His smile faded. “What’s wrong?”
She almost laughed. Less than an hour ago, she was asking that question to Dev. “I wanted to thank you for saving my life, Kell. You almost died because of me, and I don’t know what I would’ve done if I lost you.”
“Arden, I love you. I would’ve gladly given my life to protect you.”
Her heart winced. This was far harder than she thought it would be. Memories of the pain she felt when Dev rejected her last winter flared to life inside her. She never wanted to hurt Kell, but she knew her words would. “Thank you.”
Kell’s mouth twisted in frustration. “Arden, I remember what you said to me last night. Why can’t you say it now?”
“It would be so easy to run away, but I admire your strength.” Loku wrapped his invisible arms around her, giving her the strength she needed. “Be honest with him.”
She struggled to find the right words, the ones that would convey the depth of her feelings without giving him false hope. “I do love you, but not in the way you want me to.”
Kell gathered the covers into his fists. “I don’t understand. Either you love me or you don’t.”
She reached out and rested the tips of her fingers on his hand. “I love you like I would a brother or my dearest friend.”
“Just not the way that you love him.”
The bitterness of his words brought tears to her eyes. She knew the raw pain he was probably feeling now, the sting of rejection. But anything was better than living a lie. “Yes,” she said softly.
His fingers uncurled, and he placed one hand over hers. “Are you certain you want to risk everything for him?”
At one point, she would have questioned Dev’s feelings for her, but the burning passion of his kiss had alleviated all her fears. Dev loved her, too. He was just too stubborn to admit it. “Are you saying you’d rather I pretend to feel nothing for him?”
“No, but I wish you could find it in your heart to choose me instead.” His hazel eyes burned as he stared at her. “We could be happy together.”
“I would be settling if I did.” She traced the edge of his jaw with her other hand. “Would you be happy knowing you were second best?”
He shook his head and sighed. “You’re right.”
“I never wanted to hurt you.”
“But you did, and I know I’m partially to blame.” He withdrew his hands and rolled to his side so his back faced her. “Please, I just want to be alone for a while.”
Her throat tightened and her eyes stung, but she rose from her chair. “As you wish.”
As she closed the door behind her, she wondered if she’d lost a friend in the process.
“You did the right thing, my little Soulbearer. In time, he’ll see that, too.”
Her hand lingered on the door as though it was the last thing tying her to Kell. “I hope so.”
Chapter 33
Kell checked the length of his stirrups and made sure his bag was secured to his saddle one more time. A sense of urgency pounded through his body. Reports from the borders suggested that Thallus had invaded Ranello, and he was desperate to return home.
“Have everything?” Arden asked.
His heart still ached when he looked at her. In time, he hoped he’d recover from her rejection, but he doubted he’d ever forget her. “Almost. I really wish you could come home with me.”
She cast a glance to where Marist stood on her balcony, watching them from above. The Empress was still demanding answers for what happened that night, and Arden was confined to the palace grounds until she had them. “Believe me, I want to go back to Ranello, especially if the rumors are true.”
“I pray to the Lady Moon my father is able to beat the Thallians back if they did cross our border.” Part of him was glad to have this distraction, though. It was something to take his mind away from her.
She placed her hand on his arm, reawakening all the raw emotions that still lurked beneath the surface. “I want to give you something before you go.”
She dangled a chain with a small, round mirror in front of her. “The Mage Primus helped me make this. It’s a way for you to reach me, no matter how far apart we are.”
A hint of wariness danced in the back of his mind as he took it. Anything made by the Mage Primus would include magic. “How?”
“Like this.” She guided his finger to the gold frame surrounding the mirror. “Trace the outside and say my name.”
He did as he was told, and a bright light flashed across the surface of the mirror, distorting his reflection. Then Arden’s face appeared in it. He looked up from it to her and saw she held a similar mirror.
She gave him a shy smile, her cheeks pink. “I made a matching pair so we can keep in touch. I hope you don’t mind.”
He wrapped his hand around her gift, unsure when he’d be able to use her gift without reviving the longing in his heart. At least he had the means to talk her, though, and make sure she was well and safe. “No, I don’t mind at all. Thank you.”
He pulled the chain over his head and tucked the mirror under his shirt. “Are you certain I can’t change your mind?”
He left the question vague on purpose, referring to both returning to Ranello and returning to him. She seemed to understand what he was asking and nodded, her blue eyes full of remorse. “Yes, Kell.”
He pressed his lips against her forehead in a farewell kiss and moved past her to where Dev stood a few feet away. He shook the knight’s hand, pulling him close to say in a low whisper, “You have the only thing I’ve ever wanted. If you do anything to hurt her, I swear I’ll make you wish you were dead.”
“Understood.” A muscle rippled along Dev’s cheek, and the possessive fire burning in his eyes told him he wouldn’t let go of Arden without a fight.
