First Swallow of Spring
Asta Idonea
16 March 2016
Torquere Press
Short Story/MM
The first
swallow of spring draws Seanán back to the fae circle each year. There he
dances with the handsome fae lord, Iorweth. He knows the rules he must follow
if he wishes to be free to leave at the end of the night; however, Iorweth is
growing ever more inventive in his attempts to trick Seanán into breaking them.
Audio Excerpt: https://soundcloud.com/nickijmarkus/first-swallow-of-spring-mm-short-story-excerpt-by-asta-idonea
Torquere Press Pre-Order Link: http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=200&products_id=4637
Excerpt
“Seanán will be dancing with none but me.”
The words were softly spoken, yet the tone brooked no argument, and at this utterance,
the others scurried away and a new figure stepped into view.
A wave of contentment flooded through
Seanán. “Iorweth.” He accepted Iorweth’s proffered hand, and Iorweth pulled him
to his feet as if he weighed nothing. He gazed up at the regal figure. “I have
missed you.”
“And I you. Shall we dance?”
Iorweth swept Seanán into his arms and they
spun toward the edge of the clearing. The others made room for them and they
joined the chain, circling the stone in a dance of pure delight. The music came
from no discernible source, but it filled the air, bright and bell-like, and
between its magical refrains, the fae laughed, clapped, and cavorted in the
moonlight.
Seanán followed Iorweth’s lead. The rest of
the world melted away as he lost himself in the fae lord’s glimmering, emerald
eyes. This was the time of year he felt most alive. In the long months between
these meetings he survived on memories and dreams. They kept him going, but
nothing compared to being here in Iorweth’s arms. The press of his hand on
Seanán’s back—that was the brilliant reality. The rest of his life was
colorless.
Iorweth pulled him closer until their
bodies met. Warmth spread through Seanán and he sighed and rested his head
against Iorweth’s chest. Surely they had danced for long
enough. Surely Iorweth would soon take him to the stone. Yet, on and on they
danced. They twirled and dipped and swayed, never breaking from the circle. Seanán
should have felt dizzy. At the very least he should have grown weary. But when
he was with Iorweth, he always had boundless energy. So long as their hands
touched, Seanán believed he could go on dancing without pause, forever.
Author Bio & Links
Asta Idonea (aka Nicki J Markus) was born
in England, but now lives in Adelaide, South Australia. She has loved both
reading and writing from a young age and is also a keen linguist, having
studied several foreign languages.
Asta launched her writing career in 2011 and divides her efforts not only
between MM and mainstream works but also between traditional and indie
publishing. Her works span the genres, from paranormal to historical and from
contemporary to fantasy. It just depends what story and which characters spring
into her mind!
As a day job, Asta works as a freelance editor and proofreader, and in her spare time she enjoys music, theatre, cinema, photography, and sketching. She also loves history, folklore and mythology, pen-palling, and travel; all of which have provided plenty of inspiration for her writing.
As a day job, Asta works as a freelance editor and proofreader, and in her spare time she enjoys music, theatre, cinema, photography, and sketching. She also loves history, folklore and mythology, pen-palling, and travel; all of which have provided plenty of inspiration for her writing.
Blog: http://www.nickijmarkus.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NickiJMarkus
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NickiJMarkus
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4567057.Nicki_J_Markus
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolamarkus
Amazon
Author US: http://www.amazon.com/Asta-Idonea/e/B00RMGGVYO
Amazon
Author UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Asta-Idonea/e/B00RMGGVYO
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