Read Online Changing Fate [Fate series] by Elisabeth Waters - Free Book Online Page A

melting from hands to paws to wings to tentacles and thanked the Goddess she couldn't see her own face—she had always had a horror of seeing things melting. It was one thing to change shape voluntarily, but quite another to lose it.
    She struggled to control the changes, but still she kept shifting. Her stomach alternately burned, as if she had eaten fire, and felt as if something was tearing out handfuls of her essence through her navel. She knew that if she were awake and properly in her body she'd be throwing up, but this feeling was even worse. She was sure that she was going to die, but she was afraid she wasn't. She wished she could die and get it over with.
    When the great black wings passed over her and landed at her side, she didn't even care. Lord Ranulf's bird shapes had been horrible perversions of nature; this one was a reasonably normal looking bat—except for its size, of course. She wasn't terribly surprised to watch it turn into Lord Ranulf. It seemed only natural that he'd be invading her dreams; they were the only area of her life he hadn't invaded already.
    He looked down at her, frowning, then moved away and disappeared from her sight. She thought briefly of turning her head to see where he'd gone, but she decided she didn't care—she felt too tired and wretched to move. She closed her eyes and endured as another wave of nausea passed through her.
    When she opened her eyes again, he was back. He was also dressed, and she wondered if he'd flown here with a pack of clothes and dropped them nearby or if he'd just gone to the castle and back. It could have been either one; she didn't know how much time had passed, although normally her time sense was very accurate indeed.
    He knelt beside her and pulled her gently into his lap. “Poor child, you are having a rough time of it.” He put his left arm securely around her shoulder and held her so that her head rested on his left shoulder. “Here, just relax; I'll help you.” He put his other hand over the part of her stomach that felt as if it was being torn out, and the pain gradually eased away. She felt rather numb and very tired. “There, now. Rest,” he murmured against her hair, “just rest."
    It was all right, she could rest; this was only a dream—he wouldn't act like this in real life. Besides, if he were really here, Briam would be awake and fighting him. She sighed and leaned limply against him. “Why did you come after us, and why did you kill that soldier? Wasn't he working for you?” Even knowing that she was dreaming, she was still curious.
    "No, he was not!” Lord Ranulf said emphatically. “I would not have you harmed on any account—do you know how few changers there are in the world?"
    "Not many that I know of, but until two days ago I did live a restricted life. But Briam's not a changer, and you didn't seem to object to having him killed."
    "Killing him in a fair battle is one thing—pre-dawn ambushes are quite another. He won his life fairly; I do not claim it forfeit now.” He sighed. “I would not have thought that Stefan's men wanted to avenge him, or I would have kept a closer watch on them. If I hadn't been wandering restlessly on the walls in the middle of the night and seen them creep out.... They could have killed you!"
    "Oh no, I don't think so.” Akila shook her head. “I was holding my own, and Briam would have killed that man in a few minutes even if you hadn't come along. And I'm very glad that you didn't hurt Briam."
    "Oh, he'll probably have quite a few bruises, but I did pull in my claws.” Lord Ranulf dropped a light kiss on her hair. “I doubt you would agree to marry me if I killed your brother—you appear to have an extremely stubborn and determined character."
    "I'm not agreeing to marry you anyway.” Even if I am dreaming that you're nice.
    His face was gentle, as was the hand that smoothed back her hair. “No, not yet, but I still hope that you will in time. I do wish you'd at least come back