Dark Fae(12)

“How long were we in there?” I asked, hurrying to catch up with the queen.

“Almost all night. But I felt I should stay until dawn, in the hopes that you would be the one person to break the rules of the Cauldron. I’m glad I waited. You would have been lost in the swamp without me,” she said, her skirts swirling through the water around her.

Bres caught up to me and snagged my fingers. I gave them a squeeze. “Bres, I don’t know what to do. I need you both.” It was as much a gut feeling as the strings they’d each tied to my heart that made me feel that way. They were important to me on so many levels.

“I’ll stand by you, no matter what, Quinn. Even if you choose Luke, I’ll stand by you,” he said, his voice soft, just for me.

Unable to speak, I nodded, squeezed his hand and let go. I didn’t deserve these two men in my life. Maybe Fianna was right, maybe having two men love you was a curse rather than a blessing.

We moved as fast as we could, coming out of the swamp along the edge of Cameron lake. For a moment I paused, stared out at the open water. There was no sign of Morty, the multi-tentacled, bad-attitude-filled monster that had nearly eaten me not once, but twice. Nor was there any sign of Lir, my father. He’d gone to rouse the old gods that were left, because he was certain there was going to be a battle with Chaos. Everyone was.

I had my doubts. I didn’t think that Chaos was going to let me get close enough to raise a weapon against her. Not knowing that she believed the prophecy, not knowing that she believed that I would kill her.

“Quinn?” Fianna’s voice drew me back to the present. “We have to hurry.”

We were jogging to keep up with her gliding pace along the lake’s edge, even though the Banshee queen didn’t run.

“How much further?” I asked, hopping into the crushed hull of a small rowboat as we rounded a point.

Fianna didn’t answer, only picked up her speed again.

A ripple in the water and a soft splash caught my attention. Rising out of the lake, directly in front of us was Lir, his body covered in a dark blue robe.

“Lir! Over here!” I yelled, waving my arm. I could only hope he had good news, that he’d been able to wake the other gods.

He ran towards us. My breath caught in my throat. Something was wrong. What could have happened?

“Quinn, get out of ta way!” Bres shouted, shoving me to one side as Lir’s blade came hurtling through the air at me. A flash of silver and the brush of the air it disturbed was all I felt before I hit the ground, the soggy bank absorbing my fall.

Bres stepped in front of me, his sword raised as Lir engaged him. “So, you’ve switched sides again, eh Bres?”

That wasn’t Lir’s voice.

It was Card’s.





6

The two men squared off, swords slamming into one another with a speed I couldn’t follow except for the blur of metal. Fianna was on the far side of them, her eyes wide and concerned even at that distance.

“Quinn, go. Save Luke,” Bres said through gritted teeth.

“Yes sister, go save the other one. I’d like to kill him myself.” Card winked at me then, with a twist of his right hand, unarming Bres, and slamming the butt of his sword into Bres’ temple.

Bres slid to the ground, unconscious.

“Cora,” I whispered.

You don’t have a choice, Quinn. You can’t outrun this battle.

I nodded, and pulled my dagger out, gripping it with my right hand. Bres was an amazing swordsman, if he couldn’t beat Card, I didn’t have a hope in hell.

“That? You’re going to face me with that puny little dagger?” Card snorted. “All right then sister, if you insist. Are you ready to die?”

“Not today, Card,” I said with false bravado.

He circled around me and I followed him, not letting him get behind me. Card moved like the sharks he could command, smooth and easy with a predatory grace that was completely unnerving me.

I stepped back and he followed, his blue eyes glinting. He lunged at me, his sword swiping towards my middle. I leapt backwards, just deflecting the tip of the sword, keeping it from tearing into my stomach—barely.

Again and again Card came at me, the speed and power behind his attacks pushing me deeper into the swamp, back the way we’d come. It took everything I had to keep his blade from cutting into me, and I could tell he wasn’t even trying; he was just playing with me. This was not working. I had to outsmart him. I couldn’t outfight him.

I lifted my left hand ever so slightly, preparing to use a bolt of power.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you, little sister. You don’t want me to challenge me for control over my natural element.” He said, as calmly as if we were discussing a Sunday crossword over tea. The bastard wasn’t even out of breath. I was breathing hard and using everything I had to keep him off me.