Eilian was stunned. He gazed upon Gwen and, with an ache in his chest, truly realized how much she looked like his lost love.
That moment defined Eilian. He did not know who killed Wendy, but he did know the only likely motive for such a drastic action resulted in the precious child held in his arms. Someone had to have figured out Wendy’s secret. No other reason could have caused someone to be so bold as to kill Summer Court’s only princess.
While Eilian desperately wanted to find the culprit and bring justice to Wendy, he knew he could not. Eilian would not be able to protect little Gwen while striving to uncover the murderer of his best friend… his love.
Eilian had to make a choice.
In an effort to honor his lost love, he chose her daughter.
He chose Gwenevere.
PART II
Chapter 3
Present Day
Balancing the large, plastic tub filled with clothes, Gwen managed to force the silver key into the lock of her childhood home. Well, her childhood apartment.
Swinging the door open, she called out, “Ian? Are you here?” Setting her clothes on the ground, Gwen quickly flipped her head forward and pulled her long, wavy, black hair into a messy ponytail. She sighed as the cool air from the ceiling fan reached her glistening neck. May was not the ideal month for moving in Texas. It had to be at least ninety degrees and it wasn’t even ten in the morning.
“Hello?” She tried again with no answer.
Two figures suddenly rushed through the open doorway, and Gwen squealed in delight as she turned and recognized her two friends.
“Gwennie, Gwen, Gwen,” Kate Roberts laughed out as she gave her a quick hug. “We thought we saw your car downstairs.”
“Ian told us you were heading back down south for the summer,” Sara explained, giving Gwen an embrace as well.
Gwen smiled at the two sisters that grew up next door to her in San Antonio. Both had light, brown hair and eyes accompanying the bright grins they directed her way. Sara was the elder of the pair, being Gwen’s own age while Kate was about 18 months younger. The three girls met when the sisters moved in with their uncle. Gwen was eight at the time. Their uncle, Mr. Roberts, owned the apartment building she and Ian grew up in with their foster, turned adoptive, mother.
Gwen felt the familiar ache as she thought of the woman who had lovingly raised her. It had only been a year since Sharon Longe’s passing, and the pain of her loss still weakened the twenty-three year old’s heart.
Sharon was the gentlest person Gwen had ever known. The middle-aged, single woman with her warm brown eyes and wispy graying hair treated her and Ian as her own while their foster mother. By the time Gwen had reached the age of ten, thirteen for Ian, Sharon asked for their permission to adopt them. Gwen could not remember a happier day of her life.
After being abandoned as a child, Gwen knew she was lucky to be immediately placed in Sharon’s care at the age of 5. Ian had already been living with the kind woman, and it was not long before the pair became thick as thieves as they grew up together. Moving away for school had been the hardest decision Gwen ever made because it meant leaving behind the two most important people in her life. She always cherished the times she was able to come back home to her loving family.
Why is Ian not here to greet me? She questioned sulkily as she thought of him, hoping he would emerge from his room down the hall.
“Hellooo? Earth to Gwen Longe,” Kate said, waving her palm in the girl’s face. “Are you listening?”
Jerking out of her thoughts, Gwen recovered, “No. I’m sorry. I must have zoned out. It was a long trip.”
“We were asking about your boyfriend. Bradley, right?” Sara supplied. “We were wondering if we would get the chance to meet him while you are here this summer.”
Gwen tried to force her face to remain calm even while she felt her ears redden in anger.
“Uh oh,” Kate let out, observing her lifelong friend’s features. “Trouble in paradise?”
Gwen scoffed to herself as she closed the front door and gestured for the girls to further enter the apartment. “If you call finding him cheating ‘trouble’, then yeah. I’d say there’s trouble in paradise.”
“You’re joking!” Sara exclaimed, completely caught off guard. “The way you spoke about him this past year, we thought you would have been engaged by Christmas.”
