Keeper of Storms (The Fallen Fae #3) - Jenna Wolfhart Page 0,70

It’s only a three days’ ride to Caraid.”

“Alright, new plan.” She turned to Finnegan and gripped his arm. “I don’t need to get inside the castle. I need to get out of this city. Now. I need to meet Nollaig before she gets here with the new army and warn her of what’s happened here. If we’re lucky, she’ll have enough warriors for a real battle. Forget subterfuge. Let’s take the city by storm.”

24

Eislyn

“Here are the books you requested.” Druid Evin dropped a stack of ten thick volumes on the table beside her hearth. He did not look amused. “It took me two days to find all these. In addition to all the others. Next time you want a book, you’re going to have to read the ones you already have.”

“Thank you,” she said, eagerly flipping open the first book on the pile. She’d had the druid search for any mention of the Dionadair in the library. It turned out there were quite a lot of books that touched upon the topic, though some only had a paragraph or two of information. Some she couldn’t read at all, not without a translation.

The druid slipped out the door, leaving her alone with the books. With a contented sigh, she curled up beside the flickering hearth and read while her new owl friend sat quietly on her shoulder. She’d made it halfway through the first book when her eyes skipped over a paragraph about a Fomorian named Dagda and a prophecy involving a magic he’d created—the Dionadair.

Her heart pounded hard against her chest as she sucked in a deep breath. She pressed her hand against the ancient parchment just as the door slammed open, creaking on its hinges.

Emperor Lir strode inside, his ridged chest gleaming against the glow of the fire. He loomed over her, scowling.

She sighed. “Can you please go away? I’m reading.”

“What the hell is this?” Lir lifted the book and read the cover. His eyes darkened as he dropped it back onto the table. “You’re researching the Dionadair. Why?”

His voice had taken on an eerie, dark tone that sent fear skittering along Eislyn’s skin. Swallowing hard, she snatched the book from the table and hugged it tightly to her chest. “Because it’s killing our people, in Tir Na Nog. I want to find a way to stop it. It sounds like it has something to do with the Dagda? He was a Fomorian, like you?”

He gave her a long, curious stare before taking the book and tossing it into the flames. Her mouth fell open as she watched the fire curl around the pages, blackening the parchment and transforming it to dust.

“Are you crazy?” she gasped, pushing up from her chair. She reached out to snatch the book out of the fire, but it was too late. If she tried, she would only get burned. “How the hell could you throw a book into a fire?”

“You shouldn’t be reading the contents. If I have to burn it to prevent that, then so be it.”

“But…” She pointed. “It’s a book. There are words on that page. Knowledge, information—”

“Knowledge that is far too dangerous for you to have,” he said.

She curled her hands. “I hate you. You burned a book!”

“So you’ve said.” His lips curved into a wicked smile. “You’re not going to like what happens next.”

She blew out a hot breath. Before she could even think about what she was doing, she stabbed her finger right into the center of his very hard, very muscular, very sleek chest. He felt like stone. “Get out of my quarters. Leave me alone.”

He grabbed her finger and brought it up to his mouth. Out of nowhere, he nibbled on the tip of it, his teeth skimming along her skin. Sparks of strange fire flickered down the length of her arm. Gasping, she tried to yank her hand back, but he held it tight.

“You are a naughty little thing. It seems you can’t be trusted.” He nibbled her finger again. “I’m going to have to keep you in my quarters so I can keep an eye on you.”

Growling, she yanked her hand away from him. For once, she managed to win. “Absolutely not.”

“You don’t have much of a choice, Eislyn.”

“I don’t want to stay in your quarters with you.” Her heart broke out into a gallop, desperate to charge right out of her chest. “You said you’d never touch me. You can’t change your mind about that. Please.” She hated begging, but this was