Demon Day by Penelope Fletcher (best novels in english .TXT) 📕

“You understand I would doanything to keep you safe, to keep you with me?”

Brow crumpling in confusion as to whathe referred to exactly, I nodded once. I was slowly coming tounderstand this – Breandan’s need to have me with him. I felt ittoo.

“Say-so,” I murmured andleaned back.

I had not seen my fairy since I’dsaved Tomas from the sun, and there was much feeling between us.Thankfully, none of it seemed hateful. I knew had Breandan notstood between his brother and I that Tomas would more than likelybe ash. Lochlann had prepared to do battle with me and if his skillwas anything like his younger brother’s I would have been inserious trouble. I didn’t even know if Lochlann could touch theSource and wield magic. Yet Breandan had defended me and given metime to get my vampire safely into the cool ground to rest until hecould protect himself again.

Breandan ran his finger down thebridge of my nose, breaking my reflective trance. “Good,” heconcluded.

Breandan’s voice was somethingindescribable. To my ears every syllable was silkily profound. Iwas sure no one else could hear the raw beauty of his voice, and insome strange way I was glad, as it meant I could covet it for myown.

Over his shoulder I saw Conall join usand my frown smoothed as I wiggled my fingers in a wave at him.Already I felt better simply for having my fairy close and touchingme.

“The bond is ancient andpowerful,” Lochlann’s voice had my shoulders hunching like he’dpoked me with a stick. It took a great deal of will for me to notwant to supplicate myself to him when he spoke like that, butBreandan no longer seemed affected and his hold on me tightened. “Iwould never go against the will of the gods and of magic,” Lochlanncontinued as he moved closer to us, “but we must observe thatfaiykind expect … certain customs to be observed and revealing thisconnection has been forged between the Priestess and the formerWyld Guardian would not be wise.”

Lochlann stopped at my back, so closeI could feel the heat of his chest. I shifted in Breandan’s armsand pushed forward, not liking how close he was. Over my head,Breandan locked eyes with his Elder, held his gaze in a lengthysilence.

There was a sudden and palpablepressure in the air.

Maeve skipped forward, her gazeflitting between her two brothers. “Brother….” Both turned to her,like me, unsure of which she spoke.

Conall appeared at my elbow, and Iblinked at his protective stance, his hand on my shoulder as ifprepared to rip me away from Breandan. He watched both of thefairies with a careful eye, his long fingers flexing on myskin.

I held my breath, tense, not wantingthem to fight, but too afraid to say anything lest it start themarguing.

After a beat, Lochlann backed twosteps away and continued smoothly with, “Rae, you must be discreetabout your attachment to Breandan. The people are frightened,confused. They have much to concern themselves with, and the lastthing we need is for them to lose all faith in their new leaderbefore he has even acceded the throne.”

Conall bowed his head slightly andreleased me, but did not step away, kept his stancedefensive.

I arched an eyebrow.“Throne?”

“We have not used the termKing or Queen in many millennia, but the High Lord and High Ladyare effectively royalty,” Conall explained his glare fixed onBreandan.

I pursed my lips. “So what is thePriestess? Where does she fit into that arrangement?”

Lochlann breathed out hard from hisnose in impatience.

“Traditionally the HighLady was the Priestess,” Breandan said quietly.

“Oh, right,” I saidcordially, running that through my mind a few times. It took a fewbeats for it to click and make sense what that meant for mepersonally. My eyes widened and though I was nowhere near him Itook another step away from Lochlann into Breandan, the idea ofbeing his making me feel ill.

“I’m not thrilled either,”Lochlann said, surly. “Not only does my future Queen not dote on meshe was not raised as a lady, but as a human warrior. She is bondedto my younger brother, is willful, reckless, and has a blood tie toa vampire.” He crossed his arms over his chest and scowled darkly.“The gods laugh at me.”

“But I can’t … I mean, youknow that I would never–”

“Choose me over him?”Lochlann motioned to Breandan with a bold swipe of his hand. “I amaware but it changes nothing. Until then we must give the people aunited front to gather courage from. I will not ask you to matewith me until you are ready, or unless there is no otherchoice.”

I spluttered and quivered as I triedto come up with a semi polite way to tell him he had a betterchance of mating a high goddess than with me. Seeing the horror onmy face and my furious rebuttal on my lips, Conall jumped in andargued, “The mating of the fairy Priestess with the High Lord istradition.” His gaze bounced between the three of us unsure of whomto target.

Lochlann held up his hand for him tobe silent. “Our mating will not be discussed at this time, but Iwill not let you make a fool of me in front of all demonkind. Canyou be discreet?”

He asked the last not just of me andfor the first time his gaze fell on Breandan who flinched as if itwas a physical slap. Meeting his brother’s contemptuous gaze hisown eyes filled with anger, and went wild. He looked away, jawworking manically before he clenched his fists, and swallowedwhatever it was he wanted to say.

There would be no swallowing on mypart that was for sure. “We can try to be discreet,” I agreed. “Butfor our safety, not your pride.”

I looked back at my fairy who hadregained control of himself, and gifted me with a long, heatedstare that slid up one side of me, and rubbed down the other. Mywings fluttered and my breathing deepened as I sank into him. Theair between us warmed and buzzed with tension.

Conall cleared his throat and Breandantore his gaze away, a light flush across his cheeks. My own faceburned and I dragged in a shaky breath. I removed myself from hisarms,