Council Courtship

By Constance Phillips

Tristan Ipsly knows firsthand how Eero’s ideals have ripped houses apart. More than half of his family was prosecuted for supporting the revolution, the remaining fled to the otherworld, leaving him the lone member of his house, and one of two candidates for the recently vacated Council seat. As a healer who is seated on the repopulation project, he has real solutions to the problems that face them all, but fears he’s been branded a traitor, not worthy of the seat nor to court Quinn.

Quinn Vettore knows that Fairykind is dying. Eero and his revolution have left them a people divided, but she believes tradition and the Canon’s writing are equally to blame. She wants to see the Council fill the vacancy with someone who will be the voice of change. The prime candidate in her mind is the same choice of her heart: Tristan.
Too bad her Grandfather is the one man who stands in the way of both.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Constance Phillips
• Release date: Oct 9, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301617548

Book preview

Copyright

Council Courtship

Constance Phillips

Published by Constance Phillips at Smashwords.com

© Copyright Constance Phillips 2013. All Rights Reserved.

Editor: Jennifer Baker

Cover Art: Taria A. Reed

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.

All rights reserved.

This is a work of fiction. Any similarities to real people or places is coincidental and unintentional.

Council Courtship

Tristan Ipsly knows firsthand how Eero’s ideals have ripped houses apart. More than half of his family was prosecuted for supporting the revolution, the remaining fled to the otherworld, leaving him the lone member of his house, and one of two candidates for the recently vacated Council seat. As a healer who is seated on the repopulation project, he has real solutions to the problems that face them all, but fears he’s been branded a traitor, not worthy of the seat nor to court Quinn.

Quinn Vettore knows that Fairykind is dying. Eero and his revolution have left them a people divided, but she believes tradition and the Canon’s writing are equally to blame. She wants to see the Council fill the vacancy with someone who will be the voice of change. The prime candidate in her mind is the same choice of her heart: Tristan.

Too bad her Grandfather is the one man who stands in the way of both.

Dedication

This book is dedicated to everyone who has found their voice and stood up for injustice, equity, and the rights of someone who couldn’t stand for themselves.

Acknowledgements

This book would not be possible without my massive support system.

A sincere thank you to:

To my husband and children, who puts up with the voices in my head and are used to me being buried in a computer for more hours a day than should be humanly possible.

Sloan Parker, Shay Lacy, Jenna Rutland, Lesly Blanton, Jayne Kingston, and Ray Wenck. Without all of you being a part of my support system, I would not have had the courage to take this publishing step.

Table of Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Epilogue

Other Books by Constance Phillips

Chapter One

Most would find serenity in the quiet of the lab, but not Tristan Ipsly. He still battled the consequences of his house’s actions, even though the moon had risen and set for several seasons since Eero’s attempted revolution and downfall.

Tristan might have been judged innocent, but wasn’t too different from the rest of his clan. He too believed that if fairykind had even a chance to survive, change needed to sweep through Council Hall.

Just not at the hands of evil.

A knock on the door called Tristan back from his idle thoughts. When he opened it, his breath hitched. Council member Gyan stood on the other side, no doubt to deliver bad news.

According to the Canon, when a Council seat was vacated by death, it was filled by the next eldest member of the eldest house. In this case, two houses could be traced back to the same season of the same iana. Because the answer was not clear cut, the remaining Council members were charged with deciding who would fill the seat: Tristan or Edwin Vettore.

Not that Tristan thought he had even a chance. He might have been found innocent of his relative’s sins and allowed to stay on the realm, but he was still an outcast.

And a young fairy.

Edwin was the elder of a well-respected blemish-free house.

Even though he was sure Gyan brought bad news, Tristan stood straighter and then bent at the waist, giving the elder the respect he deserved. What can I do for you?

Gyan’s face was stoic as he approached the long table and the fancy otherworld equipment Tristan had been working with. So…this is the contribution to the Repopulation Project from my nephew.

Yes. Daniel had brought the equipment to the realm a full season ago. It couldn’t be the reason Gyan chose today to visit.

Is it helpful?

Tristan leaned back against the stool he’d been sitting on. Comparing the blood of those with no connection to the fairyworld with those who had both fairy and human lineage, only gave Tristan and his colleagues half the answers. "Yes. It would be more so if we could convince additional fairies to let us run the same tests on them that we are running on the parshas in the otherworld. Without base comparisons, we’re still dealing with hypotheses."

Gyan shook his head as he walked around the end of the table, eyeing the machine. What can this show you that you can’t feel with your healing power?

Cell structure.

A sly smile unlike any he’d seen on a Council member tipped Gyan’s lips. I see that you understand the things my nephew says. You and Daniel have become friends?

"I am learning the otherworld ways through him. I find it all very fascinating. Besides, Monique and I have been friends since our skhol days, and I’ve come to know Daniel through her." They were two of a very small group of fairies who didn’t treat him like an outcast, and one thing he learned from his fall from grace was that friendship was something to be valued.

In the elder’s eyes, Tristan saw an emotion he couldn’t put his finger on. It was unlike Gyan to make polite conversation or skirt around an issue, but that seemed to be exactly what he was doing today. I think Daniel could use some advice from a friend. You are especially qualified, given that you are the most knowledgeable man we have on the Repopulation Project.

That was what this was about! He was being asked to counsel his friends to usher forth a new generation of Woodmores. An understandable concern, but not a topic he felt comfortable broaching with friends. Sir, it’s not my place to guide Daniel and Monique on such a private matter. They’ll conceive when the binding of their powers takes hold.

Monique is with child.

"How wonderful! Your house