“What does this all mean, Ian?” She stood, crossed her arms, and moved towards the window. Gwen was surprised to see Kalan and Ronan talking in the parking lot, the glow from their bodies surpassing the glow from the street light above them.
She heard Ian rise from the chair and make his way over to stand behind her. “It means that we will have to be very careful. I don’t see a way to keep this world from you any longer, and many will show interest in you due to your noble blood.”
He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. “But we can do it, Gwennie. I will tell you everything you need to know to keep you safe. I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
Gwen sighed, exhaustion from the evening’s events finally taking over. While she was still upset with Ian, and would no doubt continue to be tomorrow, she allowed herself to relax against his strong torso, seeking the comfort she had grown up with.
The pair continued observing the fae outside. Gwen noted how much darker the Winter Fae’s hair appeared with her new vision. The color almost looked like a void, sucking in all surrounding light.
She grinned and shot Ian a quick glance over her shoulder.
“What’s the smile for?” He asked, his own lips turning up in response.
“Oh nothing,” she replied coyly, “Just that now I know why you didn’t freak out when I dyed my hair black at fifteen. Kate and Sara thought I was going to turn Goth on them.”
The room filled with laughter. Ian wrapped both arms around her shoulder, giving her a tight squeeze.
Gwen was wiping tears from her eyes when she saw the two Winter Fae disappear into thin air. Her lips lifted in a slight grin.
Now, that would be a cool trick to have…
***
“What do you make of this situation, Ronan?” Kalan crossed his arms and took in his settings. The apartment complex was filled with all kinds of greenery and, even though it was the late hours of the night, the temperature was still high. No doubt an ideal environment for a Summer Fae, but the prince found himself to be very uncomfortable.
“You mean, do I believe their story?” Ronan kicked a piece of gravel with his shoe. “As odd as it might sound, I do. There is no way the female is that good of an actress. She had no idea about what she is.”
Kalan nodded in agreement. “I’d like to know who her parents are. What would have possessed them to give up their child?”
“People are capable of doing odd things to protect the ones they loved,” the guard said wisely.
“Yes, but to a Summer Fae? Even if they were friends, why steal away any chance your child might have to know their Court? Their Realm? I can’t wrap my head around it.”
“Perhaps we can attempt to seek out her parents?” Ronan offered, knowing that his prince was going to feel uneasy until he had a task for the situation. “I feel as if she looks familiar. We can bring her back to court and see if anyone recognizes her parents through her.”
Images of Gwen flooded Kalan’s mind at his friend’s words. His head turned back towards the apartment they just left. His agitation relaxed as he took in the view of Gwen at the window; the Summer Fae stood behind her. Never before had a fae elicited such strong reactions from him. Kalan was unsure how to handle the flood of emotions filling his thoughts as he observed her; the strongest one being disappointment.
Kalan knew it to be a long shot when he asked the Summer Fae the day of Gwen’s birth, but he could not resist hoping the date would match his own. Although the prince was unsure if he was ready to meet his prophesized lifemate, finding out Gwen was a potential candidate would definitely help alleviate his worries regarding the draw he felt to her. It was almost scary, the feelings her presence and touch elicited.
Kalan continued to observe the fae in the window. Getting them apart would not be an easy task, he realized as the two suddenly embraced while sharing a laugh. The prince tried to ignore the odd sensation their actions provoked.
“I think that will be our best option,” Kalan responded to Ronan’s plan. “But not yet. We should meet with them again tomorrow and try to gain their trust. That Summer Fae seems very protective and not willing to release her to us without a fight.”
“Why not take her by force then?” Ronan asked as if this was a simple answer.
Kalan’s answer was simple, yet complex in its implications. “I want her to come willingly.” With that, the prince transported himself back to Winter Court; Ronan followed.
Chapter 9
Gwen woke up the next morning with a huge crick in her neck. She and Ian fell asleep on the couch, her head lying awkwardly on his shoulder. She moaned as she straightened out.
Stretching her arms above her, she stood and made her way to the kitchen. Pulling out two bowls from the cabinet, Gwen filled them with cereal and milk just as Ian popped up next to her. She nearly dropped the jar of sugar as she was sprinkling some over Ian’s bowl.
“Geeze!” She exclaimed, shoving his arm. “Don’t scare me like that.”
Ian chuckled as he took the bowl she offered. “No way. After all these years of not being able to use my inhuman speed, you are just going to have to get used to it.”
Her eyes bulged. “I thought you just snuck up on me. Are you telling me that I have super speed?”
A sly grin formed on his lips. “That and a lot more. Come on,” he gestured for her to follow him to the table. “I’ll tell you all about it.”
After the two shared their laugh the night before, a certain understanding had been established. Gwen was going to do her best to not freak out about anything she learned from him regarding her heritage, but he was also not to keep secrets. As long as those conditions were met, she decided to forgive Ian and his deceptions. Gwen smirked to herself; she would have forgiven him even without the agreement. She knew, in her heart, that he only did what he had to protect her.
The pair ate their breakfast in silence, but the moment each Cheerio was consumed, Gwen jumped on him with questions.
