The Torn Wing (34 page)

“You look like
Larkin
?” Rieker said in a dazed voice.

Larkin ignored him. “Do you think you can shed your glamour?”

“I can see a resemblance,” Tiki said to Rieker. She turned to Larkin. “I don’t know.

“The glamour you wear now comes from the essence of your faerie soul. It will take a great effort to shift magic as profound and organic as that which you’ve accomplished for sixteen years.” Larkin’s tone was oddly respectful. “It is a powerful magic that can innately shift for that long.”

“So what should she do?” Rieker asked.

Larkin looked at Tiki. “Let the layers melt and peel away. Use the power of your mind to dissolve that which is no longer necessary.”

Tiki thought of what Rieker had looked like when she’d first met him as a pickpocket. His face and clothes had been dirty, his accent rough. He’d had a dangerous air about him and Tiki had been unsure whether to trust him for the longest time. But over the days and weeks, as she had gotten to know him, the layers had peeled back and she’d found the true Rieker: A dependable, loyal, handsome young man.

She brought the mirror up again and gazed at the alluring girl staring back at her. Her heart fluttered in her chest like the wings of a bird trying to break free. She closed her eyes to concentrate. It was time to find her true self. She imagined rain falling on her, rinsing her clean. In her mind, streaming torrents of water drenched her, flooding her with watery hands, washing away the illusion she’d been cloaked within.

She imagined peeling layers back, like a flower unfurling, to free someone hidden within a skin that didn’t belong to them. A skin that held them captive.

Tiki held her hands out from her sides, as if to shake the remnants away—to reveal the girl who had stared at her from the depths of that mirror. The air around her seemed to warm and the smell of clover filled the air as she focused her energy on the image she had seen—mentally releasing the past until she could feel herself
becoming
that person.

“God bless the Queen,” Rieker said. “Tiki, is that
you
?”

Tiki’s slowly opened her eyes. She felt different. Free, somehow. She saw Larkin’s stunned expression first. She had never truly seen the faerie look shocked before. As if she couldn’t believe her eyes.

Rieker looked dazed, but there was a fire, a hunger, in his eyes that spoke louder than any words.

Tiki glanced down at her hands. Her fingers were long and thin, much like Larkin’s. She reached up and felt the contours of her cheekbones and nose recognizing the face in the mirror by touch.

“Teek—” Rieker seemed at a loss for words as he took a step towards her, his arms open— “You were beautiful before, but now—”

Larkin blinked rapidly and sucked her cheeks in to hide any emotions she might be feeling. “Now—” she cut Rieker off— “you look like Finn and Adasara.”

Rieker cupped Tiki’s face in his hands, a look of wonder in his eyes. He ran his thumbs over her eyebrows and along the side of her nose. “It’s you, but you’ve changed. You’re so… so…”

“Faerie-like?” Larkin sounded annoyed. “We need to keep moving. Every second we’re here is another second that Donegal will gain more power, enslave another Seelie or murder a mortal.” She swept towards the door. “Come along.” Tiki didn’t move. “Is there some place where I can see myself first?”

“This way.” Larkin motioned over her shoulder and jerked the door open. For the first time, Tiki didn’t worry about the blond faerie’s mercurial mood. Larkin never reacted in a predictable fashion.

She led them down a hallway to another room. Rieker held Tiki’s hand as they walked. Out of the corner of her eye Tiki could see him casting quick glances at her.

Larkin pushed open an unmarked door and led them into a furnished chamber. “There.” She pointed to an ornately framed mirror that hung on a nearby wall. Tiki approached with a confusing mixture of excitement and dread churning in her stomach. What if she didn’t recognize her own face?

She hesitated then pushed herself forward. There was no time to waste on foolish fears. What was done was done. She moved in front of the looking glass. The girl from the Palace stood before her but now instead of looking startled, she had an air of confidence. She looked self-composed and sure of herself—almost regal.

Tiki tilted her head to the side and was surprised when the image in the mirror moved too. It was her. She examined the arch of her slender neck, the cut of her jaw line. She put her face close to the mirror to stare at the dramatic green of her eyes. Even her hair appeared different—what had been dark brown waves before, like her mother’s hair, was now wild tangles of blackest ebony.

“Did Finn have black hair?”

“As black as midnight,” Larkin replied. Tiki wondered at the emotion she heard in Larkin’s voice.

The contrast of the rich cranberry fabric of her gown gave her pale skin a luminescent glow, making her features appear flawless. Her beauty was mesmerizing in the most powerful way. But she recognized it for what it was: a tool to bend mortals to do her bidding.

“Well? Are you satisfied?” Larkin spoke from behind her. “You bear a striking resemblance to Adasara, though your green eyes and black hair are all Finn.”

How could she not be satisfied? She’d never dreamed in a million years that she could have a shred of the otherworldly beauty of Larkin, but now—

SHE WASN’T SURE what to expect as Larkin led her back into the great hall.

“We’ll start with the Macanna accepting you as the next high queen. Once we find the Stone of Tara then all of Faerie will be forced to bow to you as the Seelie queen. That is the way we will ultimately beat Donegal.”

They entered from a passageway that was cleverly tucked behind several columns, almost undetectable from the huge room.

Larkin led them to stand on the top step again, overlooking the tables. She grabbed Tiki’s wrist and pulled her to stand next to her on the steps. Rieker flanked Tiki’s other side, his tall form towering next to hers.

This time there wasn’t a gradually quieting.

The room went silent in a single instant.

