Queen of the Fae (Dragon's Gift The Dark Fae #3) - Linsey Hall Page 0,11

lead as moonlight gleamed on us. Night creatures rustled in the heather, and the stags dodged the prickly gorse that grew on the hillside. Oddly enough, there were far fewer booby traps. Before, the stags had had to dart and dodge to keep us all from being blown to smithereens.

This time, we went almost straight up with no issue. Hell, we probably could have walked ourselves.

My heartbeat picked up the pace, nerves tightening my muscles. I looked at Tarron. “This is a bad sign.”

“They’re probably waiting for us.”

I had to agree with him. My mother was smart. She’d know we were coming for her. She could possibly see our moves before we made them, considering I got my gift of premonition from her.

“Get ready, guys,” I murmured. “Something is definitely waiting for us.”

As we neared the top, we spread out, approaching the stone circle from multiple angles. The moon had not yet set, and it illuminated the tall standing stones so they glowed nearly silver. The sun would be to the horizon soon, and the morning would turn gray.

Heightened awareness made me edgy. I drew in a deep breath, catching the scent of dark magic. Old garbage, rotten fish, burning tires. But no putrid night lilies or brimstone.

“She’s not here,” I murmured.

“She’d make her minions stand guard,” Tarron said. “But she could show at any moment.”

I searched the standing stones for any figures, but the tall pillars of rock cast deep shadows. The Unseelie were definitely here, but they were good at sticking to the darkness.

My stomach pitched as we neared. We were about twenty yards from the statues, so I leapt off my stag and patted his neck. “Thanks, pal. You should get out of here.”

I didn’t want him getting hurt.

He turned and loped down the hillside.

My friends followed suit, and we approached slowly.

I drew a shield from the ether and crept closer.

Wings.

I was still getting used to them. Quickly, I called them from my back, grateful for the practice that made it so much more fluid and easy. Next to me, Tarron’s wings flared wide.

Burn appeared next to Tarron, walking alongside the big Fae. He pressed his thorny side against Tarron’s thigh, but the king didn’t even flinch. I felt the slightest pulse of Tarron’s magic, and saw something appear in his hand. He handed it to Burn, who gobbled it up.

My brows rose.

As if sensing my gaze, Tarron looked over. I glanced away, determined to focus on the task.

Aeri drew her mace from the ether, casually swinging the chain so the spiked ball was ready to go. Del adopted her phantom form, turning a pale transparent blue. Nothing could hurt her when she was like this, but she’d have to turn corporeal for her sword to make contact with her enemy.

Claire called upon a fireball and tossed it lazily in her hand, while Nix drew a bow and arrow. We shared a love of that particular weapon. Cass just kept walking, not bothering with a weapon. She had an arsenal of skills, and knowing her, she’d wait until the last moment to pull one out.

My heart was already thundering in my ears when the first Unseelie launched an attack. It came with a thunderous boom that shook my bones.

4

When they attacked, I didn’t see them coming. But there was no missing the enormous blast of flame that shot from the stone circle. It headed right for my friends, never coming anywhere close to me.

Almost as if the Unseelie were under orders not to kill me.

Cass threw out her hand, creating a massive blast of water. It hurtled toward the flame, colliding in midair and sending up a billowing cloud of steam.

“She has powers like mine,” Tarron murmured.

“Cass is a mirror mage.” I’d always quite envied her ability to replicate the magical gift of any nearby supernatural. I squinted at a dark shadow, then drew a potion bomb from my bag in the ether and hurled it at the figure.

The Unseelie dodged, barely avoiding my bomb. I wished for my bow and arrow, but as long as the Unseelie were trying to hit me with a mind control potion, I needed to be carrying my shield.

Tarron launched himself into the air, flying toward the circle with deadly grace. His wings gleamed like silver lightning when he dived for an Unseelie, his blade at the ready.

The rest of the Fae sprinted toward us, an evil horde with ghostly pale skin and midnight hair. Some took to the air, and