The Fae Ring Read Online Free PDF Page A

unsolicited magical gift. “Thank you, cousin,” he whispered.
    She nodded, meeting his eyes, before looking up at her husband and brother-by-marriage. “I need to speak with my cousin. Alone.”
    Duncan frowned, but Claire nodded.
    Alex squared his shoulders. “All right, m ò chridhe .” He caressed Alana’s cheek and pressed a kiss to her forehead.
    Xander tried not to watch, or at least be detached, but he couldn’t. He stared at the tenderness the laird displayed for Alana, and couldn’t erase Janet’s blue eyes from his mind.
    He’d touched her. Knew how her skin felt beneath his fingertips. Remembered her taste and how it was to have her up against his chest, in his arms. Xander had to swallow hard.
    Duncan leaned in, sticking one thick finger in his face. Sapphire eyes—matching his sister’s—narrowed. “Ye will make this right.”
    “Duncan.” Claire’s sharp admonition was ignored, but the man did back away.
    He threw his arm around his pregnant wife’s shoulders. “Ye need ta rest, m ò gradh. ” His tone was gentle, as if he’d not been ferocious moments before.
    “Yeah, I was .” Claire rolled her eyes.
    Alex chuckled as he followed them out of the room. “Come, Da.” He gestured to his father. “We’ve a meetin’ with the steward. We’ve already kep’ him waiting.”
    Iain nodded.
    When the door closed, Xander tried to avoid his cousin’s gaze, but couldn’t. She might be diminutive in stature, but he’d never been able to look away when she commanded his attention.
    One of the few situations Alana used her former rank to her advantage.
    No matter where they were now, he couldn’t discard how he’d been raised to treat her. Respect was ingrained. It just so happened affection for his cousin was, as well.
    “I’d ask what you were thinking, but I don’t think you were. As unusual as that is…” Alana kept her voice low, but Xander heard slight amusement, too.
    He sighed and shook his head. “Nay. Magic drove me. I didn’t recognize what was happening until it was too late.”
    Alana laughed.
    “What is amusing, cousin?”
    She took a seat and motioned for him to sit beside her. Both chairs rested in front of the fireplace.
    Peat tickled his nose. Fresh and earthy, making the room smell as if they were outside. He glanced at the welcoming fire, burning low and hot as it consumed the block of moss.
    So different from home.
    It wasn’t unpleasant, but Fae burned scented woods grown from special trees. They were sweet, filling the air with the scents akin to sugary confections baking. The fires were also colored, depending on what wood was being used.
    “Nothing is truly amusing, Xander. Your tone speaks of dread.”
    “I cannot deny that.”
    She took his hand and squeezed. “She is for you.”
    He couldn’t find his voice, so he just closed his eyes, giving in to a reluctant nod.
    A human mate?
    Alana laughed again. His cousin wore a charming smirk when their gazes met again. “ My human mate is more than enough.”
    He’d spoken aloud?
    Bollocks.
    Xander had no rebuttal as he tried not to look into Alana’s violet eyes.
    “Xander, please.” Alana’s voice dropped. “Don’t fight this, cousin. ‘Twill only make you ill.”
    She was right, but he wasn’t going to admit it aloud. The legend of rings like his—Janet’s now—was that it found your perfect mate—a soul-mate, humans would say. He’d had it so long, Xander didn’t remember much, but he did recall his grandmother’s words as she’d pressed it into his young palm.
    The couple has to do the rest .
    The problem was, the magic expected both parties to comply. Illness—or worse—could result if either fought the mating bond.
    The bond itself had little to do with magic itself. Only those truly meant to be together could form the golden rope linking them. Rare among the Fae. But to bond with a human? Xander hadn’t known it was possible until that morning.
    A new mating bond needed to be