Spirit of the Fae (Dragon's Gift The Dark Fae #4) - Linsey Hall Page 0,25
clearly an us. I was starting to accept that. This fated mates situation was one thing…but how I was starting to feel for him was another.
And both pointed to there being an us.
And when he said “always together,” it sure sounded like he meant for more than just the challenges ahead.
“Left first, then,” I said, heading toward that tunnel.
We entered it, our strides brisk as we passed through the corridor. The dark pathway was lit by white faerie lights that sparkled against the ceiling. Magic prickled in the air the farther we got, and I rubbed my arms, not liking the sensation.
The tunnel was dim and quiet, and when we reached the massive cavern at the other end, my head began to spin. Vertigo assaulted me, and it was all I could do to keep my feet.
“Tarron.” I reached for him, but he was gone.
My vision went dark, my head spinning. Panic flared.
What the hell was happening?
I gasped and staggered forward, trying to find something—anything—that would give me a clue.
When my vision cleared, I was surrounded by dozens of platforms. Like tables, or sarcophagi, perhaps. And my mother lay atop each one.
Dozens of her.
My heart thundered in my ears.
No. This wasn’t real.
There was only one of her.
Not multiple.
The false queen sat up, hundreds of her moving in synchronization. Horror bloomed in my chest as her heads turned toward me.
Eyes blazing, she hissed, “You’ll never be strong enough to defeat me. Never.”
She was right.
Damn it, she was so right.
Shaking, I stumbled backward.
The false queen climbed off her sarcophagus, her midnight gown flowing about her legs. Dozens of her. She drifted toward me, eyes flaming with malevolence.
“I will always defeat you, Mordaca. You do not stand a chance.”
I nodded, unable to fight her. Because she was right. I wasn’t strong enough. Never would be.
A trapdoor appeared in from of me, a square wooden hatch with a big round metal handle.
Escape.
Mind buzzing with fear, I reached for it and yanked it open.
A black chasm yawned in front of me.
Safety.
There was safety in there. I just had to jump in.
But there was also failure.
I could feel it. Like smoke filling my lungs.
If I ran from my mother, I would fail. Myself. Everyone.
Ice filled me.
I swallowed hard and stiffened my spine.
That could never be me.
I slammed the door shut and drew my sword. It wasn't enough. There was no way I could take her with just a single metal blade.
But I had to try.
Weak or not, I had to try.
I screamed and charged, going for the closest false queen. She hissed and raised her hand, a blade appearing. But I was too fast. I lunged, swiping out with my blade and taking off her head. A poof of black magic exploded upward, and she disappeared.
I spun around, going for the next closest figure. I swung my blade, cutting her across the stomach. She howled and lashed out at me with her own sword, but I ducked. With a spin, I decapitated her. She disappeared in a puff of dark magic.
Wow, this is so fucked up.
I was going to need therapy for sure.
But there was no way I was stopping. I might be terrified that I couldn’t ever defeat her, but no way in hell was I going to just quit.
In the distance, I spotted Tarron. He’d just appeared, and he was wielding his blade with deadly efficiency, helping me take out the figments of the false queen that stalked us both.
Gratitude and joy surged through me that someone had my back. And not just any someone. Him.
The strongest and most honorable man I knew.
Then I straightened my back.
No.
I would appreciate his presence, but this battle was still mine. I fought my own freaking battles, especially when they were like something out of my worst nightmare.
I turned from him, continuing the fight. Sweat dotted my skin, and my muscles ached as I fought, going after false queen after false queen. Burn appeared at some point, fighting alongside me. His thorns flew from his hide, cutting down figure after figure.
Black smoke began to drift out from the remaining false queens—my mother’s mind control magic.
One of my greatest fears.
My heart thundered so hard it nearly deafened me.
I leapt over the smoke, dodging away from it. No way I’d let it get me. The battle took everything I had—every fight skill and tactic—but I kept ahead of her, never once falling prey to her power.