by Linsey Hall
I searched fast, not wanting any of the bar patrons or guards to figure out what was going on. Soon enough they’d notice that the bartender wasn’t moving.
Aeri and I searched the entire workshop and the little room beyond. The tiny space at the back was filled with potions and ingredients from floor to ceiling.
“A real treasure trove.” I wished there were less of it though. The longer I searched, the more stressed I got.
Tarron needed me to find this ingredient, damn it.
Finally, I spotted a withered purple root in a little glass jar.
Root of Paeoria was scribbled on a tiny label.
“Bingo.” I grabbed it and shoved it into my potion bag, then stashed the bag back in the ether. “Let’s get the hell out of here.”
I tried my transport power, but it didn’t work. “Damn it, I’m blocked.”
“Let’s run for it.”
Together, we hurried out of Penriel’s workshop. As I passed him, I yanked the ten grand out of his hand. “I’d have let you keep it if you’d played fair.”
“Jerk,” Aeri hissed.
We left the workshop and hurried down the hall. As we reached the entrance to the main part of the bar, I caught the sound of a commotion.
“They’re onto us,” I whispered.
Shouts sounded on the other side of the door.
“Definitely.”
“Use your invisibility.” I reached into the ether and withdrew the little glass vial holding the root of Paeoria. I shoved it into her hand. “Get the hell out of here.”
“I’m not leaving you.”
“You have to. We need to save Tarron.”
“Not at the expense of you.”
“I’ll be fine. Delayed maybe, but fine.” I gripped her arm. “Please. I’d do it for you.”
“Leave me behind?” She arched a brow.
“You know what I mean.” I shoved her. “Now go.”
She glared at me and took the root. “Fine, but I’m coming back for you as soon as I get this ingredient to Magic’s Bend.”
“Fine, whatever. Just go.”
She nodded, then flipped up the hood on her white suit and disappeared.
The door in front of me creaked open as she slipped out, and I followed, determined to distract them from Aeri.
There had to be at least a dozen patrons and six guards, all scattered throughout the room, standing amongst the trees that grew up from the floor.
Now they were all looking at me.
“Intruder!” shouted one of the guards. He pointed to me, brow furrowed.
“Hey there!” I grinned and waved, then called upon my wings.
The ceiling wasn’t high, but the tree branches provided cover. The guards began to hurl blasts of white magic at me. I darted and dived, narrowly avoiding the blows. A blast of white light hit a tree to my left, and the thing shuddered and dropped its leaves.
“Bitch!” shouted one of the guards.
I hissed but didn’t attack. They were just doing their jobs. Running seemed fairest and safest.
I flew toward the door, racing for freedom.
A blast of green light hit my arm, and pain flared. I screamed, clutching my bicep as it went numb. Shocked, I looked behind me.
One of the patrons, a guy with a skinny black mustache and a long ponytail, grinned evilly at me.
He was just attacking for the hell of it!
Bastard.
I drew a potion bomb from the ether—a stunner, just to be nice—and chucked it at him. The glass exploded against his chest, tiny shards of blue glass flying through the air. The liquid soaked into his shirt, and he toppled backward, his eyes rolling back in his head.
Two guards sent massive blasts of white light at me, and I managed to narrowly avoid them, darting hard to the right and taking cover behind some tree limbs.
The branches shook, dropping their leaves.
I spun to face the door. Nearly there.
The corridor with the birds was so close.
Panting, I gave it one last burst of speed, my wings beating fast, and dived low through the doorway that led into the corridor. Guards shouted and sprinted after me.
“Hey, birdies!” I called, trying to sound as friendly as possible.
They started up a racket, turning dozens of pairs of beady red eyes on me. They snapped their black beaks and shifted restlessly, leaning toward me.
“Get her!” shouted one of the guards. “Go on, you useless birds!”
My heart pounded as I dug into my pocket and yanked out a small handful of the gold-wrapped butterscotch candies. I chucked them in the air ahead of me. “For my buddies!”
