Happy Release Day ~ Lady of the Lake by M.G. Chester

Lady of the Lake (Faerie Dreams: book two)

Just when Kate thought she thought she'd never visit Kallaryn again, she finds herself awake in Prince Quallen's cave.  This time, she's sure she knows why she's here. Quallen's uncle has targeted Veenata's lake and if they can't get the anti-spell done on time, the water nymph will surely die.  It's a race against time to find all the ingredients.  While rushing around to save their friend, Kate makes an astonishing discovery about herself.  There's a reason she was born a Dreamwalker and it's up to her to save those she cares for.

Kate smiled as they jogged through the forest of florescent colored trees.  It was amazing how much she’d missed being here.  Quallen glanced at her and grinned.

“You look like you’re happy to be here despite the circumstances.”

“I am.”  She made sure not to trip over a fallen tree before chancing a look at him.  His wings fluttered effortlessly and helped him glide over the same tree she’d barely hopped over.  “Cheater.”

He laughed.  “I’m glad you’re back, Kate.”

“Me too, Quallen.”

He hopped over another tree in his path.  “You’ve been practicing running?”

Kate nodded.  “Just in case I came back.  I thought I was going to have a heart attack with all the walking and running we did the last time.”  She was actually fairly proud of how well she was keeping up with him.  She knew her endurance had improved with all of her training but until you were actually chasing a Faerie prince through the woods, it was hard to judge just how much.

“Tell me more about what’s about to happen.”

She took a deep breath.  “I have no idea, really.  I was just reading the part where the mages were starting the spell when I fell asleep.”

“What in the world is my uncle up to?”

Kate was finding it harder and harder to weave between the trees as the forest became denser.  It wouldn’t be much farther before they’d reach the tree wall guarding the lake.  She frowned.

“I thought anyone with thoughts of harm towards the lake and Veenata couldn’t get past the tree wall.”

Quallen nodded.  “There’s no way those elves should have gotten in.  They must be powerful mages to have done so.”

They both reached out a hand and touched the wall of trees in front of them.  Kate grinned as they spread to let the duo pass.  Quallen crossed first, his hand on his dagger should he need it.  Kate wiped the rain out of her eyes.  The wind whipped her wet hair against her cheeks.

“Do you know which side of the lake they were on?”

She shook her head.

“Alright.  Stay close and low to the ground.”  His whisper was lost in a boom of thunder.

Kate’s heart pounded in her chest while the butterflies battled in her stomach.  Mud and dead leaves squished between her fingers and they crawled to the edge of the lake to get a better view.

“Stop it!”  Veenata’s voice barely carried through the sound of the rain.

Quallen brushed wet bangs out of his eyes with the back of his arm, his violet eyes dark with anger.

The dark elves laughed and continued to chant.

“What should we do?”

Veenata’s sobs made Kate’s earlier resentment vanish.  Quallen pulled an arrow from his quiver and notched it on the string of his bow.

“Killing the elves will buy us time?”

Kate nodded.  “I think so.”  She flinched as lightning left the mages and shot upwards into the clouds.

Veenata screamed.

Quallen’s arrow shot through the rain and impaled itself into the farthest elf’s chest.  His second shot took down the one closest to them.  The third elf threw himself to the ground and rolled behind a fallen tree.  Veenata turned toward them, relief clear on her face.

“Stay down, Kate.”  Quallen stood, his wet wings useless.  He sprinted around the lake, heading toward the last mage.

Another lightning bolt shot through the air and Kate watched as it arced and electrified the water.   Veenata screeched and disappeared under the surface.  A wave started where the lightning had impacted and grew as it came closer to shore.

Before she could run away, the wall of water engulfed her.  Kate managed to fill her lungs with air before being pulled back into the churning waters.  She looked through the dark water, desperate to find the surface.  The need to breathe tightened her chest and panic set in.  There was no way Quallen was going to save her this time.  Had he been sucked into the lake also?

Her lungs screaming for air, she kicked her legs.

A vice-like grip tightened around her ankle and she screamed.  Bubbles popped around her face as the last of her air escaped her lungs.  Veenata’s hand produced a small glowing orange conch shell.  She pressed it to Kate’s lips and motioned for her to suck through it.
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Wife, mother, author. That pretty much sums it up. :) I am a fantasy author who loves to spend time in made up worlds filled with magic. I am a firm believer that no hero is perfect and that all villains are burdened with a tiny shred of humanity.

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