Page 84 of The Vanishing Throne

A ripple moves through the crowd, freezing all of the fae in place. Just as Sorcha did during the battle. Not one of them moves. ‘You all look ridiculous,’ Aithinne says with disgust. ‘Fighting over humans like animals. It’s no wonder they hate us.’ She curls her raised hand into a fist and they all gasp as if being choked. Her power makes my stomach clench. ‘Maybe I should do them thefavour.’

‘Aithinne,’ Gavin says sharply. ‘Don’t.’

‘We came into their territory,’ I say. No matter how vicious the faeare, Catherine warned me to stay away. ‘Let them go.’

I may hate the treaty and the fact that the fae can claim any human who wanders into their territory, but this is the world I left behind. This is how Catherine and Gavin and their city survive. I’ve already done enough damage to their tenuous truce just by coming here and threatening them with a blade.

Aithinne keeps a tight hold on all of them for a moment longer. ‘Go back inside,’ she tells the fae. ‘All of you. The humans are leaving with me.’She releases them and ignores their low growls of protest as she walks us all to the door.

‘Bad idea,’ Aithinne says, shaking her head as she ushers us out. ‘That was such a bad idea. If Derrick hadn’t come for me, one of thosesìthicheanprobably would have brought me your intestines to wear as a necklace. And I don’t even like jewelry.’

‘But we found you,’ Derrick says brightly. ‘So, you see, mission accomplished!’

‘A bit of a ludicrous accomplishment, but at least you’re not dead,’ she says. ‘Now what was so important?’

I tell Aithinne everything I told Derrick, but I don’t say what I’m really thinking. I don’t tell her that I want to do this because if I could fight Lonnrach, it would be worth it. I don’t tell her that what Lonnrach did to me made wish so often for death that it doesn’t scare me any more.

I don’t tell her, because she already understands. I can see it in the way she looks at me. She knows. Sheknowsprecisely why.

We’ll make him pay. I’m going to help you.

As if hearing my thoughts, she nods but still seems hesitant. Her gaze narrows in suspicion at Gavin. ‘Wait. Is thisyouridea?’

Gavin straightens, his expression shuttering. I’ve never seen him so guarded before. ‘Aye.’

Before I blink, she’s so close to Gavin their bodies are practically touching.

‘After what you did to Aileana, why should I trust anything you come up with?’

Gavin drops his gaze but says nothing. He doesn’t have to. The sudden brush of flower petals on my tongue indicates that Aithinne is using her powers to get inside Gavin’s mind. She’s reading him with that alien fae expression. His jaw tightens in response.

‘You still fear death,’ she tells him. ‘Your experience through the veil is not one you’d like to repeat, and yet you’d send the Falconer there. This is how you would atone for what you did?’ Her mouth twists. ‘You demand a high price for your friendship.’

Gavin raises his chin. ‘If I could go for her, I would. If I could make it so she would never hurt again, I would.’

‘I don’t believe you.’

‘You’re already in my mind,’ Gavin says, and I don’t miss the anger there. ‘See for yourself.’

Aithinne studies him, as if he both interests and disgusts her. The taste of her power thickens in the air, only for a moment. Then she pulls back and scowls at him. ‘Ugh! I only wanted the answer. I didn’t need to see the rest,’ she says. ‘You have a foul mind, Seer.’

Gavin smirks. ‘I take it you didn’t like what you found in there.’

Her expression hardens and she shifts her attention to me, ignoring his question. ‘It’s difficult to bring back the dead, you realise.’

I reach into my coat pocket and hold up thebrìgh. ‘I took this while we were inside. Derrick says it might help.’

Now that we’re on the other side of the door, I can examine the plant properly. It’s delicate, with a thin,vinelike stem with sparse petals. The flower on the top is shaped rather like a lilac, only with more pointed petals. In the centre is a small bulb that emits a beautiful blue shine.

Aithinne glances at it. ‘Some of your energy in that will help, but it’s the price I’m speaking of.’

‘Then I’ll pay it,’ I say quickly.

Derrick pinches me and hisses. ‘What the hell is wrong with you? You don’t say that without hearing the terms. Haven’t I taught you anything?’

‘It isn’t for her to pay, pixie. It’s for me.’ Aithinne looks at me then. ‘But if you want this, I’ll do it.’

‘Then you’ll need me,’ another voice says. I turn to see Kiaran heading down the path between the fields ofseilgflùr.

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