Authors: Shannon Mayer
“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 s
leep
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, m
y 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 m
y 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
C
ard
’
s blood, there was swamp mud under my finger
nail
s and the faintest etching of the Cauldron remained on the palm of my hand. Against her
strawberry blonde h
air, 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 s
he nodded,
and
flinched. “I have to go, she’s waking up. I’ll try to come again.
And
, Quinn
…
T
hank 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
ma
k
e 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 b
ed.
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 u
p
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 st
ill 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.
Morning dawned cool
ly
, and I was even happ
ier
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
.
“Morning.” Bres rumbled in my ear, his lips taking advantage of their proximity to my sensitive
lobes. Luke cradled my hand over his heart, but there was no heat there, not like what I was receiving from Bres. Still, it was very nice to be stuck between them.
“Mmm.” This was too good to be real. I had to still be dreaming.
“I think we’d best get moving
,
”
Luke said, breaking the spell, as he let go of my hand and stretched out on the ground, his vertebrae popping and cracking
. I let out a sigh and sat up, looking down on my grubby clothes. Scrubbing my hand over my face and into the tangle of knots that had once been my hair I let out another sigh. “What I wouldn’t give for clean clothes and a shower.”
Bres laughed. “What’s the point
?
W
e
just have to go deeper into ta forest to find ta three Smiths
.
”
“You’re a guy, you wouldn’t understand
,
”
I grumped, stretching as I stood up, feeling several vertebrae
of my own
pop. Despite sleeping on the ground and dreaming of Ashling, I was completely refreshed. Glancing over my shoulder at Luke and Bres, I had no doubt they were the reason.
They had their heads bowed together, dark and light nearly touching. Luke nodded, “That seems to be the best course of action.”
I frowned. “What does?”
Both of them looked over at me, their eyes far too innocent for anything good. “We were trying to figure out who should go to Nuadha
,
”
Luke said.
Bres dusted his hands off on
to
his pants. “We were thinking that you and Luke should go to Nuadha, speak to him, and try to convince him that Chaos is here and is a true threat.”
Lifting an eyebrow I said, “And?”
“Then Bres will go deeper into the forest and try to find a gateway to the three Smiths. I don’t believe even Fianna knows which one it is
,
”
Luke said.
“Let me think a minute
,
”
I said, turning my back on them.
Cora, please, please still be here.
I am here.
Lir didn’t trust Nuadha
;
he even made Balor promise to keep me away from him
,
I said
.
I can’t go with Luke
, can I?
Nuadha may see you as a threat to his power. You are
,
after all, supposed to take his place. Go with your instincts, Quinn. They won’t lead you
astray
.
There was one other thing I needed to ask Cora, no matter how awkward it was.
Ashling thought Cora had led me wrong and I had to ask.
Did you lie to me? About Card’s powers and freeing Ashling?
She retreated deep within me and no amount of prodding could make her come forward again. Her silence damned her and her lies. Scrunching my eyes shut, I took a few deep breaths to calm my hurt and the crushed hope that had started to bloom again.
“
Do you be
alright, Quinn?” Bres asked. I waved at him over my shoulder. “Give me a minute.”
Cora had lied to me. But why?
Just so that I would fight harder? I knew that was the answer. I might not always fight hard for myself, but for Ashling I would give everything I had
, and Cora knew that about me
. Damn.
Without being able to speak with her, I had to go on what I did know. I agreed with Cora about following my instincts; the only problem now would be trying to get the boys to see the truth of it.
Turning back to them, they tensed the minute I met their eyes. “You’re right, Luke, you need to convince Nuadha of the danger that is coming.” They started to relax and I lifted my hand. “But I can’t come with you. Nuadha . . .he will not welcome me. I will go with Bres to the three Smiths.”
Bres’ eyebrows shot up
,
and a small smile played along the edge of his lips. Luke frowned. “Do you really think that’s the best course?”
He was starting to trust me
;
I only hoped that I wasn’t making the wrong decision. “Yes. Go to the camp,
and
then send word back to Fianna. We will find you from
here. Hopefully
,
with a weapon that
ha
s
the power to
destroy Chaos.”
Luke stepped forward and pulled me into his arms, hugging me tight. “Be safe, Quinn. Please, please be safe.”
I tilted my head up for a kiss, but he brought his lips to my forehead in a gesture that was almost brotherly. Was he feeling awkward around Bres? That seemed the most likely cause. Luke
stepped away, heading out the far side of the bower towards the lake. “You be safe too
.
I can’t bring you back from the dead again.” I tried to smile
,
but my lips were trembling too much.
Something had changed between us
, and it was more than just Bres being back
. It was subtle, but there nonetheless.
Watching him go, I wished I didn’t have to see him walk away from me. It felt too much like a
final
goodbye.
Too much like it wouldn’t ever be the way it was before. Without knowing how, I knew that this was a turning point
,
whether
for good or for ill was all that was left to be decided.
“We should get moving
,
”
Bres touched my arm. We turned to see Fianna waiting behind us, hands clasped in front of her.
“I have no help to give you on this next leg of your journey, Quinn. Only I bid you to take this.” She handed me a brown drawstring bag that was about the size of a golf ball. “Do not open it now. You will know when the time is right.”
Tucking the bag into my
back
pocket, I smiled. “Thank you for all your help.”
She smiled back and my heart flipped over
;
it was so like Aednat’s grin. I led the way out of the bower, the pain in my heart driving me
with the memories of the little Banshee
. It seemed like I was destined to be the one to kill, to end the lives of those around me. Bres caught up to me, matching his pace to mine.
“Do you know where we be headed?”
“No.”
“Then . . .how exactly do you think we are going to be finding t
a
Smiths?” He asked.
I paused in
mid
-
stride. “I don’t know.”