Dark Fae

by Shannon Mayer

  Bres stepped in front of me, his sword raised as Lir engaged him. “So, you’ve switched sides again, eh Bres?”

  That wasn’t Lir’s voice.

  It was Card’s.

  6

  The two men squared off, swords slamming into one another with a speed I couldn’t follow except for the blur of metal. Fianna was on the far side of them, her eyes wide and concerned even at that distance.

  “Quinn, go. Save Luke,” Bres said through gritted teeth.

  “Yes sister, go save the other one. I’d like to kill him myself.” Card winked at me then, with a twist of his right hand, unarming Bres, and slamming the butt of his sword into Bres’ temple.

  Bres slid to the ground, unconscious.

  “Cora,” I whispered.

  You don’t have a choice, Quinn. You can’t outrun this battle.

  I nodded, and pulled my dagger out, gripping it with my right hand. Bres was an amazing swordsman, if he couldn’t beat Card, I didn’t have a hope in hell.

  “That? You’re going to face me with that puny little dagger?” Card snorted. “All right then sister, if you insist. Are you ready to die?”

  “Not today, Card,” I said with false bravado.

  He circled around me and I followed him, not letting him get behind me. Card moved like the sharks he could command, smooth and easy with a predatory grace that was completely unnerving me.

  I stepped back and he followed, his blue eyes glinting. He lunged at me, his sword swiping towards my middle. I leapt backwards, just deflecting the tip of the sword, keeping it from tearing into my stomach—barely.

  Again and again Card came at me, the speed and power behind his attacks pushing me deeper into the swamp, back the way we’d come. It took everything I had to keep his blade from cutting into me, and I could tell he wasn’t even trying; he was just playing with me. This was not working. I had to outsmart him. I couldn’t outfight him.

  I lifted my left hand ever so slightly, preparing to use a bolt of power.

  “I wouldn’t do that if I were you, little sister. You don’t want me to challenge me for control over my natural element.” He said, as calmly as if we were discussing a Sunday crossword over tea. The bastard wasn’t even out of breath. I was breathing hard and using everything I had to keep him off me.

  “Oh, don’t worry. I wasn’t going to do anything with the water,” I said, and unleashed the bolt. He dived to the left, but the bolt caught him in one shoulder and spun him around. He disappeared beneath the shallow murky surface.

  Before he could get up, I leapt towards him, flinging my dagger, propelling it with a second power bolt. I had no idea if it nailed him or not; I couldn’t see through the dirt we’d stirred up. Calling my dagger back to my hand, I stood there at the edge of the swamp, panting.

  The water around me stilled and I held my breath. His body didn’t float to the surface, mortally wounded or otherwise. I scanned the area, desperately searching for a sign that I’d finished him off. No, it wasn’t to be that easy.

  Hands gripped my ankles, yanking me into the water. I kicked out, catching Card in the head. He let go and we both scrambled to our feet, water dripping off us. I swiped at my face, clearing the drips from my vision.

  “You little bitch! I’m going to steal your power.” He rolled his shoulders, cracked his knuckles. “And then I’m going to kill you and feed you to Morty.”

  Card slid his sword back into its scabbard and came at me with his bare hands. It shouldn’t have been more terrifying than having him coming at me with a weapon, but it was.

  Stumbling backwards, I fought to stay away from him while his laughter chased me. Fianna stood silent on the edge of the swamp. I slammed into a Barrier, bouncing off it and hitting the ground hard. Card had trapped me with him within a Barrier, effectively blocking any attempt either Fianna or Bres might make to help me.

  Son of a bitch!

  Fingers tangled in my hair and Card yanked me tight against him, my back flush against his chest. “Don’t worry,” he whispered into my ear. “I’ll kill you fast. You see, I can be merciful; our father would want that.”

  One of his hands gripped my jaw and the other rested lightly on my left breast, over my heart. A pulse of energy swirled around us.

  His fingers dug into me, biting at my flesh as my powers slowly began to slip away from me. This was what Luke had warned me about. I struggled, but it was no use, not against both Card’s physical strength and his innate powers. He was stronger than me on both fronts.

