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Guild Hunter #8.5
Fairy Balloons
A short story in the October 2016 newsletter.
6 pages, ebook
First published October 12, 2016
10 people are currently reading
1496 people want to read
About the author
Nalini Singh
214 books26.7k followersI've been writing as long as I can remember and all of my stories always held a thread of romance (even when I was writing about a prince who could shoot lasers out of his eyes). I love creating unique characters, love giving them happy endings and I even love the voices in my head. There's no other job I would rather be doing. In September 2002, when I got the call that Silhouette Desire wanted to buy my first book, Desert Warrior, it was a dream come true. I hope to continue living the dream until I keel over of old age on my keyboard.
I was born in Fiji and raised in New Zealand. I also spent three years living and working in Japan, during which time I took the chance to travel around Asia. I’m back in New Zealand now, but I’m always plotting new trips. If you’d like to see some of my travel snapshots, have a look at the Travel Diary page (updated every month).
So far, I've worked as a lawyer, a librarian, a candy factory general hand, a bank temp and an English teacher and not necessarily in that order. Some might call that inconsistency but I call it grist for the writer's mill.
I was born in Fiji and raised in New Zealand. I also spent three years living and working in Japan, during which time I took the chance to travel around Asia. I’m back in New Zealand now, but I’m always plotting new trips. If you’d like to see some of my travel snapshots, have a look at the Travel Diary page (updated every month).
So far, I've worked as a lawyer, a librarian, a candy factory general hand, a bank temp and an English teacher and not necessarily in that order. Some might call that inconsistency but I call it grist for the writer's mill.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
November 14, 2016
These short stories just warm my heart.... :)
Izzy and Talu??? Yeah, I can imagine them together...
Izzy and Talu??? Yeah, I can imagine them together...
October 6, 2017
I like Talu, and would like a fuller length novella with more of her story once she grows up. And more Izzy with her :)
September 13, 2020
1st read - November 2016
2nd read - September 2020
We met Talu in the short story A Small Fairy Tale and this gives us a chance to catch up with her a little over a year later. She is now much more settled and doing well and this gives us a glimpse of the friendship she has developed with the young angel Izzy.
Another lovely freebie from Nalini and I really hope she continues to share Talu's story with us.
2nd read - September 2020
We met Talu in the short story A Small Fairy Tale and this gives us a chance to catch up with her a little over a year later. She is now much more settled and doing well and this gives us a glimpse of the friendship she has developed with the young angel Izzy.
Another lovely freebie from Nalini and I really hope she continues to share Talu's story with us.
August 20, 2025
Este capítulo vemos mas de la historia de Talu, la chica que rescato Elena de las calles y que ahora es parte del programa de Honor de ayudar a los niños de la calle.
Vemos como ha enfrentado su vida en la torre y como ahora sueña con un futuro como el que querría su madre.
Una muy linda y dulce historia.
Vemos como ha enfrentado su vida en la torre y como ahora sueña con un futuro como el que querría su madre.
Una muy linda y dulce historia.
September 19, 2019
Cute! I like Talu. I wonder if she’ll have more parts in the series.
July 21, 2022
Another Guildhunter short story about Talu the rescued street kid from the Newsletter Collection. This one is set about 18 months later and shows her settled in with the vampires and angels, thriving and making friends.
It’s a lovely short which references events from the main books which sound really interesting, and it kills me that to enter this world, you have to put up with boring romance plots and pages of repetitive descriptions of how pretty everyone is. I do it for the Psy-Changelings because I’m hopelessly invested in them, but can’t face it for another long-running series. It’s such a shame that you can’t get an edited version of these books, that includes all the fabulous world-building, action, intrigue, suspense and drama, without the predictable love stories, angst and erotica that take up two thirds of the text.
It’s a lovely short which references events from the main books which sound really interesting, and it kills me that to enter this world, you have to put up with boring romance plots and pages of repetitive descriptions of how pretty everyone is. I do it for the Psy-Changelings because I’m hopelessly invested in them, but can’t face it for another long-running series. It’s such a shame that you can’t get an edited version of these books, that includes all the fabulous world-building, action, intrigue, suspense and drama, without the predictable love stories, angst and erotica that take up two thirds of the text.
January 26, 2020
Another tear jerker in just 4 PAGES!! This author does it to me every time no matter the length of her stories.
Read
November 9, 2017Another short story from the newsletters, this one following Talu again.
