So I Married a Sorcerer

by Kerrelyn Sparks

  Brigitta met her halfway across the room and hugged her. Then she saw Stefan with tears in his eyes as he led Bjornfrid through the door.

  Bjornfrid looked around curiously. “What happened to the windows?”

  “Freddy.” Brigitta extended a hand to him. “There’s someone I want you to meet.”

  “Brigitta, are you crying, too? Why is everyone sad?”

  “Freddy.” She led him toward Rupert, who was watching with a wary look on his face. “This is your older brother.”

  Freddy blinked at him. “Ulfie? You’re all grown up.”

  Rupert drew in a sharp breath. “Bjornie?”

  Freddy grinned. “Ulfie!”

  Rupert ran toward him and pulled him tight into his arms. “Bjornfrid, I thought you were dead.”

  “No, I’m fine.” Freddy grinned at him. “Do you want to play?”

  Rupert’s eyes narrowed, and a pang struck Brigitta’s heart. Poor Rupert was realizing that his brother had never grown up.

  Brigitta touched Freddy’s arm. “We’ll send for your grandmother, so she can live with us here.”

  Freddy nodded with an excited grin. “That’s good. I miss Grandma.”

  “You found my brother?” Rupert asked her.

  She nodded. “I told you I’m good at finding things.”

  He pulled her into another embrace. “You found my heart, all shriveled up with hate and the need for revenge. And you filled it with love and joy.”

  She touched his cheek. “I found the tall and handsome stranger I’ve always dreamed about.”

  “Ew.” Freddy frowned at them. “You’re not going to kiss, are you?”

  Rupert smiled at her and winked. “Later.”

  * * *

  Later was four hours, but Rupert had wanted to make sure everything was settled and peaceful before seeking out his wife. Stefan had taken charge of the army, and every soldier in Lourdon had personally sworn allegiance to the new king.

  Arrangements had been made for Gunther’s funeral the next day. Lord Argus had agreed to retire once Six arrived to take over his duties. And Brody had returned an hour ago, angry that the Chameleon had managed to get away by flying into a forest and becoming some kind of animal. When Brody had followed, there had been no trace of him.

  Rupert found his way to Brigitta’s bedchamber, remembering how the last time he’d come there, he’d had to climb a drainpipe and leap across a few balconies. The huge bed was still there, but no Brigitta.

  He found her in the dressing room, soaking in a large tub. “There you are.”

  “Oh.” Brigitta blushed as she attempted to cover her breasts.

  He smiled. She was doing a poor job of concealing herself. “Are you coming out? Or shall I join you?”

  With a giggle, the maid ran from the room.

  Brigitta motioned to a tray on a nearby table. “Have you eaten? I had some food brought up for you.”

  He leaned over to kiss her cheek, then nipped at her ear. “I’ll have a nibble.”

  She gave him a wry look. “Please do.”

  With a smile, he unbuttoned his shirt. Through the soapy water he could see her long legs and more. He pulled off his shirt and dropped it on the floor. “Are you coming out?”

  She lounged back, smiling at him. “I’m enjoying the view.”

  He unbuttoned his breeches. “I never want to be separated from you again. I missed you every minute we were apart. And every five minutes, I wanted to go back and grab you and never let you go.”

  Her eyes glimmered with tears. “I missed you, too. I kept hoping and praying that you would come.”

  He dropped his breeches and stepped into the tub. “Move over.”

  “Rupert!” She gasped as he settled in, pulling her on top of him and splashing water onto the floor. “What are you doing?” She swatted at his chest. “This tub isn’t big enough for two.”

  “That will be my next invention. A bigger tub.”

  She snorted. “And a bigger mop for the mess.”

  He slipped his hand around her neck and leaned in for a long and leisurely kiss. Her hands smoothed around his shoulders, then up into his hair. Their legs entwined in the soapy water.

  “Brigitta.” He kissed a path down her neck as his hand caressed her breast. “I missed you.”

  “I missed you, too.” She touched his face. “I suppose I should call you Ulfrid, but to me, you will always be Rupert. The Wind Sorcerer and infamous pirate who stole my heart.”

