AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"Goddamn," she whispered before quickly shaking herself and grabbing her bag. She opened the door just as he was raising a hand to knock. "Good morning!" she said far too brightly.
"Hello, Ella. You're looking well," he replied with a small smile.
"And I have you to thank for it. You know, the potion. And fixing my leg," she stammered, her nervous tongue getting away on her.
Bayn was looking between them with a grin. "Ella, it's nice to meet you properly," he interrupted. Mananan was still staring at her.
"So where are we going?" she asked Bayn because her tongue seemed to malfunction when talking to Mananan.
"Home. My uncle has told me about your unique abilities. I will need to hold your hand to travel, but I have brought gloves to use as well as my mental shields," Bayn explained.
Ella was touched that someone she'd never met would be so considerate. Maybe it was a fae thing? Humans in her life all seemed to think she was full of shit at worst or a party trick at best.
"If you wouldn't mind using the gloves, I'd appreciate it. It's not that I don't think your mental shields are good, but I’m just not comfortable touching the skin of people I don't know. I don't think I could handle touching two people at once either," Ella replied. She risked looking in Mananan's direction. "I'll be okay with touching you because…because of yesterday."
Mananan looked down at her, his eyes unreadable. He offered her his hand in response. Ella took a deep breath and placed her palm into his. His long fingers closed around hers, and she almost shivered at how warm they were. She had thought about that hand all night long. It turned out it wasn't her fevered brain that made it feel so nice.
"We had best get going," Bayn said, breaking the moment. He had his gloves on and took both of their hands. "Now, Ella, this is going to be fucking strange, but you're perfectly safe. If you need to throw up, do it on Manan."
"Why would I throw—" Ella began before they fell through the ground, and she screamed. Strong arms wrapped around her, and she was pressed into a firm, warm chest. The falling only lasted moments before they were spat out again in a field of snow. Ella was clutching at Mananan like a wet cat. There was a deep rumbling sound coming out of him as he tried not to laugh.
"You could have warned me!" she said and smacked him on his stomach.
"Don't hurt me, little nymph," he replied, releasing her. He was still smiling, and it made her feel too hot under her sweater. She looked up at the forbidding castle of ice in front of her, her breath catching at the sheer impossibility of it. Fae guards were patrolling the walls high above them and moving about their business on the castle grounds. Wherewasshe?
"She didn't throw up," Bayn said and tossed something gold at Mananan.
"You made bets as well? You fae males are so rude," Ella stated, trying not to laugh herself.
"She's got you two pegged already." A blonde woman joined them with a wide smile on her face. She was human too. "You must be Ella. I'm Freya, and I apologize for the boys. They have no manners."
"Freya…" Something sparked in Ella's memory. Her grandmother getting all excited about a Freya who had married the Winter Prince. No, not married. Mated. "Oh, my god. You're the Winter Prince?!"
Bayn shrugged. "Yes. I thought that was obvious?"
"You didn't even tell her that? What is wrong with you two?" Freya demanded, hands on her hips. "Come with me, Ella. These males can't be trusted to give anything but grunts for answers."
Ella laughed to keep herself from turning around and running in the other direction. Mananan caught her gaze and winked.
"I didn't want you to not come because of who we are," he said simply.
Ella refused to be intimidated.Refused.Goddamn it."You're the god of the sea. I think everyone is a step down after that, aren't they?"
"That's exactly right. And don't you forget it, nymph," Mananan replied, his eyes shining with warning. Parts of Ella clenched up at that look.
Freya raised her brows at him. "Well, look at you acting downright playful this morning. Come along, Ella. Let's get you some coffee before everyone else turns up to overwhelm you."
Ella looked back at Mananan. He was the only one she knew a little out of all of them. He gave her a small nod.
"I'll be right behind you," he said to her unspoken question.
Freya laughed. "I'm sure you will be. Let's go, Ella." She had a tone that made Ella follow her obediently inside the castle. It was warm inside, so Ella took off her jacket.
"This place is amazing," she said, staring at the frozen pillars that didn't seem to be melting at all.
"Thanks. Kitchen is this way," Freya replied. Her long blonde hair was in an impressive braid, making her look even more like a Viking. "I apologize for Bayn and Mananan. I thought they had told you where you were coming to and who you were dealing with."
"Mananan said he needs me to find him something? I thought it was strange because the fae have their own seers and mages. I really don't know how I can help," Ella explained. She took a seat at a scarred wooden table as Freya moved about the kitchen, making coffee.
