Spark - ARC
Page 21
Speaking of villains…
“I have a few questions,” he said. “What about those two gamers, the Terabin twins?”
“Gone,” Spark said. “All their daddy’s money couldn’t help them weasel out of the fact they deliberately set that fire. Not with Niteesh as an eyewitness. They might be able to hire good lawyers, but they’re never working for VirtuMax again.”
“They tried to kill you. And me.” He curled his fingers into fists.
Her expression hardened, and she stared out over the water. Aran wanted to touch her face, stroke that grimness away.
“They’ll pay for it,” she said. “The trial’s later this year. But I don’t want to talk about them. I want to talk about you. About us.”
She looked back at him, her eyes serious. Above them, the sky lightened to pale blue, and the sea shone like a broken mirror, bright copper at its edge.
“What do you think?” he asked. “Could you stand seeing me around?”
Her smile was answer enough.
“I talked with the others,” she said. “You’re invited to join the Feyguard. If you want.”
“I do.” It surprised him, how much that meant. And how much he wanted to. Despite everything, he’d found his tribe. And, just maybe, his heart.
“One more thing,” he said.
“Oh?” There was a mischievous tilt to her lips.
Aran leaned forward and brushed his mouth over hers. He felt her smile widen, and then she yanked him against her. Their bodies met with a shock of rightness that reverberated down to his feet.
His heart thumped so loudly he was sure it would knock right out of his chest. He’d hoped, then second-guessed, then buried that hope way down deep, knowing he’d never see Spark again.
But she hadn’t given up on him. Of course not. That girl was always right.
He wrapped his arms around her, kissing her with everything he was, and everything he hoped to be. Stronger. Kinder. Better.
She held him tightly, her lips warm and intoxicating against his, as the sun burst, brilliant gold, over the horizon.
EPILOGUE
The girl huddled away from the cold bite of the wind, a crumbling brick wall at her back. She pulled the thin blanket about her, heart beating fast as a sparrow’s. Already she had learned two things: the mortal world was a dangerous place, and she had just enough magic to slip carefully through its currents, provided she remained alert and wary.
Why had Puck let her through into this place?
Darkness had changed to light, then back to dark, a double handful of times. She’d learned how to scavenge for food, how to avoid the yellow-eyed men who stank of cloying smoke, and how to move, silent as a shadow, in and out of the dwelling places of humans.
As soon as full night fell, with its dark covering, she would make her way to the shelter she had found. There, she studied the world she had come into, learning from the flickering vids how to act and speak as a mortal girl.
The time was coming, soon and soon, when she must fully enter the world of the humans and carry out the queen’s bidding.
But not yet. Not quite yet.
The tale continues in ROYAL: Feyguard Book 2, which will be released July 25, 2014. Join the new release mailing list http://www.tinyletter.com/AntheaSharp to be notified the instant it’s on sale!
Meanwhile, catch up by reading the complete Feyland Trilogy - turn the page for details.
THANK YOU
Thank you for reading SPARK! If you enjoyed this book, please consider helping other readers find it:
1. Lend it to a friend who you think might like it.
2. Leave a review on Amazon, Goodreads, or any site of your choice. Even a line or two makes a difference, and is greatly appreciated!
3. Sign up for Anthea’s new releases e-mail and quarterly newsletter at tinyletter.com/AntheaSharp to find out about the next book as soon as it’s available - and get a free short story!
~Turn the page to discover more of Anthea’s award-winning urban fantasy~
OTHER WORKS by ANTHEA SHARP
Anthea’s award-winning fantasy is available in print and ebook at all online book retailers
The Feyland books:
Prequel story ~ FEYLAND: THE FIRST ADVENTURE - FREE!
FEYLAND: THE COMPLETE TRILOGY in e-book bundle, includes
Book 1 ~ FEYLAND: THE DARK REALM
Book 2 ~ FEYLAND: THE BRIGHT COURT
Book 3 ~ FEYLAND: THE TWILIGHT KINGDOM
Feyland short story ~ TRINKET: A FEYLAND TALE
Coming July 2014 – ROYAL: Feyguard Book 2
Discover more at www.antheasharp.com
Join Anthea’s new releases mailing list - and get a free short story - http://www.tinyletter.com/AntheaSharp
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS & THANKS
Thank you to the many people who made this book better: the invaluable feedback of my first readers Chassily, Peggy, Matt, and my fine editor, Laurie Temple. Thanks also to Arran at Editing720 for quick, professional, and stellar proofreading.
For an absolutely gorgeous cover, huge thanks to Ravven. And for the inspiration to move forward, ongoing gratitude to all the indie authors and publishers who share their journey so generously.
I also greatly appreciate the readers who have taken the time to contact me, leave reviews, and give me reasons to keep writing. This series wouldn’t be here without you! Thank you.
SPARK draws on a number of traditional resources, including my go-to books for Faerie lore: An encyclopedia of fairies: Hobgoblins, brownies, bogies, and other supernatural creatures by Katharine M. Briggs, and Faeries by Froud, Larkin, and Lee.
Readers will also find references to a variety of fairy tales and story archetypes, as well as the poem The Song of the Wandering Aengus by W.B. Yeats.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Growing up, Anthea Sharp spent most of her summers raiding the library shelves and reading, especially fantasy. She now makes her home in the Pacific Northwest, where she writes, plays the fiddle, hangs out in virtual worlds, and spends time with her small-but-good family. Contact her at antheasharp@hotmail.com or visit her website – www.antheasharp.com and sign up for notification of new releases (and a free story) at http://www.tinyletter.com/AntheaSharp
Anthea also writes historical romance under the pen name Anthea Lawson. Find out about her acclaimed Victorian romantic adventures at www.anthealawson.com
Find Anthea out and about:
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