Start | Chapter Nineteen Part Three | Index | Chapter Twenty Part One

David’s head was filling with a strange fog as he waited with Liam, Penny and Jason for the others to return. He closed his eyes and rested his forehead against the seat in front of him.

“Brain fog?” Penny asked softly.

David looked over at her and nodded. “I feel weird.” Read the rest of this entry »

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They were discussing plans over dinner when Harindan came rushing in, looking worried.

“Ystelyian-mirian, has Naria come to you? She must have woken up while I was dozing but I didn’t sense it and she’s gone from the room.”

“Calm down,” Ystelyan said firm. “If she was frenzying we’d know and I’m sure you would have sensed it if she’d woken.” He frowned thoughtfully. “And someone would have seen her if she was sleepwalking. This is strange.” Read the rest of this entry »

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For the most part, Marian’s vision was much like the others. But unlike the others it included Lydia’s family racing up the hill towards Emms. What happened next wasn’t clear but there was screaming and blood and then everything went black. Emms hadn’t turned to pay attention to them and they certainly hadn’t reached him yet.

Tara made a tutting sound and even with her eyes closed Lydia was sure the woman was frowning.

Well, that’s not good. We need to slow this down so we can see what happened. Can you do that, Marian? Read the rest of this entry »

Start | Chapter Nineteen Part Two | Index | Chapter Nineteen Part Four

Ragnar swore to himself again and tried to dart past Leisa into the cell. She must have come from there which meant that there was a good chance that someone else was in there taking the girls while he was distracted with this fight. That would not do.

Unfortunately she anticipated him and leapt between him and the doorway again. Over her shoulder he spotted a woman who was obviously of the same kind as his male attacker. His sharp hearing made out her tell Caroline that she was a daemon. How interesting. Daemons were less common that fairies and he still had no idea what kind she was. Not that it mattered she was stealing his girls, so he was going to kill her. Read the rest of this entry »

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Sliding inside her mother’s mind was a freaky sensation. The way Sonia’s mind sucked at hers made stopping before the fusion was complete difficult, but her mother had made it clear that to act as anchor, she was to stop the merge before it was complete. Concentrating, she spread her mind out like a parachute – slowing then stopping her descent before she was completely submerged. In response, she heard a delighted mental clap from her mother.

Yes! That’s absolutely perfect. I told you she was talented, Sal, Sonia said. Only then did Lydia realise her mother was already fully merged with Sarah. Did your mentor teach you that, Lyd? Read the rest of this entry »

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“You want me to clarify Marian’s vision,” Tara asked. “That’s going to be hard with just one to go on. I generally need at least two or three. Unless…” She trailed off and narrowed her eyes thoughtfully. “Her vision was related to what he’s doing right?”

“Yes,” Matthias said. “Why?”

“Because those torn sky visions seem to be as well. It’s possible they are related enough for me to clarify them together.” She hesitated. “They are still proving opaque. This could be the key.” Read the rest of this entry »

Start | Chapter Nineteen Part One | Index | Chapter Nineteen Part Three

Leisa leapt back as Ragnar swung at her with a knife. She slipped out of the way and flipped out one of the stakes she had tucked into her belt. His lunge overbalanced him slightly and she took full advantage of it, curving in and thrusting the stake at his heart. He threw out his arm to ward himself and managed to knock the stake down so it missed his heart by inches. Still a length of rowan through his rib cage would slow him down which was all to the good. She pushed it in a bit further before snapping it so he would not easily be able to remove it and pulling another from her belt. Read the rest of this entry »

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“She’s serious,” Lucas said after a few moments. He was biting his lip and his eyes were haunted. We’re going to have to keep her busy once we’re finished. She’s suicidal and even if she doesn’t give in to that she’s likely to relapse back into fugue, he added mentally.

“I thought she would be,” Matthias said. Hannah had the distinct impression that he was responding to both statements. He knelt down by Marian and laid a hand on her forearm. “You say he’s expecting us?” Read the rest of this entry »

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Lydia didn’t wait for him to stop talking. She shot a thought to Bennu and then blasted him with a stream of fire that had all of her strength behind it. Bennu shot a stream of fireballs at him simultaneously. A moment later a shower of bone fragments joined the attack as Takilyan came to her aid. She gave him a grateful look even as she kept up the stream of flame.

“Come on, everyone!” she said.

There was no verbal response but one by one other attacks joined hers, all centred on Jayden Emms. She sighed with relief as she saw him stagger back a few steps. He was bleeding from multiple small cuts. She’d been worried that they might not even be able to hurt him through his new strength. Still, they were hitting him with all they had got and he was still on his feet. He looked furious as well. Read the rest of this entry »

Start | Chapter Eighteen Part Two | Index | Chapter Nineteen Part Two

A faint sound disturbed Ragnar’s dreams and drew him up towards wakefulness but before he fully shook of sleep something grabbed hold of him and yanked him back into the dream world. He struck out at his assailant, they were invisible in the dreamscape but as he hit home he had an impression of a black horse with flaming red eyes. A nightmare then? But why? He bore no ill will towards the fairies.

“Honoured fairy child,” he said formally even as he tried to slip back towards the real world. “Have I offended you somehow?”

She didn’t answer but her shadow wrapped around him stopping his escape, and he was vaguely aware that the sounds from the waking world were continuing. He sighed to himself. Read the rest of this entry »