Page 1 of Beyond the Winter Kingdom
Chapter 1
Vareck
“You’re a godsdamned menace!”
My mate’s voice pierced the hazy fog of sleep that still enveloped me. I frowned, rolling onto my back. Sunlight streamed through the open curtains, and the room was a comfortable temperature. It was perfect for the lazy morning I planned to spend in bed with Meera.
There was just one problem.
She wasn’t here.
“She’s downstairs,” Corvo said as I bolted upright. He loafed in front of the dying embers of last night’s fire, enjoying the warmth. I was so used to him popping in and out, it wasn’t surprising for him to show up here. “Not happy either, by the sounds of it.”
I slipped out of the bed, then paused. My favorite pair of fur-lined leather trousers was already on my body, as was a black shirt with rolled cuffs. I raised a brow in an unspoken question.
“Figured you’d want to go running downstairs, and not everyone wants to see you swinging your junk around like a sad balloon animal.”
My jaw tightened. “Prior to your insult, I was going to say this was oddly considerate of you.”
Corvo’s tail flicked. “Ew, Vareck. Don’t make it something it’s not. Meera bothered me about clothes. I saved myself the trouble when I knew you would inevitably ask for the same favor before chasing after your lady friend.”
“And there’s the asshole we all know.” I rolled my eyes, donning the socks and boots at the end of the bed. A dark cloak lay over the back of one of the chairs. I tossed it on, barely tying the damn thing before I was out the door.
Crash.
My pace quickened as I sped toward the commotion. I took the steps two at a time, then turned toward the hall. My breath halted when my gorgeous mate came into view. Fiery red hair, curvy form, and pissed off glowing green eyes.
“Tell me who hired you,” she demanded, her voice laced with persuasion.
“Stop trying to compel me, lass. It’s just wasting your power.”
“Tell me!”
“I can’t! You know—” The black-haired fae ducked as she threw a dish at his head. If not for his quick reflexes, that would have hit its mark with impressive force. “For fuck’s sake. Can you calm down so we can talk about this like reasonable folk?”
“Calm down?” Meera repeated. She’d gone deathly still.
I winced. He didn’t seem to realize that he’d committed the greatest of sins.
He told a woman to calm down.
I hoped he was praying to whatever god he believed in because he was going to need it.
“My fucking sister is missing, you prick!”
“Now, now, Meera. There’s no need for name-calling.”
I recognized the leprechaun without question, and I could easily understand her wrath considering the circumstances surrounding their last meeting, but his name had escaped me. Larry? Lachlan? No, that wasn’t it.
“Name-calling is the least of what I’ll do to you if you don’t tell me what I want to know.”
Slowly, the bearded man stood to his full height, trying to inch backwards while placating her. “You know I can’t do that?—”
That was also the wrong thing to say.
Meera grabbed a butter knife and chucked it at him. Assassin, my woman was not. However, the knife spun in his general direction before the flat length hit his chest and clattered to the floor.
“Really?” he said, arching an amused eyebrow.
