Taryn merch Arlea might be a fairy but she was raised in the human world, far away from the Court of Annwyn and its dangerous court games. She would have stayed in the mortal world forever, but Annwyn is sickening. The King is losing his control of the kingdom and Annwyn's endless summer is slowly turning to winter. Any fairy who isn't in Annwyn when the final shift takes place will die; including Taryn's father who was exiled from Annwyn and her mother who refuses to leave her father's side. Taryn must go to the King and beg for a pardon, but is she prepared to pay any cost to secure her father's life. Verden, Lord of the Hunt, serves the King in all ways, but Taryn's innocence in the duplicitous ways of the Court spark a desire to protect that puts him in danger of breaking his vow to the King. Verden can't ignore his growing desire for Taryn any more than he can abandon his duty to his king, but he will have to make a choice and the wrong one could destroy both Annwyn and the mortal world.
LORD OF THE HUNT by Shona Husk is the second novel in the world of Annwyn. One of the aspects that I enjoy in this series is how Ms. Husk shows multiple ways of life. In The Outcast Prince, she built the relationship between the human world and Annwyn. In LORD OF THE HUNT, she showcases more of the fairy realm, especially the workings of the Court, but she also gives us glimpses of fairy lives which shun the treacherous court games for a simpler existence doing what they love. I really appreciate that she delved into the lives of everyday humans and fairies because the intricacies of Court life can be overwhelming. Ms. Husk does capture the dangerous and deadly nature that comes with a life of duplicity and half-truths. Verden and Taryn must navigate that deadly world as they fall in love. It is their moments away from Court that are both incredibly sweet and sexy and push this story into more than a romance that could shatter their carefully made plans.
LORD OF THE HUNT by Shona Husk continues to deliver intriguing characters, beautiful settings, treacherous power plays, and steamy encounters in her Annwyn trilogy. I can't wait for the final book in this series To Love a King to be released.
Their love could destroy a powerful reign and change the
mortal world forever
Raised in the mortal world, the fairy Taryn never planned on
going back to Annwyn, much less to court. But with the power
shift imminent, she is her parents' only hope of securing a
pardon from exile and avoiding certain death.
Verden, Lord
of the Hunt, swore to serve the King. But as the magic of
Annwyn fails and the Prince makes ready to take the throne,
Verden knows his days as Hunter are numbered.
When Taryn and
Verden meet, their attraction is instant and devastating.
Their love could bring down a Queen and change the mortal
world forever.
EXCERPT
A lean white dog with red tips on its ears and tail wandered
in to her alcove. She quickly wiped away her tears and held
out her hand. The dog trotted over for a sniff, and then a
second dog rounded the corner. How many were there? Before
she had time to fear the dogs, the gray-eyed man stood in
front of her.
He leaned against a tree and smiled. โNow why would a
Lady just back at Court be so sad?โ
She searched his smoky gray eyes for a hint at his
intent, but saw no malice.
โYou leave a lover behind?โ He took a step closer and the
alcove seemed to grow smaller around them.
Who was this Lord? His clothing wasnโt brightly colored
and it didnโt glitter with gems, and yet this close, she
could see that the fabric was covered in delicate stitches
that shimmered in the light. The cuffs of his shirt were
undone, the ties dangling. His dark brown hair was pulled
back, but strands fell around his face, softening his
otherwise sharp cheekbones and nose. He was beautiful even
by fairy standardโand heโd followed her out here.
She glanced at the dogs sitting obediently at his feet.
Heโd sent them after her. Was she talking to the Lord of the
Hunt? Her heart gave an extra beat.
Taryn shook her head. She didnโt want him thinking she
was crying over a human lover. โMy family.โ
โAh. They are in the mortal world.โ He nodded as if
confirming his information. How did he know? โBrownies, then?โ
โYes.โ Being a Brownie was as good as it got in the
mortal world, living in the home of a changeling, or more
rarely a human, and keeping the house immaculate. A home
within a home. A small exchange between human and fairy
sealed the pact. It didnโt matter where fairies were; rank
and social standing was important. Sheโd thought the stuffy
all-girls school sheโd attended had prepared her for Court.
It hadnโt.
The dogs laid down and looked relaxed, but their eyes
never left her. And neither did his. Heโd sought her, which
meant he wanted something. What could a man with almost as
much power as the King want from her? For half a second, she
wanted to give him anything he asked for if he would help
her get her fatherโs pardon. But that wouldnโt be a smart move.
She almost smiledโshe did know something about Court and
Annwyn politics, but caution made her careful. She had to
confirm who he was first. โYour dogs?โ
โThey are, but donโt worry. They are well trained and
wonโt harm you.โ He moved a little closer to her. โBut there
are plenty of others who would.โ
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