Ronan was more than two hundred years Kalan’s senior, meaning he had lived a full life before being assigned the prince’s personal bodyguard and weapons instructor. While it was never confided in him, Kalan believed his friend to have suffered a broken heart sometime in his past. The prince could think of no other reason for his guard’s self-imposed isolation from the opposite sex.
“I’ll tell you what,” Ronan began, dusting the dirt off the back of his trousers, “How about we have some fun tonight? Let loose a little?”
“What do you have in mind?” The pair sheathed their weapons and walked towards the armory on the other side of the courtyard. Their breath forming clouds in the frigid air though the temperature was more than comfortable to a Winter Fae.
“Well, if you want to avoid the seemingly endless line of Winter Fae vying for your attention, I would suggest the Human Realm.”
Kalan nearly stumbled out of shock. “The Human Realm?” He asked, incredulously. “You cannot be serious.”
“Why not?” Indignant, Ronan turned towards the other male. “There are no rules forbidding it. It will relieve you of some attention for a while, and… you will have your guard with you.” He gave the prince a conniving grin as he gestured to himself.
“There may be no official rules forbidding it, but you know how my mother will react if she hears I have stepped outside the safety of Winter Court.”
The war between the two courts began after the murder of Princess Gwendolyn of the Summer Court the year of his birth. King Cai of the Summer Court blamed Kalan’s Court for the act. It was pure speculation. No evidence was ever found regarding the culprit of the heinous crime. Since that day, Queen Tanya feared retaliation in the form of her own son’s death. As a result, she became somewhat overprotective, never wanting Kalan to leave the palace, let alone his family’s frozen kingdom.
Sighing, Kalan stored his sword before making his way towards the palace. He had a meeting with his father’s counsel that afternoon and needed to make himself presentable before joining them for hours of reports from all over Winter Court. He was already dreading it.
Rubbing the back of his neck, Kalan let out a long breath. He knew he could use a break. “Alright,” he responded, eliciting whoops of approval from his friend, “But only if we go somewhere sunny… and tame! I am not in the mood for a wild, party scene.”
The knight grinned. “Tame. I can do that.”
***
Dinner was marvelous. Kate and Sara treated Gwen to her favorite Mexican restaurant on the Riverwalk, Casa Rio. The authentic décor and mariachi band, along with the most delicious Mexican cuisine, made the place a regular spot for Gwen when she was in town. The trio enjoyed each other’s company as they sat and watched the night life blossom around them.
With stomachs full of chips, salsa, and cheese enchiladas, the girls made their way from the festive restaurant to a nearby bar called Pat O’Brian’s.
As she handed her license to the bouncer located outside the brick building, Gwen took a moment to scan the crowd beyond the entrance, trying to ignore the man’s lingering look passing over her body.
As far as enjoyable bars went, Pat O’Brian’s was at the top of the list. It was a great space with a nice patio area for those who wanted to appreciate the late night air or simply escape a crowd to light a cigarette. The selling point for Gwen? The back room which hosted a piano bar on weekends.
“December 7th,” the muscular employee in front of her stated, reading Gwen’s birthday off of her card. “Great day.”
Puzzled, Gwen returned her attention to him and gave a curious nod. “Sure.” She suspected the bouncer had no idea December 7th was also the day of the bombings on Pearl Harbor. He was young after all, and did not look too bright.
He shot her a flirtatious look as he held out her license. “It’s my birthday too.”
“Oh,” she said, eager to remove herself from the sad excuse of a conversation. “Awesome.”
Reaching out, she retrieved her card and brushed past the stranger as fast as she could while not appearing rude. She waited for Kate and Sara before proceeding into the bar, making a point to ignore their teasing regarding the bouncer’s behavior.
The friends maneuvered their way through the crowd, eventually finding themselves at their desired location. On a slightly raised stage in the back of the room were two grand pianos placed sideways, making the profile of each pianist visible to the audience. Tables lined the room, leaving very little standing space for those unlucky enough to not find a table. Fortunately, the girls snagged one nestled against the wall at the front of the room as its previous occupants were leaving.
