Simon stands, head held high, in front of the Seelie Queen. He tries his best not to show that everything in him is itching to follow Luke as he storms out of the court.
But he knows he won’t find Maia that way.
The Seelie Queen smiles at him in that chilling way where it looks like she’s circling her prey and she’s got it right where she wants it.
Simon supposes that is true. She’d wanted Simon to return and here Simon is.
She laughs and turns to face her throne.
“Eager aren’t we Daylighter,” she says, “sit down first. Have something to eat.”
Simon presses his lips together but does as she says. He’s not sure he can take on a thousands of years old evil fairy queen. Which is not something he thought he’d ever genuinely be faced with in his life but here he is.
He doesn’t touch the food even as she watches him expectantly.
“Um-“ he says nervously, “thanks for the offer and all but I don’t really eat. You know— because of the whole vampire thing. I tried once and it didn’t end very well. My digestive system did not like that.”
He trails off when he realizes that he’s been nervously rambling and that the Seelie Queen is just watching him consideringly.
“You came for you friend,” she says finally, “I thought you would.”
Simon thinks about Maia. He hopes she’s okay. He’ll never forgive himself if she isn’t and it was because of him.
“I’ll let her go,” the Seelie Queen continues.
“What? Really?” Simon blurts without thinking.
“Of course. I just want something in return for my trouble.”
Simon wants to argue that she’d been the one to take Maia in the first place.
The Seelie Queen looks him up and down with a smirk and Simon somehow knows what she’s going to say even before she does.
“You,” she takes a step towards him and Simon has to lock every muscle in his body to get himself not to spin on his heel and get the hell out of there, “I want you to stay here with me in my realm. I’ll keep you safe from Valentine.”
Simon gulps. The refusal is on the tip of his tongue. He can’t. What about everyone he cares about. Luke, and Clary and Isabelle, and Maia . Would he even get to say goodbye?
But then his thoughts stall on Maia. Maia who is here because of him. Because for some reason Simon can’t for the life of him understand, the Seelie Queen wants something from him.
He can’t leave Maia here when she didn’t even have a choice.
At least Simon has a choice.
“Okay,” Simon says, wincing when the Seelie Queen grins triumphantly, “but you have to let me make sure she gets home safe. I need to know you keep your word.”
He knows better than to trust her.
She nods at him and then smiles again. It makes the hairs at the back of his neck stand.
“We are going to have so much fun together.”
