The Unseelie's Wallflower (Courts in Conflict) Light Fantasy Romance by Elisa Rae ➱ Book Tour with Rafflecopter
The Unseelie's Wallflower
Courts in Conflict Book 1
by Elisa Rae
Genre: Light Fantasy Romance
Greyson
hides many things from the Unseelie Court when they invade his estate
each autumn for the Wild Hunt. During his required appearance as
host, he is surprised to find a human among the glittering fae. She
can see him even when he is using his stealth magic, which means only
one thing—they are soul mates. Can he protect her amidst the swirl
of fae politics and a plot against her life?
Lyra has grown up
among the fae. She has been trained to be the perfect servant. Then
her master brings her to the Unseelie Court event of the year and
demands she demonstrate her skills to nobles. With the promise of
freedom as a motivator, she willingly agrees. Then she realizes her
master’s true plan thanks to the intimidating fae lord hosting the
event. Though why he would be invested in her fate is a mystery.
The
Unseelie’s Wallflower is
a light, fantasy romance novella about a relationship between an
Unseelie and a human woman. It features faes, fated mates, and a
romance between a noble and a servant, all played out against a
backdrop of the peril, politics, and maneuverings of the Unseelie
Court.
Greyson
The hot summer air had cooled into
autumn in the Great Wild Woods. Spreading north from the edge of
human-dominated lands and nestling up against the feet of the Arista peeks
where the gargoyles lived in their eyries, this was the region of the fae, of
which I was one. Aligned with the Unseelie king, I was bestowed with his favor,
probably because my smuggling operations kept him in all the luxury goods he
could consume and more. That favor came with a price, though, hosting the
annual Wild Hunt at the end of summer.
The guests began arriving at noon,
their carriages, horses, and portals filling my front drive with mayhem and
chaos as servants, children, and pets crowded for space among the adult fae as
they call greetings to each other. My servants directed the guests inside under
the lofty roof of my open-sided foyer as even more guests filled the drive once
again. I watched the barely organized confusion from the top of the grand stair
into the main house. No one approached me, and I liked it that way. The coming
week was one to be endured for the greater good. Until the last guest left, I
would be on edge. I needed to accept that.
“The king’s attendants have
arrived.” Bartle, my majordomo, stepped to my side. A blonde faun, he kept his
appearance meticulous, and I appreciated his tactful efficiency. “They
presented this list of demands as per usual.” He extended a gilded sheet of
thick parchment, which I took.
Silk sheets, perfumed water, unicorn’s
milk, solid gold utensils…
“All to be expected.” I handed the
list back. “Anything new added since last year?”
“Pomegranate seeds, oranges, and
pineapples.” Bartle’s nose wrinkled. “Apparently, he heard about your recent
trades with the humans and elves.”
“Or he recalled that I acquired
multiple saplings three years ago.”
The Haub family arrived, causing a
mild uproar among the clustering fae. As a body, about half of the crowd surged
elegantly in the direction of the sprite family as they stepped through their
portal. Haub senior, a wizened old sprite, hated me on sight. From the moment
he realized that he couldn’t provide what the king wanted and I could, he
opposed me at every turn. However, that had recently changed. I hadn’t
discovered why as yet, but that didn’t stop me from taking advantage.
“So, you approve the list?” Bartle
asked, still standing at my elbow.
“If those are the only changes, then
yes, it is approved.”
I adjusted the leather gloves
covering my hands and shook the edges of my sleeves down over their tops. Now a
single inch of skin except my face showed. Gathering my stealth magic, I
cloaked. Then, with weary reluctance, I descended the stairs and entered the
fray.
Golden light filtered through the
turning leaves outside the great expanses of smooth glass in the foyer walls.
Arched recesses offered access to the gardens, but most of my guests lingered
within the space bound by glass and columns. Designed to meld the gardens,
groves, and front drive outside, the great gilt doors with the elegant interior.
Marble tile floors, arched ceilings, and eggshell-surfaced columns created the
illusion that the room lacked walls. Potted ferns and flowering bushes crowded
every nook and clustered about the bases of each column in a vain attempt to
decrease the clamor of a multitude of sounds bouncing off the hard surfaces.
And under all the cacophony, the
splashing tinkle of the fountains flanking the grand staircase into the house
relentlessly added to the pandemonium. I was of the mind to turn them off, but Bartle
would be scandalized. Why not show off their engineering?
As I passed through the throng of
Unseelie greeting each other, I mentally isolated out different conversations.
They varied from gossip, flirting, and chatter to the planning of business negotiations
as I passed among the partygoers. Noting who was attempting to speak with whom,
I kept moving, relying on my inherent stealth magic to keep out of sight.