  He smiled as he played with her nipple, rubbing the hardened tip between his fingers. “I hope you’re well rested. Because I intend to keep you up all night.”

  “Really?” She smoothed a hand down his belly, then circled her fingers around his swollen cock.

  He hissed in a breath. “What are you doing?”

  She smiled. “Sweetheart, don’t you know when you’re being ravished?”

  Epilogue

  THREE MONTHS LATER …

  “So ye married a sorcerer,” Sorcha said in their island dialect, her eyes twinkling with humor.

  “Rupert is Embraced, like us,” Brigitta explained to her sisters as they all sat around a small table. “He can control the wind, that’s all.”

  “That’s all?” Gwennore gave her a wry look. “I would say that was plenty.”

  Luciana’s mouth twitched. “Just be careful if he blows in your ear.”

  “Aye.” Maeve nodded. “He might blow ye all the way to Norveshka!”

  They all laughed.

  “I missed you so much,” Brigitta told them.

  Her sisters had traveled by boat up the Loure River to see her and King Ulfrid’s official coronation at Lourdon Palace. Now they were all resting in her sitting room while Luciana’s twins took a nap in the adjoining bedchamber.

  “Ye must stay for at least a week,” Brigitta said. “Ye won’t believe what’s going to happen.”

  Sorcha leaned forward. “What?”

  Brigitta grinned. “Sister Fallyn, or I should say Mistress Fallyn, is getting married to our general, Stefan.”

  They all squealed.

  “And ye must come to the ball tonight,” Brigitta added. “I don’t care what Mother Ginessa says about being careful and hiding yerselves away. I had beautiful gowns made for ye all and I want to show ye off.”

  Maeve clapped her hands together. “I can’t wait! Thank you!”

  Brigitta nodded. She was worried about her youngest sister, but didn’t want to say anything that would alarm her. For she really didn’t know what to say.

  The day before, Brody had given her a cryptic warning. Maeve’s time was coming soon. Something to do with her scent. But when Brigitta had questioned him further, he’d refused to say anything other than Maeve would need their support.

  Gwennore turned her head in the direction of Brigitta’s bedchamber. “The babies are stirring. I’ll go check on them.” She hurried off.

  “I didn’t hear anything,” Brigitta whispered. Gwennore’s hearing had always been better than theirs.

  Luciana sighed. “Poor Gwennore. She spends all her time at Ebton Palace, either hiding in the nursery or the library. I appreciate her help with the twins, but I want her to attend the parties and have fun.”

  Brigitta frowned. “She’d better come to the ball tonight.”

  “I’ll drag her there me self,” Sorcha declared, then lowered her voice. “She knows everyone looks at her strangely because she’s an elf.”

  Luciana sighed. “When people see her, they don’t know what to think of her.”

  “The babies went back to sleep,” Gwennore said softly as she entered the sitting room. She gave them a wry smile. “Don’t worry. I’m used to the odd looks.”

  “They don’t know you like we do.” Brigitta grabbed Gwennore’s hand and squeezed it.

  Gwennore sat next to her. “That’s why I love being with you all. Ye’re my true family. Even if I went to Woodwyn, I wouldn’t be comfortable there. I don’t know any
more about the elves than anyone else.”

  “Ye don’t want to be a queen like Luciana or Brigitta?” Maeve asked.

  Gwennore shook her head, smiling.

  Sorcha pressed a hand to her chest. “I might be destined to become queen of Norveshka.”

  “What?” Maeve laughed.

  “I’m serious.” Sorcha sat back, crossing her arms. “Luciana went back to her home country and became queen. Then Brigitta did the same. So why shouldn’t I?”

  Gwennore gave her a dubious look. “Norveshka already has a queen.”

  Sorcha waved a dismissive hand. “It could still happen.”

  “Let’s play the Game of Stones and see if ye’re right,” Maeve suggested.

  “Excellent idea!” Sorcha dashed over to a travel chest to dig through the contents, while Maeve emptied the fruit bowl on the sideboard.

  Brigitta exchanged a worried look with Luciana. Her older sister’s predictions had an odd way of coming true.

  “Here they are!” Sorcha brought a drawstring bag back to the small table.