Kell tightened his grip on Dev’s hand to make sure he understood his threat before releasing him. Then he mounted his horse.
Arden stood close to him, holding the reins. “If you need me…”
“I’ll let you know.” His gaze flickered to Dev and then back at her. “If you change your mind…”
“I’ll let you know,” she replied. She let go of the reins and stepped back. “Safe journeys to you.”
He rode out of the palace the same way he entered, without any pomp or fuss. Fane rode alongside him, his only companion for the trip back to Hebera where a ship would take him to Ranello. He was going home, but he knew part of him would always stay in Gravaria.
Epilogue
“Are you certain I can’t change your mind?” the Mage Primus asked.
Dev nodded. He’d made his mind up the day Arden kissed him. “I know what I have to do.”
His father sighed. “Then know I can only do so much. You may be my son, but I can’t use our relationship to sway the Council’s decision.”
“I understand.” His stomach was full of knots, but he tried to remain calm.
“I wish you luck.” The Mage Primus gave him a small smile and disappeared into the chambers where the Mage’s Council held their court. The door closed behind him, leaving Dev alone in the antechamber.
He clenched and unclenched his fists, keeping his resolve firm as he waited. The last time he stood here, he’d been accused of murdering Minius and was awaiting his punishment. He’d accepted the Mage’s Council’s decision to make him the Soulbearer’s Protector without question, thinking it was a merciful sentence.
Now, it was the source of constant torture. Every time he looked at Arden, he had to remind himself not to touch her, not to want her the way he did. He wasn’t free to love her as long as he was bound to protect her.
The doors opened, and the Mage Primus announced in a booming voice, “Devarius Tel’Brien, come forward.”
He entered the chamber with slow, determined steps. His heart pounded. Ten pairs of eyes stared down at him from their benches, all waiting to pass judgment on him. His mouth went dry. What if they denied my request?
“You have asked to
come before the Mage’s Council, Sir Devarius,” his father continued as though they were strangers. “What is your business with us?”
He cleared his throat and said in a steady voice, “I wish to be relieved of my duty to protect the Soulbearer.”
The Soulbearer Trilogy contines in…
A Soul For Vengeance
Nothing stirs up Chaos like Vengeance.
When Prince Kell returns to Ranello, he finds his homeland in ashes. The invaders from Thallus destroyed everything he held dear, leaving him heir to a throne he can’t claim. The thirst for vengeance consumes him and drives him right into the arms of the most unlikely of rebel leaders.
Zara had fought alongside her brother, Bynn, for many months trying to keep the hopes of the Ranellian people alive. Finding Kell is just the thing their dying rebellion needs. But as she tries to soothe Kell’s bitterness and turn him into the leader he’s meant to be, she finds herself desiring the one man she believes she’ll never have. A man whose heart was broken by a yellow-haired witch named Arden Soulbearer.
Coming Spring 2013
A Note to Readers
Dear Reader,
Thank you so much for reading A Soul For Chaos. I hope you enjoyed it. If you did, please leave a review on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or Goodreads.
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--Crista
Author Bio:
Growing up in small town Alabama, Crista relied on story-telling as a natural way for her to pass the time and keep her two younger sisters entertained.
She currently lives in the Audi-filled suburbs of Seattle with her husband and two children, maintaining her alter ego of mild-mannered physician by day while she continues to pursue writing on nights and weekends.
Just for laughs, here are some of the jobs she’s had in the past to pay the bills: barista, bartender, sommelier, stagehand, actress, morgue attendant, and autopsy assistant.
And she’s also a recovering LARPer. (She blames it on her crazy college days)
For the latest updates, deleted scenes, and answers to any burning questions you have, please check out her webpage, www.CristaMcHugh.com.
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The Tears of Elios
by
Crista McHugh
Shape-shifters’ Rule #1: Don’t let the humans know you still exist.
Rule #2: If a human finds out about you, silence them.
Some rules were meant to be broken…
Ranealya ruthlessly plays by the rules and has outlived most of her race because of it. If she wants to survive, she’ll have to stick to them, especially with a genocidal tyrant hell-bent on destroying all the non-humans in the realm. But everything falls apart when a human saves her life.
Gregor knows he’s inviting trouble when he helps a wounded shape-shifter, but he can’t pass up the opportunity to study one before they become extinct. She disturbs the quiet order of his scholarly existence, vexes him in more ways than he can count, and encourages him to break enough of the kingdom’s laws so that not even being the king’s cousin will save his head. The problem is, he’s already lost his heart.
Excerpt follows…
CHAPTER 1
Ranealya smelled death. It called to her from the body of an old man lying in the road ahead, over-powering the stench of unwashed bodies that clung to most humans. She approached it with caution and stared into its dull blue eyes. Freshly dead. The corpse remained in pristine condition otherwise, signaling she was the first person to stumble across it.
Her stomach growled, reminding her she hadn’t eaten in days, but she refused to feast on the bounty before her. Let the other beasts have him. There were far more civilized ways to scavenge.
