by Linsey Hall
“I believe this is correct.”
“How do I stop it?”
“I am not sure of that.” He squeezed my hand—the one that was covered with the scrolling golden tattoo. “But somehow, you will use this new magic of yours to do so.”
“Can I do it alone?” I didn’t want to risk more lives.
He shook his head. “I see a great battle. All of our friends and allies will be there.”
“The FireSouls? Aerdeca and Mordaca?”
“All.”
Shit.
“But it will be up to you,” he said. “You will need their help, but it will be up to you to deal the final death blow to evil.”
“I don’t know how to use this new magic, though. I can do some things using instinct, but there’s so much to it that I don’t understand. And I haven’t figured out my wings yet. I can use them, but I’m not a good flier like I used to be.”
“Yes, I can feel that. I believe the darkness may pollute you, weakening your control so that you cannot use your magic. It’s doing everything it can to make you cause the Great Burning.”
Just the words made a strange desire rise within me. Burn it all.
It was ravenous inside me, a beast that trembled with the desire to spread fire throughout the land.
I drew in a shuddery breath and tried to force the thoughts away.
Aethelred gripped my glowing golden arm and raised it slightly. “This is the mark of Fae royalty.”
I shook my head. “For the Fire Fae, our royalty have golden streaks in their hair.”
“For a mere king and queen, yes. But you are something more, outside of the realm of the Fire Fae.”
More. Just like the oracle had said. “More what?”
“That, I do not know. You must figure it out.” He closed his eyes, as if reaching deep inside himself for answers.
“How?”
“First you must understand this darkness and claim your magic. I see you making a journey into your realm. There is a… a crown there.” He opened his eyes and looked at me. “Does a crown make sense?”
“It could.” Honestly, I had no idea. But it sounded like something the king and queen might have.
“I believe it is called the Crown of Truth. The king and queen know where it is. It is very valuable to the Fire Fae.”
“I’ve never heard of it. And it could rid me of this curse?”
“Perhaps, if that is what is meant to be.”
I decided that was a yes, because there was no way I was living like this. But a terrible thought occurred. “Even if it’s there, the king and queen will never let me use it. They are polluted by the darkness and they control the kingdom.” And an even more horrible thought. “I’m not even sure that I can do it. I can already feel the darkness rising inside me, taking over.”
It was moving so fast, too. Snaking through my body. The crawling-spider feeling was returning.
“You will find help. From family.” Aethelred stood and pulled me to my feet. “Now you must go. Time is of the essence and you must fight before you lose control entirely.”
His words sent a cold shiver through me. As he led me through the darkened house, my head spun with thoughts of what was to come.
Could I fight this? Did I even know how?
No.
Aethelred opened the door and I stepped outside.
As soon as the door shut behind me, Iain appeared in front of me, his brow creased and his gaze intense. “You can’t run from me anymore.”
2
I stepped back from Iain, glaring up at him. My back hit the closed door. The damned seer had ditched me out here.
Iain loomed over me, impossibly perfect. I craned my neck to meet his blue eyes, struck by the worry within them. There was no sun to shine on his sharp cheekbones and dark hair, but he seemed to glow with an aura of power nonetheless. As if he carried his own light within him.
His clothes, though as fine and expensive as ever, looked a bit rumpled, as if he’d spent the entirety of the last twenty-four hours looking for me. The black cape that he wore hung heavy off his shoulders, making him look like a medieval knight who had stepped into the modern day.
Somehow, it made me want him even more. I shouldn’t feel this way—especially not when I had such a dark evil twisting around inside me. But I did. I couldn’t help it.
We were mates, and my soul knew it. My body knew it.
Iain frowned, raising his hand to my cheek. Right before he could make contact, I flinched, and he curled his hand into a fist, lowering it.
“What’s wrong, Caera?” Concern echoed in his rough voice.
I opened my mouth to tell him that nothing was wrong, but shut it again. I could tell him that—the darkness didn’t tighten on my throat when I attempted to speak those words. In fact, I thought it might want me to say everything was fine so it could skate under the wire.
But I shouldn’t tell him that.
Something was wrong. Dreadfully wrong.
But when I opened my mouth to try to explain, my throat tightened.
Of course it did. The darkness had ahold of me again, and there was no way it was letting me tell the truth
I wanted to scream, frustration rising in my chest.
Iain stepped closer, his scent enveloping me. It was like being surrounded by a storm at sea, the fresh smell of water and waves, wind and the night. I resisted drawing it deeply into my lungs, though I desperately wanted to.
He gripped my arms, and I tried to shrug him off. It didn’t work.
He frowned. “Something feels different about you.”
“It’s—” my throat tightened.
Iain’s gaze sharpened on me. “Can you speak?”
I nodded. “I can speak, just not—”
The words stopped again.
He frowned, then nodded at the door behind me. “Who lives here?”
“Aethelred the seer.” Everyone in Magic’s Bend knew that. It was apparent how foreign Iain was to this place. He didn’t even live on the earthly realm.
He stepped partially to the side and knocked hard on the wooden door. “Open up, seer.”
“Be nice,” I hissed. “He’s an old man.”
