by Linsey Hall
I appreciated a good fighter, and damned if he wasn’t one.
Dark hair framed his face, and his green eyes were keen on me. He had that otherworldly beauty of the Fae, but with a distinctly masculine edge. A dangerous edge, one that made it clear he was capable of terrible things when necessary. It made him just a little bit scary.
I happened to like scary.
Tension tightened the air between us, that kind of intense awareness that came when you were near a person you wanted to jump on. In a tear-their-clothes-off kind of way.
Except that our chemistry was tainted with lies.
My lies, mostly.
We’d seen each other less than twenty-four hours ago.
Together, we’d closed the huge chasm that I’d blown into the earth at the edge of Magic’s Bend. He’d figured out that I’d been hiding the fact that my mother was the Unseelie queen.
So yeah, we were fated mates, but things weren’t exactly going smoothly.
It didn’t keep me from wanting him, even though I knew he was only here to hunt my mother. He wanted vengeance for his brother’s death, and he’d stop at nothing to get it.
His gaze swept over me, and from the heat that entered his eyes, he seemed to like what he saw. “You look like you’re ready to fight.”
I gestured down to my tight black pants. “Not my preferred attire, but it will do for what’s ahead.” I gave him a searching look. “I wasn’t expecting you quite yet.”
Concern flashed in his gaze as it traveled over me. “I could feel that something was wrong.”
Yeah, that was putting it mildly.
The fated mate bond must have alerted him.
My instinct was to brush it all off and say everything was fine. Superficial relationships were my speed. Even my close friendships with Cass, Connor, and Claire were based more on common life experience than me baring my soul to them.
“It’s nothing,” I said.
Suspicion flickered in his eyes.
Shit, that had been stupid. I was keeping enough things from him. I didn’t need to add something stupid to it. Old habits died hard, and all that.
“I was hit by a potion bomb sent by my mother.” I relayed what Connor had said about it. “And I had a vision about her plans for the future.”
His dark brows rose. “Really?”
“Flames. Lots and lots of flames.” I described what I’d seen, leaving out the part about killing him to stop her. My stomach rolled as I thought of it.
That bit barely made any sense, and I was going to stop it from happening, so it didn’t matter.
Baby steps, right?
Still, guilt tugged at me.
“Give me a moment,” he said. “I need to inform the Court Guard of this risk. I want them to begin preparations to protect the realm.”
I wasn’t sure what they could do about fire, but I waited while he stepped back into the street and made a quick call on a discrete comms charm strapped to his wrist.
He returned to the doorway a few moments later. “Where are you headed now?”
“I need to find out how to stop my mother. I’ve been trying my premonition power, but it doesn’t always come when I call. So I’m headed to Aethelred’s. He’s a local seer I hope can help.”
“I’ll come with you.”
Great. Not what I’d been hoping for. “Sure.”
Together, we left the house, and I took a right. “He’s just a few doors down.”
The sun had set, and the street was bustling with the denizens of Darklane. They were creatures of the night, these people. Like me.
“It smells of dark magic here,” Tarron said.
I shrugged. “Not too much.”
In truth, I’d grown used to it. After all, Darklane wasn’t totally evil. Just a little bit. A very little bit. And not because of me.
We approached Aethelred’s building and climbed the steps. I knocked, using the signature beat three fast and two slow.
“Mordaca?” His voice filtered through the door, and I could imagine him hurrying through the cluttered hall.
“It’s me!”
The door swung open to reveal an ancient man with a long white beard and piercing blue eyes. He wore a matching blue velour tracksuit and looked like Gandalf on his way to aerobics. It was his usual uniform.
“Hey, Aethelred.” I smiled. “We need some help.”
He sized up Tarron. “Who’s the big fellow?”
Tarron held out his hand. “Alexander. Elemental mage.”
Liar. It was the same alias he’d used with me when I’d first met him, and I’d let him keep it. I needed to stay on his good side, after all.
Aethelred shook and frowned. “You’re not called Alexander.”
“You’re a good seer.”
He shrugged. “What I see is true, Tarron, King of the Seelie Fae.”
Tarron inclined his head.
“Can we come in?” I asked. “We’re in a hurry.”
“What’s the rush?”
“We’re trying to stop the destruction of the entire Seelie kingdom,” I said.
Aethelred harrumphed. “At least it’s not Magic’s Bend. This town has seen too many emergencies, lately. I’m too old for it.”
I grimaced. The last one had been my fault.
He shook his head, then gestured for us to follow him. “Come in, come in. We’ll make this quick.”
I followed him through the narrow hall, into his darkened living room. The blinds were partially drawn so light filtered through, and the space was cluttered with all sorts of random stuff, from books to trinkets and even a crystal that glowed as bright as the moon. The furniture was ancient and dusty, and when we sat on the couch, little dust motes floated up and glittered in the light of the lamps.
Aethelred took a chair and leaned toward me. “Now tell me what you want to know.”
I smiled gratefully at him. Normally, he’d demand payment, just like I would. He’d even be a stickler about whether or not he was willing to help.
But not with me.
