Fire and Bone (Otherborn #1)(111)

Then something pops with a spark. The logs hiss.

My daughter . . .

I blink, not sure I really heard it. I keep staring at the flames, straining to listen.

And the whispers come again, like a soft wind: You are more than most.

“Mother,” I breathe, my voice breaking. I move closer, falling to my knees on the hearth.

I reach out to the light. My fingers brush the fire, the blaze encompassing my hand, the flames sliding over the surface of my palm. The heat fills me like a caress. And no pain comes.

Forgive me, daughter, the snapping logs say. I didn’t mean for you to be alone for so long.

An arrow of pain spikes my throat.

I loved you both. My own flesh. I was weak—I couldn’t choose between you and my Lily.

“What is she saying?” Faelan asks.

I ignore him, desperate to stay locked into the connection. “We’re in danger, Lily and I,” I say. “Mara is trying to hurt us. We need your help to stop her, to understand.”

The light flares, and I feel the goddess’s urgency in my gut. Poison. My sister’s daughter is poison. She is chaos, she is destruction, and her weapon will strike true. You must hurry—you must keep him safe.

“Who?” I ask. “Keep who safe?”

Two will be lost. Only one can be saved.

My nerves prickle. “What do you mean? What do I do?”

One made of water who leads my flock. Another a true friend in the wood who gave all and asked for nothing in return. Hold one to you, or the other will be lost.

Dread fills me. The flames dim, returning to embers. And I sense her fade away.

I know who she means. The one made of water who leads—that’s Marius. And the second, a true friend—as soon as I heard the words, Lily’s memories of the wood, of his gentleness, his kindness, all filled my head.

“We have to go to Lailoken,” I say, urgency filling my bones, thinking of him being hurt. My friend. He was my only friend for a time—Lily’s only friend.

“Why?” Kieran and Faelan ask at the same time.

“Brighid says that two people will be in danger, but only one can be saved.” I hesitate, knowing what Faelan will do, but I decide to tell them everything. “It’s Lailoken and Marius.”

“Marius?” Faelan stands. “Where is he? How is he in danger?”

“She said poison, but that’s all I know.” And if it’s anything like what happened to Niamh, there’s no time to waste.

Faelan blanches. “We need to go. Now.” He starts for the door.

“I’m not going with you, Faelan,” I say.

“What? What do you mean?” He frowns. “Marius is your master; he’s mine. We have a loyalty to him.”

“You do,” I say. “I don’t.”

Conflict fills Faelan’s eyes.

I move closer to him, hoping he hears me. “I have to go to Lailoken, Faelan. I know it doesn’t make sense, but to this thing deep inside me, he’s my truest friend. I can’t let anything happen to him.”

Faelan nods. But then he shifts his feet, torn. “I can’t allow you to be harmed.”

Kieran sets the iron poker back in the rack. “I know this old monk well enough. I’ll take her to him. You go to your master, hunter.”

“No fucking way,” Faelan says. “She’s not going anywhere with you.”

“Faelan.” I give him a look, not wanting to argue in front of Kieran. I understand where Faelan’s coming from, but he has to loosen the leash. “I can take care of myself now, remember. Thanks to you.”

Kieran looks back and forth between us.

Faelan runs a hand through his hair, then releases a growl and kicks the chair with a crack of wood. He nods, saying through his teeth, “Fine.” He steps over to Kieran, getting close and pointing a finger at his neck. “You let anything happen to her, I’ll rip your throat out.”

Kieran smirks. “And here I thought we were becoming friends.”



I fall to my knees in the clover, stomach heaving. I have a vague awareness of trees around me, but I’m focused on the spasms of pain racking my body.

“Apparently you’ve never traveled like this before?” I hear Kieran saying over me. “It can be a shock the first time.”

“I’m fine,” I lie. Another surge rips through me, forcing me to vomit.

Kieran crouches nearby. “You have to breathe deep when the initial vibrations hit.” He mimics slow breathing. “In and out, three times. Long and steady. Focus on a single spot on the ground while you do it. Like you’re convincing your body you’ve arrived.”

I nod, breathing in through my nose like he is.

“Yes, then out.”

I release the shaky breath slowly, focusing on a single blade of grass near my hand, and my stomach actually settles. Another spasm ripples through me, but it’s smaller and I don’t throw up this time. I breathe in and out again, pacing myself, then I try to stand. I stumble.

Kieran takes me by the arm to steady me. “You’re good,” he says.

I lean on him, and reality hits me. I almost burst out laughing. How did I get here, being propped up by the freaking dark prince? This guy pretty much murdered me in an alley only a week ago. His sister is apparently trying to torment me and control me, and maybe did the same to my sister. But somehow I’ve ended up walking through a magical doorway beside him.