She would go to the portal and track, and the words escaped her lips, “And then, I’m going to shut the blethering thing down and trap the bloody devils, that’s what!”
She heard some good old advice, Jazz once telling her, not to give in to impulse, but to think things through.
So think, she told herself, as she blinked herself into the shower, dried off a few minutes later and blinked herself into a black tank top, blue jeans and a matching denim jacket. Sandals on, and with a look around her room, Frankie felt a wings flutter at her back. No time to fly, she told herself as she stepped outside.
Even so she felt her wings at her back start to unfurl. All her clothes now had to be designed to allow for her wings. Magic was a handy tool for such things otherwise she’d be spending her time sewing, she thought absurdly.
Brushing her long strands of gold-streaked black hair away from her face, she shifted, tracked the pulse coming from the portal’s yawning mouth and stepped out onto the banks of the Liffey River.
She looked around, but there was nothing there.
Impossible. She could feel the vibrations. The portal should be right in front of her. Black magic! She smiled to herself and chanted the spell her da had taught her and made her practice, saying the arcane Danu words, “Alva Glee, Duine nee a chur.”
All at once, the air shimmered before her eyes, and there not twenty feet away was a huge dark mouth. It was still spitting fire and she could feel the earth tremble as she got closer. Right then. Where did ye go from her
e ye miserable devils?
“Frankie!” a male and somewhat familiar voice called at her back.
She turned and was stunned to find Prince Worley stalking toward her. “What are ye doing here?” she asked.
“I could ask you the same thing,” he answered.
“I tracked the portal’s vibrations to this spot. Now, yer turn.” She eyed him suspiciously.
“I came looking for you,” he answered without hesitation. “We haven’t gotten off on the right footing, you and I,” he arched a look at her. “I was hoping we could repair that, and at least be friends.”
Frankie did not believe him but she couldn’t figure out what his angle was, and she didn’t have the time. “Ye want to be friends? Well, one thing that would help is if ye didn’t stalk me. I don’t appreciate someone following me about.”
He inclined his head, “Fair enough, but…when I arrived in Dublin, I had the oddest sensation that something wasn’t right. It brought me here and then you arrived.”
She absolutely did not believe him. “Is that so?” Frankie eyed him and then mentally dismissed him.
“Come away from here, Frankie,” he said on a protective note.
“Ye want to be on the right footing with me, Prince Worley. The first thing ye must remember is not to be telling me what I must do. I think ye should be going about yer business and allow me the same courtesy.”
“Frankie…” he tried and seemed to forcibly stop himself. “Very well, let’s do this the hard way.” Suddenly he began to chant arcane words—words of black magic.
Frankie felt the earth shift under her feet as the world began to fade before her eyes. “What the bloody hell are ye doing?” she managed to snap off. She had to get away from him. She couldn’t succumb to this.
He completed the dark spell and when he saw that she was struggling to overcome the magic he had called on, he pleaded, “Frankie, it is for your own good.”
“Did m’father send ye?” That didn’t make sense. Her father wouldn’t go to such lengths as to allow anyone to use Dark Magic on her.
He didn’t answer but began chanting once more.
Suddenly out of nowhere, Graely appeared and marched toward Worley, who had quickly drawn his Death Weapon.
“Stop, Worley, ye must see Graely is unarmed,” Frankie shouted.
“He is a Dark Prince and should have been put to death. You called him, so his imminent death is on you.” He shook his head and frowned, “You say his name as though he is someone well known to you?”
Frankie was furious, but she had to get Graely away from Worley. Graely would not take arms against a Seelie Prince. She had to shake off the spell, she had to…
She shifted and grabbed Graely from behind, clutching at him, at his clothes as she spread open her wings!
With a swoosh she was airborne and soaring high. Graely managed to turn slightly and hold her around her waist. A small smile flickered over his sensuous lips, “I came to protect you, and now who is saving who?”