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Anna’s breath tangled in her throat. Oh…God. She couldn’t allow herself to think of an eternity with Cezar. Or the thought of being surrounded by those who thought of her as family.
Not after she had devoted so many years to accepting that she would always be alone.
Hope was the most dangerous thing in the world.
“Levet…” Anna abruptly stiffened, alarm bells ringing through her mind as she caught the unmistakable scent of apples. “Do you smell that?”
Levet gave a nervous nod. “Oui. Fairies. ”
“Shit. ”
Chapter 16
Anna squeezed her eyes shut, ridiculously praying that the scent would simply disappear. She’d had a bellyful of fairies. In fact, if she never had to deal with another fairy or imp or deranged queen again in her life, she would be a happy, happy woman.
Of course the scent didn’t disappear.
It spread to fill the entire barn.
Hell, why should her luck turn now?
Wrenching open her eyes at the sound of footsteps, Anna met Levet’s worried gaze and with a grimace stretched out on the grimy boards and began wiggling her way to the edge of the loft.
“There is no use in hiding, Anna Randal,” a soft, female voice called out just as Anna reached her destination. “I know you are here. ”
Peeking over the edge of the loft, Anna sucked in a sharp breath, her fear replaced with sharp, horrified disbelief as she caught sight of the dark-haired woman who stood in the center of the barn.
She knew that perfect pale skin and the dark, mocking eyes. And that scent…apples.
“Oh my God,” she husked, her entire body trembling. “Sybil? But you’re…”
“Dead?” the woman taunted, her perfectly manicured hand reaching up to pat her perfectly styled hair.
Anna blinked. And then she blinked again. The woman didn’t look like she had just crawled from her grave. There wasn’t so much as a speck of dirt on her pressed khakis and knit shirt. Surely there should be some sign of her recent demise?
This had to be a trick.
It had to be.
“She is dead,” Anna rasped.
The woman’s grating laugh echoed through the barn. “Do you fear she might have come back from the grave? That she intends to haunt you for killing her?”
“I didn’t kill her. ”
The dark eyes flashed with pure hatred. “Oh, Morgana might have struck the deadly blow, but it was because of you that she was trapped in that cell and unable to defend herself. You are responsible for her death. Now it’s time for you to pay. ”
Stuck in a sense of unreality, Anna remained frozen in place rather than running for life and limb.
Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.
“Who are you?”
“I am Clara, Sybil’s sister. ” Her lips twisted as understanding dawned in Anna’s eyes. A twin. Of course. “She called to me as she was dying. She pleaded for me to seek revenge from those responsible. And that is exactly what I intend to do. ”
Anna’s stomach rolled at the memory of Sybil lying on the cot, stone-cold dead. She felt horrible that the fairy had died.
But not horrible enough to allow herself to be killed in retribution.
With an effort, she forced herself to a kneeling position and glared down at the woman who was the most recent threat in a very long line.
“How did you find me?”
“Actually, I have Morgana to thank for this golden opportunity. ”
She heard the sudden flap of Levet’s wings. It echoed the rapid flutter of her heart.
“She knows I’m here?”
“Not specifically here, although she knows that you managed to escape from her portal to somewhere between her rotting farmhouse and Chicago. She called for her faithful subjects to go in search of you, but unlike the rest of the fairies I had a secret weapon. ”
Secret weapon?
What was she, the Pentagon?
“And what’s that?”
“I once saw you in a courtroom in L. A. when I was visiting Sybil. I will never forget your face…or your scent,” she replied, her smile smug. “I knew that if I came across your trail I could find you. Of course, I wasted far too much time beginning my search so close to Chicago. I never dreamed you would nearly be upon Morgana’s doorstep. ”
Anna’s heart gave another unpleasant flutter. Just how close was Morgana?
Doorstep didn’t sound good.
Shoving aside the nasty thought to worry about later, Anna concentrated on the fairy below.
“So you found me. ” She narrowed her gaze. “Now what?”
