I threw back my head and laughed, and it turned into a ragged scream as I wrenched myself awake.
MY NAME IS Meghan Chase. I’ve been in the palace of the Winter fey for a while now.
How long exactly? I don’t know. Time doesn’t flow right in this place. While I’ve been stuck in the Nevernever, the outside world, the mortal world, has gone on without me. If I ever get out of here, if I ever make it home, I might find a hundred years have passed while I was gone, like Rip van Winkle, and all my family and friends are long dead. I try not to think of that too often, but sometimes I can’t help but wonder.
My room was cold. It was always cold. I was always cold. Not even the sapphire flames in the hearth were enough to drive out the incessant chill. The walls and ceiling were made of opaque, smoky ice; even the chandelier sparkled with a thousand icicles. Tonight, I wore sweatpants, gloves, a thick sweater and a wool hat, but it wasn’t enough. Outside my window, the underground city of the Winter fey sparkled with icy radiance. Dark forms leaped and fluttered in the shadows, of lashing claws, teeth and wings. I shivered and gazed up at the sky. The ceiling of the vast cavern was too far away to see through the darkness, but thousands of tiny lights, balls of faery fire or faeries themselves, twinkled like a blanket of stars.
There was a rap at my door.
I didn’t call out Come in. I’d learned not to do so in the past. This was the Unseelie Court, and inviting them into your room was a very, very bad idea. I couldn’t keep them out completely, but the fey follow rules above all else, and by order of their queen, I was not to be bothered unless I requested it. Letting them into my room could almost sound like such a request.
I crossed the floor, my breath streaming around me, and cracked open the door. A slinky black cat sat on the floor with its tail curled around itself, gazing up at me with unblinking yellow eyes. Before I could say anything, it hissed and darted through the crack like a streak of shadow.
“Hey!”
I spun around, but the cat was no longer a cat. Tiaothin the phouka stood there, grinning at me, canines glinting. Of course. It would be the phouka; they didn’t follow social rules. In fact, they seemed to take great pleasure in breaking them. Furred ears peeked out of her dreadlocked hair, twitching sporadically. She wore a gaudy jacket that sparkled with fake gems and studs, ripped jeans.
Court, the Unseelie fey actually preferred “mortal” clothing. Whether it was in direct defiance of the Seelie Court, or because they wanted to blend in more with humans, I wasn’t sure.
“What do you want?” I asked cautiously. Tiaothin had taken a keen interest in me when I was brought to Court, the insatiable curiosity of a phouka, I suppose. We’d talked a few times, but she wasn’t exactly what I’d call a friend. The way she stared at me, unblinking, like she was sizing me up for her next meal, always made me nervous.
The phouka hissed, running her tongue along her teeth. “You’re not ready,” she said in her sibilant voice, looking me over sceptically. “Hurry. Hurry and change. We should go, quickly.” I frowned. Tiaothin had always been difficult to understand, bouncing from one subject to the next so quickly it was hard to keep up. “Go where?” I asked, and she giggled.
“The queen,” Tiaothin purred, flicking her ears back and forth. “The queen has called for you.”
A chat with Julie Kagawa
What inspired you to write The Iron Fey series?
I’ve always loved faery tales, the old, creepy faery tales, where the fey were primal and wicked and dangerous. But when I first began writing a faery story, I got to thinking: what are the fey afraid of? In myth, the answer is iron, so what if there was a type of faery that was immune to iron, that had evolved with progress and technology? How would that affect the more traditional fey? And then I remembered we already have “creatures” lurking in machines: gremlins and bugs and worms and such, and from that thought the Iron Fey were born.
Who is your favourite character in the series?
I would have to say Ash, because I have a thing for dark, brooding bad boys who can wield pointy objects. But Grimalkin runs a very, very close second.
What is your favourite aspect of the faery world?
All the strange, beautiful, and fascinating creatures you can
meet in Faery. Be it a dragon or a kelpie or a talking cat, it’s never boring.
Is there one element from The Iron Fey universe that you would like to exist in the real world?
Trods, or faery paths between worlds, would be nice. It would make travel so much quicker.
Did you always want to be a writer?
Not always. I wanted to be a veterinarian for years and years, until high school, when I realised you actually had to be somewhat good at math and science to be a vet. And since numbers hate me, I figured making up stories and writing them down would be much easier. (Though I can tell you now, it’s not.)
Of the books you’ve written, which is your favourite?
The Iron King, the first book of The Iron Fey series, will always have a special place in my heart because it was the first to get published. But so far, I think The Iron Queen is my favourite book I’ve written.
Do you have a writing routine?
I’m one of those extremely lucky authors who gets to stay home and write, so I start in the morning and try for at least a thousand to twelve hundred words a day.
Favourite author of all time?
Oh goodness. There are too many; I can’t pick just one. I will say Neil Gaiman is one of my favourite authors, because his books are so inspiring. (And he has a sexy voice.)
Which book do you wish you could have written?
Harry Potter. And not just because of Rowling’s success; because I love the world and want to live there.
Survival Guide to the Nevernever
Disclaimer This guide is intended to give intrepid travellers into the realm of the fey a minimal chance at surviving the creatures and denizens that dwell within. Please note, the author of this guide is in no way responsible for lost or damaged souls, ensnarement, or accidental or intentional death. Entering the realms of fey can, and likely will, be hazardous to your health and is not recommended. You have been warned.
Preparations
One can never prepare adequately for entry into the Nevernever. There are, however, a few rules that one can follow to help increase the chances of surviving.
What Should I Wear?
Dressing for the Nevernever means blending utility with comfort. If you have questions about whether or not an item is appropriate, ask yourself the following: if running for my life, would this slow me down? And: if caught while running for my life, would this protect me? If the answer to the first question is yes, and the second question is no, then the item is inappropriate. Here are a few suggested items to wear to help you make it out of the Nevernever alive: