by Linsey Hall
“Is Foress’s potion starting to wear off?” Tarron asked.
“It is.” Pain and exhaustion were tugging at me again. I looked toward the door, hoping he’d be back soon.
He returned a few moments later with another figure. Though I couldn't see wrinkles around the face or a stoop to the posture, it was clear that this soul was ancient. The feeling in the air around her was heavy with importance. A sense of passed time.
“This is our most ancient and revered sprite,” Foress said. “Orelana has been here for over a thousand years.”
“Hello, I’m Mordaca.”
“And I am Tarron.”
Orelana nodded. “It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
Her voice didn’t sound old, and she sank to the cushion across from us with the grace of a much younger person. Younger soul. Whatever.
She held out her hand. “The heart, if you please.”
I got up and walked around the fire to give her the Oak Heart, then returned to my seat.
She raised it to her face, peering at it. “I have not seen this in over nine hundred years.”
Whew. That was a while.
“Do you know how to use it?” Tarron asked. “We are gravely injured and require its assistance.”
Orelana nodded slowly. “Indeed. You must request the Oak Heart’s assistance. But first, it is vital that you make an offering. A sacrifice.”
Shit. “We don’t have anything.”
Orelana’s gaze roved over us. “No, you do not have much, do you? Trapped between death and life, you are but a shadow of yourself.”
Okay, I wouldn’t go quite that far. But I also wouldn’t argue with the woman.
Beside me, Tarron reached up to touch the amulet around his neck. “We do have a bit of our magic left. These amulets allow us to access it.”
I reached for my sword and gripped the hilt where it was attached to my waist. “And one blade each.”
Orelana inclined her head. “Then that is that. Choose.”
I glanced at Tarron. “The magic is probably the most valuable.”
He nodded and removed the amulet. I did the same.
Orelana leaned toward the fire, holding the glowing gem in her hands. She placed the Oak Heart into the flames. They flickered around the glowing rock, turning it even brighter. “Place your amulets there as well.”
I swallowed hard and did as she’d said, tossing mine into the fire. As the flames absorbed it, I felt the little bit of magic in my soul blink out of existence. Suddenly, I felt empty again.
I winced.
Tarron also tossed his amulet into the fire. I watched him closely, catching sight of the pain on his face.
Please let this work.
7
Orelana leaned toward us, her ephemeral form pulsing with light. “Envision what you want from the Oak Heart.”
I did as she asked.
After a few moments, she reached into the flame and retrieved the gem, then rose and moved toward us, handing it to me first. “Your need is greatest.”
I wasn’t sure about that, but I did feel like hell.
As soon as my fingertips touched the Oak Heart, heat and health roared into me. Pain faded and energy returned. It was like getting twelve hours of sleep and waking up to a triple espresso.
“Wow,” I breathed.
Every inch of me felt healed, and the weight of the poison dragging on my limbs had disappeared.
I turned to Tarron and handed the gem to him quickly.
He took it, and his face immediately glowed with health. The dark shadow at his shoulder disappeared entirely. I looked down at my arm to check that mine was gone, too.
It was.
My heart leapt.
We really had a chance at making it out of here.
“That’s amazing.” Tarron looked from Orelana to Foress. “We should return the Oak Heart.”
“No need.” Orelana gestured to the fire. “Place it there.”
Tarron did as she asked, gently tossing it into the flames. It sat there for half a moment, then disappeared entirely.
“It’s gone back to the oak,” Orelana said.
I smiled, at peace for the briefest moment before my mind started to spin again. “We need to get back to the king and queen. There are more trials to complete.”
“Stay and eat first,” Foress said. “We have food for your kind here. It will give you strength.”
My stomach grumbled. I had a ton of energy from the healing, but I was still famished. If I didn’t refuel, it would eventually bite me in the ass.
I nodded gratefully. “Thank you.”
“Why are you being so kind to us?” Tarron asked. “We’re uninvited guests.”
Foress shrugged. “You sacrifice so much to help your people. I can read that in your soul. So why would it be strange that we would do the same?”
I didn’t point out that we weren’t his people. Mostly because I wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth when he offered me food.
“Thank you,” Tarron said.
“Of course.”
Orelana and Foress disappeared. I tried to lean against Tarron’s shoulder, wanting more than anything to touch him now. I wasn’t willing to verbally admit my feelings, but I couldn’t help but want to be close to him. My body drifted right through his. It sent the slightest bit of warmth through me, but no more.
“Damn it,” I muttered.
“Likewise,” he said.
I grinned at him. “This is fucking weird.”
“Seconded.” His eyes turned serious. “But I’m glad I’m with you.”
The words warmed me. “Likewise.”
Foress returned with a big tray of food.
“Here. Gain your strength.” He set the tray in front of us, and we began to eat. “I will leave you. When you are ready to leave, I will show you the path back toward the beach.”
I didn’t want to think about the fact that our boat was currently beached and flooded with water. “Thank you, Foress.”
