“Let me go!”
“I have to protect him. If you don’t die, we’ll never be free of you. I admit I underestimated you.”
I closed my eyes and wished she would go away. Maybe a tree could fall on her head or something, anything so she wasn’t near me while I couldn’t move to get away.
“It’ll be over soon,” she said. “My god doesn’t need a sacrifice to be willing, and he’s far more generous with power.”
I continued to struggle. I knew I could never beat her magic, but instinct wouldn’t let me stop fighting. “What are you doing?”
“Ensuring things go as they should. He’ll be king soon, his power restored, and I can cut your throat, knowing it won’t affect his position. Spilling your blood will bless his reign, and spilling royal blood…” She shivered.
I glared at her. “What are you waiting for? I’ve already done the witness thing.”
“Until the crown is on his head, anyone can ask to hear from you again. It’s their right. It’s unlikely to happen, but I’m not taking any chances. The second he has his power, you and your solitary faery are dead.”
“You’re a total psycho,” I said and looked away from her.
“No!” She wrapped her fingers around my neck. “I’m doing what I have to for my sisters, even for my king. Everything was going perfectly until that idiot solitary faery hung around, all because of you. That never happens, never! And I just know everyone thinks it was my magic, that my spell wasn’t powerful enough, but it was. If I had known Drake was related to Sadler, I would have killed him there and then! But this is your fault, too. You helped keep him here, and he weakens Brendan. When Brendan admitted he was going to free you, free you before the ceremony, I knew he was lost. I had to do something. No more!”
“You don’t have to do this,” I said. “He’ll be pissed that you went behind his back.”
She laughed harshly. “I can deal with him. I haven’t waited all this time just for a human to move the pieces in the opposite direction. I’ve suffered for him, waited in the dark, too ugly to look at, my powers weakened. My sisters and I are no longer feared or revered. Where is the justice in that? I put him back on that throne, and he’ll do what I say.” She raised her dagger. “Your blood will make sure of that. You’ll do this one last great thing, true child.”
The black cat leapt onto my legs as a grey blur jumped at Sorcha. She knocked Grim away in a rage. He fell and didn’t get back up. Realtín screamed and flew at Sorcha’s face. She scratched at the banshee’s eyes, while Bekind tried to free my hands.
Sorcha cut her hand with the dagger and shouted a few words. Bekind and Realtín were both frozen in some kind of bubble. Sorcha gripped the dagger and leaned over me.
“Stop this!” Brendan yelled. “It’s not right.”
Tears streamed down Sorcha’s cheeks. “It’s always been this way!” She brought down the dagger.
I squeezed my eyes shut. The pain never came.
I felt grass under my feet and opened my eyes. I was standing in a garden with Drake, his eyes violet and clear.
A shadowy figure stood to the side. “What is this?” he said, and I knew it was Brendan.
The air was misty and warm, and Drake shimmered as he reached for my hand.
“You called to our Mother before,” a harmony of voices said behind us.
Whirling around, I saw three beautiful women who seemed to share one set of legs, although it was hard to see through the mist and the vines of white flowers that surrounded them.
“I should have known,” Brendan said under his breath.
The women reached out to me. The one on the left said, “How pleasant to find a true child in our grotto. The Mother’s eyes opened, and we had to see what would happen next. We don’t truly like the end of this story, though.”
“What did you do?” Brendan demanded.
“Oh, dearest son, there’s no need for old grudges. We were always here for the taking. You merely needed to ask in the right way,” the middle woman said.
“We’ve been watching,” the right one said. “We are concerned. The fate of all depends on those with the most power, and if we can call our Mother back, we will find a way.”
“Yes,” the left one said. “This child signals change, and we believe this is the new age we’ve long waited for. But she is about to die, and you, who have not yet gained your full power, cannot save her. It’s an unhappy end to the tale. What shall you do?”
“What do you want?” Brendan asked.
At the same time, Drake said, “Anything.”
The women giggled, and the middle one said, “He who doesn’t beg for help is the one who risked everything for her. How strange, sisters.”
“I risked nothing,” Brendan said. “Have you no concept of courtesy, priestesses? I owe a life debt. That is all.”
“Perhaps,” the three said as one.
“Can you help us?” Drake asked. “My time draws near. Will you grant me one blessing?”
“We could,” the left one said. “But are you prepared for the consequences? There will be many. Now and in the future. They may be large or small, but consequences exist no matter what choice you make.”
“You brought us here,” Brendan said harshly. “Stop beating around the bush. You want to help us—that is plain. Now tell us the price.”
“The price is one soul sent to the Fade to replace the one stolen. Answer quickly.”
Drake and Brendan exchanged a glance, but I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t open my mouth, couldn’t say a word.
“Can you finish what I started?” Drake asked.
Brendan looked over at me, but I couldn’t make out his features clearly, nothing but a blur of gold. “Deorad’s already dead.”
“It doesn’t end with him,” Drake replied.
Brendan nodded. “I will honour the request.”
Drake looked at me. “I’m sorry for everything, Cara.” He faced the women. “Help us. Please.”
“Be quick,” the women said. “The power will be restored, but the dagger is already close to her throat. If the blade hits its target, your chance is lost.”
I didn’t get the time to think about that. I was staring up at a dagger rushing toward me. After a crack that sounded like a lightning strike, the knife flew away from me.
Sorcha shrieked and looked at the king. “No,” she whispered. “It can’t be.”
“Run,” Drake said. “Before I forget the respect he held for you.”
Sorcha fled, and Drake freed me.
I rubbed my wrists. “What the hell?”
“They didn’t say which soul,” he said under his breath.
“Brendan’s gone?”
He nodded. “Back to the Fade.”
“Help them,” I said, still shocked. “Grim was hurt, and the others…” Brendan had been banished again. All because of another human. I shook my head.
