I opened my eyes, and instead of the white light I expected to see, I found a swamp.

My body felt weird, as if I wasn't truly there. The sun was setting and it casted an eerie shadow over the water and plants.

Where is everyone? What happened with Kierran, Dad and Grim?

My feet were bare, but the ground felt soft and even though it was kind of a creepy place, it was also beautiful.

There was a lady sitting by a rock and my insides churned when I recognized her from when I was a kid.

"Mother Earth?" I called hesitantly.

The old woman turned to me and smiled "Come here, child, I see you've accepted your fate pretty well"

I frowned walking towards her "So, I'm really dead"

She tilted her head to a side, appearing to think about it. "I wouldn't say that. You just passed out for a while, the tree is still draining you, but you will in a few minutes"

"Oh, so what are we doing here?"

Her wrinkled face showed amusement "This is your mind, I came her to talk to you"

"Should I be worried?"

"No, I don't think so. Your time has come"

I blinked "Am I going to die now?"

She shook her head "Not at all, my dear. Totally the opposite. You've proved yourself worthy of the gift of life"

A light breeze stirred my hair, and for some reason, it gave me goosebumps.

"I don't understand, didn't I have to die?"

"You had to prove you were willing to do it in order to save others. You do remember when I marked you, right?"

I vaguely remembered that, and I didn't know anything about marking. Mother Earth must have sensed my complete confusion because she straightened her spine and sighed.

"Every generation, a new protector of life must be chosen. I chose you, as my predecesor chose me. And you've proven you're ready for the responsability"

"So, all of this... was just a test?"

"A confirmation of sorts. Arthan didn't believe you were ready"

My mouth hung open "Arthan? He's in this too?"

She nodded

"Wait, so I'll become Mother Earth now? How? What will happen to you? Why me?" I was seriously freaking out, this might be too much.

The woman got up and put a hand on my shoulder. "Yes, you'll be Mother Earth now, and as to why I chose you... You're especial, and soon you'll discover why, your turn will come."

"But why can't you continue being her, why do you have to pass the responsability to me? Aren't you a faery?"

She smiled "No, my dear. I'm a human, and my human years are coming to an end, as everything in life does"

She? Die? The concept was foreign. I mean, this was Mother Earth we were talking about. And what about me? Would I develop a sudden desire to run around naked just to enjoy nature, and crap like that? o0

"I made decision to dedicate to my duties full-time, you can watch over things from the Nevernever if that's what you want"

I gulped. This was too much information.

It felt like a bucket of cold water had been dumped over me. I would live. And that was kind of a good thing.

"I'll be alive" I mused aloud.

"Indeed" She looked at me with tender eyes and took my hand "You're a brave young lady, I wish you the best for your life"

Pure, raw energy seeped through me, making me almost dizzy. The breeze increased it's strenght, threatening to make me fall down in any moment.

My hand was now empty, and the woman had vanished, but the wind kept blowing. I ducked and closed my eyes tightly.

"She blinked! I think she's awake!" A female voice squealed.

"You already gave her the antidote, right?" Someone else asked.

I must have missed the reply because I just couldn't focus enough. I gave up trying to eavesdrop them and shut my mind again.

My hand felt warm. My eyelids seemed to be cooperating now, so I lifted them carefully, analyzing the room I was in.

The walls were beige and fancy-looking, the door was in the one opposite from me and made of wood. There was little furniture, just a set of sofas located on one side of the bedroom and the large bed I was lying in.

Finally, I looked at my sides. My heart skipped a beat when I took in the person whose head rested on my hand. I would've recognized that hair anywhere.

He had pulled a chair next to my bed and had fallen asleep there. My other hand ached to touch his face and wake him, stare into his eyes, see him smile. But he looked tired... I wanted him to have some rest.

I was the new Mother Earth, after all.

It surprised me that I could remember every detail of talking to uhhh the previous one. As if it hadn't happened in my head or whatever. So, what now? I definetely wasn't going to start running around naked. o0

"Hmmm, why are you smiling?" A sleepy voice asked.

I raised my hand and ran it along his cheek "Becasue I'm happy"

Kierran leaned against my touch and kissed my palm "So am I"

Memories of the minutes before I passed out next to the tree came crashing at me. A broken Kierran on the floor, unabla to stop me. Oh God, why he didn't hate me?

Tears rushed to my eyes and sat up "Kierran, I'm sorry. I t was something I had to do. You don't know how much it killed me to see you like that, really, please...-"

He placed a finger to my lips "Shhhh" He sighed "I... I am sorry. I should have understood and not make everything even harder"

"You are the most amazing person I've ever known"

He flashed me a lopsided grin "Yeah, I know it"

I shook my head scooting aside "Come here"

Kierran was hesitant at first but then crawled in carefully. I lied my head on his hard chest and with a hand on my hip, he pulled me closer.

"Would you fill me in? How long have I been out? Where are we?" I asked him.

"Hmmm I think four days. After what happened, Mother Earth showed up, she gave a bottle of antidote to Arthan and then knelt beside you and stayed like that for about twenty minutes, then she stood up, said you knew what to do and then poofed. We are at Arthan's house"

I moved so that I could look at him, raising an eyebrow "Poofed? Wow, I see your vocabulary has improved"

He kissed the corner of my mouth, teasing me "I had the best teacher"

Laughing, I pulled his mouth to mine, wanting more. He deepened the kiss, our tongues tangling and exploring.

Somehow, he was now above me, and I couldn't believe I had been so stupid to think I would've been able to move on without him, even dead.

I wrapped my legs around his waist, and a deep groan echoed in his throat, tempting me to do more.

"Damn, Summer" Kierran separated his mouth, just a bit.

Smiling, I started kissing his neck "Nuh uh, I need my fill, faery boy"

"You're making me lose it" He whispered, nibbling my earlobe.

Someone cleared his throat

"If you're done here, there are matters we need to discuss"

Kierran looked over his shoulder "We are coming. Privacy, father?"

"Hurry"

The door closed behind him with a soft thud.

Ash and Meghan just wanted to know what had happened. Grim had told them where we were and then they came as soon as they could. They were both glad I was okay.

Dad hadn't stopped smiling since he saw me on my feet again.

They all exchanged a few worried gances when they saw Kierran's and mine joined hands but didn't make any comments. We all agreed that Meghan would take care of dealing with the other Nevernever rulers about the journey.

Meghan told me that indeed, it had been some iron fey that sill didn't like the other courts and thought that by killing me, they would be the only remaining fey, but they had been very wrong thinking just the Winter and Summer Courts would've been affected if I had died. They had been already dealt with, though.

It ended quickly and we retired to our provisional rooms.

Kierran scratched his jaw nervously. "Summer?"

"Hmm?"

"What...? What are you planning to do now?"

Now? Well, I hadn't really thought about it. I didn't want to return to the Mortal Realm, that wasn't my home anymore. I had some ideas but... Kierran and I were just starting to get to know each other... What if he thought I was going too fast or something?

I sighed "I want to be with you Kierran, if you'll have me" That was the thing I was definetely certain about.

Kierran moved in a blur an caught me in his arms, spinning me around "You can be damn sure I will"

Aha! What do you think?

Yeah I know it's a little weird, her being Mother Earth, haha, but STILL NOT THE END *grinning devishly*