A Leap of Faith (A Coin in the Fountain Love Story)

by Linda Boulanger

  Together. He heard her voice in his mind and he rose.

  Together, he thought back, and with a soft flutter, they took to the skies where they were quickly greeted by those of his men who would accompany them back. The rest would have to travel back by horse, though he wasn’t worried about them so much as he might have been to break up his troops before. They had received word the night before that Tamas Brantley had defeated the Driagaran trying to rescue their brethren from Garway’s dungeon. In the end, it had been a bloody battle and Tamas vowed to accept help from his two neighbors from now on, especially now that they were united in wing as well as their allegiance to the King.

  Chapter 13

  “It’s so peaceful up here.”

  Rynne craned her neck to look at her future husband. It was hard to believe he was a dragon shifter, even more difficult to believe she was. A week before, she had still been in denial that dragons even existed. Traveling through time will change a lot of one’s beliefs, she thought, almost certain her dragon mouth had twisted itself into a smile.

  “Do your people know you’re a dragon?” she asked.

  His grumbly snort startled her until she realized he was laughing.

  “I wasn’t one the last time I was there.” Now they both laughed. “But they do know. Or at least they won’t be surprised. My father, as you have probably already figured out, held no secret about his true self. He embraced our heritage, and I’m sure if one of his daughters was a she dragon, only the chains of a specially designed dungeon could have kept him from telling the world.”

  Rynne nodded, looking up when he told her that Locktonhurst was just ahead. Squinting, she could almost make out the grand castle on the cliff, her insides went giddy with anticipation.

  Brendan was pleased to see his whole household turned out to greet his future bride… all except one person.

  “Where is Sophia?” Brendan asked Durstan.

  The old man rolled his eyes and shook his head.

  “She’s refusing to leave her room, my lord. Something about more feathers. Grey ones this time. Pale grey with swatches of pink and droplets of water, or some such.” He threw his hands in the air and turned away. “I’ve given up on that one. You’ll have to ask Hilde if you wish to know more. I’m only here to run your castle,” he threw back as he marched off.

  Rynne laughed when Brendan’s chin dropped to his chest. “She’ll come around, my lord. Besides, what bird has pink in its feathers? It can be none other than someone playing a joke.”

  Of course, Brendan thought, wishing he felt more certain. He was thinking of the black feathers that had foretold Rynne’s coming. Was there any chance his sister could be a she dragon as well? That would put two of them born within a short span of each other. It couldn’t be. His father would have told them.

  A loud cheer erupted behind them, dragging his thoughts from his sister. They turned to see the priest’s carriage laboring through the gate into the vast courtyard.

  “Tis a fine thing you sent extra horses, Lord MacCailín,” the portly man bellowed to him as he climbed from the rigged box. “I’m not sure my own would have made it up that hill.”

  Brendan extended his hand, clapping the much older man on the shoulder when he pulled him into a hug.

  “I thank you for making haste, Father,” he gratefully expressed, glancing up. “It looks like we’re in for a bit of a squall, so I’d like to commence with the formalities as soon as possible. Karthmere weather has been known to cause too many plans to be delayed. I don’t want this to be one of those times.”

  The old priest nodded. “Too bad you and your flighty friends can’t blow it away with those big wings of yours.” Several of the men laughed, as did Rynne, garnering the priest’s full attention. “Ah, your lady is more beautiful than I imagined. No wonder you’re in such a hurry, lad.”

  Rynne blushed when the priest winked at Brendan.

  Hooking elbows with the two of them, he nodded toward the chapel.

  “Come. Let’s make this official before darkness falls and the heavens open their floodgates. I should like to be secured in your great hall by then.”

  “And you shall, Father. You shall. With extra ale in your belly and heavy coin in your purse.”

  Brendan’s words brought a smile to the old man’s face that shone brighter than the gold that he would be given for his services. It was almost as bright as the stars dancing in the eyes of the couple when the last words were said and the kiss was shared that would officially bind them as one.