October 1, 2017
Aww sad but sweet. Who doesn't love Izzy?
September 24, 2018
3.5 Stars... Our time with Talu continues as we are moved forward from the previous short story, "A Small Fairy Tale"... Talu has now been with Honor and Elena for over a year and has learned to trust in her surroundings and new family; a budding friendship with Izak "Izzy" is seen as they share personal stories of loss and the memories of childhood... The story progresses to include a moment at Talu's mother's grave with Izak in a heartfelt and touching moment of enduring friendship:)
January 4, 2020
Sweet reread!
November 29, 2021
So curious where these Talu short stories are going.
October 8, 2017
Izzy es demasiado lindo y Talu como que también me gusta.
October 12, 2016
Fairy Balloons is the continuation of Talu's story, which began in A Small Fairy Tale.
Talu has settled into her new life, gained a new foster mom as well as new friends. I was delighted to learn that one of her friends is Izzy; the adorable Guard-to-be. That angelic kid is as sweet and kind-hearted as he is a manipulative convalescent;-)
One of my favorite Guild Hunter snippets.
4.5 stars.
Talu has settled into her new life, gained a new foster mom as well as new friends. I was delighted to learn that one of her friends is Izzy; the adorable Guard-to-be. That angelic kid is as sweet and kind-hearted as he is a manipulative convalescent;-)
One of my favorite Guild Hunter snippets.
4.5 stars.
May 30, 2017
Ay bu hikaye çok duygusaldı. Nalini işte. Hangi bam teline ne oranda basacağını çok iyi biliyor. Izzy severlere. Talu'yu gördük mü hatırlamıyorum. Unutmuşum. :O
January 6, 2019
It was nice to see that Talu is doing good :)
March 15, 2021
BEAUTIFUL!
Loved seeing Talu growing and being happy!
And I loved seeing her make friends with Izzy! 💕
How he looks after and is there for her when she needs him! 🥰
Loved seeing Talu growing and being happy!
And I loved seeing her make friends with Izzy! 💕
How he looks after and is there for her when she needs him! 🥰
October 30, 2022
So happy for a Tanu update! And to get Izzy in there too was perfection
July 7, 2025
A sequel to the previous short story about Talu. Now she’s friends with Izac. Charming snippet.
April 8, 2022
3.5 ☆
October 10, 2025
estuvo normalito
October 30, 2024
A very sweet short read. I would love to know more about Talu as I think she’d be a very interesting character and her perspective would be fascinating. Plus if we could have more on Izzy as well that’d be great!
September 22, 2017
Who is Talu and why are we meeting her?
October 27, 2016
A short story, 7.3, in the Guild Hunter paranormal romance series and revolving around Talu, a no-longer homeless girl.
This was a free story from Singh’s bonus October 2016 newsletter; sign up to receive her newsletter with its bonus short stories.
My Take
A sweet, sad, and very short story about one of the children whom Honor takes in as her own, as Talu looks back over her young life and marvels at how much her life has changed.
For such a short story, it’s amazing how much ground it covers, from the Falling to the battle to these 18 months later after Talu has been taken into the Tower and made safe to the friend she has made.
It takes place some time after the great battle over New York with angels still recovering, granting Talu many opportunities to help the beautiful angels.
The Story
An afternoon of reminiscing finds Talu introducing her friend, Izzy, an angel, to her mother.
The Characters
Talu is a homeless child taken in by Honor. Nisha is Talu’s best friend. Jakob is one of the newer of Honor’s kids.
Izak “Izzy” is one of the young angels and was gravely injured in the battle.
Elena is a Guild Hunter who became an angel and is mated to Raphael, the Archangel of New York. Honor is now a vampire mated to Dimitri, Raphael’s second.
The Title
The title is more of a catch-all and refers to Talu visiting her mother’s “grave”, setting out the small fairy statue she carries, and sitting with Izzy blowing up balloons.
This was a free story from Singh’s bonus October 2016 newsletter; sign up to receive her newsletter with its bonus short stories.
My Take
A sweet, sad, and very short story about one of the children whom Honor takes in as her own, as Talu looks back over her young life and marvels at how much her life has changed.
For such a short story, it’s amazing how much ground it covers, from the Falling to the battle to these 18 months later after Talu has been taken into the Tower and made safe to the friend she has made.
It takes place some time after the great battle over New York with angels still recovering, granting Talu many opportunities to help the beautiful angels.
