Brutish Lord of Thessaly (Halcyon Romance Series Book 4) (11 page)

chalkos
,
argyros
,
and
chrysos
– three passwords to the symposium, meaning “copper, silver, and gold”

asphodelus
,
eros
,
aionios
– three passwords to Halcyon, meaning “daffodil, love, and eternal”

lyssa
– a madness affecting centaurs, especially related to an incomplete bonding

melita
– term of endearment meaning “honey-sweet”

quarter
– pyrate term for “mercy”

Old Centaurion
– an ancient centaur language

Meliae
– honey nymphs

Krenaiai
– nymphs of wells and fountains

I’m so excited for this next installment in my
Lords of Thessaly
series. I had a warm fuzzies moment when writing the epilogue, and I hope you enjoyed it too!

Thank you to my fantastic beta readers, Ashley, Lyn, Robin, Gina, Jessica, Stacy and Nicola, for squeeing along with me.

A huge thank you to my review team and street team, who always offer their awesome enthusiasm.

To Kelley, my keen-eyed copy editor, thanks for sticking with me (and my typos).

Karie Deegan, my ninja PA, thank you for being my friend and confidante, even at 2 a.m.

Hugs and kisses to my family. I love you always.

And to my readers, I hope you’re ready for the next centaur brother, because he’s definitely ready for you! ;)

Rachael has explored forgotten temples in Cambodia, kissed the Blarney Stone in Ireland, and stood inside the Roman Coliseum. She loves studying people and cultures, current and ancient. Her appetite for romance began with Lucy Maud Montgomery’s
Anne of Green Gables
, which she later nurtured with a healthy dose of Jane Austen.

As a writer of scorching hot fantasy romance, Rachael blends the lines between mythology, reality, and fantasy. In her worlds, you’ll encounter strong, sexy alpha males and the capable women who challenge them. If her heroines can’t meet their heroes toe-to-toe, then they’ll bring them to their knees.

No matter what torture she puts her characters through, true love will always prevail. Love is, after all, the most powerful force on Earth, and beyond.

Rachael holds an Honours BA in anthropology, as well as a CELTA. Her secret indulgence is her passion for baking, which she offsets with her addiction to running (she’s completed four marathons). She resides on the West Coast of British Columbia, Canada, with her husband, two children, cat, and dog.

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Rematch
, for FREE! If you haven’t taken a bite of my Chinese Zodiac Romance Series yet, then this standalone novella is the perfect start!

Rematc
h
is the perfect blend of
Beauty and the Beast
meets the
Island of Misfit Toys
. Add in the mix one cunning Matchmaker, a mischievous spirit animal (Cat), and the devilish Monkey King, and you know
Rematch
will take you for a wild ride.

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Thank you for reading!

Much love,

Look for these titles, available
here
.

CHINESE ZODIAC ROMANCE SERIES:

BOOK 1: TRANCING THE TIGER

BOOK 2: REMATCH

BOOK 3: BY THE HORNS

BOOK 4: MATCH ME LATER

BOOK 5: REINING HIM IN

BOOK 6: MATCHING DRAGONS

BOOK 7: IN WOLF’S CLOTHING

HALCYON ROMANCE SERIES:

BOOK 1: MOON BORNE

BOOK 2: EARTH BORNE (DARK LORD OF THESSALY)

BOOK 3: WICKED LORD OF THESSALY

BOOK 4: BRUTISH LORD OF THESSALY

BOOK 5: MASTERFUL LORD OF THESSALY

BOOK 6: UNTAMED LORD OF THESSALY

BOOK 7: LOST LADY OF THESSALY

BOOK 8: WATER BORNE

Want more centaurs? Read on for an exclusive sneak peek at the third novella in the LORDS OF THESSALY spin-off series,
MASTERFUL LORD OF THESSALY
:

Hidden in plain sight

Lapith noblewoman Delia has been leading two lives. One, as the dutiful wife of the centaur Lord Hector. The other, as a fierce Amazon warrior tasked with rescuing nymphs from a hellish fate of slavery. She’s just steps away from the largest rescue mission yet, and there’s only one thing standing in her way—her husband.

Unraveling her darkest secrets

As the heir to King Cheiron, Hector has borne the weight of an empire on his shoulders ever since his birth. With each passing year, Cheiron’s subjects look to him as their new leader. But he can’t rule a Kingdom when he can’t even solve the mystery in his own castle. The woman posing as his mate isn’t his wife, and the female avoiding him all these years is the one he can’t resist.

A love too late

When Delia disobeys the Amazon Queen to save Hector’s life, they are banished to Lapith lands—enemy territory. Forced to work together, they must ensure the survival of their races, and their hearts, before the coming war draws a line between them that neither will be able to cross.

Centaur lands, Thessaly
Year 1384 of the reign of King Cheiron II
Or the human year, 1689

Hector plastered his spine to the wall, counting five breaths before daring to sneak a peek around the corner.

And spy on his wife.

What in Hades was Delia up to? The entire castle at Great Meteoron scattered in a thousand directions. This morn, the sons of King Cheiron had gathered to discuss the fate of their Lapith prisoner, Deimos, who’d threatened Oreius’s mate, Nysa. The question of how to proceed was tricky, for the centaurs had avoided a battle against the Lapith Prince Philaeus, now King, not six months afore.

Yet peace hadn’t come without cost. Thereus’s mate, Melita, had sacrificed herself, the half-nymph transforming into a tree.

Hector had been intent on arguing in favor of executing the bastard, rather than risk yet another of his brothers losing their mates. He and his mate might not be close, but he’d noted the look in Oreius’s eyes. The male would not survive another loss. Yet before anyone could speak, a guard had interrupted them, announcing Deimos’s escape. Half the castle guards were scouring the area, but it was unlikely anyone would locate the scoundrel.

Puffing, Hector scowled into the empty corridor. Was this truly what he’d fallen to? Sneaking about in the shadows, tracking his wife? Well, it was better than pacing inside his chamber, pondering his brother Petraeus’s bizarre visit. After everyone had settled, Hector had retired to his chamber but for an instant before his youngest sibling came knocking, uttering nonsense.

Follow Delia.

He grimaced at this childish game. There were probably a dozen better things for him to be doing in this moment. His father, the great and wise King Cheiron, had secluded himself within his study, leaving the chaos in his castle to Hector’s supervision.

He was the heir, after all.

Unlike the Lapith humans, they didn’t employ such titles as Prince or Princess. The role of sovereign wasn’t necessarily passed down by blood. It had to be earned. As the eldest, Hector had been designated the heir at his birth, but until he actually assumed the throne, the crown could be assigned to another. It was no guarantee that he would rule after his father.

If someone more worthy came along…

Hector snorted and peered around another corner, catching a glimpse of Delia’s golden locks. Who was he to rule a Kingdom, when he couldn’t even rule his own household? His mate led a secretive life. They resided in separate wings of his castle at Eastern Ridge and she only accompanied him when he pleaded with her for a show of solidarity.

The Lapith female he’d wed a decade ago remained every inch a stranger to him. An unspoken agreement rested between them, permitting this impersonal distance. He’d wed Delia to satisfy his father’s request for an alliance with her family. Though he’d bonded to her—their union forged by the goddess Aphrodite—Hector experienced no effects of their union.

He couldn’t.

He’d been cursed.

Before his betrothal to the Lady Delia, he’d dallied about with a nymph. Afterward, he’d sought to end the affair.

She’d not taken well to being spurned, and had cursed him.

He tugged on the collar of his leather tunic. If he so much as touched any female intimately, she would die.