  Maeve set the brass bowl down.

  “Wait!” Gwennore draped a shawl in the bowl. “We don’t want a loud clatter that might frighten the babies.”

  “Oh, good idea.” Sorcha emptied the stones into the bowl, and they made a muffled noise. “All right, Luciana, show us what ye can do.”

  Luciana leaned forward. “Are you sure about this?”

  “Aye.” Sorcha nodded.

  Brigitta winced, remembering how her prediction from the Telling Stones had haunted her for eight months.

  Luciana stirred the stones with her hand, then suddenly Sorcha reached out to stop her. “No. I don’t want to know.” She glanced at Gwennore. “Gwennie is older than me. It should be her turn next.”

  Gwennore snorted. “What future could I have?”

  “We all have a future,” Maeve insisted, then turned to their oldest sister. “Go ahead.”

  Luciana closed her fist around some stones.

  “O Great Seer,” Maeve whispered. “Reveal to us the secrets of the Telling Stones.”

  Luciana opened her hand and set two of the stones on the table. Green and brown.

  “Maybe she’ll meet a tall and handsome stranger with brown hair and green eyes,” Maeve suggested.

  Gwennore’s eyes twinkled with humor. “Or brown eyes and green hair.”

  Sorcha sat forward. “This is an easy one. The royal flag of Woodwyn is green and brown. A green tree on a brown background. Gwennie will be returning to the elves.”

  Brigitta glanced at Luciana’s face to see if she was in agreement, but only saw a flicker of alarm before Luciana’s face grew blank.

  What else could be green and brown? Brigitta suddenly recalled the uniforms worn by the Norveshki warriors. Green and brown. Was Gwennore destined to go to the land of dragons?

  Luciana set the final stone on the table. Three.

  “What does it mean?” Maeve asked.

  “’Tis simple,” Sorcha said. “In three months, Gwennie will meet a tall and handsome stranger. And most probably, he’ll be an elf.”

  Maeve turned toward Luciana. “Is that right?”

  Luciana shrugged. “I must be tired, because I’m not seeing anything. I’m sorry.”

  Gwennore smiled. “That’s all right. I’ve always believed we make our own destiny.”

  A sad look glinted in Luciana’s eyes. “Aye. That you will.”

  The babies cried in the next room, and Gwennore jumped up.

  “Don’t worry.” Luciana stood. “I’ll take care of them.”

  “I’ll help.” Brigitta followed Luciana into the bedchamber. She noticed that Luciana’s hands were trembling as she reached for Eviana.

  “Let me.” Brigitta picked up the baby girl and hugged her. “Ye saw something, didn’t you?”

  Luciana nodded, her eyes filling with tears. “Danger.”

  Brigitta took a deep breath. “Was it dragons?”

  “Yes.”

  “We’ll protect her,” Brigitta said. “We’re queens. We can keep all our sisters safe.”

  “Aye. That’s what we’ll do.” Luciana picked up the baby boy and gave Brigitta a tremulous smile. “It’s good to be queen.”

  Read on for an excerpt from the next book by Kerrelyn Sparks

  Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon

  Coming soon from St. Martin’s Paperbacks

  Dammit. She was so damned quick at figuring things out, Silas thought. Hearing Gwennore’s thoughts over the last few seconds had been like witnessing a shipwreck. Before he could stop her, she’d crashed onto the rocky shore of his deception. And she was pissed.

  But once again, she’d proven how clever and discerning she was. He strode toward her. “We need to talk.”

  Her lovely lavender-blue eyes flared hot with anger. “I have nothing to say to you.”

  “Then you will keep your end of the bargain?”

  She gritted her teeth. “It was not a bargain. It was an act of coercion and deception. You should be ashamed.”

  Silas shot Aleksi an annoyed look for not keeping his mouth shut, then turned back to Gwennore. “We still need to talk.”

  “Mayhap you need to talk, but I have nothing to say.” She crossed her arms and looked away.

  Mayhap? Where had she learned Norveshki? “We’re going to be stuck together on this barge for the next three hours. Are you planning to ignore me the entire time?”

  She studied her fingernails without responding.