The door swung open. “An old man with very good hearing.” Aethelred’s watery blue eyes went to Iain. “What do you want, young man?”
“Tell me why she can’t speak to me.”
Aethelred puffed up his chest, his eyes flashing with annoyance. “Now see here, you young whippersnapper—”
“Please.” I croaked the word. I needed Iain’s help.
I knew I couldn’t fall for him—even though I was already partway there. It was too dangerous. As long as the darkness had ahold of me, it could try to use him.
But the darkness was too strong already. I owed it to everyone that I knew and loved to fight it, and I was afraid I couldn’t do it alone.
“Tell—” the last word died in my throat.
Aethelred’s eyes softened. He’d seen inside my head and soul—seen what I was fighting and how it was killing me.
“Fine. For you, Claire.” His gaze turned to Iain. “But make no mistake, I don’t appreciate your disrespect, young man.”
“My apologies. Please forgive me.”
Surprisingly, I could hear the ring of truth in his voice. He wasn’t the type to go around verbally beating up old men. It had to be his worry for me. I could feel it radiating from him like an aura of pain.
“Claire is possessed by an unknown evil,” Aethelred said. “A powerful one. It won’t allow her to speak of it, and eventually it will take over her motions and force her to burn all of Dartmoor. Her entire Court will burn, then it will spread.”
I winced. When he said it so bluntly to another person…
Ouch.
Iain’s gaze flicked to mine, deep concern darkening the blue. “Is this true?”
I tried to nod my head, but nothing happened. My muscles fought my will.
“It’s true
,” Aethelred snapped. “I don’t give incorrect information. What I see is always true.”
Iain seemed to be satisfied with that. “How can I help her?
“She needs control of her body and her voice,” Aethelred said. “You can get her that. Then she can do the rest.”
“Where is the closest place that can help her?”
“Most likely at her brother’s potion shop.”
“Yes—” I barely managed to croak the words, and it hurt like hell.
“Thank you, Aethelred.” Iain grabbed my hand, and I fought him, the darkness suddenly taking over.
Shit.
I forced my limbs to still, my gaze meeting Iain’s. I could feel the desperation welling in me, and he seemed to be able to see it as well. Pain flickered in his eyes, and his brow wrinkled. He pulled me to him, hugging me tight. “We’ll fix this.”
“Get away from me.” The darkness forced the words from my throat.
I didn’t even mean them!
But the darkness seemed determined to drive a wedge between us.
He pulled back, pain flickering in his eyes. He said nothing, and I had a feeling that he might actually believe the words. Probably because things hadn’t been easy between us, despite the fact that we were fated mates.
Still, he didn’t ditch me. He just gripped my arm tightly and pulled me along beside him. I stumbled down the stairs after him, my limbs fighting me.
I dragged in a deep breath and pushed myself forward, determined to keep up. My muscles cramped, sending fierce pain through my legs.
I cried out and nearly went to my knees.
The darkness knew that Iain was trying to help me and wouldn’t let me follow.
Iain spun around and swept me up into his arms, holding me tightly. His warmth seeped into me, melting some of the pain caused by the darkness. I sagged against him, miserable.
“I’m going to transport us,” he said.
I nodded, hating the idea of leaving my bike but knowing it was necessary. If it had been parked in front of Aerdeca and Mordaca’s, it’d be protected by the locals’ fear of them. Everyone respected Aethelred, but they didn’t fear him. They’d strip my bike for parts within an hour of us leaving.
But we needed to hurry.
I looked around for Puka. I hadn’t seen her since I’d walked out of Aethelred’s, but maybe she could guard it.
Before I could spot her, Iain’s magic swelled and the ether began to pull on me. I shrieked, pain making me go nearly blind. It felt like I was being torn in two.
He stopped transporting immediately, looking at me with deep concern. “What’s wrong?”
“I—” Gasping, I tried to force the words out. “The darkness.”
It wouldn’t let him pull me through the ether. Something about it made me feel like I was dying. Like my soul was tearing away from my body.
“We’ll take the bike.” He strode toward it and set me on the back, then climbed on in front of me, settling his big body between my thighs.
I hated the idea of not driving my own bike, but didn’t have the strength to argue. Instead, I wrapped my arms around his waist and held on tight, feeling the strength of him between my legs. The engine roared to life, and he pulled a U-turn into the street.
“Ever driven one of these before?” I shouted over the hum of the motor. The words hurt a bit coming out, but they were so generic that the darkness clearly felt no need to fight them.
“No, but it can’t be that hard,” he shouted back at me.
Wind tore at my hair as he accelerated, going well above the speed limit. I gripped him tightly, clinging to his waist. I couldn’t help but enjoy the feel of him, maybe because I knew it might be the last time.
We zoomed by Aerdeca and Mordaca’s house, and I spotted the two blood sorceresses peering out of their window at us. Even from this distance, I could see the concern that creased their brows. They must have heard my scream and the rev of the engine. I raised a hand to wave at them so they would know not to attack Iain. That’d be an ugly fight, with three such powerful supernaturals—and myself, currently a total mess.
