Dreamer

Some beautiful language and imagery in this well-written novella. I would have gone to 5 stars but I craved a darker ending. I do like the cover but I feel that Ash appears far too brutish.

This is the intensely atmospheric tale of the naive Leith, a nobleman's bastard and talented musician who agrees to serve the Fair (Fae) Lord Orias for one year in exchange for lordship of his own castle. He becomes fascinated by impressive warrior and wolf keeper Ash, slave to Orias' sister, the sinister Beleth.

'"My sweet little bastard." His murmur came soft against my neck. Somehow (Orias) had divested himself of his robes. I shivered, not with cold, naked under his touch.
He took my hand, guiding it against his smooth, hard chest. Muscles moved like soft steel beneath his skin. "Have you been with a man before?"
"No." No more than a stable boy's kiss, in any case.'