Struck By Beauty

By Heather Dade

A collection of four fantasy stories. "Struck by Beauty" - Mika is forced to do the unthinkable. "Homecoming" - Carra returns home to confront her past. "Blythe's Vengeance" - Blythe seeks vengeance on the sorcerer that destroyed her hometown. "The Desire of Selkies" - Salena discovers that humans will do anything to get what they desire.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Heather Dade
• Release date: Mar 27, 2011
• ISBN: 9781458106728

Heather Dade

Heather Dade was born near the Great Lakes, but made her way to South Carolina where she lives to this day. She's the author of Blood Moon and At All Costs, and over seventy short stories, books, and poems under the name Heather Kuehl. For more information about Heather's published works, upcoming releases, and events visit her blog at https://missheyhey.blogspot.com.

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Struck by Beauty

by Heather Dade

Struck by Beauty Copyright 2023 by Heather Dade

Smashwords Edition

This book is a work of fiction. Characters, names, places and situations are either a product of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to any person(s), living or dead, are entirely coincidental.

License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Cover Art Copyright 2023 by Heather Dade

Acknowledgments

I’d like to thank the 'zines that originally published these stories; Mirror Dance, Aoife's Kiss, Gryphonwood, Abandoned Towers, Bewildering Stories, and Fantasy Gazetteer.

Author’s Note

These stories were originally published in

2007, 2008, and 2009 under the name Heather Kuehl.

Table of Contents

Struck by Beauty

Homecoming

Blythe's Vengeance

Desire of Selkies

STRUCK BY BEAUTY

You want me to do what?

Mika’s mouth hung open as his sister repeated her words yet again.

You need to kill Morgane. You’re the only one who can get close enough.

He shook his head, unable to wrap his mind around the statement. His green eyes looked into hers and, seeing the finality in their depths, he sighed.

I don’t understand why it has to come to this, Veronika. I just don’t.

She killed our prince and we just sat by and watched. The people are suffering under her rule, Mika.

So that means that we have to do something?

Someone has to.

Mika sighed, running a hand through his thick red hair in frustration. The strands tickled his shoulders as he shrugged.

Fine, he growled. When?

Petition a meeting with her tonight. Tell her that you want to discuss the advancement of men against the Seelie Court. She won’t deny your petition. She loves war.

With a nod, Mika spun around and left his sister’s bedchamber. Veronika had always made the plans and Mika had always implemented them. Even after he joined the Unseelie Court’s army, he helped her with her plots and schemes.

But murder?

Queen Morgane had risen up by slaughtering her own family, a task that was not frowned upon by the other members of the Court. No one got in her way when she declared war on the Seelie Court. But once she killed her own son so that he would not ascend to the throne, the people started to worry.

Mika’s booted feet echoed down the cobblestone street as he walked up to the palace. His sister could use her sidhe magick to teleport anywhere she wanted. But Mika’s father was human and his mother fey. His vibrant red hair and sea-green eyes paired with his milk-white skin made him look human. His sister had the same red hair and green eyes, but her skin was the color of fresh mint. It was only his inhuman speed that made him a faerie and helped him travel up the ranks in the Unseelie Court’s army. No one was