An Immortal Descent

by Kari Edgren

  I huffed in protest.

  “He’s glad for what happened to Calhoun and wants us to try and make a fresh start o’ things.” Ailish’s expression turned shy. “I’m likely to give it a go.”

  “What if he’s as bad as the father?” Henry asked.

  “Then I’ll leave, milord.” She slanted closer and spoke softly to me. “You made me see I had choices, Selah Kilbrid, that I don’t have to stay if’n I don’t want to.”

  The knot turned to a dull thud behind my sternum. “Henry and I will check on you from time to time.”

  “Yes, we will.” Henry shifted slightly, and steel edged his voice when he next spoke. “Make no mistake of it, Paddy, justice will be served if Miss O’Bearra has been mistreated in any way.”

  Color crept to Ailish’s hairline, though she grinned with pleasure. “Ah, go on now, milord. I can take care o’ meself well enough.”

  Paddy puffed out his chest. “She’ll have no complaints about how I be treating her.”

  Henry’s deep voice rumbled through me. “Make sure you keep it that way.”

  Ailish took a step back, her eyes locked on mine. “We’ll always be friends, no matter what, right?”

  I nodded. “No matter what.”

  She took another step, then turned and slipped like a mouse into the shadows with Paddy at her side.

  My heart weighed heavy to see her go.

  Nuada was the next to leave, vanishing the same way Cailleach had done. Nora considered the empty space for half a heartbeat, her gaze somewhat dazed, before she turned and flew into James’s arms. With a joyous cry, he crushed her to him, and the kiss that followed would have made me blush under different circumstances.

  Brigid looked at me, her face alive with mirth. “As promised, I have informed Lugh that Lord Fitzalan needs an audience.”

  “Thank you. I... I had no idea to expect it so soon.” Anxiety jumped in my stomach. What if Henry became angry after learning the truth? Or worse yet, refused the second gift? I turned in his arms until our eyes met. “There’s something you need to know about when I almost died in the cavern.”

  He dipped his head closer to me.

  “Well...” My voice trailed off at the depth of our audience. James and Nora had moved closer, as had Justine, and each member of our party now watched me expectantly, awaiting my next words. “Well...” I started again, “an interesting thing happened...and Lugh needs to speak with you.” I moved aside with an apologetic look to the sun god.

  Lugh didn’t seem to mind. Drawing closer, he placed a large hand on Henry’s shoulder. In silence, they stared at each other, and I glanced between them, well imagining the nature of their conversation.

  “Do you agree?” Lugh asked after a moment.

  My eyes flew to Henry. Please say yes...

  He nodded without pause. “I agree.”

  My shoulders slackened as the iron tension flowed from me.

  “So be it,” Lugh said. Power crackled in the air, rippled around Henry. For several long seconds, he held completely still, not even breathing from what I could tell. Then his ribs expanded as though freed, and he inhaled deeply.

  “Very good,” Brigid murmured. She shifted her gaze to me. “Tell me, Daughter, do you still wish to bind yourself to this man?”

  I nodded, bemused by the request. “Yes, of course I do.”

  The mirth grew stronger in her eyes. “Then let us proceed.”

  My lips parted with surprise. “Right now?”

  “Why not?” Lugh asked. “Unless you have something more pressing than to marry my son.”

  Words failed me. I blinked at Lugh, then at Brigid. From their expressions, they were absolutely serious about marrying us this very moment. My gaze dropped to my rumpled skirts and muddy boots. A clump of dark curls brushed my cheek, having slipped its pins. No doubt dirt smudged my face, and I smelled of horses and wet wool. Henry looked equally disheveled. Dark stubble peppered his cheeks. His clothing was wrinkled, and somewhere during the scuffle he’d lost his hat. His hair had also come unbound from the leather throng, falling in a tangled shower to his shoulders. In truth, he had never looked more handsome.

  He took my hands in his. “Will you marry me, Selah?” The warmth in his eyes nearly melted me.

  “You know I will.”

  His gaze darkened. “But will you marry me now?”

  It was almost too much at once. A confused fog swirled in my head, clouding all rational thought.

  “Do it, Selah.” Nora’s voice came through the haze, and I glanced at her, at the radiant smile that filled her lovely face. She stood near Brigid with James beside her.

  He tipped his head to me. “I agree, Miss Kilbrid. It’s high time you were married.”

  I turned to Justine for guidance. “But Cate and Tom...” I didn’t finish the sentence.

  Her smile held a hint of sadness. “They are together, Selah, and would wish for nothing more than your truest happiness.”

