Page 8

CHAPTER 8

BJORN

“ J ust go to Moonshine Hollow and tell a little white lie. No big deal. No one will ever know. No harm done,” I muttered to myself as I made my way back to Elder Thornberry’s estate.

“I’m going to help with the unicorns anyway. I’m not going there to socialize. I’m not going to meet anyone. It will just be a small bend of the truth. No one will get hurt. Right? Right?”

Smoke whined and looked up at me.

“If it’s supposed to be so easy, why does lying to Rosalyn make me feel like I want to throw up?”

I exhaled heavily.

“I have no business getting close to her. If I can’t tell her who I am, I should steer clear of her. I just don’t get it. I lied to everyone I’ve met since leaving Frostfjord. It didn’t matter until I met her. With her, it’s different.”

Different was an understatement.

Lying to her made my chest ache.

With each passing lie, I found it harder and harder to breathe.

And then, when my runes began to glow in earnest…

I had to get out.

I had to go.

And I really could not go back because one thing was becoming abundantly clear.

Lying to Rosalyn was not an option.

It made me feel horrible in every way possible, whereas being near her made me feel…

like me .

I felt like myself .

Sitting in her little bakery, listening to her talk, watching her work, her beautiful magic—and her beautiful body—had gripped me with an unseen force I couldn’t understand.

When she stood close to me, I smelled the sweet scent of vanilla clinging to her hair and skin.

She smelled divine.

She was so lovely.

And she seemed to like me .

I shook my head.

“We can’t go back, Smoke. It’s not fair to her.”

Smoke looked up at me, his expression questioning.

“Sorry, Bud. It has to be that way. I’ll turn my focus onto the unicorns. That’s why I’m here anyway. I’m finally away from everything. For the first time, I can see what I like to do, how I like to spend my time, where I like to go, like to eat…”

Memories of Rosalyn’s delicious dishes came to my mind again, the soft, creamy flavor of the soup, the umami of the pie, and…

her sweetness.

I sighed heavily.

I hadn’t come here for love.

“The unicorns. That’s my focus,” I said again, trying to steel myself again.

Trying and failing.

I had come to Moonshine Hollow to prove many things to myself.

While I had lied about my identity to make that happen, the one thing I had not expected was to find someone so wonderful.

Someone who only saw me as myself and was endlessly kind to me.

No doubt, I had probably ruined her good opinion of me.

My hasty retreat probably appeared rude at best and unkind at worst.

I just…

I couldn’t lie to her anymore.

And my runes…

I was grateful when I finally arrived at the elder’s door again.

My head ached, and I didn’t want to think anymore.

“Ah, Mister Runeson, right this way. The elder had a room readied for you. Do you need anything to eat? I’m afraid the elder and his wife eat early. Truth be told, Lady Petunia scolded him for not asking you to dinner,” the woman said with a laugh.

“I was sworn to ensure you joined the elder and his wife for breakfast.”

“I would be honored,” I said.

With that, the maid led me to a room that looked out on the vineyards and far-off pastures.

Lights bobbed amongst the vines.

At first, I thought it was fireflies, but then I realized it was fairies tending to the blossoms.

Trails of light followed them as they zipped through the fields.

In the Frozen Isles, it was too cold for such delicate creatures, but I occasionally saw the shy elementals in the forest.

Closing the curtains, I pulled off my clothes and slipped under the covers.

With a tired sigh, I tried to get comfortable.

Smoke found a spot at my feet and lay down to sleep.

When I closed my eyes, thoughts of Rosalyn danced through my mind.

The softness of her skin, the smell of her hair, the magical glimmer of her wings.

While there were many beautiful women at home, something about Rosalyn was special.

My mind replayed every interaction with her.

Her wide blue eyes, rosebud lips, and her sweet face.

By the Nine Gods, she was so beautiful.

She was curvy and enticing in every way.

