Tempest (The Chronicles of Winterset Book 2)

by K. G. Reuss

  Other than seeing him in a vision and in the middle of the night last night, I’d never seen him before, or at least not that I could recall. He was breathtaking to say the least. A shock of blond hair was on his head. His eyes were an unnaturally brilliant blue and keen. His ears came to a slight point, just like Brena’s.

  I could tell just by looking at him that he was a warrior what with his large muscular stature and the way the air changed when he entered the room. He smiled warmly as he took in the sight of me, the smile creating a look of relief on his concerned face.

  “Analia,” he breathed, coming to my side. “How are you feeling today?”

  “Tired,” I whispered, looking up into his eyes. They looked like they’d seen so many things. If Kellin was correct in telling me his age, then I’d have to place my brother around the same as Kellin—one hundred and thirty years old.

  “Mother and Father wish to see you.” Soran held his hand out to me. “If you’re able, that is.”

  “OK,” I said softly. I placed my hand in his, and he helped me to my feet. I sagged against him. He was quick to wrap his arm around me and guide me to the door.

  “Analia, if you’re too weak, I can let our parents know now isn’t a good time,” Soran offered kindly.

  “No, it’s fine,” I said with a shake of my head. “I want to see them.”

  “Good,” Soran replied, breathing out a sigh of relief. “Perhaps when you’re done speaking with them, I can show you the garden. I think you’ll like it.”

  “That sounds nice.” The smile on my face was a forced one. His efforts to make me feel more comfortable didn’t go unnoticed. I appreciated them, but they wouldn’t mend my broken heart.

  Soran let me lean on him as we made our way to where our parents waited. I took in my surroundings and felt overwhelmed. The palace was beautiful and large, with spacious hallways, floor-to-ceiling windows, some stained glass depicting various serene scenes, and polished marble floors.

  “It can be a bit much to take in,” Soran said, following my gaze as I peered at a stained-glass window depicting a unicorn and a dragon lying together. “When you were a child, I’d chase you down these halls. Your laughter echoed throughout the palace.” He offered me a smile. “But I know now you feel overwhelmed and not the happiness you felt as a child.”

  “Can you read my mind?” I inquired, my heart rate picking up. I was unfamiliar with the ways of Winterset, but I knew Calix had told me he could do something similar as reading my minding, only he called it mind feeling.

  “No.” Soran chuckled softly. “I was only thinking how very different this must be for you.”

  “Yes,” I murmured, the all-too-real reality of never returning to my home, to the only place I knew as such, burning a hole in my heart.

  We continued in silence before Soran cleared his throat and spoke again. “I wanted to thank you for saving my life, Analia.”

  The vision I’d had in which I’d stopped Calix from killing Soran made me wince. A bitter taste plagued my tongue at the memory.

  “You’re welcome,” I answered softly, knowing I’d do it again if faced with it. It was during the period of time I was realizing who Calix really was. Despite it all, I still loved him. The nasty thought about what it said about me troubled my mind.

  Soran squeezed my hand, drawing me from my dark thoughts as we stopped outside a set of heavy wooden doors.

  “Mother and Father are on the other side of this door,” Soran said gently, turning to me, his blue eyes wide. “I understand that you may think ill of us all because we sent you to Earth Realm. Trust me, Analia, we only did it because we love you and wanted to protect you. The burden of letting you go was difficult. I fought our parents on it until I realized it really was for the best. It took me realizing that to be the one to oversee your departure. Please bear no ill thoughts to our parents. It really was our last resort.”

  “Of course,” I murmured nervously. “Soran?”

  I touched him on the arm, and he looked at me curiously.

  “Where’s Kellin?” I inquired softly.

  “Kellin had to attend to something in the Northern Kingdoms and left early this morning. He doesn’t know you’re awake. We assumed you’d slumber more. I did send word to him, though. Knowing Kellin, he’ll be back here sooner than I anticipate,” Soran answered with a knowing smile.

  I nodded, accepting Soran’s answer and drew in a deep breath. I was finally going to see my parents—my real parents.