“Thanks, Aethelred.” I needed to get him alone to ask about Tarron, but I had to be subtle. I started by describing my new gift of premonition, and finished with my vision of flames and my mother’s dark smoke. “Could you confirm that it is true? Did I really see the future, or is it just a threatening vision that she sent me?”
He nodded, then held out his hands. I reached for them and gripped them gently.
“Clear your mind so that you see what you saw before.” His voice droned low.
I sucked in a slow breath and did as he asked. The image flared to mind.
Aethelred’s power flowed into me, and a few moments later, he released my hand and opened his eyes. Tension tugged at me. His gaze flicked between me and Tarron, concern in their blue depths. Was it truly the future? Or had he seen that I could kill Tarron to stop this terrible fate?
The old seer drew in a deep breath. “I can see the past here, and a bit of motivation. She seeks to destroy the Seelie, and it has something to do with you, my dear. She tried to sway them to her side before. With a failed plan of some sort.”
“The obelisk,” I clarified, leaving out any mention of Tarron’s brother.
“Ah, yes. That must have been it.” Aethelred nodded. “It failed, and now she seeks to destroy them.”
“So it could happen?” Tarron said.
“Yes. It could.”
“Could?” Tarron asked. “It’s not definite? It could be stopped, then?”
“Perhaps.” Aethelred shrugged, looking uncertain. “This was a vision of Mordaca’s. I don’t know how her magic works. She may see the one true future like I do, or she may see potential futures that can be changed.”
I swallowed hard, not wanting to contemplate how the tragedy would be stopped. I didn’t even understand how killing Tarron would stop it. What was the connection there?
“Can you see how to stop it?” Tarron asked.
I gave Aethelred the tinie
st shake of my head.
His blue eyes flashed, but the tone of his voice didn’t change. “I cannot.”
“I’ve tried to see more,” I said. “Like when it will happen or how exactly she’ll do it, but I’ve had no luck.”
“You’re new at it.” He shook his head, blue eyes alight. “Marvelous that you have a new power.”
“Several. Except they aren’t cooperating.”
“Practice, child. That’s what you need. And when the visions don’t come, it can help to find something to give them a little push.”
Just like how Cass’s FireSoul ability to find things was stronger if she had an object related to what she was seeking. “Give it a little push how, exactly?”
“If you want to see more about the Unseelie queen or what she will do, then find something of hers. Or go to a place that is important to her. It could give your magic a bit of gasoline. Send it in the right direction.”
I had nothing of hers except myself—and I hated the idea that I was in any way hers.
“The Circle of Night,” Tarron said. “It’s as close as we can get to their realm.”
“And we were planning to go anyway, since it’s our only link to her,” I said.
“That’s the ticket,” Aethelred said. “You’re closest to this, so you’re most likely to be the one to see how to fix it.”
“I hope you’re right.”
He harrumphed. “I’m always right.” He stood. “Now come with me. I have something I must ask you about.”
I stood, and Tarron shifted as if to join me.
“Not you, young man.” Aethelred waved him down. “This is for Mordaca alone.”
Tarron sat back down, seeming curious but unfazed by being called ‘young man.’ In fairness, everyone was young compared to Aethelred.
I followed Aethelred to the back of the house, weaving through narrow hallways until we reached a little kitchen at the back.
He turned to me, blue eyes glinting. “You haven’t told the Seelie King that you must kill him to stop your mother from destroying his kingdom.”
“So that part is true?”
“I’m afraid it may be.”
Damn it. “I’ll stop it before it happens. No need to tell.”
He frowned. “I hope you’re right. But I do think this is an attempt by your mother to draw you to her. You must not go. It is too dangerous. For you, and for the world.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of.”
“Have heart. You may be able to find a way out of this.” Aethelred shuffled off to the corner of the kitchen and climbed onto a stool. He reached to the top of the shelf and pulled down a little tin, then fished around inside. After he retrieved something, he returned to me and held out a small golden charm on a chain. “Wear this. It is an amulet that will help strengthen your gift.”
I took it and clasped it around my neck. “Thank you.”
He nodded. “My mother gave it to me over a century ago. Now it will help you. Wear it to the Circle of Night. Clear your mind and focus on your connection with this problem. The answer may well come to you.”
“I hope it does.” I looked back toward the main living room where Tarron waited. “Because I really hate the future I’m seeing right now.”
He squeezed my arm. “Fix it, then we’ll take our walk on the beach.”
I smiled at him, though I knew it didn’t reach my eyes. “Deal.”
I just hoped I wouldn’t be grieving the loss of Tarron by my own hand by then.
An hour before dawn in Scotland, we met our backup on Factory Row. It was nine p.m. here, and more people were filing into P & P for a night out on the town.
Aeri, Tarron, and I arrived via my transport power to find the three FireSouls ready and waiting for us on the sidewalk outside of their shop. Cass, Del, and Nix were all incredible fighters with some serious magic. The three were best friends, though they acted more like sisters.
“We’re waiting for Claire,” Del said. She was dressed entirely in her usual black leather, a perfect match for her midnight hair. Bright blue eyes glinted in the light of the street lamp as she met my gaze. “She was worried about you, and when we mentioned we were helping with a bit of backup, she wanted to join.”