“He asked me to move in with him for my second year of medical school.” Gwen tried to shake the now horrible thought from her head. “Can you believe that? He asks me to move in, all the while having another relationship on the side.” She still felt sick that she had fallen for such an asshole.
Kate whistled low. “Sounds like the universe helped you dodge a major bullet.”
Gwen couldn’t have agreed more. She met Bradley during her first year of medical school at The University of Colorado. She was immediately drawn to the tall, tan, and toned third year student. He pulled out all his charm for her, and Gwen had let herself fall head over heels. So much so, she seriously planned to move in with him for the next year, something she always insisted she would never do with any man if there were not a ring on her finger.
Oh, how the righteous fall.
She led the girls to the kitchen table, and began serving glasses of lemonade as they continued to catch up. Gwen could always count on Ian having something sweet to drink in the apartment, the man had a serious sugar addiction.
“How about we go out, tonight?” Kate suggested, excitement causing her to bounce a little in her seat. “We can celebrate your return to town, as well as your escape from the cheating bastard back in Colorado.”
Although bars and clubs weren’t her favorite things, Sara nodded her agreement to the suggestion. “I bet you could use a night to let loose. You’ll enjoy it.”
Knowing that she had no way of convincing her friends to not insist she go, Gwen simply smiled and nodded. “Sure, sounds fun.”
Squealing, Kate stood from her chair and grabbed her sister by the wrist. “Yay! I am so excited. We will get out of your hair and let you relax before we get our party on tonight!”
Before Gwen could say a word, both girls left the apartment, door slammed shut behind them.
***
23 and ½ years ago…
“Your Majesty,” a busty midwife addressed the female lying on the large, blue and white, four-post bed; exhaustion and elation laced in her voice. “It is a boy. You have given birth to a son.”
Queen Tanya of the Winter Court wiped beads of sweat from her brow, her heart soaring at the midwife’s words. “A son,” she whispered, gazing longingly at the child in the other fae’s arms. “Bring him to me.”
The servant quickly obeyed and gently lowered the wiggling form to the queen’s arms. She stepped away and set about cleaning the birth room for the king’s visit, giving the new mother privacy to meet her first child.
Queen Tanya smiled lovingly at the blue-eyed babe, eyeing the tufts of black hair spread randomly over his small head. “You will be the most handsome prince the Winter Court has ever seen,” she cooed, giving the bundle a small bounce and rocking motion. “You will be loved and adored by all.”
The queen continued to fawn over her newborn. She had waited so long to have a child, often questioning what would happen to Winter Court should Fate decide to not bless her with an heir. She was nearing complete despair and hopelessness when her healer gave her the long-awaited and joyous news eight months ago.
Minutes later, a throat clearing brought the queen’s attention from the prince to the male form at the entryway of the room.
“Leave us,” King Kheelen spoke to the female fae, while his gaze was locked on his mate and the child she held close to her chest. The midwife left immediately.
“So,” the king began, striding purposely toward the side of the bed, “A son.”
Queen Tanya swallowed and nodded, still meeting his gaze. “I’m honored to introduce to you, Prince Kalan of the Winter C
ourt.” She held out the bundle to her husband.
Hesitating for only a moment, King Kheelen bent and took the child from her arms. “Kalan, you say?”
The queen nodded. “Named in the honor of your father.”
King Kheelen jerked is head in acknowledgement while observing the babe move his arms and touching his long, black beard. Queen Tanya thought she might have seen a smile tug on a corner of the king’s lips–a rare sight for the distant king.
“Are you aware a prophecy has already been spoken over our son?” The king asked his mate, still watching the prince he held.
“Already?” Queen Tanya nervously asked. Prophecies were not always filled with joyous words. “No, I was not aware. Have you heard it?”
“Indeed.”
When he made no indication to share, the queen asked, “Might I know it?”
The king promptly withdrew a piece of parchment from his tunic, handing it to the queen. He began slowly walking around the room, seeming extra careful to not jostle the child he carried.
