Elphame's Choice Read Online Free PDF Page B

me that you don’t have to chase any woman anywhere.”
    “Now that, sister-mine, is the simple truth….” He let the words trail off and grinned at her.
    “Hmm, I thought you might be staying at home to welcome the…” Elphame cleared her throat and tossed back her hair, doing a perfect imitation of their mother’s tone of voice as well as her body language. “…lovely and unmarried daughter of the Chieftain of Woulff Castle who will be sojourning at Epona’s Temple on the way to begin her training at the Temple of the Muse.”
    Cuchulainn’s mouth tightened, and for an instant Elphame regretted her teasing. Then, with his usual good humor he shrugged his shoulders and gave her a long-suffering grin.
    “Her name is Beatrice, sister-mine. Can you image anyone named Beatrice not having a high forehead and regal carriage? ” He spoke the words putting a simper in his deep voice, which made Elphame laugh out loud.
    “She’s probably a very handsome woman,” El said through giggles.
    “No doubt fertile, with ample hips and the ability to bear many children.”
    Brother and sister exchanged looks of complete understanding.
    “I’ll be glad when Arianrhod and Finegas are old enough for Mama to start matchmaking for them.” El said in a tone that sounded more serious than she had intended.
    Cuchulainn sighed heavily. “The twins will be eighteenthis summer. In three more years Mother will be in her matchmaking glory.”
    El slanted a look at Cu. “Poor kids. It almost makes me wish we hadn’t picked on them so much when we were children.”
    “Almost!” Cuchulainn laughed. “At least we’re all in this together—it’s not like Mother singles out one of us.”
    Elphame just smiled at him and quickened the pace again, forcing herself temporarily ahead of her brother on the narrowing trail. But it’s not the same for me. Thoughts whirred incessantly through her restless mind. Her siblings were humans—attractive, talented, sought-after humans. She didn’t need to glance over her shoulder to picture Cuchulainn. His face was as familiar to her as her own—and very like her own. She smiled wryly. Cu was just a year and a half younger, and from the waist up they, too, could be twins. He had her high, well-defined cheekbones, but where hers were delicate and feminine, his were ruggedly masculine. Her chin was (according to their mother) rather defiant, and his was stubborn and proud (according to his eldest sister), complete with an adorable cleft. Instead of his sister’s sable eyes and dark auburn tresses, he had eyes that were a unique color shaded somewhere between blue and green, and thick, sandy-colored hair that refused to give up its childish cowlicks. So he kept it slicked back and cropped short, which made their mother cluck and complain over the waste of not letting it grow like a proper warrior’s.
    But Cuchulainn, son of Midhir, High Shaman and Centaur Warrior Lord, did not have to be a “proper warrior.” Named after one of Partholon’s ancient heroes, he already looked and acted the part, whether he always behaved properly or not. Tall and well-formed, he excelled at tournaments, was the finest human swordsman in Partholon and had never been bested in archery. Elphame had heard more than one young maiden sigh longingly and say that he must indeed be Cuchulainn reincarnated.
    No, Cu had never lacked for female companionship. He had just not yet found his lifemate. Elphame’s shapely lips tilted up. “But not for lack of trying,” she muttered to herself.
    That was one way she was very unlike her brother. He was suave and experienced with the opposite sex. She had never been kissed.
    Even her youngest siblings, whom she and Cu had nicknamed the Little Scholars, had no trouble finding partners for moon rituals. While Arianrhod and Finegas weren’t as athletic as their older brother and sister, they were certainly growing into intelligent, poised young adults. Looking almost like mirror