by Dyan Chick
Footsteps from behind me caused the two figures to look up and I saw the color drain from the boy's face. I turned to see who the newcomer was and my breath hitched at the sight of Tiana striding into the room as if she owned the place. Still dressed in gold, this time in a long flowing gold tunic over tight wine colored leggings. Her boot heels clicked across the wood floor as she approached the waiting Fae.
She stopped in front of them and looked down at the boy, narrowing her eyes at him. "So this is young Tristan? Not quite what I expected for someone rumored to have magic that rivals my own."
I tensed and took a silent step closer to the young version of the Winter Prince. This scared boy looked nothing like the confident male I'd come to know. And who was the female with him? Where was she now?
The female put her arm protectively around the young Tristan. "Tristan, this is Lady Tiana. She will administer the test. Don't be nervous, we all had to take it when we were your age."
"Will you wait here with me, Sasha?" young Tristan asked.
Sasha shook her head. "I have to go help Mother. But when you're finished, I have a surprise for you. I asked the cook to make your favorite sweet cakes. They'll be ready when you're done."
Sasha kissed Tristan on the forehead, then stood. "Lady Tiana." She curtsied toward Tiana and the older Fae inclined her head. "Princess."
Sasha walked away, but lingered at the door. It seemed like she wanted to say something else. After a heartbeat longer hesitation, she didn't even look back at Tristan. She walked from the room until she was out of sight, leaving Tristan alone with Tiana.
Tiana took the vacant seat on the couch next to Tristan. "Has anyone told you anything about the test?" she asked.
Young Tristan shook his head. "Only that Father expects that I'll do well."
"I never expect anyone to do well. It's so rare to find a Fae who has magic beyond normal capacity. If anything, I often find those that request the tests have less magic than they should. Too many overindulgent parents who think their offspring are special. Do you think that's the case with you?"
"I don't know," Tristan said. "I’ve rarely even see my father."
Tiana's lips twisted as she pondered his words. "Well, you are the seventh son."
"So they remind me every day," Tristan said.
"I'm sure they do." Tiana sat quietly for a moment, watching the prince. Finally, she adjusted her position and turned closer to him. "Shall we begin?"
Young Tristan fixed a determined expression on his face, tightening his jaw. He nodded once, but didn't speak.
I could almost feel his fear as he tried to remain strong despite the very intimidating female in front of him.
She extended her hands palms up. "Place your hands on top of mine."
Tristan reached out, his fingers trembling slightly as he set his palms against hers.
I narrowed my eyes, watching Tiana closely. What was she doing? How was she going to test him by nearly holding hands?
I gasped as shimmering gold threads wrapped their way around their hands, binding them together. The threads shimmered and glowed, continuing to wrap themselves around their hands, seemingly coming from nowhere.
Young Tristan grunted and I looked over at his face. His nose was scrunched up and his teeth were clenched. Whatever these threads were doing, pain was part of it. He seemed to be fighting against something internally and he winced as his hands began to shake. It almost seemed like he was trying to force himself from pulling his hands away.
I looked at Tiana, horrified to find that she was smiling. I glared at her, hating her for what she was doing to the prince. I could tell she was enjoying every second of discomfort she was causing for her young victim.
My heart ached I stood there silently observing the scene while the young Tristan started to squirm. I felt so helpless, but I knew this was a memory, it wouldn't be possible for me to intervene.
A sharp echo of pain scraped against my hand, then traveled up my arms to my head. I winced and looked at my hand, there was nothing visibly wrong with me.
The pain intensified, and my vision blurred. Was I feeling the pain Tristan was experiencing?
Tristan cried out the same time as a fresh pain jabbed into my skull. My breathing was shallow as I fought against the invasion in my head. Pain trickled down into my neck and into my shoulders, then found its way through the rest of my limbs, making it difficult to stand.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, telling myself none of this was real, but the pain felt real. Finally, in a rush of relief, I felt a release as the pain disappeared all at once.
I snapped my eyes open and looked over at young Tristan to find the gold threads were no longer wrapped around their hands. Tristan had fallen back against the couch, breathing heavy. A sheen of sweat shone on his forehead and strands of his blonde hair stuck to the perspiration. He took a few more breaths, then straightened, fixing his gaze back on Tiana. His nostrils flared but he didn't speak.
Tiana wore the smile of a predator watching the injured and weak member of the herd. Anger surged through me as I stared at her wide, toothy grin. No one should be this happy from inflicting pain on another. Tiana was a monster.
"You have no affinity for magic of the Autumn Court. One disappointment so far," Tiana said. "Shall we continue or are you ready to give up?"
"Continue," Tristan said through gritted teeth.
"Very well," she said, stretching her hands out for him again.
This time, when Tristan set his hand on top of hers he was no longer shaking. He was either in too much pain to be nervous this time, or the fear had given way to anger.
Just like before, threads began to wind their way around the pair of hands. Only this time, they were pink and shimmered with an iridescent quality that almost made them look purple at times. If gold had been the color of the Autumn Court, this had to be either Summer or Spring. I had a feeling, the Winter Court would be silver. I also had a feeling that Tiana was saving the Winter Court for last. She was going to put him through all three of the other Courts before she tested him for the magic he most likely had.