  “I’ll take that as a yes,” he muttered. “But wouldn’t you like to vent your anger? I do deserve it, after all.”

  She snorted.

  At least she was listening. “So for the next two and a half hours, I will allow you to berate me.”

  “Allow me? As if I need your permission. I’ll yell at you whenever I please. And for as long as I want.”

  His mouth twitched. This was more like it.

  “Don’t you dare smirk at me.” She glowered at him. “I am not entertaining.”

  She was delightful. He bit his lip to keep from smiling. “How about I let you throw me overboard?”

  “Can you swim?”

  “Yes.”

  She shrugged. “Then it’s hardly worth my trouble.”

  He stifled another grin. “I’ll promise to be wet and miserable for the rest of the trip. If I dry out too much, I’ll jump back in.”

  With a huff, she planted her hands on her hips. “This is all a jest to you, isn’t it? You tricked me!”

  “Come.” He took her by the arm to lead her toward the side railing where they could be alone. When she jerked her arm free, he added, “I’m just trying to put some distance between us and the child, so you don’t wake her up when you start screeching at me.”

  “Screeching?” Her voice rose, then she winced and gave him an annoyed look. “For your information, I don’t screech. I am not the sort to lose control.”

  He gave her a wry look, since he could recall her losing it the day before. Her hair had been loose and wild, unlike today’s neat and tidy braid. She’d looked magnificent, so much so that a wicked part of him wanted to push her until she lost control again.

  “Come on.” He stepped toward the railing while he smiled at her. “Aren’t you curious why I’m so desperate to have you return with me?”

  She glanced away, her cheeks turning pink. Blast him. I am curious, and the scoundrel knows it. I should slap the smile off his handsome face.

  Silas took a deep breath. Her reactions to him were affecting him too strongly, making his heart race and his groin tighten. If he didn’t teach her soon to close off her mind, he might lose control of himself, and take her to bed. Fool, he berated himself. He would need to seduce her more slowly than that. First, he would kiss her. A gentle kiss, then a more passionate one. Dammit, what are you thinking?

  Thank the Light she couldn’t hear his thoughts. But hell, she was going to be livid once she learned th
at Aleksi, Dimitri, and he could hear her.

  He bowed his head. “Please accept my apology. I am truly sorry.”

  She scoffed. “Am I supposed to believe that? You’ve spent the last few minutes joking about the situation.”

  “That was my attempt to be so charming that you would forget about being angry.” When she gave him an incredulous look, he winced. “Apparently, you are immune to my charms.”

  I wish.

  Just in case you missed the previous book by Kerrelyn Sparks, read on for an excerpt from

  How to Tame a Beast in Seven Days

  Available from St. Martin’s Paperbacks

  By the goddesses, he looked so handsome. The light from the twin moons made the angles of his face seem sharper. His eyes appeared a darker green, and the stubble along his jaw more ruggedly masculine. The sea breeze had tousled his dark-red curls, making him look so adorable she longed to touch him.

  But she couldn’t. With a wince, she realized that was something she could never do.

  “Dammit,” he muttered. “I shocked you, didn’t I?”

  “No, I—” Goddesses help her, how long had she been silently gawking at him? With a twinge of embarrassment, she ducked her head. Oh, no, her nightgown! With another gasp, she quickly gathered her cloak around her.

  He leaned toward her. “Are you sure you’re all right?”

  No, I’m mortified. “I’m perfectly fine. I should go back to my room now.”

  “You didn’t feel anything at all when I touched you?”

  Her cheeks flamed with heat.

  “My lord.” A voice spoke behind her, and she glanced back to see two guards.

  “Leave us be,” the Lord Protector ordered.

  They bowed, then retreated to the tower. Clutching her cloak tightly around her, she started to follow them.

  “Wait.” The Lord Protector caught up with her. “We need to talk.”

  “I should go. I’m not properly dressed.”

  “I like the way you’re dressed.”

  With a groan, she hunched her shoulders, huddling deeper into her cloak.

  “Are you cold?” He removed his heavier black cape and draped it around her shoulders. Holding the edges, he tugged her closer to him. “Now answer my question.”