“Ruler of the cold, best he shall be,
Strength and wisdom in swarms,
All for naught in absence of lifemate,
The female first life this day,
Shall be the key to the peace for all of Fae.”
Queen Tanya’s heart swelled with pride at reading her son’s fate. He was to be the best Winter King to ever rule. She believed she knew it the moment she found out she was pregnant. She could feel the power forming in her womb.
Her elation dimmed at the rest of the prophecy. A lifemate? Queen Tanya knew lifemate prophecies were rare –the last one spoken over the current queen of the Summer Court. She also knew that for such prophecies to go unfulfilled often proved detrimental to the fae it was spoken over; prophesies were often coupled with the realization of a fae’s complete powers.
It had taken Queen Orla centuries to find her lifemate in the young noble now known as King Cai. During those years, Queen Tanya vividly remembered the fear laced in Summer Court. Its subjects worried their future queen’s powers would not be realized by the time Fate would usher in her parent’s abdication from the throne.
The queen did not wish for such an experience for her newborn son.
“What do you make of this?” She asked her husband, eager for his interpretation and input.
“I believe our son’s future queen will be a female who was born this very day. She will help him rise to his fullest potential as king, and that, together, they shall bring peace.” He said the words very matter-of-factly, seeming unfazed by the revelation of his son having a lifemate.
“Born this day?” Queen Tanya asked, confused.
“Yes,” the king answered blandly, “’the female first life this day’. The Wise Ones spoke the prophecy today, moments after Kalan’s birth. Today must also be the day that the female came into being.”
Pursing her lips, the queen’s mind whirled. She would do anything to ensure her son’s success. Absolutely anything.
“We shall make a decree,” Queen Tanya said authoritatively. “All Winter Fae females born this day must have their identity registered with Court.” If a lifemate was the key to her child’s success, Queen Tanya would do whatever necessary to bring her about.
“Following their registration, the females must be brought to court by their 25th year to meet Prince Kalan,” she continued. The queen thought 25 years would be old enough for her son to take a mate before Court. The sooner he was set up to reach his potential, the better.
King Kheelen gave his wife a quizzical glance, but did not comment upon her plan. He simply walked towards her and placed their son back in her arms. Making his way to leave the room, he called over his shoulder. “As you wish, My Queen. As you wish.”
***
Present Day
Gwen spent the rest of the day unpacking and cleaning the apartment. It wasn’t that Ian left it dirty, Gwen was just a neat freak. Everything needed to be in its proper place and free of dust, dirt, or grime. Otherwise, there would be no relaxing for her.
The habit had been picked up from her adoptive mother, Sharon. Folding a blanket thrown across an arm chair, Gwen smiled to herself as she remembered the Saturday morning chores the woman required of her and Ian. In its own way, cleaning together had been a bonding activity for the family.
The day proceeded uneventfully, with no word from Ian. Gwen sent a text, telling him of her arrival, but she was not counting on him receiving it. For a reason she could not fathom, Ian never jumped on the technology bandwagon. He much preferred speaking and making arrangements for plans in person. It was an inconveniencing choice for those closest to him.
After finishing showering, blow drying, and applying her make-up, Kate and Sara promptly arrived and offered to whisk Gwen away to dinner on the Riverwalk before they headed to a nearby bar. Gwen threw on her white, lace, short-sleeved blouse that tapered off to a v in the front of her black skinny pants. She completed the ensemble with her favorite black, booty heels before heading out the door with the girls.
“I would kill for your complexion, Gwen,” Kate sighed in envy as the trio walked towards the parking lot. The setting sunlight illuminated her friend’s features. “It’s flawless!”
Gwen shook her head at her friend with a smile. “It is not flawless. It’s just pale,” she reasoned, then added, “and you have beautiful skin!”
Sara laughed as she teased Gwen. “Your skin might not look so pale if your hair wasn’t pitch black!”
