Once Upon A Kiss: Seventeen Romantic Faerie Tales by Alethea Kontis & Yasmine Galenorn & Devon Monk & Shawntelle Madison & Kate Danley & Anthea Sharp & C Gockel & Nikki Jefford & Hailey Edwards & Debra Dunbar & Sarra Cannon & Alexia Purdy & Julia Crane & Jenna Elizabeth Johnson & Phaedra Weldon & Mandy M Roth & Jennifer Blackstream

Author:Alethea Kontis & Yasmine Galenorn & Devon Monk & Shawntelle Madison & Kate Danley & Anthea Sharp & C Gockel & Nikki Jefford & Hailey Edwards & Debra Dunbar & Sarra Cannon & Alexia Purdy & Julia Crane & Jenna Elizabeth Johnson & Phaedra Weldon & Mandy M Roth & Jennifer Blackstream
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Fiddlehead Press

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Evening fell upon the manor house and with it arrived some semblance of peace. Uncle Deaghan and his sons left for the festival and, after helping Marta and Elrie with the dishes, Aisling crept from the house wearing her dark cloak. It took her half an hour to reach the edge of town and another ten minutes to make her way to its center.

A great bonfire leapt in the middle of a large crowd, the red and yellow flames as animated as the people gathered around them. Laughter and music tainted the air, and the scent of spiced foods and wood smoke teased her nose. She stayed low, not wanting her uncle and cousins to notice her, but all the while keeping an eye open for Kiernan.

A sudden, raised voice cried out above all the general ruckus, and Aisling froze, turning her attention towards the noise.

“The prince of the Weald has arrived! Welcome, your grace, to Arbeine! We look forward to the opening of the art academy and are honored by your presence!”

Aisling stood on her tiptoes, waiting for the people to part just enough in front of her. A man stepped to the side, creating a small gap, and the prince of the Weald, Cernunnos’s highly regarded son, flashed into view.

Shock struck Aisling like a blast of icy wind. She fell to her knees, pivoting as she desperately searched for a place to escape. There. An abandoned alleyway just beyond the edge of the cheering crowd. Aisling darted for it. Only when she had flung herself into the shadows of the buildings did she let loose her despair. The man dancing so merrily with the young women of Arbeine was handsome, and those antlers made him even more so. In her eyes, at least. But, those antlers were the only unfamiliar thing about him. The son of Cernunnos, the prince of the Weald and the young Faelorehn man considered royalty by everyone in town, was Kiernan.

“Oh, Aisling. Why did you allow yourself to fall in love with him?” she whispered to herself, drying her eyes with her sleeve.

The celebration continued on, the revelry just beginning, but none of it brought any joy to Aisling’s heart. After a small respite, she managed to pull herself together and slip back home.