  Fight him, Quinn! You can turn ta tables on him! Bres’ voice inside my head steadied me. He stood at the edge of the Barrier, his eyes pleading with me. There was nothing he could do on that side of the Barrier that Card had made. I was on my own.

  Bres is right, if you take Card’s power, you may be strong enough to break Chaos' hold on Ashling, Cora said.

  A swell of sudden hope that maybe I could save Ashling after all was what I needed to fight back. With a cry, I flung myself backwards into Card, throwing us both to the ground. Yanking hard, I freed myself from his hand on my jaw and turned to face him, slamming my hand over his heart.

  “Card, stand with me against Chaos,” I said, hoping he would see that it was the smart thing to do.

  “Or?”

  “We end this now.”

  With a roar he tried to buck me off. Feeling the connection he’d established between us, I drew on it, stealing his power. He tried to block me, the power stuttering. I thought of Ashling, trapped by Chaos. Everything depended on me doing this. I wouldn’t fail my little sister again.

  As fast as I could, I pulled Card’s power into me, blowing through his every effort to stop me. But he was so strong that even as I took his power, he fought me. We rolled across the ground, Card pummeling me with his fists. I didn’t lift my hands to protect myself. If I didn’t take his power now, it wouldn’t matter. I wouldn’t be able to save myself or Ashling.

  My lip and cheek were split, one eyelid was swollen shut, but I wouldn’t release my hand over his heart. He twisted my arm and I screamed as it cracked, but my fingers never left his skin.

  He sat on top of me, my right hand curled into the flesh of his chest, blood oozing out from under my fingertips. The connection between us didn’t flicker, not once.

  He took a deep gasping breath. “Ah, I should have known you’d be the death of me. Chosen one.” He began to sag under my hand.

  Pausing, I asked him again. “Stand with me. Please. Don’t make me do this.”

  “Never. You should never have been born. I was to be his heir.” He spat the words at me, his eyes sunk into his head, full of hatred and fury. “There can be only one of us.”

  Tears pricked my eyes. “Then this is it.”

  He grimaced, took one last swing at me, his fist bouncing feebly off my forehead. I closed my eyes, prayed that this would be the last death on my hands, and took the last drops of his power, and, with it, his life.

  7

  Bres lifted Card off me, rolling his body to one side as he gathered me up into his arms. I was sobbing; I didn’t remember starting to cry, didn’t remember the Barrier coming down.

  “Quinn, you be all right.” Bres’ hands rubbed my back. “Come on, we have to go. If you want to be saving Luke, that is.”

  He was right, there was no time to feel this sorrow, we had to move fast. Wobbling to my feet, a rush of awareness I’d never had filled my senses. Every drop of water was mine to command, from the lake, to the rain, to the moisture beading on Bres’ forehead.

  I took a slow even breath, gingerly holding my broken arm against my chest. “Let’s go.”

  Pausing, I stared down at Card’s shrunken body. “Fianna . . .” was all I managed before she interrupted me.

  “We will take care of his body.” She inclined her head to me.

  Bres took off his shirt and twisted it into a bandage to bound up my broken arm. It hurt, but already I could feel the break knitting up, the split in
my lip and my swollen eye healing. Running full tilt the rest of the way, we burst into the Banshee’s bower, startling the guard.

  “Where’s Luke?” I asked.

  She pointed to the back of the bower, and the trees leaned outwards to reveal the way. With Bres at my heels, I bolted down the path, skidding to a halt in a second clearing. Luke lay on a bed of flowers, his hands folded over his still chest.

  “No,” I whispered. We were too late.

  Bres grabbed my good arm. “The old man said there was a time that you could call Luke back from death.”

  The Banshee guard followed us into the clearing, Fianna close behind. “How long has he been dead?”

  The guard shrugged. “A while, I suppose.”

  Fianna stepped up. “With the time that has already passed where he can be brought back, you will have wasted the healing power of the cauldron if you use it.”

  “I’ll take that chance,” I said.

