Queen of the Fae (Dragon's Gift The Dark Fae #3) - Linsey Hall Page 0,9
was ancient and dusty, and when we sat on the couch, little dust motes floated up and glittered in the light of the lamps.
Aethelred took a chair and leaned toward me. “Now tell me what you want to know.”
I smiled gratefully at him. Normally, he’d demand payment, just like I would. He’d even be a stickler about whether or not he was willing to help.
But not with me.
“Thanks, Aethelred.” I needed to get him alone to ask about Tarron, but I had to be subtle. I started by describing my new gift of premonition, and finished with my vision of flames and my mother’s dark smoke. “Could you confirm that it is true? Did I really see the future, or is it just a threatening vision that she sent me?”
He nodded, then held out his hands. I reached for them and gripped them gently.
“Clear your mind so that you see what you saw before.” His voice droned low.
I sucked in a slow breath and did as he asked. The image flared to mind.
Aethelred’s power flowed into me, and a few moments later, he released my hand and opened his eyes. Tension tugged at me. His gaze flicked between me and Tarron, concern in their blue depths. Was it truly the future? Or had he seen that I could kill Tarron to stop this terrible fate?
The old seer drew in a deep breath. “I can see the past here, and a bit of motivation. She seeks to destroy the Seelie, and it has something to do with you, my dear. She tried to sway them to her side before. With a failed plan of some sort.”
“The obelisk,” I clarified, leaving out any mention of Tarron’s brother.
“Ah, yes. That must have been it.” Aethelred nodded. “It failed, and now she seeks to destroy them.”
“So it could happen?” Tarron said.
“Yes. It could.”
“Could?” Tarron asked. “It’s not definite? It could be stopped, then?”
“Perhaps.” Aethelred shrugged, looking uncertain. “This was a vision of Mordaca’s. I don’t know how her magic works. She may see the one true future like I do, or she may see potential futures that can be changed.”
I swallowed hard, not wanting to contemplate how the tragedy would be stopped. I didn’t even understand how killing Tarron would stop it. What was the connection there?
“Can you see how to stop it?” Tarron asked.
I gave Aethelred the tiniest shake of my head.
His blue eyes flashed, but the tone of his voice didn’t change. “I cannot.”
“I’ve tried to see more,” I said. “Like when it will happen or how exactly she’ll do it, but I’ve had no luck.”
“You’re new at it.” He shook his head, blue eyes alight. “Marvelous that you have a new power.”
“Several. Except they aren’t cooperating.”
“Practice, child. That’s what you need. And when the visions don’t come, it can help to find something to give them a little push.”
Just like how Cass’s FireSoul ability to find things was stronger if she had an object related to what she was seeking. “Give it a little push how, exactly?”
“If you want to see more about the Unseelie queen or what she will do, then find something of hers. Or go to a place that is important to her. It could give your magic a bit of gasoline. Send it in the right direction.”
I had nothing of hers except myself—and I hated the idea that I was in any way hers.
“The Circle of Night,” Tarron said. “It’s as close as we can get to their realm.”
“And we were planning to go anyway, since it’s our only link to her,” I said.
“That’s the ticket,” Aethelred said. “You’re closest to this, so you’re most likely to be the one to see how to fix it.”
“I hope you’re right.”
He harrumphed. “I’m always right.” He stood. “Now come with me. I have something I must ask you about.”
I stood, and Tarron shifted as if to join me.
“Not you, young man.” Aethelred waved him down. “This is for Mordaca alone.”
Tarron sat back down, seeming curious but unfazed by being called ‘young man.’ In fairness, everyone was young compared to Aethelred.
I followed Aethelred to the back of the house, weaving through narrow hallways until we reached a little kitchen at the back.
He turned to me, blue eyes glinting. “You haven’t told the Seelie King that you must kill him to stop your mother from destroying his kingdom.”
“So that part is true?”
“I’m afraid it may be.”
Damn it. “I’ll stop it before it happens. No need to tell.”