“So I can run like The Flash,” she joked, “Can I fly like Superman?”
Ian grinned. “Not exactly. And just so you know, Fae tend to not use their speed unless absolutely necessary. It can be an exhausting process. But in terms of transportation, all Fae can faze themselves to different locations and between realms. But as far as soaring through the air like a plane, that’s a negative.”
Gwen gave an exaggerated pout. “No wings then?”
“No wings, those are only for Pixies.”
“Pixies are real?” Gwen immediately thought of Tinker Bell and grinned. Peter Pan was her favorite Disney movie.
Ian nodded, moving towards the Keurig. He popped the small cup for French Vanilla roast into the machine. “They are, but seeing one is rare. They tend to live in the uninhabited portions of the Fae Realm.”
“Can you describe this realm business to me? And how the Winter and Summer Courts fit in?”
“Just think of realm as another word for dimension. Right now, we are in the human or mortal dimension. Existing right on top of it however, is the Fae Realm. The two exist separately, but take up the same space. The Fae Realm has existed since the dawn of time. Fae protect the mortal realm and our magic is used to keep it in balance.” Ian continued on, giving Gwen the entire history of her people.
Gwen learned that the Fae Realm was once ruled by a single king and queen. They and their court of nobles–Ian explained that they were considered the strongest Fae–brought balance to the Human Realm. Fae were responsible for managing the seasons of life and death, keeping equilibrium between spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Fae used the magic of the elements to achieve their task. All of it was done in order to ensure humanity’s survival.
Gwen learned that there came a time when the burden of balancing the seasons became too much for one king and queen. Humans began settling in new and far-reaching places, forcing Fae to spread their powers like never before to ensure all locations remained habitable.
It was ultimately decid
ed that the best chance for the enduring survival of the Human Realm was to divide the task of protecting it to more than two Fae. Hence, the creation of two separate courts. The king and queen picked the next two strongest Fae to become rulers of the new court. The new court was given jurisdiction over autumn and winter; it became known as Winter Court. The original court kept power over spring and summer, becoming the Summer Court.
With the division came the division of Fae. Originally, all Fae had abilities to sustain life as well as usher in death with elemental magic–the skills needed for balancing the Human Realm.
With the split, however, power naturally divided almost instantly. Those fae who remained in the Summer Court only had the power to bring forth life, only able to manipulate their elemental magic in those terms. Fae who moved to the newly established Winter Court could only control their abilities for the purpose of natural death to ensure the cycle of life might continue on. It was during this time that physical appearances of Fae began to differentiate, as well.
For centuries, the division was successful for every fae knew the importance of each Court’s power and task for the Human Realm.
Ian sighed and sipped his coffee, taking a break from his long winded explanation. “Looking back, they should have known trouble would be inevitable. There was bound to be a leader, or two, who desired their court to be supreme.”
Gwen was literally on the edge of her seat. “Rulers change? Aren’t fae immortal?”
“The rulers of the fae are the most powerful in that court and they tend to rule for millennia, but that power doesn’t last forever. We are at the whim of a more powerful Fate which bestows our abilities to us. It also takes them away. When monarchs’ powers diminish, the next strongest Fae take over. The process is typically hereditary.”
“Meaning,” Gwen interrupted, “That Prince Kalan is the third most powerful Winter Fae?”
Ian nodded. “Precisely.”
Would have been nice to know before I yelled at him, Gwen thought wryly.
“What ‘powerful Fate’ are you talking about? Like God?”
“I suppose you can think of it that way, although Fae do not worship a particular deity,” Ian mused. “All our information on the ‘powerful Fate’ comes from the Wise One–Fae who have lived since time began. They are the first to sense the shifts in power for rulers and inform the rest of us. Their connection to Fate is also how they give prophecies.”
“The courts are at war because of a power struggle? How can one ever win if they have equal, but opposite, power?”
“The power struggle is not what caused the war,” Ian corrected sadly, looking down at his hands around the green mug. “The power struggle only created the social divide between the courts and their fae. Unfortunately, the divide was solidified with the Wise One’s prophecy, which discouraged inter-court relationships.”
Gwen understood the reason for Ian’s sadness almost immediately. “So… the war was truly only caused by my mother’s death?”
Ian reluctantly bobbed his head in affirmation. “The rivalry between courts has existed for ages, but it was hardly ever responsible for violence between Summer and Winter Fae. Sure, there were conflicts between the two, but nothing drastic.”
He gulped before continuing. “Until your mother. She was the Summer Princess, the theoretical next in line to rule Summer Court. The Winter King was known to be power seeking; he would have seen the destruction of Summer Court’s succession as a victory for his court. Although there was no proof, Summer Fae could think of no motive for her death that wouldn’t come from a Winter Fae. They declared war within days of her death.”
Gwen’s head was spinning, dread filling her stomach as she asked a horrible question. “Would I have been enough of a motive?”
Sad eyes met her own. “Her relationship with a Winter Fae would have been enough motive. Fae from either Court could have had cause to do it.” He hadn’t answered her question directly, but gave her all the information she needed to draw her own conclusions. With or without Gwen’s existence, her mother’s actions could have been the reason for her death. Gwen shivered in fear, no longer in doubt about what her own fate would be if anyone found out about her.
