“Not too long after I met you,” he murmured, continuing the caress down my neck.
A thrilling jolt of pure bliss shimmered through me.
“Really?” I breathed.
He nodded, rubbing his nose against mine.
“Even though I fought it, the part of me that wanted you, and I’ll admit, it was a very large part of me, still found ways to defy the sensible side that told me to forget about you.”
“How do you mean?” I asked lazily, getting over my nervousness and leaning into his embrace.
“That night at your friends’ Samhain bonfire, after we returned from our discussion about the Daramorr.”
I leaned back so I could see his face and wrinkled my brow in confusion. Then, the memory trickled to the surface, and my eyes widened.
My voice took on an exasperated tone. “You mean when you oh-so-casually peeled off your shirt in front of the fire?”
He grinned, the smile reaching his eyes, and dipped his chin once.
I smacked him on the chest, sending up a spray of hot water. “Devlin!”
He shrugged and rubbed the spot. “I had heard it worked on most women, but when you turned your back to me, I was most put out.”
I gritted my teeth. “I had to turn my back to you, or else, I would have passed out. Do you have any idea what thoughts went through my mind when you did that?”
His smile was sinful. “No, but I’d love to hear them, mohr caelihn.”
There was mischief in his voice, and if I fulfilled his wishes, I had a feeling the both of us wouldn’t be leaving this hot spring anytime soon. But who was I to argue with that tone?
Grinning like a fool, I pulled his head forward and whispered in his ear, pouring as much feeling into my voice as I could muster, “How about I show you instead?”
Afterward
Thank you, Readers, for once again joining in with me and my Otherworld characters on another adventure! I hope Caelihn has lived up to your standards. I normally do not include an afterward in my books, but I thought this installment needed one. If you feel that Caelihn fell a bit short of completion, then you are correct. This novel was originally meant to be a novella, a book half this length. But, as it often goes, my Muse didn’t see it that way. Having said that, this is also NOT the sequel to Lorehnin - Robyn’s and Devlin’s story is not yet over. There will be a true sequel sometime in the future. When that will be, I cannot yet say.
Also, you might have noticed I hinted at much activity taking place in Eile while the events of Lorehnin were taking place. Although they have not been written yet, there will be future books featuring Meghan and Cade. Part of this has simply to do with the natural development of the story: I did not know these things when I finished writing Luathara because they hadn’t been revealed to me yet. Another part of it has to do with you, the readers. I will admit, I read every review I see posted about my books, and I noticed some of you were disappointed that the story ended with Luathara. Well, it hasn’t ended. Your comments got me thinking about what happens after the happy ending, and so for the past several months, I’ve been brainstorming and, plotting of course, about what has befallen the main characters of the Otherworld Trilogy. I hope you will be patient with me, once again, as I continue to work on books in this series, as well as the many others that will come my way. As always, all the best and happy reading!
-J.E. Johnson
Acknowledgments
As always, thanks to my friends and family, who never stop supporting me in my crusade to create more worlds, and for understanding my need to become lost in them.
To my editor, Monica Castagnasso, for her diligence in perusing these pages, and for tracking down typos and errors like a spirit guide on the hunt for stray faelah. Your assistance is much appreciated.
An extra special thanks to my Beta Readers, for taking time out of their lives to give me constructive criticism on this book: Stephanie Brady, Katrina Curry, Becky Dillingham, Charles Dyer, Melanie Kucharik, Jodi Moore and Kimberly Nidiffer. Thank you so much for all your suggestions and feedback!
Finally, a special thanks to my readers. Without you, my writing endeavors would never get a chance to truly shine. Thank you for caring about my characters as much as I have, and for allowing them to run amok in each and every one of your imaginations. May the blessings of the gods and goddesses of Eile be upon you.
About the Author
Jenna Elizabeth Johnson grew up and still resides on the Central Coast of California, the very location that has become the set of her novel, Faelorehn, and the inspiration for her other series, The Legend of Oescienne.
Miss Johnson has a degree in Art Practice with an emphasis in Celtic Studies from the University of California at Berkeley. She now draws much of her insight from the myths and legends of ancient Ireland to help set the theme for her books.
Besides writing and drawing, Miss Johnson enjoys reading, gardening, camping and hiking. In her free time (the time not dedicated to writing), she also practices the art of long sword combat and traditional archery.
