Dark Isle(41)

“Did they bite you?” If he was full of toxin, we were in far worse trouble than I’d first thought.

“Don’t trust her,” he whispered, his lips cracked and swollen. I wanted to soothe him, but I had nothing, not even some small amount of Fairy Honey. Damn it, why couldn’t I heal others like Ashling could?

I lifted my eyes to see the battle between Aednat and the Queen in full swing, and it looked like Aednat was winning. Or at least, I hoped she was. It was hard to tell, they moved so fast it was a blur of bodies, fist and bolts of light.

“Don’t trust the Queen, yeah, I got that,” I said, smiling down at him. Another groan escaped his lips.

“No, don’t trust Aednat.”





16

“What?” I asked, shock making me cold. Not trust her? She’d gotten us here, helped me free the humans from the Barrier. She was fighting for us even now. Luke must be delirious.

“Lying to us. That’s why she knew so much,” he said, one eyelid opening. Swallowing hard he continued, though I could see it pained him. “She was the one working with Balor, Fianna stopped her.”

“But they attacked you!” I said, feeling the panic of making a mistake beyond anything I could ever imagine fill me. I started to shake, seeing in my mind’s eye all the things Aednat had said, everything she’d known, and “helped” us with.

“Aednat did this to me. When she stopped singing I swam back to guard her, to help her stave off the others and give you a better chance at reaching Lir. But there was no one there.” He coughed, a bright gob of blood flying out of his mouth. I wiped his lips with the edge of my shirt. “She attacked me; I was caught off guard. Fianna took me in but they couldn’t heal me.”

“Bait, they were using him for bait.” Aednat’s voice rang across the clearing. “It’s what I would have done.”

No longer did her eyes seem in any way soft or sweet. She smiled and her pointy teeth glinted out at me. “So easy to deceive you, Quinn. You want to believe in best of people, it makes you weak.”

The Banshees around us were cowering; fear was heavy on the air, as if a storm was rising. I’d done this. Fianna, the “bad” Queen lay on the ground under Aednat’s one foot, panting. With great care, I eased Luke off my lap. There was a chance I could still make this right.

“No, she’s too strong,” Luke groaned out, clutching his side.

I didn’t answer him. “You lied to me Aednat, about everything. What about your vow?”

Shrugging, she pulled another daisy from the ground and popped it’s head off. “Vows mean nothing to Aednat. She is above vows.”

Then she laughed, her voice echoing through the trees, the birds stilling. “Aednat needed to make an ally strong enough to help her, one that would fall for a sad story. You are too stupid; you are no Chosen one. You think Aednat lets those people go? She linked to them so she could steal their power for herself.”

My mouth dropped open. Of course, why would she release a potential power source? I’d been so blind!

Aednat went on. “Chaos will reward Aednat for ending your life, now that Aednat needs you no longer. Aednat could not have fought off all those Banshees alone, could not have stolen the power away from the Queen without your help. Thank you for helping her take back her throne.” She gave me a mocking bow. I remembered that last note that she’d trilled at the mob of humans, how it had crawled down my spine. Nausea rose, my gorge choking on the truth.

“You were the one who downed our helicopter,” I said, clarity coming far too late.

She nodded. “Of course.”

I half turned to Fianna, “Why did you keep those people?”

She lifted her head a fraction. “Aednat had spelled them; as long as they were within my Barrier, she could not use their power.”

I felt like throwing up. How stupid could I have been?

Picking up the arbutus staff, Aednat levelled it at me. “If you dare,” she taunted, laughing between words. “Chosen one.”

“Quinn, don’t,” Luke rasped out.

He’s right; you aren’t strong enough—you don’t know enough to stop her. It’s not like the guards that you can tackle in the dirt and over power. Her strength has had centuries to develop and she has hundreds of humans fuelling her.

No; this was wrong and I’d let it happen, helped it happen. I had to stop her.

I took a step and froze as the scene around me flickered. Dark tunnels surrounded us; water dripped, and the scent of death filled the air. The clash of metal on metal drew me. I blinked, my eyes watering. Aednat stood in front of me, super imposed on the dark tunnels. What was happening?