, “the cottage would be rather more comfortable.”

NOT THE SEXXXX

His smile changed, and he trailed his hand down the side of my neck. “Let me show you.”

Stopppppp

“Other women snore, or talk in their sleep. I don’t recall ever being woken by the sound of vigorous pencil scratching.”

“You could always ask one of those other women to marry you,” I said. “Though it may not be easy to find one who is quite so tolerant of faerie assassins and strange quests as I am.”

Cause try again bringing up other bitches tf

“You have no business forbidding me from anything,” I said. “I certainly would retaliate if she harmed you, if I had a shred of magic with which to go about it.”

“Was I a disappointment?”

Awwwww

“I must find Dani. She is still out here, I know it.” “Professor,” I said slowly, “we are going to find her together.”

“No breakfast?” were the first words out of Wendell’s mouth. He was rubbing the space between his eyes.

I haven’t yet worked out if he is not entirely conscious of his murderous fits when they come upon him or if he simply sees them as an unexceptional fact of life.

“I’m not going anywhere without a cup of coffee,” Wendell announced. And then he collapsed.

“I spent days here,” he finally said. “Your instincts are a match for Dani’s, Professor Wilde.”

“Good Lord,” Wendell muttered. “You have your aunt’s devious mind.”

“You might have mentioned this,” I said in a sharper pitch than usual. “Just a bit.” “I’m sorry, Em,” he said, gesturing at de Grey. “This is not my story. It belongs to the mortal world, and it was only right for you to work through it yourself.” “Oh, damn your faerie logic to hell.”

“My answer is yes,” I whispered in his ear.

Engageddddd

“I believe,” I said, “that I have to fetch his bloody cat.”

“You tamed a grim?”

But there was also something strangely familiar about the place that I could not put my finger on—did my closeness with Wendell somehow also imbue in me a closeness with his realm?

During the day, what with the fatiguing nature of our journey and the constant threat of the Folk, I am able to avoid worrying about him, but I experience no such respite at night.

I have never been more convinced that she has the makings of a dryadologist.

“Come on, come on. It’s this way! I know the very best way to go.”

“You will show me,” I murmured to the cloak. “You will show me all, when you are well again.” It was both a promise and a prayer. I followed Snowbell into the barrow.

“Don’t worry—it is not faerie wine. I cannot drink that any more than you can.”

Hmmmm shut up liar

Yes, I wanted to remain here in Faerie, with Wendell.

I simply didn’t care. I loved him, and I suspected that I would grow to love this beautiful, horrifying place if given the chance.

I didn’t see her as a research subject anymore, but merely as a foe, and the simplicity of it was satisfying.

I ask that you have a little mercy on your poor fiancé. Yes. I heard you.

Perioddddd

Em, I must confess—I am in awe of you. I believe I am also a little frightened.

Muahahahaha

Assassins are a monstrous breed. Either they attack when you are at your worst, or they are having a go at you on your birthday. I have never known a more dishonourable profession.

disappointing. I may have made a small hole in the mountainside in my anger.

Just like me fr

Do you know? Rose asked me why I was not more surprised by your feat. He does not understand you as I do, Em, but as you seem to consider him a friend now, I told him the truth: in order to be surprised, I could not have known already that you are capable of anything.

He has been like this each morning since my return, but I can scarcely object. I missed him as much as he missed me, and have vowed never again to venture anywhere he cannot follow.

“I’m not likely to forget about my failings with you at my side, Em.”

“Never be afraid to tell me.” “Tell you what?”