Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 109099 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 545(@200wpm)___ 436(@250wpm)___ 364(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109099 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 545(@200wpm)___ 436(@250wpm)___ 364(@300wpm)
“It might be,” I allowed. “Or it might be a mixture of the Needing and him falling into sub-space. Anyway, coming out of that mindset—coming out of subs-space—can be emotionally and physically draining. That’s what causes sub-drop. Which is why aftercare is so important.”
“Aftercare?” Sel asked. “What’s that?”
“What we’re doing now,” I said. “Warming him up…cleaning him off and comforting him.” I stroked the long silver-blond hair away from Krynn’s high forehead and kissed him again. His eyelids fluttered open for a moment and he gave me another dreamy smile.
“Thank you, my Lady. For taking care of me,” he murmured.
“Of course, Krynn.” My heart squeezed in my chest as I hugged him gently.
“How do you know about all this stuff, anyway?” Sel growled in my ear.
I shrugged.
“I read a lot.” For years reading had been my only form of escape from the monotony of everyday life and the fact that my husband no longer loved me. But I had never expected to be able to live out any of the situations in the books I loved so much. Yet here I was, naked in the tub with two muscular Fae. I guess it’s true what they say—it’s never too late to make your dreams come true.
The three of us soaked in the tub for almost an hour—me leaning against Sel and Krynn leaning against me. It was so warm and comforting between them that I nearly fell asleep. Finally, however, Sel declared it was time to get out.
We all managed to dry off and then we climbed into bed. This time, however, I wasn’t in the middle. I asked Sel to sleep in the center of the big, four-poster bed and then I cuddled up to the big Fae’s right side.
Krynn lay on his left and both of us rested our heads on Sel’s broad chest. With his muscular arms wrapped around us, all three of us drifted off to sleep. I couldn’t remember ever feeling so warm and contented and loved in my life—everything felt absolutely perfect.
I had no idea I was going to wake up to a nightmare.
47
Lily
I had the strangest dream that night. It was about a girl with beautiful deep blue hair and blue eyes to match. But her hair didn’t look like it had been dyed—blue was her natural color, I thought, though I couldn’t have explained how I knew that.
The girl looked somehow familiar to me, as though I had met her once in another lifetime. But somehow I just couldn’t remember how or when we had met.
Then she spoke.
“Hello, Lily.” Her voice was soft and sweet and kind—it made me feel even more strongly that I had met her before.
“Do I know you?” I asked, taking a step towards her.
“We met once—some time ago.” She brushed a long strand of dark blue hair behind her ear and I saw that it was pointed, just like mine.
“Oh—you’re an elf…er, a Fae! Like me!” I said excitedly.
“I am.” She nodded and smiled. “I met you about twenty or thirty years ago in the Mortal Realm. It was at a tavern called ‘Harry’s’ I believe.”
“Harry’s? I used to hang out there in college all the time!” I exclaimed.
Then suddenly, everything clicked and I remembered.
“You were there that night! The night that creepy bastard slipped something in my drink!” I exclaimed. “He and his friend were trying to take me out of the bar to assault me but you stopped them!”
She nodded gravely.
“I could not let him steal your virtue.”
“It wasn’t just my virtue at stake,” I said grimly. “Do you know it came out later that those two were assaulting women and then strangling them and dumping their bodies in the woods? You saved my life that night—whoever you are.”
“I am Alira of the Seelie Court,” she said. “Though I am a different kind of Fae from you, we are still sisters in a sense. I believe I was sent to save your life that night at the tavern and now I believe we are sharing this dream for a similar reason.”
My heart went cold in my chest.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“I have been given a warning to give to you,” she told me. “Listen carefully—Those in power seek to take…you must face them when you wake. And though all alone you stand…the power you need is close at hand.”
I shook my head.
“I don’t understand.”
“You will,” Alira promised me. “When the time comes, you will find your magic—just as I did.”
“But my magic is so weak!” I protested. “Somebody stole me away as a baby and left me in the human world—er, the Mortal Realm—so my powers never developed. I can barely make a seed sprout! And I zapped Seldarin once because I was upset, but I haven’t been able to even produce a spark ever since.”