Faebound Rhapsody

by Amy J. Wenglar

  Feline form?

  How ironic is it that my very first interaction with Horace had been when he was parading around as a grungy neighborhood street cat? I’d say we’ve come full circle here today.

  “Understood.” Horace breathes a sign of relief as he straightens, preparing himself for his new normal. “It is not the first time I have worn the form of a feline.” He glances at me.

  Alexander turns to Ruby. “This is where you come in, Ruby.”

  Ruby jumps to attention, setting aside the glass of wine she’d been nursing as she rushes to stand beside Alexander.

  “Forgive me, my King, but I haven’t done this in quite some time,” she says with a nervous laugh. “I just need a moment to remember the spell. I just need…” She chews her bottom lip for a moment, eyes closed in concentration. “Ah, yes. I’ve got it.”

  She opens her eyes and places her hands on Horace’s shoulders. She chants, repeating the incantation three times before Horace disappears in a puff of smoke. A loud meow sounds at our feet as Horace’s faerie form morphs into that of a very sleek and very handsome orange tabby with bright green eyes. He’s so cute, I have to fight the urge to scoop him up and cuddle him. After all, this cuddly feline tried to kill me.

  Horace the Cat stands there for a moment, tail swishing as he surveys the room from his new vantage point. And then, winding himself in between my ankles, I feel the soft rumblings of a purr emanating from his new cat-body.

  Suck-up.

  “Well, hello, old friend,” I say to Horace in my most annoying cat-talk-voice. “You are so cute, Horace. I think I have a little doll’s dress somewhere that would be adorable on you.”

  His ears swivel, and he sits back on his haunches, looking a bit dumbfounded. He only thinks he’s eager to serve us. But he has no idea how much cutesy-cat-hell I’m about to inflict on him.

  I want to say something else but am interrupted by a jolt of something in the pit of my stomach. I fight to keep from doubling over, telling myself it’s just the aftershocks of Ruby’s magic, but I know that’s not the case. Reaching for a newly opened bottle of Jo’s champagne, I fill a coupe to the top.

  “No way, honey,” Jo says, reaching up from her place on the floor in front of the couch to snatch the glass away from me, sending champagne spilling down my arm. “You know that’s not good for the baby.”

  Silence descends on the room once again, and all eyes, including Horace’s, turn to me. No one moves. Even the music ceases with a wave of Anne’s hand.

  Damn you, Jo.

  “Baby?” Anne gasps, rushing over to me as if I might collapse at any moment. A little squeal escapes Ruby’s throat as she comes around to my other side.

  “Baby?” Sarah squeaks, her blue eyes wide and curious.

  Leave it to Jo to ruin any type of surprise I could ever hold on to. I glare at her as I wipe my champagne-drenched hand on my leather pants. I’d just started processing this idea myself, and instead had turned to Jo, my best friend and confidante. She has, as usual, spilled the damned beans. This is so not how I wanted this to go.

  My gaze darts to Chris. He stares back at me from the couch, hands clenched in his lap and face pale with shock. You’d think being a vampire, he would’ve sensed this coming a mile away. After a few moments, he relaxes, offering me a tight grin and a subtle nod of understanding.

  “Jo Stanford…"I swear I will wring your little—“

  She leaps up from the floor and vanishes, just missing the zap of magic I send flying from my fingertips.

  “Oh, did he not…” She materializes behind Sarah, using her as a shield as she peers out from behind her. Her angelic face is pink with embarrassment. “You haven’t told him yet? Jeez, honey? What are you waiting for? The baby to tell him?”

  “Well, let’s see…considering we’ve just fought the battle of the century, Atticus Drake my enemy-turned-ally and friend has departed for the spirit world, Alexander and I now rule over Faerie, and Horace has been turned into a cat, I hadn’t quite been able to work pregnancy into any conversations just yet,” I shout, throwing my arms in the air with frustration.

  “Oh, well, then I suppose the cat’s out of the bag.” Jo giggles. “No offense, Horace.” She waves to the orange tabby, whose eyes are slits of green as he glares back at her, his tail twitching.

  “Sophia,” Alexander whispers, his face lit up like a Christmas tree as he pulls me to him. “What is this? A baby? Are you really…” He places a hesitant hand on my belly. “Is it true? And is it mine?”

  Jo may have ruined the surprise and all the ways I’d envisioned telling Alexander the news, but I can’t be too angry with her. I stare into Alexander’s joyful gray eyes, a smile pulling across my face.

  “According to Mira and Liri, yes, it’s true. And of course it’s yours, you fool.” He grows as pale as Chris, his mouth falling to the floor.

