Frey (The Frey Saga, #1)(3)

Aunt Fannie was incensed. “You pigeon-headed, imp-brained…”

She ranted on and on.

The years of listening to it seemed to coalesce, and I was suddenly exhausted. “I think I’ll go lie down.”

“Do you think you can just sleep when you want to sleep? Whose tree do you think this is? You’ll lie down when I say you’ll lie down…”

Ugh. I tuned her out, knowing the outcome if I didn't.





Shortly after her tirade insisting I stay until I had earned permission to leave, my dear aunt Fannie tired of looking at me and sent me on my way.

I trudged out of the kitchen, through the main sitting area, and into my room. It was dark except for a small beam of light from a knothole in the wall. Fire was the one magic I had mastered; I had been able to light lanterns and candles for as long as I could remember, but I didn’t bother. If I was in this room, I wanted to be alone. And in darkness I felt more so.





Chapter Two


Chevelle





I was usually a late sleeper, but the next morning I was out of the house early. I wanted to get away before I had to face Fannie in the middle of her wine hangover, and I knew Junnie could tell me if Evelyn had turned the town or council against me. I rushed up the path and through the village gate, keeping my head down. No one generally went out of their way to speak to me, but I didn’t want to take any chances. The other elves didn’t have much use for one who wasn’t able to contribute. My lack of magic and skill had put me far from their minds. Except in the case of Evelyn, who sought to raise herself by lowering me, but always with such a thick coating of sweetness. It also didn’t help that I looked different and couldn't pull off the polished joyfulness of the other, normal elves. I wasn't wholly out of place, but unquestionably a blot on the family portrait of the clan.

I slipped around the village and through Junnie’s back yard, darting past a trellis toward the door. I ducked under the hanging ivy, caught my foot on a vine and cursed as I stumbled forward, nearly running into a large boulder. And then I realized the boulder was wearing a shirt.

Gradually, my head tilted upward, and I peered through my bangs to find a strong chin, stern mouth, and the darkest, deepest sapphire eyes I'd ever seen. Sure, lots of elves had blue eyes, but bright-light and shimmery. These were of the deepest blue. They must appear black in the shadows.

Suddenly, I flushed. I was staring into someone's eyes.

And, as quickly as I had come upon him, he was gone. He turned from me without a word and disappeared in a few long strides. I watched him go. Short dark hair, dark eyes, and a large, strong build. He certainly wasn’t from this clan.

Junnie cleared her throat. “Freya?”

I hadn’t realized she was watching me from the open door. Watching me watch him. I flushed again. “Who…” I trailed off.

“You needn’t bother yourself with him.”

She could see I would.

“Chevelle Vattier. He’s from a northern clan. He’ll be here only a short while. Council business.”

That brought me back to my mission. “Fannie said there was some trouble with Evelyn?” I asked.

“Yes.” There was something in her tone I didn’t recognize. “She’s fine now.”

“I was… yesterday, I saw her.”

“Yes.” She half-smiled, “Don’t worry yourself, Freylinda. Come now, let’s study.”

I hesitated. Evelyn had mentioned me, but not accusingly? Surely Junnie would have more to say. She placed a gentle hand on my shoulder and led me in. “What shall we do today?”

I went back over our conversation, trying to find some meaning. Inspiration, or maybe distraction, hit me as I recalled the dark-headed stranger. “Lineages.”

Junnie raised an eyebrow as I sped to the study. I’d find out more about Evelyn later. This was my chance to learn of Chevelle Vattier.





I pored over a dozen volumes with determination. There were so many lineages but I needed something on the northern clans, something on Vattier. I’d need a library, maybe even the council library. I shivered. Okay, I wasn’t sure about that. Even if I worked up the nerve to sneak in, I didn’t have the magic to search so many documents to quickly find what I was after like the council members did. Stick to the library.

I made a short excuse to Junnie and headed out the door and around back. After I rounded a few houses, I cut back toward the village center. I wasn’t doing anything wrong but I didn’t want to advertise. I had no good reason for researching Chevelle Vattier, except I had been thinking about him all day. You just met him this morning. Not even met. Stared at. I flushed again. I glanced around constantly and walked quickly, shoulders hunched, looking like a criminal on my way to the old tree housing the library. Yeah, this wasn’t obvious.

Twice I imagined a set of dark eyes on me.

When I walked in, I remembered why I didn’t go to the library to study lineages. There must have been a thousand volumes and tenfold more scrolls in the main level alone. And no magic to lead me in the right direction. I went to the section which would most likely house the desired information, and then closed my eyes and concentrated. Maybe it wouldn’t work but I could try. I wasn’t sure I felt anything, but after a few minutes I started to feel stupid and opened my eyes, reaching out my right hand because I imagined it might have tingled a little. I grabbed a close volume and leafed through it.