A Glimmering Girl (7 page)

Lilith’s shoulders slumped. Her wings went limp and slid inside. Creepy. Like worms had crawled under her shoulder blades and were resting there. Waiting.

“Bring Cade to Mudcastle tomorrow.” Glory spun up into the air and floated down again. “It will make Beverly feel better, and maybe the visit will bring out more of his fae nature. Goldy and Cissa will be there—and Cissa said she’d ask Max! You like Max.”

“I don’t know.” If they went to Mudcastle, it might do nothing for Cade but it could accelerate her own change even more.

“Think of this.” Glory’s eyes lit up. “Beverly is a really good wyrding woman! She’s been learning all kinds of tricks. She knows how to
do
magic. She hasn’t had much luck with Boadicea, but she did save Dandelion from Idris. Maybe she can make Cade speed up.”

Or maybe she can make me slow down.
“All right,” Lilith said. “I’ll try to get him to go. But—”

“Great!” Morning Glory said. “Ta, then!”

The fairy touched the tether jewel at her throat and popped out.

« Chapter 6 »
These Dreams of You

Footsteps sounded in the hall and Lilith was at her door to open it before Cade could knock. She threw herself into his arms, hanging on to the only thing that felt real in her increasingly surreal universe.

“Do they hate me?” she said. “Are Sharon and Jimmy freaking?”

Of course they hated her. Of course they were freaking out. Marion and Ian knew the truth—where Beverly had gone and what Lilith and Cade were—but they’d told no one else.

“They were pretty much speechless,” Cade said. “Moo must have kept her promise. Sharon and Jimmy were gobsmacked.”

“I can’t imagine what they’re thinking.”

“You know Sharon’s a fae denier.”

“Oh, yeah,” Lilith said. “The first time I met her, she and I laughed at Marion for believing in magic.”

“Well, her innocence is shattered,” Cade said. “I think she’s having an existential break.”

“Sun and moon.”

“Don’t worry about it right now. Everyone’s gone.”

By
everyone,
Cade meant the family. There were others in the house, new staff hired to care for Faeview in its renovated glory. Lilith didn’t want to leave Cade’s arms, but she wanted the bedroom door closed.

The door slammed shut, and she felt certain in her gut that she’d made it happen.

“Whoa.” Cade’s eyebrow shot up, and he nodded approvingly. “Now that’s useful. How did you…?”

“No idea.”

“And the wings are gone?”

“I don’t think so. They seem to have retracted inside me.”

“My poor darling.”

It was all still horrible. Nothing was resolved, but Lilith relaxed. Sun and moon, he made her feel better. Safe. “I couldn’t control it,” she said. “It just happened, like they had a mind of their own. Just popped up and grew and… and took over everything.”

Cade chuckled.
Actually chuckled.
“You’ve just described every bloke’s main problem in life. Here, let’s have a look at you.” He turned her around by her shoulders.

“I won’t be wearing this again.” She pulled her ripped shirt over her head and tossed the fabric remnant onto a chair.

Cade caressed her back. “I don’t feel anything. You?” He pressed under her shoulder blades.

“Nothing,” she said. “Everything feels normal, whatever that means.”

“Mm…” Cade moved Lilith’s hair to the side and kissed the back of her neck. “Whatever that means.”

“Mm…” She leaned back against his chest and tilted her head as his kisses traveled down her neck. He unhooked the front of her bra, and she said, “Take me to bed, my lord.”

“Your servant, Lady Dumnos.” He scooped her up in his arms.

The world was right again. Put in order. Lilith felt human. It hadn’t really been so bad today, had it? Except for that one thing, it had been a normal family gathering to watch the game, bemoan the team and, as usual, for Cade to wish Tintagos had the Clad factory back.

“Cade, during the game before Glory showed up, you said you know what to do now about the Clad. What did you mean?”

“Oh, right,” Cade said. “You gave me the idea. We can relocate the factory from Christminster to Dunhevos. At least it would be in Dumnos again, if on the edges. No problem with atmospheric conditions.”

“And it would bring all those jobs back. That
is
a good plan. How soon could it be done?”

“Dunno. The Sarumens will be pissy about it, but most of the board members are Dumnosians. I can probably get it through.”

“Sarumen. What would the Sarumens have to do with it?”

“They’re a major stockholder. I didn't find out until after James died. He sold a block of shares to a front company owned by old George Sarumen. Apparently his proxy has been quietly buying shares for years.”

“I have a bad feeling about that,” Lilith said.

Bad feeling? She felt sick to her bones.
I hate all things Sarumen because one of them stole my boyfriend
was hardly the basis for a business argument, but her every molecule hated the idea of any Sarumen owning even a mite of the Clad—or anything that rightfully belonged to Dumnos.

“I still control more than half the shares. It won’t be a problem. I’ll start things moving this week.”

He nuzzled against her neck and draped his arm across her waist. His breathing deepened, heavy with sleep.

