Lost in Mist and Shadow: A Between the Worlds Novel Read Free Page A

things to be done. Things like what he was doing, serving the greater good. If they only had the sense to wake up and throw off the chains of lies and misinformation that held them subservient. He shook his head. They would never do that of course. It was up to the few who had realized the truth to take action, to set things right. As more and more cars left he was starting to think that she was going to stay here all night, maybe she’s smart enough not to get into a car that was as likely to end in a ditch as a driveway , he thought feeling disappointed and relieved at once. And then, like a beacon, her unmistakable form was emerging from the front door, half turned to say good bye to her friends.
    He felt a surge of fear and excitement, which doubled when he realized she was alone. Maybe tonight would be the night, maybe this time after all the days and nights of watching and waiting, would be his chance…his heart beat faster, knowing that he was running out of time. Tonight or tomorrow, but he couldn’t wait much longer. Tonight would be perfect. He moved carefully along the hedgerow on a course that would let him intersect with her path as she walked unsteadily towards one of the cars still parked on his side of the street. His mouth was too dry to swallow but his hands were sweaty; he wiped them absentmindedly on his jeans. She dropped her keys in the road and stopped, struggling to pick them up and his mind raced. He hadn’t planned for this, but the opportunity was too perfect to turn down. Would she scream? Would she fight back? Shelby had, she’d even managed to almost get away, but he hadn’t been prepared for any resistance then, he’d thought it would be easy. This time he knew it wouldn’t be. Maybe she’s try to run like Shelby had. The thought turned him on and he found himself grinning savagely into the darkness even as his stomach twisted in anticipation.
    She crossed to the sidewalk, moving over to the driver’s side door of her car and in a rush he pushed through the bushes bursting out next to her. She turned towards him her big green eyes wide and confused. He wanted to laugh but tried to keep his expression casual. “Hi, Jenny.”
    “Do I know you?” she asked, her voice soft and slurry and clearly very drunk.
    Her words made him angry, because she damn well should know him after all the time he’d spent getting to know her. “Maybe not” he felt his mouth pulling into a wide smile, “but you will.” And he lunged forward, grabbing her and covering her mouth with his hand. He wrapped his other arm around her body, holding her tightly against him and waiting for her to start fighting back. But she didn’t. She went limp in his arms and started crying behind the hand clamped on her face. She didn’t even try to bite him. He felt a moment of terrible disappointment, almost disgust, at her immediate surrender before his own resolve kicked in. It didn’t matter, and anyway he reminded himself as he started dragging her back towards his car, it’d be easier this way….
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    In a small tavern in Fairy, in a part of Queen Naesseryia’s realm that was not nearly as secure as she thought it was, a small group had gathered. They sat in a quiet corner and ignored the other customers. For their part the motley assortment of lesser Fey who frequented the Tipsy Pixie avoided the cluster of elves simply because they were elves and no one wanted trouble with the higher ranking Fey.
    Ferinyth leaned forward, keeping his voice low, “The failure was not mine. I had everything well in hand-“
    His father, Savelian, waved a dismissive hand cutting off the younger elf’s words. “You and your brother failed. There is no excusing it. You were sent to retrieve the book and you allowed it to slip through your fingers, and worse to be destroyed.”
    “All is not lost, still. The book is gone, it is true but the woman who read the book and used some of its magic