The Changeling Soldier (13 page)

He nodded and kept his hand around hers. “We’ll get through this together.”

Ella smiled. She’d never had someone on her side before. It was something she could get used to.

Hand in hand they started the walk across the field to the Castle Annwyn.

Epilogue

Watching Isaac fight had been the most heart-wrenching thing Eletta had ever done in her almost seven hundred mortal years. If he’d died…it was a thought she still didn’t want to entertain.

Yet when she’d thrown herself into his arms at the end and the words had slid from her lips, he hadn’t been shocked.

He’d simply kissed and said, “I love you too.”

She’d realized then he’d known all along what she was going to say. She hadn’t known until the words had tumbled off her tongue in a wave of relief that was how she’d even felt. And yet she didn’t think she’d ever spoken a more truthful sentence in her whole life.

She didn’t even know when she’d fallen for him. There was no one moment…perhaps it had been the way he maneuvered around the tense Court before the battle, or the way he listened when she spoke of how it had once been, or the way he’d calmly trained for the battle as at ease with a sword as any fairy.

And yet he brought with him a heart that no fairy could ever have because he’d lived as a mortal. It was that heart that had earned him a place on the new Council. She didn’t even begrudge that it was him who’d gained power and not her. She was happy that he had found a place to belong—and after learning more about his life he truly deserved that.

She walked through the castle to the Hall of Mirrors, aware of every single new blade of grass pushing its way through the dirt and every new leaf budding on the trees. It was going to be a long spring. But she didn’t care. Some things were better not rushed, and she and Isaac would have centuries for their love to grow and deepen.

She’s shown him how to use the mirrors here to watch the happenings in the mortal world, knowing he’d want to check on his sister. And he had. Several times. His sister’s fame had been at the price of her sanity. Her break down had been public after her arrest for kidnapping and murder. While neither Eletta nor Isaac were sure what had actually happened Melody was now locked up where she couldn’t hurt anyone—fairy or mortal.

It was a waste of a life and another reminder why she’d vowed to make no more deals with humans. Fairies, however, were fair game, it was expected here and no one had a soul to lose. Although the new Court discouraged the scheming and backstabbing that had marked the end of Gwyn’s reign.

Isaac looked up from the table where he was learning how to play dice with the new Hunter of Annwyn. As Eletta approached, he glanced up and smiled. The ice of his eyes was bright with desire for just a moment before he stood and kissed her on the cheek. Once she would’ve backed away from such an obvious sign of affection. Now she slid closer, her fingers lacing with his. 

The one thing she hadn’t told him was while it might be hard for fairies to fall in love, when they did they fell hard and forever.

Thank you for reading The Changeling Soldier. I hope you enjoyed this glimpse of Annwyn.

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If you are looking for more Annwyn stories there are several others in the series already out:

The Outcast Prince (#1)

Lord of the Hunt (#2)

To Love a King
(#3)
will be out in October 2014

Excerpts from
The Outcast Prince
and
Lord of the Hunt
follow.

There’s also a deleted prologue from
To Love a King
.

Thank you!

Shona

Excerpt from The Outcast Prince

He turned and leaned against the edge of the desk. “You know this would be quicker without the twenty questions.”

“But it wouldn’t be as much fun. Don’t you want to know something about Callaway House? People always want to know what went on.” She walked over and put the book on the desk next to him. If she put out her hand, she could run it down his arm. Her fingers twitched.

He looked up from the screen. “I’d rather know about you.”

She automatically put up her defenses, then stopped herself. Wasn’t this what she wanted—a chance to get to know him better? The only way she could do that was if she let him get to know her. “Ask something then.”

“What is your favorite room?”

Of all the questions he could’ve asked, he’d picked that. She wasn’t sure what to say. Was there even a wrong answer? “It depends. In winter I used to like sitting in the kitchen. It was always warm and smelled of homemade treats. But in summer evenings Gran would open up the glass doors and the scent of jasmine would fill this room. I’d sit and read and pretend I was a princess in a palace. Do you have a favorite room yet?”

He blinked. His dark lashes rested against his skin for a heartbeat before he opened his eyes again to look at her. This time there was almost a sadness in his eyes. “Your gran might have let me in, but I couldn’t afford a drink in here. My mother’s a nurse. My father’s a mechanic descended from French pirates. I don’t have class, money, or artistic talent.”

Lydia titled her head. Was he saying what she thought he was saying? That she was out of his league? She would’ve laughed except he looked deadly serious.

Her hand covered his. Skin to skin, her breath caught.

“Callaway House was never about the money or mistresses. It was about the party. Sure, the rich spent up big when they came to play and make deals, but without the struggling artists and the musicians who played for a meal and drinks—and to say they’d played here—Callaway House would’ve been no better than the motel that charges by the hour. It was about atmosphere. People had to want to come here.”

“But they stopped coming.”

“Nightclubs and bars took over. No one wanted to spend a weekend listening to poetry and getting high, or hearing some up-and-coming blues guitarist work on his next album. I wish I’d seen it in action.”

“It would have been some party.” His hand trailed up her arm.

Before she could second-guess herself again, she leaned in and kissed him. Her lips brushed his, testing to see if she’d like the feel of his mouth. She did. She liked the way he smelled of soap and that his cheek was rough because he hadn’t shaved before coming around.

He didn’t respond. His lips didn’t move. She pulled back.
Awkward.
“I’m sorry. I don’t usually kiss men I’ve just met.”

“I don’t usually kiss while on the job.” This time there was only heat in his eyes, like someone had lit a match and held it to his soul. She couldn’t move away as she waited for his next move. If he made none, that was it. She’d go and sit in another room while he worked and pretend as if it had never happened. Then he placed his lips to hers. Softly as if the kiss was something he shouldn’t be taking. Her eyes closed and her mouth opened, letting his tongue slip inside. Tasting and teasing. Her hand snuck around his waist, drawing him closer.

