Spirit of the Fae

by Linsey Hall

  The carriage rumbled forward, and we crouched, tense.

  “How long until we are there?” Tarron whispered.

  “Only fifteen minutes.”

  “And if we stop before fifteen minutes is up, there’s trouble, correct?” Tarron asked.

  “Exactly.”

  I tried not to hold my breath as we traveled, but it was impossible. When the carriage stopped abruptly ten minutes later, I stiffened.

  Shit.

  I caught sight of Brielle making a motion with her hand raised to her lips. It was too dark to see, but it had to be a shhh-ing gesture.

  “What have you got here, old woman?” a man’s voice grumbled.

  “Potatoes for the castle.”

  “Not potato season.”

  “They last for months, you dimwit,” Maniae barked.

  “I’ll just be having a look, then.”

  I stiffened. Shit.

  He was coming.

  I tilted my head, listening carefully. I could hear only one set of footsteps.

  Please let it be only him.

  Brielle drew her blade, the slide of metal against leather unmistakable.

  I gripped her arm, squeezing and mouthing, “No.”

  A fight would cause a scene.

  Quickly, I sliced my finger, feeling pain pinch and blood well. I darted forward, pressing myself right up against the middle basket of potatoes.

  The guard pulled it out, leaning down to peer into the wagon. I lashed out, swiping my bloody finger across his forehead and imbuing my voice with my magic.

  “Ignore that you have seen us. There are only potatoes in this wagon.”

  He frowned briefly, his brows drawing together. My heart leapt into my throat, almost choking me.

  Then he shoved the basket back in and grumbled, “Just potatoes.”

  My shoulders sagged with relief.

  “As I told you!” The slightest bit of confusion echoed in Maniae’s voice, but she cracked the reins and the carriage rumbled forward.

  My muscles felt like noodles from the relieved tension. With Aeri at risk, everything felt twice as terrifying and risky. I couldn’t be caught before I got to her. I just couldn’t.

  Five minutes later, the carriage rolled to a stop. Brielle grabbed my arm, and I stilled.

  “Wait,” she breathed, the word barely audible.

  The carriage adjusted its position, moving back and forth, finally stopping for good. Several minutes ticked by, each tenser than the last.

  Finally, the baskets of potatoes were removed, and Maniae’s face peeked in. “Hurry up now.”

  I scrambled out into a tiny dark room full of baskets of vegetables. The wagon had been backed up to it, giving us complete privacy as we climbed out.

  “I don’t know how you did it,” Maniae said to the four of us. “But I thought we were done for.”

  “Thank you, Maniae,” I said.

  She nodded. “You’re on your own to get out, though. No reason for a potato delivery person to linger, so I can’t stay.”

  “Thank you,” Tarron said.

  “Wait for me, Maniae,” Brielle said. “I’m just going to give them directions.” She turned to us. “I can’t come with you. Too risky. They know my face and my magic. But you will find the dungeons by making your way out of storage and heading down the large hallway. Take a right at the end, then a left. The guards at the top of the dungeon stairs will hopefully be asleep. Go down the stairs, and you should find your sister.”

  “Thank you.” I held out my hand, and she took it, shaking briskly. “Once we have my sister, we will go for the queen.”

  “Be careful. She’s more powerful than ever. If you can’t take her out by yourselves, I expect you back here to help us overthrow her.”

  I nodded. “You can count on us.”

  Brielle and Maniae got back into the wagon and drove out of the storage room.

  I turned to Tarron and Cass. “Ready?”

  “As I’ll ever be,” Cass said.

  Tarron nodded.

  We slipped out of the food storage room and into a narrow hall. More small rooms sat right off of it, each filled with various types of food and drink. I could hear the bustle of the kitchen from one end, so I turned the other way.

  Tarron took the lead, striding quietly down the hall. A narrow set of stairs led upward, and I took them two at a time, heart pounding with anticipation. When we reached the top, I drew an iron sword from the ether. I didn’t want to hurt any Fae who might be under the false queen’s mind control, and maybe this would scare them into following my orders.

