Total pages in book: 162
Estimated words: 151630 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 758(@200wpm)___ 607(@250wpm)___ 505(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 151630 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 758(@200wpm)___ 607(@250wpm)___ 505(@300wpm)
“I don’t like the sound of that,” she replied with a frown, and her eyes were on his chest.
“You are not afraid of me?”
She shook her head. “Another good reason to have been born Fae this time around. I was raised around all manner of creature. They do not frighten me. Though now that I think about it, perhaps I need better senses when it comes to danger since I thought marrying the evil king would be a good way to save my plane.”
He had almost forgotten. “You need the marriage for your kingdom. You said something about a blight.”
“We have not had a fertility god or goddess for many, many years,” she explained. “My people were struggling, and then Ostara was discovered. She had been trapped by men who thought to use her power. They died, but she remained in the prison. One day some curious children found the cage they held her in buried in the sand of a cave. They freed her but she was weak. She found me and I ascended. However, she was still weak. We heard word of a wizard who could funnel energy to non-corporeal beings.”
“If it’s Myrddin, he cannot. Or rather wouldn’t. He’s not known for his good deeds.” This was what he needed so he didn’t fall on her and scare the hell out of her before she was ready. He needed to think the problems through. “You said Devinshea sought you out as his bride.”
“I believe he heard about my ascension,” she explained. “There are several Fae planes in this timeline. I come from one that accepts both Seelie and Unseelie Fae. My plane is not directly attached to the Earth plane, as this one is. From what I understand there is one Seelie plane and one Unseelie plane both attached.”
That was how it was in his time. From what he could tell, the land remained the same. It was the people who changed given what forces sculpted them. “I know the royals traveled to several different Fae planes other than the attached ones.”
“I lived on one founded by a group of Fae who hated the wars between us and wanted to live in peace. Which we do for the most part. My mother is Unseelie and my father Seelie. So both tribes are represented by our crown. But when we lost our Green Man no one would help us. After so many years, not even the gnomes could make it work. We thought we would have to find new lands or be taken back into the sitheins here. And then Ostara brought us hope but
even inside me, she was a shadow of her former self. So we met with witches who put us together with Myrddin. He brokered the marriage between us and Devinshea, and it seemed perfect because Devinshea did not want physical relations with us. He was honest about finding his love. He wanted only her but would accept a political marriage.”
“My darling, then what did he get from the marriage?” Marta had been somewhat naïve. She believed the best in all people.
“Apparently he got to try to peel Ostara off me and eat her soul.” She laughed. “Sorry. Ostara is calling me a silly girl for believing that. She says you cannot eat a soul, as your friend Shy could attest. Though she does appreciate that is a question we should have asked. We were naïve.”
“Shy? What does she have to do with it?”
“Nothing to do with it, but your friend should be able to put the pieces together. Ostara believes she now knows what the wizard is trying to do,” Meadow explains. “She didn’t understand why he has spells and charms to draw in deceased souls. She felt them, knew what they were, but it didn’t really register. She’s so much stronger now, and that means her memories are stronger as well. The magic from last night truly revitalized both of us.”
“He’s trying to draw in souls? To what purpose?” His body was humming with energy.
“I don’t know, but perhaps Shy would since she is made of the energy that turns the wheel.”
He’d heard the phrase before but he didn’t understand. “I’m confused by that. I’ve known Shahidi for several years. She’s never shown powers beyond being able to talk to the dead. It’s been very useful. She’s trained hard, and she’s good at hand-to-hand combat and several weapons, but I don’t understand what you mean by turning the wheel.”
“The wheel is life,” she explained. “Think of it like a year. You are born in the spring. You live in the summer. You die at the end of the fall and rest during winter. You make your choices during that sleeping time. It’s different for all people. Sometimes that winter is the blink of an eye because the soul knows what it wants. Sometimes the soul lingers. It watches and learns. The soul makes a choice to move forward, to stay somewhat where they are, to change forms entirely. I made that choice, Sasha. It’s why I trust what is between us. Whatever I saw when I passed into this turning, I knew being born Fae would lead me here.”