I grasp one of the ballroom’s double door handles, preparing to seek out Pappa and discreetly lead him to a private location where we can talk. Happy sounds drift through into the hallway—clinking glasses, lilting Fae music, and laughter. The crowd inside is ready for a good time, a celebration.
Taking one last fortifying breath, I press a clenched fist into my stomach to quell the stampede of butterflies gathering steam. I squeeze my eyelids shut and give the handle a tug. But my fingers loosen and the door softly closes again when a voice grabs my attention. A loud voice. An angry voice. It’s coming from just outside the royal residence, in the common area.
She’s still here.
Unable to resist one last peek at the girl who’s claimed the heart of the Elven prince—my former fiancé—I go to the palace’s front door and peer through the opening.
She stands in the middle of the path, halfway between my hiding place and the tunnel that leads out of Altum. She’s upset. And she’s not alone.
Her face is red, her hands clenched, as she argues with an extremely tall, dark-haired Elven guy whose back is to me. Maybe he’s a guard who’s kicking her out or something?
But no, she’s storming away, and he’s grabbing her sleeve to stop her. Interesting. There’s more heated conversation, the words of which I’m too far away to understand, and then she succeeds in pushing him away and runs toward the opening of the tunnel to the surface.
The guy stares after her, tension holding his powerful body in a state of suspended animation. Then his shoulders fall, and he slowly turns my way.
Oh my God.
By the time I see him in profile, my adrenaline is spiking to fight-or-flight levels. Could it really be him? I fling open the doors and launch myself through them.
And my entire body jerks back as if I’ve been struck by a moving vehicle. Something has snagged my dress, and I’m going down fast, but I don’t hit the ground. Powerful arms catch my fall a moment before my head impacts the stone floor.
“What have you done?” Pappa yells, yanking me upright to face him. He slams the door shut, closing out the shadowy male figure in the distance.
Pulling toward the door in desperation, I try to wrench myself away from Pappa. “I... I need to go—I need to see—”
“You’re not going anywhere until you explain to me why I’ve just been informed there will be no wedding today.”
His grip on my bare upper arms is punishing, fingertips digging into the tender flesh. Squirming in an attempt to dislodge them only makes his hold tighter.
“I can’t do it Pappa,” I cry. “It’s wrong. You’ve always warned me that bonding is forever. I can’t bond myself to someone based on a lie. Especially when he’s as opposed to it as I am.”
The veins in Pappa’s neck bulge dangerously. “You talked to him. You told him.”
“I told the king. I didn’t get a chance to tell his son. It’s for the best, Pappa. You’ll see.”
I hear the crack of his palm striking my cheek a split second before the stinging pain registers in my brain. Staggering backward, I stare at Pappa in shock.
“The only thing I see,” he hisses, his pointing finger shaking in the air between us. “Is a foolish girl who’s destroyed five years of my careful work in one moment of ignorant self-interest. You have no idea what you’ve done. You will regret this.”
Holding my fingers to my throbbing cheek, I respond in a voice thick with tears. “I regret disappointing you. But you’re wrong. I do know what I’ve done—the right thing. And I’m not going to just blindly follow your orders anymore. I will have my own life.”
He barks out an ugly laugh. “Yes. You are on your own. No one will help you now. No one will care about you. And no one will want you.”
“You may be right.”
He probably is, and I do want to belong somewhere to someone. But not at any cost. Swiping the wetness from my face, I turn to leave, to go back to my room and pack the few meager belongings I brought with me—which now amount to all my worldly possessions, I suppose.
Pappa’s bitter voice follows me, curling around my ears like black smoke from a trash fire. “You’ll be back, you know. Someday you’ll fall at my feet and beg me for forgiveness, beg me to take you in again.”
I shake my head, not turning back around, not even glancing over my shoulder. There’s no point in it. I know what’s behind me. My past.
And out there somewhere, far above us on the surface, where the sun shines on the humans and the Elven race alike, is my future.
Somewhere out there—perhaps not too far away—is Nox Knight. I will find him. I will determine the truth about the fate of my beloved childhood friend, my first innocent love.
And if he’s the same boy I knew long ago, if he really is alive, then perhaps Pappa is wrong.
Perhaps there is someone who will want me. Who will love me for who I was then, for who I really am deep down inside, and for who I will become.
THE END
AFTERWORD
Thank you for reading THE SWAY: A Hidden Trilogy Novella. I hope you enjoyed it! If so, I’d love for you to leave a review at the retail site where you purchased it. Reviews help authors more than you can imagine and help other readers find great new books to read.
