The Treachery of Beautiful Things by Long Ruth

Author:Long, Ruth [Long, Ruth]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: urn|isbn|9781101575567
Publisher: Penguin Group
Published: 2012-08-16T07:00:00+00:00

Jack swallowed down a breath and stepped over the Edge. The mortal world was wreathed in darkness, and a chill, constant drizzle misted the hilltop on which he found himself. He walked through a place called the Vale, crossing a road and climbing the steep incline, heading for an ancient pathway running through the sloping countryside. Beneath the mud, smears of pale chalk that formed the foundations of the land hereabouts were visible, like bare bones exposed. There was no sign of the folk anywhere. Neither mortal nor fae. But then, as Puck had warned him, the fae had no place here anymore. Not in the human world. Not in the places between.

“You’ll have but one chance,” Puck had said. “Oberon’s protection is all that will keep you safe. And he didn’t give it with good grace. He doesn’t relish the thought of you stepping even a foot outside his power, no matter how much he wants the girl. He’s turning your enchantment upside down for this one night so you can walk in her world.” Jack had stared, unable to believe that. “Don’t mistake me,” Puck continued. “It’s no favor. You owe him a great debt, Jack. He wants your word that you’ll renounce what was yours, and your right to it, for once and for all.”

Renounce what was his. Jack gazed down on the fields below, edged with hedgerows, a final line of wildness clinging to the edges of the mortal world, and the squat and flat-topped hillock where he had crossed through. There, Puck had said, a hero killed a dragon. Jack knew better. Dragons weren’t killed so easily, certainly not by mortals. Not even by him. Another failure. More likely this hero was buried there.

Jack pulled the collar of his dappled green coat up around his neck against the rain. Beneath it, he wore a simple green shirt and loose britches. His boots were a sturdy leather fastened with synthetic laces. Puck’s glamour was impressive. If he did encounter any mortals, they’d hardly give him a second glance.

Renounce what was his. The words rose again. It had been so long since he had even considered what was once his. And yet he never ceased to long for it. Titania’s recent offer had made it more real by far. But he knew the truth. He was meant to protect the Realm. Yet he couldn’t even protect Jenny. What was once his? That was a joke. Freedom? Knowing he could never take it back, or win it for himself, all this was a small thing to renounce.

No more dreams or hopes.

No more wishes.

His wishes had been torn from the tree. Puck had told Oberon everything and despite his regret, would probably do it again in an instant. The queen could come for Jenny at any second. With her soul in the hands of the Nix, there would be nothing she could do to withstand Titania. And Mab. This one chance was all he had—and a slim one at that.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.