Tarron repeated the sentiment, and Foress disappeared back through the door.
We ate in silence. I’d just finished when the air near the fireplace shimmered.
I stiffened, rising to my feet. Tarron joined me.
The king and queen appeared a moment later, their forms shimmery and not quite right. Each was dressed in their finery—blue for her this time, black for him, as usual—and had a look of keen interest on their faces.
“I see that you have succeeded.” Surprise sounded in the queen’s voice.
“I always succeed.”
Her eyes widened at my statement. “Cocky. I like that.”
I inclined my head.
“Are you apparitions?” Tarron asked.
“Indeed. One must truly cross the sea to reach the Isle of Forgotten Souls. There are no shortcuts.” She looked around, clearly interested. “It seems that you have met them.”
“So they are Forgotten Souls?” I asked. “They call themselves forest sprites, but I didn’t think they were.”
“You are correct. Who would want to be a Forgotten Soul? No one. And so they have taken another identity, and twisted their consciousness to remember only that.”
Talk about a coping technique.
“What’s next?” Tarron asked.
“You must retrieve your magic,” the king said. “Without it, you are only a fraction of yourself.”
I couldn’t argue with that. Without it, I felt like hell. As if there were an empty spot in my chest where my soul should be.
The king waved a hand, and another portal appeared. “If you step through there, you will find a challenge that—if you are lucky—will help you get it back.”
The queen’s gaze flicked to our necks. “I see you gave up what little magic you had.” She shook her head. “You might regret that.”
“It was the only way to heal,” I said.
“Well, perhaps.” She shrugged. “But good luck without it.”
With that, they disappeared. The portal that they’d created for us continued to shimmer, but it grew slightly dimmer.
“We don’t have long,” Tarron said.
“Goodbye, Foress!” I shouted. “And thank you!”
Tarron and I stepped into the portal, letting the ether suck us up and spin us through space. The air seemed to glitter all around, caressing my skin like butterfly wings. It felt different than taking a portal in the real world.
The ether spit us out into a massive cave. The domed ceiling soared high overhead, inlaid with thousands of jewels that glittered brightly.
I whistled low under my breath. “Quite the place.”
Tarron spun around, and I mimicked the gestured, taking in the entire cavern. It was empty save for two tunnels on one side and a big golden door on the other.
“The door first.” I hurried toward it, jogging over the stone ground. It sparkled with the colorful light emitted by the jewels above.
The door radiated with magic—our magic. I could taste my whiskey signature and smell Tarron’s autumn scent. Tarron joined me, and we approached.
I crouched low to inspect it. “There are two locks.”
“And no handle.” He tried pushing on it, but the thing didn’t budge.
“We need the keys.” I turned to the other side of the cavern, where the two tunnels disappeared. “What do you want to bet they are at the other end of that tunnel?”
He grinned. “I think you’re onto something.”
He strode toward the doors, and I followed.
“Together or separate?” I asked, nodding toward the tunnels. Should we split up to tackle them both or join forces?
“Together. Always together.”
His words made me shiver. We hadn’t had time to talk about us. Even though there was clearly an us. I was starting to accept that. This fated mates situation was one thing…but how I was starting to feel for him was another.
And both pointed to there being an us.
And when he said “always together,” it sure sounded like he meant for more than just the challenges ahead.
“Left first, then,” I said, heading toward that tunnel.
We entered it, our strides brisk as we passed through the corridor. The dark pathway was lit by white faerie lights that sparkled against the ceiling. Magic prickled in the air the farther we got, and I rubbed my arms, not liking the sensation.
The tunnel was dim and quiet, and when we reached the massive cavern at the other end, my head began to spin. Vertigo assaulted me, and it was all I could do to keep my feet.
“Tarron.” I reached for him, but he was gone.
My vision went dark, my head spinning. Panic flared.
What the hell was happening?
I gasped and staggered forward, trying to find something—anything—that would give me a clue.
When my vision cleared, I was surrounded by dozens of platforms. Like tables, or sarcophagi, perhaps. And my mother lay atop each one.
Dozens of her.
My heart thundered in my ears.
No. This wasn’t real.
There was only one of her.
Not multiple.
The false queen sat up, hundreds of her moving in synchronization. Horror bloomed in my chest as her heads turned toward me.
Eyes blazing, she hissed, “You’ll never be strong enough to defeat me. Never.”
She was right.
Damn it, she was so right.
Shaking, I stumbled backward.
The false queen climbed off her sarcophagus, her midnight gown flowing about her legs. Dozens of her. She drifted toward me, eyes flaming with malevolence.
“I will always defeat you, Mordaca. You do not stand a chance.”
I nodded, unable to fight her. Because she was right. I wasn’t strong enough. Never would be.
A trapdoor appeared in from of me, a square wooden hatch with a big round metal handle.
Escape.
Mind buzzing with fear, I reached for it and yanked it open.
A black chasm yawned in front of me.
