Free The Vanishing Throne by Elizabeth May Page A

power is slick down my throat, aching, burning. They’re doing this. They’re causing the ground to tremble beneath us.
    A fissure forms beneath our feet, the soil breaking, parting. I lose my footing. Aithinne grasps my arm, pulling me painfully hard to safety.
    â€œHold your powers!” Lonnrach’s shout echoes across the canyon. “I need the Falconer alive .”
    The tremors stop just as we reach the end of the trail. Aithinne and I, breathing hard, climb over the rocks to the top of the crags. All I can hear are the rapid footfalls behindus, determined and quick. It won’t take them long to reach us. If we don’t do something, they’ll be here in minutes.
    At the top of the rocks, Aithinne stops short—so fast that I nearly careen into her. At the sudden, unexpected taste of iron heavy in my mouth, I go cold. It’s like a thick stream of blood, concentrated enough that I nearly heave.
    I recognize that taste. Sorcha .
    I shift around Aithinne and Sorcha smiles. “Falconer,” she greets me. “And Aithinne . My, my, this is quite a reunion.”
    She’s dressed in a shift like mine, only the black fabric of hers glitters like the night sky. The baobhan sìth ’s beauty is uncanny, terrifying. I watch as fangs lower over her teeth and elongate enough to press into her full lips. She smiles wider, a nightmarish grin of pointed teeth.
    Normally I’d picture my mother the night of her murder. I’d see Sorcha standing over my mother’s corpse, licking the blood off her lips as if she’d just had a satisfying meal.
    Now I can’t help but compare her teeth to Lonnrach’s. Her eighty-two teeth resemble the ones that have left marks all over me. The truth is, Lonnrach and his sister have both claimed parts of me. Lonnrach claimed my body and mind, and Sorcha—she took part of my humanity. Ripped it away until I was left with that violent girl from the mirrors.
    I grip the hilt of my sword so hard that my hand aches. I press down the memories just enough for me to speak. “You’re lucky Kiaran made that vow to you,” I tell Sorcha. “If his life weren’t entwined with yours, I’d put this blade through your chest and cut out your heart.”
    Just like you did to my mother. I’ll make sure you know exactly how it felt for her at the end. You should die the same way .
    â€œTit for tat, as they say?” Sorcha flashes her fangs in a hiss. “I’d dearly love to see you try.”
    â€œThat’s enough .” Aithinne lashes out with her powers, quick and strong as lightning. I watch as a single cut opens across Sorcha’s flawless face.
    Blood drips down Sorcha’s alabaster skin. “ Strìopach ,” she snarls. I may not be familiar with the word, but I’m certain it’s not a nice thing to call someone. “I’m here to help you, and this is how you repay me?” Her lip curls. “I wish they could have killed you in the mounds.”
    Aithinne stiffens. Out of the corner of my eye, I see her hand curl into a fist. “You don’t help,” she says coldly. “Never have.”
    Sorcha, here to help? She can’t honestly think we’re daft enough to believe her. More than likely she’s distracting us, preventing us from fleeing. I can hear Lonnrach and his soldiers drawing nearer. They’d be halfway down the path by now, moving faster.
    â€œYou want to help me?” I say. “Get out of the way.”
    Sorcha looks amused. “Oh, believe me. There’s nothing I’d love more than to see Lonnrach snap your pretty little neck.” She looks at Aithinne. “You need to open the portal here. It’s not going to close fast enough and he will just follow you right through. I’m here to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
    Aithinne narrows her eyes. “And why should I trust you?”
    â€œWell,” Sorcha says