by Mari LaRoche
It took teeth and claws to enforce neutrality. She had both of them in spades.
Lily sighed, flattening herself on the ground, digging claws into the dirt. There’d be far too much talking, starting very soon.
Her ears flicked at the staccato click of heels on the paving stones outside the fence. The entire yard was walled, the gate door a thick slab of oak. Forest surrounded the property, no neighbors for miles, so she could relax in whichever form appealed.
It was impossible to talk as a tiger, so she didn’t shift to human. Depending on who was knocking, that would end the discussion unless it was a telepath. Telepaths cheated.
An irritated voice joined the knocking. “Lily, open up! You invited me over last week.”
Drat; she’d forgotten that. Anastasia remembered every social engagement she agreed to, hospitality a razor-edged gift among the rusalki. Lily rose, the transition from tiger to woman instant, pulling on the robe she’d draped on a chair for emergencies. A bank of fog had formed outside the wall, tendrils lazily spiraling over it and gathering on the ground.
Pale with annoyance, the statuesque blonde brushed past Lily, leaving a film of chilly water on Lily’s exposed flesh. The illusion that allowed her to walk among humanity gifted her with golden hair that shone with health, complimenting her flashing blue eyes and sun-kissed skin. The rusalka, a spirit of water and darkness, was genuinely annoyed, which meant everything surrounding her would remain cold and wet if she wasn’t coaxed into a better mood.
“I’m sorry. I’m hiding.” Lily followed Anastasia into the house. The rusalka’s wet dress alternately clung and flapped as she walked.
“I’ll start the samovar; do you want savory or sweet to go with the tea?” Lily tossed a cinnamon bun to Anastasia as she turned on the modern glass samovar. With practiced grace, she measured tea into the matching teapot. She and Anastasia liked their tea strong, so she added two more teaspoons for the pot.
“Both.” Cinnamon bun eaten in two bites, Anastasia settled in a wooden chair by the table. She crossed long legs encased in tights that matched her dress. She didn’t remove her heels, watching as Lily assembled a platter. “You are a terrible hostess, Lily. You should remember when you invite people to visit.”
Lily grinned. The mist had dissipated though water pooled under the chair on the blue tile. Anastasia was amused now.
“It’s the only way to keep visitors from dropping by all day, every day, wanting something. Rude works when everything else fails.”
The phone rang and, after two rings, went to voicemail.
The snacks carefully arranged to expose the willow tree in the blue and white central picture on the willowware platter, Lily placed it on the table next to Anastasia as she set the teapot to steep.
“What happened?” Anastasia’s eyes, black pits in her deathly pallid face, fixed on Lily’s hands as she served tea. She’d dropped the glamour, the illusion she’d purchased to appear human, to conserve it. Glamours had limited time spans and cost in favors and money.
Loose white hair dissolved into mist at the ends as Anastasia perused the offerings before selecting a sugar cookie and dabbing berry jam on it. Lily joined her, selecting a roast beef sandwich.
“I dreamed.”
Anastasia inhaled sharply. “One of those dreams?”
“Yes.” The pause stretched while Anastasia waited.
Lily regarded her hands, not meeting the rusalka’s gaze. “I’m sitting this Reckoning out. I refuse to throw away friends because they’re children of the moon, like you. I refuse to hunt for the Keys and kill others to take them just to satisfy the lover’s quarrel of my multi-grandfather with his ex. Sorry, I’m old, and I’m done with it.”
Refusing to tense in expectation of being blasted by sun or moon, Lily took a big bite of her sandwich. Terrible things had happened the last time some of the kin refused to participate. The enkimmu, an entire kin, was wiped out; the tuatha de danaan had not been seen since that day either. Two races obliterated.
Lily swallowed the bite to clear out the tightness in her throat. “There’s plenty of up and comings who can do the heavy lifting. Others get the visions. Storm can still fight. The rest of the family avoids me until the newest Reckoning comes. I make them uncomfortable.” Lily set down her teacup hard enough the liquid sloshed. Another loss of dignity, the thing that made them avoid her.
