me, looking concerned. His eyes widened as he took in the trio of Unseelie that were on my tail. He quickly tossed me a set of swords and I turned to face the trio with Thane at my back.
The trio slid to a stop, their bulk causing them to jostle each other as they skidded in front of us. I went into attack mode, I ran toward them, dropped low, and slid between the middle one, and the one on the left. My swords cutting them off at the knees, and they dropped, letting out another sonic roar. I nearly missed being squashed by the large Elm that fell. Quickly, I jumped to my feet, back flipped away, and spun around, slicing through the talon that clawed at me.
While I’d been busy dodging the tree, Thane had take out the two knee-capped creatures. We now surrounded the one beast that was left. Its beady red eyes were focused on me and it squawked again in my face. Wings that I hadn’t noticed before unfolded from its back and spread out on either side of it. No wonder it had looked so bulky. Open, those wings could lift a building. The creature turned, knocking Thane off his feet, and took to the air. It made one pass over us, attempting to grab me with its talons, but it got a bite from my sword instead, and decided to take off. I can’t say I’m not happy about that. I was wiped.
“Bearer, are you all right? Are you hurt?” Thane asked, looking me over.
“Bearer? Why do you call me that?”
Thane frowned. “Because, that is your title, the Light Bearer.”
“What are you talking about, Thane?” I asked, handing him back the borrowed swords as we approached the now opening Mound door.
Daire came through the door, his eyes going wide when he noticed me, and Thane shut up. “Thane, what have you done?”
“I…” Thane closed his eyes. “I did not know that he didn’t know. I didn’t know that he would—”
“Auberon is going to be furious! There was supposed to be a ceremony, he hasn’t had time to put it together yet,” Daire said furiously. “Tony, please come in. We apparently have much to discuss.” He didn’t even bother to comment on the disintegrating creatures near the tree line or the mess of uprooted trees littering the area.
I followed Daire through the Faerie Mound to the throne room. Damn Fae and their secrets. I was the Light Bearer? What the hell did that even mean? “What’s going on, Daire?”
“Just…wait here. I must get the Prince,” Daire said. “Have a seat, there.” He indicated a plush seat behind a conference sized table and then flashed out of the room.
I’d no more than sat down when Max and Daire flashed back into the room. “Light Bearer? Really ? What the hell, Max? When did you know? And for that matter, what the hell is a Light Bearer, anyway, and were you ever going to freaking tell me?”
“Who told him?”
Daire dropped to one knee. “I’m sorry, my prince. I failed you.”
“It wasn’t Daire. Just stop it, Max. Tell me what is going on.”
Max turned back to me, an irritated look upon his face. “Of course I was going to tell you. Just…not like this.” Max sighed. “It’s a long story. I have only just learned what a Light Bearer is, myself, Tones.”
“I’ve got all day. Explain.”
“Let’s go someplace less formal. This isn’t a trial.”
“You’re stalling.”
Max laughed. “Of course I’m stalling. Fine.” Max ran his hand through his hair, an old habit he still carried from when we were in school. It was Max’s tell. When he did that, you knew the pressure was on. He took a seat next to me, leaning forward, his elbows on his knees, and hands clasped in front of him. “Do you remember your father at all, Tony?” he asked, glancing up into my eyes.
“Yeah, sure, of course. What does my dad have to do with anything?”
“Your dad was the most recent Light Bearer, until you. The Unseelie have been trying to destroy the Light for years, and they almost succeeded the night your dad died. But for an unforeseen
The trio slid to a stop, their bulk causing them to jostle each other as they skidded in front of us. I went into attack mode, I ran toward them, dropped low, and slid between the middle one, and the one on the left. My swords cutting them off at the knees, and they dropped, letting out another sonic roar. I nearly missed being squashed by the large Elm that fell. Quickly, I jumped to my feet, back flipped away, and spun around, slicing through the talon that clawed at me.
While I’d been busy dodging the tree, Thane had take out the two knee-capped creatures. We now surrounded the one beast that was left. Its beady red eyes were focused on me and it squawked again in my face. Wings that I hadn’t noticed before unfolded from its back and spread out on either side of it. No wonder it had looked so bulky. Open, those wings could lift a building. The creature turned, knocking Thane off his feet, and took to the air. It made one pass over us, attempting to grab me with its talons, but it got a bite from my sword instead, and decided to take off. I can’t say I’m not happy about that. I was wiped.
“Bearer, are you all right? Are you hurt?” Thane asked, looking me over.
“Bearer? Why do you call me that?”
Thane frowned. “Because, that is your title, the Light Bearer.”
“What are you talking about, Thane?” I asked, handing him back the borrowed swords as we approached the now opening Mound door.
Daire came through the door, his eyes going wide when he noticed me, and Thane shut up. “Thane, what have you done?”
“I…” Thane closed his eyes. “I did not know that he didn’t know. I didn’t know that he would—”
“Auberon is going to be furious! There was supposed to be a ceremony, he hasn’t had time to put it together yet,” Daire said furiously. “Tony, please come in. We apparently have much to discuss.” He didn’t even bother to comment on the disintegrating creatures near the tree line or the mess of uprooted trees littering the area.
I followed Daire through the Faerie Mound to the throne room. Damn Fae and their secrets. I was the Light Bearer? What the hell did that even mean? “What’s going on, Daire?”
“Just…wait here. I must get the Prince,” Daire said. “Have a seat, there.” He indicated a plush seat behind a conference sized table and then flashed out of the room.
I’d no more than sat down when Max and Daire flashed back into the room. “Light Bearer? Really ? What the hell, Max? When did you know? And for that matter, what the hell is a Light Bearer, anyway, and were you ever going to freaking tell me?”
“Who told him?”
Daire dropped to one knee. “I’m sorry, my prince. I failed you.”
“It wasn’t Daire. Just stop it, Max. Tell me what is going on.”
Max turned back to me, an irritated look upon his face. “Of course I was going to tell you. Just…not like this.” Max sighed. “It’s a long story. I have only just learned what a Light Bearer is, myself, Tones.”
“I’ve got all day. Explain.”
“Let’s go someplace less formal. This isn’t a trial.”
“You’re stalling.”
Max laughed. “Of course I’m stalling. Fine.” Max ran his hand through his hair, an old habit he still carried from when we were in school. It was Max’s tell. When he did that, you knew the pressure was on. He took a seat next to me, leaning forward, his elbows on his knees, and hands clasped in front of him. “Do you remember your father at all, Tony?” he asked, glancing up into my eyes.
“Yeah, sure, of course. What does my dad have to do with anything?”
“Your dad was the most recent Light Bearer, until you. The Unseelie have been trying to destroy the Light for years, and they almost succeeded the night your dad died. But for an unforeseen
Similar Books
