Free Dark Fae by Shannon Mayer

believe them.
     

10
     
    The ‘vitals’ as it turned out were a list of items that Angus, Wil and Paddy mostly had. Except for the most important parts.
    “You see, ta most important tings to make a weapon of power like Excalibur are ta weapon of a true King of ta Emerald Isle and ta soul of one who needs to make recompense for ta sins in their life.”
    I leaned a hip against the middle anvil, t he sharp edge digging into me a bit. “But you said that the last true King was Arthur.” They nodded. “So how are we going to get a weapon of his?”
    Angus shrugged. “He had a number of tings. His sword , of course, as well as a dagger . . .” He kept talking , but my ears started to ring and all I could hear was the word dagger. My fingers found the handle of my dagger at my waist. The bone was smooth and warm, the etching in it and the blade were Celtic. It had power . Cora had told me that when I first met her. She had said t hat it was bonded to me and my family.
    Could it be that my grandfather had known what I would need? That the dagger he’d passed down to me was really once Arthur ’ s ? Slowly, I pulled it out and laid it on the anvil.
    With a gasp and a choke as a unit , the three Smiths went silent. It was Paddy who fina lly spoke up. “Lass, how did ya get tat?”
    “My grandfather gave it to me. Is it . . . was it, Arthur ’ s?”
    Paddy lifted it up off the anvil. “Yes, d is was Arthur ’ s.” He fingered the blade, turning it in the light. “If it was passed down to y a , tr oo y e r family, then not only was it Arthurs, d en you are Arthur’s descendant.”
    I swallowed hard. “What about the last thing? The soul?” I mean really, how did they expect us to find a soul?
    Snapping my fingers, I said, “The hall we passed through, the Banshee graveyard. Do you think we could find a soul there?”
    Angus shook his head. “Not unless it was a Queen. Ta Banshees do what they’re told, so tay aren’t really bad. Obedient, not bad.”
    I looked over at Bres , who’d arched an eyebrow. “What was it that Fianna gave you when we left, Quinn?”
    My pocke t suddenly felt heavy. I hadn’t asked what Fianna had given me, but I had no doubt now what it was. Aednat’s soul gem.
    The small brown bag looked nondescript when I laid it on the anvil, but when I undid the tie and slid the gem onto the tempered steel, the three Smiths gasped. The blue and green stone was all that was left of Aednat. My heart clenched just thinking about her.
    “The gods indeed be looking out for y a , Quinn.” Angus dropped a big hand onto my shoulder and patted it. “We can build you ta sword you need, a sister to Excalibur. For a price.”
    Blinking , I stared up at him, not sure if I’d heard correctly. “What?”
    “We can do nothing for free. There is always a cost , ” h e said, his voice sad. “I wish it were different, but if we break that law now, our safety here is forfeit.”
    Bres stepped forward , his eyes narrowed . “What kind of cost?”
    The three Smiths put their heads together, the low rumble of their voices filling the two - sided shelter as they discussed , though I could make out nothing of their words .
    Stepping over to Bres, I slipped my hand into his.
    Any idea what they might come up with ?
    He shook his head. Not a clue. I didn’t even know that this was a possibility.
    With a grunt, Angus stepped away from Wil and Paddy. “We’ve decided tat ta cost will be someting simple. Someting you’d perhaps like to give us.”
    I took a deep breath, thinking I was prepared for anything. Wrong again.
    “Your mother.”
    “Huh?” I half grunted.
    Angus flushed. “You see, being ta oracle and all, we thought tat she’d like to live here. It’s safe and she don’t have to be seeing any more prophecies here. And . . .” he half glanced over his shoulder at Wil, who was suspiciously stone faced.
    I looked at Wil, really looked at him , and realized that he was a handsome man. His body