The Outcast Prince
Page 26
Had the Goblin King killed for her, to keep her safe? Or had it been for payment? It was a question she’d never gotten the chance to ask. One she wasn’t sure she wanted to have answered.
Eliza pinched her arm, twisting the skin into a bleached white peak. She didn’t wake.
Two other men joined the watching warrior as Ben drew closer, circling, closing in. There was nowhere for her to go…except back into the rock spire and the embrace of the Goblin King.
“Make it stop.” She twisted away, not wanting Ben to touch her.
The goblin-man shrugged. “Maybe I could, if I were real. If I’m not, then I can’t. If I’m a dream, you should have power over me. If I exist, then I have the power to make every day a living nightmare.” He uncrossed his arms with the grace of a warrior readying for battle. “So, Eliza, do I exist?”
Her lips moved without sound. Did she really want to know what had happened that night? Would she be able to look the man who’d saved her in the eye, knowing he’d killed for her?
She glanced at the man who looked nothing like a goblin and stared into his unforgiving blue eyes, daring him to admit the truth.
“Did you kill Ben?” Was it her fault he had died?
“No,” he answered without pausing for thought.
“Swear you didn’t kill him.”
“If you don’t believe I exist, what do I swear by?”
Ben reached for her hand, the same way he had when she was sixteen. She knew what would happen next. The first kiss had been fun, the next not really. The scent of beer on breath still made her stomach turn.
“You win. You exist.” Goblins exist. “Just make it stop.”
Ben disintegrated into nothing more than dust settling on the flat barren landscape.
“I didn’t kill Ben. And I didn’t bring you back to the Shadowlands that night because you didn’t know what you were wishing. But I warned you. You should’ve known better this time.” His words were soft as he picked up a handful of dust. “Listen carefully, Eliza. Everything here is real. And everything here can kill you.” He blew the dust into her face.
Her muscles went lax.
His hands caught her.
“Everything.”
Acknowledgments
I could write a whole list of everyone who touched this book and helped its progress along, but you know who you are. From reading the first draft, to tightening the romance, fixing my commas, giving it a lovely cover, and then marketing it. This book wouldn’t be here without you. Thank you.
About the Author
Shona Husk lives in Western Australia at the edge of the Indian Ocean. Blessed with a lively imagination, she spent most of her childhood making up stories. As an adult she discovered romance novels and hasn’t looked back. Drawing on history and myth, she weaves new worlds and writes heroes who aren’t afraid to get hurt while falling in love.
Lord of the Hunt
by Shona Husk
Raised in the mortal world, the fairy Taryn never planned on going back to Annwyn, much less to Court. But with the power shift imminent, she is her parents’ only hope of securing a pardon from exile and avoiding certain death.
Verden, Lord of the Hunt, swore to serve the King. But as the magic of Annwyn fails and the Prince makes ready to take the throne, Verden knows his days as Hunter are numbered.
When Taryn and Verden meet, their attraction is instant and devastating. Their love could bring down a queen and change the mortal world forever.
Praise for For the Love of a Goblin Warrior:
“Ms. Husk outdid herself in this book… Once I got into the story, I couldn’t put it down.”—Night Owl Romance Reviewer Top Pick
“Husk has an amazing ability to weave a mesmerizing story with a magical dark fairy-tale feel.”—Love Romance Passion
“An entertaining and unique read. Shona Husk creates a dark yet delightful world where romance and fantasy combine.”—Romance Reviews
For more of the Shadowlands series, visit:
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