The birds all gave a loud caw of delight and lunged off their branches, flying toward the golden candies. I darted past them, covering my face as I flew through the hordes of birds going the other direction.
“Don’t forget to share!” I shouted as I raced toward the exit.
One last guard stood in front of it, braced for battle with his sword raised high.
There was no time to hunt for a stunning potion. I drew my blade from the ether and landed in front of him.
His blade was twice as long as mine. He swung it hard and fast for my abdomen, and I jumped backward, sucking in my stomach as the steel whooshed past.
“That was close.” I grinned and sliced out with my own blade, going for his sword arm.
He tried to parry, but was too slow. My steel cut deep, slicing a wound that made him howl. He clutched the injury and staggered. I charged and kicked him in the gut, sending him to the ground.
Fast as I could, I leapt over him and shoved at the door, racing out into the cold night air. I sprinted through the alley and up the stairs, appearing on the wide flagstone street. Somewhere else in the city, bagpipes were playing, their plaintive wails sounding high above the majestic stone buildings.
“Good to see you again, Scotland.” With that, I called upon my transport magic and disappeared. The last thing I heard was the frustrated roar of Penriel, the Fae without a court.
I appeared back on the street in front of my house. Darklane was quiet at this time of day. Late afternoon was often one of the less busy periods, and there was no one on the street as I raced up the stairs to my townhouse.
As I disengaged the security charms that protected the front door, a roar sounded from within.
No.
Tarron.
I raced inside and down the hall, hurtling into the workshop at the back.
Tarron had somehow escaped his bindings and had Aeri cornered. He was about seven feet from her, backing her up against the wall. She swung her mace, her brow creased and a debate in her eyes.
My heart thundered.
Shit. They would kill each other.
3
Tarron roared and charged Aeri, his eyes golden and wild. Black veins shot through the glowing irises, evidence of the false queen’s control. He was so enraged that he didn’t even see me standing to the side.
Quickly, I reached into the ether and fumbled for a stunning charm in the bag.
Crap, I couldn’t find one!
It took me far too long, but finally, my sweating fingers closed around the familiar shape. I withdrew it, heart thundering as I threw it at him, praying that my aim was true.
The blue glass globe spun through the air and slammed into his back, soaking his shirt with the solution. He flew forward and crashed onto his front, unconscious.
“Where is Declan?” I demanded as I hurried toward Tarron. “You shouldn’t have been alone!”
“He’s getting Connor. He wasn’t picking up the phone. Anyway, I could handle him.” She glared at me.
“But the mace, Aeri? You could have crushed his skull.”
“I was just trying to scare him.”
I laughed as I knelt at his side. “Scare Tarron?”
“Good point.” She nudged him with her toe. “Big bastard doesn’t look like he’s scared of anything.”
“
Hey, that’s the man I love you’re talking about.”
She met my gaze. “Love?”
“Yeah.” I shrugged. “Apparently so.” I swept the hair back from the side of his face, pleased to see that he hadn’t landed straight on it. “Though he’s clearly not at his best right now.”
“No kidding.” She crouched by his side. “So you really love him? It’s not just the fated mates thing?”
“This wasn’t really where I expected to have this heart to heart.”
“What, you imagined more of a martini and Manhattan situation? Maybe while watching some True Blood and eating ice cream?”
“Well, yeah.” I rolled Tarron over and felt his ribs, trying to make sure nothing was broken. He was unconscious, but he might still wince if I pressed a particularly sore spot. “But then again, none of this is what I expected.”
“You’re preaching to the choir here.” She reached over and gripped my hand. “You’re sure it’s love?”
“What’s not to love?” I gestured to him. “If you ignore this temporary insanity, he’s kind, smart, funny, strong. Handsome, too. And he loves me back.”
