Faeleahn Read online

  She pulled my head down, not too gently, and seared my mouth with a fervent, demanding kiss. And, being the Faelorehn gentleman that I was, I gave the lady what she asked for, returning her affection tenfold.

  By the time we broke apart, my heart was racing, and my breath coming in ragged gasps.

  “You know,” I managed, my tone husky and deep, “we could delay going to your house an hour or so more. It isn’t quite noon yet, and they aren’t expecting us this early.”

  Meghan, her cheeks flushed and her eyes dark, only grinned wickedly at my suggestion.

  “Tempting, my brave Faelorehn warrior, but as much as I love you, I miss my rambunctious brothers even more at the moment.”

  She pulled away with a smile, lacing her fingers with mine and tugging on my hand so I’d follow her up the culvert. Groaning in slight frustration, I complied, willing my blood to cool and my glamour to settle down.

  Those boisterous brothers of hers were waiting for us at the top of the equestrian trail, along with Fergus and Meghan’s spirit guide merlin, Meridian.

  “They’re here!” Bradley, her oldest brother screeched.

  He jumped over the corner fence and came barreling down the trail, Logan and the twins, Jack and Joey, right behind him.

  “Meggy!” Jack cried out, wrapping himself around his sister’s leg.

  Joey quickly took his place around the other leg as Bradley and Logan folded her top half in a constriction of arms.

  “Boys!” Meghan laughed. “You guys are going to make me fall over!”

  For the next several minutes, Meghan and I took turns peeling her overenthusiastic brothers off their sister so that all of us might make it to the house.

  “Where’s Aiden?” Meghan asked, once she was free. Her smile faded as she scanned the pack of boys surrounding her.

  “Up at the house with Mom and Dad,” Logan responded.

  Bradley nodded. “He wanted to help add the finishing touches.”

  Meghan froze and cast me a disturbed glance. I only arched a brow at her. Her family had a tendency to go overboard with celebrations, and I could only imagine whatever they had planned wasn’t a nice, cozy brunch or afternoon tea.

  What we did find upon entering the Elam household was far less dramatic than I had envisioned. True, there were ‘Welcome Home!’ signs taped all over the walls, obviously drawn and decorated by her brothers, and several multi-colored streamers hanging from the light fixtures.

  Meghan’s adoptive mother had gone to great efforts to put together a feast to feed an army, and her father was busy carrying one dish after the other to the table. The moment Aiden spotted his sister, his blue-green eyes grew wide and he moved toward her as quickly as he could. Aiden, despite being Meghan’s biological brother and boasting a wealth of glamour to rival his sister’s, had a geis on him that prevented him from behaving as a normal child would in the mortal world. Danua had put a cap on his magic, and since it was so intrinsically a part of him, having that part dampened made it impossible for the rest of him to work properly. He had trouble speaking and communicating, and his arms and legs didn’t always work the way a normal child’s should. The people living in the mortal world thought he had autism, but the moment he stepped foot through a dolmarehn, he transformed into a bright, literate boy full of life and vigor. It was painful to watch Meghan with him now. She scooped him up and twirled around with him, smiling, but barely holding back the tears.

  “I can’t wait for the summer,” she told him. “You’ll get to come spend some time with me in Eile. Oh, Aiden! You will love it there, especially now that the Morrigan is gone.”

  Meghan and I made the official announcement to the family about our engagement as soon as we were all settled around the table. Although both Mr. and Mrs. Elam knew of my intentions already, Meghan’s mother was beside herself, insisting on seeing her daughter’s bracelet even though she had helped me pick it out. Meghan’s father shook my hand, reminding me with his sharp gaze of the conversation we had shared only a few months before. I hadn’t forgotten it, and I let him know so with a steady glance of my own.

  After that, we settled down on the couches and chairs and watched a movie together. The movie was strange to me, and during most of it, Meghan was telling me what was going on, which resulted in nasty glares from her brothers. I decided I didn’t care so much for movies, but smiled and told the boys I thought it was great nonetheless. These are things an older brother-in-law-to-be is expected to do, according to Meghan, at least.

