Read Online Holiday Magick by Rich Storrs - Free Book Online Page A

all Persia, he who is the most powerful of all men.”
    Ahasuerus squeezed my hand. “I insist on seeing your eyes again. Do look at me.”
    With exaggerated slowness I lifted my gaze off the floor and up past Ahasuerus’s red and gold robe to his face. He was younger than I thought he’d be, and not unattractive. In fact, he was quite good-looking, with soft, kind brown eyes that crinkled at the edges as if he laughed often. His black beard was clean and well-groomed around a soft, sensual red mouth.
    He certainly did not seem like a man to cast aside his wife on a whim.
    Our gazes locked, and I forgot my own name. Whether I trembled from nerves still, or from a primal reaction to this beautiful man in front of me, I didn’t know and did not care.
    Tucking my hand into the crook of his elbow, he pulled me close. “Shall we go speak in private? Get to know one another?”
    My voice remained somewhere on the floor, so I simply swallowed and nodded.
    I floated alongside Ahasuerus, the crowd, the room, the long tables set with a sumptuous feast all disappearing. My entire world shrunk to where my hand touched Ahasuerus’s arm, my whole body feverish, my heart paining me inside a chest that could not take in enough air. My ears heard nothing but the sound of his voice and yet I could not remember a single thing he said.
    I startled at a touch on my chin.
    Ahasuerus laughed. “Are you with me, pretty one?”
    I cleared my throat and blinked, looking around. The heat of attraction had distracted me so badly I hadn’t even noticed we were now in a new, smaller room. Silk curtains hung over the walls and enormous oil lamps lit the windowless room. Ahasuerus and I reclined on a well-stuffed padded bench against a wall.
    â€œS-sorry,” I stuttered. “What was that?”
    Ahasuerus smiled and my world exploded in light and song. “I asked you your name. Seems fair, since you already know mine.”
    I still had a name?
    â€œEsther,” I blurted out. Esther? No, that wasn’t right. What was I thinking?
    â€œEsther.” Ahasuerus rolled the word around his perfect mouth. “A beautiful name for a beautiful woman.”
    â€œThank you, Your Majesty.”
    â€œI told you, call me Ahasuerus.”
    I blushed, and grinned, and looked down. “All right. Ahasuerus.”
    He tucked a lock of hair behind my ear. “Such an unusual hair color. Where are you from, Esther?”
    â€œThe north,” I said, without thinking. That, at least, was true.
    He lifted my chin with one finger so I had to look at him again. Looking directly upon the sun would have been easier. “And you came all this way to meet me and be my new queen?”
    â€œYes. Even where I come from, news of your…troubles with your wife reached us.” Holding the glamour sapped my energy.
    â€œFormer wife.” The light left his eyes and it was his turn to look away.
    Drunk from lust, weak from magic, I pressed on. “Tell me your side of the story.”
    He shook his head. “You said news had already reached you. It is too painful for me to talk about.”
    â€œI know the rumors. Tell me the truth.” I stroked his cheek with the backs of my fingers. He grasped my hand and kissed my palm again.
    â€œI held a feast, in her honor. She did not come. I went looking for her, and found her…found her with…” He met my gaze, his eyes bright with tears. “His head is on a pike outside. But her, I couldn’t kill her. Even after that. I had her banished from my kingdom, escorted by two guards and half a dozen of her ladies. Who knows where she is now?” He clutched my hand in both of his and held it against his mouth. “You would never do that, I can tell. I can see in your emerald eyes that you are true, and honest.”
    Every part of me burst into flames and I felt as if I would suffocate. Too many strong emotions in so short a time,