According to the myth, on the eve of her marriage to a fae prince, Matilda begged her betrothed to let her ride with the Cŵn Annwn one last time. He said that if she did, the world of the fae would close to her forever. She still couldn’t resist and ran to her old friend, leader of the Cŵn Annwn, and there she was trapped, forced to lead the Wild Hunt for eternity.

The truth was a little more complex. That story starts with two boys and a girl. A Tylwyth Teg prince: Gwynn ap Nudd. A Cŵn Annwn prince: Arawn. And Matilda, a dynes hysbys girl, half fae and half Hunt. The three grew up as best friends, and the boys agreed that to preserve their friendship—and peace between their people—they would never court Matilda. Of course, they forgot to tell her that. She fell for Gwynn, who promptly abandoned his promise. When Arawn found out, he was furious and the two young men made another pact: if Matilda went to Arawn the night before her wedding, she was his.

Again they didn’t inform Matilda because, you know, she might have told them they were idiots. The big night came. When Matilda ran off for one last Hunt with Arawn, the world of the Tylwyth Teg closed in a ring of fire.

As soon as Matilda saw that, she raced back to Gwynn, and both young men tried to save her, only to watch her perish in the flames. Cue centuries of animosity, the princes becoming kings, each blaming the other for the loss of their beloved Matilda.

The story didn’t end even on their deaths. The three actors are continually reborn. Not reincarnation exactly, but some essence of the originals living on in new players. It is said that if a new Matilda aligns herself with one side over the other—Tylwyth Teg or Cŵn Annwn—she brings unfettered access to the elemental resources that keep the fae alive. In the modern world, those resources—clean air and water and earth—are in ever-diminishing supply, so for both fae and Huntsman, getting a Matilda meant winning the survival lottery.

As might be obvious, I am the new Matilda. I had yet to declare an alliance. I had no idea how to even make that choice.

While there was no reason I couldn’t choose Arawn as a lover but support the Tylwyth Teg instead, that’s not how anyone presumes it will work, so both sides hope if I choose their “champion,” it will seal the deal. And those champions? Ricky as the new Arawn. Gabriel as Gwynn.

Ida banged the knocker. I groaned again. Gabriel shook his head and went to answer the door.

“I thought you were over the fae compulsion thing,” I said.

“I am. But either we answer or we remain trapped in this house until Ida and the elders decide to leave town.”