She sniffed the air and surveyed her surroundings, making sure she was alone before she shifted. The thick fur of a wolf melted from her body as she took a familiar form, one of a middle-aged man, and dragged the corpse deeper into the woods. The icy wind prickled her bare skin, and she cursed humans once again for their lack of hair.
A search of the body’s possessions revealed a change of fresh clothes in his pack, a small dagger, and enough money to buy her a hot meal and a night in an inn. Just in time, she thought as the first flakes of snow started falling. Winter behaved like a spoiled child in this part of the kingdom, moody and unpredictable. The only reason she stayed here was because the remote location offered protection from those who hunted her. Staying on the fringes of society had allowed her to survive this long, even though the isolation ate away at her soul as the years passed. But she could endure it. She had for centuries.
While she dressed, she tested her voice to find the right pitch to go along with her disguise. Weeks of dormancy made it sound gravelly, but after a few sentences, her vocal cords loosened up.
Once she finished taking all she found useful from the old man, she began walking to the nearest town. A new scent caught her attention after she’d travelled about a quarter of a mile down the road, and she froze. An icy chill raced down her spine. She wasn’t alone.
“Hello, traveler,” a voice cried out from the trees.
She stared at the figure that appeared out of the lengthening shadows. As much as she wanted to avoid any human contact, running away would only rouse his suspicion. “Greetings.”
“Headed into Poole?”
She nodded, hoping he would accept her answer and leave her alone as she continued on her way.
“Mind if I keep you company the rest of the way?”
She gritted her teeth, but shook her head. As long as she made it clear she wasn’t in a talking mood, maybe he wouldn’t discover what she truly was.
“It looks like there’s a nasty storm brewing. Might shut down the roads for a few days.” The lanky, grizzled man fell into step beside her and studied her through narrowed eyes. “You’re not from Poole, are you?”
“Just passing through.”
“So your appearance here has nothing to do with the reports that there may be a shape-shifter in the area?”
She fought to control her emotions, to keep her voice flat while she feigned disinterest. “Shape-shifters are just a story made up by the elves to frighten humans.”
The man pulled a pipe out of his pocket and packed it with tobacco. “They ain’t legends -- they’re true. My grandfather participated in the Great Hunts. And there’s one in this area. I’ve seen proof of it -- tracks that change or disappear without explanation, normal animals acting strange when it’s around.” He lit his pipe. “Pray you never run across one.”
Ranealya’s jaw tightened. This man knew a little too much for her comfort. “How could you distinguish a shape-shifter from an ordinary person or animal?”
“Look ‘em in the eye. They’ll never have normal looking eyes, no matter what form they’re in. Even when they pretend to be human, their eyes are still wild.”
She lowered her gaze and rubbed her arms, trying to shake out the ice forming in her veins. She could still smell the burning flesh of the murdered shape-shifters. Her companion needed to be silenced before he revived the madness of the hunts from half a century ago. “You seem to know a lot about shape-shifters.”
He lifted his chin. “Some people refuse to believe the legends, but they’re real, I tell you. Dangerous, too. People would rather forget what they don’t see.”
She nodded and came closer, her hand wrapping around the hilt of the dagger she stole from the corpse. “Maybe it
’s better they forget.”
“King Anilayus believes in them. He even sent out the Azekborn to find it. The area’s been crawlin’ with them lately, but I’m gonna catch it before they do. The King’s even increased the bounty set during the Great Hunts. Soon, there won’t be a non-human left in the realm.”
Her pulse increased. Years of being a huntress had sharpened her senses. He seemed so caught up with telling her what he planned to do with the bounty that she couldn’t smell any fear on him. Now was her chance to act, before he realized what she was. She slid her blade from its sheath and hid it in the folds of her cloak, ready to silence him permanently. For a second she hesitated, wondering if she could get away with scaring him into silence. Too much blood had been shed between humans and shape-shifters over the last century.
He jerked to a stop and pointed to her face. “Your eyes!”
She laughed softly as her body slid into its natural form. After all, he should see a real shape-shifter before he died. Fur rippled down her arms, and her fangs grew long enough to press into her bottom lip. She reveled in the few precious seconds she was allowed to be herself, to strike fear into a human and not worry about hiding her true nature. “You were saying?”
His eyes widened, and his Adam’s apple bobbed up and down several times before he found his voice again. “I’ll kill you and collect enough money to make me a rich man.” He drew a hunting knife that dwarfed the small weapon in her hand.
Survival instincts took over, and the blade of her knife sliced through his vocal cords, preventing him from uttering another sound. She stepped to the side to avoid the blood spraying from the severed neck arteries. A twinge of regret passed through her chest as his body collapsed in the middle of the road. Would killing ever become easier? But now there was one less human who knew her secrets, one less human who would hunt her. Survival always came at a price.
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