“What do I do, Ian?” She asked quietly, “How do I survive this mess?”
“You must take great care to not reveal your secret,” a fierce determination replaced his sadness. “I do not yet know what your abilities are, if they are of your mother’s or father’s court, but you must do all you can to appear completely Winter.”
“How do I do that?”
“I am going to ask the prince for help,” Ian raised his hand to stop her objection. Surely she did not need to spend any more time in the presence of the third most powerful Winter Fae and risk exposing her secret.
“I know nothing of using Winter powers, but he or someone he knows and trusts will. Hopefully you have Winter abilities and hiding your dual nature will be easy. Obviously, we will not tell the prince the entire truth.
“That’s another thing,” Ian continued, changing the subject. “Now that the effects of the defalutar potion have been removed, you will no longer be able to lie.”
Gwen’s mouth fell open. “What?”
“Fae cannot lie.”
She jumped from her chair, feeling panicked. “You want me to spend time around someone who will kill me if he figures out what I am, but you are telling me I can’t freaking lie to him? What the hell, Ian?”
Calmly, Ian replied, “You cannot lie, but you can go around the truth. For example, if he asks ‘Do you know anything of your parents?’, you can say, ‘I know my father was a Winter Noble.’”
She wanted to scream. “What if he asks about my mother? How do I get around that?”
“Just say you never met her, I don’t know,” Ian shrugged, not seeming that concerned. “Realistically, we can’t work out every scenario you might encounter. I only told you this so that you will be aware and prepared to give more thought to how you handle conversations with any Fae, Winter or Summer.”
Gwen leaned against a wall, looking up at the ceiling. “I feel like I’m being fed to the lions,” she grumbled.
“I believe in you, Gwennie. You can do this.”
Schooling her face to appear confident and not terrified, Gwen gave her friend a small smile of reassurance. “Thanks, Ian.” She pushed herself off the wall and started heading towards the bathroom. If she was to have another royal visit, she was going to make sure she looked her best.
Now, where did that thought come from?
***
“Just where were you last night?” Kalan was stepping out of his ensuite bathroom after his morning shower when he was met with his mother’s outraged voice. She and his father sat in the chairs surrounding his sleeping chamber’s fireplace.
Caught off guard, Kalan quickly tried to formulate a response which would appease his mother. “I spent the evening with Ronan,” he replied, knowing that throwing in the name of his bodyguard could go a long way. His mother seemed to view Ronan with more favor than most.
“Where did you go?” His mother countered, a stern expression marring her attractive face.
Damn, Kalan thought. That question was more difficult. He opened his mouth to respond when his father cleared his throat.
“We know you left the palace,” King Kheelen offered. “Did you leave Winter Court?” The prince sighed, defeated. There was no way he could work around that one.
“Yes.”
The queen gasped.
Kalan continued, ignoring her reaction in the hopes that his explanation would lesson her outrage. “Ronan and I went to the Human Realm. I needed a break. Nothing happened to me. It was harmless.”
“You could have been recognized,” his mother cried out. “What would possess you to be so reckless?”
“Now, Tanya,” the king addressed her. “Confrontations in the Human Realm are all but nonexistent. Our son is a trained soldier and was in very littl
e danger with his guard accompanying him.”
“You don’t know that,” she hissed angrily, glaring between her husband and son. “We don’t know what fae roam the Human Realm nowadays. Any Summer Fae could have seen him and killed him where he stood.”
Kalan rolled his eyes at her outburst.
“Really, Mother,” Kalan attempted to console her and end his trial. “We have been at war with the Summer Court since I was an infant. Hardly any Summer Fae have seen anything of me whether in person or likeness. The chances of randomly wandering into one and being recognized are slim to none.” Kalan specifically thought of the Summer Fae he met last night. Eilian initially had no idea of his identity.
“You don’t know that!” She exclaimed, rising to her feet. “We could have spies at our court. You are only safe in this palace.”
“Tanya, stop being dramatic.” The king rose slowly as well with a blank and bored expression on his face. “We have bigger things to worry about than our son’s escapades.”
“He is the only thing to worry about!” She yelled at her mate. King Kheelen’s eyes turned cool.
“I suggest,” the king began icily. “You remember just exactly who I am when speaking to me. I will not tolerate insolence, not even from my own queen.”
Kalan saw his mother swallow, realizing her error. In some marriages, spouses could pretty much behave however they wished–within reason, of course. But that was not the case for his parents. From what Kalan had seen and heard from older Fae, his parents’ marriage had always been tense. There was no animosity between the two, but neither was there love and affection.
His father and mother were selected by the Wise Ones as the next in line for the Winter Throne many centuries ago. While most Royal Chosen Fae were mates prior to their selection–a phenomena where Fate brought their souls together and bestowed upon them equal powers–his parents were not. Their situation was rare, but not unheard of. King Kheelen had been the prince of the Winter Court while Queen Tanya was a noble’s daughter. Naturally, the two decided to mate after their selections, knowing the chance of passing along their strong abilities to children would be maximized together.
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