Queen of the Fae (Dragon's Gift The Dark Fae #3) - Linsey Hall Page 0,20

with time, with other goddesses from different pantheons coming in to do their time guarding the flame.”

“These are the four you know of, so we’ll look for them.” I knew three of the names. Hestia was Greek, Vesta Roman, and Brigid Celtic. “But who is Arinitti?”

“Hittite sun goddess of the city Arinna.”

“Hittite?” Aeri asked. “The ancient culture that once lived in Turkey?”

“The very same.” Arrowen nodded. “Over three thousand years ago.”

Okay. That gave us something to work with.

I looked between Tarron and Aeri. “I’ll try my power. See if I can see something.”

“I’ll help,” Tarron said.

“Thanks.” He’d helped me practice my wings before, and his magic had made me stronger. Right now, we needed all the advantage we could get. “If I’m going to do this, it would help to have something to jumpstart my gift.” I looked around the room, spotting the big hearth. The weather was too temperate for a fire to be burning, but we could light one. “I’m probably closest to Brigid. She’s Irish, but she’s still a Celtic Goddess and we Unseelie are Celtic. And the Tuath Dé anann respect her.”

I’d never met the Irish Fae, but the connection in our blood and species couldn’t hurt.

“Do you want a weapon or something?” Aeri asked. “Isn’t she the goddess of smithing as well as fire?”

“You read my mind.” Like many of the ancient goddesses, Brigid had overseen many aspects of life. Not just flame, but also poetry, arts, and metalworking.

I met Tarron’s gaze. “Iron was most common around the Celts. I’m going to draw an iron blade, if you’ll permit it?”

Because the Fae were extra sensitive to iron—way more so than I—it felt polite to ask.

He nodded.

I went to the fire. Tarron grabbed a heavy chair from the table and carried it over in one hand. He set it down in front of the empty hearth, then thrust his hand toward it. His magic swelled on the air, and a fire burst to life, crackling merrily.

“Thanks.” I sat in the chair, calling an iron dagger from the ether. I gripped the hilt tight, my skin itching faintly. Maybe it was silly to hold it, but talismans often helped with magic.

I’d do whatever it took to find these damned goddesses in order to stop my mother. Just using this premonition magic—which I’d gotten from her, apparently—made me feel closer to her.

I hated it.

“I’m going to touch your shoulders, all right?” Tarron asked.

I nodded, already anticipating his touch.

Arrowen and Aeri stepped up alongside us as Tarron placed his large hands on my shoulders. Heat raced through me, and my world narrowed to just the place our bodies joined.

I sucked in a deep breath and yanked myself out of the trance.

Now was so not the time.

6

The flames flickered and danced in front of me. The iron burned. I focused on those things, shuddering slightly as Tarron fed his magic into my soul.

His power flowed through my veins, igniting my own. It was impossible not to feel a connection with him. Our fated mate bond, combined with sharing our magic, made me feel like we were attached on a soul-deep level.

I drew in an unsteady breath. His ability was spectacular. There was nothing he couldn’t accomplish with this.

And I could feel him. Who he was. The goodness in him. The ruthlessness. He’d sacrificed himself for his people when he’d taken on the role of king.

He’d do it again if he had to.

I could feel it.

And I was desperate to stop it. The future that barreled down on us was unbearable.

I used that desperation, calling up every bit of my magic.

It burst to life inside me, the power swelling up through my chest and filling my mind. My vision went black and I stood in the white room. Clouds rolled along the ground around me, filling the space.

Where is Brigid?

I asked the one concrete question that might help me stop all of this from happening.

It took a moment, as if the information were buried deep in the ether. I gripped the blade in my hand tightly, letting the iron burn me as I tried to forge a connection with the Celtic goddess who had Fae connections.

To my left, Burn woofed low in his throat.

I looked down, spotting the Thorn Wolf. He looked into the distance, eyes bright.

“Thanks, pal.” I moved in that direction, following the command of the animal who had become my familiar.

Tarron’s power stayed with me as I moved through the vision, giving me strength and clearing the clouds