While there were always women like Ingri out there who wanted to push their assets at me, Rosalyn simply existed in her beautiful skin—soft, smooth, and so enticing.

I imagined sliding her dress up to her hips and leaning her back on the counter of her bakery.

The mere thought sent a fierce throb of desire through my groin.

I could almost taste her on my tongue.

The sweet vanilla that perfumed her skin would surely mingle with a deeper, headier flavor that was all her just beneath.

She would taste of honey and wild berries, intoxicating and addictive.

My hand drifted beneath the sheets as I imagined her soft gasps filling the quiet bakery, the way her fingers would grip my shoulders, her wings fluttering as I kissed her neck, my lips trailing across her collarbone, down to her breasts.

My runes began to glow softly, a faint blue light peeking from beneath the covers.

As my fantasy deepened, so did their radiance.

Unable to stop myself, I wrapped my fingers around my already hard cock, the sensation drawing a low groan from my throat.

My body reacted to thoughts of her with an intensity I’d never experienced before, as if it recognized what my mind refused to accept.

I stroked myself with slow, deliberate movements at first, savoring the building tension.

My muscles coiled with need.

I envisioned her breasts heaving, her body sweaty and trembling as she held on to me, her delicate pixie wings aflutter behind her.

The image of her small body beneath mine, her eyes glazed with desire, her lips parted, made my cock throb painfully in my grip.

“Rosalyn,” I whispered into the darkness, my voice rough with desire.

The runes along my arms pulsed brighter in response to her name, casting undulating blue shadows across the ceiling.

My breathing grew ragged as I imagined sliding inside her, feeling her tight heat envelop me inch by inch.

She was petite compared to my Rune elf body.

The thought of her stretching to accommodate me, of her wetness easing my way, made my hand move faster, grip tighter.

Pleasure boiled within me, building toward release, yet each surge of ecstasy brought with it an equal measure of dread.

Each fantasy of her body yielding to mine was both bliss and a frightening truth.

The runes knew.

My body knew.

Only my stubborn mind kept denying what was becoming increasingly clear with each stroke, each labored breath, each pulse of light beneath my skin.

Our runes only lit up for the one we were meant to be with.

Her?

Was it her?

Every nerve ending in my body seemed to come alive, hypersensitive even to the sheets touching my skin.

The mere thought of being with Rosalyn sent electric currents racing along my spine.

My entire body tightened, my toes curling, back arching, breath catching.

I imagined her voice in my ear, her breath warm against my neck, her nails digging into my back as she urged me deeper.

The runes blazed now, so bright I could see them through the sheets, illuminating the room with pulsating azure light.

Each throb of my cock was matched by a surge of magic in my veins as if my very life force recognized her.

I pumped my hand faster, desperate now for release, imagining Rosalyn’s legs wrapped around my waist, her core squeezing me.

I’d fill her completely, make her mine in every way.

The fantasy of her crying out my name as she came undone beneath me finally pushed me over the edge.

My climax hit me with the force of a tidal wave, wrenching a hoarse cry from my throat.

My seed spilled hot over my hand as waves of pleasure crashed through me, more intense than anything I’d ever felt before.

For those few precious seconds, I forgot about my lies and fears.

There was only Rosalyn and this overwhelming need to be with her.

As the pleasure slowly ebbed, I lay panting in the dark, the runes still glowing, though dimmer now.

Rosalyn was what I had been missing.

As I lay in the darkness, my heart still racing, the truth became undeniable.

The runes recognized what my soul already knew.

But how?

How would this ever work?

She didn’t know who I really was.

I had been lying to her all along.

It was then that I knew with certainty that I had to stay away from her.

Being close to Rosalyn was far more dangerous than the lies I was telling.

There was a very good chance this infatuation could turn into something more—at least for me.

But I had started it with a lie.

That was unfair.

When she learned that I came with more baggage than a ship…

She didn’t deserve that.

Or worse, once she found out who I really was, maybe that sweet charm would disappear, and she’d turn calculating.