She fought off her exhaustion, but she hadn’t slept well in days, making love had been so relaxing, and the rhythm of Cade’s breathing was like a lullaby. She loved him so much! And she loved Dumnos too. If she had any powers at all, she wouldn’t let the Sarumens bring their dark power grab to her home… her people now too.

A vaguely familiar man was standing near Igdrasil, where the Lovers should be. He was dressed in the robes of a medieval priest, but he wore a knight’s helmet and carried a sword. Where was Cade? Did he know they were here?

The priest yelled, “You—wyrding woman! Stop!”

She looked around, but there was no other woman nearby. Lilith was alone.

“Come to me.” The priest faced her. He looked like Jenna Sarumen’s father, though younger. His gaze bore into her with intense purpose, and she knew he meant to enthrall her. He wanted to stop her from warning… someone…

“Leave me alone!” Lilith sat up.

She was in her room, and Cade was sitting beside her in bed, running his hands through his hair.

“Did I wake you?” Lilith said.

“No. Another one of those dreams,” he said. “I was at Igdrasil, only it was different, like it was a long time ago. I mean ancient times. There was no road, and the land between the tree and Tintagos Castle was all undeveloped fields. The castle had been restored or… it looked lived in, anyway. I was the lord of the castle.”

“We’re all the lord of the castle in past lives, and in our dreams.”

Cade shrugged sheepishly. “I was desperate to find you. Only… you weren’t you. And I wasn’t me, for that matter. Then I saw a woman near the cliffs. She had one hand on Igdrasil, and the other stretched toward the castle. A priest faced her, dressed for battle, with a falcon on his arm.

“A falcon.”

“It’s a dream. I knew the priest was a Sarumen, and I was filled with rage. I hated him—and I was terrified for the woman. She wasn’t you… but she was. I had a magical sword in my hand, and I knew I could save her-you, if only I could get there in time.”

“This can’t be happening again,” Lilith said. “I won’t let it.”

“It was just a dream,” Cade said. “I’ve been worried about you and thinking about the Clad too much, and they got mixed up in a dream.”

He pulled her down against the pillows and wrapped her in his arms.

“Maybe,” Lilith said. “But what if it wasn’t just a dream? What if it
is
happening again? What if I’m some sort of conduit for frustrated ghosts, and they’re taking you along for the ride?”

“But nothing seems impossible these days,” Cade said. “But there’s nothing we can do about it at the moment.”

“I hate to think of the Sarumens creeping into Dumnos,” Lilith said. “Or old ghosts creeping into our lives.” Lilith lay in her husband’s arms, listening to his breath sounds, to his heartbeat. He fell back asleep, and she fought the urge to follow. “This is
my
life,” she whispered.

A year ago, she’d had nothing to lose. She’d been willing to give her life to save Galen and Diantha because she didn’t appreciate how very precious this life was. Since then everything had changed. Every single day had become a treasure.

That was the biggest change in the last year, and the most unbelievable. Now she loved—and was loved. Her life meant something, and she was exceedingly jealous of it. Sometimes when no one was looking she cried with happiness.

She would never risk that love, not one hour of this life, not a moment that could be spent loving Cade Bausiney.

“We should go to Mudcastle.” Cade hadn’t fallen asleep after all. “My mother might know a spell to keep the ghosts out of our heads.”

“It’s worth a try,” Lilith said. She’d do anything to keep her marriage safe, even if it meant turning more deeply fae. 

« Chapter 7 »
From War to Rumors of War

12th Century. Barfleur, Normandum

S
IR ROSS OF TINTAGOS LET UP
bothering the scar on his cheek, a long-time habit when he became lost in thought. It wouldn’t be long now. Soon he’d see Dumnos, feel the Severn Sea’s cold mist on his face, and hear the soft-falling rain in the keep at Tintagos Castle.

He would reconcile with his father, he’d marry Rozenwyn, and he’d never again go to war.

“Our tankards are nearly empty, boy. Bring more ale!” Lord Sarumen, earl of Winchester, shouted across the table and over Ross’s head, not for lack of manners but to be heard above the din.

A crowd of visitors swarmed over the
White Lady,
its deck lit by torches and lanterns. Most were already drunk, having come down from a tavern in Barfleur at the captain’s invitation. Long tables and benches brought up on deck accommodated the swell of nobles, including William Aethelos, son and heir to King Henry of England, as well as Aethelos’s half sister, Meline.

Captain Fitstevos sat near the two royals, staring into a goblet, his face morose.

Ross felt no pity for the man. Fitstevos had issued his invitation with a different outcome in mind, intending to show off his splendid new ship to the king.
She’s the fastest to be seen in Atlantic waters.
Nay, in the known world!
But approaching the harbor, Henry had caught sight of his own ship and was seized by the desire to leave at once for England. William Aethelos was the consolation prize he’d left behind.

Aethelos, never one to turn away from something shiny and new, had agreed to take the
White Lady
back to London, which of course meant the inclusion of his retainers and hangers-on.

“The ale!” Lord Sarumen said again.