The Moon Shadow : The Wolfrik Trilogy | Book 1

by K. Rea

  There, laying on the table, was a twin set of daggers with Celtic knot detailing. One hilt was wrapped in black leather with another reddish-blue opal; the other dagger’s hilt was wrapped in white leather with a blue opal on the hilt. Each had a matching sheath. Next to the daggers lay a white leather bracelet with a matching blue opal in the center of the Celtic knot. They were perfect, beautiful together, but I only picked up the matching black dagger.

  “I’ll take these two, wrapped as well if possible. Thank you,” I said, handing the dagger to Master Martin. “Jolie said you had a selection of jewelry. Could you show me?”

  “Please follow me,” he said with a smile.

  TWENTY - TWO

  After leaving Master Martin’s shop, Aiden’s wallet was lighter by far. The ronaele notes almost depleted. The short man may have robbed me blind in my rudimentary knowledge of their currency system, but I doubted it. My basket was heavy with precious metals and gifts. Among Master Martin’s collection was a set of earrings made to look like falling jasmine star blossoms and a simple pendant to match. I nestled them in my basket with Jolie’s purchases and Aiden’s gift. Jolie met me outside the tent, her basket overflowing with trinkets, fabric, and fruit.

  “Ready to head back?” Jolie asked with a slow step toward her home.

  “Absolutely.”

  As we walked out of the market, a stall caught my eye. Fabrics swayed in the soft breeze. The dress was simple, classic in style, and burgundy. My feet carried me to it, and my fingers felt the light fabric. The dress would be perfect for an evening bonfire dance. It had a slit in the side that revealed delicate ivory lace.

  “I have a set of shoes that would match,” Jolie said beside me as the shopkeeper walked up.

  “Mariana, we’ll take this one,” Jolie said to the shopkeeper beside me.

  “It’ll fit the girl perfectly. Supposedly, that man of yours, Jolie, might put on a show,” Mariana said with a wink as she took the dress off display. “We’ll all be in for a treat.”

  “We’ll see. He can never resist a bit of trouble,” Jolie said. “Can you?”

  “Trouble can be fun. You’re the best kind, though,” Jude said as he wrapped his arms around Jolie from behind. “I see you two have been having fun. Are you spending all our money before the boy is even born?”

  “He has to wear clothes,” Jolie said, as she balanced the basket on the edge of her hip. Jude took the basket from her. Aiden stood casually beside him, an easy smile on his face.

  “I’ll bet you a dozen doilies you love that he’ll spend more time in just his nappy than anything you make for him to wear,” Jude offered.

  “She knows better than to take that bet. Fae always win their deals. He’ll take the clothes off the poor kid every chance he can,” Aiden warned.

  “I’d never bet my cookies,” Jolie scoffed, and Aiden chuckled. The shopkeeper came back with the dress boxed up.

  “Is this box for you, Evie?” Aiden asked.

  “Yes,” I answered.

  “I’ll get it,” Aiden offered before he began discussing payment with Mariana.

  The four of us strolled back to the Beecham’ house. The men balanced boxes, baskets, and cookies behind us. Jolie and I opted for a nap while the men left to investigate the market themselves. By the time they returned, hours later, Jolie and I were almost ready for the festival. I carefully pulled the dress out of the box; the dressmaker had cut the fine velvet across the bodice in a stiff sweetheart shape. The light boning in the dress mimicked a corset.

  “It will fit perfectly; Mariana spells her dresses to fit the owner who pulls them from the box. Here are the shoes I mentioned,” Jolie said as she placed a sturdy pair of red velvet flats on the bed beside me. “You keep them. They belong with that dress.”

  Jolie changed into an emerald dress of her own that set off her hair and showcased her baby bump. She twisted her hair into a braid and wrapped it around her head in the shape of a crown.

  I quickly changed out of my clothes and into the dress. The dress had some weight to it, but it hugged my body along my ribs and hips, making it comfortable. Pockets were sewn into the skirt. The fabric moved easily about my legs with each step. The jasmine earrings dangled gracefully from my ears; the necklace nestled lightly against my collarbone. My hair lay unbound around my shoulders in soft waves.