The idea that she might start seeing crowns and coins instead of me made me feel sick.

I had to stay away from her…

if I could.

The scene at the breakfast table the next morning was both cozy and loud, but not in the same manner of our great hall.

Elder Thornberry and his wife laughed heartily, joked loudly, and gossiped scandalously as they passed around bountiful platters of food.

Their daughter, Emmalyn—whom I had met in the stables—was far more reserved than the boisterous pair.

However, something about her energy reminded me of my sister Asa.

Introverted, yes, but I detected a familiar spark of mischievousness behind the quiet smiles.

“My wife never let me hear the end of it,” Elder Thornberry said as he handed me a heaping platter of fluffcakes, a fluffy, golden, and delicious breakfast pastry I’d never tried.

“When she realized I’d forgotten to invite you for dinner, I thought I was doomed!”

“Oh, yes,” his wife, Petunia, added with a wave of her teacup, the liquid sloshing onto the white tablecloth.

“I’m so sorry, Mister Runeson. My husband gets so wrapped up in his business with the other elders that he forgets his name. I do hope you didn’t go to bed hungry.”

“Not at all,” I said.

“I grabbed a bite from town.”

“Oh, yes. There are many fine establishments in Moonshine Hollow,” Elder Thornberry began, launching into what sounded like an endless list of taverns, restaurants, and cafés.

“And where did you end up?” Lady Thornberry asked politely, though her eyes twinkled with curiosity.

I paused.

“I… The Sconery. Rosalyn was kind enough to offer me a little supper,” I said, trying to keep my tone neutral.

Emmalyn, who was mid-pour, paused with her teapot still aloft.

Her gaze flicked to mine, narrowed ever so slightly, then softened into a knowing smile before returning her attention to her drink again.

I cleared my throat and looked away from her.

“Oh, yes. Poor dear Rosalyn,” Lady Thornberry said, shaking her head.

“Such a lovely girl. I can’t believe she’s still single. All the town’s still talking about that terrible date she had the other night. The brutish man! Poor Rosalyn had to slip out through the kitchen to get away. A tragedy. Such a beauty and so kind and charming. It’s a miracle she hasn’t been snatched up yet! I even heard that?—”

“Mother,” Emmalyn interrupted gently, giving her mother a knowing look.

Lady Thornberry caught her daughter’s meaning.

“Yes, well. Rosalyn is quite the talented beauty and a great baker,” she said, giving me an affirmative nod.

I turned back to my plate, avoiding Emmalyn’s gaze.

So, Rosalyn was unlucky in love.

That realization twisted something in my chest.

How did someone as beautiful and warm-hearted as her earn such a reputation?

One more reason to leave her alone.

If the truth ever came out that I was lying, I’d only be another mark on her long list of disappointments.

“Faelor will take you out to the fields this morning, Bjorn,” Elder Thornberry said.

“He knows the place well. We’ve already sent someone out to stock the cabin. You should be in good shape to stay a few days and spend some time with the unicorns. If you find yourself in need of anything, just send a message.”

“Thank you, sir. That’s very kind of you,” I said.

I tried to finish up my breakfast without catching Emmalyn’s eye again, but it soon became clear that the elder and his wife could spend all morning recounting local gossip, and the unicorns weren’t going to wait.

“Father. Mother,” Emmalyn said smoothly, “I believe Bjorn is finished, and it would do him good to get an early start. May I escort him to the stables?”

“Of course, of course! We don’t want to hold you up,” Elder Thornberry said.

“Just remember to send word if you need anything. We all hope this unicorn issue is resolved quickly. It’s got everyone in town on edge.”

I rose and bowed politely to the elder and his wife, then turned to Emmalyn, who offered me a sly smile as she led me outside toward the stone-lined path to the stables.

“We’ll see you have a horse to ride to the fields. And if you need anything while you’re out there, you’re free to ask,” she said.

