Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 90897 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 454(@200wpm)___ 364(@250wpm)___ 303(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90897 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 454(@200wpm)___ 364(@250wpm)___ 303(@300wpm)
Then poof.
She vanished into thin air.
“What the actual hell?” Elijah bit out.
“I think it’s time we moved this inside.” Fionn gestured to the hotel and the group of humans who were staring wide-eyed at them all, camera phones clicking.
Niamh flicked a hand in their direction and there was sudden cries of astonishment and dismay. She turned to her companions with a smirk. “Broke all their devices. Nosy bastards.”
Rose snorted.
Echo wasn’t in the mood for amusement. She was too stunned. “I’d quite like to put on some pants and then figure out why I’m not a big pile of ash right now.” She looked at Elijah, confused … hopeful. Hopeful in a way that scared her to death.
“I can explain that one,” Niamh approached. “But let’s get inside first.”
22
Once they were safely inside the hotel room, Niamh, Fionn, and Rose put up wards around it. Defensive ones as well as a sound barrier so no one could get into the room or hear what was going on. Something primal shifted through Elijah as they’d stepped inside; it smelled of sex, of him and Echo.
He’d been out grabbing something to eat, trying to figure out how to convince Echo to give this thing between them a chance, when he’d sensed her fear and confusion. It was the worst thing he’d ever experienced, made ever worse to see her standing outside half naked in the daylight. It had taken him a discombobulated second to realize she was still alive.
Now his eyes tracked her as she rounded the bed to pull on her jeans.
“What happened?” he bit out.
“That bitch appeared out of nowhere and dragged me outside. I couldn’t stop her.” Echo’s hands flexed in and out of fists, her fury evident. But also her vulnerability. “Why didn’t I burst into flames?”
“I think I can explain that. There’s a lot to explain.” The tall, willowy, Irish-accented female who’d protected them looked suddenly drained. She was clearly fae, like Elijah. The male at her side smelled distinctly of werewolf. He slid an arm around her and pressed a tender kiss to her temple. At Elijah’s curious stare, she gave him a tight smile. “The redhead is a fae-borne called Astra. She orchestrated my brother’s death.”
Sympathy flooded him, knowing he’d be devastated if what he was led to the death of his parents. “I’m truly sorry.”
“I’m Niamh.”
“Farren?” His eyes flew to Echo, who nodded. He turned back to the fae female. “You told Echo the truth about William.”
“I did.”
“And who are you?” Elijah gestured to the large male and slender female at his side. They’d both moved like him. “Are you fae?”
“Fionn Mór.” The hulking male bowed his head slightly. He had a strange accent. Slightly Irish but not quite. “The Queen of Faerie turned me into fae centuries ago. This is my mate, Rose Kelly.”
“Hi.” Rose nodded and then spoke in a North American accent. “I’m one of the fae-borne too.”
“Kiyo.” The wolf stared blankly at him. “Niamh’s mate.”
“We were on our way to Conall MacLennan to find you,” Echo said to Niamh. “You found us first.”
“I know.” Niamh smiled slightly at Elijah’s confused look. “I have visions. Psychic visions.”
“I’ve told him what I could about fae history and about the fae-borne,” Echo said.
“Good. That’s good.”
“But maybe you can explain to me how a fae-borne The Garm thought was dead, killed by Eirik himself, is still very much alive.” Echo crossed her arms over her chest and then spoke to Elijah. “We knew about Astra. Eirik told us he’d stabbed her in the heart with iron a few years ago.”
“It was an illusion.” Niamh sighed. “She tricked him. Astra … she doesn’t appear to have a conscience. I’ve had visions of you all.” She gestured to Elijah and Rose. “Since as far back as I can remember. I knew when The Garm killed the others. Astra was the only other fae-borne born with the same knowledge of our history as I was. We’re the key to opening the gates to Faerie.”
“Echo told me that already.”
“What she might not know is that if we’re all unwilling, our enemies only need one of us to open that gate. They don’t even need to kill us. Just spill our unwilling blood at the standing stones. But if at least one of us is willing to open that gate, then that fae must spill all of our blood on the gates to open it. It's a test of their strength and what they’re willing to do to enter Faerie.”
“Astra knew this?” Echo asked.
“Yes. And it’s her plan to take me, Rose, and Elijah to the gate with her.”
“So why did she try to kill me? And how did she not succeed?”
Elijah shuddered at how close Echo had come to death. Her gaze flew to him like she’d sensed his feelings.