Queen of the Fae (Dragon's Gift The Dark Fae #3) - Linsey Hall Page 0,57

hers.”

My heart tore in two. “It’s both of yours. If one Fae royal is killed with this, the other one dies. Two halves of the coin—Seelie and Unseelie.”

“I know.” His voice was calm. Not afraid. Not stressed. Not angry.

My lips thinned as I growled at him. I didn’t even want to think that it was a possibility.

And yet he was preparing for it.

“Let’s go.” He shook the dagger a bit to try to cool it. “We need to get to P & P.”

I nodded, hoping that Connor would have the potion ready to go. We had almost no time to spare, but with the queen injured, there would hopefully be just enough to get me the antidote so I could actually be part of the fight instead of a bystander.

Not only did I want to be the one to take her out…I had a feeling that I would have to be. There was something about our magic, about our bond. It would have to be me.

Aeri joined Tarron and me.

He pulled a transport charm from his pocket and looked at us. “Ready?”

I nodded, resolute.

He tossed the charm to the ground, and a silver cloud exploded upward. He gripped my hand, and we stepped in. The ether sucked me in, spinning in a whirlwind.

A moment later, we stepped out on the sidewalk in front of P & P. It was midday now, and finally, it hit me exactly how tired I was. The pep-up potion was starting to wear off, and I was almost woozy from exhaustion. The temperature change had to have something to do with it. It’d been hot as blazes at Mount Chimaera, and it was far cooler here.

I stepped toward the door, entering a scene of chaos inside P & P. Paper bags sat on every surface, and the air was thick with the savory scent of pasties. Connor bustled around, filling bags with pasties fresh from a tray, while Claire piled the bags into big boxes. She was dressed in her all-black fight wear with her hair pulled back, and she was moving as fast as a sprite.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

Connor looked up. “Packing for the fighters.”

“The ones in my realm?” Tarron asked.

“The same. With a battle about to start, there isn't exactly a ton of time for food prep in the Seelie Court.”

“True enough, but how did you know the battle would happen?”

Connor shrugged, his black shirt covered in flour. “Didn’t. But it can’t help to be prepared.”

“Not to mention that prep work for the battle has exhausted everyone,” Claire said. “They’ll need to eat whether we’re fighting or not.” Her brows dropped. “Hang on a second… Is the battle going to happen? Do you have confirmation?”

“I’m afraid so,” Tarron said. “I’ve already alerted the Court Guard. They’re moving the infirm, young, and elderly to the sky platform.”

I turned to him. “Sky platform?”

“It’s a huge platform high in the sky, enchanted with fairy lights to float over the town. It was the best way to get the non-fighters away from anything that could burn.”

“You’ve been busy.” Respect swelled within me. He’d only been out of my sight for a few minutes here and there, yet he had somehow managed to get that done? He’d delegated it, but still… I was impressed.

“It won’t work forever. The fire will devour the whole realm—the platform, too, if we let it burn long enough. But it will buy us time.”

Aeri looked up from where she’d started filling boxes. “Better to lose buildings than people.”

“Hopefully we won’t lose either,” Tarron said.

I could tell from his tone that he didn’t really believe that. We’d tried repeatedly to stop the queen, and she’d been faster and stronger than us each time.

Shaking away the negative thoughts, I turned to Connor and held out the bloody sword. “I have her blood. Is there any chance that potion is ready? I can’t hurt her as long as I’m under its influences.”

Connor’s eyes brightened. “Yes. I just have to mix it in with the one you already took.”

I handed over the blade, and he disappeared into the back of the shop. Tension tightened my muscles as I helped Claire pack up the rest of the boxes. Tarron pitched in, too, and it was done in no time.

Connor joined us a few moments later, a small vial in his hand. My eyes went immediately to it, and I reached out. He handed it over.

“Thank you so much.” I swigged it back as he nodded, shuddering at