Freed
Jessica Lynch
Copyright © 2020 by Jessica Lynch
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Cover by Jessica Lynch
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Epilogue
A Note From Jessica
Coming Soon
Glamour Eyes
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About the Author
Also by Jessica Lynch
1
Welp. I’m a coward.
With Rys, Jim, and Saxon all watching me closely, waiting for my answer, I freeze. Just go absolutely still. My jaw is hanging slightly open, but I sure as hell can’t get my mouth to work.
I can’t believe this. I made my peace with not being able to see Jim ever again. And while I haven’t quite accepted that me and Rys… aren’t me and Rys anymore, my relationship with my human boyfriend was where I had to leave it when I escaped Siúcra: in the Iron, the human world where Jim was and where I can never, ever go again.
But… Jim’s not home. He’s here, in Faerie, standing in the middle of Rys’s elaborate manor home, his strong, callused hands holding tightly to my shoulders as his gruff voice echoes in my spinning mind.
Hey. Are you okay?
No. I’m not. I’m so freaking not okay that, before I can really think about what I’m about to do, I babble out something that might’ve been, “I… I gotta go,” duck out from under his hold, and sprint toward the spiral stairs branching off of the nearest hall.
I take those shits two at a time, my bare feet slapping against each sturdy crystal step. I’m wearing one of the Faerie outfits that Rys had made for me by an imp tailor that traveled all the way to his house to fit me. Since he’s a Seelie, all of my clothes reflect his type of fae: the top and bottom are loose, flowy, made of a silky white material that’s decorated with golden thread. It’s nothing like the jeans and tank I spent the last two months just about living in, and while it took me a bit to get used to how different my new clothes are, I’m grateful for them now. They make it easy to bolt up the stairs.
On the second floor, there are two doors. The one on the left leads to Rys’s master bedroom. The one on the right brings me to mine. I throw myself at it, slamming the door closed behind me.
My heart is lodged in my throat. I can’t quite catch my breath, and I’d like to pretend that’s because I went from zero to sixty in like three seconds, but I think it has more to do with my shock at coming face to face with Jim.
James Fuentes. Jim. Jimmy. My high school sweetheart, my first—and only, before I fell for Rys—lover, and the man I’ve called my boyfriend for the last ten years, ever since we were sixteen. I know all of his secrets, he knows most of mine, and, before I accidentally found myself in Faerie, he was the man I thought I’d spend the rest of my life with… even if our relationship has been on life support for longer than I want to think about.
These last few years, though we still shared a bed in our apartment, we’ve been roommates more than anything else. I busied myself with my art while Jim spent more hours than he needed to down at his father’s garage where he worked as a mechanic. We stayed together because, well, why not? It was comfortable, and if Jim was against marriage, that was fine. Right?
At least, that’s what I told myself. And then I put teal streaks in my blonde hair, hoping he’d care for once, hoping I’d get some kind of reaction out of him, and it took two freaking weeks before he even noticed. When he did? He asked me why I ruined my hair as if I only just did it, or that I haven’t been doing crazy things to my hair since we first met.
It was the catalyst to the fight that led to my fateful walk in our local park the day I stumbled upon the fairy circle. Disappointed with Jim—disappointed in myself for expecting more from him—I took a walk to cool off and, whether it was fate or I was just being an idiot, I walked through the ring of mushrooms and crossed the veil into Faerie.
Of course, a lot of stuff has happened since then. I poisoned myself by eating a pretty, pink apple, I fell in with a pair of sneaky dwarves, I was sold at auction—twice—and nearly ended up the pet of an arrogant Seelie noble. I earned myself a one-way ticket to Siúcra, the infamous Faerie prison, and I caught the attention of a pervy Unseelie guard who I eventually set on fire when he wouldn’t take my “no” for an answer.
I met Rys while I was imprisoned. My scarred Seelie shared the same wing inside of the prison with me, then later became my cellmate. At first, I thought I could use him to escape the fairy jail; a former guard who used to work under the deposed Fae Queen, he was my best hope. Somewhere along the way, though, my plan to seduce him backfired. Instead, I fell in love with him, and when I compared my feelings for Rys to what I had for Jim, I realized that I’ve been holding onto something that was over for too long now.
And then I found out that I’m fated to be Rys’s ffrindau, his soul mate, and it all made sense… until he sacrificed any chance to claim me as his during our escape from Siúcra.
This is Faerie, though. Everything is held to the letter of the law which means that, if there’s a loophole or another way to interpret something, there’s always a chance. Even though we were separated for a few weeks before Rys rescued me from my second time on the Faerie Market auction block, we ended up together again.
I thought he was trying to find a way around his sacrifice.
Instead, he was working on going around mine.
Jim… I— whoa.