Even to Anastasia, she didn’t want to admit she was sick of the fighting; showing weakness wasn’t a good idea.
Anastasia regarded her. “Be careful, Lily. People are watching. They know who you are, and it might push your family to make an example of you.” A measured sip of tea. “Or push others to recruit you.”
Want to read more? Grab your copy of The Reckoning Book 1 - Unrepentant!
Available here.
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Authors Notes
Vivian is the NightQueen’s seer, with all the attendant baggage. People trying to kill her, or pry the locations out of her. She was fun to write because she started out as a normal person, and grew into her abilities bit by bit, while trying to remaining herself. Unwanted was great fun to write, once Vivian’s and Ušum’s agendas and personalities gelled.
If you enjoyed this book, please leave a review; independent authors like me love them.
Unrepentant, the next story in the Reckoning, is about Lily Kaplan, the other seer. She began dreaming earlier than Vivian. What happens when the laziest woman alive is forced out of her comfort zone? With an attractive man? Sparks fly!
Available here.
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~Daphne
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Echoing Daphne’s words, I really enjoyed working on this story. Like Vivian, I’ve started out as a normal person and slowly grown into my role as co-author. My friendship with Daphne is something I treasure and look forward to seeing it grow more and more.
Please leave us a review, on this or any of our other works that you have or will read. Or drop us a line! We love hearing from our fans as well.
If you’d like to stay in touch with what I’m doing, please sign up for my newsletter, Pawprints from the Catdragon’s Lair, for updates and free stories!
~Mari
Turn the page and meet Lily as her life takes a turn for the exciting…
About the Author
Daphne Moore has been a storyteller from her preliterate days. She writes them down now for those out of earshot. She writes what she loves—speculative fiction in all forms, with a seasoning of romance.
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Visit her website for a free story!
www.daphnekmoore.com
About the Author
Mari LaRoche is an emerging fantasy and paranormal author who has been making up stories since she could talk. Her stories: “Secrets and Gold” (Seven Deadly Sins: Avarice), “Witches and Kings” (Seven Deadly Sins: Lust), and “The Ghostly Loch” (Secrets In Our Cities) appeared first print under her former pen name, Mari L. Yates, with “Secrets” and “Witches” being republished in Taradiddles: An Anthology of Short Fiction, a textbook currently in use at a local community college. She is a member of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association and the Ohio Writers’ Association, presents workshops to local community college students on the challenges and rewards of creative writing, and is currently pursuing her degree in Creative Writing. When not found with a book, camera, or laptop in her hands, she loves to cuddle with her three cats, travel through Canada, and collect feline and dragon tattoos.
Website
: marilaroche.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authormarilaroche/
Twitter: @MariLaroche
Instagram: @marilaroche.author
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/~/e/B08D8MM8Z1
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Also by Daphne Moore and Mari LaRoche
Beyond the Veil: An Anthology - With Short Stories from both Daphne Moore and Mari LaRoche
The Call of the Sea - Le Sorcier’s War Book 1 - Daphne Moore and Mari LaRoche
Speed Dating with Authors - Fantasy Edition - Daphne Moore and Mari LaRoche
Unwanted - The Reckoning - Prelude - Daphne Moore and Mari LaRoche
Undaunted - The Reckoning – Book 3 - Daphne Moore and Mari LaRoche
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Daphne Moore
Silver Hands
Unrepentant - The Reckoning - Book 1
Freedom’s Knife - Justiciar’s Redemption - Book 1
Frost’s Fall - Justiciar’s Redemption - Book 2
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Mari LaRoche (Under the Pen Name Mari L. Yates)
Seven Deadly Sins - Avarice - A YA Anthology
Seven Deadly Sins - Lust - A YA Anthology
Secrets in Our Cities: A Paranormal Urban Fantasy Anthology (JL Anthology Book 6)
