But as she stands at Bryn’s back, the fae queen looks tired now. Whatever she did to stop Bryn has taken its toll. She may have nothing left in her.
We need to take care of her now!
I try with renewed vigor to move, but even my feet inside my boots are stuck. I see the others trying to do the same.
'Well, this has been quite the diversion today,' she titters, ‘but it’s time for me to go.’
‘Kismet,’ she digs the blade into Bryn’s neck enough that our female lets out a grunt of pain. ‘You will take me to the Black Lake. Now. If you do, perhaps I’ll spare your friends.There’s a deal for you.'
She glances at Locke. 'Last chance, Locke. Join me. Come with me to the Black Lake. Become a god. Have everything you desire, and more. We could be great together, achieve what no others ever have.'
Locke spits in her direction. ‘Never! I have everything I desire. Or at least I will soon.'
His fingers move at his side as if to conjure, and she tries to block it with whatever power she has left in her, but, instead, it’s a knife in his other hand that he throws at her.
Taking her by surprise, it buries itself in her shoulder before she can stop it with magick and she lets out a scream. Bryn, sees her chance and bares down, grabbing Fiana’s arm with both hands and forcing the dagger at her throat away from her before she twists free.
Fiana staggers to the side and slowly pulls the knife Locke threw out of her shoulder. She throws it and the other one down angrily.
‘You’ll regret this!' she snarls. ‘You and the Underhill! If I can't have the Kismet, no one can.'
Bryn’s body goes rigid, her eyes bulging. She falls to her knees and then heavily to the floor, her mouth open in a silent scream. Her nose drips blood onto the floor and her body begins to seize.
Fiana smiles, but then winces, doubling over.
'She doesn't have long,’ the fae queen rasps out. ‘You could save her, Locke, or you could come after me.'
She gives him a triumphant look. 'But you can't do both.'
She lurches backward, and I realize she's opened the Breach behind her. She disappears into it. Morgan, suddenly free, runs for it, but it closes before he can get through.
'Fuck, Locke,' he snarls, fumbling for the amulet in his pocket. ‘We need to?—’
But Locke isn’t focused on Morgan or going after Fiana. He’s already at Bryn's side. I’m finally able to take a step and I stumble to them.
Morgan blanches when he realizes that Bryn is unmoving on the floor. ‘Bryn?’
Locke’s eyes are closed, his hands moving over her as he whispers words.
Seconds pass, and Bryn's body is still convulsing, still bleeding. We both kneel next to them.
'Is there anything I can do?' I whisper, dread and despair winding through me like iron chains.
Locke shakes his head, continuing to murmur his incantations quietly.
Dane bursts through the doorway and sees us around our human. 'What's happening?'
‘Help me,’ Locke snarls, taking his eyes from Bryn for just a moment.
Dane wastes no time, he falls to his knees in front of Locke with Bryn between them on her back, and begins to murmur the same words.
Bryn is still, and we all look on in horror.
Morgan strokes her hair, talking to her softly.
‘Keep going,’ Locke grinds out. ‘Don’t stop!’
Dane keeps up his incantation, and moments pass that feel like years.