My knees are weak. I take a deep breath, trying to knock that lump in my throat loose, then stumble away from the door. No point in locking it. I have no doubt in my mind that someone is coming after me. The fact that there’s one guy I’m expecting to, another who I really, really wish would, and they’re not the same… oh, man. I’m in so much trouble right now.
I move across my room, knocking into the corner of my four-post bed. I can’t believe I just did that, running away, leaving them all behind. I guess, when it came to fight or flight, my instinct kicked in and I was gone.
I’m such an asshole. Even if Jim only thought I was missing from the human world for twenty-four hours—instead of the more than two months that I’ve been trapped in Faerie—it was obvious that he was super relieved to be reunited. Me? I… I don’t know what I’m feeling, only that it’s definitely not what I should be feeling.
Ugh.
What makes matters worse is, now that Jim’s here—he’s freaking here—I have to finally confront the very real truth that I’ve been cheating on him. No matter how I twist it otherwise, we were still together when I disappeared. Regardless of how much time passed for either of us, there’s no reason why he would expect anything else.
I never thought I’d see him again. Even when I did, that wasn’t enough to stop me from falling in love with Rys; it just meant that, after I got out of Siúcra, I still planned on crossing back into the Iron if only
to be honest with Jim. Then there was our escape and my sacrifice and I figured that I’d never get the closure or the chance to come clean.
And now I have it.
No. This is bad. So, so bad. How do I tell Jim that I’m in love with someone else? When Rys went to such great lengths to bring Jim to Faerie, almost like he wants to just get rid of me?
I think that’s what hurts the most. That I was willing to be anything to Rys, even if I couldn’t be his ffrindau, and all along he was arranging for Saxon to give me Jim.
A gift, he called it.
Yeah.
I can honestly say that I preferred my box of paints and the rolls of canvas he gave me.
When the knock finally comes, I’ve been expecting it. I just thought it would’ve come a little sooner.
It’s been about fifteen minutes since I dashed upstairs. Fifteen looooong minutes when I peeked out of my window and wondered if there was any way I could hop out and not hurt myself. I figure, I survived being thrown into the oubliette twice, not to mention the steep fall when me and Morgan walked right into the redcap’s pit trap. I should be all right.
Of course, I’d also be a way bigger coward than I already am. So, yeah. I don’t run, even if the idea of taking off is pretty tempting.
I’m sitting in the middle of my bed, my legs folded underneath me, my heavy head resting in my hands. At the gentle knock, I sigh and slowly scoot toward the edge of the bed.
I don’t ask who’s out there. Why? Either way, this isn’t going to be fun. I just need to suck it up and hope that I can try to explain… everything.
I yank open the door, an apology halfway to my lips. I choke on it, though, when I recognize the Seelie waiting in the hall.
Saxon still looks like crap. Up close, I notice that his normally bronzed skin is still more of a sickly yellow, his golden eyes underlined with dark circles that, for once, make him seem less than perfect. If he was feeling any better, I have no doubt he’d pull on a glamour so that he didn’t let me see him like this.
I try not to wince. Something—or someone—has definitely done a number on him.
“May I come in?”
Can I really stop him? Even in this bad of shape, he’s still way more powerful than I am.
I step aside, allowing him to cross the threshold into my room. As he does, I can’t help but wonder, “Where’s Rys?”
“You ask about him first. Interesting.”
I’m immediately defensive. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing. Just an observation.” Saxon waits until I’ve walked back to my bed before he turns, closing the door behind us. He leans up against it. I’m not sure if it’s because he wants privacy or because he’s still hurting, but I keep quiet so that I don’t accidentally offend him. I mean, he is still fae. “To answer your question, Elle… Rysdan has left the manor.”
Of course he has. Why should I have expected anything else?
“What about…” God. I can’t even say his name.
“Your human mate?”
“Yeah. I guess.”
“Before he left, Rysdan escorted him to his room—”
“His room?” It comes out like some kind of strangled squeal. “Rys’s room?”
“No. One of the spare rooms that he keeps for guests on the first floor.”
“Oh… oh. Okay.”
That’s a relief. I don’t know why I thought Rys would put Jim in Rys’s bedroom, but the idea of my… whatever using the same bed that I slept with Rys in… yeah. Not good. It’s almost as worrying as the sudden idea that either of the males would think he should share mine with me.
Saxon can tell that I’m this close to losing it. “It’s for the best,” he says, using the same no-nonsense voice he did when he was the guard and I was the prisoner. “Rysdan explained that you just needed a moment to yourself. He brought the other human to the room he’ll be using, while I came up here to check on you.”
“Why… why would you do that?”
“Rysdan didn’t know exactly when I would be returning with your human mate—”
“Jim,” I blurt out. Hearing him called that was bad enough the first time. I don’t want to hear it again. “It’s Jim.”
