Page 52 of The Fallen Kingdom

“That’s not what you’re talking about, though, is it?” At his silence, my voice dips lower. “What, MacKay? You want me to kill you?”

“Whatever it takes.” His voice is a rough hiss. “The Book is our priority. If it comes down to me or finding it, I trust you to make the right decision.” He releases me. “My sister would choose me. She always has. Sometimes I suspect she’d let the goddamn world destroy itself over me.”

It’s not coming to that. I’ll never let it come to that.

But we’re doing this to stop Aithinne’s curse, too. She ought to be there, by our side. She ought to be there to help us through it, to end it all. And if I die before we find the Book, she has to be the one to reverse the destruction in our realms. I’m not certain the Book can resurrect me if I die with the Cailleach’s powers, but at least Aithinne will be able to give back Catherine, Daniel, and Gavin everything they lost in the war. They deserve a better life than this.

I back away from him. “And if the worst happens and you turn on me? Then what?” I lower my voice. “Do you expect me to subdue you? I’ve only bested you once. And that was before—”

Before you. Before us. Before everything.

“If you think I’ll be more objective than Aithinne,” I say instead, “then you’re an idiot. And that isn’t a word I’d use to describe you.”

I’ve tried not to let my feelings for Kiaran blind me, but it’s too late. I already have. Doesn’t he know I’d do whatever it took to save him? Just as he would for me? Neither of us is objective. We’re too far gone.

I try to appeal to Kiaran’s practical nature instead: “Derrick doesn’t have enough power to fight the Morrigan, and he’s better off at the camp where he can help the others in case the land starts falling apart. You know that.”

That does it. Kiaran steps back, his expression shuttered again. “Fine. Send word to Aithinne.”

I hesitate before tapping into my power, cautious not to let it become too overwhelming. It’s too tempting to let it take me over, to lose myself in it.

It slides down my veins and into my palm and I direct it with a quick stroke of my wrist.Find Aithinne.

The response is almost instant. She’s back at her camp with Derrick and the others—I give myself a moment of relief that they’re unharmed. The flames of their bonfire burn high, and they’re all sitting on the ground with old wool blankets over their shoulders. Gavin has resumed drinking that terrible whisky, while Derrick natters on to Catherine and Daniel about nothing in particular.

Aithinne’s head comes up when she senses me. I leave a lingering thread of power to hint at her to follow it. “It’s about bloody time,” she says with cheer. “I’ll make a portal. Tell Kadamach to open the gates.”

I pull back and give Kiaran her message. He crosses the room to reach for a massive lever near the double doors that I hadn’t seen. With a swift yank, he pulls it to the side and the heavy oak entrance splits open.

Derrick flies through the portal first. “Look at you,” he says, stopping to study me. “Alive. Unscathed. Good. If you hadn’t been, I would have lopped his fingers off.”

Kiaran moves to stand beside me. “I would have pulled off your wings.”

“Ignore him, pixie.” Aithinne strides into the room, her long coat billowing behind her. “I should have figured he’d be sullen and moody.”

Kiaran’s emotionless gaze flickers to her. “Phiuthair.”

“Bhràthair.” She stops and studies him. “You look like hell. I suppose you haven’t fed in a few days, if the lack of gifts is any indication.”

“Don’t.” Kiaran’s voice dips in warning.

“I’m wonderful, by the way,” she continues, as if he hadn’t spoken. “Do you like my coat? Don’t I look lovely? Aren’t I the best sister for standing here, still willing to talk to you after you’ve ignored me for months, youstubbornbastard?”

“Well, this is fun,” Derrick says. “I’m really feeling the love in this room. It’s beautiful. Aileana, isn’t it beautiful?”

“You’re here because Kam wanted your help. Not because I did.”

“Damn it, MacKay—”

“You might not have wanted me,” Aithinne says, ignoring my attempts to stand between them, “but look how quickly I came. Because I still care about you. Though god only knows why, since you’re such an obstinate pain in my arse.”

“I love it when Aithinne curses at people.” Derrick says to me. “I say we let them fight it out. A round of fisticuffs. No killing. I’ll go and find refreshments.”

“Oh, for god’s sake,” Sorcha says from behind us. “If you’re all going to squabble, I’d prefer to be back in my prison. That wasn’t torture.Thisis torture.”

Derrick peeks through my hair. “What’s that murderous arsehole doing here?”

Sorcha blinks at him. “What did you just call me?”

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