title: Beowulf: A Tale of Blood, Heat, and Ashes
author:  Nicky Raven 
description: John Howe is best known for his work as a lead artist on Peters Jacksons LORD OF THE RINGS movie trilogy based on the writings of J. R. R. Tolkien. The illustrator of many books in the fantasy genre, he lives in Switzerland.
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  Dark Fae
  
  
  “Who so loves believes the impossible.”
  
  
  Elizabeth Barrett Browning
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  1
  
  
  “I’m sorry. Quinn, please believe me that I thought I was doing what was best
  for Ashling. What you asked of me!”
  
  
  I kept my back to Bres, unwilling to look him in the eye. How could he think
  he could possibly know what was best for Ashling? She was my sister first. I’d
  been the one to chase away her nightmares, to sit at the table after school,
  and help her with her homework, and to comfort her on Darcy’s bad days. He’d
  only just found out she was his half sister; there was no way he could
  possibly care for her as much as I did.
  
  
  We were waiting on the edge of the Banshee Queen’s bower while Fianna attended
  to Luke. My hands clenched, along with my stomach. It seemed that everyone
  around me was doomed to some horrible death or suffering, and the guilt sat
  heavy on me making me feel as though I was a plague on those