  That evening, we went out to a nice steak restaurant overlooking Pismo Beach to celebrate my and Meghan’s upcoming marriage. I had visited my old apartment and brought the Trans Am out for the occasion. It had been so long since I’d driven it, I worried it might not run.

  “I’d like to leave the keys and paperwork with you, if that’s alright,” I’d told Meghan’s father. “Perhaps Logan or Bradley can drive it when they’re old enough.”

  Both boys’ eyes grew as wide as saucers at that prospect. Meghan’s mother, however, wasn’t so thrilled about the idea.

  “I don’t think so!” she exclaimed. “If they get a car at all, it will be something that won’t tempt them into speeding every chance they get.”

  After returning home from the dinner, the boys had argued for nearly an hour over who would get to drive it first.

  “Me, duh!” Bradley had exclaimed. “I’m the oldest!”

  “What if you don’t pass your driver’s test!?” Logan had countered.

  Bradley just stared at him. “And what makes you think you will?”

  I tried my best not to laugh at the entire situation, especially with Meghan sitting next to me, pinching me every time the corner of my mouth curled up.

  Finally, their mother had enough, and she sent them off to bed. Meghan and I didn’t stay up much longer, either. We were planning on leaving tomorrow around noon, to give us plenty of time to stop by Luathara before venturing into the Weald. I was nervous about telling my sister about my upcoming wedding, but the news had gone over so well with the Elams, I was holding out hope that Enorah would have a similar reaction. Only time will tell, I reminded myself.

  Releasing a deep breath I didn’t realize I was holding, I began to let the slight tension drain away as Meghan resettled herself against me on the couch. I could worry about Enorah and how she might take the news tomorrow, but at the moment, I was content just sitting still and relaxing.

  MEGHAN

  I was beginning to nod off when Cade leaned down and whispered in my ear, “Ready for bed?”

  Jerking back awake, I blinked blearily at the TV screen. When Bradley and Logan had finally followed my other brothers to bed, Dad had switched on one of those murder mystery documentaries that aired once a week. It had been pretty interesting, but it was hard to focus when I had Cade as my very own warm, comfy pillow.

  “Huh?” I managed, rubbing at my eyes.

  Cade smiled and repeated his question. Oh, right. Bed. We had to go back to Eile tomorrow. I sighed. So soon. I hadn’t had enough time with my family, but the wedding was a month and a half away. We needed to let the rest of our loved ones know about it, and then, we had to start making all the preparations.

  Yawning, I nodded my response, and the two of us rose to wish my parents good night. I was going to sleep in my old room. It was in the process of being converted into Bradley’s room, but for now, it still contained my bed and most of my other belongings from my previous life. I almost snorted at that, but it was true. I was not the same person I had been those handful of years ago.

  Regretfully, I kissed Cade goodnight before disappearing down the spiral staircase. It was no secret the two of us had been living together for a few months now, but Cade took it upon himself to do the honorable thing and sleep in the guest room. It was one night, after all, and he wanted to show his respect toward my parents. Even so, I tossed and turned half the night, missing his solid, safe presence next to me. I wondered if he was havin
g the same problem upstairs.

  I must have drifted off at some point, because I woke up the next morning having not remembered falling asleep. Changing into a fresh set of clothes, I padded upstairs to find the house empty save for my mom. She was in the kitchen, getting breakfast ready for all of us. I smiled, happy to see her behaving just as she always had before learning what I was. It brought me some comfort, knowing that although my world had turned on its head, some things never changed.

  I slipped onto one of the stools tucked under the ledge of the kitchen island and propped my elbow up on the counter, watching her with a faint smile on my face.

  Her hair was slightly messy from sleep, and she had a towel draped over her shoulder. As she turned to deposit some bacon onto a pad of waiting napkins, she caught me studying her. She froze and lifted one eyebrow.

  “What?” she asked cautiously.

  I shrugged. “Nothing. It’s just good to see you, Mom.”

