Queen of the Fae (Dragon's Gift The Dark Fae #3) - Linsey Hall Page 0,40

million pieces. The white light faded.

I collapsed. As darkness took me, the edges of my mind processed what had hit me in the back.

Potion bomb.

11

I struggled toward consciousness, my mind fuzzy. The ground was hard beneath my back, the warm air scented with blood.

I was swept up into a pair of arms.

Strong arms.

It had to be Tarron.

He was warm and solid against me, clutching the top half of my body to his.

Groggily, I opened my eyes. Before I could even focus on his face, agony stabbed me in the stomach. I gasped, going blind.

The first thought—the crazy thought—was that Tarron had stabbed me.

But no.

Not possible.

Not after last night.

Then the gnawing need came—I had to go to my mother.

It raged through me, a ferocious desire to tear myself out of Tarron’s arms and run to her. To transport to her. To do whatever it took to get to her side and serve at her command.

Faintly, noises penetrated my mind. Footsteps, a rustling sound, Tarron’s voice. “She’s been hit with a potion.”

I was jostled, the pain shooting from my stomach as my clothes were torn off me. Cold water doused me, front and back. I sputtered, trying to blink my eyes open. To tear myself away from the overwhelming dark desire that blacked out everything else.

Through bleary eyes, I spotted Tarron looming above me, his wet hands hovering over my chest. Concern creased his brow and glinted in his eyes. Water poured from his hands as he washed me clean.

“We have to get the potion off,” he said, his voice sounding desperate.

“I’m afraid that won’t work,” a feminine voice said from behind me. It resonated with power that vibrated my bones.

One of the goddesses.

I shuddered.

“Here, let me.” Another feminine voice.

A figure appeared at the corner of my eye. She was beautiful and pale, with golden hair and a simple white dress decorated with glinting thread that matched her hair.

I fought to get away from her, somehow sensing that she would try to drive my mother’s influence from me.

“No!” I gasped and clawed, even as my subconscious fought within me, some deep little part of my mind screaming for me to shut up and let her help.

“Be still.” Command echoed in Tarron’s voice as he gripped my arms and held me down.

The goddess touched my arm, her fingertips burning hot. It streaked through me like fire, lighting up my veins. I screamed.

Agony.

Pure agony.

But my mind cleared.

It was as if she were burning my mother’s influence out of me.

“That should help,” she murmured.

I lay limp, gasping. Sweat chilled on my skin, and my mind returned to itself.

My situation came to me in a rush, and if I could have dropped my head back to the ground in despair, I would have. Except I was already lying down. Naked. Soaking wet.

Shit.

This was the worst.

If my clothes and makeup were my armor—which they were—they’d just been chucked into the trash.

I stiffened my spine and pressed my lips together. Damn it, there was no time for weakness. I drew in a steady breath and opened my eyes, finally able to see clearly. I could still feel the tug of my mother’s magic—stronger than ever—but I was able to control it.

“Hello.” I smiled at the goddess, deciding to ignore the fact that I was weak as a slug and lying naked on my back, soaking wet. “You must be one of the guardians.”

She gave me a bemused look. “Indeed I am.”

“Well, I’m sorry I was late.” I rose, slowly sitting upright as every bone in my body ached. I gestured to Tarron, my hand palm up and open.

He seemed to get the gist and conjured me a robe. It was black silk, with a plunging neckline and severe lapels.

Well, at least he got me.

I stood and swung the robe around my shoulders, straightening them as I turned to face the four goddesses.

They looked pissed.

And ragged. Each had frizzy hair from the lightning and pale skin, their pupils wide and dark. Burn marks singed their clothes, and they smelled faintly of smoke.

Tarron stood, concern radiating from him like an aura. “Are you all right?”

“No, I suspect I’m not.” I shuddered, the sensation of my mother’s magic inside me making my insides feel like they were coated in slick black oil. I moved my gaze from one goddess to the next. “But I suppose you can tell us exactly how not all right we are?”

“We were trying to stop that woman from learning the location of the Eternal Fire,” Tarron