  I would never forget the last sight of my grandparents in the cavern, the tenderness in Tom’s large arms as he held Cate close, their love tangible in how it bound them together. Henry and I stood on the threshold of something equally beautiful, and it seemed the only way to repay their sacrifice was by taking that final step.

  Or was it the first?

  Sean cleared his throat, coming toward us. Henry met him, his body angled to protect me. I tensed, not sure what to expect when he extended a hand to Henry. “Welcome...brother.”

  His words soared in my heart.

  Henry accepted, and the next moment I found myself in Sean’s arms. “Forgive me, Sabie,” he whispered.

  I nodded against his neck. “We’ll start anew.” We had to or the past three years would remain an insurmountable mountain between us.

  Sean stepped back with a wide grin. “Let’s get these two married!”

  Loud cheers erupted from our small party. “Say you’ll do it,” Marin called out above the others. My brother grinned his approval.

  Slowly, I trailed a look at everyone present, both human and god alike, and realized that piece by piece my family was coming back together.

  Justine laughed. “How long are you to keep us in suspense? Just say yes, and we’ll have you wedded and bedded before nuncheon.” She winked at me. “How you fill the time between then and supper is entirely up to you, though I do have a few suggestions.”

  Henry’s eyes caught mine, the green depths alight with promise. “Be my wife, Selah. For now, for always, say you’ll be mine.”

  Happiness swelled inside me, so intense I would burst if I didn’t find release. “I’ll do it,” I said, swaying into him, “this very minute before anything else can get in the way.”

  “Smart woman,” he murmured.

  Brigid laughed, light as butterfly wings. “Selah Ni Brid,” she said, substituting the older Gaelic name. “Do you bind yourself to Anraí O’Lughnane?”

  I stared at Henry. “Yes, I do.”

  “Anraí O’Lughnane,” Lugh said next. “Do you bind yourself to Selah Ni Brid?”

  “Yes, I do.” His deep voice sent a warm shiver straight through me.

  “Then join your hands,” Brigid said.

  Henry threaded his fingers through mine. Lugh looked between us. “To each, you give your body, your heart and your soul. From this moment forward, two become one, joined by love, bound by law.”

  My breath hitched as fire surged through me, an invisible thread that linked our wrists. It wound around our hearts next, drawing them closer until I felt them beat as one. Then our souls, an eternal binding that would never be broken.

  * * *

  Brigid smiled. “It is almost done. What remains is for you alone.”

  I looked at her, fairly certain what
she meant, but unwilling to voice it aloud with so many people present.

  Henry felt no such compunction. “Then let us be for the inn.” He dipped his head and whispered for only me to hear. “We have unfinished business in the bathing chamber.”

  My skin warmed at the suggestion. “Are you speaking of a bath?” I whispered back. “Or the wrestling match you so wanted?”

  “Both,” he near groaned, “though we’ve two hours to ride first.”

  A low chuckle came from Lugh, and I blushed from the realization that he had overheard our exchange. Then again, being a god, he could have read our thoughts for all I knew. Which made me blush even harder.

  “What say you, Brigid?” he asked. “Shall we help them along?”

  “We could do nothing less for two so in love.” Merriment played in her voice. “Peace be with you, Daughter.” She clapped once, a sharp crack that vibrated from the ground into my torso. Light flashed, and in a blink Henry and I were standing alone.

  His arm wrapped around my waist as he took in the new surroundings. “Do you know this place?”

  Summer air bathed my face. Lush grass cushioned my feet, and I instinctively curled my bare toes into the ground. Power seeped into me similar to Brigid’s garden, except with an unfamiliar wildness to it.

  Lightheaded, I turned into Henry, and his hands moved to my hips. “We must be near the Otherworld.”

  “Is this how the gods bed a newly married couple?” Heat leapt in his eyes as he took in my altered appearance. “If so, I approve.”

  Dark curls fell unbound to my waist, and a loose gown of pale blue silk replaced the damp wool. Henry had also been altered, his hair smoothed and his face clean-shaven. He wore breeches and a tunic similar to Lugh’s, yet his feet had also been left bare.

  He looked every bit the descendant of the sun god. A soft glow emanated from his skin. The tunic pulled over the proud line of his shoulders to fall open to mid-sternum, and I bit my lip at the sight of his powerful chest.

  His voice rumbled into me. With effort, I dragged my gaze up, only to be mesmerized by his green eyes. “Did you say something?”

  He tilted his head to the side. “We have been well provided for.”

  I glanced around, just now taking in the whole of the space. We were near the edge of a clearing about twice the size of the bathing chamber. Flowering trees and shrubs spilled unhindered from all sides, forming a natural barrier. To one side stood a table, laden with platters of food and ornate silver pitchers. Near the back, smooth stones bordered a large pool of water. Opposite the table, a sleeping pallet rested atop a frame of roses.