After ordering the bar’s signature “Hurricane” beverage, the girls turned their attention to the music and comedy being performed on the stage. The talent level of the man and woman on stage was incredible. They were able to play nearly any requested song to a remarkable degree of accuracy. They did, however, seem to have a preference for songs that came with the largest monetary incentive.
A group of five guys sat at the table next to the girls. Gwen could sense their gazes continually drifting to them, no doubt taking in their appearances each time. Kate looked pretty in black and white romper which only she could pull off. Sara was dressed in nice blue jeans and a flowing maroon shirt with flats, choosing casual comfort over ‘clubby’ attire. The girls took no notice of the men’s attention and instead gave the stage all of their focus.
After a good forty-five minutes of music, the male pianist started chuckling and speaking to the crowd as he picked up a song request card. “Ladies and gentleman, I do believe I have been given the task of matchmaker tonight.” The room responded with shouts of approval and whistles.
“It seems that the woman in the white top, sitting in the front row, has herself an admirer.” The man met Gwen’s eyes. She could feel her face flush red. Kate and Sara laughed and nudged her in response, causing the color to deepen.
“Our secret admirer sure has taste, you are one sexy lady!” More laughter and cat-calls. “What’s your relationship status, pretty lady?”
Gwen groaned. Kill me now!
Kate, in an act totally befitting her brave personality, happily stood up and sing-shouted, “She is single and ready to mingle!” Male whoops filled the air. Gwen willed her embarrassment to end.
“Well admirer, you heard the friend, she’s available! This one’s for you, gorgeous.” The pianist then proceeded to perform “Pretty Woman” by Roy Orbison. Gwen felt, more than saw, many eyes focus on her. Was she flattered? Of course. But she was also mortified. She was not the kind of person who reveled in attention.
Gwen forced herself to maintain a kind, composed face throughout the performance, clapping in appreciation at the end. Thankfully, no dialogue was directed her way and attention drifted as another song was played.
Sighing in relief, Gwen rose from her seat and told her friends she was going to order herself another drink. As she walked towards the bar, she could feel someone’s eyes tickling her neck. Before she could stop herself, Gwen glanced around and met the gaze of an attractive man. He stood about 6 feet tall with pitch black hair.
Gwen turned her eyes away, continuing to the bar. The guy was totally gorgeous, but she was in no state to be encouraging attentions from anyone. No matter how good looking.
Ordering herself another Hurricane, Gwen forced her eyes to remain ahead of her and not at the stranger who caught her attention. She did not really enjoy the taste of the strong mixed drink, but it managed to give her a slight buzz, something most drinks did not. Her friends were always surprised and impressed with her ability to handle even the strongest liquors with hardly any side effects.
Must be a genetic trait from my mysterious parents, Gwen thought ruefully.
After adding the drink to her tab, Gwen turned around and, try as she might, could not resist another peek at the attractive man. He was in the same spot as before and, this time, Gwen took notice of the f
riend he stood with.
The men could have been siblings for how much their coloring matched the other. Well, except that the new one was slightly tanner. He was also taller. Realizing she was ogling their bodies, Gwen quickly puller herself together and forced her eyes up.
The original attractive man gave her a smile that spoke of what he thought of her attention. He was obviously aware of his good looks. Gwen flicked her eyes to the other man’s only to freeze at what she saw.
If she thought the first was good-looking, this man was gorgeous. His high cheekbones and rugged jaw line gave him the face of an angel… a dangerously, sexy angel.
Knowing she was gaping like a fool, she willed herself to end the trance. She simply couldn’t. Gwen never wanted to look away from the man. Feeling his gaze, she managed to raise hers to meet his.
The breath flew out of Gwen’s lungs.
The stranger had the brightest, bluest eyes she’d ever seen, but that wasn’t what shocked her.
No. Gwen was shocked because on the gorgeous man’s face was the sultriest, most heated look she had ever seen. And it was directed at her.