The Story
An afternoon of reminiscing finds Talu introducing her friend, Izzy, an angel, to her mother.
The Characters
Talu is a homeless child taken in by Honor. Nisha is Talu’s best friend. Jakob is one of the newer of Honor’s kids.
Izak “Izzy” is one of the young angels and was gravely injured in the battle.
Elena is a Guild Hunter who became an angel and is mated to Raphael, the Archangel of New York. Honor is now a vampire mated to Dimitri, Raphael’s second.
The Title
The title is more of a catch-all and refers to Talu visiting her mother’s “grave”, setting out the small fairy statue she carries, and sitting with Izzy blowing up balloons.
February 9, 2017
“It doesn’t hurt so bad now,” she said to him. “I know she’s happy because I’m happy. I have friends and a safe place to sleep.”
“You don’t just have a safe place to sleep, Talu. You have a home.”
Why is Izzy so CUTE???? I just wanna smush him!!
“You don’t just have a safe place to sleep, Talu. You have a home.”
Why is Izzy so CUTE???? I just wanna smush him!!
April 16, 2018
I wanted to know more about Talu!! :D
And now i'm wondering...
Izzy... Mmmmmm
And now i'm wondering...
Izzy... Mmmmmm
January 1, 2017
Free snippet from Nalini Singh.
Talu visits her mother's grave.
Talu visits her mother's grave.
January 2, 2017
Cute snippet of Talu, one of Honor's adopted kids, first introduced in A Small Fairy Tale, another short story. And Izzy, Elena's baby angel.
October 19, 2022
Guild Hunter #7.3
Fairy Balloons by Nalini Singh is another look into the life of Talu, the child that Elena rescued in "A Small Fairy Tale". It takes place 18 months later, after Archangel's Enigma, and touches on a day she spends with her Angel friend Izzy.
Read:
November 8, 2016 - FREE in the October 2016 newsletter
May 10, 2017 - FREE in the Authors October 2016 newsletter
October 14, 2017 - FREE in the author's October 2016 newsletter
October 19, 2022 – FREE on the authors website
Just in case you want to know the timeline of how this story fits into the books/novellas/short stories set in Nalini Singh’s Guild Hunter world, I have provided a complete list below. And so you don’t get confused, you’ll notice that each entry on the list is numbered in two ways. The 1., 2., 3.… Etc. numbering at the beginning of each entry is mine and denotes the chronological reading order. The – Guild Hunter #?.? – numbering you see immediately following each title is the number they are on the series reading list provided by the goodreads website. Enjoy!
Guild Hunter series chronological reading order:
1. One Night at the Refuge - Guild Hunter #0.2 (FREE in the April 2016 newsletter) - Illium (Angel and one of Raphael’s Seven) and Aodhan (Angel and one of Raphael’s Seven)
2. Angels' Dance - Guild Hunter #0.4 (found in the Angels Flight collection) - Jessamy (Angel, teacher of angelic young and historian of the angelic race) and Galen (Angel, Raphael’s Weapons Master and one of his Seven)
3. Angels' Judgment - Guild Hunter #0.6 (found in the Angels Flight collection) - Sara (human Guild Hunter) and Deacon (human Guild Hunter)
4. Angels' Pawn - Guild Hunter #0.8 (found in the Angels Flight collection) - Ashwini (human Guild Hunter) and the Janvier (Vampire)
5. A Little Bakery – Guild Hunter #0.9 (from the December 2019 Newsletter) – Illium
6. Angels' Blood - Guild Hunter #1 - Elena Devereaux (Hunterborn human Guild Hunter) and Archangel Raphael
7. Archangel's Kiss - Guild Hunter #2 - Elena (new made Angel and Guild Hunter) and Archangel Raphael
8. Weapons Training - Guild Hunter #2.5 (FREE on the author’s website) - Jessamy and Galen - takes place during “Archangel’s Kiss” after Elena finishes training with Galen