  Hazy sunlight filtered through the vegetation as though near twilight. It looked mystical and dreamy, and if faeries ever existed, this was where they would live.

  “We could stay here indefinitely,” I breathed.

  A slow grin spread over his mouth. “That is my intention.” He tucked his nose into my hair and inhaled deeply. “Are you hungry?”

  I leaned into him, encouraged by the gentle press of his hand on the small of my back. Sparks glimmered to life in my core, and any thoughts of food were soon forgotten. “Not so much.”

  “Good.” Henry skimmed his hands up my bare arms, making me shiver with delight. “When I first saw you on the docks in the Colonies, I had the strangest notion that we were somehow linked together.”

  I arched a satisfied brow. “And now you have me for eternity.”

  He cupped my face. “Not yet, Selah...not fully.” Love darkened his eyes, and a desire so intense, I could feel it on my skin. “I need all of you...for you to be mine in every way.” His voice dipped lower. “And I vow to give you everything in return.”

  Warm blood flooded my heart. Flames licked the inside of my rib cage. We had eternity together, but it was this moment I wanted most of all. “I... I need you too, Henry.”

  The next second, my feet left the ground as he cradled me against his chest. I wrapped my arms around him and pressed my lips to the thrumming pulse in his neck. “I love you, Henry,” I murmured against his skin. “So much my heart hurts from it.” It ached and pounded, and would cease beating if he ever let me go.

  The distance fell away to the sleeping pallet, and he eased me onto its downy softness without breaking the contact between us. “I love you, Selah.” His breath brushed my mouth. “In this world or any other, I will love you forever.” He kissed me, drawing the fire to an inferno just beneath the surface.

  Together, we were stronger. Complete.

  I tilted away until our lips just touched. “You are my forever.”

  Henry deepened the kiss, and the fire leapt through my skin into him. One last thread pulled tight, the final binding as his wildness met me, entwined with my flames in sacred communion.

  * * * * *

  Acknowledgments

  This series has been a joy to write, and I am thankful to the many people who helped realize what would have otherwise been an impossible dream. To the family and friends who stayed with me through each and every page; Dale Miller, Dan Edgren, Rebecca Jones, Tom Miller, Tonya Edgren Bindas, Cindy Burt, John Burt and Megan Curtis. Your support has sustained me. To my editor Deborah Nemeth for believing in this series and asking hard things, and my agent, Courtney Miller-Callihan, for keeping me faced in the right direction. To Francesca Miller and Brienne Frank for their encouragement, and the Savvy Seven who rode the roller coaster, hands up and screaming. To Hailey Boren and Allie McKay for keeping the wheels on so I could write. And my deepest gratitude to those who gave the most; Grace, Ethan, Connor, Elsa, Caelen, Vigo and Gedde. You are my greatest joy.

  Also available from Kari Edgren

  and Carina Press

  Goddess Born

  A Grave Inheritance

  About the Author

  Kari Edgren is the author of the Goddess Born series. In 2010 and 2011 she was a semifinalist for the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award. In 2013, she was an RWA Golden Heart® finalist. Ms. Edgren enjoys writing both historical and contemporary fiction, so long as there’s a paranormal twist. She resides on a mountaintop in the Pacific Northwest, where she spends a great deal of time dreaming about the sun and torturing her husband and children with strange food and random historical facts.

  Kari can be found online at www.kariedgren.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/kariedgren and on Twitter, @kariedgren.

  Travel back in time with Goddess Born, Kari Edgren’s mystical new adult series!

  GODDESS BORN

  Goddess Born, book one

  Pennsylvania, 1730

  Selah Kilbrid keeps a dangerous secret: she has the power to heal.

  A direct descendent of the Celtic goddess Brigid, it’s Selah’s sacred duty to help those in need. But as the last of the Goddess Born living in the New World, she learned from an early age to keep her supernatural abilities hidden. The Quaker community of Hopewell has always been welcoming, but there’s no doubt they would see her hanged if her gift was revealed.

  A GRAVE INHERITANCE

  Goddess Born, book two

  Selah Kilbrid may descend from the goddess Brigid, but her heart beats—and breaks—the same as any human. Yet enduring the scorn of London’s most noble lords and ladies is a small price to pay for a chance at true happiness. Selah would endure much more for love, and her betrothed, Lord Henry Fitzalan, is prepared to challenge anyone foolish enough to stand in their way, even another goddess born.

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  ISBN-13: 9781426899843

  An Immortal Descent

  Copyright © 2015 by Kari Edgren Miller

  Edited by Deborah Nemeth

  All rights reserved. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.

  All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.