My jaw tightened as I watched the young Tristan grimace against the oncoming pain. I could tell he was fighting through it, his entire body tense. A bead of sweat dripped down his face as he forced his gaze to maintain eye contact with Tiana. He was so young, only a child, yet there was a power behind him that couldn't be ignored. I wondered if it was that power that Tiana was trying to break.
The pain came on in a gust this time hitting my entire body so hard I nearly toppled over. Gasping, I fought against hundreds of tiny pinpricks of pain up and down my body. I felt like I was rolling in a pile of needles and it took everything I had not to scream. I clamped my jaw shut and bawled my hands into fists, fighting against it. If the young child in front of me could do it, I could too.
Chapter Twenty
I fought to keep my eyes open this time, wanting to see how Tristan reacted to this fresh round of pain. I could see how this could cause madness in someone. Especially if the grown Tristan was diluting the pain as much as he could for me. I couldn't imagine what it felt like to the young boy in the memory. How had he gone through all of this? And why?
The young prince swayed, and for a moment I feared he was going to pass out. Then, Tristan let out a noise that was somewhere between a growl and scream and he fought to remain seated. Finally, the pain vanished and the pink strands around his hands faded.
Tiana crossed her legs and cocked her head to the side, inspecting the panting boy in front of her. Tristan was leaned forward, forearms on his knees, head drooping. His hair was slick with sweat now and dark circles had formed under his eyes. After a few heartbeats of breath, the young Tristan looked up at Tiana. "That it?"
I couldn't help but smile at his defiance. The boy who had started the session seemed timid and insecure and now I was staring at a changed male. This was the Tristan I knew. The Tristan who didn't let people push him around t
he Tristan who didn't care what people thought. The Tristan who fought for what he wanted.
Tiana frowned and uncrossed her legs. Without a word, she extended her hands palm up. "I was going to move to Winter next to give you a break, but it seems your spirit could use a little reminder of who's in charge here."
"You'll never be in charge here, you'll never be in charge anywhere. I heard you lost your bid for Queen's Trial."
Tiana squeezed Tristan's hands as green threads wrapped around them. I braced myself to feel the pain of whatever was coming and watched Tristan's reaction.
Tristan straightened his posture and locked his eyes on Tiana. The green ribbons around their hands continued to grow, increasing in thickness and number until the strands started to climb up Tristan's wrist and up his arms. Tristan smirked and I felt a flicker of hope rise in my chest. I wasn't feeling any pain and Tristan didn't look like he was experiencing any. The winding tendrils grew brighter as the green gave way, shifting to orange until they began to break free of the organized strands. Wisps of orange and yellow climbed wildly up Tristan's arms.
Stunned, my eyes widened as I realized the glowing colors weren't the same threads I'd seen before. What started out as green ribbons had transformed into fire. Perfect spirals of tiny flickering flames wrapped around Tristan's arms spreading from his wrists up to Tiana's.
Tiana yelped and pulled her hands away from Tristan breaking the connection. The fire continued to burn on Tristan for a few seconds longer before it faded.
"I see your father got his wish," Tiana said. "A Winter Fae with Summer magic." She stood. "No need to test your Winter magic. I could feel you probing my mind the second I walked into the room. You're lucky, last time I tested one of your siblings, he didn't leave the room in one piece."
Tristan stood, his hands balling into fists and his gaze boring daggers into Tiana. But he didn't speak, he didn't comment at Tiana's attempt to rile him up.
"Perhaps," Tiana said flashing a wicked grin, "there will be a strong ruler one day in the Winter Court after all."
Blackness returned and I gasped as my eyes fluttered open. I looked at the grown Tristan in front of me feeling a deeper understanding of who he was and what he'd gone through. I didn't know his father, but I never wanted to meet him. Tristan covered my hands with his and I realized my hands were trembling.
"You understand why I didn't want that to be known by everyone?"
I nodded. "How old were you?"
"Ten," Tristan said. "My father made us each go through the test when we were ten. I was the only one who had an affinity for second magic system. My father knows, Tiana knows, now you know. I've never told anyone else."
"Is that how the seventh son ended up as the ruler?" I asked.
"I'm not officially the ruler," he said. "But yes, it is how I ended up as the heir to my father's throne."
"Didn't your siblings ask questions?" I asked.
He shook his head. "You don't ask my father questions."
Considering Tristan's reputation, it was terrifying to consider that his father scared him. I lifted my hand, an overwhelming desire to touch his face, to be closer to him. I wanted to comfort him and tell him that everything was going to turn out fine.
He pulled away from me before I could touch him. "I'm trusting you with this. Both the Summer magic and the fact that I can share memories."
"Thank you for showing me," I said, lowering my hand. I ached to touch him, to be near him. But I knew that wasn't a good idea. Letting any of my lust for Tristan through would make things far too complicated. "I'll keep your secret."
I could understand why he didn't want people to find out that he could wield magic from two different kingdoms after I saw how strongly Tiana reacted toward me for having magic for more than one. Though, she didn't threaten him the way she threatened me. "Tiana doesn't know about your ability to share memories, does she? Is it because she never tested your winter magic?"
