Balor grunted. “That she did.”
I stood, wobbling, flush with excitement. Ashling gripped my hand and I held tight to her. We’d done it.
“I never doubted,” she whispered. I laughed, unable to help the joy that filled me up. “Well, that makes one of us.”
Balor stepped forward. “You have won the challenge. You are free to go.”
Ashling turned with me. “I know how to get us out from here,” she said.
“Daughter.” Balor called.
We stopped.
“She did not win your freedom. Quinn asked me what I would have her do. I said that she had to face this challenge, take your hand and then she would be free. There was no bargain in there for the both of you,” he said.
“You lying son of a bitch!” I yelled.
“You may come and take your woman now Lugh; I believe that for this one time I will allow you entrance to my kingdom. Do not let it ever be said that I don’t hold to my bargains,” Balor called out. Who the hell was Lugh?
A brilliant flash of light lit the room and hands grabbed me, jerking me towards that golden glow. Luke was Lugh?
The Fomorii rushed us, and I clung to Ashling, making Luke drag us both. “Let her go!” he yelled at me. I shook my head and shouted back. “NO!”
The choice was taken from me as Balor stepped forward and snatched Ashling from my arms as easily as if I were a child. I fought Luke, fought to get back to my sister.
The gap of water snapped shut and Darcy ran to us; I pushed her away. “No, get away! Ashling!”
“Quinn!” Ashling called, her voice cutting me to the core. Not again, this couldn’t happen again.
Luke’s power swirled around us and he began to pull me out of there, my mother clinging to his other arm.
“Bres! Ashling! Let me go!” I screamed as Luke’s hand locked tight into mine.
Bres stared at me, his eyes never leaving mine as Luke snatched me away with a clap of thunder and a light so bright I was blinded. Just like that, my world was once more torn apart.
23
In a swirl of water and sudden darkness I felt myself pulled upwards, the depths of the ocean below us—and we were swimming hard for the surface. As I swam, I looked for Ashling and Bres. Praying that I was wrong, that they’d be with us and we’d get out of this together.
I searched the waters around us to no avail. Hands gripped me and I looked to see Darcy struggling, her inability to hold her breath as I could quickly becoming a problem. Much as I wanted to leave her there, I knew I’d regret it. Maybe not right away, but eventually. I’d have to get her to the surface first.
My heart sank to the ocean floor, where Ashling was, in the Fomorii Kingdom. We’d left them behind. Without warning, we burst through the last few feet of water.
I pulled in a lungful of air as did the others and spun. “BRES!”
“Swim; we have to get out of the water NOW. They’re right behind us,” Luke yelled.
Sluggishly, turning back every few feet, I swam. Darcy sped ahead of us, reaching dry ground first. It wasn’t until Luke circled around behind me and drove me that I was forced to move at any sort of speed.
We swam to shore, the waves pushing us under, forcing us to work hard to drag our sorry asses up and out of the surf. As my toes touched the sand I wanted to be relieved but all I felt was a twisting in my gut. We’d made it, but at what cost?
I stumbled up the beach, away from the water; I looked out on the waves, the black humping backs of the Fomorii filling the surf.
Luke grabbed me and pulled me towards a waiting helicopter where Darcy was already buckled in.
“We have to get out of here, right now. The Fomorii are about to flood the beach,” he said.
With a few quick movements Luke had me buckled in too, his face tight with worry.
“You aren’t even going to apologize, are you?” he asked me, as the rotors started to hum.
I shook my head, my body overcome with what had just happened. I’d lost both Ashling and Bres; I had no delusions about a second chance to go after either of them
“No. I did what I thought was right.” My mother was alive, though I hesitated to even call her my mother. She looked out the window, her profile in stark relief from the light shining in. “We need to drop her off somewhere; I’m not taking her with me anywhere.”
Darcy turned, her eyes hard. “Ungrateful, that’s what you are.”
My jaw dropped and I struggled to close it, choosing instead to stare out my own window.
The helicopter rose a few feet as the first of the Fomorii pulled themselves onto the beach.
Luke shook his head and reached for my hand. His fingers were hot. They warmed my skin, which was cold with grief. Everything I’d done had been for naught. Sure, Darcy was alive—but I’d trade her in a heartbeat for either Bres or Ashling.
“Quinn, we will have to face Bres now, as an enemy; Balor won’t let him go again. Ashling too, though I know how difficult that will be for you to accept.” He shook his head. “I had no idea she was his daughter.” Luke turned, and gave instructions to the pilot.
I lifted my eyes as Cora slithered out from under the seat and up onto my lap. We both ignored my mother’s squeak. Apparently she had just enough fae blood to see the snake.
“I will never see Ashling as my enemy. Never,” I said.
Cora draped coils around my neck. “I am sorry Quinn. Ashling knows you loved her enough to fight for her; that will have to be enough. Sometimes that is all you can do. We don’t always get a happily ever after. Do not give up hope.”
I put a hand on her muscular body and struggled not to break down, not to give in to the grief—because once I started I didn’t think I could stop. Balor did this. The only way I could make him pay for his crimes was if I was stronger. There could be no more tears. I took a deep breath and slowly let it out, a plan forming in my mind.
“How can I learn to use my abilities?” I asked. If I was going to do this I would need help, training, like Bres had said.
Luke turned to face me, his blue eyes shadowed. I wondered at how he knew where to find us, how he was able to reach us just in time.
“You’re right, you need training Quinn. And the only place you can get that is from the Council,” he said, his voice just barely louder than the rotors.
The helicopter banked over the ocean, now frothing with Fomorians. Their numbers darkened the waves. I swallowed hard and thought of Bres, my heart confused at the attraction to both him and Luke; each man held a piece of me that warmed at his touch.
I stared out at the water—the crashing waves, the brilliant blue of the sky where it touched the horizon. I had only one purpose now. I would be trained, I would find a way to lead the Tuatha and I would find a way to get Ashling back for good. There would be no more wavering with me.
I thought to what Balor had done, how he’d made me face my greatest fear, thinking I would fail no doubt. Instead he’d only shown me that I was stronger than I thought, that fear wouldn’t rule me. In that, he’d done me a favour.
Luke sat back beside me. “We’ll drop your mother off, then we’ll head for Ireland. The Council will begin your training. Balor won’t get away with this. I promise you that Quinn.”
I nodded and leaned my head on his shoulder. “How long will it take—the training I mean?”
Darcy sniffed. “Your father trained for years before he was deemed able to battle the Fomorii. Years Quinn. You don’t have it in you, I’ve always known that.” She sniffed again. “You and Ashling, my two greatest follies.”
Her words should have stung, but I felt nothing.
Luke glared at her then turned and faced me. “You are special Quinn, it won’t take that long—I think a few months, a year at the most.”
A year. I blanched, thinking of the time apart from my sister, not knowing if she was being treated well, if they were hurting her.
Look after her Bres; please, look after her.
A distant, answering echo came back to me, the gentle Irish lilt soothing some of the pain.
Always—for you, and for her. Always.