  She smiled, and some of that anxiety seemed to melt away from her. “It’s good to see you too, honey.”

  As she turned to tend to the new batch of bacon, she threw over her shoulder, “Cade has taken your father out for a ride in that car of his.”

  She rolled her eyes, and I laughed. Dad would enjoy that.

  “Where are the boys?” I wondered aloud.

  “The twins are still asleep, but Bradley, Logan and Aiden were all watching cartoons until your fiancé stepped out of the guest room announcing he was going to take a drive, and anyone who wished to join him was welcome to tag along. He was also sure to mention there were three seatbelts in the back.”

  I snorted again. If I didn’t already love the man beyond all reason, then Cade’s efforts to charm my brothers and father would have pushed me over the edge.

  “I take it you don’t approve?” I pressed carefully.

  There was something more I wanted to ask my mom, something that had been nipping at the edge of my mind like a tiresome mosquito I couldn’t quite swat. But I wanted to make sure I led up to it in a gentle way.

  Mom shrugged. “I don’t approve of the car.”

  I released a small sigh. Perhaps she had anticipated my question after all.

  “But what about Cade?” I asked, taking the plunge. “Do you approve of him?”

  I had never really asked her that question before; I just assumed she liked him. Now that we were about to make our relationship permanent, I wondered if she simply tolerated him because I was so smitten.

  For several moments, everything went still in the kitchen, and all I could hear was the crackle and bubble of frying bacon. I held my breath, keeping my eyes lowered. There was a loose thread on the cuff of my hooded sweatshirt, and I worried at it nervously.

  Finally, Mom took in a great breath and let it out on a long sigh. I glanced up just as she turned around to look at me. To my dismay, tears glinted in her eyes. I was off of the stool in a heartbeat and rounding the island to reach her.

  “Oh, Mom!” I cried.

  She held up her spatula like a sword, her gaze narrowing as she forced the tears back. I stopped my forward progress and showed her my palms.

  “Hold it right there, missy,” she scolded. “I’m just having a Mom moment. You are my only daughter, and I still see you as my baby girl. Of course, I approve of your Cade. In fact, I couldn’t possibly imagine anyone more deserving of you. The man asked your father for permission to marry you, and he took the time to sit down with me and listen as I helped him pick out that bracelet on your wrist. And,” she paused, sniffling back those tears she couldn’t quite get rid of, “and he spent the entire day getting to know your brothers. He played a basketball game with them, sat through those mindless videogames with them. He volunteered to be the one to count in several games of hide-and-go-seek, and he brought them all bows from that place you live, Eire? Eilu? Whatever it’s called. Then, he taught them how to make their own arrows and showed them how to shoot the darn things.”

  As Mom went on and on, listing everything Cade had done to win my family over, I could only gape, feeling my own tears form in my eyes. He had done all that? Had it been during those handful of days he’d been gone from Luathara before he proposed? And why hadn’t he told me? If he was standing in this kitchen right now, I would fling myself at him, then drag him off to some corner of the swamp where no one could disturb us for a very long time. I wouldn’t be able to help myself.

  “Oh, Mom,” I said again, and this time my voice cracked a little.

  She only nodded at me, her eyes still shining. “That young man must love you beyond reason, Meghan.”

  Setting the spatula aside, Mom moved forward, her arms spread wide. Without a second thought, I stepped into her embrace, hugging her as fiercely as she hugged me.

  “Go home to your Otherworld, Meggy. Go home and marry your Cade and be happy.”

  She sniffled and held me at arms’ length, smiling brightly up at me. “And,” she added with a waggle of her eyebrows, “Come back and visit us as much as you can, especially when you have a grandbaby for me to hold.”

  Chapter Three

  Weald

  MEGHAN

  Returning to Eile after such a short visit with my family was bittersweet, but I counted my blessings where I could and tried to be grateful I’d had the chance to see them at all. Cade and I stayed a little longer than we’d planned, arriving on the Otherworld side of the dolmarehn an hour past noon. We met up with the horses closer to the bottom of the hill and reached Luathara a few hours before sunset. After a quick bite to eat, and once we’d switched out our worn clothes for new, clean sets, we were stepping out onto the back patio and heading for the cave system behind the castle.