“Thank you,” I replied, already sensing she was preparing an inquisition.

“What a coincidence,” she said, her voice airy, “that you managed to find Rosalyn’s shop after meeting her just that morning.”

I reached into my pocket and pulled out the compass bird.

“I have this little guy to thank. He’s the one who led me to Rosalyn’s door.”

Emmalyn smiled.

“Sometimes the simplest charms are the most honest. And while my father is right that there are many fine restaurants in Moonshine Hollow, there’s no one quite like Rosalyn. Agreed?” she asked, a smirk already forming.

I caught the same glimmer in her eye Asa often had.

I knew better than to fall for it.

So, instead, I leaned into it.

“It was a hearty dinner,” I said with a perfectly straight face, “served with a warm smile. What more can a man ask for?”

I gave her the same knowing look I always gave Asa when I knew she was trying to bait me.

Emmalyn chuckled and let the conversation drop.

When we reached the stables, Emmalyn led me to a tall, golden-eyed man waiting beside a saddled horse.

“Bjorn, this is Faelor, our Master of Horse,” Emmalyn said.

“Pleasure to meet you,” Faelor said, politely bowing to me.

His voice was smooth, deep, and laced with a melodic quality.

He had swarthy skin, gold-colored hair, and curling horns.

His goat-like hoofed legs stuck out from under his short trousers.

“You as well,” I said, setting my hand on my waist and bowing politely.

We had no satyrs in the Frozen Isles, so I was very pleased to meet him.

Faelor and I saddled up our horses, and we prepared the unicorn mare and foal to return with us to the fields.

“Be well, Bjorn,” Emmalyn said.

“I’m off to book club with some friends…and Rosalyn. I’ll be sure to send your greetings,” she said with a grin, then wandered off.

I shook my head and then prepared to ride out.

Soon, Faelor and I rode across the green fields to the far pastures where the unicorns grazed.

We were getting close when Faelor raised a hand to slow our pace.

We dismounted, walked our horses to the crest of the hill, and looked out.

Faelor undid the lead on the mare, and she and her foal headed off.

Below us, nestled beside a glittering pond, was a small cabin.

But beyond the cabin, a herd of about twenty unicorns roamed the field.

The mare and her little one trotted to rejoin them.

I suppressed a gasp when I looked out on the scene.

The magic was wild.

Clouds like sparkling rainbows hovered over one patch of the field.

A dark cloud with glowing veins of lightning drifted ominously across another.

A whirlwind, no higher than a man, spun across the grass.

In one area, honeybloom violets—a favorite of all unicorns—stretched as far as the eye could see.

Sparks.

Bolts.

Whispers of incandescent glow.

The whole field shimmered with energy.

“Can you cast protection enchantments, Mister Runeson?” Faelor asked.

“My mother never let me go far without at least one protection charm…or twelve. One of the benefits of an overprotective mother.”

Faelor chuckled.

“You’re going to need them. This is the most magic I’ve seen stirred up in these fields. Be careful. There’s a message box in the cabin. Send notes as needed. And don’t worry, Elder Thornberry’s homeland is enchanted. If you’re badly hurt, the land itself will send an alarm. But let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”

“Indeed.”

“I do hope you can solve this. We’re all worried about what this might mean for Moonshine Hollow. If this spreads or begins to affect other magical folk…”

He didn’t finish.

He didn’t have to.

Moonshine Hollow was a magical place.

If the illness spread beyond unicorns to people like him or Rosalyn…

“I will do my best. I swear it.”

Beside me, Smoke barked at a sudden glimmer.

Three phantom unicorns broke from the herd and charged toward us.

My horse stamped and tossed his head nervously, but by the time the ethereal beasts reached us, they simply dissolved into glitter, whisked away by the wind.

I had my work cut out for me.

And for the first time, I honestly wondered if I knew enough.

Because if I didn’t, this wouldn’t be a magical retreat.

It was going to be a tragedy.