by T M Roy
Bastard.
A gleam lit his eyes. He loved to win. Lilith saw that now. He loved winning more than anything. More than anybody. “I knew you would refuse.”
Bastard, bastard, bastard. She lost it. The raging ball of light exploded inside her. Was this what a ruptured appendix felt like?
“Give me that.” Lilith snatched the check away as a loud crunching sound filled the bar. A crack spread across the width of the picture window, and Greg jumped out of his chair.
“What the—?” He gaped at Lilith as if she’d caused the crack.
Impossible, of course. But it had happened in such synch with her exploding rage, that they did feel connected.
“Oh, Greg, don’t be an idiot. A poor bird must have flown into a flaw in the glass.” His fear and confusion were satisfying. “Get out, Greg. Go to Jenna. I’m sure you’ll be very beautiful together.”
“I’m sorry, Lily.”
“It’s Lilith. And no, you’re not sorry.”
Greg walked away and didn’t look back. Lilith had the presence of mind to slip the check into her wallet as the bar manager asked if she was okay.
No, she wasn’t hurt. (False, but true the way he meant it. ) No, she didn’t want a drink on the house. (True. )
The last bit of orange sun disappeared below the horizon, and the valley lights twinkled under the darkening sky. But the fairytale had moved. Prince Charming was downstairs, handing a little blue box to a real princess.
The second glass of wine Greg had ordered was still full. Lilith left it untouched and drove home. She collapsed on her bed and cried until she felt dehydrated. The old loneliness was already creeping in. For three years she’d lived for Greg, taken care of him, thought of nothing but what he needed. She had gladly put her empty life aside to live his. Now she was adrift again, didn’t belong anywhere or to anyone.
But she had to ask herself: was it love or mere need that had motivated her? Had she been fooling herself? She was devastated by Greg’s betrayal—but because she loved him? Or because she was afraid of being alone again?
She opened her top dresser drawer and took out the wooden box that held her mother’s necklace. The box was the far prettier object, handmade of blackthorn and carved with morning glories. The necklace was a choker, crocheted or macraméd of plain brown cord with glass beads woven into the design.
Don’t touch it! The one time her mother had raised her voice to Lilith—to anyone, as far as Lilith knew. Never touch it! She had opened the door just after Lilith discovered the necklace and was about to try it on. The box keeps it safe. Lilith never understood why her mother cared so much. She never wore it. Lilith lifted it from the box and caressed the cord and beads. She didn’t put it on, but it was a comfort to hold something that connected her to someone. She fell asleep with her fingers laced through its weave.
In her dream, she was inside the castle. It was filled with people, intact, lit by festive torches and candles. A banquet was taking place in the great hall below. A tenor sang somewhere accompanied by a harp or lute. It must be Greg’s and Jenna’s wedding banquet, but that couldn’t be right.
Lilith descended a stone staircase. On the wall facing her, a magnificent tapestry depicted a king on a hill and a cloaked woman beside him, her arms raised and outstretched. She faced a gathering of people whose hands were raised to her in the same manner. With the awareness that comes in dreams, Lilith knew the woman had done something wonderful, and this tapestry celebrated the deed.
“Lilith Evergreen.” A woman stared at Lilith from the landing below. She had intense blue eyes. The hood of her black robe was thrown back, and she had straw-blond hair. She gave the impression of great age, but she looked only nineteen or twenty.
“Elyse?” Lilith knew her name but couldn’t remember who she was.
“Tintagos waits for you.” Elyse stretched her right hand toward Lilith. She wore a ring exactly like Lilith’s but made of silver.
Lilith’s hand lurched forward, as if the two rings were desperate to be together. She lost her footing and pitched forward in dreamy slow-motion. She startled awake, sitting up in her bed, but she couldn’t shake the sense of falling.
Still half asleep, she returned her mother’s necklace to its box. The dream hovered at the edge of her consciousness, waiting for her to close her eyes. The thought of lying down again made her dizzy.
It was still the middle of the night, but it was daytime in the United Kingdom. She went into the living room where she’d left her bag and dug out the brochure. She called the number to book a place on the tour of the Tintagos Castle ruins.
“Oh, my dear. You should have called the first day,” the woman on the line said. “I’ve been full up since the announcement. There isn’t a room to be let in the village.”
“But Elyse said Tintagos is waiting for me.” The words just popped out of Lilith’s mouth.
“Did you say Elyse sent you?”
“I…I guess she did.”
“One moment.” The line went silent.
She must be dreaming still. The woman came back on. “I have that reservation. Lilith Evergreen, arriving on the 19th.”
“But I didn’t reserve a room.”
“Then perhaps Elyse did.” The woman laughed as if she’d cracked a joke. “Dear, I can fill the room in the blink of an eye. Do you want it or not?”
The 19th, three days away. “I’ll take it...”
~~~~~
Give Me, the first book of the Tethers fantasy romance series by LK Rigel, is available in electronic book and as a beautiful paperback edition. For more information visit:
L.K. Rigel's website.
Table of Contents
Cover
legal
dedication
Prologue
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
acknowledgements
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Excerpt from LK Rigel's GIVE ME