Mystic Warrior

Table of Contents

 

 

“Filled with history, romance, and passion . . . pulled me in and held me captive. . . . Ms. Rice makes the Revolution come alive. I can't wait for the next installment in the amazing Mystic Isle series! I am hooked!”

—Romance Reader at Heart

 

“With whimsical and subtle touches of humor and memorable characters, [Rice] cleverly blends the paranormal with the historical events of the French Revolution in this passionate, very sensual romance. Her powerful voice and talent as a great storyteller make this one another keeper.”—
Romantic Times
(Top Pick, 4½ stars)

“An enthralling tale that should not be missed.”

—Romance Reviews Today

 

 

“
Mystic Guardian
will enchant readers.”

—The Romance Readers Connection

 

“Set against the background leading up to the French Revolution, Rice's book boasts a pair of extraordinary characters. . . . Her flair for subtle touches of humor and clever dialogue . . . draws you into this magical, mystical, and sensual paranormal historical romance.”

—
Romantic Times
(Top Pick, 4½ stars)

 

“A fine, fresh series kickoff, Rice's latest is passionate, rich in historical detail, and peopled with enough captivating secondary characters to pique readers' curiosity for many volumes to come.”—
Publishers Weekly

“Charming, magical.”—
Midwest Book Review

 

 

“Never slows down until the final thread is magically resolved. Patricia Rice is clearly the Magic Woman with this superb tale and magnificent series.”—
Midwest Book Review

 

 

“The magical Rice takes Trev and Lucinda, along with her readers, on a passionate, sensual, and romantic adventure in this fast-paced, witty, poignant, and magical tale of love.”

—
Romantic Times
(Top Pick, 4½ stars)

 

 

“Charming and immensely entertaining.”

—
Library Journal

 

“Rice has a magical touch for creating fascinating plots, delicious romance, and delightful characters both flesh-and-blood and ectoplasmic.”—
Booklist

“Another delightful magical story brought to us by this talented author. It's a fun read, romantic and sexy with enchanting characters.”—
Rendezvous

 

 

“Rice is a marvelously talented author who skillfully combines pathos with humor in a stirring, sensual romance that shows the power of love is the most wondrous gift of all. Think of this memorable story as a present you can open again and again.”—
Romantic Times
(Top Pick, 4½ stars)

“Rice's third enchanting book about the Malcolm sisters is truly spellbinding.”—
Booklist

 

 

“Very sensual.”—
The Romance Reader

“Rice has created a mystical masterpiece full of enchanting characters, a spellbinding plot, and the sweetest of romances.” —
Booklist
(Starred Review)

 

“An engaging historical romance that uses a pinch of witchcraft to spice up [the] tale. . . . The story line mesmerizes. . . . Fans will believe that Patricia Rice must be magical as she spellbinds her audience with a one-sitting, fun novel.”

—
Midwest Book Review

 

“I love an impeccably researched, well-written tale, and
Must Be Magic
, which continues the saga of the Iveses and Malcolms, is about as good as it gets. I'm very pleased to give it a Perfect Ten, and I encourage everyone to pick up this terrific book.”—Romance Reviews Today

 

 

“Simply enchanting! Patricia Rice, a master storyteller, weaves a spellbinding tale that's passionate and powerful.”

—Teresa Medeiros

 

“Like Julie Garwood, Patricia Rice employs wicked wit and sizzling sensuality to turn the battles of the sexes into a magical romp.”—Mary Jo Putney

 

“One of those tales that you pick up and can't put down. . . . [Rice] is a gifted master storyteller: with
Merely Magic
she doesn't disappoint. Brava!”—
Midwest Book Review

Other Historical Romances by Patricia Rice

The Mystic Isle Series
Mystic Guardian
Mystic Rider

 

The Magic Series
Merely Magic
Must Be Magic
The Trouble with Magic
This Magic Moment
Much Ado About Magic
Magic Man

 