Without it, I would’ve been a very
noticeable six-and-a-half-foot creature with curly black hair, dusky skin, and
gray eyes dressed in all black. When I was uncloaked, most found me
intimidating. An impression I tended to use to my advantage. The fact I kept
myself aloof and unfailingly kept my appearance impeccable helped as well.
Acting as the barely contained beast worked well when dealing with the Unseelie
King and fulfilling his excessive tastes in wine, food, and frivolity. Whenever
I decided enough was enough, I tapped my inherent intimidating magic and
dropped a bit of my façade of culture and control, but this was not the time.
This year’s turn out for my annual
gala promised to be the most impressive yet. The inns and rentable rooms for
miles around had been sold out for months. Walking through the crowds, I noted
almost every Unseelie noble from the king’s court had already arrived.
Younglings of multiple species wove through clusters of elegant nymphs, sirens,
sprites, goblins, ogres, pixies, and fairies of every size and rank. I began
mentally ticking off the attendees from the list of those expected.
Then I noticed her, the singular
human. A female, small even for her species, hid among the ferns at the foot of
one the massive pillars supporting the soaring ceiling. Dressed simply but
adequately, she watched the crowd with wary attention, burrowing deeper into
the plants’ accommodating branches whenever a guest wandered near her hiding
place.
Curious, I meandered that way.
Slipping around the far side of the pillar, I settled in the deepest shadows of
the leaves and set my back against the stone. She had chosen a good spot for
spying. Most of the foot traffic flowed around this central point, but few of
the passersby glanced in our direction. They ignored the greenery that I had
ordered placed around the walls and bracketing the windows of my entryway.
“Bored with eavesdropping?” she
asked.
I glanced over at her. Fronds framed
her features as her bright eyes scanned the mingling crowd. She hadn’t turned
my way, but somehow, I was certain she spoke to me. Assessing our surroundings,
I noted that no one stood close enough to overhear or be the object of her
query.
“Are you speaking to me?” I asked.
“Who else?” She flicked a glance
over her shoulder. Blue eyes focusing on my face and the softening of her mouth
hinting at a smile left no doubt.
“You see me?” Utter surprise brought
a great rush of excitement. No one saw me when I wished to be hidden. Not even
my own kind could detect my passing. Yet this slender human, magicless and
helpless, could not only see me but didn’t hesitate to speak to me. It could
only mean one thing. My breath caught in my chest. She was my soul mate.
“Of course, I see you.” Her mouth
deepened into a suppressed smile while hidden laughter brightened her eyes.
“You are a bit hard to miss.”
The realization that the day I had
equal parts desired and dreaded since reaching my maturity had finally arrived
hit me hard. I stiffened as the implications washed over me. She was human, how
human I had yet to discover, but her lack of wings, sparkles, horns, or
markings hinted strongly of ordinariness. But that couldn’t be. Just the fact
she saw me through my shroud of camouflaging magic proved she was anything but
ordinary. I took a slight measured step away from her and tucked my gloved
hands behind my back. One touch and we would be bound. I couldn’t do that to
her, to either of us. I needed time.
“I am sorry if I offended you,
Master…” She let the title hang with a tentatively lifted eyebrow. Gone was the
hidden laughter from her expression.
“Greyson,” I supplied my surname. I
was fae. No fae offered their whole true name. Studying her solemn expression,
I already missed her humor. Now she appeared worried. I opened my mouth to
assure her that no offense had been taken, but the loud thump of iron boots
announced the arrival of a Powrie with his red cap. He had manifested right
outside her hiding place, stumbling as he did so in a flurry of loud tapping.
The noise brought the nearby lingering guests’ attention around us—well to the
Powrie and her.
“Lyra, who are you talking to?” He
grabbed her arm. “Come and speak to those I instructed you to. I need more
sylvian tears.” The Powrie dragged the woman away, making demands in her ear.
The crowd parted to let them through without a word. Once they passed, my
guests resumed their conversations as though the whole scene wasn’t worthy of
note.
Every part of me protested her
going. How dare he touch her so roughly? What was she to him? A wave of
possessiveness urged me to pursue, subdue, and demand her attention. With great
effort, I resisted the visceral desires that raced through my blood. I was more
than my nature, and she was more than just a creature to be claimed. Closing my
eyes, I drew my shoulders back. Now wasn’t the time. I had much to accomplish
this night that had nothing to do with her, the woman, Lyra.
A reader of fairytales and folklore, Elisa Rae loves a happy ending. Noblebright characters, dastardly villains, and chemistry between characters delight her. When she isn’t writing, she loves to watch superhero movies and literary dramas.
Elisa Rae is the pen name of Rachel Rossano.
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The cover art looks great. Sounds like a good book.
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