In return his hand swept over the curve of her butt. Pressed against her he felt good, his body was firm as if he spent his spare time keeping fit, not sitting. She relaxed into his hold as heat spread through her body. It had been too long since she’d had a man in her arms. He ended the kiss with a couple of slow ones as if he couldn’t bear to pull away. That made two of them. His breath caressed her lips as he took a final taste and then released her. Neither of them moved. All she could think about was her body and the way it melted in his hands like he’d seduced her with just a touch.

“That’s going to complicate things,” he murmured as he tucked a strand of her dark blond hair behind her ear. His lips still felt the pressure of hers, and his skin was hyperaware of every subtle move she made, her body pressed against his in a way that was far too intimate. He wanted her, he couldn’t remember wanting anyone quite so much, and he was sure she would have noticed his attraction.

A look of surprise lifted her eyebrows. “That’s not what I was expecting to hear.”

He let his hand fall away from the silken strands of her hair. “I shouldn’t have done that.”

Caspian’s hand touched the desk and his head was filled with images of another night years ago and what had happened on the desk.
Skin and sweat. Clothing being peeled off in a rush to find satisfaction
. Driven by lust his heart pumped a little harder.

It was the house.

It was what he was seeing.

He looked at Lydia.

Hell, it was the woman.

“Will you get in trouble?”

He paused before answering. She meant with work, but he was thinking about the Grey who’d been making threats. Not that he could explain how he was mixed up in a deadly game of fairy politics. He hadn’t lied to her about his lack of social standing… in the human world. The fairy world was a whole other festering kettle of fish.

“Depends. Are you seducing me to get a favorable valuation?”

That could be a problem if someone thought he was fiddling the figures. Surely no one could contest a will that left the estate to the only child and grandchild?

“I didn’t seduce you.” She gave him a half-hearted push. “I merely took advantage of an opportunity.”

Had he looked like he wanted to be kissed? Had it been that obvious every time he looked at her?

“Okay then.” He nodded, then placed another kiss on her mouth, taking the opportunity to kiss the beautiful woman in his arms, before she changed her mind and realized that he was not the kind of man she wanted. His tongue traced her lower lip just once, then he drew back before the temptation took hold. The echoes of what had happened previously on the desk still filled his mind with possibilities he hadn’t wanted to explore in a while. That he shouldn’t be thinking about exploring now. He didn’t want to risk dragging Lydia into his problems. Maybe it was too late. He was here and for all he knew Shea had followed him. He was sure there was a Grey in the house, not that he’d seen it… but there was something. Something more than a photo of a fairy in the living room.

“Okay.” She didn’t move away.

He didn’t care. If he had to come back here every night for the next year because they kept getting distracted, it would be worth it and much better than being in his empty house. Lydia’s childhood had been odd like his, and while he couldn’t talk about it, she could and it made him feel a little less strange that even humans without fairy blood could have bizarre families.

The pause stretched out as if neither of them was willing to end the moment and yet neither was sure how to move forward.

He tilted his head at the laptop. “I should keep going.”

“Right.” She looked at him as if she was about to change her mind. He knew if she offered he wouldn’t refuse. She was under his skin and he wanted her to dig deeper. Then he remembered what would happen if she did dig deeper. He’d have to tell her about his real father, about psychometry and fairies. The heat in his blood cooled. He didn’t know how to tell her the truth. He’d never told anyone.

Excerpt from Lord of the Hunt

A lean white dog with red tips on its ears and tail wandered in to her alcove. She quickly wiped away her tears and held out her hand. The dog trotted over for a sniff, and then a second dog rounded the corner. How many were there? Before she had time to fear the dogs, the gray-eyed man stood in front of her.

He leaned against a tree and smiled. “Now why would a Lady just back at Court be so sad?”

She searched his smoky gray eyes for a hint at his intent, but saw no malice.

“You leave a lover behind?” He took a step closer and the alcove seemed to grow smaller around them.

Who was this Lord? His clothing wasn’t brightly colored and it didn’t glitter with gems, and yet this close, she could see that the fabric was covered in delicate stitches that shimmered in the light. The cuffs of his shirt were undone, the ties dangling. His dark brown hair was pulled back, but strands fell around his face, softening his otherwise sharp cheekbones and nose. He was beautiful even by fairy standard—and he’d followed her out here.

She glanced at the dogs sitting obediently at his feet. He’d sent them after her. Was she talking to the Lord of the Hunt? Her heart gave an extra beat.

Taryn shook her head. She didn’t want him thinking she was crying over a human lover. “My family.”

“Ah. They are in the mortal world.” He nodded as if confirming his information. How did he know? “Brownies, then?”

“Yes.” Being a Brownie was as good as it got in the mortal world, living in the home of a changeling, or more rarely a human, and keeping the house immaculate. A home within a home. A small exchange between human and fairy sealed the pact. It didn’t matter where fairies were; rank and social standing was important. She’d thought the stuffy all-girls school she’d attended had prepared her for Court. It hadn’t.

The dogs laid down and looked relaxed, but their eyes never left her. And neither did his. He’d sought her, which meant he wanted something. What could a man with almost as much power as the King want from her? For half a second, she wanted to give him anything he asked for if he would help her get her father’s pardon. But that wouldn’t be a smart move.

She almost smiled—she did know something about Court and Annwyn politics, but caution made her careful. She had to confirm who he was first. “Your dogs?”

“They are, but don’t worry. They are well trained and won’t harm you.” He moved a little closer to her. “But there are plenty of others who would.”