  Rynne tried to be patient as Brendan made her wait by the fireplace, her hands over her eyes. She couldn’t imagine what he could be doing scurrying around his bed—their bed.

  When she finally felt his arms go around her, she turned, snuggling against him for just a second before attempting to peek behind him. In the middle of the bed that had been stripped bare except for the bottom linen he had arranged an assortment of trinkets.

  Atop crisscrossed feathers, one midnight black and one royal blue, sat a small box, its top opened to expose a ring that she could see was elegant and beguiling, even from a distance. She knew, without him telling her, that it was the ring his father had given to his mother and she couldn’t help but wonder how many hundreds of years ago that had been. Wound loosely around the box was the chain of the heart-shaped vial. All of the items lay on the linen right next to the red streak from the night he’d first made love to her.

  Tears wet her lashes as Rynne turned back to her husband.

  “I believe you are a romantic at heart, Lord MacCailín,” she told him.

  Chuckling, he took her hands and started backing toward the bed.

  “Shall I show you just how romantic I can be, Lady MacCailín?”

  The huskiness of his voice made Rynne shiver. Knowing she was his lady sent a fire coursing through her veins, especially since she knew what was in store, having already had a taste of his romantic passion.

  She giggled when he backed into the bed and fell to the mattress, only to squeal when he pulled her down on top of him before quickly rolling her to her back. He stared down at her for a moment, her body tingling as his gaze slid over her.

  She knew the sheer gown Hilde had laid out for her did little to hide her form beneath. She thought of the way he’d looked at her that first time in the garden when her wet dress may well have been as invisible as her night gown. His eyes had been cloudy with lust then. Now, the love and desire mingling in their depths nearly took her breath away.

  “I love you,” he whispered, covering her mouth with his. When she arched against the hand he trailed down her front, he pulled away and reached for the box containing the ring.

  “For all your days, I shall love only you, my lady,” he told her as he slipped the last symbol of their unity into place. It fit perfectly with the tiny dragon that already wound its way around her finger. He kissed her hand. “Dragons mate for life, you know.”

  Rynne nodded. Even if they hadn’t been dragons, she already knew that he was hers for all eternity.

  With a swiftness that echoed his need, Brendan moved the other trinkets to the stand beside the big bed, kissing her just as the first bolt of lightning cracked beyond the heavy drapes.

  “I love you too,” she whispered, wringing a low growl from him. When his mouth covered her breast at the same time his hand slipped beneath the silken hem of her gown and grazed her swollen sex, Rynne cried out. She’d expected this first union after their nuptial vows to be quick, but the slow movement of his fingers told her otherwise.

  Rynne’s body soared higher and higher, reminding her of the way she’d felt when she took to the skies in dragon form that first time. His teeth raking across her silk layered breast sent her over the edge and Rynne screamed when she felt herself falling. Floating really, like a soft feather…

  Pulling Brendan’s face up to hers, she wrapped her arms around his neck, her legs encircling his to guide him into her.

  “Never let m
e go,” she whispered, answering his moan with one of her own when he pressed to complete their union. His shoulder against hers burned hot where the two feather images touched.

  “You asked to come home and your leap of faith delivered you to my door, because this was where you belong.” He kissed her softly then began to move, driving all thoughts from her mind except for the here and now.

  Home. Brendan was her home. He completed her, and no matter what lay in store for them, Rynne knew she would always find her way back to his side.

  Next in the Series

  A Thousand Wishes

  Book 2 in A Coin in the Fountain Love Stories

  Even if I had a thousand wishes…

  with every single one of them, I’d still wish for you.

  A castle, a coin, and an ancient fountain… the moment had all the makings for something magical to happen. Why, then, did Sophia regret her silly wish the minute the coin left her fingers? Why had she not wished for something more meaningful than coming face-to-face with the fabled ghost of the Lord of Garway Keep?

  Little did she know her wish would bring far more than Lord Brantley’s ghost.

