Annwyn.”
“I’ve lived this long without knowing. Does it matter?” But a part of him was curious.
“Fairies trace their lineage through the fairy parent. If you’d been born in Annwyn, you would’ve been fairy, not changeling.”
He nodded but was glad he’d lived in the mortal world. He didn’t regret his life or anything he’d done with it. However, he was ready for the next challenge. He’d always known there was something more, and now that he knew what it was, he wasn’t going to give it up. “I’ll take care of you until you’re better.”
“It won’t take long across the veil.” She paused and glanced toward the stairs. “I’ll school you in the ways of Annwyn.”
“Is that a deal?” His lips twisted into a grin.
“I won’t ever trap you in deals, Isaac.” The corner of her mouth turned up. “You aren’t like fairy men, and despite the circumstances of our meeting I want to know you better.”
The images of the battle’s aftermath filled his mind.
Her running over the snow and embracing him, the touch of her lips and the elation in his heart at having her in his arms again. She cupped his face and whispered three words that held no fairy magic yet were worth more than any treasure. “I love you.”
He drew in a breath and blinked, back in the dingy basement instead of on the bright snow of the battlefield. She squeezed his hand.
Ella would hold more than his soul; she’d also have his heart eventually…the worry in her golden eyes as she’d run toward him held him trapped for a moment as the scene replayed again. He’d have her heart too.
The rush of love and desire burned through him before fading like a dream on waking. For a moment he wasn’t sure he could trust what he’d seen or felt. It was more than what he was used to seeing, and unsettling to know that she would come to mean so much to him. His whole future was tied up with Ella. Had he been waiting his whole life for her? As he thought it, it felt right. He’d been waiting for her as much as he’d been waiting for Annwyn. A smile formed as he realized he could stop searching.
She looked him in the eye as if realizing he’d just seen something. “You should know that once in Annwyn, you’ll lose that magic. Fairy magic only works in the mortal world. It’s why fairies like coming here. Here they have power, if not status.”
He nodded and then remembered Ella’s warning about how hard it was for fairies to fall in love. He was about to ask more when he heard Melody’s footsteps in the corridor. Ella dropped his hand and the life faded from her face. She was making herself look smaller and weaker for Mel’s benefit.
As Mel came down the stairs, he wondered who was getting the better deal, him, Ella or Mel?
If she wasn’t so tired and drained from having the iron near her, and her skin wasn’t already burned and not healing because of the iron’s presence, she’d have been more excited to get the shackles off. As it was, sitting up was a challenge and she felt lightheaded, as if she’d forgotten to eat all day—which she hadn’t, since Isaac made sure she’d eaten.
As Melody came down the stairs, Isaac tensed slightly. He was standing next to the bed, alert and ready in case something went askew, like Melody trying to kill her. Ella doubted that would happen though, since Melody wanted to be famous too badly to let anything, or anyone, jeopardize that.
“I have the key.” Melody opened her hand. Her gaze flicked between Isaac and Ella.
“Hand it to Isaac.” Even her voice was sounding thready, but it was no act. Another day and she might’ve been too weak to make the deal.
Melody fisted her hand. “Deal first.”
Ella laughed, a cold, jagged sound she almost didn’t recognize. Annwyn’s winter was settling in her blood. When she looked at Melody, she saw another gullible mortal. “Do you think if I could work magic while surrounded by all this iron I would still be
“I’ve lived this long without knowing. Does it matter?” But a part of him was curious.
“Fairies trace their lineage through the fairy parent. If you’d been born in Annwyn, you would’ve been fairy, not changeling.”
He nodded but was glad he’d lived in the mortal world. He didn’t regret his life or anything he’d done with it. However, he was ready for the next challenge. He’d always known there was something more, and now that he knew what it was, he wasn’t going to give it up. “I’ll take care of you until you’re better.”
“It won’t take long across the veil.” She paused and glanced toward the stairs. “I’ll school you in the ways of Annwyn.”
“Is that a deal?” His lips twisted into a grin.
“I won’t ever trap you in deals, Isaac.” The corner of her mouth turned up. “You aren’t like fairy men, and despite the circumstances of our meeting I want to know you better.”
The images of the battle’s aftermath filled his mind.
Her running over the snow and embracing him, the touch of her lips and the elation in his heart at having her in his arms again. She cupped his face and whispered three words that held no fairy magic yet were worth more than any treasure. “I love you.”
He drew in a breath and blinked, back in the dingy basement instead of on the bright snow of the battlefield. She squeezed his hand.
Ella would hold more than his soul; she’d also have his heart eventually…the worry in her golden eyes as she’d run toward him held him trapped for a moment as the scene replayed again. He’d have her heart too.
The rush of love and desire burned through him before fading like a dream on waking. For a moment he wasn’t sure he could trust what he’d seen or felt. It was more than what he was used to seeing, and unsettling to know that she would come to mean so much to him. His whole future was tied up with Ella. Had he been waiting his whole life for her? As he thought it, it felt right. He’d been waiting for her as much as he’d been waiting for Annwyn. A smile formed as he realized he could stop searching.
She looked him in the eye as if realizing he’d just seen something. “You should know that once in Annwyn, you’ll lose that magic. Fairy magic only works in the mortal world. It’s why fairies like coming here. Here they have power, if not status.”
He nodded and then remembered Ella’s warning about how hard it was for fairies to fall in love. He was about to ask more when he heard Melody’s footsteps in the corridor. Ella dropped his hand and the life faded from her face. She was making herself look smaller and weaker for Mel’s benefit.
As Mel came down the stairs, he wondered who was getting the better deal, him, Ella or Mel?
If she wasn’t so tired and drained from having the iron near her, and her skin wasn’t already burned and not healing because of the iron’s presence, she’d have been more excited to get the shackles off. As it was, sitting up was a challenge and she felt lightheaded, as if she’d forgotten to eat all day—which she hadn’t, since Isaac made sure she’d eaten.
As Melody came down the stairs, Isaac tensed slightly. He was standing next to the bed, alert and ready in case something went askew, like Melody trying to kill her. Ella doubted that would happen though, since Melody wanted to be famous too badly to let anything, or anyone, jeopardize that.
“I have the key.” Melody opened her hand. Her gaze flicked between Isaac and Ella.
“Hand it to Isaac.” Even her voice was sounding thready, but it was no act. Another day and she might’ve been too weak to make the deal.
Melody fisted her hand. “Deal first.”
Ella laughed, a cold, jagged sound she almost didn’t recognize. Annwyn’s winter was settling in her blood. When she looked at Melody, she saw another gullible mortal. “Do you think if I could work magic while surrounded by all this iron I would still be
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