Page 77 of The Dark Will Rise

As the two gods stared at one another, Rainn rushed forward, his head tucked down in deference. He grabbed my upper arm and dragged me to the edge of the room.

“What is happening?” I whispered.

“The siren queen is buying you time,” Rainn said out of the corner of his mouth.

“Fine.” Elaine raised her hands. “Maeve Cruinn will fulfill the bargain to Nuada, God of Water, Darkness, and War. Siren Queen, and the Queen of air and darkness. When she has found Nuada’s eldest child, she will return to Cruinn to fulfill her obligations to the throne.”

I was a piece of meat to them. A pawn in a children’s game. I could only hope that my magic would return if I got away from Balor.

“Cormac Illfinn will accompany the group. He will report back to me.” Elaine grinned triumphantly.

Epilogue

I didn’t remember the journey to Belisama’s cradle beside the Dark Sea. Being carried through the silver and crossing the Night Court in a blink.

I couldn’t remember much of anything, even myself. The High Throne had wrung me dry, stolen so much of me that I was lost to the water. Unable to get back to my body, even though I no longer sat on the throne. I didn’t know how long I was gone, but I remembered the screaming. Waking up and clawing my arms as if its teeth were still locked into my bones.

My mates came. They tried to speak to me, but my words were gone. Dissolved into ash on my tongue.

I blamed them.

I shouldn’t have, but I did.

Elaine had taken me when I thought I was safe.

They had abandoned me for the harem. They had been laughing, joking, and joyously fucking while I was being torn apart from the inside out.

They were just as bad as Cormac. Maybe worse. At least Cormac didn’t pretend to be anything but a selfish, arrogant sea snake.

It had been days since my supposed Shíorghrá had come to my room to check on me.

I sat in the corner, unwashed, alone, and unable to tell reality from fiction.

At least I had one thing left, I thought, as I reached into the pocket of my torn and bloody dress and pulled the fragment of the High Throne.

I’d taken it all; all the bloodthirsty and dark magic of the High Throne sat in my hands. Heady, addictive, maddening.

I just hoped I could give it to the Kraken when the time came.