by Linsey Hall
The threat came from out there, so I had to get out there.
Iain and the rest of the Fae were busy protecting the frozen ones who couldn't protect themselves, but the sea called to me.
I fought my way toward it, but there were just so many ice monsters. They scratched and gouged, grasping my arms and legs. I fought them off, swinging my ax with a desperation I’d never felt before.
A glint of bright blue light caught my eye. It hovered right under the surface of the ocean, about fifty yards out.
Where the ice had first started freezing.
Desperately, I fought my way toward it. But the ice monsters were just too strong.
A screech caught my ear from above, and I looked up.
Cass flew above me, her darks eyes keen on me.
I pointed to the blue light that glowed ever brighter and screamed, “I need to get there!”
She dive bombed, grabbing up ice monsters with her huge front claws and chucking them aside. She cleared a path for me, and I raced for the blue light, scrambling down the piles of ice until I reached the frozen surface of the ocean.
As far as the eye could see, there was nothing but ice. Spreading and spreading across the bright blue water, turning it solid and cold.
Iain appeared above me, concern on his face. He swooped low, headed straight for me.
I could read it in his eyes—he was going to pick me up and whisk me out of there. To safety.
But this was my only chance to save them all.
“Clear the path for me!” I screamed desperately, pointing to the ice I was trying to reach.
Indecision flickered in his eyes, but finally, he turned, diving low and striking out with his blade.
Iain and Cass cleared me a path through the ice monsters, and I ran as fast as I could across the ice. My feet nearly went out from under me several times, but I kept going, my eyes never leaving the glowing blue light that floated beneath the surface of the ice.
I fell to my knees at the edge of it, staring down at the brightness.
Evil emanated from it, bringing with it a massive cold that chilled me to my bones. The ice seemed to seep inside of me, making my heart beat faster and my muscles move slower.
The curse was coming from here. I could feel it. Something about the ceremony had drawn it to the surface. It was my only opportunity to destroy it, but at the same time, it was also the most powerful it had ever been.
If it overpowered me here, we were doomed.
Fear made my hands shake as I yanked the SoulStone from the inner pocket of my jacket. It was warm against my freezing hands, blazing with the magic of the Fire Fae.
Instinct drove me. The SoulStone could counteract the icy magic of the curse. I pressed the stone against the ice. The heat immediately began to melt it. I could feel the power of the SoulStone, could feel the flame within as if it were my own. There was a connection there, and I could control it.
I would have to control it, or the ice would melt beneath me and I would drown.
Using that connection, I commanded the ice to melt all the way to the land, leaving a small island around me. Enough to keep me afloat over the terrible blue light that radiated cold and cruel. The air here felt the worst of all, as if it coated my skin with slime.
The SoulStone glowed red and bright, the warmth and the magic turning back the curse. It sucked my strength out as I worked, and my muscles began to flag. Panting, I looked behind me to see the ice melting all the way to the land. The golden glow of the SoulStone’s magic raced across the frozen surface, destroying any ice monster it came across.
On the land, the Fae were nearly overwhelmed by the beasts.
“Faster!” I begged the SoulStone.
It didn’t work. The magic glowed golden and bright, but it moved no faster. It couldn’t. As I watched, the golden red glow within the SoulStone began to dim.
I’m using up all the magic.
Fear bit at me.
What happened if I used up all the magic in the SoulStone? It was sacred to the Fire Fae. Could I get it back?
The screams of the Fae behind me made me turn again. The monsters were overpowering the first line of defense. They were nearly to the wagons. Despite the aerial attack from the warrior Fae, the ice monsters were gaining.
Panic pounded in my chest as I turned back to the SoulStone. It was even dimmer.
No!
I forced my own magic into the SoulStone, trying to give it more power. It needed more flame. More magic. We were almost there. It had almost taken out all of the ice monsters, and I could feel the curse like slime on the air. It was all around us, but the fire was beating it back, destroying it.
It just needed more fire.
I wished there were more Fire Fae here. Not just me, but my whole Court. With all of us, we could surely destroy this curse.
Why had I never thought of it before?
Because I’d had no idea.
And it was just me now.
One of the weakest Fire Fae.
Tears pricked at my eyes, and my heart thundered.
It couldn’t end like this. It just couldn’t.
I forced more of my magic into the stone, and it glowed faintly brighter. The curse faded a bit on the air. I gave more and more.
Soon, weakness stole over me. Cold and misery. But I kept going, pushing out all of my magic. The SoulStone seemed to latch onto it, sucking it out of me like a sponge.
Somehow, I knew that once I gave it all, that was it. My magic would be gone. All of it. Forever.
When a Fae lost all their magic, they became a shell of a person. A walking corpse.
But I didn’t have a choice. A quick glance behind me showed that the ice monsters were falling back, but the Fae had sustained grievous losses.
I forced more of my flame into the SoulStone, giving all of me. This was the sacrifice I would make. I just had to have enough magic to do it. Enough fire to do it.
