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)
He’s a virgin who somehow connected with me on a level that I don’t understand.
We’ve kissed, but only a few times because it hasn’t been long since Harry passed over. Still, it feels normal and natural to go on my toes and brush my lips to his. His hands go to my waist but he lets me control the kiss, lets it be the tender promise I mean for it to be.
“Be careful, Shy,” he whispers when I break it off. His forehead rolls against mine. “I’ll listen to my mother. I’ll work on it. I promise.”
I step back and can’t even find the will to be mad at this gorgeous, amazing man. “Say hi to Nim for me.”
He nods and I notice I’m surrounded by pansies, beautiful colorful flowers. His gift to me.
I also notice the Drowning Woman is at a distance again.
“I wish I could go,” Josie says. “The portal never lets me through.”
Because she’s tied to roughly the place where she died. I don’t know why it’s different with the Drowning Woman.
“Let’s go,” the king orders.
The queen moves in close to me and threads her arm through mine. “Maybe we can do some shopping if it turns out to be harmless. I saw the prettiest sweater that would look beautiful on you, and I think you’re due for some new boots.”
I am actually not much of a fashion girl. I wore hospital gowns for years, and then Sasha and Trent had us in practical clothes in case of a life-threatening fight breaking out. So I hope she’s talking about combat boots. Or all-weather boots. I could use a pair of Birkenstocks.
“When we get back from Faery I’m going to talk Devinshea into letting us have a girls weekend in London,” the queen announces as we start making our way toward the portal at the north end of the pocket world. “You and me and Evan. We can see if Neil wants to come and bring Cassie.”
“Do you have any idea how long it’s been since I went shopping at anything that isn’t Iceland’s version of an Army Navy store?” Neil is suddenly on my other side. “I swear Z I missed you, but I missed Dev’s black card more than anything. And Chad’s dressing like a Nordic dad these days. I swear I saw him looking at a pair of Birkenstocks.”
I am going to be so out of place. Still, I like the queen’s affection and how the king asked me to share my gifts. With my family.
How I long for that word. How that word scares me.
We reach the portal and I take a deep breath, ready to face whatever is on the other side.
Chapter Four
Zoey
We emerge from the portal that connects Frelsi to Reykjavík. Frelsi is located in the northwestern most point of Iceland, while the city is on the opposite side of the country, but magic makes the trip roughly a two minute-walk.
We’re connected to a bookstore called Sun and Moon Books in a quiet part of town. Daniel walks through first, and then me and Shy, with Neil bringing up the rear. We find ourselves in the storage room. It’s surprisingly roomy, and I appreciate the smell of old books, though Neil’s nose twitches. I was told this is where they keep the really old stuff and the magical books. So I’m not touching anything because you never know when a magical book is going to bite.
Danny turns at the door leading to the sales floor. “Let me talk to Tinna and Magnus before we head out. Neil?”
My bestie takes a long breath and shrugs. “I don’t sense any desperate threat. There’s a pack of dogs somewhere. They smell weird, but I can handle some puppers if they decide to misbehave.”
“You are not hurting puppies,” I declare.
Danny sighs. “Shy, do you sense anything?”
Her big brown eyes seem to darken as she obviously opens some space inside herself to access her power. “It’s here. Much closer. But again, I don’t feel threatened by it. It wants me to find it. And by me I mean it wants to be found. I don’t think it’s particularly looking for me, but it definitely wants attention.”
“Well, that can be an excellent reason to stay away,” Danny points out. “I’ll be right back. Neil?”
“I remember what to do, Daniel,” Neil assures him as he starts to look at the stacks around us.
“Hey,” Shy says.
I turn and give my son’s girlfriend a grin. “Hey, yourself.”
She gives me an apologetic nod. “Sorry, Your Highness. I was talking to Anna. She haunts the bookstore. She says there’s something going on. She can sense the energy, but she can’t leave the store to go look for it.” She turns to a space to my right. “What does it feel like to you?”
Neil stands back, watching Shy now.