Clara smiled with cold amusement. “Ah, a woman who likes to cut to the chase. I don’t know whether to be impressed or laugh at your stupidity. ”
“I know which,” Levet muttered at her side.
Flashing the gargoyle a warning frown, Anna returned her attention to Clara.
“Tell me what you intend to do. ”
Clara crooked a mocking finger. “Why don’t you come down and we can discuss the situation like two reasonable adults?”
Levet snorted. “It’s a trick. ”
“You think?” Anna said dryly, leaning over the edge of the loft. “Thanks, but I’m comfortable where I am. Just tell me what you want. ”
The perfect features twisted with a perverse fury. “What I want is to watch you die. ”
“Nice,” Anna muttered with a shiver.
“But first I intend to make Morgana pay dearly to have you turned over to her. ”
“Ha. ” Levet moved to stand at Anna’s side. “You intend to bargain with the Queen of Bitches? Why don’t you just start digging your own grave now?”
“Oh, she will negotiate. She’s desperate to get her hands on Anna Randal. ”
“Why?” Anna abruptly demanded. “Why does she want me dead?”
“You don’t know?” Clara laughed. “How perfect. You should go to your death still wondering why you’re dying. Just as Sybil did. ”
“She doesn’t know, Anna. ” Levet leaned forward and directed a raspberry in Clara’s direction. “She’s nothing but a peon. Dirt beneath Morgana’s feet. ”
The pale features flushed with fury as she lifted a slender hand in Levet’s direction.
“You slimy little reptile…”
Anna felt a tingle of power before Levet was launched backward and his tiny body lay unnervingly still against the floorboards of the loft.
“Levet. ” Crawling toward his unmoving form, Anna desperately attempted to waken her friend. “Levet. Oh my God. ”
There was no response, and a combination of fear and absolute fury pounded through her. Spinning on her knees she moved back to the edge of the loft, launching herself over the side to land on the dirt floor. She was beyond caring about her own danger. This woman had hurt one of her friends. One of the first friends she’d had in nearly two centuries. The evil fairy was going to be very, very sorry she had messed with Anna Randal.
“You…hideous, horrible…demon. You want a fight, you got it. ”
Something that might have been fear replaced the smug assurance in Clara’s dark eyes. Holding up her hands, she took a step backward.
“I only stunned the beast,” she rasped. “Stay back or I’ll kill you. ”
“No you won’t,” Anna mocked, unconsciously gripping the priceless emerald in her clenched fist. “You want to barter me, remember? You have dreams of riches dancing through your head. ”
“I’m not Sybil, I won’t sacrifice my life for wealth. ”
The air heated as Anna’s fury spilled from her tense body. “Tell me why Morgana wants me dead. ”
With suddenly wide eyes the fairy took another few steps backward. “I…don’t…”
“Tell me,” Anna snapped, her hair beginning to dance in the rising wind.
“All I know is that Modron had a vision o
f you,” Clara squeaked.
“Modron?”
“Morgana’s seer. ”
Seer? What the hell was that?
“What was the vision?” she asked instead, not in the mood to be distracted.
Clara licked her lips. “That an heir of Arthur would rise from the darkness and condemn Morgana to hell. ”
“A lovely thought, but why does she think I’m the heir destined to send her to hell?”
“You possess the blood of the ancients. ”
“And?”
The dark gaze briefly flicked toward the nearby door before returning to Anna’s grim face.
“And she has devoted her life to killing off Arthur’s line. It doesn’t matter if you’re truly the Destined One or not, she can’t let you live. ”
Anna’s heart clenched with a sharp, poignant pain. So much death. So much loneliness because of a stupid vision.
“She slaughtered my entire family,” Anna muttered, unable to conceive that anyone, queen or not, could be so evil.
“Yes, if I were you I would…” Without warning, Clara launched herself forward, clearly sensing Anna’s distraction. Anna barely had time to gasp before the woman had plunged a knife into her stomach, sending her flying backwards.