But how could I?
Memories of the past surged in my mind. The vision I’d seen when finding the SoulStone came back. I had once been the woman who had burned the moor. I’d caused the Great Burning. I had to have more magic than I realized. I had to have enough flame.
The thought made something explode inside of me. Fire and light. It burst out of me as a bright white glow, rolling over the landscape and extinguishing the curse.
The slimy feeling in the air blinked out of existence, and silence fell across the landscape. The blue glow beneath me winked out, and the last of my power seeped out of me, taking all of my strength. Taking my soul. A horrible, cold emptiness expanded inside me. I collapsed on the ice as the last of it melted.
Exhaustion made me weak. When the ice beneath me dissipated, I crashed into the cold ocean. It sucked me down, pulling me deep.
I gasped, sucking in water and trying to fight my way to the surface. It was stronger than me, far more powerful. The SoulStone slipped from my grasp, and I struggled, trying to find it in the darkness.
But I couldn’t.
Panic flared as the last of my energy seeped out of me, my mind going dark amongst the cold deep.
But suddenly I wasn’t alone. A presence joined me, something dark and terrible. It snaked through the water, twisting around me like vines. I managed to open my eyes, but the salt water stung. It was impossible to see, but I could feel the presence—not human, not Fae.
But evil.
This was whatever had cursed the Sea Fae. It lurked in the depths, and we hadn’t killed it yet. The curse had been broken, and we’d dealt a terrible blow, but this creature was still here.
And I’d given it the SoulStone—lost the treasure of my people.
Terror tore through me as I tried to fight my way free. But I was too weak, barely able to move.
This would be the end of me.
I had sacrificed my magic, and now I didn’t have the strength to fight. I was going to die.
Suddenly, light flashed in front of my face. There was a
nother presence.
Warmth.
Protection.
Iain.
He was there.
The icy grip of evil released me, and Iain yanked me to him. My consciousness faded in and out, but I could feel him, gripping me tight. He swam toward the surface, the water rushing by my head at incredible speed.
A moment later, my head burst through. Sunlight illuminated the scene. Cass flew above me, diving down toward us. Iain gripped me with one arm and fought off a shadowy figure with another, using his magic to shove the tainted water away.
The evil that attacked me.
Cass appeared right above me, her griffon claws reaching down.
“Take her!” Iain commanded.
I was too weak to fight.
Cass plucked me away from Iain, who stayed in the water. She flew toward the sky, cradling me in her claws as I stared down at Iain, reaching for him.
“No!” I choked.
Darkness threatened to consume me, but I could still feel pain for Iain.
He burst from the water, his silver wings carrying him high. The dark stain on the water’s surface seemed to shudder, and Iain directed his magic toward the center.
It burst from him, a glowing silver light that sounded like the sea. A whirlpool formed beneath us, sucking the dark shadow into its center and making it disappear.
When it left, I felt it. Like tension had broken.
Through bleary eyes, I watched as Cass flew me toward land.
All of the Sea Fae were on their feet. Even the ones who had been frozen. Those who had transformed into the terrifying ice creatures seemed to have transformed back.
Cass approached the headlands near Connor, who was standing up near Del and Nix. The Fae rejoiced around them, but paid them no attention. They were more focused on their loved ones.
Carefully, Cass set me on the ground. I stumbled, feeling empty and weak.
Del caught me, no longer in her blue Phantom form.
“You broke the curse!” she cried.
“I—” My gaze met Connor’s, and I stumbled toward him and wrapped my arms around him.
There was a horrible emptiness in my soul where my magic had once been, but I was so glad to see him. “You’re all right.”
He hugged me tight, then pulled back. “I am.”
Tears pricked my eyes. “I can’t believe it.”
“But you…” Concern creased his forhead. “You…”
I drew in a shuddery breath, feeling horribly empty inside. “We’ll talk about it later.”
I couldn’t bear to talk about it now. I pulled out of his arms and turned to the sea, searching for Iain. He still flew over the surface of the ocean, carefully watching the depths that now lay still.
“The curse is broken,” I said. “But there’s an evil out there. Something that lurks. That waits.”
“You didn't kill it?” Cass asked.
“No. I don’t know if it’s even possible. Iain has driven it away for now. I can feel it.” My gaze flicked up to Connor. “But I did lose the SoulStone.”
His jaw tensed as he tried not to show emotion. That was Connor. He wouldn’t want to freak me out. Or add to my freak-out.
Because this was a problem. I might have destroyed it before I’d lost it to the sea—but either way, I had taken it and now it was gone.
I had put something into motion, but I didn't know what. The sacrifice had taken place, but it wasn’t over. Not yet. Not by a long shot.
All around, the Sea Fae celebrated. I had to imagine that their castle had thawed.
It was worth it. We’d saved them.
Whatever the consequences would be, I could face them. Even Iain, when he realized that I’d drugged him with a love potion.