  All this rushing about had me feeling rather drained, but Cade assured me we would slow down once we reached the Weald.

  “If we don’t get there before this evening, Enorah will worry,” he’d said, as we stepped into the dolmarehn that would bring us to the edge of the great forest.

  “That is your fault for giving her a time of reference. If you’d just said we’d be dropping in sometime this week, she wouldn’t be sitting on the outer most edge of the village boundary waiting for you to show up.”

  I said it in a teasing manner, despite the truth behind it. If anyone in this world loved Cade as much as I did, it was his sister, followed closely by the Dagda, his foster father.

  I caught the sarcastic roll of Cade’s eyes in the dim light of sunset once we were on the other side of the dolmarehn.

  “She isn’t that bad,” he insisted gruffly, his Otherworldly accent growing sharper.

  I beamed at him. “Oh, yes she is. And that is exactly why I am so pleased she’ll be my sister-in-law soon. She loves deeply, your sister, and I plan on earning that same affection and trust she guards so fiercely.”

  Cade impeded my forward progress by coming to a stop. I turned to look at him, a question in my eyes.

  His look was dark, but not in a way I thought was meant for me. “You already have that from her, Meghan. You know that, right?”

  I took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. A large part of me wanted to start laughing manically. How was it that all of these unanswered questions were coming out now, mere weeks away from our wedding? Shouldn’t we have addressed them long ago? I shook my head. The other part of me, the more sensible and cautious side, insisted that it was perfectly natural to be wondering about these things now. After all, we weren’t married yet. We still had time. We should only worry if these questions started popping up after the wedding, not before it. I bit my lip. Despite my own self-administered reassurance, I was certain there’d be plenty of questions in our future.

  Sighing, I shrugged and said, “I know, Cade. It just seems like there are so many more layers to your sister I haven’t even begun to uncover.”

  He nodded, then shrugged his pack more securely onto his shoulders and started moving again.

  “There are,” he conceded a few minutes later, �
�more layers to uncover. But it is Enorah’s place to tell you, and it will have to be in her time. Perhaps you can get her to open up a little in the next handful of days.”

  After that, Cade and I made our way through the darkening forest in relative silence. I was lost in my own thoughts, and I’m sure Cade was as well. Meridian and Fergus joined us every now and again, and I smiled as my spirit guide swooped down onto my shoulder.

  Night! she sent, fluffing her feathers and tucking her head under her wing.

  Must be nice, I mused, having someone carrying you around all the time while you sleep.

  We walked for an hour or so more, Cade stopping me every time he thought he heard someone or something rustling in the underbrush. Usually, it was only a benevolent Otherworldly animal foraging for food in the dark and not some foul thing wanting to give us trouble. By the time we reached the outskirts of the Wildren’s village, it was full dark and Cade and I had to use our glamour to light rudimentary torches.

  Just as I’d anticipated, Enorah was perched in a tree growing along the edge of her territory. She dropped to the ground, as silent as a panther, and nearly scared me half to death. Cade, of course, barely flinched.

  “There you two are!” she proclaimed in her usual, boisterous way.

  Enorah either didn’t notice my glare of annoyance, or she didn’t care. She stepped forward and wrapped her brother up in one of her bear-hugs and then did the same with me.

  “Enorah!” I wheezed, “I can’t breathe!”

  She let me go then and held me at arm’s length, studying me with those sharp eyes of hers, their color impossible to discern in the flickering torchlight.

  “And how are you, Meghan? Holding up well since the great battle?”

  I nodded, grateful to be able to draw air into my lungs once again.

  Enorah smiled and said, “Good to hear it.” She turned her gaze back onto Cade. “And how does Luathara Castle fare? I’m sorry I couldn’t make it to your Imbolg celebration.”

  “Don’t worry about it. You weren’t the only one. Most of those we invited outside of Kellston had to decline for one reason or another.”