  Dropping to my knees beside Luke’s body, I reached out, then paused, staring at Card’s blood still cooling on my fingers. I closed my eyes to block out the sight.

  Damn, I knew there was something I’d forgotten. “How do I make the Cauldron work?” I asked.

  Fianna came to my side and pressed my hand over Luke’s silent heart. “Here. It is like all magic; you must will the healing to begin.”

  Pressing my palm hard into his cold skin, I prayed we weren’t too late. The warmth in my arm slid down to my fingers, the skin on Luke’s chest around my hand slowly gained colour. “Come on, Luke, this isn’t the end, not yet. I still have to kick your ass for lying to me,” I whispered.

  Bres crouched beside me. “He’s a fighter. We aren’t too late.”

  But nothing was happening. Luke didn’t take a breath; he didn’t pink up other than around my hand. “Come on, please don’t die on me. I’ll let the whole lie about Bres slide, if you just come back.” There was nothing, not even a glimmer of movement. This wasn’t fair! We’d fought so hard! I wanted to hit something, to lash out. Anything to not feel this gaping hole. I couldn’t lose him. I couldn’t lose another person whom I cared about.

  Slipping my broken arm out of the sling, I put my other hand on his forehead. “Damn it, Luke!” I yelled, “Don’t you dare back out on me now!”

  A bright flare of heat snapped between my hand and his chest, jerking his body like an electric shock. The intensity of the light dulled my eyes; I turned my head, but didn’t let go of him.

  “Ashling? Quinn?”

  My head whipped around so hard I smacked into Bres, giving me temporary stars. “Luke?” I was afraid my eyes were deceiving me. He had rumpled hair, bags under his eyes and a gaunt frame from the poison burning through his system, but he was alive.

  Luke started to sit up, but I pushed him back down. “No, you can’t. Not yet.”

  “I feel fine.” He paused, “I thought for a minute there that you were your sister. What happened? Where’s Aednat?” he asked. Then his eyes flicked to Bres. “What the hell?” Rolling away from me, Luke got to his feet and shot a ball of fire at Bres, who ducked the flames and spun out of the way.

  “Luke, stop!” I yelped, ducking under a second gout of flame. “He’s on our side! It was Chaos who turned him against us!”

  Bres continued to dodge the fire, though I could see it was wearing on him. I did the only thing I could. Running to Bres, I pressed my back against his chest and faced Luke. “Stop this, I need you both to stand with me. Please, Luke. Bres helped me save your life. He was ready to give up his own to save yours.”

  Luke looked down at me, his eyes full of confusion. “What happened?”

  I quickly explained about Aednat, the poison, and the Cauldron. When I got to the part about Card, the pain of it hit me in the gut like a punch. I sank to my knees. I’d killed my brother, and though I didn’t love him like I loved Ashling, what did it say of me that I could do it at all?

  Luke’s arms gingerly went around me, and I let my body collapse against his. I was exhausted and heart sore, and we still had so very, very far to go. Excalibur, the three Smiths, and Chaos all loomed ahead of me, of us.

  A second set of hands touched my back and I reached for Bres. Luke stiffened up. “I need you both,” I said. He relaxed and Bres gripped my one hand, his fingers interlocking with mine.

  “We have to keep her safe,” Bres said, as if I weren’t even there.

  “Agreed,” Luke answered.

  I grunted and closed my eyes, feeling grateful for this one moment of respite. It was far from perfect, but I suspected it was all I was going to get.

  Fianna came to stand beside us. “You should rest before you seek out the three Smiths. Luke, while you may be feeling up to the task, your body should still heal. Bres and Quinn, you should rest too after your fight for the Cauldron.” She never mentioned Card, for which I was glad.

  We were let to a third bower. This one was smaller and cozy. Three beds were made up of cedar bows, moss and maple leaves. They looked heavenly.

  I crashed on the middle one, my eyes shutting as the two men spoke softly in the background. I didn’t care, as long as they didn’t start fighting, they could talk all night.

  “Why did ya tell her I Charmed her?”

  “Because I could see how hung up she was on you turning against her. It was better that way, for her to believe it was a clean break. How was I to know it was Chaos making you turn? I didn’t think you’d be coming back.”