That was the big thing. I didn’t think I would be able to handle unrequited love so well. I’d do it for Tarron—I wouldn’t have a choice—but I was damned glad that the sane version of Tarron loved me back.
“He might not survive this,” Aeri said, her tone soft.
I hissed at her. “He will.”
She frowned, worry and sadness in her eyes. “I’m only saying that because I love you, Mari. You know this curse is a big one. We don’t even know how to cure it yet. Or if it can be cured.”
“It can be. It has to be.” I drew in a deep breath. “Now where is Connor? He needs to make that antidote so that Tarron can have a bit of sanity while we look for the true cure.”
Aeri looked up at the clock and frowned. “Should be here any moment, I think.”
A moment later, the front door creaked open.
“Sounds like they heard you,” I said.
Aeri rose and went to greet Declan, Connor, and Claire. The brother and sister pair had been in Puck’s Glen with us just a few hours ago, and still looked beat-up and tired.
Claire’s dark hair was still wet from her shower, and she wore a clean set of fighting leathers. As a mercenary for the Order of the Magica, she had an endless supply. She smiled, her eyes tired.
As usual, Connor wore an old band T-shirt. This one was emblazoned with the name Lizzo. A bag hung over his shoulder, no doubt full of potions ingredients.
I met his gaze. “Thank you for making this potion. Maybe Aeri and I could have handled it, but our specialty is the ones related to blood sorcery. This is too important to risk.”
He grinned. “Any time.”
“I just came as backup.” Claire saluted.
“Well, we appreciate it.” I gave Tarron a look. “He’s pretty dangerous when he’s conscious.”
I went to the shelves, getting our last pair of manacles. It broke my heart to bind Tarron’s wrists again, but until his mind was free of the false queen’s influence, it had to be done.
Quickly, I bound his wrists in front of him. Aeri brought me a pillow to put under his head, and I smiled gratefully at her.
“Might as well leave him here.” I turned to my friends. “Until he wakes up, at least.”
“Hopefully I can get that antidote made before then,” Connor said. “Declan explained the situation to me and showed me a picture of the recipe. Shouldn’t take long.”
“Thank you.”
Connor strode to the main worktable that sat in the center of the room and put the bag on the table. As he unloaded it and got to work, I moved toward Claire. We stood side by side, watching Connor.
“How are you doing?” I asked.
“Good.” She smiled at me, still looking weary. Her dark eyes were shadowed and her face pale.
Hell, I doubted I looked much better.
“You should be resting.”
“Nah, I wanted to be here. I like Tarron. I want him to get better.” She nudged me with her shoulder just slightly. “I like you, too. And this will be okay.”
“Thanks.” I smiled.
My gaze moved between Tarron and Connor, hoping that the potions master could move quickly. He combined several of his own ingredients with the root of Paeoria, grinding it all into a paste and then lighting it on fire. He collected the smoke in a glass bottle, then added a few more ingredients to turn it to liquid.
By the time he was done, my nerves were strung so tight that a loud noise could have shattered me.
He held up the bottle and smiled. “It’s ready. He just has to drink it.”
“Thanks.” I strode toward him and took it, then knelt at Tarron’s side.
Carefully, I lifted his head. He was still unconscious, and I shook him slightly.
He groaned and shifted, trapped in a dream state.
“He looks conscious enough to swallow,” Aeri said. “Maybe get the potion in him before he fully wakes.”
I grimaced, remembering the scene I’d walked in on earlier. Quickly, I moved Tarron’s head farther upright, then tilted the vial of potion so a few drops seeped through his lips. He swallowed, never opening his eyes. I poured more in, holding my breath and praying he would swallow the rest. That it would work.
As I’d hoped, his throat moved. He swallowed the potion, and I looked up at Connor. “How long until it works?”
“Should be instantaneous.”
I shook Tarron slightly. “Come on, Tarron. Wake up now.”
He jerked, his eyes flaring open.
Green.
His eyes were green.
Relief sagged my shoulders. Thank fates.