It was coming in sharper focus now, the fact that Tristan held secrets about his true strength from Tiana and everyone else. It was a weapon he could wield against any enemy that they'd never see coming. From a strategic point of view, it was brilliant.
Tristan nodded. "It's the only thing I have against her, in case I ever have a reason to challenge her."
"Do you think you will need to challenge her?" I asked.
"When you have a father like mine, you grow up with a target on your back. You learn to start collecting things on others. Things you can use against them if you ever need to," he said.
"What are you collecting about me?" The words came out before I thought through meaning.
He chuckled softly and a hint of a smile played at his lips. "I can't tell you that. You're smart enough to realize what your own weaknesses are."
"Why are you helping me?" I asked. "For real. This goes beyond the promise you made me. You promised you would help us to defeat the monsters and they're gone. Yet, you're not. Is this really about paying tribute to your late wife?"
"That's a good question for another time." Tristan cleared his throat. "Now you know what to expect in the test. What I just gave you is the closest you'll ever come to feeling it firsthand. Until your own test, that is. I don't think you're going to experience the same pain that I did because I do think you're going to test as having an affinity for every court. She'll likely to start with Summer, since that's the one we're least sure about. The way to complete each test the quickest is to find that point of your magic, the pinnacle, and set it free. Don't resist. When you feel it coming, let it go. Encourage it and don't hold back."
I stood and lifted my chin to make eye contact with Tristan. "Thank you. I'm sorry you had to go through that."
I wanted to ask about Sasha and his other siblings, but if I'd learned anything from Tristan, it was that he gave information freely when it was information he was willing to share. The fact that he hadn't offered to tell me about them, made me think he wasn't ready to share. It was similar to Cormac, but he didn't lock everything down for me, only I suspected, the really painful things.
My heart ached for him and I had an overwhelming urge to pull him into my embrace and whisper comforting words into his ear. But he wasn't Ethan and he wasn't Dane. Tristan was something else entirely and I didn't know exactly how to respond to him. All I knew was that with each passing moment the two of us spent together, I was growing more and more attached to the Winter Prince. I wanted to keep my distance from him, but he kept making it harder for me to do. He let me in, even when he didn't have to.
"You should eat. And try to relax, save your strength." Tristan walked to the doors and opened them. Ethan, true to his word, was waiting outside. The two males exchanged a glance as they passed.
"How did it go?" Ethan asked.
"Fine," I said. "I think I'll be ready when she tests me."
Ethan nodded, his tight lipped expression more serious than usual. "Good."
I took a deep breath in and let it out, telling myself I needed to let go of some of the tension I was holding. Tristan was right, there wasn't much more I could do to prepare. And if he was correct about me having magic from each of the four Courts, I didn't have anything to worry about when it came to receiving pain during the test. For some reason, that didn't make me feel better. I had a feeling that if Tiana found me to have all four Courts, I was in for a heap of trouble.
Chapter Twenty-One
When dinner was announced, I declined, stating that I wasn't hungry after the snacks that have been brought to the room on the fourth floor. Apparently, the dignitaries ate in a grand dining hall of some sort. I wasn't interested in spending any more time with Tiana than I had to. Two of Tristan's guards trailed behind me as I paced down the hall, trying to keep my head clear while I waited for my test. I knew I still had a bit of time before she came, but I couldn't bring myself to relax.
The House of the Moon was a strange place, half palace, half brothel. As I continued to walk, reflecting on the o
ddness of the combination, I couldn't help but wonder at how much of Tristan's past happened here or at places like it. I knew I shouldn't care, but every time we spoke, it seemed like we forged a deeper connection. It wasn't the same as what I felt with Ethan, but there was a connection there. I wondered if he felt it too. It made me feel guilty, like I was betraying the others, but it was hard to suppress.
I pressed my palms into my temples and tried to think of something else. The last thing I wanted to do when I met with Tiana, who could read my mind, was to be sitting there thinking about Tristan. I knew she'd find a way to use that against me if she knew that I was starting to develop strong feelings toward him. Deciding I needed a distraction, I walked down the stairs. Tristan's guards silently followed me, but didn't object to me leaving the fourth floor. Before I realized where I was going, I found myself in front of Laney's room. I hesitated, wondering if I should knock. It was possible she had a client and showing up outside her door could be seen as unprofessional.
Pressing my ear to the door, I listened for any sign of her or any visitors she might be entertaining. After a few heartbeats of not hearing anything, I knocked quietly on the door.
Laney opened the door, a wide grin on her face. "I wasn't sure if I'd see you again." She glanced at the guards behind me and her brow furrowed. "Your entourage?"
"Tristan, I mean His Grace insisted."
"Can she come in?" Lainey asked the guards behind me. "It's a pretty small room, I'm not sure all of us will fit, but you're all invited."
One of the guards peeked his head in the room and looked around. "Leave the door open."
"Thanks." Lainey grabbed my hand and tugged me into the room. "Come on, tell me all about how the meeting with the fancy dignitary went."