Canada – Dec 29  Maple Meadows Ranch I awoke to warm arms wrapped around me. A smile played across my face and I snuggled into the embrace, my back to the warm body. I laced my fingers in his- I froze as I felt the soft fingers that gripped mine. I looked down to see pale skin, not Makya’s tan. My heart fluttered as I wondered who was beside me but I realized this was a decidedly feminine hand. Kiara then. I let out a sigh and pulled her hand to my chest. She may not be Makya, but she was still warm. When the knock finally came at the door that signaled breakfast had been left for us, I forced myself to crawl out from under the covers. Any porridge they left would get cold fast if we didn’t eat it soon. I found two bowls waiting for us at the door. I guess the pack had decided I wasn’t worth serving the marvelous three-course meals for now that they were not trying to keep up illusions. I didn’t want to think about what that meant for the rest of my stay

The morning broke clearing and bright. The weight of an arm wrapped over me provided a welcome warmth that make it nearly impossible to force myself from the cozy bed. When I finally rolled out of Kiara’s embrace, the room was cold. I sucked in a breath as my feet hit the cold floor, but made my way quickly over to the fire and set a few logs in the grate. Within a few minutes, heat began to permeate the room as the flames hungrily ate at the dry wood.Kiara finally stirred as the heat filled the room, “Morning.”“Morning, sleepyhead.”“Hey, You make us work out until I couldn’t feel my arms.”“I made sure you were fed after, didn’t I?”“Yes,” she huffed, throwing the covers off but making no move to get out of bed. “You did make sure I ate more than I ever have in my whole life. I don’t know if I will be hungry again for a week.”I smirked, headi

I fell backward onto lush green grass, with Kiara landing atop me. The stark difference of the spring meadow around us versus the winter we had left told me we had indeed crossed into the fae plane.“Well, hello huntress. What game have you brought us?” came the sultry voice of Morrigan from behind me. I crawled out from under Kiara and turned to find Morrigan in a black dress, young and beautiful as ever. She was picturesque of the maiden.“Morrigan, “I did my best to curtsey. “I fear others might try to follow.”“They will not enjoy the result, though I might,” Morrigan said with a grin. She then turned her red eyes on Kaira who still lay semi unconscious on the grass. “And who might this young morsel be?” Her gaze was predatory and hungry. I wondered if she would actually do something serious to Kiara.“She is with me. She needs healing.”Morrigan’s hand reached out to

Morrigan stepped out of the flaming sigil and pointed to its center, the flames dying the instant she left its core. “Now, you enter. Let’s see what you can do.”I hesitantly walked to the middle of the charred ground and stared at the sigil she had conjured. “Now what?”Morrigan sighed, running her hand down her face. “Did your coven elders teach you nothing?”“They said we draw power from Gaia, the earth elemental. Stella mentioned Gaia when we first bonded.”“Yes, Stella would be more attuned to Gaia than most beings. Ok.” Morrigan stood with her black dress flowing and her legs spread in a fighting stance. “Find balance, then center your body. Our power does come from the earth but it is more fundamental than simply a wishy washy idea of nature. The earth itself it literally feeding your spell power by giving of itself. If you abuse that gift, you will kill the land around you. gr

My hand hesitantly reached for the handle, my heart hopefully for who I might find inside. There was only one person I cared enough about for Brighid to even mention, and Morrigan had said he had been seen wandering this plane. Could it be that he was here? Was it really possible? As the door glided open on silent hinges, the familiar profile of long dark hair and tan skin greeted me. He was seated cross-legged before the fire, atop a mound of furs. Warmth flushed my face as I realized he was shirtless. I longed to run my hands over that smooth skin, and dig into those broad shoulders. “Makya?” He turned, those chocolate eyes locking on mine. “Eileen?” He rose smoothly and rushed to me, his hands cupping my face. I smiled as I looked up at him and then wrapped myself around him, burying my face in his bare chest. “Eileen! What are you doing here? I thought you were in Canada! Surely by now, you are back in the village. I don’t understand how you can b