that all Unseelie went through to unite the magic within them.
Wind tore at my dress and hair as I flew after the Unseelie. I chased him over the rooftops, the setting sun watching our progress. The view was totally different from up here, and I thanked fates that Magic’s Bend was an all supernatural city.
The damned Unseelie was fast, and far more practiced with his wings than I. He flew down into narrow alleys, cutting around corners and trying to elude me.
I pushed myself, wings aching and lungs burning. No way I’d lose this bastard now. It was early evening, right after work got out for most, and some of the streets were packed with people. The Unseelie cut close to their heads, flying low. Shouts and curses followed him.
Near Factory Row, he reached a park. There were no people I could spot, so I drew a dagger from the ether and hurled it at him. The blade sank into the corner of his wing, and he faltered, shrieking.
I put on a burst of speed and collided with him, taking him down through the trees. Branches dragged at my hair and dress as we fell, and I barely managed to force us to rotate so he hit the ground first.
He slammed into the grass with a grunt, and his elbow went into my stomach. The air whooshed out of me, and I temporarily lost my grip. He tried to scramble upward, but I lunged for him, pinning him down.
I called on a steel dagger from the ether. Ruthlessly, I pressed the dagger against his ribs, making sure that the point broke the skin.
He flinched and turned white. “She wants you,” he hissed. “She’ll stop at nothing.”
“Tell me where she is.”
He spat at me.
I ducked left, barely dodging. I dug the dagger deeper into his skin. “Tell me, or I’ll gut you.”
“You’ll do that anyway.”
I grinned viciously. “Normally, yes. But I quite like the idea of sending you back to my mother with a message. If you tell me where I can find her.”
“Never.”
“Fine, then.” I sliced my fingertip with my thumbnail, enjoying the slight bite of pain. “I’ll make you.”
I raised my bloody fingertip to his forehead, ready to swipe it against his skin and use my Dragon Blood magic to force him to tell me.
“Just go to her,” he said. “Or we’ll keep coming for you.”
“I’ll go to her on my terms.” Until I knew I could resist her mind control magic, I couldn’t go to her. With my power, it’d be like putting a nuclear bomb in her hands.
I raised my hand to swipe my fingertip across his forehead.
Before I could reach him, his hand shot up, and he smashed something against my arm. Glass shattered.
Potion bomb.
The thought registered in my mind in a flash. I reached up and tore the sleeve off my dress, yanking it down my arm before the potion could soak through to my skin.
Cool air drifted over a small patch on my arm.
Dread uncoiled within me as I looked down. A bit of red liquid stained my arm.
The Unseelie laughed, an unsettling sound.
Apparently, I hadn’t destroyed all of his bombs.
His hand swiped up, and he touched my arm, sending a bolt of energy into my mind. My magic twined with his as my vision began to go white. A buzzing started in my head, louder and louder.
I stiffened, losing my grip on the blade. Through the last of my clear vision, I spotted Aeri racing up to me. Cass, as well, coming from across the street where her shop was located.
“Go to her, or the flames will burn.” His words were the last thing I heard before the premonition sucked me in.
I collapsed to the ground beside the Unseelie. Panic flared in my chest as everything went white inside my mind, fluffy clouds surrounding me. Just like in my trials.
Except this had something to do with my mother and her minions. I could feel it.
Gasping, I spun in a circle, alive inside my mind.
I knew what to do.
I’d been practicing.
I drew in a deep breath to force away the panic and focused on the concept of truth.
She was sending me a message, and I needed to see it. Something tugged at me from the left, and I knew it was my mother.
This was a vision she was sending me. It had to be.
I ran toward her signature, my heart pounding.
As the mist cleared, flame took its place.
Horror threatened to swallow me whole.
I was