  “You look wonderful, but I think it’s missing something. I’ll be back shortly,” Jolie said before waddling out of the guest room. Aiden ducked into the room around her as she left. He wore black denim jeans and a soft gray button-down shirt with his sleeves rolled up. I picked up the gift I had for him from the dresser where it sat unopened, wrapped in brown paper and twine. It smelled like the honey and cinnamon cookies. I held the small parcel tentatively.

  “You’re beautiful. Is that for Jolie?” Aiden asked.

  “Actually, this one is for you,” I said, offering him the package. He looked at me curiously, then smiled and pulled a similar package from his back pocket wrapped in delicate paper.

  “I was going to wait until later, but I have something for you too,” Aiden said. We exchanged gifts. He smiled as he opened his, laughed softly, and then fingered the bracelet and the small blade. He immediately put the bracelet on around his right wrist.

  “They’re perfect, thank you mo ghràdh,” Aiden whispered as he fingered the edge on the dagger. Satisfied with the sharpness, he placed it back into its sheath and slipped it into his boot. I opened the package, and inside was the blue opal set.

  “You went to see Master Martin,” I said with a smile, pleased with the gift. I slipped the bracelet on, the leather soft against my wrist. The weight of the opal a reminder of its presence but not heavy.

  “Sly fox never said a word. I think he planned this. I also have this. It’s simple, but I hope you like it,” Aiden mumbled. He took my left hand and slipped a band over my ring finger. The ring was simple white gold formed into an endless Celtic knot similar to the bracelet, another opal nestled into the setting. Before I could say another word, Jolie entered, carrying flowers in her arms.

  “Aiden, out with you. We’re not done here,” Jolie ordered.

  “Ladies,” Aiden said as he nodded his head toward us and backed out of the door.

  “I see he gave you a token and a ring. It’s about time. Now, you just need a crown,” Jolie said with a wicked smile. Before long, she had the bundle of jasmine fashioned into a crown. She wove sections of my hair into it to hold it in place. Then curled the rest of my hair. I helped her add lavender flowers to her own braid. Jolie declared us ready and headed out to meet the men in the living room. Jude was dressed in camel pants and a shirt that matched Jolie’s dress.

  “There’s my blossom beauty,” Jude said, reaching out to Jolie, wrapping his arms gently around the pregnant woman. “You’re not bad either, Princess.”

  “Wife,” Aiden said with a smirk. He had a few rolled-up blankets tucked under his arms.

  “Husband,” I responded with a pointed look. A slight tremor raced down my back at the label. I liked it more than I should. Jude snorted.

  “Newlyweds. Just remember my room and the nursery are off-limits,” Jude declared.

  “Let’s go before they destroy the place,” Jude suggested.

  Outside of the house, the sounds of revelry echoed between the trees and houses. If the smell of the market earlier was enticing, the aroma of the festival was downright magical. It led us straight to the collection of bonfires, food, and drink. At the center stood the largest bonfire ablaze, then scattered around were smaller bonfires and campfire rings. Multiple musicians played, each corner of the party seemed to reflect spring, summer, fall, and winter. Though summer and fall musicians played the loudest as if at war with one another. Overall, the theme seemed to be the approaching fall and merriment.

  They had lanterns swaying from t
he trees along with bells and wind chimes. If this was a small party, I couldn’t imagine what their gala would be like. Dancing and drinkers mingled, and children played. It had been days, weeks even since I had seen so many children in one place. The joy and freedom of everyone around was jubilant, unconstrained, and bright, unlike the Court I’d seen so far. They were here to celebrate and rejoice in the seasons.

  Jolie and Jude navigated us to a campfire near the musicians and a dance area. Aiden laid the quilted blankets out across one log for sitting, the other he left folded on top.

  “Are you hungry?” Aiden asked.

  “Yes,” I responded.

  “Come on, their food is the best,” Aiden said, offering his hand, the opal on his bracelet reflecting the firelight. I took his hand, and he guided me to the food. He piled a platter high with candied strawberries, chocolate, roasted apples, corn, squash, sausage, venison, and caribou. He led the way to wooden casks.