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You’ve just read a novella connected to the Hidden Trilogy. Other books in the series are listed below. I hope you’ll love them all!
HIDDEN DEEP
HIDDEN HEART
HIDDEN HOPE- Coming soon!
Would you like to know more about the world of the Light Elves and find out what the Dark Elves are really up to? The Hidden Trilogy begins with book one, HIDDEN DEEP.
Sixteen-year-old Ryann Carroll has just run into the guy who saved her life ten years ago. You might think she'd be happy to see him again. Not exactly. She's a bit underdressed (as in skinny-dipping) and he's not supposed to exist.
After her father's affair, all Ryann wants is to escape the family implosion fallout and find a little peace. She also wouldn't mind a first date that didn't suck, but she's determined not to end up like her mom: vulnerable, betrayed, destroyed. Ryann's recently moved into her grandma's house in rural Mississippi, the same place where ten years earlier she became lost in the woods overnight and nearly died.
She's still irresistibly drawn to those woods. There she encounters the boy who kept her from freezing to death that long ago winter night and was nowhere to be seen when rescuers arrived. He's still mysterious, but now all grown-up and gorgeous, too. And the more she's with him, the greater the threat he poses to Ryann's strict policy—never want someone more than he wants you.
Seventeen-year-old Lad knows the law of his people all too well: Don't get careless and Don't get caught. It's allowed his race to live undetected in this world for thousands of years, mentioned only in flawed and fading folklore. Lad's never been able to forget about Ryann since that night ten years ago. When he sees her again, his fascination re-ignites and becomes a growing desire that tempts him to break all the rules. He's not even supposed to talk to a human, much less fall in love with one.
And the timing is atrocious. The Assemblage is coming, the rift between the Light and Dark is widening. Lad may have to trade his own chance at happiness to keep the humans, especially Ryann, blissfully ignorant and safe.
What reviewers are saying about HIDDEN DEEP...
“Hidden Deep is a young adult fantasy novel set in steamy rural Mississippi, and the steam spills over to the attraction between Lad and Ryann. The characters are great, and the unique setting comes to life on the pages of this engrossing read” Misti Pyles- Examiner.com
“I was immediately drawn to the cool, quiet tranquility of the woods. The details jumped off the page in deep green leaves and cold clear water. Then Lad and Ryann swept me right off my feet... I was glad that I started Hidden Deep on a Friday so that I could read straight through the night into the breaking hours of dawn. It ended way too quickly. I hope the continuation will be out soon. I will be making plans for another Friday night lost in the world of Lad and Ryann.” AJ- Bitten by Books
“I really got into this story, and every time I reached the end of a chapter I couldn't resist going onto the next one... Hidden Deep was a YA fantasy novel like no other. In a world of vampires and demons and witches, a new story with a new mythical background is always welcome. It was a funny, romantic, refreshing read that I'm glad I got to pick up. I'd definitely be interested in reading the rest of this trilogy.” Jessica—The Book Bratz YA book blog
“I love it when I fall deeper into the story as I move from one chapter to the next. That’s what I got here. ... as a whole, this book is a delicious read. I actually went back to the first chapter immediately after finishing the epilogue which is EPIC by the way. The cliffhanger left me with my mouth open and ready to reread the whole thing (which I kinda did).” Lyn Ching, Side B blog
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Amy Patrick is a two-time Golden Heart finalist (2013 and 2014) who writes Contemporary Romance and Young Adult fantasy/paranormal romance. She is the author of the Hidden Trilogy and the 20 Something series. Living in New England now with her husband and two sons, she actually craves the heat and humidity of Mississippi, where she grew up. She's been a professional singer and news anchor and currently narrates audio books as well as working as a station host for a Boston TV station.
Contact her at amypatrickbooks@yahoo.com or visit her website www.amypatrickbooks.com.
Be the first to hear about new releases, special pricing, and bonus material by subscribing to Amy’s newsletter at http://eepurl.com/4lX1f
TABLE OF CONTENTS
––––––––
Chapter One Partners
Chapter Two Promised
Chapter Three The Council
Chapter Four Light
Chapter Five Wipe Out
Chapter Six Questions
Chapter Seven Roommate
Chapter Eight The Agent
Chapter Nine Field Trip
Chapter Ten Watched
Chapter Eleven Crush
Chapter Twelve Drop-in
Chapter Thirteen Malibu
Chapter Fourteen Home Again
Chapter Fifteen Sweet Sorrow
Chapter Sixteen Bridal Suite
Chapter Seventeen Wedding Day
Chapter Eighteen Sighting
Afterword
About the Hidden Trilogy
About the Author