Free The Changeling Soldier by Shona Husk Page A

me, mortal. Your day of reckoning will come.
    “Yes, we should talk. You do realize that trapping a fairy isn’t a wise thing to do?”
    “I don’t see an immortal army beating down my door to save you. In fact, I see no one. No one even cares that you’re missing.” Melody tilted her head a fraction and gave her a saccharine smile. She would fit right in at Court, the games, the deals and quests for power. She’d probably even enjoy it. And it was fun as long as you were winning. “Grant me my wish and I’ll let you go.”
    “I don’t believe you.”
    “Why would I harm you when you’ve given me what I want?”
    “Because I might seek revenge.” She would. Whatever the terms of the deal, there would be ways around it. She doubted Melody had a clue about making a deal with a fairy. Lawyers had come about to facilitate deals and stop humans making bad ones, but that knowledge had been lost by mortals.
    “If you threaten me, I’ll kill you, and I don’t want to do that.” Melody smiled again but it wasn’t reassuring. Melody would quite happily kill her after getting what she wanted. She’d have to do better to lie to a fairy. A fairy would never stoop to outright lies—half-truths were a given.
    “You had no problem capturing me.” Or binding me with iron.
    “You weren’t as strong as I thought you’d be.”
    “Iron is my kryptonite.” Melody didn’t need to know that the magic of Annwyn was weakening and thus affecting her as well. “I can’t do magic while it’s touching me.”
    “I’m not stupid. I’m not freeing you until you grant my wish.”
    That made things tricky. “It’s not a wish, Melody, it’s called a deal and you’ll have to pay for what you want.” That made the starlet blink in surprise. “Did your sources not tell you that?”
    “You’re lying. Fairies grant wishes.”
    She wished she were lying down. The room was staring to spin and she wasn’t feeling so good. “Fairies don’t grant wishes; we never have and never will. We make deals with each other and unsuspecting humans.” Ella allowed herself a grin, the kind a hungry wolf might wear when cornering a succulent rabbit. “Are you willing to make a deal with me?”
    Melody swallowed. Her boldness had been swallowed up by uncertainty. “What’s the price?”
    “What do you desire?” History was littered with people who made deals and found them not to their liking. For a moment she was tempted to warn Melody, but then changed her mind. This girl deserved what she got.
    “I want to be famous. I want people to remember me long after I’m gone.” There was a glint in her eyes that made Ella sad. Here was a woman who’d trade everything for the belief that fame would somehow fill the gap in her soul. It wouldn’t. Until Melody recognized her own worth, no one else would either. This was why deals went wrong. Humans were too flawed.
    “Fame, couldn’t you be more creative?” It was always fame or riches. A few asked for love. Even fewer ever asked for something that would help others.
    “I want to be the name on everyone’s lips.”
    The temptation to make the deal and get free was so close. Melody wasn’t even being specific. It would be too easy. However, Ella hated being forced to break her vow not to harm mortals. Most other fairies wouldn’t blink twice. Her heart had grown too delicate living here. “Think about what you’re asking for, Melody. Will the achievement be as sweet if you don’t do it on your own?”
    “I don’t care how I get there. I just want to be known.”
    How far would Melody be willing to go to get what she thought she wanted? Ella fixed her with an unblinking stare. “Then I want a soul in exchange.”
    Melody jerked as though she’d been slapped. “A soul?”
    “Yes.” Often the first-born child was the price, but what did she want with a baby right now? Besides, that would have meant finding a fairy man willing to sleep with Melody and also taking Melody across