“Cora?” I asked, confusion making me falter.
“Are you afraid, Chosen one?” Aednat sneered, advancing on me.
Ignoring the vision of the dark tunnels, I focused on Aednat, rushing her. Spinning at the last instant to one side, I tried to land a solid blow but she moved with me, blocking my attempt to slash her with my knife.
From the corner of my eye, Lir stumbled into view, his figure ghostly. A second man, one who looked too much like Lir to be anyone but Card, leapt out from the darkness. They clashed, keeping my attention from my own battle. It almost cost me my life.
A sharp jab to my lower back dropped me to my knees; I rolled to the right, narrowly dodging Aednat’s follow up, the staff burying several inches into the ground. From my knees I stared at her as she came screaming towards me, the staff whirling above her head like a helicopter blade.
Lashing out with my leg, I kicked Aednat in the left knee; she dropped to the forest floor in a startled heap. Putting everything I had into it, I slammed a Barrier around her, holding her low to the ground. She snarled up at me, unable to move, the Barrier was so tight against her skin.
“It won’t hold her,” a silvery voice whispered from my left. I turned to look into the eyes of Fianna, shame filling me for the grief I’d caused, the deaths I’d caused. Bile rose in my throat.
“It will hold her,” I said. It had to. Movement in the dark tunnels only I seemed to be able to see again drew my gaze.
I stared at the battle, my hands clenched at my sides. Lir was being backed up, slowly, step by step. Card’s face was twisted into a grimace as he pressed our father with no hesitation. The blades flashed and then a burst of light erupted from behind them both, throwing their bodies forward into a heap where they lay still.
Fist against my mouth, I struggled not to cry out. There had to be something I could do to help Lir. “Cora, will this image I’m seeing, will it work like the mirror?” I asked.
Will what work like the mirror?
She wasn’t seeing what I was seeing.
Horror filled me. I was going to watch my father be killed in front of me if I didn’t do something. I had no doubt that Card would finish him off.
“I’ll be right back,” I said, unsure if what I was going to try to do would work. Before anyone could call out, I ran and dove towards the dark tunnels, feeling the world stretch around me.
“Quinn, no!” Lir shouted. But it was too late; I’d pushed my way through.
I hit the ground with a thud, rolling to take the edge of the fall. With a grunt I got to my feet. “Lir!” I ran to his side, helping him stand. Card was still unconscious, and lay in a crumpled heap at our feet.
Lir grabbed both my arms. “You can’t be here, it isn’t safe!” His eyes were wide, his skin flushed. “You have to go. I will deal with Card.”
I shook my head. “No, you weren’t dealing with him. He was beating you; you need my help!”
He pulled me into a fierce hug then pushed me away. “Daughter, you must go.”
“What about Chaos?”
He opened his mouth but Card shifted, and then was suddenly on his feet, as if he’d never been knocked out.
“So, this is my little sister is it? Hmm. Seems to me that you’ve placed your bets on the wrong kid, pops,” he said, lifting his blade up so that it caught the light.
Lir shoved me behind him, the trembling in his arms telling me just how weak he was. “Go, Quinn, you must go now.”
I glanced over my shoulder and indeed, the Banshees’ bower was still visible, though it was fading. There had to be a way I could help Lir.
Luke had said one could draw on powers from another, if they were willing.
I didn’t question my course of action. “Lir, take some of my power. I don’t need it, my fight is over.” Another glance confirmed that Aednat was still under the Barrier.
I reached out, and put my hand to Lir’s arm. A wave of fatigue hit me as he drew my power into him.
With a scream of rage, Card rushed us both. Lir flung him backwards with a single blow. Half stumbling, I ran as fast as I could back through to the bower, again feeling that strange sensation of the air stretching around me.
The Banshees gasped as I re-appeared. “I had . . .” Fianna lifted a hand, stopping me. “You do not have to explain, there are many battles today.”
Fianna tipped her head to one side, not unlike Aednat when she was thinking. Close up, I could see the resemblance between the two sisters. “Why do you help me now?”
A glance over my shoulder showed nothing but trees, no more dark tunnels. I could only hope that I’d done enough for Lir to stop Card; please, I thought, let it be enough.