9. Archangel's Consort - Guild Hunter #3 - Elena and Raphael
10. Angel's Wolf - Guild Hunter #3.5 (found in the Angel’s Flight collection) - Noel (vampire) and Nimra (Angel)
11. Archangel's Blade - Guild Hunter #4 - Dimitri (vampire, Raphael’s Second and one of his Seven) and Honor (human Guild Hunter)
12. Archangel's Storm - Guild Hunter #5 - Jason (Angel, Raphael’s Spymaster and one of his Seven) and Princess Mahiya (Angel, who is Archangel Neha’s niece)
13. A Wedding Breakfast – Guild Hunter #5.1 – EVERYONE
14. Knives and Sheaths - Guild Hunter #5.5 (FREE in the author’s WELCOME Letter for signing up for her newsletter) - Elena and Raphael
15. Archangel's Legion - Guild Hunter #6 - Elena and Raphael
16. Zoe's Workshop - Guild Hunter #6.5 (FREE on the author’s website) - Sara (human Guild Director), Deacon (human, former Guild Slayer, Sara’s husband and Master Weapons Maker for humans and immortals alike), Zoe (human daughter of Sara and Deacon) and Slayer (dog)
17. Archangel's Shadows - Guild Hunter #7 - Ashwini and Janvier, with side jaunts to Elena and Raphael
18. A Walk on the Cliffs - Guild Hunter #7.5 (FREE in the July 2015 newsletter) - Montgomery (vampire and Raphael’s butler) and Sivya (Angel and Raphael’s chef)
19. A Sip of Eternity - Guild Hunter #7.3 (FREE on the author’s website) - Dimitri and Honor
20. A Small Fairy Tale - Guild Hunter #7.7 (FREE on the author’s website) - Talu (a human girl living on the streets of NYC), Sina (one of the fairies carved by Aodhan), Elena and Honor
21. Archangel's Enigma - Guild Hunter #8 - Naasir and the Angel Andromeda
22. Secret Things – Guild Hunter #8.3 (FREE in the February 2018 newsletter) – Naasir and Andromeda
23. Fairy Balloons - Guild Hunter #8.7 (FREE on the author’s website) - Talu (a human girl rescued from the streets by Archangel Raphael’s Consort, Elena) and the Angel Izzy (the first member of Consort Elena’s Guard)
24. Archangel's Heart - Guild Hunter #9 - Elena and Raphael
25. An Unexpected Guest - Guild Hunter #9.3 - Elena and Raphael
26. Elena's School of Horror – Guild Hunter #9.7 (FREE in July 2018 newsletter) – Elena & Aodhan
27. Archangel's Viper - Guild Hunter #10 - Venom (a vampire and one of Raphael’s Seven) and Holly Chang (the previously human girl who survived Uram’s rampage)
28. Archangel's Prophecy – Guild Hunter #11 – Elena and Raphael
29. Archangel's War – Guild Hunter #12 – Elena and Raphael
30. Archangel's Sun – Guild Hunter #13 – Archangel Titus and Sharine (The Hummingbird)
31. Archangel's Light – Guild Hunter #14 – Illium and Adohan
32. Archangel's Resurrection – Guild Hunter #15 – Archangel Alexander and Archangel Zanaya as clickas click
Fairy Balloons by Nalini Singh is another look into the life of Talu, the child that Elena rescued in "A Small Fairy Tale". It takes place 18 months later, after Archangel's Enigma, and touches on a day she spends with her Angel friend Izzy.
Read:
November 8, 2016 - FREE in the October 2016 newsletter
May 10, 2017 - FREE in the Authors October 2016 newsletter
October 14, 2017 - FREE in the author's October 2016 newsletter
October 19, 2022 – FREE on the authors website
Just in case you want to know the timeline of how this story fits into the books/novellas/short stories set in Nalini Singh’s Guild Hunter world, I have provided a complete list below. And so you don’t get confused, you’ll notice that each entry on the list is numbered in two ways. The 1., 2., 3.… Etc. numbering at the beginning of each entry is mine and denotes the chronological reading order. The – Guild Hunter #?.? – numbering you see immediately following each title is the number they are on the series reading list provided by the goodreads website. Enjoy!