Drake began shouting out commands as Líle joined us.
“Arlen’s on his way,” Líle said. She came close enough to see Drake’s eyes. “Oh. You? What’s…?”
“The priestesses sent Brendan back to the Fade,” I said. “To save me from Sorcha.”
“He owed you a life debt,” Drake said, lifting Grim into his arms.
The brownie woke up too slowly for my liking. “But he’s trapped again. I didn’t want that. I would never want that.”
“He thought it would be me,” Drake said bitterly. “Don’t confuse the matter, Cara.”
“I didn’t want anyone to be sent away,” I said.
“What do we do now?” Líle asked. “Arlen will know. They will all realise.”
“I’ll take the throne first,” Drake said. “It’s too dangerous to do anything else.”
“But pure-blood royalty can’t even manage to control both courts,” I said. “You’re half-human. How will you?”
“I’ll learn,” he said, gritting his teeth.
“What if you didn’t have to?” I asked.
&nb
sp; “What do you mean?”
I flexed my wrists, trying to feel my hands again. “Brendan mentioned something about the fact that nobody came for him. He made it sound like he would have been free if someone had just gone in there for him. What if… what if we could just… go get him?”
“Just go get him?” Drake’s eyes went wide. “As if it’s as simple a matter as walking in and taking his hand? There’s a reason nobody went in there. There’s a reason the banshees took so many years and so many deaths to rescue his soul.”
“But it’s possible?” I asked.
“It’s possible,” Líle said. “But he’s right. It’s dangerous. The fenris alone could—”
“I owe him,” I said firmly.
“This is ridiculous,” Drake said, setting Grim down. “Líle, help me speak to Arlen. I’ll take the throne and then deal with… everything. Grim and Realtín, take Cara home. Avoid Sadler’s camp, and if you see his men, run. He’ll use… his son’s death as an excuse to cause mayhem. I need to do as much damage control as possible.” He strode away.
Líle gave me one last sympathetic look before following him, leaving me with Grim and Realtín.
I sat on the stone altar, feeling deflated. “And that’s it? It’s all over. Brendan’s gone, and Drake’s king?”
“Don’t judge him too harshly,” Grim said. “We still need leadership, and Sadler’s the only alternative. Once Drake has the power, he can deal with the matter.”
“And what do I do? Go home? Back to college? Back to…? I can’t. Brendan’s just…” I shook my head. Nothing felt right. There was no closure.
“I can show you the path,” a voice from an overhead branch said.
I looked up in disgust. “Am I supposed to trust you?”
“I’m sorry,” Bekind said, swinging her legs. “I can’t change what I am. Or what you are. But if you want to go into the Fade, I can show you the way. I’m still connected with the leanan sídhe. I can take you into the Fade.”
“Why?” Grim asked, sounding fierce. “Why would you?”
“What does it matter?” Bekind brushed her golden hair from her face. “All that matters is finding the way.”
I stared up at her. I wanted to believe her. I wanted to go. I owed Brendan, and I feared Drake wouldn’t be able to manage the power and the responsibility of ruling the fae. The fae needed two courts and two leaders. If I could find Brendan, maybe I could bring him home, and he and Drake could figure out an alternative. Drake never wanted to be king, and I couldn’t imagine that to have changed in the three minutes since he had been given some power.
“I’ll go with you,” I said at last.
“Quickly then,” Bekind said. “Before he returns and stops us.”
“This is a terrible idea,” Grim said.
“We can’t let her go alone,” Realtín said.
“She won’t be alone,” Bekind said in a huffy voice. “I’ll be with her.”
“You don’t count!” Realtín snapped.
“We’re free,” Grim said. “We can go wherever we want.”
Realtín nodded, darted down, and kissed his lips.
“We’re coming with you, Cara,” he said.
“It might not be safe,” I warned.
“Then don’t go at all,” he said.
“But this happened to Brendan because he did something good. I can’t let that be it. I can’t let him go thinking that goodness destroyed him, that another stupid human girl was his downfall.”
“We owe him our freedom,” Grim said solemnly. “He showed us a merciful side. He helped save a child from Deorad. And as much as I like and respect Drake, he isn’t a king. When the courts find out the truth, they will rebel. Brendan’s our best hope.”
“The priestesses watch over Cara,” Bekind said. “We’ll be safer with her than anyone else. It’s time for us to leave. We need supplies, and the path is long and arduous. Let the fae celebrate. We’ll bring them back a better king.”
Bekind jumped down in front of us and turned back into a cat. She led us away from the stone altar, away from the faery I cared about, the faery who would be king.
We would journey to the Fade, a place of nightmares. All for a fae I had once thought of as a monster.
###
Thank you for reading – for more information, check out Claire Farrell’s blog or email the author. Sign up to be notified of new releases or like the Facebook page for more regular updates.
Watch out for the sequel, Fade, in 2014.
Books by Claire Farrell:
Ava Delaney Series:
Thirst (Ava Delaney #1) – Free
Taunt (Ava Delaney #2)
Tempt (Ava Delaney #3)
Taken (Ava Delaney #4)
Taste (Ava Delaney #5)
Traitor (Ava Delaney #6)
Awakening (Ava Delaney Volume I – Books 1-3)
Cursed Series:
Verity (Cursed #1) – Free
Clarity (Cursed #2)
Adversity (Cursed #2.5 – Free
Purity (Cursed #3)
Cursed Omnibus (Entire Cursed Series)
Short Story Collections:
One Night with the Fae
Sixty Seconds
A Little Girl in my Room
Other:
Death is a Gift
Stake You – Free
Zombie Moon Rising (A Peter Brannigan Novella)
Coming Soon:
Tested
Make You
Claire Farrell, Soul
(Series: Chaos # 1)
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