  “Do you mind grabbing two mugs and filling them with the cask on the end?” Aiden asked, pointing to the table of cups and the red cask. I did as he asked and followed him back to our campfire. Jude and Jolie sat on the log, sharing a plate between them. Jude stood up and spread the spare blanket out on the grass beside them. Aiden put the plate down on the blanket and reached out to take the mugs from me. I sat on the blanket before taking the mugs back.

  “A suggestion, take it easy on the nectar; it’s potent,” Aiden warned. “It’s stronger than it seems.”

  “Nectar?” I asked.

  “The drink, its fae nectar. It’s the best fae alcohol to be had. Imagine a world-class whiskey, scotch, or wine. Take the best attributes of those, and that’s fae nectar with a touch of sweetness and the forest,” Aiden explained.

  “It’s gotten Jude and I into trouble in the past. Try small sips,” Aiden suggested before he sat down beside me and popped a piece of venison into his mouth. The flames of the fire reflected in his eyes and made his hair seem red in the growing darkness. I took a sip of the nectar. The initial spicy sweetness reminded me of strawberries, currants, and chilis before it melted into a caramel and apple flavor. The more I sipped of it, the more flavor it seemed to have, always changing. Aiden reached out and gently took the cup away. The mug was almost empty. Already I felt my body reacting to the alcohol.

  “Your definition and my definition of a sip differ,” Aiden said pointedly. He held a piece of caribou out toward my mouth with his fingers.

  “Try this, open your mouth,” Aiden purred; I did as he said. The flavor of meat exploded across my tastebuds, along with herbs, peppery and rich. I groaned. He fed me another piece before taking a bite himself. We continued to share the platter of food. Each piece better than the last until all that remained were candied strawberries. He took a bite of a strawberry but didn’t offer me one like everything else on the plate.

  “Not going to share?” I asked with a lazy smile. Between the food and the nectar, I was content and enveloped in a fuzzy feeling. While eating, I had ended up somewhat in his lap, cuddled up against his chest.

  “Kiss me first,” Aiden whispered, the sweet smell of strawberries on his breath wafted to me. I smiled, leaned in, grabbed him roughly, and pulled him in for a quick kiss before pushing him away.

  “Strawberry,” I whispered. He held it up to my lips. The first bite was luscious. The second was pure sugar. “More.”

  “Kiss me again,” Aiden teased, holding the last bite of strawberry between his fingers away from my mouth. I plucked it from his fingers, getting the sticky sugar coating on my fingers before popping it into my mouth.

  “Spoilsport,” he teased. He tensed as someone came out of the darkness by us. His expression serious and sober for a moment. Aiden relaxed as they drew nearer. It was a tall fae, pointed ears, short hair. He carried swords with him and a rakish look. “Korey, you know better.”

  “Apologies,” the young fae said.

  “Aiden, Jude, it has been ages. Would you care to duel for us?” Korey asked, holding out the swords to the men. Korey looked younger than Jude and Aiden, but with creatures of the Court looks and age didn’t seem to matter like they did with the humans.

  “You know I’ll never say no. What do you say, Aiden?” Jude asked as he took two swords that resembled a cutlass.

  “I’m out of practice. Jolie wouldn’t forgive me if I struck you,” Aiden said, not moving to grab the swords.

  “I would, especially if Jude was foolhardy enough to get in your way,” Jolie responded. “Please, one round. It’s been so long since we’ve seen you two together.”

  Aiden stood, grabbed the remaining swords, and turned toward me. He offered me his free hand. I took it and rose from the blanket. We walked as a group to the center of the festival where a large dance floor had been cleared. Already a crowd gathered around the clearing; people were cheering at the couple in the center. The couple was a blur of color, and streamers, as they moved, dipped, leaped to the music’s beat. It was only when they took flight that I realized they had wings like butterflies.

  “Evie, please hold these for a moment?” Aiden asked, holding the swords out to me, distracting me from the winged couple finishing their dance. I took the blades from him. He unbuttoned his shirt, putting his toned muscles and my bracelet on display. I was pleasantly surprised.