  Chapter 4

  Soran knocked once on the door before he pushed it open to reveal a large, beautifully decorated, stone room with a fire crackling merrily in the massive fireplace. He pulled me inside, and I stood awkwardly, staring at what I assumed were my parents.

  My parents looked young—far too young to have children as old as Soran and myself. If Soran was around one hundred and thirty, then my parents had to be twice that, and yet, they didn’t look a day over forty. My father was a tall, broad man with piercing blue eyes and a stature which was similar to Soran’s. He was dressed in blue robes, much like Soran, that cascaded around him. My mother was also tall. Her blue eyes were warm and bright, and she had high cheekbones—cheekbones even models would be jealous of. She rose with such authority it made me shiver. Both were blond and breathtakingly gorgeous. It had to be a Fae thing, that much I was sure.

  “Analia,” my mother breathed out, wrapping her arms around me tightly. “I’ve missed you so.”

  I returned her hug, perhaps not as tightly. She pulled away and gazed at me with tears in her eyes. While I knew she could command a room, and probably an army, there was warmth to her like one would expect from a mother. I felt love and kindness pour from her. I smiled the best I could.

  “You’re absolutely beautiful,” she continued, tears brimming her eyes.

  My father reached out and wrapped me in a quick embrace and gave me a kind smile.

  “Our daughter is home at last.” He clapped his hands jubilantly as he pulled away, a smile overtaking his handsome features. “I believe we should celebrate her return.”

  “Father,” Soran warned. “Analia has only just awakened. I think she needs time to recuperate and to get adjusted to her surroundings.”

  I smiled gratefully at my older brother, silently thanking him for speaking for me.

  “Ah, yes,” Father said through the smile on his face. “We can have a ball celebrating Analia’s return in a few days’ time. That should give her some time to get reacquainted with everything. We need to begin making formal announcements anyway, and there’s really no time like the present. The people need to know we have hope on our side. With the Mortae out of the way and Zaros’s army crippled from his losses, this is a time to encourage our people.”

  I cringed and bit my lip furiously at my father’s words, angry he could be so uncaring. I just lost the man I loved, the Mortae, and Father behaved as if it were nothing.

  “Lauris,” Mother interjected hastily, casting me an apologetic look. “Perhaps we should discuss this another time.”

  “Codswallop. We have much to do.” Father waved Mother off. “We’re in a troubled time. This will help our people. We haven’t had a ball in ages. We can celebrate her return and announce the wedding. It’s perfect.”

  “Wedding?” I asked, snapping my attention to my father. “Who’s getting married?”

  I wondered if Soran may have been and hadn’t told me. It wasn’t like he’d had the time to talk to me about it.

  “Analia,” Mother began, but Father interrupted her. He seemed to have an exuberant personality and liked to be the center of attention. He was my father, but at this point, I’d rather him leave the room. He was the opposite of my dad back home.

  “You are, Analia. It’s tradition that the princess be betrothed, and just because you were gone to Earth Realm doesn’t mean you’ve been excluded.”

  “I-I,” I stammered, a terrible sickness washing over me. “I was betrothed, but he die
d.”

  “Nonsense,” Father’s voice boomed. “That agreement ended long ago. You’re set to marry another.”

  My legs shook, and Soran caught me easily before I collapsed. This was a nightmare. It couldn’t be happening. I couldn’t marry someone I didn’t know, let alone love. I’d only just gotten there.

  “Father, I think Analia has had enough excitement for the day. I’m going to take her outside for some air,” Soran broke in before our father could continue his insanity.

  “Yes, take her outside. Analia, my dear, we shall talk later, OK?” Mother stroked my head affectionately as I stared mutely back at her, my fear and disgust written on my face. She squeezed my hand gently and pulled my father away.

  “Come, sister,” Soran said, helping me from the room.

  I was grateful he’d gotten me out of there. I was near exploding with my anger, and I needed a chance to cool off, to push all my father’s ridiculous words out of my mind. I wordlessly allowed Soran to steer me to the hall and outside to a beautiful, lush garden filled with all sorts of colors. There were strange flowers with wonderful scents and an occasional small furry creature peeking shyly from beneath the bushes.

