The Winter Long (October Daye, #8)

by Seanan McGuire

Beltane and Samhain represent the transfer of power between the Unseelie and Seelie Courts. Back in the days when every fiefdom had two regents, they would have traded places on those nights. Yule and Midsummer are more general holidays, meant for everyone to celebrate.

“Instinct is a wonderful thing. It doesn’t care about the lies our parents told us, or the ones we tell ourselves.”

“You are very fortunate that I love you, for I doubt I could endure you otherwise,” he said. My smile grew. “I love you, too.” “Of course you do. I’m wonderful.”

“Fae marriages can be ended at any point by the spouses saying ‘we don’t want to be married anymore,’ unless there are children.” “Any children have to declare which parent they wish to follow, just like all us Firstborn had to declare which parent we belonged to,”

Viviane’ was one of the names for the Lady of the Lake,”

They were my boys and they loved me, and I needed to be careful with them if I ever wanted to be worthy of them.

“The dead are walking,” said Raj. “I didn’t realize we’d be living in a fairy tale this week. I would have packed tights.”

Flower magic—illusions and wards—is inherited primarily through Titania. Water magic—transformation and healing—comes from Maeve. Blood magic, the magic of memory and theft, comes from Oberon.

I was forbidden to spread lies—literally forbidden. If I try to tell a lie, my voice stops in my throat and my lungs burn with the need for honest air. I was forbidden to raise a hand against any descendant of Titania’s line. And I was forbidden to refuse my favors to anyone who would meet my price.”

Firstborn. Fairest of them all.