“And you don't even register as fey to my psychic senses,” I added. “You're evolved, remember? A new race descended from the fey, but not exactly fey.”
“We're fey enough to be affected by a trip into Fairy,” Elder Turner waved a hand to Killian to illuminate his point.
“Yes, andthenyou become fey. Fairy doesn't discriminate,” Bress huffed, “unfortunately.”
“What was that?” Jared growled. “You have a problem with witches? We're your descendants, you realize?”
“Shut up!” I snapped. “Both of you. What are you? Children? You bicker over blood and battle while Moire gathers her troops and plots against us. You're in, Turner. Murdock is right. You can choose to run back to the Coven, and stick your collective heads up your asses, but that will only give Moire a bigger target. Together, we have the power to crush her, but if we scatter, she'll pick us off one at a time.”
“She's good at thinning the herd,” Bress grimaced.
“I still have to report to the Coven before I speak on their behalf,” Jared shrugged as if he were unaffected by my speech. But when he stood, his hands were shaking.
“Fine,” Murdock nodded. “Go and speak with the witches. The Human Council will be on high alert, especially here in San Francisco. We'll keep looking for Moire while King Raza returns to Fairy to collect as much of the antidote as he can. Princess Seren, what are your plans?”
“My plans?” I lifted a brow. “I plan on finding my Aunt and stopping this war before it starts.”
Chapter Three
“What happened?” Tiernan asked as soon as he got within speaking distance of me.
“We're going to war,” Killian answered for me, earning himself a glare in the process... from both me and Tiernan.
“Do you mind not bellowing that out for everyone to hear?” I asked.
“It's not like they won't be finding out soon enough,” Kill shrugged unrepentantly.
“Yes, but perhaps they'll hear it in a manner which will be less startling,” Raza growled, then muttered, “Infant.”
“Call me 'infant' one more time, old man,” Killian dared Raza. “I'll be happy to show you the advantages of youth.”
“Youarebehaving childishly,” I smacked Killian in the chest. “And you do this every time you come within ten feet of Raza. Stop it. Now. Or I'll find a way to get a magical restraining order on you.”
Raza smirked at Killian, rather childishly in fact, then headed out the front door.
“No one can take a joke anymore,” Killian grimaced.
“We are at war?” Tiernan asked.
“It seems so,” I followed Raza out of the Council House. “Moire is using-”
A shouting scuffle in front of me cut off my words, and I rushed down the steps to see what was happening. Several of Raza's Guard were on the ground. The rest were circled around him, dragging the protesting dragon to our waiting SUV.
“Seren!” Raza was shouting and gesturing back to me. “Protect the Princess!”
The Star's Guard had already been flanking me, but we were hindered by the doorway, and only a few of them had made it out with us. Tiernan drew his sword, his eyes scanning the empty street. Cat started growling, her hackles lifting. Conri rushed in front of me, and the rest of my Guard was following his lead. Killian was gone, racing across the deserted street. Everyone did their duty as best they could. But they were all too late.
I looked down at the disintegrating arrow shaft with horror.
“Tiernan,” I whispered as the poison shot through my limbs, turning them to ice. I fell backward, but strong hands caught me.
Tiernan's face filled my vision as the roar of an enraged Dragon King filled my ears, and a cold muzzle whimpered its way to my cheek. The last thing I saw were terrified, silver eyes.
Chapter Four
“How I wish I could simply take you to the end of this journey, and bypass all the pain,” Danu sighed as she stroked the hair from my face.
“Danu?” I sat up and looked around.
