The Dark King knew the moment Aaibhe received the image message of Crystal in her mind and he knew it was a fabrication.
Such was his power.
He had known that word would come to him through Aaibhe—it was Pestale’s style.
The Dark King had never before entered Tir. It was the land of the Seelie Fae and he had no place there, no longer wished to step foot on Seelie territory.
However, the image of Crystal in Aaibhe’s mind, brought him there in his Fae form, a form he would soon forgo.
Aaibhe bowed her head.
“Do you take this missive as genuine?” he asked without preamble.
“I do not,” Aaibhe answered softly.
“Then destroy it, but help me find my beloved,” the Dark King said.
She eyed him and he knew she wondered how someone all powerful could possibly need help.
“We both know Pestale is behind her disappearance. My Team works even at this moment to discover where she is,” Aaibhe said.
“Do you believe that humans may have managed to capture her because they wish to utilize her powers?”
“I do not. Humans have not that capability,” she said.
“And yet she is gone. She would not leave me like this…that is not her way. I must consider that perhaps some humans are in league with Pestale and have her hidden in iron.”
“I believe whoever took her, did so while she was unwilling. If your mind link has been broken, my King, than we must consider that you are correct and iron has been used to incapacitate her,” Aaibhe offered.
“If humans are in league, we shall soon know…” the Dark King said softly.
He left Tir in the blink of an eye and he used all his magic to track his beloved. His tracking brought him to Trinity and he stared.
Soldiers were everywhere.
Why?
Debris was being picked up. Had there been some sort of altercation? Had Crystal fought them, and been taken down here?
Where was she? Her lovely scent stopped right on the spot, here with all these soldiers. What had they done?
With a blink, he was no longer in Fae form, but in his now more natural form, a mass of pulsating fire and light, large enough to blot out the sun and beating without a given shape.
When he spoke, his voice carried over all of Dublin, and echoed off the atmosphere, as it bounced off the buildings.
“Release her now and you shall be spared. Do not, and you will have more than Darkness to contend with. I shall give you one hour of your time.”
At that moment all of Ireland went black!
Chapter Twenty-Five
FRANKIE COLLAPSED ON the iron floor, her hand outstretched toward the ring on Crystal’s finger.
She took a moment to recoup and fight the agony the poison had created in her body. She couldn’t give in to the pain.
She had to…wait.
What was wrong with her? She could get Crystal’s ring without touching it. She was a Daoine Fae and although she was weak, she could manage that much.