Fae of the West by E. Hall

Author:E. Hall
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: fantasy romance, paranormal romance, sweet fantasy romance, sweet paranormal romance, clean fantasy romance, fae, vampires, shifters, urban fantasy
Publisher: E. Hall
Published: 2021-03-25T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 17

Valora

After the escape and journey to Gould’s Ring, everyone relaxes on the cushions surrounding the hearth. Kiki rests against Soren’s side and their eyes dip closed.

Callen lounges like we haven’t just committed treason and are trying to overthrow a king. Like he didn’t recently find out his father isn’t Rikurd. Like all these emotions don’t matter. It must be nice to be carefree.

My gaze traces the faint scars on his hands, the ones running up his arms, to his face. To the ones hidden there. A faint smile appears on his lips when he notices.

I turn away, confused by my anger that my mother left me with Nathina and the ache in my heart that I never knew her. How can you miss someone you’ve never met? Plus, there are a jumble of other feelings there are just as confusing and out of place.

I close my eyes and start to sift through what’s real and what’s not, unable to get the sleep I need.

Something nudges my leg and I think it’s Luna. When I open my eyes to give her a pat, it’s Callen who gestures toward the door.

Begrudgingly I get up and follow him outside because it isn’t a bad idea. Rather, we’re a bad idea. I halt, unsure where that thought came from. I elbow past him and take a deep breath of the fresh air.

When we’re on the other side of the door he says, “Can’t sleep. Will Kiki and Soren be safe there with Nathina?”

“As safe as we’ll be out here. This is unseelie territory. Watch for rings of stones, fungi, and clover. Avoid shimmering mist and stray sod.” I start down a path past the early lavender.

Callen catches up and passes me a yellow flower. “Matches the gold in your hair,” he says simply.

“That’s a buttercup. It’s poisonous,” I answer.

He chuckles. “So are you.”

I laugh because he’s not wrong.

Luna lumbers at our heels as we pass under damp, hanging moss. We follow a trail to a rocky outcropping overlooking the sea. I catch my breath. I forgot how fiercely beautiful it is out here... “It’s magnificent.”

Callen mumbles something that sounds a lot like, “So are you,” but the wave receding over the smooth stones sound like chimes and I ignore realize I must’ve misheard.

He picks up a flat rock and skips it across the water. It sinks, then skims, then sinks, and then skims again. The ocean’s water is relatively placid here. The small, nearby islands buffet the incoming waves along with the plentitude of rocks scattered across the shoreline. In the moonlight the water looks like rippling jewels, reminding me of the blue-green stone in Rikurd’s crown.

I settle on a rock and unlace my boots. Being away from the castle makes me feel vast with possibilities—like I could lash together a raft and sail away. Or slip beneath the surface and enter a different world, one filled with Sea Fae and fish.

I wiggle my toes and then dip them into the water. The cold is welcome.

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