Queen of the Fae (Dragon's Gift The Dark Fae #3) - Linsey Hall Page 0,61

left. I called a small shield from the ether and charged, headed straight for the queen.

Straight for death.

16

I hurtled through the sky toward the queen, my hair whipping back in the wind. The short dagger in my hand felt like a lifeline. It wasn’t the enchanted dagger—no way in hell was I using that one.

The queen’s eyes caught on me and she shrieked. She launched herself into the air, headed right toward me. I hurled my blade, aiming right for her stomach.

She jerked out of the way at the last minute, and the dagger went sailing by. I called upon another and sent it flying harder toward her.

In the distance, I caught sight of Tarron trying to fight his way to me, but I turned my attention toward the queen.

She hurled a blast of magic at me, and I deflected it with my sword. More Seelie were flying to her, trying to reach her from all angles.

It has to be me.

I threw my second dagger with such force and precision that it had to land.

It has to.

The blade flipped through the air as it flew. She darted right, swift and graceful. All the same, it nailed her in the side. She shrieked, clutching her ribs with her free hand. Black blood poured through her fingers.

I raced for her, drawing a sword from the ether. In seconds, I was on her, my eyes glued to the glass ball of fire in her hand. I slashed my blade toward her shoulder, not daring to hit the arm that held the ball. I would have to grab it before it fell. It probably wouldn’t alight on the damp grass below, but I couldn't take the risk.

At the last second, she drew a blade from the ether and parried. Our swords clashed in the air, and I kicked at her stomach, trying to force her to lose her balance.

She darted, narrowly avoiding my blow, and I drew my sword back. I struck out for her again and kicked the dagger that was still lodged in her side.

She howled, pain and rage in the sound, then flew for me, impossibly fast. Her foot plowed into my stomach, sending me tumbling back through the air. I went head over heels from the force of her blow, narrowly managing to stop myself before I slammed into the ground.

Even with my newfound ability to actually land a hit on her without being stopped by magic, she was still more powerful than me.

As I flew toward her, wings weak and muscles aching, I knew I needed to be cleverer to beat her.

What about the reflecting magic? She used it differently than I did. I just needed to find a new way to use it to strike back at her.

She was nearly to the buildings now, though. I threw another dagger. I didn’t dare try for the bow. It required me to pause and aim, and I didn’t have that kind of time. My blade managed to hit her in the arm when she wasn’t looking. She hissed and turned to me, rage shining in her dark eyes.

I was nearly to her. So close.

She threw the fireball.

Horror swallowed me whole as I watched it sail toward the nearest building and explode against the roof. Flames burst to life, licking over the surface.

No.

No!

Anger and terror exploded within me, giving me a powerful burst of energy that shot me forward.

I will kill her.

Rage drove my actions. Not thought. Not rationality. Pure, unadulterated rage and fear like nothing I’d ever felt before.

The Unseelie held off any other attackers who might come at her, and it was almost like they were letting me through. In the distance, Tarron fought viciously to reach her. His blade flew, and blood sprayed as he cut down Unseelie after Unseelie.

But my path was clear.

My mother—the queen—wanted a showdown with me.

She hurled a bolt of magic, and I dodged, going right and then forward, using every inch of Dragon Blood speed I had.

We collided in midair once again, our swords clashing. I slashed for her, determined to take her head off.

She dodged, slicing my arm with her blade. The steel cut deep, and I nearly dropped my own sword. Blood poured down my arm.

I struck again, nailing her in the leg. The cut was long and deep, and she hissed. She kicked out with her other leg, hitting me so hard that I tumbled backward in the air. She had a strength unlike any I’d ever experienced. I slammed