  “But how…”

  “Oh, please. The two of you spent days locked up in Sophia’s room upstairs,” Jo says with a massive eye-roll. “Do we need to explain how this works, Alexander?”

  “So then…I guess we’re having a baby.” He pulls me to him, kissing me hard on the mouth as my friends let out ear-splitting squeals of excitement. “No wonder you’re busting out of your armor,” he laughs in my ear.

  “Gee, thanks,” I say. I reach down to rub my belly, and for the first time, there is a little kick in response. “I think she just kicked me. Probably an angry message directed at you, scolding you for calling her mother fat.”

  “She?” His eyebrows raise, and for a brief second I wonder if he’s going to go all Henry VIII on me, demanding I produce an heir, or else… “A daughter,” Alexander says, his gravelly voice light and dreamy.

  “Not just a daughter,” Sarah breathes. “A little princess.”

  Ruby and Anne squeal with delight, sending Cat-Horace and Rudolph scampering out of the room. And that’s when it hits me. She will be a princess. That much is true. But what kind of child will I give birth to?

  “Will she…our princess…will she be magical?” I ask. “Exactly what…kind of child are we having?”

  “She won’t be a monster, you know,” Alexander whispers, looking hurt.

  “No, no. Of course she won’t,” I say, waving away the very thought of that possibility. “She will be no monster. A drama queen? Probably. But no monster.”

  My friends let out a dreamy, collective sigh as they gather around me. And for the rest of the evening, we reminisce about the past while planning for the future. It’s a future that no longer seems as bleak as it did a few months ago.

  I lean against my husband, lost in a haze of my own thoughts, when a clinking sound interrupts my quiet reflection. Christoph von Drauchenberg rises from his chair.

  “I’d like to offer a toast,” he says, his voice dry and gruff, yet full of love and respect. “To the future princess. And to the new Fae King and Queen.”

  My throat tightens at his words as I take a sip of champagne. Which, according to Alexander, will not harm a supernatural baby. He takes a knee in front of Alexander and me. And for what feels like the thousandth time today, I’m overcome with tears. Perhaps Anne Kennedy is good for him after all. She’s making him sappy and sweet. I stand and take Chris’s icy hand, urging him to his feet, before throwing my arms around his neck.

  “Thank you,” I say, opening the door to one of our famous silent conversations. “You have done so much for me. Been so much to me, Chris. And I don’t know if it’s appropriate for me to say this or not, but I will always…always love you.”

  His arms tighten around me as a hush falls over the room.

  “Yes, Miss Kelly, I do believe I will always hold a bit of love for you, too.” He breaks our embrace and looks down at me, blue eyes shining. “I am so very proud of you.” Those words, his honesty, and the respect in his eyes choke me up more than anything. “But if I ever find out you’ve quit playing the violin, know that I will hunt you down and kill you.�
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  “The same goes for you, Maestro.” I arc an eyebrow at him.

  “What are you going to do next, honey?” Jo asks, stirring as she lifts her head from Colin’s shoulder. “Besides going and visiting your mother…which I was supposed to remind you to do. She says she misses you and wants you to visit. She’s got a new boyfriend she wants you to meet.”

  Alexander and I exchange a glance. “My mother…” I murmur, a smile pulling at my lips as I think about her. “What a nut job she is. But yes, I will pay her a visit. But last I heard, she’s on assignment right now doing work for The Brotherhood? Right, Colin?”

  Colin waves a hand and grins. “Do we ever really know what your mother is doing, Sophe?”

  He has a point.

  I turn back to Jo. “As for what’s next…I’m not sure yet.” I glance over at Alexander. “But it will be something royal and official with quills and parchment and candlelight.”

  Alexander frowns. “We do not live in the Middle Ages, my love.”

  “Come teach with us at the Academy,” Sarah says, her face lighting up.

  “Oh yes, come and teach,” Anne says, clapping her hands together and almost knocking Chris out of his chair. She glances at Alexander. “At least promise you’ll consider it…if you have time, that is.”

  “Well, I don’t…” My friends lean forward, waiting my answer. “Okay, I…promise,” I say, looking at the eager faces of my little witchy tribe. “I will consider it. Once things have settled down.” I pause. “And what about you guys? What will you do, Jo? Colin?”

  “I’ve got a few things brewing at the tea shop,” Colin says with a wink.

  “And not just any tea shop…” Jo trails off. “Tell them, honey.”

  “Well, it’s not a done deal yet, but I am planning to open a shop here in Nevermoor.” He frowns. “I’m sort of surprised there isn’t one here already.”

  “Well, there was,” Myra says and then pauses. “But Old Mrs. Taylor burned it clean to the ground.” She giggles. “A magical mishap, you could say.”

