Midnight Soul by Kristen Ashley Page A

and watching her face
light up, the pain she’s trying to hide clearing clean away because
she’s never seen a phone before. We’ll just say that’ll be a memory
I won’t forget.”
    “I’ll bet,” Cora replied, the concern
shifting out of her expression, understanding replacing it.
    Noc grabbed his knife and started cutting
into the tender, moist, perfectly-cooked steak on his plate.
    Cora changed the subject.
    “I can’t wait to show you my world, Noc. It’s
gonna be awesome . You’re gonna love it .”
    He looked to her, meat in his mouth and
chewing and smiling he said, “Can’t wait either, babe.”
    Her face lit up too.
    And seeing it, Noc knew that’d be another
memory he wouldn’t forget that he’d take home from this crazy
world.
    There it was.
    They were having dinner and Franka wasn’t
invited.
    Tomorrow morning, she’d be leaving.
    So she was a memory of this world.
    A mysterious one.
    A sad one.
    But just a memory.
    And Noc had to live with that.
    What he wouldn’t admit was that he didn’t
like it.
     
     

Chapter Three
    Endure
    Franka
     
    I sat curled in an armchair by the fire in
my room wearing my silk nightgown, my lacy-knit wool shawl held
tight around my bared shoulders, staring at the fire, thinking that
Kristian’s home was an eight-day sleigh ride from Fyngaard, where
the Winter Palace was located.
    A long, cold ride for me and Josette, but as
much as I wished to get to my brother, I would savor it, for it
would likely be the last time I’d sled over my Lunwyn.
    Over a lonely day and a lonely dinner, I’d
made my decision.
    I was going to Airen, across the Green Sea.
I’d heard the sky city was marvelous. Dark and austere, but it
opened onto a bay with stunning views, and the Sky Citadel was made
of the glinting black stone that could only be found on that
continent, but I’d heard it was extraordinary.
    And I’d heard Firenze had barely taken its
first steps into the civilized world, but their city of fire, and
the barbarians who lived there, might be to my taste, if only to
see one (or several).
    Not to mention, there was the magical
sisterhood of the Nadirii, who lived shrouded by enchantments, a
warrior class of women who dwelled solely amongst their own, using
males only for purposes of procreation…and pleasure.
    I was no warrior. But I had other attributes
and no need for male companionship. Not anymore. I’d never been
good at being a member of the sisterhood. But facing a new life and
new adventures, it was worth a try. Perhaps they’d allow me behind
their enchantments.
    Therefore, even if I couldn’t talk Kristian
into going with me, I was going.
    And perhaps I could find a way to dull the
pain through adventure.
    Before I left, however, I’d give my brother
plenty of jewels and coin to make him safe. He loved his wife, his
son. He might not be as sharp-witted as most of the Drakkars (a
boon for him, for without that sharp wit he also did not have sharp
claws, and that was something of a lovable anomaly for our
House—none of this, of course, I’d ever told him, or ever would),
but he’d definitely desire to have the means to keep his family
safe.
    I’d sent a bird to share I was arriving so
he’d know and could prepare.
    I just hoped the bird made it.
    I didn’t like communicating by bird. It
obviously took much less time to do so than sending post by land or
sea. But it was easy to intercept a bird, or other things befell
the creatures, and half the time they didn’t make it to their
destination.
    And alas, for Kristian, after what had
befallen him when he’d helped me with my traitorous plans, my
arrival would not be a pleasant surprise.
    Therefore I decided to send another bird
prior to my departure in the morning, just in case.
    The door to my dressing room opened and
Josette moved through it.
    “All’s packed and ready for our departure on
the morn, milady,” she said, moving toward me.
    “Thank you, Josette,” I replied.
    She stopped