  “Furrels,” Soran explained, following my gaze to a small, brown, incredibly fluffy big-eyed creature which peered out at us from beneath a bush. It held a large seed in its small paws. Its stubby pink nose twitched as it sniffed the air. It was the cutest thing I’d ever seen. “They’re quite friendly. We have tens of them that call the garden home.”

  “They’re adorable,” I murmured, watching it as it cocked its head at me before biting into the seed in its paws.

  “They are, and they’re quite intelligent. I daresay if you spend enough time out here in the gardens you may find yourself making friends with them.”

  “It’s like a fairy tale,” I breathed out, looking around the garden, trying to push my impending marriage out of my mind. Everything was so vibrant and beautiful that it didn’t seem possible. Even the creatures, like the furrel, were unreal to me. It was hard to believe this was where I was and such a place existed.

  Soran smiled kindly at me and gestured to a small pretty blue and yellow bird with an exquisitely long tuft of feathers on its head. “This bird is called a Citera. It feeds on fruit like—” He plucked a large, purple fruit the size of a grapefruit from the tree we were under. “—this. An igni fruit.”

  He pulled a small dagger from his belt and cut into the purple fleshed fruit exposing a brilliant red center. He cut off a chunk and handed it to me before popping his own piece into his mouth. I mimicked him nervously and widened my eyes as the first sweet explosion bit into my tongue.

  “Oh, my God,” I gushed. “This is amazing. I’ve never eaten anything like it before.”

  “They’re quite delicious,” he agreed, smiling. “They’re the official fruit of Dar’ish. You can find them plentiful throughout the kingdom and court, and they can be turned into a variety of dishes.”

  “Wow,” I appraised, chewing on another piece.

  “I’m glad you like it.”

  We stopped in what I guessed was the center of the garden. There was an impressive stone fountain carved with intricate details and beautiful red and purple flowers hugging it. A petite woman chiseled from granite poured water into the base. Small creatures I’d never seen before were gathered in stone at her feet. There was a large bench carved from rock, and we sat down on it, me nervously wringing my hands and watching as the water tumbled from the fountain into its base.

  “It’s not so bad, you know,” Soran broke the silence.

  “Yeah, right,” I scoffed, glancing at him.

  “It’s not, Analia. I know this is a lot to take in, and I’m very sorry for that. Father, well, he’s an exuberant man. And while he seems insensitive, he does love you and cares a great deal about your happiness.”

  “Then why force me to marry someone I don’t even know? Or love? How could that ever make me happy? I-I can’t do it, Soran. Not now. Not when I love someone else.” All those feelings I was trying to escape decided to funnel from my mouth.

  “Mother and Father were betrothed and didn’t love each other. They married despite that. Mother loved another, even. However, they made it work and are so in love with each other now that none of it mattered. If you open your heart up to the possibilities, you’ll see they aren’t all bad.”

  “And what about you? Why are you not being forced into some horrendous marriage?”

  “Trust me, sister, it’s not from the lack of trying. Father has been trying to marry me off for the better half of the century. None have really offered much.”

  “What do you mean?” I narrowed my eyes, studying him.

  He licked his lips. “Well, royalty tends to marry other royalty or members of the court. We don’t do it for love, as you can see. Although it has happened if the timing was right. We marry for gain.”

  “You mean greed,” I corrected him, my temper flaring.

  “Call it what you will.” He shrugged.

  “I won’t be forced to marry someone I don’t love just so we can have a little bit more.”

  “Analia,” Soran sighed and turned to me. “You will, and you know why you will? Because seeing our people happy and with hope is more important than your heart. We’re in trying times, and you are our beacon. We need you. The people need you. You’ll make us or break us, sister. People have died in your name. We’ve been fighting a war for years in your name. Our princess. Our Analia. Our hope. You’ll do what needs to be done because you don’t want to watch our people, or the people of Winterset, suffer as they have been. They don’t want to see their sacrifices be in vain.” He gave me a pleading look before continuing, “You’re Seelie, sister. You belong to the summer court. We’re one of the biggest courts this side of the light. We need to combine that power with the spring court. Father wished for a utopia by bringing the summer court and shadow court together, but it failed miserably. We need you to do this, Analia. Our world depends on it.”

