Blood Before Sunrise

go.”

“Why is my body not healing?” I asked close to her ear. Confusion swirled in my mind from Faolan’s influence, countered by the cleansing effects of Brakae’s close proximity. A war was being waged within my mind, and I didn’t like it one damned bit. “I’m not going to be much use to you beat up and bleeding. Not to mention weaponless.”

“A Fae dagger,” Brakae murmured. “It has been forged with magic,” she said. “You’ll heal, but not quickly. If he’d wanted you dead, he would have driven the blade through your heart.”

Son of a bitch. For once Azriel hadn’t been a complete liar. He’d told me once only a magic blade could kill me. The asshole knew about the blade, and about what I would eventually become. Who would have thought his lies had been woven with the truth? “He’s controlling me,” I said. “I may not be able to fight him.”

“Darian, you’re talking too much again.” Faolan pulled me away from Brakae, tucking me safely behind him. “Now be quiet and move along.”

Brakae remained stoic but pleasant as she led us from the circle of stones down a winding path as if we had nothing better to do than take a leisurely stroll in an enchanted forest. Blood trickled down my chest, soaking my shirt. If I ever got out of this mess, I’d ceremoniously burn this particular outfit. I ignored the lush green forest, the brilliant blue sky peppered with dragonflies and other buzzing creatures too strange to be mere insects. I felt the presence of magic all around me and other creatures watching from their hiding places. But none of this mattered or held me rapt. My mind dwelled on one thing and one thing only: Tyler, and the fact that I would more than likely never see him again.

“You’re not really thinking of handing your half of the hourglass over to Faolan, are you?” At least I could use impending death and disaster to get my mind off Tyler. “I mean, you do realize he’s not planning to bring peace to the world or anything like that.”

“No,” Brakae said. “I plan on handing it over to you.”

Was everyone out of their fucking minds? I was the last person on the face of the earth who should have that glass. “I don’t know how well you’ve thought this through, Brakae, but I would advise against that.”

She looked back and flashed me a very Raif-like smile. “I trust you.”

Fantastic.

I worked my jaw back and forth, thankful it had finally begun to heal. The swelling in my eye had gone down, and I traced the cut on my cheek, now scabbed over. It wasn’t my usual speedy recovery, though it was better than human. My chest still felt like I’d been gored with a red-hot poker, but the blood no longer flowed. A gentle twist of my shoulders sent a violent spasm of pain clear through to my spine. Bleeding or not, I was still pretty worked over.

“Darian, my father?” Through the strength, I could sense the sadness in her words. “Is he well?”

How was I supposed to answer that? “I don’t know,” I said as I walked behind Faolan. The last time I saw my mentor, his daughter’s ex was driving a knife into his gut. Honestly, I didn’t think it would help our situation if I told her Raif might very well be dead. “But he’d better be all right.” I lowered my voice for Faolan alone and fixed him with an accusatory glare.

I had to believe Raif had survived Faolan’s attack. He was one of the strongest people I knew. There was no way a stab to the stomach would kill him-even if it was with a Fae blade. My mentor was too damned tough for that.

I wondered if she knew about all that had happened since her disappearance. Her mother had died trying to find her, for Christ’s sake. How could I possibly break the news that her mother had been dead for centuries? And that her father might have died because I’d dragged him into this mess. “Brakae-” I took a deep breath to calm my nerves and started again. “You’ve been gone a long time.” Shit, this was hard. I didn’t often break bad news to people. “Your mother…”

“Moira told me,” she answered before I could continue. “She brings me news of my loved ones. You can’t imagine how frustrating it is to be here, unable to communicate.”

Moira. That devious bitch. “She’s known you were here-talks to you even-and she never told Raif you were alive?” Death was too good for her. When I got my hands on her, I’d make sure her torture was slow and painful.

“It’s not like that,” Brakae said. “You shouldn’t think ill of her. It is not her place to speak for me. She’s not a Guardian of this realm, and the natural order must be protected at all cost.”

