Ryld's Shadows by Angel Martinez

Author:Angel Martinez [Quinn, Angel Martinez & Bellora]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: LGBTQIA Romance Fiction
Publisher: Totally Entwined Group
Published: 2022-01-22T00:00:00+00:00

Ryld wished he’d remembered to bring sunglasses. The garden where they’d been led was a sunny inner courtyard. Flowers bloomed in profusion everywhere he looked. Pink, yellow, white, red, purple and all shades of those colors and more. They perfumed the air with a riot of sweet scents and big lazy bumblebees flew drunkenly from bloom to bloom.

Under a short flowering tree was a table set with a tray of tea things and a plate of small cakes and other treats. It was all quite beautiful, if a little overwhelming to Ryld’s senses.

“Oh goddesses!” An aelfe rose from a seat under the tree. Somehow Ryld had missed her in the overload of flowers and the blinding sun. She was taller than Hank, willowy, and beautiful with her sun-gold hair and eyes the color of lilacs. “I forget how sensitive drow eyes are. Clematis!”

“My lady?”

The tall aelfe flapped a hand at her. “Go and fetch the awning. Hurry.”

“Lady Jessamine, so lovely to meet you in person,” Kai said as Clematis rushed off. “May I introduce Ryld Varjo?” He gestured toward Ryld and Hank, who was standing just slightly behind him. “And his companion, Hank Onyx-Wainwright.”

Ryld took a small step forward. Although the aelfe and drow were different in many ways, they also shared enough similarities that shared social structures were common. In this world, so disconnected from their homes, many of the elvenkind didn’t observe any of those structures, but being brought to a court with an elven queen, even if she was aelfe, Ryld couldn’t help following old patterns.

He gave her a respectful bow, hand held lightly over his breastbone. “Lady Jessamine, I’m glad to meet you.”

“Ryld.” She smiled brightly at him. “I’ve heard so much about you. Welcome. And my dear Kai. So lovely to see you. All of you, not merely a face on a screen. Come. Come sit with me. Your companion is welcome as well. So charming. Companion. Such an old-fashioned title.”

They all sat, and Ryld remembered to be polite. “Thank you for inviting us.”

“You are most welcome, Ryld. I’m hoping our mages can help you. You must let me know if there is anything you need while you’re here.”

Ryld nodded. She reminded him of Miranda, although she looked nothing like the woman who managed Needful Things. It was the kindness in her voice.

“Have you lived among the humans long?” she asked as she motioned to another servant to pour tea.

“I have lived in this world several years, my lady. First in the mountains, then I was brought to the city of New York.”

“Yes, and how do you like it there? I can’t imagine it’s pleasant with so much noise and all the poisons in the air. Especially for someone like you.”

Ryld looked at her. He didn’t like having his differences pointed out, but he saw nothing malicious in her expression, only concern. Lysander had explained that many people did not know how to treat someone who was different and so he must be patient. Patience was hard.

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