A Darkness at the End by Ruth Frances Long

Author:Ruth Frances Long [Ruth Frances Long]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9781847178992
Publisher: The O'Brien Press
Published: 2016-03-14T16:00:00+00:00

The dreams were worse than ever. Swirling, bewildering, like running through a Sídheway as it crumbled around him, sights and sounds mixed together like a kaleidoscope. It made him sick, made his head ache, and he couldn’t seem to get away.

And then he saw her. Izzy. She blazed with light, far too much light. It wasn’t the fire that usually rippled through her, or the light of the dawn that Sorath had filled her with. This was something different, far different. Far too familiar as well.

They stood on an island in a raging storm. Not much there, just rocks and scrappy grass. The scent of blood filled his nostrils, made his mouth water. And Izzy stood over him, illuminated.

His legs gave out beneath him and he hit the rocky ground hard, kneeling before her. She looked down at him, blue eyes blazing, the light beneath her skin shimmering with life, with wonder.

‘Mistress,’ he said. And he meant it. He meant the word in a way he never had when he said it to Holly. Each time he’d said it for her, it had been ground out of him, forced in order to protect himself, every breath begrudged. But for Izzy … Oh, for Izzy, it was truth. It was everything. She had been there for him. She’d brought light into his life. She’d shown him kindness, tenderness, love … and she had killed him. When he had asked her to, begged her for release … she had killed him.

‘We owe alliegance to no mistress,’ said the voice of the Púca. ‘No master either. She must not got to the island. You must not kneel to her. To anyone. Stand up, fool. Don’t do this.’

Don’t … that was all anyone said to him. Don’t. Even Izzy.

‘Don’t let it happen to me,’ she whispered in his ear. Her mouth didn’t move except to smile. But her voice sounded afraid … no, terrified. ‘Please Jinx. Don’t let this happen.’

‘Where are we?’

‘The Thorn Gate. The island. But it doesn’t start here. It starts now. Today. Please. Remember.’

She reached out, touched his forehead, and the light exploded in his mind, tearing through him like an inferno. She was in danger, terrible danger.

A shiver ran over Jinx’s skin as he woke. He lay in a heap of furs in a small chamber, an alcove, and the curious girl, Jane, was looking down on him with far too much interest.

‘I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone sleep so long through a nightmare. The Briugu said you were exhausted and we shouldn’t wake you.’

And yet here she was. Watching. Although, he reflected, as he raked his hand through his long hair, technically she hadn’t woken him. The nightmare had done that. She had just watched, which was a whole new level of creepy. As was the manner of her watching – bright eyed, flushed cheeks.

‘Jane, wasn’t it?’

She curtseyed, bobbing down in a way so alien to him he was sure his mouth dropped open. ‘Miss Jane Sherrard,’ she said in formal tones.

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