Guild Hunter series chronological reading order:
1. One Night at the Refuge - Guild Hunter #0.2 (FREE in the April 2016 newsletter) - Illium (Angel and one of Raphael’s Seven) and Aodhan (Angel and one of Raphael’s Seven)
2. Angels' Dance - Guild Hunter #0.4 (found in the Angels Flight collection) - Jessamy (Angel, teacher of angelic young and historian of the angelic race) and Galen (Angel, Raphael’s Weapons Master and one of his Seven)
3. Angels' Judgment - Guild Hunter #0.6 (found in the Angels Flight collection) - Sara (human Guild Hunter) and Deacon (human Guild Hunter)
4. Angels' Pawn - Guild Hunter #0.8 (found in the Angels Flight collection) - Ashwini (human Guild Hunter) and the Janvier (Vampire)
5. A Little Bakery – Guild Hunter #0.9 (from the December 2019 Newsletter) – Illium
6. Angels' Blood - Guild Hunter #1 - Elena Devereaux (Hunterborn human Guild Hunter) and Archangel Raphael
7. Archangel's Kiss - Guild Hunter #2 - Elena (new made Angel and Guild Hunter) and Archangel Raphael
8. Weapons Training - Guild Hunter #2.5 (FREE on the author’s website) - Jessamy and Galen - takes place during “Archangel’s Kiss” after Elena finishes training with Galen
9. Archangel's Consort - Guild Hunter #3 - Elena and Raphael
10. Angel's Wolf - Guild Hunter #3.5 (found in the Angel’s Flight collection) - Noel (vampire) and Nimra (Angel)
11. Archangel's Blade - Guild Hunter #4 - Dimitri (vampire, Raphael’s Second and one of his Seven) and Honor (human Guild Hunter)
12. Archangel's Storm - Guild Hunter #5 - Jason (Angel, Raphael’s Spymaster and one of his Seven) and Princess Mahiya (Angel, who is Archangel Neha’s niece)
13. A Wedding Breakfast – Guild Hunter #5.1 – EVERYONE
14. Knives and Sheaths - Guild Hunter #5.5 (FREE in the author’s WELCOME Letter for signing up for her newsletter) - Elena and Raphael
15. Archangel's Legion - Guild Hunter #6 - Elena and Raphael
16. Zoe's Workshop - Guild Hunter #6.5 (FREE on the author’s website) - Sara (human Guild Director), Deacon (human, former Guild Slayer, Sara’s husband and Master Weapons Maker for humans and immortals alike), Zoe (human daughter of Sara and Deacon) and Slayer (dog)
17. Archangel's Shadows - Guild Hunter #7 - Ashwini and Janvier, with side jaunts to Elena and Raphael
18. A Walk on the Cliffs - Guild Hunter #7.5 (FREE in the July 2015 newsletter) - Montgomery (vampire and Raphael’s butler) and Sivya (Angel and Raphael’s chef)
19. A Sip of Eternity - Guild Hunter #7.3 (FREE on the author’s website) - Dimitri and Honor
20. A Small Fairy Tale - Guild Hunter #7.7 (FREE on the author’s website) - Talu (a human girl living on the streets of NYC), Sina (one of the fairies carved by Aodhan), Elena and Honor
21. Archangel's Enigma - Guild Hunter #8 - Naasir and the Angel Andromeda
22. Secret Things – Guild Hunter #8.3 (FREE in the February 2018 newsletter) – Naasir and Andromeda
23. Fairy Balloons - Guild Hunter #8.7 (FREE on the author’s website) - Talu (a human girl rescued from the streets by Archangel Raphael’s Consort, Elena) and the Angel Izzy (the first member of Consort Elena’s Guard)
24. Archangel's Heart - Guild Hunter #9 - Elena and Raphael
25. An Unexpected Guest - Guild Hunter #9.3 - Elena and Raphael
26. Elena's School of Horror – Guild Hunter #9.7 (FREE in July 2018 newsletter) – Elena & Aodhan
27. Archangel's Viper - Guild Hunter #10 - Venom (a vampire and one of Raphael’s Seven) and Holly Chang (the previously human girl who survived Uram’s rampage)
28. Archangel's Prophecy – Guild Hunter #11 – Elena and Raphael
29. Archangel's War – Guild Hunter #12 – Elena and Raphael
30. Archangel's Sun – Guild Hunter #13 – Archangel Titus and Sharine (The Hummingbird)
31. Archangel's Light – Guild Hunter #14 – Illium and Adohan
32. Archangel's Resurrection – Guild Hunter #15 – Archangel Alexander and Archangel Zanaya as clickas click
April 28, 2025
We first met Talu in the free short story A Small Fairy Tale. Where she was living rough on the streets after looking her mum to cancer. Being only fourteen Talu had a difficult time surviving and had become intimately acquainted with starvation. Hope had bloomed inside however when she miraculously found one .of Aodhan's carvings of a fairy which remarkably resembled her somehow. After finding the previous fairy Tanu's life finally took a lucky turn resulting in her being fostered in the Tower. Here we get.to catch up.with Tanu six months later and see how.she is.getting along............
Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews