Betrayal and Yearning: A Fantasy Romance (Changeling Desires Series Book 1)

by Eve Redmayne

  Jessica fumbled through the mess of assorted herbs. She sniffed a posy of dried flowers and squinted at them, jumping when Orrin stepped behind her.

  He removed the bundle from her hand and replaced it with a gnarled root. “That’s what she wants.”

  “Right.” Jessica avoided looking at him and handed the root to Willow. “I never learned the different herbs.” She wrinkled her nose.

  Despite himself, he laughed. She was trying hard not to make him feel the fool, the least he could do was play along and pretend he wasn’t devastated.

  He examined the half-chopped ingredients scattered about the table. “No garlic? Potion-making isn’t my strong suit, but any healing elixir with true efficacy should include it.”

  “Goddess, I forgot!” Willow smacked her forehead and ran to fetch some, hanging in a corner. “Glad we have you and your potion-making skills on hand.” She laughed at the look he gave her and tossed him the bulb “Guess not, then. Dice that, will you?”

  His own witch’s knife, a large blade with a wicked curve, made quick work of the cloves. “You can thank Mystia’s banishment for any potion knowledge I have. All the hedge witches swear by garlic. I always left smelling like dinner, thanks to them.”

  “Speaking of dinner…” Jessica stepped away from the table and filled the teapot. “As you’re both busy, I may as well cook us some food.” Still shivering, she went about frying up some bacon and eggs, working to the rhythmic beat of chopping blades.

  Orrin watched as she peeked at her fingers. First the brands on her feet and now this. He shook his head.

  When the food was ready, Jessica hurried over to the table, only to have Willow grab the dishes from her hands and bring them back to the hearth. “We’ll eat here. You need to warm yourself, and we shouldn’t disturb our work.”

  They sat in silence, each person lost in their own thoughts as they ate.

  “Willow warned me about the pitfalls of magic a long time ago,” Jessica finally interrupted the quiet around a mouthful of bacon. “If I’d known she’d meant this weird crap, maybe I wouldn’t have been so happy about my magical gift. But the strange thing is, I’m not always changed just—”

  “When you delve deep and use powerful magic.” Orrin cut in, a piece of toast halfway to his mouth.

  “But why?” Gray eyes implored, hoping for an explanation.

  He shrugged. “I wish I could say.”

  “Enough of that, let’s get going.” Willow stood, empty plate in hand.

  “Already?” Jessica squeaked, clearly not ready to harness the fullness of her magic again.

  “We don’t have to do this if you don’t want.” Orrin placed a hand on her shoulder and felt her tremble under his touch. He’d make life so good if only she’d choose him.

  CHAPTER 26

  Willow walked to the table and closed her eyes. Would Orrin ever let Jessica go? She turned back as Jessica sat her plate down with a clatter.

  “I’m doing this, I’m just…scared, I guess.” Jessica said. “I’ll get dressed and we’ll get on with it.” She raced up the ladder into the loft, her blue hand clearly visible.

  From the upraised scar that split Jessica’s face hairline to chin, to the marks on her feet, and now her discolored fingers, Willow wondered what was yet to come? And was her love for the dwarf strong enough to brave any more magical consequences?

  A moment later, Jessica descended, looking pale, but resolved.

  “Alright,” Willow said, bent over the work-table, clutching a handful of rosemary, “we’re going to use a sacred circle to perform the healing spell. Jess, during that time, you’re going to invoke the element of fire, followed by wind. We need a strong flame burning under the incense and a hearty breeze to carry everything to Braum. The spell doesn’t have to be near the prince to be effective, but it’ll help, considering how ill he is.”

  “You’d think we’d have to be near him for it to work,” Jessica murmured.

  Willow’s neck grew hot, and she snapped, “My magic is commanding enough to negate any distance. The powers of will and desire are stronger than you think.”

  Orrin turned grave eyes to her. “Getting the potion and charm to Braum will tax her the most.”

  “You’re right,” Willow acknowledged and hurried towards Jessica. She whipped her knife from its sheath and slashed Jessica’s way. A brown curl landed in her upraised hand. Jessica stared open-mouthed as she raced back to tie the tress to the charm.

