Dreamer of Briarfell - Lucy Tempest Page 0,108

paint me too dark a villain, will you?”

“I’ll be sure to have the Faerie Queen dressed in pastels,” I said.

Etheline laughed lightly at my evasion, and disappeared.

As soon as she did, Bonnie ran down to join Leander.

We stood in silence, staring at where the Spring Queen had just been.

Then I wrapped my arms around Robin’s trim waist, looking up at him. “So, this sort of makes you a fairy prince.”

He spluttered, before transitioning into a worn-out chuckle. “Really? That’s what you got from that visit?”

“Well, there’s also the fact that she got her way with both Leander and me marrying fairies with royal blood. But in my case, she got exactly what I thought she’d been steering me towards, just not who I thought it was. I ended up with her undisclosed nephew.”

He did a double take, as if that hadn’t registered before I’d said it.

Then he shook his head vigorously. “Oh, no. That makes that blue-haired peacock my cousin. And I tried to make him marry you!”

I laughed at his horror, knowing we’d be dealing with the ramifications of what all that meant, and not caring one bit.

He blew out a forcible breath. “Thankfully, I’m only half-fey, so he can keep the Prince of Spring title, thank you very much. But knowing who she is, makes me connect so many dots. This turnout does feel a little suspicious now.”

“Makes you question what was fate, and what was fairies.” Letting him go with another laugh, I picked up my slim skirt, and ran down the steps in the mid-winter air

He beat me to the bottom, hands held out to receive me. “They’re the same word in Campanian languages, fata.”

Slipping my arm through his, I grinned up at him, everything that had happened tonight settling down on me like a cloak of relief, disbelief, and contentment. “I’d rather not enter an existential debate about fairies as weavers of fates. But whatever she did, she only maneuvered us in each other’s path. Everything else, was and will always be, all us.”

“No debates about this, ever.” He squeezed me exuberantly, before he added, “And no wondering what Etheline was talking about when she referenced conflict among the gods. That is way beyond us.”

I pulled him down for a kiss. “Good to see you know your limits. Wouldn’t want you attempting to become an epic hero.”

He returned my kiss, his lips lingering on mine longer. “I would have been tempted, if I didn’t want as long a life as possible with you. Interfering in the affairs of gods is typically a guarantee of dying young.”

I clutched him harder, the idea of losing him unbearable. “Which is something I’ve had enough of worrying about. So, no heroics!”

The twinkle of adoration in his eyes made my heart pirouette in my chest as he murmured, “Your wish is my command, Your Highness. Besides, I’ve settled for being a national character. Someone else can be the epic hero whose myth spans kingdoms.”

As we reached the carriages, he helped me up into our shared one with Leander and his party. He settled between myself and Jessamine, cooing at his little namesake.

Watching them all chat, I was filled with that exquisite sense of happiness and contentment I’d never felt until Robin. It now took on a more encompassing feel as I pondered how we’d all left harrowing experiences behind, just as we left the theater that had displayed my artistic take on Robin’s adventures.

Perhaps that was the best thing for us to do. To separate our futures from our pasts, view them as we viewed ballads and epic poetry.

And that’s what we would become in time, stories that would outlive us, tales of hope, triumph, and love for those who need them.

But few would ever know how our tales had entwined, or that we all became one fantastical family.

Threading our fingers together, I leaned my head on Robin’s shoulder and he rested his cheek against my hair.

I savored feeling him, on every level now. I delighted in experiencing our deepening bond of trust and understanding, of appreciation and affection.

This was what I’d never thought a princess born to a cruel curse, and bred for an empty arrangement could find, or deserve.

This unbridled love with the only one for me was the truest magic there was.

Our lives might be fictionalized in the future, but right now we were real, and we belonged together.

What came after, that was not for me to worry about anymore.

Note From the Author

I hope you've enjoyed DREAMER OF BRIARFELL as I enjoyed writing it!

Reviews and word of mouth are the life-blood of Indie Authors, so if you enjoyed the book, please help me spread the word!

Even a line on Amazon, Goodreads and Bookbub would be vital to my success and to the book’s sales, and would be hugely appreciated.

If you haven’t yet, please read where it all began in the #1 Amazon Bestsellers, THIEF OF CAHRAMAN, PRINCE OF CAHRAMAN and QUEEN OF CAHRAMAN followed by BEAST OF ROSEMEAD & BEAUTY OF ROSEMEAD and PRINCESS OF MIDNIGHT.

Next in the series is MERMAID OF TRITONIA, a Little Mermaid retelling! Before that will be a Snow White novella THE SNOW PRINCESS.

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Thank you for reading!

Lucy

Pronunciation Guide

— People

Agnë: Aag-nee

Björn: Bee-yore-ne

Etheline: Eth-ell-leen

Fairuza: Fay-roo-zah

Jonquil: Jon-quill

Leander: Lee-an-durr

Lycaon: Lie-kay-on

Marzeya: Mahr-zay-yah

Meira: May-ruh

Merope: Meh-roe-pee

Reynard: Ray-nahrd

Willoughby: Willow-bee

Zafira: Zaa-fee-rah

Zomoroda: Zoh-murr-roh-dah

— Places:

Ericura: Air-ree-cue-ruh

Almaskham: Ul-maz-kham

Arbore: Are-bore

Cahraman: Quh-rah-maahn

Campania: Kaam-pahn-yuh

Nexia: Neck-see-yah

About the Author

With one foot in reality and the other one lodged firmly in fantasy, Lucy Tempest has been spinning tales since she learned how to speak.

Now, as an author, people can experience the worlds she creates for themselves.

Lucy lives in Southern California with her family and two spoiled cats, who would make terrible familiars.

Her young adult fantasy series FAIRYTALES OF FOLKSHORE is a collection of interconnected fairytale retellings, each with a unique twist on a beloved, timeless tale.

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Also by Lucy Tempest

Thief of Cahraman

Prince of Cahraman

Queen of Cahraman

Beast of Rosemead

Beauty of Rosemead

Princess of Midnight

Dreamer of Briarfell