Safety.
There was safety in there. I just had to jump in.
But there was also failure.
I could feel it. Like smoke filling my lungs.
If I ran from my mother, I would fail. Myself. Everyone.
Ice filled me.
I swallowed hard and stiffened my spine.
That could never be me.
I slammed the door shut and drew my sword. It wasn't enough. There was no way I could take her with just a single metal blade.
But I had to try.
Weak or not, I had to try.
I screamed and charged, going for the closest false queen. She hissed and raised her hand, a blade appearing. But I was too fast. I lunged, swiping out with my blade and taking off her head. A poof of black magic exploded upward, and she disappeared.
I spun around, going for the next closest figure. I swung my blade, cutting her across the stomach. She howled and lashed out at me with her own sword, but I ducked. With a spin, I decapitated her. She disappeared in a puff of dark magic.
Wow, this is so fucked up.
I was going to need therapy for sure.
But there was no way I was stopping. I might be terrified that I couldn’t ever defeat her, but no way in hell was I going to just quit.
In the distance, I spotted Tarron. He’d just appeared, and he was wielding his blade with deadly efficiency, helping me take out the figments of the false queen that stalked us both.
Gratitude and joy surged through me that someone had my back. And not just any someone. Him.
The strongest and most honorable man I knew.
Then I straightened my back.
No.
I would appreciate his presence, but this battle was still mine. I fought my own freaking battles, especially when they were like something out of my worst nightmare.
I turned from him, continuing the fight. Sweat dotted my skin, and my muscles ached as I fought, going after false queen after false queen. Burn appeared at some point, fighting alongside me. His thorns flew from his hide, cutting down figure after figure.
Black smoke began to drift out from the remaining false queens—my mother’s mind control magic.
One of my greatest fears.
My heart thundered so hard it nearly deafened me.
I leapt over the smoke, dodging away from it. No way I’d let it get me. The battle took everything I had—every fight skill and tactic—but I kept ahead of her, never once falling prey to her power.
But it sucked.
Oh fates, did it suck.
I hated her. I hated what she’d done to me. To Tarron. To his people. The mass murder she was willing to commit.
But it was still totally fucked up to repeatedly kill different versions of my mother. It tore at my soul, no matter how much I didn’t want it to. I felt every stab of my blade, every cut and slice.
If I hadn’t been strong enough before this, I would be soon. This was my crucible of pain, and I would come out stronger on the other end.
I had to.
With a roar, I spun, blade raised, and took out another figment of the false queen. As she poofed into black smoke, I spotted a gleam of gold in the hand of another figure.
A key.
There was no question.
Nearly all of the false queens were gone now. Burn tore out the throat of one while Tarron stabbed another. But this one…she was the special one.
I pointed to her and shouted, “Don’t kill that one! She’s mine!”
Tarron nodded sharply.
I raced for her, lungs bunging. She hissed and raised her hand, shooting a jet of black smoky magic at me.
Mind control.
I dived and rolled low, avoiding the blast. I leapt to my feet at her side and swiped out with my blade, taking off her head.
As she poofed into dark magic, I lunged and grabbed the key, clutching the golden th
ing tightly.
All around, the rest of the false queens disappeared.
“What happened?” Tarron demanded.
Burn growled and got low, ready to pounce at any possible threat.
I held up the key. “I got a key.”
Understanding dawned in his eyes. “We should go down the other tunnel to get the other key.”
I nodded. “Let’s do it.”
I sheathed my sword, and we left the cavern without a backward glance. Burn trotted at our sides.
“Planning to stick around?” I asked.
He woofed low.
I started to reach for my pocket to retrieve a butterscotch for him but realized that there was no way he could eat ghost candy. And these weren’t even my clothes anyway—they were the ones the Fae had left at the foot of our bed.
“I’ll get you a thank-you treat later. Once I’m not dead.”
He woofed again.
We reached the main cavern a few moments later and turned down the other one, hurrying through the darkened corridor.
“I think I faced my greatest fear back there,” I said, replaying the scene in my mind.
There was silence for a moment.
“Your mother?”
“The idea that I’ll never be strong enough to defeat her. That she’ll accomplish whatever horrible thing she’s got planned.”
“You proved you’re strong enough.”
“I hope you’re right.” It felt good, that victory. Fucked up, but good.
The end of the tunnel ahead of us gleamed with sunlight.
“Looks like we’re going outside,” Tarron said.
We slowed as we neared it, my senses going on high alert. I sniffed the air. It smelled fresh—like grass and leaves and water.
When we stepped out into the sunlight, I blinked. “We’re back on earth.”
The Seelie Court spread out before me, ornate buildings reaching high toward the sky. Sunlight sparkled on the ivory and gold architecture, and people milled about around the buildings.
“There’s no way we’ve succeeded and landed back on earth,” Tarron said. “That’s too easy.”
I sighed. “You're right.”
“But there’s no fire damage from the Eternal Flame.”