The Changeling Soldier by Shona Husk

what he’d lost without even realizing, but he doubted Mel had shed a tear over what she was going to do to him.
    She wouldn’t let him hold this over her. It was only a matter of time until she rang the cops and let it fall at his feet. “What are you doing?” Mel snapped.
    “Making Ella some lunch. Wouldn’t want her to die of starvation.”
    She shot him a toxic glare. One she hadn’t had before he’d joined the army, yet obviously one she’d picked up while living in L.A. Of all his siblings, he was closest to her—his brothers were all much younger—or had been. Now he watched her the way one watched a poisonous snake, praying it would go past without striking.
    “Come on, Mel. You’ve given it your best shot. Maybe fairies aren’t all the myths made them out to be. It’s not like Ella even has wings.”
    “Don’t Mel me. We’re in this together. And if she somehow happens to escape, I’ll make sure something happens to tarnish your golden hero reputation.” She made herself a coffee, not offering to help with the sandwiches.
    “I’ve done nothing but help you since I’ve gotten home. I’ve been on your arm when you’ve asked and let you use me to draw attention to yourself.” While those functions hadn’t been all bad, he’d hated the attention.
    “You owe me from when you went off and left me so you could play soldier.”
    “I wasn’t fucking playing.” Did she really think he’d taken off to ditch her? It was the only way out he could take. If he hadn’t left, he might have killed his mother’s boyfriend next time the man tried to beat him. If he’d known what was going to happen to Mel he’d have never left. He glanced at his sister and wished he could’ve protected her better, then maybe they wouldn’t be standing here. Although if she’d listened to him and joined up as soon as she was old enough, she could’ve gotten out of that house sooner. Instead she’d finished school and taken off for L.A.
    “Whatever. I was working my ass off to get commercials and bit roles. You think this comes cheap?” She pointed to the house around them. “Isn’t this what we wanted as kids, to grow up and move out of the damn trailer park? We have nice stuff, but we have to work together to take the next step.”
    “We don’t need these things. We’ve moved on. You aren’t the kid in someone else’s hand-me-downs anymore.” He’d be happy with a nice apartment…who was he kidding. He wanted to know what happened next in his dream. He wanted to know why Ella took his soul and why he handed it over so willingly, even when she’d admitted that losing it would kill him. He wanted to know why he ended up in bed with her and where they were. If she promised him answers, he suspected he’d follow wherever she led.
    “All those kids who ever teased me will see that I’m better than all of them.”
    “Do you think they even care?”
    Anger tightened her face. “I want that damn fairy to make a deal.”
    His head jerked up at the word as it echoed with familiarity. “A deal now not a wish?”
    “She said she would give me fame if I get her a soul.”
    Isaac drew in a breath. His soul. The pieces of his dream began to make sense.
    Could he use his soul as the bargaining chip so everyone walked away unharmed? Would he be unharmed? He needed to find out what would happen if she took his soul in Annwyn, as that was where it happened in his dream.
    “You’re not really considering it?” But from the look on her face she was.
    He already knew she considered him expendable. He’d rather take his chances fighting a battle in a place he didn’t know, for people he didn’t know and with a weapon he’d never used than serve Mel’s purpose.
    “Did you want the shake?” Time seemed to pause for a moment as he glimpsed the future.
    The three of them were in the basement. Mel was handing over the key, and he was carrying Ella out of there. They all got to live. The deal had been