For contact information, visit the author’s website at:
www.jennaelizabethjohnson.com
Other books by this author:
The Legend of Oescienne Series
The Finding (Book One)
The Beginning (Book Two)
The Awakening (Book Three)
The Ascending (Book Four)
Tales of Oescienne - A Short Story Collection
*Read excerpts of these books here*
The Otherworld Series
Meghan’s Point of View
Meghan’s POV
Faelorehn (Book One)
Dolmarehn (Book Two)
Luathara (Book Three)
Cade’s POV
Ehriad - A Novella of the Otherworld (Book Four)
Ghalien – A Novel of the Otherworld (Book Five)
Robyn’s POV
Lorehnin – A Novel of the Otherworld (Book Six)
Caelihn – A Novel of the Otherworld (Book Seven)
Meghan’s and Cade’s POV
Faeleahn - A Novella of the Otherworld (Book Eight)
Standalone Novel
Faeborne - A Novel of the Otherworld (Book Nine)
Aiden’s POV
Faebound - A Novella of the Otherworld (Book Ten)
The Morrigan’s POV
Faescorned - A Tale of the Otherworld (available in the Once Upon A Curse anthology)
*Read excerpts of these books here*
Connect with Me Online:
Twitter: @AuthorJEJohnson
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorjejohnson
My Website: http://www.jennaelizabethjohnson.com/
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/authorjejohnson/
Instagram: http://instagram.com/authorjejohnson
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/authorjejohnson
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Sneak Peek at Faeleahn, Book Eight of the Otherworld Series:
Chapter One
Luathara
MEGHAN
I woke to the sound of spring birds chirping outside the window, their boisterous songs filling the air with joy and promise. Although I was no longer asleep, I kept my eyes shut, not yet willing to let in the brightness of the morning sunshine. I could feel it pouring in through the tall windows. I knew instinctively, without even reaching across the wide mattress, that Cade was already up. Ever since the ordeal with the Morrigan - his warmongering, glamour-hungry hag of a mother - came to its climactic closure, I had noticed a change in the both of us. It wasn’t so much a physical change, or, more precisely, it wasn’t a physical change at all. It was something different, an awareness just beneath my skin. I imagined this alteration had a lot to do with our glamour. Perhaps all the time we spent together had trained my magic to recognize his on a level far deeper than I had previously realized. It was as if my
magic could reach out and connect with Cade’s without my even being aware of it. Then again, it could simply be a side effect of my being completely and unquestionably in love.
Grinning like a fool, I stretched and reached out across the mattress. As I had expected, Cade wasn’t there. I tried not to feel disappointed. I knew he wasn’t far. Probably out on the patio or walking through the garden. He might have already dressed and gone down to his study, but he wouldn’t be riding the acreage with Speirling today or venturing into Kellston to address any concerns the townspeople might have. Today, we were leaving Luathara for a time, and we planned on heading out long before noon.
Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, I allowed my eyes to flutter open. The room was indeed bathed in golden light, the rich color bringing life to the hues in the tapestries, rugs and drapes hanging around our four poster bed. For a few moments, I simply lay there, cocooned in the soft sheets, tracing the embroidered design in the comforter. Even after all I had been through in the past few years, I still woke sometimes, sucking in my breath at the absurdity of it all. Three years ago, I had been one of the awkward nerds at my high school. I had started out my junior year the same way I approached the previous two: keeping my head down and focusing on getting good grades, so I might get into a reputable college someday. I had lived a typical teenage life, and other than my moments of insanity when I thought I saw monsters and imagined I heard weird voices, I thought I was pretty normal. How wrong I had been.
Rolling over in bed, I crooked my elbow and rested my cheek against my hand. I was facing the glass doors that opened out onto the terrace just outside the room Cade and I shared. The doors were open, the cool breeze of early spring flowing in and making the gossamer drapes dance like cheerful specters. The air smelled of lingering frost and the sweet flowers that dared to open this early in Eile. And beneath it all, I could smell the faint, unique scent of wild glamour. I breathed it all in as I stretched once again.
A small movement out of the corner of my eye distracted me for a second. I shot my gaze toward the balcony once more, just making out the shape of a tall figure. The corners of my mouth curved up, and I felt my body flush with joy. Cade. Even after having known him for three years, and having survived everything we’d been through since, I still got chills when I looked at him. Well over six feet tall and built like a Celtic god, Caedehn MacRoich was the image of any young woman’s fantasies. I thought back to the first time I had seen him, wondering how I had kept my cool long enough to string more than two coherent thoughts together. Alright, if I was being honest with myself, I had fallen for his charms quite quickly. In fact, the sensible Meghan Elam would have smacked the love-struck version of myself upside the head. Before seeing Cade in all his Otherworldly glory, I would never have gone for a guy like him. He was too beautiful, too large, too frightening. Yet, I had kept going back for more. I had agreed to meet him and listen as he slowly peeled back the wool from my eyes. And I had fallen fast and hard. Yet, I didn’t regret any of the decisions that had brought me to this point in my life. True, Cade and I had been through trials and tribulations, many of them so horrifying I don’t wish to reminisce on them. But because of those tests, we had grown closer than ever.
I bit my lip and glanced down at my wrist, admiring the beautifully woven and bejeweled bracelet secured there. It wasn’t just any bracelet, though. This was the piece of jewelry Cade had given to me over a month ago, when he had asked me to marry him. Another flurry of chills coursed through me, and I sighed. The day Cade proposed had been one of the happiest days of my life and I only imagined those days would grow happier. After all, we were Faelorehn, and we were immortal. And, we no longer had the Morrigan hunting us like wild game.
I smiled again as I rose from the bed, bringing a sheet with me in lieu of clothing. As I headed for the open doors, I felt my powerful glamour well up and reach out toward Cade’s. For so long, we had fought against our common enemy, and finally, finally, we were going to start our new life together.
