Page 60 of Love Beyond Wanting
“Aye, lass, but I’ve no wish to be free.They are right to keep me locked away.”
“Listen, I have an idea.If there was a way to turn you fully human—to remove any of the fae from you—would you take it?”
He didn’t hesitate, as I’d predicted.“Aye.I feel more of me disappearing every day.A fortnight ago, I loved my life, lass.All I want is to have it back.”
“I think we should go and look for your grandfather and ask him to help.”
“Fae canna be trusted, lass.”
“I know, but in this case, I truly believe we have the upper hand.”
“Anything ye need me to do, lass, I will do.”
Chapter 40
Itried to convince the men of my plan all on my own.We decided that would be best.That way, if they dismissed it or wouldn’t agree to help, they wouldn’t be suspicious of allowing Maddock to guard Brachan.
They turned me down flat.Even though the best suggestion any of them had was to just keep him bound up for the foreseeable future.
It didn’t matter.My option was the best one.
If Laurel was here, I knew she would agree.
Come daybreak, Maddock and I were breaking him out.
This time tomorrow, I had every intention of being able to say I was the second woman to put a chink in that bitch’s armor.
Chapter 41
Just before dawn, when Maddock’s shift was set to end, Maddock released Brachan, and we made our way out of the castle as quietly and quickly as possible.
We saw no one on the way out of the castle, in the stables, or along the path leading to the castle gates.It gave me hope that the rest of the morning would go just as smoothly.
We took two horses to the clearing.Brachan had his own, and I rode with Maddock on Stella.The ride was somber, as each of us seemed to be in our own worlds of worry.
It was a sunny day and warmer than any I’d experienced since arriving.Surely, that had to be a good omen.
Maddock knew the exact location of the place Machara had mentioned.He wasn’t surprised that it was the place where Machara’s father lived.He’d always thought it had a different feel to it—that I would be able to see what he meant when we arrived.
It didn’t take us long to reach the hill before the clearing.No place on the Isle was very difficult to get to.
Midway up the hill, he dismounted and tied our horses so we could make the rest of the journey on foot.
“We need to prepare here, lass.There is no way to know how quickly after entering the clearing he will choose to appear.”
“How do you mean?”
As far as I could tell, this entire thing was just going to require a whole lot of luck and wit.Words were important with faeries—I would have to watch every word that came out of my mouth.
Maddock and I walked hand-in-hand, with Brachan on the other side of me.He reached out to gently touch my shoulder so I would stop.
“There is a reason why there are so many stories of mortals falling for members of the fae, lass.The fae doona know how to relate to all that mortals feel, so they rely on their ability to manipulate yer baser instincts.”
Maddock released my hand to step in front of me so that I was looking at both of them.
“He’s right, lass.’Tis possible he will try to take ye as his own.Ye will have to resist him.”
Faerie charm was the last thing I was worried about.“Guys, I don’t think that’s going to be a problem.Your grandfather has to be like a thousand years old, right?I’m not going to be wooed by any faerie.”
