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31
“I’m tired of my friends getting hurt,” Wiley grumped to Jayems that night.
“With luck, you’ve met your quota,” Jayems soothed her. “That sort of thing doesn’t happen every day.”
“Thank God.” She sighed. “So, are you ready for this wedding thing?”
He laughed and snuggled her close. “I’ve already had my ‘wedding thing.’ The celebration is just in honor of it.”
He smelled so good. She snuggled her nose into his chest. “I’ll be glad when it’s over. I don’t like being the center of attention.”
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Dark Lands Homecoming 32
Wiley’s eyes narrowed. It was just the two of them, and she felt less and less inclined to be civil. Her patience with her mother had been wearing ever thinner, but this was the first time she’d openly suggested Jasmine’s disappearance was a good thing. “I fail to see how.”Rhapsody delicately sipped her tea as she considered. “As loyal as you were to her, you must consider how out of place she must have felt. Sometimes, nature has a way of correcting the balance. Both you and Keilor can now proceed with the natural course of your life. Surely Jasmine, if she’d loved you, would have wanted that for you.”Rage like she’d never known boiled through Wiley, consumed her. She stood up slowly, and it was all she could do
Dark Lands Homecoming 1
Dark Lands: HomecomingAuthors Note: This story is a side note to The Charmer, meant for those of you who wanted to know Wiley’s story. It’s not meant to stand alone, so if you don’t already know how her story ends, you’ll have to read TC. She hated parties.Parties were fu
Dark Lands Homecoming 2
These were not bears, though, and she’d never thought to fear a wolf attack. Game was plentiful here, and wolves were shy; if it had been mid-winter and a lean year things might have been different.They didn’t smell like wolves. Cold sweat gathered on her back, and Wiley cast a nervous glance at the fire. Maybe it would be enough to scare the animals off, but if not, a few bullets couldn’t hurt.“Git!” she yelled, feeling like a fool. Contrary to the tree hugger’s expectations, these were not fat, mellow zoo buddies. Alaskan wolves could take down a lone human if they were hungry enough. The fact that these animals didn’t smell like wolves was still a problem, but there could be a good reason. Maybe they’d rolled in some
Dark Lands Homecoming 3
She screamed, or tried to. She had no voice to shout in that form. She spun and ran, ignoring the threat of the animals, desperate to escape the nightmare. She was so scared that she shifted back to human as she ran, somehow thinking the dream would end if she changed, if she woke up.Strong arms grabbed her from behind, lifted her off her feet. Those arms were human. She cried out.“Easy,” Jayems said, subduing her effortlessly. “Easy, Rihlia.”“L-let me go!” she shouted, freaking out. That name triggered something, and she knew she was dead. The monsters that had haunted her dreams for so long had finally caught her.
Dark Lands Homecoming 4
Her expression of horror said it all. “Your…?” She couldn’t get the words out.Afraid she would hyperventilate, he snapped, “Breathe! You’re going to make yourself sick, woman.” Concern for her made it difficult to keep his distance. He wanted to touch her, to soothe, and knew she wouldn’t receive it well. He was a stranger to her, and dangerous. He couldn’t go to her.Anger seemed to serve her better than coddling. “You’re not marrying me!” she ground out. She stopped shrinking into the couch.He looked to the side, searching for patience, hoping to steady his nerves. Her distress was affecting him. “We were betrothe
Dark Lands Homecoming 5
“I believe you’re familiar with apples,” he said, pointing to the poached fruit. “They’re cooked in wine and honey. The juice next to you is a native berry; you used to love it.” It was hard to be patient. She’d once treated him like a beloved brother, and now she thought he was trying to poison her.She shot him a look and went back to staring at her plate. “What’s this sausage made of?” She looked hideously suspicious and a little green. “You don’t eat people, do you?”His eyes widened. “You can’t be serious!” When she just looked at him, he snapped, “It’s an animal. A grazing beast called a deerhare.” When she still wouldn’t eat, he demanded, &ldqu
Dark Lands Homecoming 6
She flushed and avoided his eyes. She muttered a curse.He raised a brow. “If that was meant to remain private, it didn’t. My ears are as sharp as yours.” Ignoring her evil look, he said, “This is what I’m offering: a new home, a new world and a family who loves you. All I want in return is your willing cooperation. Be pleasant. Try not to view us as the enemy.”“And you’ll let me talk to Jasmine?”“I will.”“And you won’t hurt her?”“I won’t, though it’s not a promising
Dark Lands Homecoming 7
The kitchens were huge and immaculate. Entire rooms were devoted to baking, butchering and processing vegetables. There were sinks and stoves in each room, as well as various kinds of pantries and cold storage. The staff was polite, though they only stopped when directly addressed. It was hard to believe the amount of food they processed in a day.“The Citadel is vast. The kitchens supply all the food for our garrison, my personal household as well as their own families,” Jayems explained. “There are many young apprentices here, learning how to provide for their own families. It’s not just a kitchen, it’s also a classroom.”“Wow.” Wiley thanked a young man who handed her a tiny tart, then took a bite. Warm citrus curd and
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