Free When Magic Sleeps by Tera Lynn Childs Page A

have cowed the darkest of evil.
    She turned in a swirl of gowns and stormed from the room.
    He understood her fury. Among his kind, the animal form chosen for la ainmhi reflects at least some features of the fae’s true form. Like his owl
    with feathers the same color as his hair. Like his mother’s caramel-feathered hawk. Like her advisor’s lavender-eyed wolf.
    Left alone with his thoughts, he found himself thinking not of Ultan’s assassination attempt, but of Winnie’s courage. Of the bravery that had saved his
    life. Of the love he felt for her and knew she must have also felt for him.
    Walking away from her would have been the greatest regret of his life. Thankfully he still had time to repair things between them.
    By the time his mother returned, he had made his decision.
    “The traitor fled,” she growled as she swept back into the room. “It is rumored he seeks asylum within the Deachair.”
    Cathair processed the information. In collusion with the Deachair? He should not be surprised. Ultan had been in close talks with them for years, working
    to secure an alliance between the clans. Perhaps in the process he had forged a better alliance for himself.
    “Good,” he replied.
    “Good?” His mother looked at him like he’d lost every last shred of rational thought. “How on earth could such news be good ?”
    “Because we can use that as excuse when I call off the wedding.”
    “When you call off the—“ Her question cut off abruptly. She stopped and considered him for a long moment. “I see. So you love her.”
    It was not a question.
    Cathair nodded. He had been prepared to walk away, for the good of the clan. But his near-death had brought life into perfect clarity. “As you have always
    shown, what is best for the clan is the strength of its leaders,” he said. “And I will be stronger with Winnie at my side.”
    He was not defying his mother so much as making sure she understood that he would not yield. Surely she would respect that.
    The silence stretched for so long that he began to worry his mother might never respond at all.
    “You are wise beyond your years,” she finally replied. “Besides, it would not do well to go to war with your bride’s clan.”
    “Is war inevitable?”
    “Even now, the Moraine army is readying itself for an assault on the Deachair palace.” The queen paced to the door, ready to return to her leadership
    duties, but then stopped. Without looking back, she added, “Go, find your love. When you return, you will both be needed.”
    The certainty of war could have made him doubt his decision, but it did not. Instead, it only solidified it. He knew in his heart that with Winnie at his
    side, both he and his clan would be stronger for the union.
    He threw off the covers and made ready to go back into the human world once more.

Chapter 16
    Winnie watched the wolf slink away from the palace, slipping into shadows like ink into blackness. Like last night on the roof with Cathair, she felt
    herself both within and above the dream world. She was aware it was a dream, and also aware that she was not entirely in control of it.
    She had never dreamt about an animal before. While she had seen many creatures in her dreams, one had never been the focus before in the way she was
    actively pursuing this wolf. As if it was the star of the dream.
    When the wolf reached the perimeter guard station she finally understood why.
    Helpless to do anything but scream, Winnie did just that—screamed and screamed—as a woman stepped into the wolf’s path and the beast immediately launched
    onto the fae guard. It clawed at the frail body, tearing at her chest and shoulders. The wolf’s massive jaw clamped over the guard’s throat. In one fierce
    movement, teeth slashed flesh and suddenly there was blood everywhere.
    The wolf released its prey, leaving the guard limp on the ground, lifeless.
    Just like Winnie had found Cathair on the sidewalk.
    As the beast walked away, it turned back