  Tamas Brantley stared at the dragon statue in the middle of the fountain in his outer courtyard. Kindred spirits, they were. He winked at the dragon and looked into the water. If only it would show him his future, much like a crystal ball. That’s what the old witch had told him—his future was in the water.

  He scoffed. Why had he felt the need to commission this fountain in the first place? Whimsey. Yes, that was why. Lady Katrynne had spoken of falling into just such a fountain and it had brought her to Brendan MacCailín, Lord of Locktonhurst. Tamas had built his in jest, saying someday maybe it would bring his lady love to him.

  He turned away just as the water rippled, a lovely face rimmed with pale blonde curls replacing the translucent, glass-like surface of the pool surrounding the stone dragon.

  Would the fountain grant the wishes of Sophia and Tamas? Find out in A Thousand Wishes, coming soon

  Stay informed at LindaBoulangerBooks.com

  Or Follow Linda on her Amazon Author Page

  http://www.amazon.com/LindaBoulanger/e/B002NPYDC6

  While each book in this series is a complete story about the main couple, they are all a part of something bigger: A Coin in the Fountain Love Stories Series. The books were written in this order:

  A Leap of Faith: Brendan and Katrynne’s story

  A Thousand Wishes: Tamas and Sophia’s story

  Love Across Time: Kensey and Isobelle’s story

  Author Note

  I hope you enjoyed this story about Brendan and Rynne. It was originally brought to life in The Fountain: an anthology of seven extraordinary stories that all started with a single sentence. What a unique idea that I am so thankful to have been a part of, especially as it gave birth to a complete series for me… A Coin in the Fountain Love Stories, a series about the three lords mentioned in A Leap of Faith and their true mates who all come to them after tossing their coins into magical fountains.

  If you’d like to stay informed about this series and other upcoming and new releases, promotions, giveaways, etc. first, consider following me on my Amazon author page and/or my BookBub page. They will notify you when a new book comes out, though my Facebook Group is the best place to stay in the loop. I try to interact with my members there and almost always have some sort of Members Only giveaway going Sometimes the giveaway is a free book, or an Amazon Gift Card, book swag, jewelry pieces, stuffed animals… you just never know.

  You’ll find that group, Linda’s Dragon Guardians, on Facebook at this link:

  https://www.facebook.com/groups/664151640414859/

  Until the next story…

  Thank you for being a part of my dream,

  ~Linda

  Works by Linda Boulanger

  Novels/Novellas

  On Wings of Time

  On Wings of Fire

  A Leap of Faith

  Stirring Up Some Love

  Dance with the Enemy

  Beyond the Shadows

  Arms of an Angel

  Novelettes

  A Warrior’s Christmas Gift

  Makinna’s Secret

  Anthologies

  Echoed Heartbeats

  Time Out on a Roller Coaster

  Becoming…

  Whispered Beginnings

  Color Illustrated Children’s Book

  When Sadie Learned to S.M.I.L.E.

  Short Story Trios and Singles

  Up To Bat Center Stage Best Friend Rules

  Face of an Angel Life Changes Talk With Me

  Secret Shame

  About Linda Boulanger

  Linda Boulanger is a happily-ever-after author, wife, and mother of four human children and two fur babies. She has an eclectic mix of published books, numerous story singles and short stories in a few group anthologies, plus a slew of always evolving works in progress.

  Along with being an author, she designs book covers for herself and others through Tell~Tale Book Covers and TreasureLine Designs, all from her desk just north of Tulsa, Oklahoma.

  Other place to find Linda:

  Website

  www.LindaBoulangerBooks.com

  Blog

  writersshelflife.blogspot.com/

  Facebook

  www.facebook.com/TheShelfLifeOfLindaBoulanger

  Facebook Group

  www.facebook.com/groups/664151640414859/

  Email

  lindaboulangerbooks@gmail.com

  BookBub

  https://www.bookbub.com/authors/lindaboulanger

  Amazon Author Page

  www.amazon.com/LindaBoulanger/e/B002NPYDC6

  Table of Contents

  www.facebook.com/groups/664151640414859/