Spells

Spells
Aprilynne Pike

A magical romance blossoms in the follow-up to WINGS, the bestselling novel described by Stephenie Meyer as "a remarkable debut"."I can't just storm in and proclaim my intentions. I can't 'steal' you away. I just have to wait, and hope that someday you'll ask," Tamani said."And if I don't?" Laurel asked, her voice barely above a whisper."Then I guess I'll be waiting forever."It's been almost a year since Laurel discovered that she is a faerie, placed with human parents as an infant to help protect the gateway to the faerie realm of Avalon. Although she's come to accept her true identity, Laurel refuses to turn her back on her human life-and especially her boyfriend, David-to return to the faerie world.But when she is summoned to Avalon to relearn her long-forgotten faerie magic, Laurel must depend on the charismatic faerie sentry Tamani. Her feelings for him are undeniable, and she is forced to make a choice-a choice that could break her heart.When a deadly enemy resurfaces and puts both Laurel's life and Avalon in danger, Laurel must draw on all her human strength as well as her faerie skills to save both of her worlds and all of those she holds dear.

Spells

Aprilynne Pike

To Kenny – for all the little things.

And the big things.

And everything in between.

Thank you.

Table of Contents

Cover Page (#u529ac672-845b-50de-8ce7-118d13db8485)

Title Page (#ud9f18aee-8002-509a-997f-b7b765695dd6)

Dedication (#ud0fb438e-ca19-5d08-8ee4-b62ea3ee9adb)

Chapter One (#u721fe009-222d-53e8-9138-441f6bd86e19)

Chapter Two (#u6e10c190-1bf7-502a-9b85-bcd2c80bb387)

Chapter Three (#ubb43d99c-8bee-5e20-8600-0e1bf6d759f9)

Chapter Four (#u60deca44-c3e4-5a49-a560-668116208fcd)

Chapter Five (#udc3572c5-f7a2-58e4-98dd-51f91796cab5)

Chapter Six (#u5339474b-d785-5a0f-90a0-e28bef750a9a)

Chapter Seven (#ud9346b17-e7b0-5dab-abc1-49f650ac17d4)

Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fifteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Sixteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Seventeen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eighteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Nineteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twenty (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twenty-one (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twenty-two (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twenty-three (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twenty-four (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twenty-five (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twenty-six (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twenty-seven (#litres_trial_promo)

Acknowledgments (#litres_trial_promo)

Also by Aprilynne Pike (#litres_trial_promo)

Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)

About the Publisher (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter One (#ulink_f7a4cbf1-ba1c-5446-9897-b832b5afcfdf)

Laurel stood in front of the cabin, scanning the tree line, her throat constricting in a rush of nerves. He was there, somewhere, watching her. The fact that she couldn’t see him yet meant nothing.

It wasn’t that Laurel didn’t want to see him. Sometimes she thought she wanted to see him too much. Getting involved with Tamani was like playing in a roaring river. Take one step too far and the current would never let you go. She had chosen to stay with David, and she still believed it was the right choice. But it didn’t make this reunion any easier.

Or stop her hands from shaking.

She had promised Tamani she would come see him when she got her driver’s licence. Though she hadn’t been specific about a date, she had said May. It was now almost the end of June. He had to know she was avoiding him. He would be here now – the first one to meet her – and she wasn’t sure whether to be excited or afraid. The feelings mixed into a heady blend of something she’d never felt before – and wasn’t sure she ever wanted to feel again.

Laurel found herself clutching the tiny ring Tamani had given her last year, the one she wore on a thin chain around her neck. She had tried not to think about him these last six months. Tried, she admitted to herself, and failed. She forced herself to unwrap her fingers from around the little ring and attempted to make her arms swing naturally, confidently at her sides as she walked towards the forest.

As the shadows of the branches fell across her, a streak of green and black swung down from a tree and scooped Laurel up. She screamed in terror, then delight.