Kate joined in, “Yeah, I still can’t believe you dye it. You’re a natural blonde. People pay all kinds of money to get their hair that color.”
Gwen shrugged. It was an age old argument with them.
When Gwen first started high school, she had been on the receiving end of a lot of older male attention. She was invited to parties, on dates, and was even one of the few freshman to be invited to senior prom. Unfortunately, not all of the guys who pursued her had the best character; few seemed to like anything more about her than her good looks. In a state of emotional turmoil, Gwen made the rash decision to dye her hair black. It had been an experiment to see if her boyfriend would mind the change in her appearance. He moved on to the next girl within a week.
Dyeing her hair liberated Gwen. She found that people started taking her more seriously, seeming less distracted by her physical appearance. Gwen was definitely still considered pretty, but her peers were better able to look past that and see her as another person when she dyed her hair. It proved to a very young Gwen just how shallow some people could be.
After a year of having black hair, Gwen began to really appreciate the look it gave her. She seemed less girl next door and more mature adult. She kept it that way ever since.
The girls reached the sisters’ Honda Civic and slid into the vehicle. Texting Ian her plans for the evening, Gwen sat back and joined in a conversation with her best girlfriends, feeling carefree for the first time in months.
It is great to be home.
Chapter 4
“I’m tired of this, Ronan. If I have to endure another of my mother’s arranged encounters I am going to lose it!” Prince Kalan of the Winter Court complained to his personal knight as the two continued with their sword play. This was Kalan’s favorite part of any day. The clang of steel on steel and the physical exertion clearing his mind of all but the task at hand. The only time his thoughts were not those of duty.
“Try not to be so bothered, My Prince,” Ronan replied, lifting his sword to block Kalan’s downward strike, “I could think of worse ways to spend my time than with beautiful females clamoring for my attention.”
“It’s not just my attention they want,” Kalan muttered, dropping his left shoulder to elude his friend’s blade.
For as long as the prince could remember, his mother had spoken of the prophecy surrounding his birth and what it would mean for the Winter Court. As the war with the Summer Court continued into its second decade, Queen Tanya became m
ore insistent on Kalan finding the female who would bring forth his destiny–his lifemate.
Kalan cringed as he thought the word. Most fae knew very little regarding lifemates, the occurrence of such unions being few and far between. According to writings from the Wise Ones, such matches were of a profound nature, and Fate would bring them together unquestionably. Even with that knowledge, Kalan often worried how he would know when he met his lifemate. The only other fae still alive who had such a prophesized bond were King Cai and Queen Orla of Summer Court. The Winter Prince was clearly unable to ask them about their fated mating.
Kalan continued sparring with his guard. Though he was to never join the fighting lines for Winter Court, Kalan insisted on training as often as the Winter Fae soldiers who defended the court’s borders. Most skirmishes between Summer and Winter Court were simply that: skirmishes. The main objectives of the encounters were to distract and weaken the opposing court’s power and diminish their influence over the Human Realm. Whichever Court’s control permeated the Human Realm most would inevitably be more powerful. The futility of such encounters did not escape Kalan. Summer and Winter Court were too evenly matched for either one to dominate the other for long. The tides were constantly turning.
“What’s the harm with a little flirtation? Or even a little action? For a prince, you really don’t take advantage of the position it gives you with the ladies.” Ronan ducked under Kalan’s sword arm, placing himself off balance and bringing the prince out of his thoughts. Kalan took advantage of his friend’s maneuver, shoving his shoulder into the slightly shorter male to force him onto his back.
Placing his blade at the guard’s throat, Kalan smiled in triumph. “Yield?” The prince’s twenty-plus years of weapons instruction finally enabling him to defeat the more seasoned soldier in front of him.
“Yield.”
Laughing, the prince offered Ronan his hand and helped him to his feet. Despite his callous words regarding females, Kalan knew his friend to be nothing like the playboy he alluded himself to be.
Will of Fate (Dual Court Kiss Book 1) Page 3