Read Online The Faerie Queen (The Faerie Ring #4) by Kiki Hamilton - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Kiki Hamilton
Ads: Link
Treasure?”
The words had barely left her lips when a thin strand of smoke rose from the center of the goblet.
“What’s that?” Dain pointed.
“ There’s something burning inside the Cup,” Larkin said, stepping closer.
Tiki tipped the goblet and stared into the center. In the depths of the glass an image floated, as if on water, even though a few moments ago the vessel had been empty. She peered closer.
“ I see something…I think it’s the Ring of the truce—” The familiar shape undulated above a flickering flame and from the heart of the blood red stone a thin wisp of smoke curled into a mysterious shape as it rose above the rim of the glass and dissipated into the air. “There’s a fire below it.”
“ A fire below the ring? Are you sure?” Dain asked.
“ Yes,” Tiki said, “there’s a flame beneath the ring. Smoke is rising from the stone and it looks like—” she squinted— “ something , but I can’t quite make it out.” She lifted her head. “What do you think this means? Do we need to light a fire beneath the ring?”
“ Let me see.” Larkin pressed her blond head close to Tiki’s dark one to peer into the goblet.
Dain’s brows pulled down in a quizzical frown . “Are you sure you’re not seeing the fire that exists within the ring?”
“ Of course.” Larkin straightened with a jerk and stepped back, making way for Dain to peer into the Cup. “Fire is one of the four great elements. As some fey have a natural affinity for earth or wind or water, Finn was always drawn to fire. It’s why he hid the truce within a flame. What provided him with strength was also a natural defense against his enemies.” She shook her head. “Brilliant. I should have thought of this long ago. To have a flame release a secret as smoke makes perfect sense.”
“ Try this.” Dain plucked a candle from a nearby table and blew on the wick. A small orange flame sprang to life. “Why don’t you take the ring from around your neck and hold it over this—see what happens.”
Tiki pulled the delicate chai n from around her neck and gazed at the fire that flickered in the stone’s depths.
“ Time to reveal your secrets,” she said softly. “Where do we find the Fourth Treasure?” She held the ring out so it dangled an inch above the small tongue of fire. After a few long moments, the ring began to move. Slowly, at first, then more steadily, until the gold-encased stone swung in a small arc above the flame of the candle.
“ Are you doing that?” Dain whispered.
“ No.” Tiki shook her head. “My hand has remained still.”
The ring began to spin faster and faster, the arc wi dening as it gained speed. Ever so slowly, a wisp of smoke began to rise from the stone.
“ I don’t believe it,” Tiki whispered. The smoke wreathed and curled, gathering as though to form a picture, yet remained indistinguishable. “Does that mean anything to anyone?”
“ Not me,” Dain muttered.
“ No,” Larkin said, “we must be missing something. I’m sure the Cup gave us the correct inspiration.” She waved her long fingers in the small space between the whirling stone and the flame, then through the smoke that had gathered above the spinning ring. “We must need to do something else—but what?” She gritted her teeth in frustration.
“ Wait a minute—I know.” Dain jumped up and darted from the room.
“ Where’s he going?” Tiki asked with a frown.
“ I have no idea,” Larkin muttered, clearly annoyed. “Always had a bit of mischief in him.”
Tiki turned back to the small arc of smoke rising from the ring. “There’s something there...don’t you agree?”
“ Yes—but it’s just out of reach. Just a bit too blurry to see what it is…”
Dain sprinted back into the room.
“ We need to use this,” he cried, holding up the Faerie Queen’s mirror. Bits of gold glimmered through the heavy patina that covered the frame of the mirror winking in the firelight.
“
The words had barely left her lips when a thin strand of smoke rose from the center of the goblet.
“What’s that?” Dain pointed.
“ There’s something burning inside the Cup,” Larkin said, stepping closer.
Tiki tipped the goblet and stared into the center. In the depths of the glass an image floated, as if on water, even though a few moments ago the vessel had been empty. She peered closer.
“ I see something…I think it’s the Ring of the truce—” The familiar shape undulated above a flickering flame and from the heart of the blood red stone a thin wisp of smoke curled into a mysterious shape as it rose above the rim of the glass and dissipated into the air. “There’s a fire below it.”
“ A fire below the ring? Are you sure?” Dain asked.
“ Yes,” Tiki said, “there’s a flame beneath the ring. Smoke is rising from the stone and it looks like—” she squinted— “ something , but I can’t quite make it out.” She lifted her head. “What do you think this means? Do we need to light a fire beneath the ring?”
“ Let me see.” Larkin pressed her blond head close to Tiki’s dark one to peer into the goblet.
Dain’s brows pulled down in a quizzical frown . “Are you sure you’re not seeing the fire that exists within the ring?”
“ Of course.” Larkin straightened with a jerk and stepped back, making way for Dain to peer into the Cup. “Fire is one of the four great elements. As some fey have a natural affinity for earth or wind or water, Finn was always drawn to fire. It’s why he hid the truce within a flame. What provided him with strength was also a natural defense against his enemies.” She shook her head. “Brilliant. I should have thought of this long ago. To have a flame release a secret as smoke makes perfect sense.”
“ Try this.” Dain plucked a candle from a nearby table and blew on the wick. A small orange flame sprang to life. “Why don’t you take the ring from around your neck and hold it over this—see what happens.”
Tiki pulled the delicate chai n from around her neck and gazed at the fire that flickered in the stone’s depths.
“ Time to reveal your secrets,” she said softly. “Where do we find the Fourth Treasure?” She held the ring out so it dangled an inch above the small tongue of fire. After a few long moments, the ring began to move. Slowly, at first, then more steadily, until the gold-encased stone swung in a small arc above the flame of the candle.
“ Are you doing that?” Dain whispered.
“ No.” Tiki shook her head. “My hand has remained still.”
The ring began to spin faster and faster, the arc wi dening as it gained speed. Ever so slowly, a wisp of smoke began to rise from the stone.
“ I don’t believe it,” Tiki whispered. The smoke wreathed and curled, gathering as though to form a picture, yet remained indistinguishable. “Does that mean anything to anyone?”
“ Not me,” Dain muttered.
“ No,” Larkin said, “we must be missing something. I’m sure the Cup gave us the correct inspiration.” She waved her long fingers in the small space between the whirling stone and the flame, then through the smoke that had gathered above the spinning ring. “We must need to do something else—but what?” She gritted her teeth in frustration.
“ Wait a minute—I know.” Dain jumped up and darted from the room.
“ Where’s he going?” Tiki asked with a frown.
“ I have no idea,” Larkin muttered, clearly annoyed. “Always had a bit of mischief in him.”
Tiki turned back to the small arc of smoke rising from the ring. “There’s something there...don’t you agree?”
“ Yes—but it’s just out of reach. Just a bit too blurry to see what it is…”
Dain sprinted back into the room.
“ We need to use this,” he cried, holding up the Faerie Queen’s mirror. Bits of gold glimmered through the heavy patina that covered the frame of the mirror winking in the firelight.
“
Similar Books