  “Could you hold my shirt? I’ll come back for it.” He winked and quickly exchanged the shirt for the swords. For a moment, it crossed my mind not to give the shirt back; he looked better without it.

  “Is it necessary to take your shirt off?” I asked surprised, I turned to look at Jude only to find him also shirtless.

  “It’s one of my favorites. I’d rather not ruin it. Don’t wander off, little wolf. Watch and see. You might enjoy it,” Aiden said. He reached out and tucked a stray hair behind my ear before he walked into the clearing with swords in hand. If not for his relaxed stature, he looked like a warrior of another era. I suppose he was.

  “How much fae nectar did you two drink? Maybe this is a terrible idea,” Jolie said, trying to fan herself with Jude’s shirt. She held out her mug. “Here, drink some water.”

  I took the mug of water gratefully. I gulped the cool water down. Korey, Aiden, and Jude were huddled in a circle before Korey ran around them in a large circle, then to the nearest bonfire. He pulled a flaming log from it and brought it back toward Aiden and Jude; he touched it to the ground briefly. One second they were huddled in the semidarkness; the next, a ring of fire surrounded them. Then all of their swords were aflame.

  Musicians beat out a rhythm on the drums. Jude and Aiden touched blades briefly, then, as the music shifted, so did they. They turned into two men fighting tooth and nail against each other, with each other, for each other. One went high, the other low; their sparring a dance. They went round and round. The flames circled higher and closer than I expected. Still, they dueled. I saw as Jude stumbled. Jolie gasped, and one of Jude’s swords went flying. The crowd cheered as his other sword was also knocked away with a flick of Aiden’s wrist.

  Jude stepped away from Aiden. Aiden stepped back in turn, allowing Jude to back away unscathed. Jude melted into the darkness, yet Aiden’s swords kept moving, never stopping. The fire appeared to engulf him but didn’t stop. His swords spun and danced around him, giving him the illusion of wings made of flame until suddenly they were gone. The entire circle pitched into complete darkness and silence as the drums ended. The crowd cheered, I alongside them as my eyes adjusted to change in light.

  The black figure that was Aiden strode toward me. With the swords in his hands, sure-footed, unmarked, and smelling of hot metal, he wrapped his arms around me carefully and kissed me soundly. The clapping and delight from the fae around us rose into a happy ruckus. He slipped into his shirt, then maneuvered us through the fae to the other side of the clearing, away from the bonfire and into the shadows until my back was against
a tree beside the swords.

  Aiden’s shirt hung open, unbuttoned, and shifted with every move. He leaned in to press his lips to mine. He tasted like strawberries, nectar, and smoke. His hand cradled my neck and jaw carefully as he kissed me. Everywhere he touched burned and tingled, sensitive from the fae drink. My hands danced across his shoulders and chest, and he groaned into my neck as he kissed me. He reached down and lifted my skirt; his hands grabbed and lifted my legs to wrap them around his waist. Aiden froze.

  “Tell me to stop; I will,” Aiden said clearly.

  “Don’t you dare,” I ordered.

  It was rough, quick, and I stifled my scream as I came apart into his shoulder when he bit into my neck. He gently lowered my unsteady legs to the ground. He held me around the waist and laid his forehead on the top of my shoulder, just breathing me in. We stayed there in the shadows of the trees as we caught our breath. I straightened my dress and patted my hair into place as best I could. The smell of the jasmine crown slightly crushed into my hair mixed with the smell of our coupling. He stood there, buttoning his shirt, hiding the telltale signs of my nails and teeth on his skin. His lips warm against my skin.

  “You will be the death of me, I can already tell,” Aiden whispered softly before kissing my forehead.

  “Then maybe you should be more careful about where you put your sword,” I teased and was rewarded when he laughed.

  “Trust me, I am,” Aiden said, laughing again.

  “Come on, they’ll be looking for us,” Aiden said as he stepped away from the tree and held his hand out to me. We walked back to our campfire, Jude and Jolie snuggled together on a blanket together.

  “You two appear to be enjoying yourself,” Jude said pointedly.

  “Says the fae with a babe on the way,” Aiden responded.