The yellow and black that indicated the false queen’s possession were gone. Gratitude welled within me, making my eyes prick with tears.
Confusion flickered in his eyes, then he jerked away from me, moving back. His voice was harsh as he said, “Get away.”
“What?” My heart twisted. “Tarron, we’re trying to help you.”
“I know that, damn it.” His brow furrowed. “I’m dangerous. You need to stay away from me.”
“You’re not.”
He raised his hands, the manacles clanking. “But I am, Mari.”
The world closed in around us, until it felt like it was just the two of us in this room. “Not anymore. We’ve given you an antidote.”
“I can still feel it, pulling at my soul. There’s something within me that’s not me. I couldn’t live with myself if I hurt you.”
“You won’t.”
He ignored the statement and stood, towering over me, his broad shoulders cutting out the light. “What happened?”
I stood. “You don’t remember?”
“Bits and pieces.”
“Let’s sit for this.”
I turned to face the others in the room, finding that chairs had appeared around the table. They must have gathered them while we were talking.
I sat. “We need to figure out what the hell is going on.”
“And what the hell happened.” He took a seat at the farthest end of the table, away from everyone else. I watched him with an aching heart.
Aeri and Claire sat next to me.
“Do you remember the battle when we tried to rescue Aeri and Declan from the false queen?” I asked. “How we fought her and her Unseelie minions in her tower?”
“Vaguely. She hit me with something, didn’t she?”
“A curse,” I said. “One that controls your soul.”
He nodded, his eyes going dark and stormy. But not gold and black, thank fates. “I can feel her influence inside of me, fighting to break free. Whatever she did to me—it’s slowly stealing my soul.” He drew in a ragged breath. “It makes me do whatever she commands.”
“Which is to kill me,” I said.
He nodded, his gaze serious. “Whatever you’ve given me has helped, but I can still feel it. I don’t
have much time left.”
“Until what?”
“Until my soul is gone for good. Then I am hers.”
My stomach pitched.
“You can feel it that clearly?” Aeri asked.
He nodded. “Like it’s leaking out and taking all of my spirit with it.”
“And your magic,” Declan said. “Is that correct?”
Tarron nodded. “Most likely. I haven’t tried my power, but I have less of it, I think.”
Damn it. This was all bad. Souls were everything in magic. Our power was linked to them.
“Soon, she’ll have it all. My entire soul,” Tarron said. “I can feel it.”
It would be a fate worse than death. My heart twisted. “We’re going to find a cure. I promise.”
“What about the false queen?” he asked. “What if we kill her?”
“None of us are strong enough for that.” I shook my head. “And even if we could manage it, it’s a bad idea. Because your souls are linked, we think it could kill you, too.”
“Damn it.” He frowned. “And she wasn’t injured in the battle?”
“Barely,” Aeri said. “We slowed her a bit, but not for long.”
I turned to Aeri. Because Tarron had been hit by the curse, we hadn’t had a chance to talk about her imprisonment, but there could be clues there. “Did you learn anything while you were imprisoned?”
“She wanted you,” Aeri said.
“To kill me or use me for my power?”
“Both.” Aeri shrugged. “Whatever she could manage.”
“And the people in her realm,” Tarron said. “Do you have any idea how many are brainwashed to be on her side?”
“Not a clue.” Aeri frowned. “It’s hard to tell, to be honest. Her power is so strong.”
“I know all too well.” Tarron’s tone was grim.
“We need to find a way to beat her,” Aeri said.
“I’m not strong enough,” I said. Aeri was immensely powerful, but this would be my job. I could feel it. And I just wasn’t strong enough. “She’s too fast with that power of hers.”
“And once it hits you, you’re done,” Tarron said.
“We’ll have help, though.” I thought of the Unseelie we’d met in the forest when we’d been on the way to rescue Aeri. “There’s a Resistance force in the forest. Unseelie who escaped her dark magic before they could be brainwashed.”