The silence was deafening as everyone in the room stared at Tiki. She tried to remain calm and unafraid, her fingers threaded together in front of her. She belonged here. She was one of them. And now she believed it.

“Look.” A large man, his skin weathered and creased from years in the sun, sat near where Tiki stood. He pointed to where Tiki’s sleeve was pulled back, exposing her wrists. “She’s marked with
an fáinne sí.”
He turned and shouted to the room. “She bears Finn’s birthmark!”

A buzz of whispers exploded throughout the room as everyone craned their necks to catch a glimpse of Tiki and her birthmark.

Then a single voice shouted in a thick accent over the din: ‘TARR-UH.”

Tiki jumped. It sounded like a battle cry.

Rieker leaned close and whispered in her ear. “It’s your name.”

“Tara is the place where our kings and queens have been crowned for centuries,” Larkin said quietly. “There’s a reason that Tara was the name given to you by your parents.”

A great hulk of a man slid to his knee in front of Tiki.

“My queen.”

There was a shuffling across the room as everyone dropped down and bowed toward Tiki.

Tiki sucked in her breath. A chill ran up her arms. Were these powerful beings bowing to
her
?

“Rise and rejoice,” Larkin called out, raising her arms above her head. “Your faith and patience have been rewarded this night.” Her voice held a power and a passion that Tiki had never heard before. “Tomorrow—together—we reclaim our throne.”

Another cry swept through the room, gathering momentum until the wooden rafters shook.

“TARR-UH!”

Chapter Forty-Seven

“A
re you seeking Larkin?” The killer’s voice was low, almost seductive. Johnny and Fiona whirled together to face him. Overhead the storm had moved closer and lightning split the sky in a jagged fork of white light. Thunder boomed loud enough to make the ground shake.

Johnny limped towards the man. “D’you know Larkin? We’ve got a bit of business with her tonight. Be much obliged if you could point us in her direction.” Fiona tugged on Johnny’s jacket, pulling him in the opposite direction. He swatted a hand behind his back at her, trying to get her to release him.

“I’d be glad to help you, young man.” His voice was smooth and melodic. The stranger moved closer, his long jacket oddly still in the sudden gust of wind that blew Johnny’s hair back from his face.

“Is she here, then?” Johnny swiveled his head to look from side to side, but there were only the deepening shadows suddenly pressing closer to him.

“Johnny,” Fiona’s voice was threaded with fear. She pulled on his jacket again. Harder this time. “Johnny—we should go.”

“No need to be afraid, dear.” The stranger tilted his head to see around Johnny to where Fiona was half-hidden. “I’ll be glad to help you.” There was something in the possessive way he said ‘you’ that raised the hackles on the back of Johnny’s neck.

“Now wait a minute.” Johnny held a hand up to stop the approach of the man who was beginning to circle around him, his eyes locked on Fiona. The man was obviously upper class, well-dressed and moneyed, but still—there was something unsettling about him. “You look like a right upstandin’ gentleman and all, but—”

The stranger held out a hand to Fiona. “Come with me. I will take you to Larkin.” His lips spread in a grin revealing teeth that glittered in the waning light. Johnny glanced back at Fiona. Instead of being afraid, she was staring at the man as if hypnotized. Her eyes were glassy and the look on her face reminded Johnny of those charmed snakes that danced in baskets before a flute player.

Fiona slowly lifted her hand.

The killer chuckled deep in his chest as he reached for her fingers. “That’s a good girl.”

“Stop that!” Johnny cried, swatting Fiona’s hand out of the way. “You don’t need to touch her! What are you on about?”

Fiona fell back with a small shriek. She grabbed Johnny’s jacket as she stumbled backwards, tugging at him as she tried to put distance between them and the stranger.

The stranger lunged for Fiona.

Johnny hurled himself at the man. “Fi, run!” he cried. “Run and find Shamus!”

The stranger jerked around with a hiss and for a second it looked as though his teeth were fanged. “You’ve made a mistake, my young friend,” he said in a low voice. A sudden gust of wind caught the man’s black cape and it swelled around them until everything went black.

Chapter Forty-Eight

I
t wasn’t long before Tiki was swept into the crowd—everyone wanted to see and talk to her. Larkin disappeared into the swirl of people shortly after introducing Tiki, but Rieker made a point of staying close. Though he appeared relaxed, Tiki could feel the tension coiled in his muscles, ready to defend her, if need be.

“Tara.”

The word was a whisper, floating on the air behind her. Tiki recognized the voice and whirled around.

Dain stood before her, his blond hair slouched over his forehead but the usual sardonic twist to his mouth was missing. His eyes widened as he took in her new appearance and to her surprise, he dropped his head in a small bow. “My queen.”

“You’re safe,” Tiki blurted out.

Dain voice was gruff as he stood. “I know my way around.” His usual teasing manner was absent.

“But Larkin said—”

Dain cut her off. “That’s why I’m here. I’ve news.”

Rieker stepped closer. “What is it?”

Dain flicked a cold glance at him then focused on Tiki. “The
liche
was spotted in Hyde Park. Apparently someone was calling for Larkin and he answered the call.”

Tiki clutched at Dain’s arm. “Was he captured?”

Dain shook his head. “He has escaped back into the Wychwood—”

“No!”

Dain held his hand up. “There are others on his trail. Larkin also responded to the call of her name. She is one of those chasing the
liche
now. We think he will eventually return to Donegal. I only came here because I thought you should know he took someone with him when he ran.”