  “Courts? Seelie?” I let out an exasperated sigh and threw my hands up. “What does any of this even mean, Soran?”

  “Seelie Fae are more love and light than the Unseelie. The Unseelie are the autumn, winter, and shadow courts. They’re darker, more sinister, and don’t mind a little war every now and then. Seelie are summer, spring, and the sun courts. We want happiness and calm. The Unseelie are chaos, but most of that chaos comes from the shadow court, from Calixto Shadowmoore and his father, Zaros. Even the autumn and winter courts are fleeing from him. That’s why you being safe and bringing our people together is so important. You don’t understand how much we need you.”

  I climbed to my feet and let out a guttural, frustrated scream, my hands erupting into flames. I was angry, frustrated, stuck, heartbroken, betrayed ... alone. Where did anyone get the idea that I wanted or could do this?

  Chapter 5

  Soran remained silent, standing back and watching as I cried. I missed the comfort of home, of normalcy, of my best friend, Mel, my family, and Calix. My Calix. The pain was overpowering, and I fell to my knees, my flame going out as I cried buckets of tears.

  Soran came up behind me and squeezed my shoulder gently after many minutes of silence.

  “Father isn’t as tactful or as delicate as mother is,” he said after a moment. “He meant no harm, Analia, nor did I with giving you the hard truth. We should’ve presented this information to you in a different light after you had time to adjust to Dar’ish, or perhaps I should’ve reconsidered my words. I’m sorry.”

  “Well, both of you suck,” I choked out. “How could I possibly marry someone I don’t even know when I’m in love with someone else?”

  “Analia, to be fair, you could’ve never married Calix, even if he were still alive. Father wouldn’t have permitted it. We’re at war with his nation. He is the Mortae, the very thing which threatens the lives of the people of Winterset. As a princess of Winterset, of Dar’ish, of
the summer court, you’re tasked with being a good example for its people, even if it wrecks you inside.”

  “It’s not fair. You’ve been around for over a hundred years, Soran. How have you avoided it for so long? There had to be someone who offered enough. I just don’t understand why I have to do it. I’ve been here less than a month, and yet, you’ve been around forever and still haven’t.”

  “Oh, trust me, baby sister. Father has been pressuring me for ages to take a wife. In fact, we’ll be meeting with the Duke of Norrington next week to discuss his daughter’s hand. I heard she’s a wretch.” He grimaced at the thought, and a shudder rolled through his muscular body. “I’ve staved off the sacrament of marriage by being too busy with other tasks, like wars and traveling. I’m not proud of it. It won’t last forever, though. Before you know it, you’ll be standing at my wedding while I marry someone I don’t love. It’s a destiny we must all succumb to, some sooner than others.”

  “Why do you even get to discuss it?” I pressed, wiping at my eyes. “Why do you get to meet with her, yet I’m blindly pushed into it?”

  “Yours was decided long ago, Analia.” Soran sighed looking away. “You were to marry the firstborn son of Lor’Lak, of the shadow court, Xalvador Shadowmoore, but he was murdered. In turn, you were passed down to Calixto Shadowmoore, his brother. Once Zaros stormed our castle, demanding to see you, and we realized exactly who and what Calixto and you were, Father broke off the agreement with Zaros.”

  “How old was Calix when we met?” I asked, needing to hear a story about him. “What was he like?”

  Soran sank down on the green grass beside me and picked at it.

  “He was about seventeen, in Earth Realm years of course,” Soran said after a moment of silence. “He was quiet, dark, and he seemed tormented. He was quite taken with you, though. I’ll never forget the look in his eyes when he saw you. It was like sunshine on a rainy day. The moment you were brought through the doors, his entire quiet, dark demeanor changed. He lit up at the sight of you. I can only guess it was because it was a recognition of his other half. The light to his darkness.”