  Quietly, Tarron pushed open the door and looked out. He turned back to us and whispered, “The main hall.”

  I nodded.

  He stepped out, and I followed. We were at one end, with a long expanse stretching out in front of us. There was nowhere to hide—not even a statue to duck behind. A navy blue rug covered the floor, and the lights above glittered in ornate chandeliers.

  “Might as well pretend we belong,” Cass muttered, yanking her cloak up over her head to cover her red hair. Now that we actually needed her glamour, it had faded.

  I nodded, making sure that my cloak concealed my face, which looked far too much like the queen’s.

  We strode down the hall, headed toward the end. Fortunately, we met no one, making the next two turns without issue.

  “I can feel her,” Cass said. “Below us.”

  I drew in a steadying breath, grateful for Cass’s words.

  At the end of the hall, two guards stiffened, their gazes on us.

  “Not asleep,” Tarron muttered.

  “Damn it.”

  Tarron’s magic flared, and he hurled a massive gale of wind at them. It shot down the hall, making the rug flutter, then slammed into them. The two guards flew down the stairs, tumbling as they went.

  “Hurry!” Tarron sprinted forward. “They could still be conscious.”

  Cass and I followed, racing down the hall. I drew my potion bag from the ether as I ran, pulling out a stunning bomb.

  We took the stairs two at a time, heading toward a small room at the bottom. Both guards were staggering to their feet, looking woozy.

  One shouted, and I hurled my potion bomb at him. It smashed against his chest, spraying him with blue liquid. His eyes rolled back in his head and he collapsed.

  Tarron hit the other guard with a second massive blast of wind, and he slammed back into the stone wall, smacking his head. He slumped to the ground, limp and unconscious.

  There was a small wooden door in front of us, and I sprinted toward it. If anyone had heard that guard shout, I wanted to fight them as far away from the stairs as possible. The last thing we needed was for the castle to realize we were there.

  Tarron reached the door first, yanking it open and slipping inside. Cass and I followed, entering a long, dark corridor.

  “Well, this is a proper dungeon,” I murmured.

  The stones that made up the walls were huge and rough. Bare torches flamed against the walls, and huge wooden doors with little caged windows lined the hall.

  “I can feel Aeri,” Cass said, no doubt using her FireSoul ability.

  I sprinted down the hall, looking into each window as I went. All the cells were empty.

  All until the very end.

  Aeri’s pale face stared out of one, her hands gripping the bars. “Mari!”

  Elation lit in her shadowed eyes. Next to her towered Declan, her boyfriend. He looked exhausted and frustrated, his dark hair streaked with dust from the cell. He nodded a greeting, his expression grim.

  “Aeri!” I raced to the door and gripped her hands with mine. “Are you okay?”

  “Beat up, but okay.” Her eyes darted between me, Tarron, and Cass. “Do you have the key?”

  “No.” I turned to Tarron. “Let’s try it.”

  “Step back,” Tarron said.

  Aeri and Declan moved away from the window.

  Tarron reached for the big
metal door handle. I joined him, adding my strength. We braced ourselves against the doorframe, pulling as hard as we could. I gave it all of my Dragon Blood strength, but it didn’t work. Sweat dotted my brow, but it didn’t so much as budge.

  I dropped my hands. “Enchanted.”

  “Let’s try fire.” Tarron stepped back and threw out his hands, blasting the door with a huge jet of flame. Cass joined him, adding her own fire.

  Despite being wood, the door didn’t so much as blacken.

  When the fire finally faded, I stepped up to the window and looked through, finding Aeri and Declan standing against the far wall. He had his arm wrapped protectively around her shoulders.

  I met her gaze. “Who has the key?”

  “The big guard.” She raised her hand up past her head. “This tall. Hulking bastard. I think there’s a room they all hang out in down here. To the right.”

  “There will be at least a half dozen of them,” Declan said. “They travel in packs. Like rats.”

