by Jarica James
Emrick is standing, watching every move I make with his arms crossed. But the moment he sees my triumphant smile, he walks over and wraps his arm around my waist. He’s supporting me lightly so I don’t use all of what little strength I have left and I’m grateful for it.
Jacob’s tent is set up near mine on the plateau. The walk is slow and unsteady, but leaning into Emrick makes it worth it. Doubt hits me as we stand outside. I’m still worried I won’t like what I see.
“It’s just Jacob,” I whisper to myself. Shaking my head, I take a deep breath before entering.
The interior is dim and cool, but as my eyes land on Jacob I can’t hold back the sobs any longer. I would have collapsed if it wasn’t for Emrick holding me up still.
He’s okay.
“It’s okay, Queenie, I’m alive and recovering," Jacob reassures me. I take a few calming breaths before I can even look at him again.
Then I see it. The not so subtle changes and I know right away I was the reason behind it. That or the Spirits heard my pleas.
“Jacob, you’re fae now?” I choke out in surprise. His skin is the same shade as mine. But that’s where the similarities end. His hair went from warm chestnut brown to a midnight black with an almost violet tint to it. His eyes are no longer bluish gray, but a strong shining silver that’s mesmerizing. His once round ears are pointed like mine. But the most important thing is that his smile is still the same. I know I’ll never take it for granted again.
“Apparently you hated not being related, so you turned me into a real fae,” he jokes, but his smile is happy. “Thanks for saving me Bella.”
“I couldn’t have lived without you," I tell him honestly. “You mean too much to me. I need to know what happened though, someone needs to be punished." I feel my magic flare up with my anger, and it feels good to have it back, filling all the empty spaces.
Nobody hurts my best friend and gets away with it.
“It was Gwen. Apparently she was your other traitor. She offered to teach me how to spar, but when we were sparring her face completely changed and she pulled her dagger on me. She ranted about you taking her lover away, so she would take someone you love. She knew that I was the one you loved most," he explains, his eyes shadowed as he relived his nightmare.
“Where is she?” I demand, directing that question at Emrick.
“She ran through the portal. We were all so desperate to save Jacob that nobody stopped her,” he looks down in shame. I take a deep, calming breath so I don't take my anger out on the wrong people.
“Don’t be ashamed, Jacob will always be my top priority. You did the right thing. We need to seal the portal against her, like we did for Allwyn. And who the fuck sits by and watches their lover seduce another woman?” I’m disgusted at the thought and enraged at the idea of them making a joke out of me.
But something doesn’t add up, she seemed not to know what Allwyn was up to when they spoke in the mirror. But Gwen was here all along.
“Hopefully that’s the last we will see of them," Jacob states. His voice is quieter now and I notice he’s looking exhausted and pale again.
“Get some more rest, my fae Prince. Love you more than I love eighties rock." I blow him a kiss.
“Love you, forever," he mumbles back, before closing his eyes and snuggling into his blankets. Emrick leads me out of the tent so Jacob can rest, but I don’t have to rely as heavily on him now. My strength is slowly building the longer I’m awake.
“There have been too many traitors in our group. I want you to learn how to defend yourself with a weapon, before we go to the Court of Winter," Emrick says firmly. For once in my life I don’t feel the need to argue.
“We have to wait for Jacob to recover anyway, so I can agree to that. Can we start tomorrow and plan today? I’m still exhausted," I ask, stifling another yawn.
“Let’s head back to our tent. You can rest today, train tomorrow morning, and plan later in the day if you’re up for it. Today is the day for doing nothing and getting waited on like the queen you are," he states.
Gerwyn and Maddox are in the tent waiting when we return. Emrick announces that it’s his turn for guard duty and he’ll be back in a few hours. Bowen already left without him, in case he was late.
“You’re stuck with us, beautiful,” Gerwyn says with a sly grin.
“First, you eat, then you rest," Maddox demands, ushering me to lean against the pillows on our bedroll. I eagerly take the bowl of vegetable soup and scarf it down. Apparently restoring magic makes you hungry. -
“Did Emrick convince you to train first? He was pretty insistent," Gerwyn questions as he scoots me up and slides in behind me. I nod as I take my last bite of food, before setting it aside and leaning back into his waiting embrace.
