Fire in the Darkness (35 page)

“A curse?”

“You had the truth of her murder in your tattoo.” Lorcan nodded toward my back. “It isn’t some random symbol, Ember. The tattoo is your family crest, but it would also reveal to you who her killers were, the true threats.”

My hand automatically went to my ink. The recollection of when Eli touched me for the first time, the zap of electricity that shot through the lines. His reaction when he saw it. He had realized then. He had known who I was and what my tattoo meant. I shook my head, embarrassed how I’d thrown myself at him, begging him to stay.

My next memory was of the excruciating pain when Lorcan had touched me. It had been a warning—my mother telling me who had killed her. There was little doubt Lorcan had been her main executioner. His touch initiated knee-crippling pain to run through my tattoo. Eli’s effect for some reason had diminished over time, but it had not begun that way. Eli’s touch had also caused discomfort, but not like Lorcan’s touch. I had no idea why Eli’s had lessened. It was probably because I shared his blood. I had felt a small buzz with every Dark Dweller, but, nothing compared to Lorcan or Eli. Eli had been involved with my mother’s death; he was my mother’s other murderer. His hands were red from her blood.

“You fucking bastard.” I shuddered with fury.

“Em—”

“Don’t! Don’t you dare speak right now. I could kill you so easy.” Even as the words left my mouth I knew I wouldn’t. I thought if I ever came face to face with my mother’s murderers, I would have no problem seeing them swing from a rope. Against my desires, my Dark Dweller side could not hurt its own. Especially its creator. Eli had turned me into one of them. I could not destroy him as much as I wished it. Feeling sick just looking at him, I turned back to Lorcan. “I dreamed up this tattoo. I got it after her death. How could it be a warning?”

“Fay powers go beyond death. She probably sent it through the dream. The curse was locked in your family seal, which you now have tattooed on your back.” Lorcan paused and then a deep guffaw barked out of his throat. “How disappointed Mommy must be in you, Emmy . . . this is a little more than fraternizing with the enemy, isn’t it?” Lorcan leaned casually against a tree. His satisfaction at being the one to tell me was clear. “Not a very good daughter all around, are you? Sleeping with your mother’s killer and leaving your dear ol’ papa to suffer. You could have saved him, but now it is too late.

“Too late? What do you mean too late?”

“Oh . . . another detail Eli didn’t tell you?” Lorcan tilted his head with false empathy. “If humans eat or drink Fae food, they can never eat human food again. Fae food cannot exist in Earth realm so either they go back to Earth and starve to death or they stay permanently in the Otherworld. Either way they are never quite right again.”

“What?” I looked over at Eli. His head turned away from me. “Are you saying Mark and my friends are stuck in the Otherworld—forever?”

“Kennedy and Jared will be okay,” Eli said softly. The voice, which minutes before had been telling me I was beautiful as he made love to me, now made me want to throw up.

Lorcan eyed Eli before shaking his head. “I thought you were keeping something from me, Eli. I knew something was different about her. She smelled different. What is she?”

Eli and I disregarded Lorcan’s question. “So my Dad, Ryan, and Josh won’t be able to return.”

“No. If any of them eat Fae food, they can never live on Earth again. If they come back to the Earth realm, they will die painful deaths. Some struggled and ended up killing themselves. Some returned to the Otherworld. Nothing can be done to change this,” Eli answered.

I could barely breathe. “They’ve been there for months. How could you not tell me this before?” My eyes narrowed in on him, showing my swelling frustration.

“To them it has only been a couple of days,” Eli replied. “If the Queen is smart, she will hold off feeding them Fae food. She needs them as leverage.”

“That is a big if,” Lorcan taunted.

My stomach churned with bile. I couldn’t absorb everything—my mother’s murder and finding out Mark and two of my friends were probably stuck in the Otherworld. Ryan’s family had already lost Ian. I could not let them lose Ryan as well. I couldn’t fail any of them. Mark was all the family I had, but because he was being used to trap me, I may have already lost him.

“I am sorry, Ember.” Eli pressed his lips together.

“Sorry?” I sputtered out. “Are you kidding me? Did you just say you're sorry? Really?”

Rage and disgust blinded me. Energy pummeled my veins and tore out of me. A tree next to me shook, vibrating with tension. A popping sound was the only warning before it exploded. I felt my powers taking over, deadening me to all but revenge. Chunks of a tree flew out wildly, some headed towards Lorcan and Eli. I was focused and deadly. Sharp stakes drove into their skin, making them roar with pain. A vindictive laugh clawed its way from the depths of my soul. I watched their bodies wriggle with pain as more and more fragments of wood penetrated their skin. They'd picked the wrong girl to mess with.

