Page 87 of The Savage Queen

“Try giving it a specific task. One not fueled by emotion but purpose.”

“Everything I’ve ever asked manifests in fire.”

“Aye, for whatever reason the Forge decided, that’s your nature: flame. Your essence. But with enough mastery, you can bend thedraiochtto perform outside your impulses. Like you did with our dreams unknowing.”

Heat crept up the nape of Aisling’s neck, but she ignored it, focusing on thedraiochtinstead.

Come alive, she ordered it, imagining the apple floating in her palm, moving of its own accord. Thedraiochtgrimaced at the details of its task, the newfound discipline she asked of it, and snarled.

“Don’t stop,” Lir said, as though sensing herdraiocht’s temper.

Aisling ordered it again, constructing the complexities of the spell in her mind for thedraiochtto follow. It snapped its jaws like a hound objecting to the guidance of its master.

“It’s testing its boundaries. Seeing how far it can push you,” Lir said, his voice closer than it’d been before.

Aisling tried again and thedraiochtsnapped once more, a breath from clamping its jaws around her throat. She flinched, resisting the temptation to open her eyes and break her concentration.

“Dominate it, Aisling.”

Come alive! she shouted at thedraiocht. It roared, thrashing, and lunged for her. Lir, quicker than Aisling could anticipate, grabbed her hand, hisdraiochtstrengthening her as she swelled with heat and shoved the beast back with her mind. The creature flailed, hissing as it squirmed back into its cavernous abyss inside Aisling.

“Open your eyes,” Lir whispered, his breath grazing her cheeks.

Aisling did as he said, meeting Lir’s eyes directly before her own. Closer than he’d been before she’d begun the lesson. Her chest hitched, almost oblivious to the apple still in her hands. Unmoving.

Aisling’s spirits fell.

“It didn’t work.”

“Don’t be so sure.” Lir tipped his head to his right where a blur of white flashed in Aisling’s periphery. The stag and wolf statues, frozen and chasing one another beneath the apple trees, now raced through the air, winding through the branches and their garlands. Enchanted and bewitched. By Aisling.

Aisling exhaled, her lungs suddenly filled with laughter as she traced the statues’ every movement while they frolicked. Yet Lir’s eyes were fixed on Aisling, searching her expression for what, Aisling knew not. His breath intermingling with her own. The world buzzing, heating, a strange thump sounding in the air as though his heartbeat were the boom of a distant drum calling her to a ring of fire.

“Return with me to Annwyn and I’ll show you everything. Teach you everything. The wonders of which will put the witchery of a fae apple and statues to shame. Spells limited only by the imagination, pools of moonlight, gardens that sing, mares as pale as gypsum and crowned with a single, resplendent horn.”

Aisling couldn’t help but grin, refusing to undermine the fantasy Lir spun with reality. Just for breath. Returning to Annwyn…Aisling frowned, stopping the thought from progressing. The backs of her eyes pricked with heat at the thought of never setting eyes on his kingdom again. And yet, how could she? Her future was tangled by both her own ends and those of others. Lir, Dagfin, her clann.

“You ask such things of me like it’s simple,” she said.

“It is.”

“No, it’s surrender.”

Lir’s expression grew hard, his jaw sharp.

“The mortals demanded you surrender. The Sidhe will ask you towithstand. Something you’re uniquely capable of, Aisling. Why the Forge has fated you queen.”

Aisling’s heart fluttered but the feeling was swiftly interrupted.

The temple’s bell-tower rang, tearing both she and Lir apart. From where they sat in the trees, it was deafening, rattling the garden till every one of Lir’s flowers, roots, and garlands recoiled from the vibration.

Swiftly, the fae king moved, looking out and over Bludhaven through the thicket.

Aisling pushed aside branches, catching a glimpse as well.

A shadow skulked across the drawbridge, the sparkling black river, and through the gates.

CHAPTER XXIX

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