Shadow Rising Read Free

morality. I’d be a scumbag if she wanted to get married and I said
no
.”
    “She isn’t asking you, though. And she’s not cutting you out of the baby’s life, either.” I cocked my head. “Wait. She hasn’t cut you out,
has
she?”
    “No, it’s not that. Sharah said I can be as much a part of the baby’s life as I want.” He looked so uncomfortable that I couldn’t help but wonder what the root of the problem was.
    “So tell me again what’s the problem? You in love with her?”
    He blushed this time, and Camille broke in softly. “Perhaps the issue is that Sharah offended him by insinuating he might not want to participate.”
    Chase shifted in his seat, and glowered. “Exactly!
I’m not my father. I’m no deadbeat and I’m not going to vanish on my kid.
And since she’s choosing to have the baby, I damned well plan on being there to make sure the child knows his—or her—heritage.”
    The words poured out so fiercely that at first I thought he might be pissed, but the hurt that flashed across his face spoke volumes. Chase was afraid someone would even
think
he might consider abandoning his child. He couldn’t take being seen as a carbon copy of his missing father—the father he’d never known. His childhood had left him with deep emotional scars. The situation with Sharah must be triggering fears and resentments from his own past.
    I sheathed my fangs. “We know you’d never abandon your child, Chase. And Sharah knows that, too. Nobody who knows you would ever think you’d bail.”
    I was about to reach over and pat his hand but stopped. I simply wasn’t the comforting type, and he knew it. I opted for catching his gaze and holding it. I silently focused on him, willing him to relax. It wasn’t polite to use Fae glamour on our friends, but sometimes we chose to do what was necessary over what was ethically correct.
    After a moment he relaxed, breathing softly, and leaned his head back against the rocking carriage.
    “Don’t think I’m unaware of what you just did,” he said softly. “But thank you. Delilah knows that Sharah hasn’t told anyone yet, so she won’t say anything, either. We talked about it last night on the phone.”
    Chase and our sister Delilah had been involved in what was a downward spiral of a relationship. Now, they were both with other people, both a lot happier,
and
they’d saved their friendship.
    At that moment the carriage shifted and Camille peered out into the evening street. “We’re nearing the palace.” She smoothed her skirts and pulled out a compact, peeking into the mirror to make sure her makeup was set.
    “Me, too?” Not for the first time, I wished I could check my own damned makeup, but that wasn’t ever going to be a reality, so I sucked it up and asked for help. She leaned close, brushing my face with a quick sweep of powder.
    “You’re good to go. You look great.” She winked. “Not that the Queen’s going to care, but…”
    “But it isn’t politic to visit royalty looking like a slob.” The carriage lurched to a stop and the door opened, the driver reaching in to help us down. “I guess we’d better see what bad news is in store for us now.”
    “I don’t even want to know.” Camille flashed me a wry grin as the driver put his hands on her waist and swung her down from the carriage step to the rain-slicked path below. “But I guess we don’t have a choice.”
    Once Delilah and the others stood next to us, Trenyth led us into the palace to meet the Elfin Queen.
    Overhead, the stars glimmered. They were beautiful, but all I ever saw were the stars and the moon and clouds against the night sky. Sometimes it seemed like sunlight had become a myth—a dream I’d once had, a dream that was beautiful but fleeting. For me, only the starlight existed.
    The palace of the Elfin Queen rose in gleaming alabaster. Simple, elegant lines mirrored the symmetry of the city in general. Amid a flurry of gardens, the royal courts were clean,