Iain drove expertly through the streets of Magic’s Bend, weaving in and out of traffic like he raced stunt bikes for a living. Apparently he was a natural, but I shouldn’t be surprised. He was probably good at everything. As we drove, I could focus only on the rumble of the bike and the feeling of his body pressed to mine. It was impossible to ignore, and heat began to rise within me.
I shivered, clutching him harder and trying not to remember the pleasure he’d made me feel just a short time ago. We’d spent one amazing night in an undersea palace, and though we hadn’t gone all the way, it had blown my mind.
Actually, maybe I should focus on that. It distracted me from the darkness within me, at least.
A few minutes later, we pulled up in front of Potions & Pastilles. Through the windows, I could see that most of the morning coffee crowd had cleared out. There was just one old regular sitting in her usual spot, along with the FireSouls and Connor.
They turned toward the window as Iain killed the engine on the bike. He climbed off and I tried to follow, but my muscles tightened to the point that I could barely move.
Panic flared to life within me.
Holy fates, the darkness was getting strong. With every minute that passed, it seemed to grow more powerful.
“I’ve got you.” Iain swept me up into his arms, and I both loved and hated it.
As Iain carried me toward Potions & Pastilles, I caught sight of Aidan walking into Ancient Magic. Cass’s mate was tall and broad shouldered, and he looked at me with his brows raised almost to his hairline. He’d never seen me being carried around like this before—I was so not the kind of girl who tolerated this kind of thing under normal circumstances.
“Need help?” he shouted.
“No.” I did, but not the kind he could give me. He was the most powerful shifter in the world, but what I needed right now was someone with some serious potions skills. Like my brother. “Thanks though.”
He nodded, expression still concerned, but Iain was already striding into Potions & Pastilles, keeping me clutched to his strong chest. His gaze moved to the one regular who remained—a little old lady who had once been a demon slayer and carried a dagger on her at all times—and he said sharply, “Time for you to leave.”
She scowled at him, then stood.
“Ignore his rudeness, Martha,” Connor stood. “Your tab is on the house.”
She harrumphed, then left.
Connor turned to us, concern in his dark eyes. As usual, he wore a band t-shirt. Today, it was Kesha. “What’s wrong, Claire?”
I tried to speak, but of course nothing came from my throat.
“She’s possessed.” Iain spoke quickly. “She needs a potion to help her fight it so that she can regain control of her body.”
“What’s possessed her?” Cass stepped forward. “A demon?”
“Don’t know exactly,” Iain said. “Probably not a demon. Likely it’s the darkness that she’s been fighting. What have you got that’ll work for that?”
Connor gave me one quick, concerned look, then spun on his heel and raced toward the back. “I’ve got something that should help. Hang on.”
Iain kept ahold of me, seeming unwilling to let me go.
“You can probably put her down now.” Cass said, her voice gentle.
Iain growled low in his throat.
“Whoa, caveman.” Del held up her hands.
I looked at Iain, surprised. He was huge and deadly, but he wasn’t exactly the growling type. The king, though a brutal warrior, was also elegant.
Except when it came to me, it seemed.
“She’s his mate,” Nix said. “I’d, ah—not suggest that unless it seems like he’s going to hurt her.” Nix looked at me, brow raised.
I gave her a nod, which made pain spike through my head. Resisting the darkness was more painful than anything Iain could—or ever woul
d—do to me.
A few moments later, Connor returned with a tiny vial of potion. “This won’t be a perfect solution, but I hope it will help until I can come up with something better.”
“What if it doesn’t?” I asked.
“Then we’re screwed, because this is all I’ve got.”
3
I tried to reach for the potion, but crippling pain bound my arm, making me cry out.
“I’ve got you.” The tender concern in Iain’s voice filled me with warmth.
He carried me to a huge squishy armchair—one of the FireSouls’ favorites—and set me down. Brusquely, he held out a hand to Connor, who passed him the vial of potion. He uncorked it and held it to my lips.
I forced them open, fighting the pain, then gulped down the liquid.
It burned as it traveled down my throat, but soon, I felt the darkness retreat inside me. I sagged against the couch, finally feeling a bit more control over myself.
“Thanks,” I gasped. “That was rough.”
“What’s possessed you?” Connor asked.
The FireSouls crowded around, their gazes concerned.
“That victory you came to hear about this morning?” I said. “Not exactly a victory.”
“Partial victory, at least,” Connor said. “Spill the details.”
I spat it all out as quickly as I could, telling the story of the battle and subsequent possession, along with the news that Aethelred had delivered. It flowed more easily than any words had since the darkness had crept inside me.
“Fates.” Connor leaned back against a chair. “This is some serious shit.”
“No kidding.” I raised my arm, which still glowed with the golden tattoo that they could see peeking out from my leather jacket. “I have no idea what this is.”
“A mark of royalty of some kind,” Connor said. “If Aethelred is to be believed. Which he always is.”
“But royalty over what?” Confusion ricocheted within me. “Doesn’t royalty need a kingdom? I do not want one of those. Way too much responsibility.”
“Maybe not a traditional kingdom,” Cass said. “You just need to figure out what it is.”
“And get rid of that darkness inside you,” Del said.