  “Yes, I am familiar with those,” I laugh.

  “And I think I will plan parties,” Jo muses, staring off into space. “But parties with a twist. You know I can plan a delightful party, honey. And I can give people whatever environment they want, without them ever even having to step foot out of this realm.”

  “You know, I think you may have something with that, Jo. That sounds like a fantastic business idea.” I turn to Chris and Anne. “And you two?”

  “Esmeralda and I made a promise years ago,” Chris says. “I promised to take over as headmaster at the Academy when she was ready to retire. We’ve talked it through, and I think it’s time to act on that promise. Besides, she’s just bought a place somewhere in Costa Rica.” He pauses, his gaze drifting to Alexander. The corners of his mouth quirk into a small smile. “Who would’ve thought a vampire would be the headmaster of an Academy that caters to witches and warlocks who are being trained to guard Faerie’s best-kept secrets?”

  Alexander shrugs. “I trust you, vampire,” he says, returning Chris’s tight smile.

  “I’ll help, too, of course,” Anne pipes in, oblivious to the vampire-fae tension that has sprung up in the room. “That way Chris can still tour and do all the musical things he’s so good at.”

  “I think that’s wonderful,” I say, pressing my hands together in a sort of gratitude-prayer-type gesture. I look around the room at the faces of the people I love, and my heart swells with love. And for a few seconds, I let the moment wash over me, relishing in it. “You know something? I think we’re all going to be okay.” I rise to my feet, sighing as I stretch my arms overhead.

  “Yeah. We’re all going to make it,” Myra says, her mouth pulling into an enormous yawn. “But not if we don’t get some sleep. What time is it anyway?”

  “I think we’re in the wee hours of morning,” Ruby says.

  A comfortable silence falls over the group, and I look once again around the room at my half-conscious friends. My husband. This tribe of colorful characters that have supported me in different ways since the very beginning of this roller-coaster journey. And for the first time, I feel something I’ve never felt before: peace. Contentment with this crazy, unconventional life, and the strong desire for it to stay crazy and unconventional. It keeps things exciting, after all.

  Things are going to be okay.

  I smile to myself, turning my gaze toward the windows overlooking the Academy grounds. I am surrounded by my best friends with my husband at my side. And while there is still so much rebuilding to do, I see a new beginning. I see supernatural beings working together to clean up and to rebuild the human realm. Druid helping vampire helping fae. And off on the horizon, I can just see the sun rising, throwing brilliant shades of oranges and yellows across the horizon, awakening the dawn of a new day.

  Author’s Note

  Dear Reader,

  Can you believe it’s the end? The Sophia Kelly Chronicles was a blast to write, and I’m so happy you were part of the journey!

  I’d love to know what you thought of the third and final installment! If you have a moment, I would really appreciate a short review or a rating on Amazon, Goodreads, and/or your platform of choice. Reviews and ratings help new readers find my books, and the feedback is a tremendous help to us indie authors!

  Want More?

  Want to see how it all begins?

  Sophia Kelly is a high school violinist who’s ready to give up on her musical dreams….until she meets Colin MacLeod, a mysterious Pagan whose pep talks are just as enchanting as his emerald-green eyes.

  Sophia doesn’t believe in magic, but as her dreams start to unfold in sudden and surprising ways, she can’t help but wonder if there is more to her new friend than his Irish charm and earthy mysticism.

  Find out what happens when an unlikely friendship is born in the exclusive short story, Bloodbound Nocturne: The Prequel. It’s free when you sign up to join my Reader Group and is not available anywhere else!

  As part of my Reader Group, you'll also receive other goodies such as sneak-peeks at upcoming releases, cover reveals, behind-the-scenes updates, contests and giveaways, and more!

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  About the Author

  Amy J. Wenglar was born in Austin, Texas and enjoyed a childhood based on a steady diet of Ramona Quimby books, I Love Lucy re-runs, and Looney Tunes cartoons, which gave her an appreciation of classical music at a very young age. This love of music led her to play the trumpet and piano through high school and college where she played with the University of Texas Longhorn Band while pursuing a degree in Journalism. With an insatiable hunger for vampires, ghosts, and anything paranormal, she set out to write the first book in her Urban Fantasy series, The Sophia Kelly Chronicles, almost seven years ago after leaving an especially toxic relationship that left her mentally drained but creatively empowered. Amy now lives in Bellevue, Washington with her husband, two dogs, and a cat. She spends most of her time making up stories, taking pictures, and watching re-runs of Gilmore Girls.

  Also by Amy J. Wenglar

  The Sophia Kelly Chronicles

  Book 1: Bloodbound Nocturne

  Book 2: Lightbound Serenade