  She turned and gave Jessica a hard look. “The wind will carry everything with you guiding from here, so be careful, lest they become lost.”

  Jessica blinked. “Can I wield magic from here, using my body, with my shade guiding from the other end?”

  Willow considered a long moment before saying, “It’s a promising idea if you’re willing to risk it,” then cursed herself for not thinking of it first.

  “Well, I’m sure as hell going to try.”

  “It’s too much!” Orrin protested. “What if her soul gets lost? She won’t be able to find her way back to her body!”

  “A legitimate concern.” Willow patted his hand. “But I think Jessica’s right. Start here and when everything is about half-way, fade to Braum and direct the rest of the way from there.”

  “How long can a body exist without its spirit?” Orrin asked.

  Willow swallowed. “I’ve heard up to a week—”

  “I’ll be fine,” Jessica cut in.

  Willow repositioned the candles and filled the incense burner with equal parts rosemary and allspice. Soon, fragrant smoke filled the room. She scrawled Braum’s name on a piece of paper and placed the quartz atop it, using a silver spoon to not sully it with her fingerprints.

  The three linked hands, inhaled the incense, and focused their energy. Willow directed them to envision all ill-health dissipating from Braum’s body.

  As she spoke the words to the spell, power surged through Willow, cresting like waves, one after another, until her entire body thrummed. The very blood in her veins roiled from the pent-up energy. She released a long breath and gasped, “It’s time.”

  Jessica moved closer and concentrated on the fire.

  All eyes focused on the flame, waiting for it to bloom in a burst of heat, but nothing happened. “Focus,” Willow hissed, knowing fire gave Jessica the most trouble.

  “Burn,” Jessica said aloud, panic in her eyes.

  Still nothing.

  Willow silently urged Jessica to figure something the hell out. She needed to move fast else the incense would burn out.

  Without warning, Jessica sucked in a breath and placed her right hand over the small flame.

  The smell of scorched flesh wafted about the room, rank and oily. Willow gagged, but Jessica’s eyes brightened just as hot pink flames shot upward through her hand.

  A shadow pulled free from Orrin. Willow watched as it danced around Jessica, growing bigger with each spin until finally, it drifted into her. As the magic suddenly converged within, Willow howled. Every muscle in her body spasmed and each nerve fired at once. Her heart stuttered from the energy surge and, for a second, she feared such an influx of power would be too much for her to handle; that her own arrogance would be her end.

  Despite the pain, she squeezed the hands of both her companions and gathered the healing magic. Once focused, she directed the energy to the crystal over Braum’s name.

  The flame bloomed upward in a great burst of heat. Willow’s back arched and mouth opened in silent agony as the spell shot from her hands and manifested itself, a swirling pink haze. Her eyes widened at the magical fete.

  Though her words came on gasps now, Willow finished the complicated, final sequence of the incantation, and grew quiet. Her motions hesitant, she grabbed the charm she’d prepared, an iron, five-sided star with Jessica’s hair affixed to it. The iron to focus the spell and the hair of a loved one to remind him why he wanted to get well. She weighed it in her hands and eyed Jessica. “It’s light enough I
think you won’t have difficulty carrying it.”

  Next, she poured the steeping potion from the copper chalice into a glass vial and stoppered it securely with wax dripped from the white candle. “That’s all I can do. Now it’s Jessica’s turn.”

  ***

  The time for thoughtful consideration over, Jessica pulled her hand from the flame. She gathered the charm and vial and stepped below the roiling spell.

  First, wind. The door and every window in the cottage flew open as a great maelstrom gushed in at her silent urging. Papers and greenery blew about as the cottage plunged into darkness, but for the coals aglow in the hearth. Wind came so easily, she barely had to do more than wish it there. It gathered about her feet and with a WHOOSH, swept over her body, lifting her hair off her shoulders and into the pink cloud above.

  No one spoke or moved, and it took Jessica a moment to realize they were waiting for her. That it was on her to save the man she loved.