Oh good. More cryptic explanations. Someone was going to give me a straight answer for once, damn it. “Oh yeah, well, what about-”

“Darian, silence.” Faolan’s voice cut through my mind, effectively stifling my voice and putting an end to any questions I might be tempted to ask.

As we continued to walk, I abandoned trying to speak through Faolan’s absolute control. O Anel became my sole focus, the Faerie Realm and all its wonders pressing in on me. In the human world, I sensed the energy of the supernatural like an assault on my body. Bones humming, skin crawling, breath stalling…I felt it all. But here, the energy of every being, every tree, every blade of grass mingled and became one. And the way it wove around me, permeated my senses, gave me peace instead of pause. Fear did not exist in this place-nor common sense, apparently. But despite my circumstances, the wounds that healed too slowly, and the thoughts of never seeing Tyler again, I was not afraid.

We walked for a good hour before Brakae stopped at the face of a large granite rock. At least fifteen feet tall and draped with moss and clinging vines, a gaping maw of an opening invited us to enter. An ethereal golden light emanated from its dark depths, warm and pulsing with magic. “Brakae,” I said, my voice finally coming through, thick and sleepy, “I hope you know what you’re doing.”

She answered with a soft glowing smile, though the gleam in her eyes screamed of steel-hard strength. This woman was one hundred percent Raif’s daughter, and I realized, as she stepped through the curtain of vines and moss, that I trusted her.

At Faolan’s urging, I stepped through the curtain behind Brakae, my breath catching at the sight of her. No longer the poised woman, Raif’s daughter stood before me, the child I’d first met in my dreams. Time had no rules here. And wondrous magic ran rampant. I was so out of my league.

“Come here, Darian.” Her tiny voice urged me forward. “I’ll show you what you’ve come so far to fetch.”

Her soft little hand twined around mine, leading me deeper into the cave, which defied the laws of physics with the scope of its size. Like Reaver’s basement, this place sprawled out before us, lush grass, a pool of water-and holy shit!-gigantic trees. Brakae padded in front of me, Faolan pressed close at my back. Both were fighting for control of me in one capacity or another. And I walked helpless between them, unable to act to the benefit of either while they played their tug-of-war.

“Stop,” Faolan said, winding his arm around my waist. His dagger pressed into the flesh at my neck. “Brakae, my dear, I think it best you stay with me and let Darian retrieve the glass for you.”

She shrugged, her tiny shoulders thrown back, posture straight as a little soldier. “If that’s what you want, Faolan.”

“Yes,” he said, beckoning her with a finger. “That is what I want.”

She came to me, squeezed my fingers in her hand, and smiled. “As a Guardian, you may retrieve the glass for me. You and no one else.”

“Do it.” Faolan shoved me forward, his command overtaking any hope of lucid thought.

Brakae’s half of the hourglass sat nestled in a tree trunk. The main body of the tree had broken off long ago, and graying spears of splintered wood jutted up around the hourglass, encasing it like sharp, pointed teeth. But for all its menacing appearance, I plucked the glass from its perch with ease, just as I had with Reaver’s half. The supernatural world had its mysteries, but it didn’t know shit about security. Go figure.

Golden sand swirled in a torrent, probably sensing its other half nearby. As if worried, time ceased its natural rhythm, abandoning order for chaos. I turned to find Brakae no longer the child, but the adolescent just blossoming into womanhood. Faolan stood before her, pain distorting his features as he looked upon her. A deep and scarring resentment flared bright in his silver eyes, and at once I shared that pain. It was the agony only a broken heart could cause.

“Bring it to me.” His voice, thick with emotion, choked on the words. My heart raced in my chest as I fought the compulsion to do as he asked. As if unaware of my mind, my body responded, hurrying to his side, despite the burning, throbbing pain radiating from my torso with every step. Brakae stood silent, her face emotionless, save her