Page 79 of The Forever Queen

“Are those your words or Anduril’s?” Lir challenged.

Aisling thought for a moment. Was there a difference? Was it all Aisling or was it all Anduril? The sorceress shut her eyes, temples aching with the whiplash of her thoughts.

“Do you feel your magic thrashing inside?” Lir asked. “Do you feel it pushing at your lungs, begging to be breathed and blown like wildfire?”

Aisling held her breath, counting the knight’s steps as he grew closer.

“Do you feel your own strength begging to be released and not another’s?” Lir asked, his voice coming more quickly as the knight approached.

“Do you wish me to believe I could be capable?” Aisling asked, her words weak and laced with defeat despite Anduril’s and Racat’s energy—their fury and eagerness to be indulged.

“No,” Lir said. “I wish to show you, you already are.”

“We are all beasts, slaves to desire. Mortals, Aos Sí, and all else driven by that which will sate our appetite. You must overpower that which sought to overpower you. Become the predator and not the prey,” Lir spoke like a prophecy.

“You wish to corrupt me,” Aisling said.

“No. I wish to show you, you already are.”

The memory hit Aisling more painfully than the knight’s blade through her hand. It slammed into her consciousness like an unwelcomed guest, pulling the door off its hinges and squeezing inside. Anduril resisted its image, but it was futile. The memory bloomed and stayed, planted in her mind anew.

Aisling found Lir’s gaze and held it. She wasn’t certain how long they stood watching one another, a silent conversation passing between them as the knight took his final steps and prepared to cleave Aisling’s head from her body.

“Ellwyn,” Lir said.

Aisling turned to face the knight, lifted Sarwen before her and summoned herdraiocht.

A tendril of flame wrapped around Sarwen like a serpent, biting at the tip with adragún’s mouth.

Aisling pulled back her arms and struck forward just as the knight bolted forth.

Sarwen sank into the knight’s heart before the creature could deflect, staked through to the other side with Aisling’s enchanted sword.

The knight groaned, touching where Sarwen entered his body with a fleshy, spongy crunch.

“Well done, faerie,” the knight conceded bent over and falling to his knees before her. “You may pass.”

The knight collapsed onto the ground, heaving one last rattled breath.

Aisling watched, expressionless, as the clouds above shielded the moon’s eyes. Darkness fell over Flasing’s cradle, and once the light had left, so, too, did the knight disappear. Nothing but Sarwen, lit with flames, before Breka’s mirror remained.

* * *

LIR

Before the Sidhe king could think straight, his boots were already flying forward and racing for her. He ripped his tunic’s hem, immediately wrapping her hand with the fabric and watching with horror as it continued to soak through the linen.

“It will heal with time,” Aisling managed, but Lir didn’t care. He wanted it healed now.

“Let’s keep moving,” she said.

Lir tensed, but he nodded in reply. She’d defeated Eogi’s gatekeeper and now, they were so close. Close to Eogi and the Goblet needed to fix everything. They couldn’t turn back now.

Lir scooped Aisling into his arms. She protested at first, her belt pinching him whenever it touched his clothes or flesh. Eventually, however, she relaxed, her head falling against his chest as he walked forward and toward Breka’s mirror.

The waterfall parted like curtains woven from crystal silks. They passed through, following the schools of fish still swimming further into the mountain and its cave.

Inside, the air grew even colder than before. Aisling’s teeth chattered, so Lir pulled her closer, holding her as tightly as he could whilst still ensuring she was comfortable. The longer they traveled, the darker the cave grew. Nothing but the shining, reflective scales of the surrounding fish to light the path.

---