I swallowed hard and looked at Cass. She’d transformed back into a woman, and her red hair glinted underneath the sun. Del and Nix stood by her, their gazes questioning.
“Let’s get out of here,” I said, making a point not to look toward Iain.
“What about him?” Connor jerked his head toward the sea, where the Fae king still flew.
“He’ll come for me.” I remembered his face when he’d told me to hide. There was no way he wouldn’t come for me. He’d be angry about the love potion, but there was more to it than that.
The mating ceremony. I could feel the bond even now. A desire so sharp and strong that I almost wanted to obey it.
I wouldn’t.
I gripped Connor’s hand. “Let’s go home.”
As the transport magic pulled me into the ether, Iain turned. Our eyes met across the crashing waves, and I knew one thing for certain—he would come for me.
Our bond would demand it.
~~~
Thank you for reading Crown of Fire! The adventure isn’t over yet! Book two will be here later this month.
Want to know more about Cass and the other FireSouls? CLICK HERE to check out my newsletter for a free novella about their early adventures.
You’ll be signing up for my mailing list, where I do sneak peeks of all my books coming to Amazon, along with other fun stuff. I promise not to spam you, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
THANK YOU FOR READING!
I hope you enjoyed reading this book as much as I enjoyed writing it. Reviews are so helpful to authors. I really appreciate all reviews, both positive and negative. If you want to leave one, you can do so at Amazon or GoodReads.
Author’s Note
Hey there! I hope you enjoyed Claire’s first adventure. Most of this book was inspired by Dartmoor and Cornwall, two of my favorite places in the world. For centuries, windswept Dartmoor had influenced writers, and I am no different. Many of the locations are based upon real places shown to me by my friends, and they were so much fun to write about.
The first is Fox Tor Mire, which also inspired Arthur Conan Doyle when he was writing The Hound of the Baskervilles. I took many liberties with the place, adding in magic and challenges, but things like Nun’s Cross, an ancient stone marker, can be found near Fox Tor Mire if you were to visit. The bogs on Dartmoor are valuable, protected ecosystems—a bit like the archaeological sites in my other books.
All of the stone monuments that I reference in the book are based upon the types that you can find on Dartmoor today. There are hundreds of them, all built thousands of years ago by people who lived on the moor when the climate was warmer there. Stone circles, stone rows, cairns, Menhirs, clapper bridges and kistvaens can all be found scattered across the moor.
One of my favorite parts of this book is the fact that Claire is responsible for the deforestation of the moor when she burned it thousands of years ago. It is true that the moor was deforested, but not by one single massive fire. Mesolithic and Neolithic Age people cleared many of the forests from Dartmoor in order to create hunting areas and to introduce agriculture. In some cases they did use fire to do this, but not always. As a result of their efforts, the moor—now largely uninhabited—is a windswept place that was shaped by man.
Tin mining has always been a popular occupation on Dartmoor, lasting from pre-Roman times until the 20th century, a period of over two thousand years. Evidence of this is dotted across the landscape. I took some liberty by expanding the underground tunnels to snake underneath the entire moor, but my description of the entrances to the tunnels is as accurate as I could make it.
Claire uses bronze axes as a nod to Dartmoor mining. Tin is one of the ingredients in bronze, and it is an ancient metal that wouldn’t burn a Fae like iron.
The smugglers steps and caves in Cornwall near Iain’s kingdom are based upon real places in Cornwall. Because of Cornwall’s sparsely inhabited coastline, it was a popular location for smugglers who wanted to bring their contraband (generally liquor, tea, and tobacco, but also pepper, silk, and other goods) to shore.
This is the just first part of Claire and Iain’s adventure, and I hope you’ll join them for the next phase. Happy reading!
Acknowledgments
&n
bsp; Thank you, Ben, for everything. There would be no books without you.
Thank you to Jena O’Connor and Lindsey Loucks for your excellent editing. The book is immensely better because of you! Thank you to Richard for your helpful comments about typos.
Thank you to Orina Kafe for the beautiful cover art.
About Linsey
Before becoming a writer, Linsey Hall was a nautical archaeologist who studied shipwrecks from Hawaii and the Yukon to the UK and the Mediterranean. She credits fantasy and historical romances with her love of history and her career as an archaeologist. After a decade of tromping around the globe in search of old bits of stuff that people left lying about, she settled down and started penning her own romance novels. Her Dragon’s Gift series draws upon her love of history and the paranormal elements that she can't help but include.
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. All reference to events, persons, and locale are used fictitiously, except where documented in historical record. Names, characters, and places are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
Copyright 2020 by Linsey Hall
Published by Bonnie Doon Press LLC
All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form, except in instances of quotation used in critical articles or book review. Where such permission is sufficient, the author grants the right to strip any DRM which may be applied to this work.
ISBN 978-1-942085-94-2
[email protected]
www.LinseyHall.com
https://www.facebook.com/LinseyHallAuthor