  I nodded. “We’ll be back.”

  “Hurry.”

  My heart clutched. I hated seeing Aeri like this. “I’m coming back. I swear.”

  She nodded.

  I turned and followed Tarron and Cass, heading farther down the hall. We moved silently and quickly.

  Near the end, I caught the sound of voices. A grumbling argument. A door stood ajar just ahead of us.

  Tarron pointed to it and nodded.

  Yep, they were definitely in there.

  It would be impossible to tell which Unseelie Fae were acting of their own accord and which were under the false queen’s mind control. I drew my potion bag from the ether and took out several stunning potions. They were the sort that exploded into a mist, and if I chucked them at the ground, they might take out at least a few of the guards.

  I held up a hand, gesturing for my friends to stop.

  “Hold your breath when you enter,” I mouthed.

  They nodded.

  I crept up to the door and peeked inside.

  Seven guards were seated around a big table playing cards, including one big bastard who was almost twice my height.

  It was the same one who could throw the sonic booms. We’d met him in the Unseelie forest before, and he was a strong bastard.

  Shit.

  Before they could spot me, I hurled my potion bombs at the table between them. The glass globes smashed onto the surface, exploding upward in a blast of blue smoke. The guards fell back, panicked, sucking in the smoke before they realized what it was.

  I’d saved one potion bomb for the big guard, so I threw it right at him. It smashed against his chest, but he didn’t collapse. He was too damned big.

  He blinked woozily as he surged to his feet, but otherwise he was fine. All around him, the other guards tried to stand, swaying drunkenly. The potion mist hadn’t been enough to knock them out, but they were delightfully impaired.

  I charged in, drawing my sword from the ether. Tarron and Cass followed.

  The big guard raised his hands, readying to throw a sonic boom at me.

  “I’ve got him,” Tarron said.

  I dodged right, leaving him to it, and went for the nearest swaying guard. I slammed the hilt of my sword down onto his head, and he collapsed, unconscious.

  Cass went for the others, while Tarron threw a huge fireball at the big guard. I could smell the giant’s magic from here, and it was nasty. He was definitely on the false queen’s side of his own volition, that was for sure.

  Another guard charged me, his sword raised. Despite his impairment, his motions were fast, his sword moving in a blur. I dodged left, but took the blow to the arm. Pain flared and blood welled. I charged, stabbing him in the side, far away from any vital organs.

  He shouted, clutching the wound, and swiped out with his blade.

  I darted away, managing to avoid a second hit. Then I lunged for him and kicked him in the stomach, sending him flying backward. I dived and slammed the hilt of my sword onto his head.

  His eyes rolled back, and his body went slack.

  Panting, I leapt upward and inspected the scene.

  Cass had taken out three of the guards, while Tarron had finally knocked out the big one.

  I lunged for the final guard, who raised his hand to throw a blast of magic at me. Green smoke shot from his palm, and I lunged left, rolling on the ground and barely avoiding the hit. I popped upright just in time to see Tarron hit the guy on the back of the head with the hilt of his sword. He collapsed forward and landed hard.

  I sprinted for the big guard, then fell to my knees beside his burned body. He wasn’t dead, but he was in terrible shape. I’d feel bad for him if his magic didn’t make it really clear what a bastard he was. He stank so bad that it was hard to breathe near him.

  “Help me look.” I patted through the guard’s pockets, searching for the key.

  Tarron and Cass joined me, searching the dozens of pockets that seemed to be sewn into his clothing.

  Finally, my hand closed over a heavy key. “Found it!”

  “Not so fast.” My mother’s cold voice echoed from behind me, and I froze.

  16

  Skin chilled, I looked up.

  In the doorway stood the false queen, as horrible and beautiful as ever. Her sharp features were highlighted by her black and white hair. It was fabulously striped and swept up into an elaborate design around her head. Her crown looked like it was made of spiked obsidian, and her gown was made entirely of delicate lace that somehow looked sharp enough to cut.