  Hardening her stance, she instinctively tossed the charm and potion into the gusts They swirled about in the crosswinds until she pointed a blue finger. Faster than a blink, the wind rushed away, carrying the magical items. Jessica’s breath caught as fear struck. What if she messed up?

  A small cyclone remained behind, lashing her hair back and forth. She said nothing, staying focused, and tried keeping her panicked thoughts at bay.

  After a tense couple of hours, she sensed the items had made it halfway. She smiled at her friends and closed her eyes. “Time to go.”

  CHAPTER 27

  The sound of muffled sobbing greeted Jessica, and she opened her eyes. Braum lay completely still on his huge bed, surrounded by his family. The room was dark, lit only by a candle, and a chill rent the air, the fire long since gone out.

  For a moment, she feared the worst, until his chest rose then collapsed. His condition had deteriorated since the last time, but she’d known it would. That’s why she’d worked so frantically to save him.

  With no time to delay, she resumed her task from this end. Face creased with effort, she hovered before the window and focused until she found the wind and coaxed it onward.

  Finding a rhythm, she listened with half an ear as the family told stories of Braum’s childhood. A smile curved her lips at their memories but was soon replaced with a frown. Something was wrong. The currents wavered as though the burden was too heavy.

  Her eyes snapped open as she came-to in Willow’s cottage. Willow and Orrin sat at the table, watching, waiting. A shiver wracked her. It felt strange awakening from a trance to find people staring. But she didn’t have time for them. Without saying a word, she looked up at the faltering wind tunnel.

  Without thinking, she lifted both arms into the howling winds. Her hands swayed back and forth until the gusts surged. Herb bunches swung from the rafters. Willow slammed her hand down on an old journal to keep the pages from blowing away as scarlet hair billowed across her face. Jessica manipulated the wind until the storm above brimmed with power.

  Then, she thrust her arms down and pointed the way, commanding the gale to find its sister wind and aid its burden. Every door and window crashed open as the storm thundered out. Willow and Orrin shot backwards in their seats, landing hard on the floor.

  The door swung back and forth on creaky hinges, and the odd bit of leaf floated downward. She waited as Orrin helped Willow to her feet, then with a worried frown, faded away. But instead of finding her way to Braum, darkness enveloped her. Heart pounding, she pushed through the inky fog, blind and lost, until she finally stumbled into the dim glow of Braum’s room.

  She took a haggard breath, grateful to be back, and found the wind.

  Grif walked in. Braum’s family stood as one and took their leave, whispering soft words of comfort as they passed.

  Physically drained, she strained to focus on the grueling task of keeping everything moving, but every sound distracted her. The chair, scraping along the floor as Grif sat beside Braum. The creaking of the keep as it settled for the night.

  A low rustle sounded from outside, and her gaze shot back to the window, her heart skipping a beat. The winds were coming and fast!

  Now what? she panicked. As a shade, she could only observe. And while she’d tried to move things or get somebody’s attention before, it’d never worked. Only Braum ever noticed her presence.

  Pressed against the window, she spotted the swirling, pink spell and ordered the wind to break through the leaded glass. The panes vibrated but held fast. Grif stiffened at the howling wind and glanced towards the window. When he saw nothing, he turned back to Braum.

  Frustrated, she commanded, Harder, harder! The wind blew with all its force but couldn’t break in. How the hell was she supposed to get the blasted thing open? They’d clearly not thought this through.

  The glass vial landed gingerly on the window pane, pink gusts swirling about. Her eyes narrowed in concentration. She’d use it to garner Grif’s attention. He’d open the window and… easy.

  Weakened by the night’s events, Jessica fought the call of her body as it coaxed her spirit to return. She shook with the effort it took not to obey. This was Braum’s only chance, and she couldn’t fail him now. Somehow managing to stay aloft, she ordered the wind to pick up the potion through clenched teeth. The glass vial wobbled in the air a moment before softly knocking against the window.

  Tap, tap, tap.

  Her brows furrowed as she faced Grif. He was her last hope. But his deadened eyes remained fixed on Braum. She cursed, lifted limp arms, and tried again, tapping the vial, oh-so-carefully.