“I start tomorrow," I say, closing my eyes and enjoying the magical massage Gerwyn is giving me. He works his warm hands over the knots in my shoulders. Not one to be one-upped, Maddox positions himself at my feet and begins giving me a foot rub. Being pampered by two sexy guys is definitely a great way to relax and I already find my eyelids growing heavy again.
“Rest now, our queen. We plan tomorrow. We’ll retrieve the stone from Winter soon. You need to rest in order to have enough magic to train," Gerwyn repositions us so we are snuggling on the bedroll. Maddox curls up in front of me, so I’m sandwiched between them. Warmth and safety surround me like a fuzzy blanket and I push all of the chaos out of my mind until tomorrow.
Tomorrow, I can deal with the fact that I turned a human into a fae, take on the planning for our trip, training to fight traitors, and rebuilding a realm.
Today I’m going to enjoy the moment and just be happy my best friend is alive and I have four men who love me.
Want More?
Thank you for reading Fated Fae! If you want more, check out the other three books that will be releasing in the next few months!
Veiled Fae - October
Corrupt Fae - November
Forever Fae - December (Last in series)
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For updates and info on my work, make sure you join my reader group and stalk… I mean follow, me on social media!
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The Reaper Realm:
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Bookbub:
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Also by Jarica James
Paranormal Reads
Obsidian Cove Supernatural Academy series: (6 book series)
Call of the Siren: http://geni.us/cots
Path of the Bear: http://geni.us/potb
Trial of the Vampire: http://geni.us/totv
Mark of the Psychic: https://geni.us/motp
Power of the Mage: https://geni.us/POTM
Vigil of the Gargoyle: http://geni.us/votg
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The Spirit Vlog series: (Ghost hunters, each book is a new case) (completed)
Haunts and Hotels: http://geni.us/handh
Parks and Poltergeists: http://geni.us/pandp
Haunt Sweet Home: https://geni.us/hauntsweethome
Mines and Manifestations: https://geni.us/mandm
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The Forgotten: (Co-write with Suki Williams) (Dystopian PNR Demigods)
Nexus: https://geni.us/fpnexus
Broken:https://geni.us/fpbroken
Memory: https://geni.us/fpmemory
Reset: https://geni.us/fpreset
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Not Your Basic Witch series cowrite with A.J. Macey:
Witch, Please: http://geni.us/NYBW1
Resting Witch Face: http://geni.us/NYBW2
Witches be Crazy: http://geni.us/NYBW3
Born to be Witchy: http://geni.us/NYBWnovella
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Academy of the Elite series cowrite with Rowan Thalia: (3 Book Series)
Juniper’s Sight: http://geni.us/juniper
Juniper’s Peril: http://geni.us/juniper2
Juniper’s Trial: (in progress)
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&n
bsp; Pinch of Sass cowrite with Chloe Gunter:
http://geni.us/pinch (Standalone)
Scifi Reads
Chosen by the Stars: https://geni.us/SOSChosen
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Check out Saved by the Stars and Healed by the Stars here:
https://geni.us/sosshareduniverse
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Dark Reads
Cruel Crimes: (Dark Mafia RH Romance Duet)
Damaged goods: https://geni.us/Damaged
Wicked Games: https://geni.us/ccwicked
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Twisted: (Bully BDSM Standalone)
https://geni.us/twistedmmf
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Young Adult Reverse Harem Reads
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Broken Silence: http://geni.us/brokens (Standalone)
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Coming Soon: Chaotic Fate Series (YA PNR RH)
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Contemporary Romcoms
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Besties & Booze series of standalones-shared universe:
Faked by A.J. Macey: http://geni.us/faked
Arranged by Jarica James: http://geni.us/arranged
Performed by Suki Williams: http://geni.us/performed
Played by Elyssa Dawn: http://geni.us/played
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Once Upon A Pineapple: https://geni.us/ouap (Standalone MF as Jarica Riley)
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Mm as JJ Riley:
Paper Wings (MM PNR): https://geni.us/paperwings
Shadowed Wings: Coming spring 2022
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The Boy I Love The Most: (MM YA Standalone)
http://geni.us/tbiltm
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Echo Bay series of standalones: cowritten with Suki Gale:
Pranked: http://geni.us/pranked
Unexpected: http://geni.us/unexpectedeb
