Mad Magic
Page 39
He hugged me back and brushed an affectionate hand over my cheek, which was sort of awkward to do in front of Zeph. I didn’t care, though. I’d missed him so much. Not having my friend around the apartment to brew coffee and complain about my romance movies while Zeph was working made things especially lonely.
He let me go quickly and straightened his collar. “Very well. I’ll see you both at the dinner tonight, then?”
I laughed. “Sure. My house or yours?”
Eldrick gave a little smile. “I would prefer your cooking, if it’s not too much trouble.”
“All right, then. I’ll make sure the coffee’s on,” I said as I began strolling away back to where Zeph was waiting. He took my hand and together, we walked back through the gardens. At first, I wasn’t sure how we would find our way back to the closet door, but as soon as we started looking for it, it seemed to appear around the next corner.
“Looks like he survived his first months of Faerie King training,” Zeph murmured.
“Yeah …” I looked back to catch a glimpse of the tall, dark, and handsome King of the Faeries one more time. I’d picked him because I knew he would take this job seriously. I knew he’d do the best he could. But leaving him there all alone … it made me a little sad. It made me wonder if he would be happy with this life or not.
The look in his eyes as his gaze caught mine made my heart ache; it almost seemed like he was missing me, too.
“Why did you put Eldrick in my closet?” I asked, glancing back to Zeph.
He flicked me a wry grin. “Seemed appropriate, since that’s where he used to stick you.”
“I didn’t think of that.” I giggled and gave his hand a squeeze. “So what now?”
Zeph suddenly stepped in front of me. I yelped in surprise as he swept me up into his arms. He carried me like a new bride toward the closet door.
Resting my head against his shoulder, I draped my arms around his neck and combed my fingers through his hair. It made him growl with satisfaction whenever I did that, like a lion who liked being scratched behind his ears.
“What happens next?” I asked quietly. “I mean, do you think everything will be okay now? Will we be safe?”
Zeph only stopped long enough to open the door. “We may never be safe, princess. Especially if Eldrick wants to use us as glorified bounty hunters,” he reminded me. “But as long as I’m alive, I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe. You’re mine now. And I’m never letting you go.”
“Because you got trapped in a love contract by a toddler?” I teased.
“No,” he said as he carried me through the door and back into our house. “Because that’s how our story is supposed to end—with you and me together forever. Happily ever after’n all that crap.”
I couldn’t hold back my smile. “Sounds like a faerie tale ending to me. Some people might think that’s a little cheesy, you know.”
Zeph waggled his brows mischievously. He planted a firm kiss against my lips as the door slowly swung closed behind us. “What can I say? I’m a faerie. It’s the only kind of ending I know how to do.”
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Special thanks to my rock star beta readers:
Heather, Jennifer, Jaime, and Pam. Thank you so much for keeping me on track!
***
To my agent, Fran, I want to say thank you for keeping me grounded, calm, and always being there to lend an ear when I need to talk something out.
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To Aileen, for helping me through the brainstorm process. You’ve always been amazing about humoring all my crazy ideas. Miss you lots!
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Thank you to my husband, for all your love and support. You’ll always be my faerie prince charming!
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To the editing staff, and designers, I can’t thank you enough for all the hours you put into this project. Your dedication to making sure this book was the best it could be is truly humbling. I’m so blessed to be working with you!
NICOLE CONWAY
Nicole Conway is the author of the children’s fantasy series, THE DRAGONRIDER CHRONICLES, about a young boy’s journey into manhood as he trains to become a dragonrider. Originally from a small town in North Alabama, Nicole moves frequently due to her husband’s career as a pilot for the United States Air Force. She received a B.A. in English from Auburn University, and will soon attend graduate school. She has previously worked as a freelance and graphic artist for promotional companies, but has now embraced writing as a full-time occupation.
Nicole enjoys hiking, camping, shopping, cooking, and spending time with her family and friends. She lives at home with her husband, two cats, and dog.
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