CADE
The sun had been up for at least an hour, yet the stubborn frost of winter still coated the hills surrounding Luathara. I had slipped out of bed only ten minutes ago, reluctant to leave Meghan alone, but my sleep had been restless again. Ever since defeating the Morrigan’s army a few months ago, I hadn’t been able to relax. One would think that destroying the goddess responsible for so many years of my misery and suffering would be enough to banish all the demons that haunted me, but for some reason or another, it wasn’t. I had a terrible feeling that although my tormentor was now nothing more than a memory, her evil glamour and negative influence were still strong contenders for dominance in this world. That would explain my lingering fear.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath in through my nose, scenting the early spring air for danger. It was pointless, really. I couldn’t really smell danger on the wind, but one never knew. I could most certainly smell faelah if they were near. The very thought brought a sneer to my face. Yes, my mother’s leftovers still plagued our world, but I could deal with those in time. A sudden gust of light wind sent a chill through my blood. I lifted my arms and crossed them over my chest. I hadn’t dressed completely after rising from bed, and at the moment, I wore a pair of loose pants and one of my thin linen shirts, and neither was keeping off the cold.
Just as I was about to abandon my survey of Luathara’s landscape, a pair of familiar arms wrapped themselves around my torso, and I felt Meghan press her warm body up against mine. I leaned my head back and to the side, allowing my eyelids to drift shut.
“Hello, my love,” I murmured, relishing Meghan’s body heat as it took the chill off my own skin.
“What are you doing standing out in the cold?” she wondered, in a sleepy voice.
I huffed a breath, trying to will my worry away. “Just thinking,” I answered.
“About what?”
I smiled. My ever curious Meghan. Shrugging, I answered, “Many things, but right now I’m thinking about our upcoming journey.”
Meghan lit up at that. I knew because I could sense the change in her glamour. It had been snoozing quietly beside her heart, but now, it was pulsing with joyful curiosity. She had become so much better at controlling her own power since the battle against the Morrigan, and I couldn’t be more proud of her.
I turned to face her then, grinning rakishly when I noticed what she was wearing, or rather, what she wasn’t wearing.
As if she could read my thoughts, Meghan gave me her own impish smile and pulled the sheet more tightly about herself.
“What time is it?” she asked, dancing out of my reach.
Giving up on my attempts at seduction, I exhaled and answered her, “Between eight and nine in the morning.”
She gasped and dashed toward her chest of drawers. “We had better get moving, then. Good thing we packed last night!”
I chuckled and stepped fully into our bedroom, tugging my shirt over my head as I did so. “Relax. We have plenty of time.”
Despite my reassurance, both Meghan and I were dressed and hauling our travel packs down the stairs within half an hour.
Briant, my steward, greeted us in the entrance hall with a stack of documents he wanted me to look over one last time before we left.
“Briant,” I complained as I set my pack down, “we’ll be in the mortal world for no more than two days, then we’ll stop back here to get clean clothes before heading to the Weald. I have taken care of everything, and you will do fine in my absence. You have managed quite well before.”
The Faelorehn man gave me a stern look and huffed out a breath of air. “Yes, I know, but it is still best when the signature and directions come from you.”
I took the papers and glanced over them quickly, added my signature to the ones that needed it, then handed them back to Briant.
Melvina, Briant’s wife, came bursting out of the kitchen carrying a dish cloth stuffed full of something giving off a savory scent.
> “Scones,” she exclaimed, shoving them at Meghan. “Since you insist on leaving so quickly.”
Meghan dug around in the cloth and pulled out a hot scone. She took a bite out of it and closed her eyes in bliss. “Thank you, Melvina,” she managed, around a mouthful. “And can you blame me? I’m going to see my family for the first time in weeks!”
In her state of excitement, she reached out and gave the woman a tight hug. Melvina only chittered in feigned embarrassment while Meghan offered a scone to me.
“Thank you, both of you, for looking out for Luathara. While we’re gone this time and for all the times before and those to come,” I said, giving them each a grateful look.
“Luathara is as much our home as it is yours, Cade,” Briant insisted. “Now, go on. Your friends and families have waited long enough to receive the news of your engagement.”
With a quick smile, I escorted Meghan outside where the horses and our spirit guides waited. Both Speirling and Lasair had been led into the courtyard by Cormac, the new stable master. They were completely free of the usual tack since they would return to the stable once they dropped Meghan and me off at the dolmarehn.
After helping Meghan onto Lasair, I mounted Speirling, casting Fergus a questioning glance.
Any new faelah I should know about?
Haven’t smelled, heard, or seen any, the white wolfhound responded.
Good. Perhaps they’ve moved on.
Or, more likely, they are lying low for the time being.
I nodded grimly. Fergus was right. I couldn’t hope they had all simply disappeared from Luathara land. Some of them had started developing a will and life force of their own over the years. I feared there were even more of them out there, wreaking havoc and spreading their dark magic even though their mistress was no more.
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