It took me a few moments, through my narrowed vision of hate, to understand all the howls of pain were coming from Lorcan. Eli took his agony in silence. He had dropped to his knees, his arms at his side, surrendering to the shards of wood as they plunged into his body.

Deep down a feeling gripped at my subconscious. It made me hesitate—falter from my emotionless oasis. But it didn't last long, and soon I was back to where I felt nothing. No remorse. Anger took control of my soul. I wanted him to wither in agony, to feel all the pain he had caused me. How dare he take this away from me, too?

My eyes locked onto Eli’s. The words in his eyes broke through my wall.

The thousands of tiny spikes still directed at them dropped to the ground. I took off, escaping the torment and misery of staying near Eli any longer. I needed to run from the voice telling me that I had fallen in love with him . . . I had fallen in love with my mother’s killer.

TWENTY-FOUR

Most of me wanted to curl up in a ball and collapse under the weight of the agony. The pain was almost unbearable. But I had to keep moving and not let myself reflect on what happened. My mind desired action. The only thing I could think to do was save Mark and my friends, if it wasn’t too late. I wouldn’t give up if there was still hope. That wasn’t an option. I had waited too long, allowing others to convince me to postpone rescuing them till I was deemed “ready.” I was willing to risk whatever punishment breaking the Unseelie King’s oath would bestow on me. I was ready now but I needed help and there was only one person who could provide it.

“TORIN!” I screamed into the darkness. “Torin, I need you.”

He was the only person I could trust now. Why hadn’t I seen it before? He had always been there for me, had warned me against Eli, and I hadn’t listened. Torin had been my rock from the beginning, only wanting to keep me safe. Even if he couldn’t act on it because of the Queen, my happiness was always his first thought. He told me he would help me get into the Otherworld. He had to.

“Torin!” My voice ripped through the air—pained, enraged, and broken.

There were minutes of nothing before the pull slammed into me, knocking me off my feet, crashing me to the ground. My eyes closed as I fell into a deep sleep.

“Ember? Are you hurt? What is going on?” The words rushed into my ear as my lids lifted. Torin kneeled next to me.

Sitting up quickly, I asked, “Torin, did you know that E . . . that the Dark Dwellers killed my mother?”

He stilled, staring at me with wide eyes, before slowly standing up. His head lowered. “Yes.”

“You didn’t think to tell me I was living with the men who killed and butchered my mother?” My voice pierced the night air, wild and desperate.

“I could only warn you to stay away.”

I bolted up, my arms lashing and whirling through the air. “Is there anything you are allowed to talk about?”

“I am sorry
,
mo chuisle mo chroi. She has bound me on many matters.” He frowned and shook his head.

“Why? Why would she constrain you on my mother’s death? Or about the Dark Dwellers?”

Torin kept his gaze off me. His back ridged. “I am not allowed to speak on such matters.”

The aching hurt gnawed at my stomach. I had to push it away; I had to focus on what I could change now. “Has my family eaten any Fae food?” His eyebrows furrowed. “Tell me. Have they had any Fae food? I need to know now.”

“No. They haven’t. I have given them some processed human candy bars they seem to consider food.” Torin shook his head. “Is this the only reason you beckoned me? Ember, it was exceptionally dangerous for you to call me. She has spies everywhere watching me all the time. She is always hovering close to me now.”

I knew it had to be safe now or he wouldn’t have come to me at all. “Why didn’t you ever tell me about what would happen if they ate Fae food?”

“I didn’t think it would help you if you knew,” he paused, turning back towards me. “The Queen is not foolish. She understands what would happen if they eat our food. She'll use this as a threat to hold over your head.”

“Yeah, but if she plans to kill them or turn them into slaves why would she care?”

“She is calculating and understands their worth as bait right now. To lure you to the castle is her only desire.”

“That’s why I called you. I am coming to get them. I can’t wait till she kills one of them or decides to feed them Fae food.” I crossed my arms in defiance. “I am coming. Tonight.”

“Absolutely not.” Torin shook his head.

“This isn’t up for debate.”

“No, you're right, it’s not.” He crossed his arms mirroring mine. “You’re not coming.”

Tilting my head, a smile of insolence twitched at my lips. “I can do this with or without you. Either way I'm going in. I can’t stay away any longer. I am DONE waiting.” I worked my expression into what I hoped was stern determination. “It would be better if you helped me. Safer. I might make it out alive if you did.” It was evil of me to manipulate him, but a girl has to do what a girl has to do.