Enchanted Ever After (Mystic Circle) Read Online Free PDF Page B

for the whole thing.
    He didn’t want Kiri Palger to die.

Chapter 4
    AFTER THE PARTY, Jenni Emberdrake and her husband, Aric, closed up the house and sank into plump cushioned lounge chairs in the sunroom—a room her brownies had made earlier in the year. She loved the place.
    Aric grunted. “Good party.”
    Leaning back and closing her eyes, Jenni said, “Yes. I love the neighborhood parties, but don’t care too much for hosting them. I think Amber and Rafe should do it all the time.”
    “Our turn,” Aric reminded. “Thank you, Hartha and Pred.”
    From the sound of his voice above her, Jenni figured he’d stood and bowed to the two brownies who lived with them.
    Opening her eyes and hauling herself up, she bowed to the couple, as well. “Thank you for all your work.”
    Hartha shrugged little brownie shoulders. Taller than her husband, she still stood less than a meter high. Her mouth was straight and the tips of her huge triangular ears folded over in concern, and Jenni sat sideways on the chair so she’d be eye to eye.
    “The party was easy,” Hartha said, then crossed her arms. “We don’t like that Darkfolk are flying over Mystic Circle, trying to harm our homes.”
    Pred said, “We don’t like it at all.”
    Jenni sat tall, stared at the brownies. “I have it handled. They can’t get in. No evil, not human and especially not Darkfolk, not even great Dark ones.”
    “But only here is safe,” Hartha pointed out. “We are stuck here.”
    Aric said, “We can all take care of ourselves—you brownies and Sargas the firesprite, and we Lightfolk. Amber has defensive Air Spells from her magic. Rafe has his sword and shield.”
    “Kiri the human does not have anything,” Pred said. “We liked Kiri.” He grinned big. “She made us brownies.”
    “And you want her to continue to make brownies,” Aric put in, coming over and sitting next to Jenni, sliding his strong arm around her waist, letting her lean on him a little. She loved that, being a couple. Loved him.
    Hartha tapped her foot. “You are not listening to us. Kiri may be in danger.”
    “I do hear you. We’ll figure something out,” Jenni said.
    Hartha gave Jenni a look, sniffed and trundled away, followed by Pred, who glanced at them over his shoulder, mouthing, We need more chocolate.
    Jenni turned into her husband, rested against his broad chest, breathed in the Treeman scent of him, redwood needle spice.
    “They’re right,” she said.
    “I will report the Darkfolk incursion to the Eight royals, of course.”
    Jenni hissed, letting off some of her fire nature steam. “You know they won’t do anything.”
    “The great Dark ones rarely leave their domains, and are unassailable there. We cannot prevail against them in their strongholds.” Aric stroked her hair. “I’m sure the one who showed up today is already back on his estate.”
    “But they are vicious, and since they are down to a handful, they are even more rabid.” She paused. “More violent. They’d like to kill us all.” Frowning, she forced herself to consider the matter. “The great Dark ones are more powerful than individual royals. Than some couples, too, I think.” She glanced at Aric. “Some are older than the royals, aren’t they?” Jenni was half-human, new to associating with the Eight royals. Aric had served them—and with them—for years.
    “That’s right,” he confirmed. “They’re very old and powerful.”
    Restless, she stood to pace back and forth. “Why are they attacking, now?”
    Aric winced and she caught his expression. “What have the Eight told you that they haven’t told me?”
    “The Meld Project is doing well. It would be tempting for them to get their hands on it...or people who know how to make magic and technology meld together.”
    Jenni shrugged. “I don’t spend that much time on the Meld task force anymore, not with my own new concept.” She grimaced, and sank down next to her husband again. “Kiri’s in danger