  Her head swiveled back, gaze anxious. Turn around! Turn around and walk to the damn window. Instead, Grif hunched lower over Braum’s diminished form, tears streaming down his cheeks.

  Mustering what remained of her strength, she fought the trembles wracking her form, and, this time, picked up both the potion and the charm. With as much force as she dared, she clattered them against the window as the spell howled and rattled the frame.

  Grif’s head lifted.

  Jessica’s heart leapt. Though her arms quavered, she continued the insistent tapping.

  Grif stared at the window.

  Go! Open the window! she screamed, fists tight with effort, arms quaking.

  He didn’t move.

  With nothing left, the items drifted to the ledge, and Jessica sank to the floor, knowing she’d failed. Her heart quivered. Whether from regret or fading vitality, she didn’t know.

  “Bloody losing my mind,” Grif muttered and stood.

  Her mouth dropped as he stomped to the window and turned the latch.

  Pulse pounding, Jessica rallied her last ounce of strength. She called to the wind, and the window shot open. The spell hurtled in, roiling around and around until it planted itself above Braum, a swirling mass of hot pink, blanketing him from head to toe. Instantly, Braum’s breathing grew stronger as he inhaled the spell.

  The charm floated passed an astonished Grif to burrow under Braum’s bed, directly beneath his body. And the potion zipped to the side table.

  Grif shook his head. “What the hell?”

  The adrenaline surge faded, and Jessica’s head dipped. Her shadowy form grown indistinct, even to her own eyes.

  But still, she waited for Grif to give Braum the potion. Instead, the man examined the vial, tore the wax from the top, and sniffed. His face contorted at the smell. “What is this witchcraft?” he asked, voice thick with fury. “Don’t they know he’s dying? Yet they send poison to finish the job?” Hand held out, he stomped toward the window.

  Jessica threw her arms forward on a final gasp. A whirlwind ripped the vial from Grif’s hands and brought it to Braum. She didn’t set it down this time but gnashed her teeth against the pain. Muscles wrenched, the potion hovered near his face, bobbing up and down.

  But she had nothing left. Even if she dared pour it into Braum’s mouth, she couldn’t risk spilling the precious liquid. Grif had to help.

  Eyes unbelieving,
Grif’s brows snapped together. “Goddammit, I’ve fought my entire life to dispel the use and belief in magic, charms, and potions. Tried to get people to use actual medicines to heal, and here I am considering pouring this shit down my friend’s throat.” He groaned and walked to Braum’s bedside, eyes filled with sorrow. “I cannot do it. Cannot kill my best friend.”

  You didn’t kill him, I killed him. God, she’d come so close. So damn close. Jessica struggled to catch her breath and watched Grif’s fist wrap around the vial.

  Her eyes drifted shut then snapped open as Grif growled, “Does it even matter? He’s too far gone, and I’ve tried everything, except magic.” Jaw set, he placed the vial to Braum’s lips and poured.

  On a sigh, Jessica’s shade dimmed even further. How long can a spirit be away from its body? As she considered how to get back, Braum opened his hand toward her, clearly sensing she was there.

  Sluggish and clumsy, she floated forward, all but invisible. Her eyes swept over Braum, and her heart eased. No longer a shadow of his former self, his coloring had returned, and he breathed soundly.

  Grif rushed from the room.

  She lurched to a halt beside the bed. She’d been away too long. Her spirit was dying. She was dying.

  Her gaze settled on Braum as she sank beside him and imagined that he pulled her close. This was where she would’ve been all along if not for her temper. Her eyelids drooped only to drift open with effort. One last time. She needed to see him one last time.

  Golden hair framed his face with soft waves. Thick brows creased together as though upset, and his soft mouth was set in a firm line. She reached up to trace those lips. How she’d loved his kisses. But her arm fell limp, and she slipped into blackness.

  ***

  Orrin paced as winds pummeled the cottage, trying not to imagine the worst.

  “She hasn’t come back!” Willow screeched, her eyes fixed on Jessica’s body as she waited for a reaction, a sign to indicate they’d achieved their goal. The moon was high, filling the landscape with brittle light. “She looks terrible.”