Other Titles
All a Woman Wants

SIGNET ECLIPSE
Published by New American Library, a division of
Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street,
New York, New York 10014, USA
Penguin Group (Canada), 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 700, Toronto,
Ontario M4P 2Y3, Canada (a division of Pearson Penguin Canada Inc.)
Penguin Books Ltd., 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England
Penguin Ireland, 25 St. Stephen's Green, Dublin 2,
Ireland (a division of Penguin Books Ltd.)
Penguin Group (Australia), 250 Camberwell Road, Camberwell, Victoria 3124,
Australia (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty. Ltd.)
Penguin Books India Pvt. Ltd., 11 Community Centre, Panchsheel Park,
New Delhi - 110 017, India
Penguin Group (NZ), 67 Apollo Drive, Rosedale, North Shore 0632,
New Zealand (a division of Pearson New Zealand Ltd.)
Penguin Books (South Africa) (Pty.) Ltd., 24 Sturdee Avenue,
Rosebank, Johannesburg 2196, South Africa

 

Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices:
80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England

 

First published by Signet Eclipse, an imprint of New American Library, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

 

First Printing, July 2009

Copyright © Rice Enterprises, Inc., 2009

All rights reserved

 

SIGNET ECLIPSE and logo are trademarks of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

 

 

Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

 

PUBLISHER'S NOTE

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party Web sites or their content.

 

 

The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author's rights is appreciated.

eISBN : 978-1-101-06026-1

Despite my whining, I'm grateful to my editor, Ellen Edwards, who provides the left brain for detail that my big-picture right brain desperately needs.

And to my agent, Robin Rue, my gratitude for not laughing too hard when I say, “And now for my next act . . . ”

And most of all, to my faithful readers who follow me anywhere, no matter how high I fly or how low I go. . . . If you're the wind beneath my wings, these books are all your fault! You've spoiled me. Hugs.

 

“
Don't touch me!
” Lissandra Olympus commanded with the arrogance of a queen. Moonlit locks scraped back from her fair face, she stood tall and regal against the tropical forest, bestowing the same expression on Murdoch LeDroit as Eve may have on the serpent in her garden.

As usual, Murdoch looked like a pirate. Barefoot, he dwarfed Lissandra's willowy height. A swath of peat-dark hair curved across his unshaven jaw as if he'd just climbed, rumpled, from his bed. The sword held ready at his side belied his sleepy-eyed appearance.

Only recently back from his long journey into the world beyond the Mystic Isle of Aelynn, he still wore the billowing shirtsleeves of the Other World that emphasized his muscular shoulders. He sported neither neckcloth nor waistcoat, so the ocean breeze was free to plaster the thin linen against his wide chest and reveal much of his sun-bronzed throat.

His face—the dark-lashed, sea-smoke eyes narrowed with seductive intent, the amused twist of sculpted lips promising delectably sinful delights, the cheekbones honed to a knife's lethal edge—caused women to swoon and men to scowl in wariness.

Most
women to swoon. Not Lissandra, the Oracle's Daughter.

Appearance didn't matter on the Mystic Isle. Ability did. And because of her family's reputation, Lissandra's abilities were believed by Aelynners to be superior to those of a mere Agrarian upstart.

Undeterred by anyone else's beliefs, Murdoch was confident that he had more than proved his superiority—physical, mental, and supernatural. Both isle and woman were the prizes he intended to claim. Was destined to claim, although only he seemed certain of his ability to See the future.

He'd been away at sea a long time, waiting for his princess to grow up. It was gratifying to recognize that the desire simmering between them had only increased with separation. She held him at arm's length for good reason. The air crackled between them. He knew she curled her slender fingers into fists to prevent them from pushing his uncut hair out of his face as she had done countless times in the past.

He and Lis had grown up together like puppies in the same litter. Adolescence had shown them how pleasurably the hot wind beneath her cool reserve could feed the flames of mutual lust. Learning the painful lessons of their unequal positions had halted their youthful experimentation. The difference in their ages had made him careful.