Gwen’s body went numb, and her hurricane met the ground with a splash.
Chapter 5
18 years ago…
“Brother.”
Eilian’s back stiffened at the sound. He was sitting on a park bench in the neighborhood playground at Olympia Park, somewhere he and Gwenevere went every Saturday afternoon. The fae allowed himself a quick glance to the sand box where the five year old sat playing. He willed her to stay where she was.
Aeron slid gracefully onto the bench beside him. “Aren’t you going to say hello?”
“What are you doing here, Aeron?” Eilian gritted, clenching his fists together. “You agreed to never come to me again.”
Nodding thoughtfully, the other fae let his gaze wander across the children and play equipment in their view. Eilian’s pulse quickened when he thought his brother’s eyes settled on Gwen. It seemed he overreacted when Aeron’s eyes continued their scrutiny of the rest of the area.
“I came to offer you a gift,” he stated plainly, as if it were a normal occurrence.
“I do not want anything from you.”
“Oh,” Aeron smirked, “I think you will.” There was no mistaking it this time, his brother’s eyes did lock onto Gwen. Eilian’s body tensed, his mind already formulating a plan to get the girl safely away from his noble, Summer Court twin.
Before Eilian could put his plan into action, Aeron turned his body and focused solely on his older brother. “Listen to me,” he commanded. “I have been observing you. Checking up on you as it were.”
Eilian’s teeth clenched, causing Aeron to hold out his hand in a gesture meant to calm an angry animal. The similarities were uncanny. “Relax. I mean you no harm, nor do I mean to harm the girl.”
That did it. The infuriated fae rose rapidly, contemplating ending his brother’s life right there. How dare he lie and say he would never intrude on him following Wendy’s death and then spy on him? The fact that Eilian knew fae couldn’t lie did nothing to stop him from accusing his twin of the crime in his mind. Perhaps fae could not lie, but they were masters of manipulation and worked their way effortlessly around truths. All fae had the ability to be the most maniacal of tricksters, himself included.
“Stop this now,” Aeron snapped, still in his seated position. “I have brought you something to help you hide the child. Cease this hot-headed reaction and listen to me for one minute.”
Narrowing his eyes, Eilian sat back down. Had his brother said anything else, no matter what it was, he would have continued on his way without hearing another word. But Aeron found himself discussing the one weakness his twin had, and that was Gwenevere’s safety.
“That’s better,” he said approvingly, pulling a vial out of his glamoured suit jacket. He handed the container to Eilian.
Eyeing it skeptically, Eilian took it, swishing the contents around. “What is it?”
“A potion. More specifically, a defalutar potion.”
Eilian’s head snapped up quickly. “A defalutar potion? A potion that removes all fae abilities?” He asked, incredulously.
Aeron nodded. “And fae characteristics.”
“How did you come upon it? Only Wise Ones have the ability to make such things, and they do not hand them out lightly.”
Picking a nonexistent piece of lint off his sleeve, his twin merely shrugged. “I discreetly inquired on the potion’s availability at both courts. As it turns out, the Winter Court has a small stock of various rare potions infused by the Wise Ones. I managed to get lucky enough to purchase one. At no small price, mind you.” Aeron didn’t have to say how dangerous such purchases would be for him to make. Eilian already knew. With the Summer and Winter Courts still at war with one another, making such contact with the enemy court could get Aeron tried for treason. Add the fact that the potion was practically illegal to possess since it could be used as a weapon against unsuspecting fae, and his brother’s actions were borderline suicidal.
Why would Aeron risk so much?
The males sat in silence, one of them not knowing how to properly express his gratitude for the gift just given. A defalutar potion was the answer to Eilian’s prayers. He had managed to glamour himself and Gwen to look like a generic father and daughter pair, but Gwen was beginning to ask questions about the oddly bright individuals they sometimes came across, and why they had to hide from them. The male hoped to not have to tell Gwen about her heritage for some time yet, but it did not look like he could with the manifestation of her Sight.
