Fire Struck (The Fae Universe #11)

Chapter 1

1

L ayla Ironwood-Steelsinger stood on the front patio of her house and looked through the tall pines and birch trees to the field in the distance. The elves and the úlfheenar from their nearby settlement had been out there since dawn, erecting tables, digging pits, and building large bonfires. It was midsummer, and it was one of the year's largest celebrations.

This year, Layla was hosting the Tuatha Dé Danann family, the Ironwoods, and the Greatdrakes. With all of them combined with the elves and the wolves, it was going to be a raucous affair.

What was I thinking? Layla rubbed her sternum, where a ball of anxiety was forming. It wasn't like she had to do much because the elves were used to large midsummer parties. It was just a lot to have all the branches of the family together at once.

Layla took some deep breaths. It was going to be a good thing. The elves and the fae needed to maintain good bonds to keep their treaties strong. The Ironwoods and Greatdrakes were keeping Ireland free of magical pests and were flying all around the world to help with any others that sprang up.

Since the magical balance had been restored by the Fae Kings a year ago, all sorts of weirdness had oozed out of the dark places and cracks of the worlds. There had been no way to avoid it—the lack of magic was killing both the human world and Faerie. They knew healing magic would have consequences, and they had tried to manage the resulting fallout as best they could.

Layla counted out her breathing, taking in the sweet pine sap smell and trying to calm her nerves. She didn't know what was triggering the uneasiness. It felt like a storm was brewing on the horizon, just out of sight, unseen but felt in the air. She hadn't talked to Arne or anyone else about it because she had no seer ability like Tor's sister, Linnea, or any magic like Charlotte. She was just...Layla.

She had her skills, but sensitivity to the magical currents of the world wasn't one of them. That didn't stop her from keeping her eyes out on message boards, Reddit, and forums for anyone talking about the same magical storm building.

"It's fine. You're not going crazy," Layla whispered to herself.

"I could have told you that," a deep voice said from behind her.

Layla turned and took a moment to just admire her mate's beautiful long braided black hair, golden eyes, and the most perfect set of shoulders gifted by the gods.

And he's mine to keep . Layla still couldn't get over the last part, and she doubted she ever would.

Arne pulled her into a gentle embrace, and she rested her cheek on his chest. "You want to tell me what's wrong?" he asked, rubbing her back. "Or is this 'about to be inundated by family' anxiety?"

Layla smiled. Her mate knew her too well.

"A bit of that, but mostly I just have a weird feeling that something is about to go wrong," she admitted and tried her best to explain the stormy feeling.

"So much has happened in the past years that perhaps the peace is confusing. We all know it won't last, but we are all so tired that nothing really surprises us at this point," Arne said once she was finished. "I'm not going to try and reassure you that it's nothing."

"You could just try and pretend," Layla grumbled.

Arne tipped her face up. "I wouldn't lie to you like that. I might not be able to reassure you that your feelings are unfounded, but I can remind you that we aren't alone. Whatever is coming, we can all face it because we have proved time and time again that we can."

Layla sighed and pulled him closer. "You're right. I feel ridiculous worrying about something I can't even see or prove."

"How about this," Arne said in a thoughtful voice. "If the feeling gets to a point that it's truly bothering you, we will go and see the Norns and ask them about it?"

"Oh gods, going straight for the Norns? Why not Linnea?" Layla had never met the Norns, but from the stories Arne told, she was happy to avoid them.

Linnea's magic had flourished under Gudrun's teachings, but she still hadn't shifted. She could hear her inner wolf now, which everyone took as a good sign, but she still hadn't managed to complete the change.

Linnea threw herself into learning to be a volva, and not a single wolf in Ulfheim dared to speak poorly about her. It wasn't just because Tor would kick their asses, but because everyone had a healthy fear of a volva's power. Linnea hadn't been shy about just how powerful she was, either. According to her, she had done enough hiding in her life. Layla adored her.

Arne made a frustrated noise at the back of his throat. "Linnea and Gudrun are too close to us. I don't want to worry them until we need to. The Norns will be brutally impartial," he said. He tipped up her chin and brushed his warm lips against hers. "I have your back, my wife, whatever is coming."

"I love you, but please don't make me horny when everyone is due to arrive."

Arne's grin was devilishly wicked. "It's midsummer when fertility magic is high. I have a stunning mate with the most perfect piece of heaven between her thighs. I can't help but be horny."

Layla laughed even as her cheeks turned red. "If you help me get through the next couple of hours with the family, I will drag you out into the woods and fuck you senseless under the stars. Deal?"

"Oh, that is very much a deal, wife," Arne said, his golden eyes glowing hot with magic and lust. He kissed her again, and Layla let herself relax into the feeling of safety and sexy joy running through her. She needed something to think about other than the chaos that was about to arrive, and there was nothing more distracting than Arne.