“Always handy to have a fire mage around.” Nix grinned. She was a skilled conjurer and known for her goofy cartoon T-shirts. Today’s was a cat playing the piano. In a sense, it was as much of a disguise as my Elvira look. Enemies rarely expected the pretty girl in the cat T-shirt to be able to kick their asses without breaking a sweat.
She genuinely liked the goofy shirts, just like I loved my Elvira dress.
Weirdo. I loved her, but she was a weirdo. I was my own flavor of weirdo, though, so it made sense.
“Here she comes.” Cass nodded down the street, her red hair swinging.
I turned to see Claire hurrying out of P & P, dressed in her fighting leathers again. Her dark hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and a smudge of white flour decorated her cheek.
She grinned when she spotted me. “Connor wanted to come, but we decided it was more important for him to keep looking for an antidote to that potion. We’ve called in backup at the bar, and he’s been in his workshop since you came by.”
“Thank you. So much. Really.” It was good to have friends. Especially in situations like this.
“Let’s go,” Tarron said. “Dawn will be here soon, and if we decide we want to enter the Unseelie kingdom, we’ll need to do it then.”
My friends shot us a confused look.
“The Circle of Night only opens at dawn and dusk,” I clarified.
Together, we transported directly to the base of Mount Schiehallion. A chilly breeze swept through the valley, and I turned to look for the noble stags that had helped us reach the peak last time. They’d known just how to dodge the booby traps that were buried beneath the mountain soil, keeping us from being blown up.
I explained the drill to the team while Tarron conjured a massive cart full of rowan berries, the stags’ preferred treat.
As before, they came out, somehow knowing exactly how many rides we’d need. Each of the seven was huge and beautiful, with a gleaming coat and an unmistakable aura of magic. A beautiful pale one with enormous horns stooped in front of me and knelt. I mounted him—a bit more easily this time, thank Fates—and our group of seven started up the mountain.
We went single file, Tarron’s stag taking the lead as moonlight gleamed on us. Night creatures rustled in the heather, and the stags dodged the prickly gorse that grew on the hillside. Oddly enough, there were far fewer booby traps. Before, the stags had had to dart and dodge to keep us all from being blown to smithereens.
This time, we went almost straight up with no issue. Hell, we probably could have walked ourselves.
My heartbeat picked up the pace, nerves tightening my muscles. I looked at Tarron. “This is a bad sign.”
“They’re probably waiting for us.”
I had to agree with him. My mother was smart. She’d know we were coming for her. She could possibly see our moves before we made them, considering I got my gift of premonition from her.
“Get ready, guys,” I murmured. “Something is definitely waiting for us.”
As we neared the top, we spread out, approaching the stone circle from multiple angles. The moon had not yet set, and it illuminated the tall standing stones so they glowed nearly silver. The sun would be to the horizon soon, and the morning would turn gray.
Heightened awareness made me edgy. I drew in a deep breath, catching the scent of dark magic. Old garbage, rotten fish, burning tires. But no putrid night lilies or brimstone.
“She’s not here,” I murmured.
“She’d make her minions stand guard,” Tarron said. “But she could show at any moment.”
I searched the standing stones for any figures, but the tall pillars of rock cast deep shadows. The Unseelie were definitely here, but they were good at sticking to the darkness.
My stomach pitched as we neared. We were about twenty yards from the statues, so I leapt off my stag and patted his neck. “Thanks, pal. You should get out of here.”
I didn’t want him getting hurt.
He turned and loped down the hillside.
My friends followed suit, and we approached slowly.
I drew a shield from the ether and crept closer.
Wings.
I was still getting used to them. Quickly, I called them from my back, grateful for the practice that made it so much more fluid and easy. Next to me, Tarron’s wings flared wide.
Burn appeared next to Tarron, walking alongside the big Fae. He pressed his thorny side against Tarron’s thigh, but the king didn’t even flinch. I felt the slightest pulse of Tarron’s magic, and saw something appear in his hand. He handed it to Burn, who gobbled it up.
My brows rose.
As if sensing my gaze, Tarron looked over. I glanced away, determined to focus on the task.
Aeri drew her mace from the ether, casually swinging the chain so the spiked ball was ready to go. Del adopted her phantom form, turning a pale transparent blue. Nothing could hurt her when she was like this, but she’d have to turn corporeal for her sword to make contact with her enemy.
Claire called upon a fireball and tossed it lazily in her hand, while Nix drew a bow and arrow. We shared a love of that particular weapon. Cass just kept walking, not bothering with a weapon. She had an arsenal of skills, and knowing her, she’d wait until the last moment to pull one out.
My heart was already thundering in my ears when the first Unseelie launched an attack. It came with a thunderous boom that shook my bones.
4
When they attacked, I didn’t see them coming. But there was no missing the enormous blast of flame that shot from the stone circle. It headed right for my friends, never coming anywhere close to me.
Almost as if the Unseelie were under orders not to kill me.
Cass threw out her hand, creating a massive blast of water. It hurtled toward the flame, colliding in midair and sending up a billowing cloud of steam.