However, with defalutar, Gwen would for all intents and purposes appear human to mortals and fae alike. She would also lose any inherited fae abilities, including glamour and Sight. The potion was a miracle. Eilian felt a huge weight lift from his chest.
Turning to his brother, he surprised them both by pulling Aeron into a tight hug. “Thank you. You don’t know what this means.”
Aeron chuckled, and gave his twin a gentle pat on the back as the embrace ended. “I am not sure why you are hiding the child, but I decided to offer assistance anyway. Just so you know, I do not believe the distaste of a child out of wedlock would prevent King Cai and Queen Orla from welcoming their granddaughter to Summer Court. I know our parents would be delighted to meet her.”
Eilian was careful to keep his expression neutral. He would not correct his brother on his assumption. It was much safer for his brother to believe Gwen as his love child with Wendy rather than the girl’s true dual-court heritage.
“Remember,” Aeron continued as he rose to take his leave. “Defalutar will hide her from all fae, except the royals and Wise Ones. They are the only fae not susceptible to its power.”
Eilian nodded his acknowledgement though he was not worried by the information. Wise Ones never left their home in Eirie and royals hardly ever ventured out into the human world. If/when they did, the leaders of the fae tended to frequent bustling cities like New York or Chicago. The chances of one of them visiting San Antonio were slim to none.
Aeron managed about three steps before his brother stood and called after him. “Why do this, Aeron?” He asked, genuinely curious about his twin’s actions. “What’s in it for you?”
His brother allowed himself a lingering glance over his shoulder. Eilian followed Aeron’s gaze as it landed on Gwen for a third time. The blonde haired child had moved on to the swings, giggling happily as another child pushed her in the seat. Her bright smile warmed the Summer Fae’s heart as always.
Aeron’s expression was full of sorrow as he inhaled a shaky breath. “You were not the only one who cared for Gwendolyn, brother. Be sure to take care of her daughter.”
With that, Aeron walked away, shimmering into nothingness as he returned to the Fae Realm.
***
Present Day
“So, what do you think?” Ronan asked his prince, handing him a human alcoholic drink. “Tame enough for
you?” Kalan took the ‘hurricane’ for the sake of blending in. It seemed the most popular with the humans at the bar.
Kalan sniffed the red liquid and immediately cringed. Not only did he find human alcohol disgusting, but it was also useless in its efforts. Fae could not get drunk off of the stuff, only elixir found in the Fae Realm could offer fae the numbness of intoxication.
“It seems sound enough,” Kalan answered his friend’s question. “The pianists are reasonably talented as well.” The duo had entered the location in the middle of a set. He had never heard the song they were playing, but gathered it must be titled ‘Pretty Woman’ with how much the words were sung throughout. It ended almost as soon as Ronan arrived with their drinks.
“How about we sit down?” Kalan suggested, glancing around the room. “I’m sure we could find a place. Or would you prefer standing?” He spotted a table in the middle of the space. “How about there? That looks as good a place as any.”
After receiving no response to his three questions, the prince turned a quizzical eye to his friend only to find him not paying attention in the slightest. Kalan followed his gaze to land on the back of a human female. She had wavy, black hair reaching the middle of her back and a slender, toned body. Her physique was enticingly displayed in a form fitting blouse and tight black pants as she leaned against the bar.
Kalan chuckled as he turned back and saw his friend’s continued infatuation. “Ronan?” He tapped his shoulder. “Everything alright?”
Jolted by the touch, Ronan returned his attention to the prince and laughed. “Yes, I apologize. I was lured into a trance by the eyes of a siren. Forgive me.”
Kalan laughed heartily at the knight’s words. “A siren you say? Is she so very beautiful?” The prince tried to hide his amusement at his friend’s interest in a female, but failed.
Maybe Ronan would find himself more open to the idea of entertaining females in the near future, Kalan thought optimistically. The guard deserved happiness.
Will of Fate (Dual Court Kiss Book 1) Page 4