  “Next time, perhaps you should consider telling ta truth. Women always find a man’s lies, no matter how well he thinks he’s hidden them.”

  Luke grunted, and with that they went quiet, apparently satisfied.

  I relaxed and sleep claimed me immediately—but then, so did the dream. I was still in the bower but both boys were sleeping. They had moved their beds close to mine, one on either side.

  How was it that I could love them both? I brushed the hair back off Luke’s forehead, feeling the silken texture of it run across my fingers. Turning to Bres, I did the same, my heart beating hard for both of them.

  “Well that’s a problem I’d like to have.”

  I stood up, my eyes seeing her, but my mind not believing it. Ashling stood across from me, her petite frame wrapped in an off-the-shoulder white gown that was fitted over her hips, flaring into a wide skirt. I looked down at my grubby jeans and t-shirt, surprised that they were even still intact.

  She stepped towards me and I held up my hand. “How do I know it’s you and not Chaos?” Gods, the pain in her eyes nearly buckled my knees.

  Ashling started to cry. “Please, I only have a short time. While she sleeps, my spirit can wander.”

  That was all I could take. There was still a chance it was a trap, but I would run that risk. Three strides and I pulled her into my arms, her sobs muffled into my shoulder. “Quinn, I’m so scared, I’m not strong enough to fight her. She’s crushing me.”

  I held her tight, not knowing what to say. “I’m still fighting for you; you can’t give up.”

  “You have to kill my body; it’s the only way to stop her.”

  “Hush, don’t talk like that. It isn’t the only way. Cora said I could free you if I took Card’s power,” I said, smoothing her hair down her back. The curls tangled in my fingers. In such a short time, we’d come so far. My hands still had spots of Card’s blood, there was swamp mud under my fingernails and the faintest etching of the Cauldron remained on the palm of my hand. Against her strawberry blonde hair, my hands looked as if they belonged to a criminal.

  “I think Cora lied to you,” Ashling said, pulling back so she could look up at me. Her green eyes spilled over with tears. “I want to believe that you can save me, Quinn. I want to. But . . . “

  I shushed her. “No, we won’t end up apart. I promise you that. I won’t give up.”

  “Say hi to Luke for me,” she said, her eyes brightening. “I stayed with him, while he floated in between life and death.” Then she nodded, a
nd flinched. “I have to go, she’s waking up. I’ll try to come again. And, Quinn… Thank you for stopping Card. Chaos has been rewarding him by . . .” she swept her hand up and down her own body. “Even though it’s not really mine anymore . . .” her voice broke and she stepped back, she lifted her hand and disappeared.

  Anger like I’d never felt before ripped through me. Card had been using Ashling’s body for a play toy.

  “SON OF A BITCH!” I yelled, wishing I could kill him all over again. Any regrets I’d had were washed away in that moment of rage; it was enough to make me believe that I was one of the dark Fae. There was nothing righteous about this anger, only bright pulsing fury that left me shaking, and sick to my stomach.

  I paced the bower until I began to calm. He couldn’t touch her anymore. That was the only upside I could see.

  Moving slowly, I went back to my bed. Staring straight up at trees that covered us, I couldn’t see the night sky or the stars. Tears trickled out the corners of my eyes and down the sides of my face. Bres shifted on my one side and pulled me into his arms, cradling my body against his. He said nothing, only held me against the warmth of him. Reaching out, I touched Luke’s hip and urged him closer, tucking his back against my belly. I tucked one arm up under Luke’s head, and reached back with the other hand to pull Bres tight against me.

  Held between the two men, I fell back asleep, my tears drying, fading into determination with the knowledge that Ashling was still waiting for me to save her; that for the moment, she was still there inside her body.

  And if there was one thing I’d learned, it was that while love might not always conquer, it never gave up.

  8

  Morning dawned coolly, and I was even happier to be pressed between my two Fae men, their body heat fending off the chill of the early dawn. Not to mention it was a damn nice sight to wake up to the two impossibly handsome guys.