  All of her looked sharp enough to cut.

  Tarron’s magic swelled slightly, barely perceptible. He was about to hurl something at the queen when she shrieked and thrust out her hands.

  Before we could react, light shot at us so fast that I didn’t have a chance to brace myself. It hit me dead-on, and I collapsed, my vision going black.

  I surfaced from unconsciousness groggily, blinking to get my vision back.

  My head ached like an elephant had stepped on it, hanging low so that my chin touched my chest. Ropes bound my wrists tightly, and I sat upright in a hard chair.

  What the hell?

  Through the fog of pain in my head, memories of my mother hitting me with some kind of light blast flashed in my mind.

  She’d captured me.

  Her magic had moved so fast that none of us had had a chance to defend ourselves. That was new.

  Carefully, I controlled my breathing. I couldn't let her know I was awake. I needed this time to take in my surroundings. Through slitted eyes, I peeked left and right. Tarron sat to one side, Cass to the other. Even Aeri and Declan were there, tied to a chair on the far side of Cass.

  All were unconscious.

  Fear spiked my heartrate. They were unconscious right? Not dead?

  No, of course not dead. There’d be no reason to tie them to a chair if they were dead.

  But why were we all here?

  Leverage.

  It’s what I would do. Threaten the loved ones of the person I was trying to coerce. I’d do it right in front of their face too. If I didn’t have a soul. Which my mother didn’t.

  We needed to get the hell out of here before she could put whatever evil plan she had into action.

  We were in some kind of high tower room—it was circular with windows on all sides. An open door led to another room.

  Quietly, I drew in a breath, trying to calm myself. Voices sounded from the other room, and I strained my ears, trying to hear.

  “They will wake soon, Your Highness. You should deal with them before they do. They are strong.”

  The false queen laughed coldly. “I’m more powerful than ever. There’s nothing they can do to stop me. Anyway, I have them just where I want them.”

  Oh yeah, she had something planned.

  I swallowed hard, cold sinking deep into my soul. But she was right. Her power was now off the charts. She’d hit me with that magic faster than I could even process, and it’d
knocked me out immediately.

  There was no beating her here.

  We had to escape. Regroup. Figure out a plan.

  The Aranthian Crystal.

  It was still in my pocket. If I could just reach it….

  Freezing the false queen would give us time to try to take her out. If she couldn't chuck that deadly golden light at us, we had a shot. Carefully, I tested the ropes that bound my wrists, trying to break free. My muscles strained and my skin burned as I struggled, but the ropes held tight.

  I caught another snippet of her words, but they faded off, as if she were walking away. “And now that I have both sisters together…”

  Together? What did she want with the two of us?

  I drew in a deep breath and tried to focus on my magic, using my skill to reach into another’s mind.

  Wake up! I shrieked into Tarron’s head.

  He twitched, then went perfectly still. Processing his environment, no doubt. He didn’t move a muscle as his gaze flicked over to me.

  My bindings, I said inside his mind. Burn them off.

  He frowned, his gaze flicking to my wrists. He couldn't speak back to me, but I knew what he was thinking.

  If we don’t get out of here, I’m in for worse than burned wrists, I said silently.

  He scowled, then nodded.

  Give me a moment to wake the others. Burn their bindings as well. Maybe I should feel bad about signing them up for that little bit of torture, but I knew Cass, Aeri, and Declan well enough to know they’d be up for it.

  Using my magic, I appeared in their minds and woke them. Both stayed still in their chairs, waking like the pros they were. Only their eyes moved slightly, flicking toward me and Tarron, taking in our surroundings.

  Fire coming at your bindings, I said inside their heads.

  Each blinked in acknowledgment.

  Hurry, I said to Tarron.

  The conversation in the other room could end any moment. I could just barely make out the sound of their voices.

  Heat started to blaze at my wrists, and I winced, trying to breathe deeply through the pain. I strained against the bindings, wanting to break them as soon as possible. Finally, they snapped, and I was free.