I’m sure Jim already told him that—and I really freaking hope that’s the only name he gave him. I can’t imagine that Saxon would’ve tricked Jim into giving up his true name after everything he went through to get him here; based on how slowly he’s recuperating, it had to be bad. Then again, Saxon is fae. A name is power. Not as much as a touch, but enough.
I swallow roughly.
So, so much trouble.
“Jim, yes. Rysdan put him in my charge until I crossed back into Faerie. He had a meet this afternoon and, since you clearly need some time before you accept your mate again, I told him I would stay over with you until he returned.”
Rys has been very coy and quiet lately. While I spent most of my time in my room, drawing and painting, he’s been keeping himself occupied. It dawned on me a few days ago that I’ve only ever known Rys the prisoner, then Rys the fugitive. Rys, the soldier who pledged his loyalty to Oberon, the Summer King, is someone totally different. He’s too busy to keep me company around the clock. I rarely see him, except for meals, and that’s become our new normal.
So this meet? I didn’t know anything about it. It must be important, though, considering he decided to keep it while I’m spiraling, Saxon looks like he’s dead on his feet, and Jim is… somewhere else. But, just because Rys left, that doesn’t mean Saxon has to stick around.
“You don’t have to do that.”
“Yes,” Saxon says firmly. “I do.”
I guess it has something to do with the strange back and forth he has with Rys. When I first found out that Rys was working with one of the Siúcra guards, I never would’ve guessed it was Saxon. Honestly, even after he explained it a little, I didn’t think that some kind of mysterious favor that Saxon owed Rys would be worth everything he’s done for us. Add in whatever he went through dragging Jim with him into Faerie, and I don’t blame him for the way he told Rys that, now, Rys owes him.
There’s balance in Faerie. And while Rys might not mind being in debt to another fae, I’ve been there, done that, don’t want the t-shirt.
“No. Really. I mean… you weren’t wrong. I think I need a little time to myself. Don’t need a babysitter, though.”
“That’s not why I’m here.”
Yeah? Could have fooled me.
“You look like hell,” I remind Saxon. No way he doesn’t already know that. “You were on your way home before my little freak-out. Wouldn’t you rather go there and, I don’t know, take care of yourself?”
“Don’t mind me, Elle. I’ll be fine.”
He’s standing against my door, leaning, the silver stains of fae blood all over his white clothes. Fine? I’m not so sure about that.
“If you’re going to stay, then I gotta ask.” Especially since it’s obvious his injured state has something to do with retrieving Jim—who looked like he didn’t have a single strand of hair out of place. “What happened to you?”
Saxon purses his lips. He obviously doesn’t want to tell me.
I’m frustrated and annoyed and still freaking out a bit that Jim’s only one floor away from me. Though I’m usually the type of chick who will just go along with things to make someone else happy, that changes when I feel like I’m being backed into a corner. It isn’t often, but I do have a tendency to lash out.
Like right now.
Huffing angrily, I snap, “If you’re just going to stare at me, go. If you want to stick around, then I think I deserve to know what happened if it involves me.”
“I’m not so sure it does,” Saxon tells me. “This…” He gestures with his hand, pointing out the slashes in the linen material, the cuts that must’ve sliced right through his bronzed skin. “This is because someone didn’t want me to bring the human across the veil with me.”
Wai
t—
“They were after Jim?”
“The creatures that attacked us certainly were.”
“What? Why?”
“I would love to know that. Unfortunately, we just managed to escape them before night fell. There wasn’t any time for questions if I wanted to get out before it was dark.”
I don’t get it. “Why did it matter if it was dark or not?”
“Has Rysdan explained how time flows differently between the realms?” When I nod, he explains, “Iron… the mineral… it affects us when we’re in the Iron… the human world, that is. When we cross the veil, we have to follow the sun. The Seelie can only linger during the day, the Unseelie at night. If we don’t trade shifts, we can be weakened. We can even die. The sun burns the Unseelie, just like the night can dim a Light Fae’s light. The veil shifts with the sun, too. Skilled travelers, those who command the portals, they can make the sun work for them. As you can tell, I’m quite fortunate I made it back with your human at all.”
My knee-jerk reaction is to deny it. To say that Jim’s not my human. But… he is, isn’t he?
I push that thought away. “Are you going to be alright? I don’t know what those creatures are, but that looks like it hurts.”
“I told you not to worry about me. Besides, I had a motive of my own when it came to staying over.”
Why am I not surprised? “Yeah? What’s that?”
“Rysdan… he doesn’t want me to give this to you. It’s a good thing that he can’t use my name against me then, isn’t it?” Saxon slips his hand into his pocket, pulling out a shimmering, translucent hunk of… glass? Is it glass? “Come here. Hold out your hand.”
Against my better judgement, I do, and he drops it into my palm. I peer at it. “What’s this?”
Freed: A Supernatural Prison Romance (Imprisoned by the Fae Book 3) Page 1