Court of Memories: Why Choose Fantasy Romance Book 2 (Forbidden Queen)

by Dyan Chick

  "Why don't you let her choose for herself, then?" Tristan asked. "She can prepare with me, the only one in this room that has seen what the test entails, or she can train with you, the mighty Prince of the Autumn Court. Favorite to the Queen, war hero, soldier with thousands of confirmed kills."

  I looked back over at Cormac, my brow furrowed. "Kills? I thought you were a hunter."

  "I told you, Princess. Hunters make the best warriors," Tristan said.

  "No need to make her choose," Cormac said. "I want what's best for her. And if you think your knowledge of this test can help her get through it unharmed, you should be the one to do it."

  I could almost feel Cormac retreating into himself again. I'd seen him do it so many times before. It was as if I could feel him closing himself off. "Cormac, don't." I wasn't sure how to explain what I wanted to tell him or what I wanted to ask him. How did you explain to such a proud male that you were there for him? Especially when he wouldn’t let you in?

  "Tristan, this is serious," Ethan said. "She might not die from the test, but we all know there are other consequences that could happen. Can you do this?"

  "I made a promise to Cassia," Tristan glanced at me then looked back to Ethan, "I keep my promises."

  "I'll wait outside the door if you need me," Ethan said, grabbing my hand and giving it a squeeze.

  I squeezed him back, but didn't have any words to offer as he released my hand and walked from the room, followed by Dane and Cormac. The door closed behind them and I once again found myself alone with Tristan.

  "Why do you do that?" I asked.

  "Do what?" he asked.

  "Say things just to upset Cormac. You knew how he'd react to your words," I said.

  "Princess, you have to realize, he's not the golden one you think he is. He's got his share of demons. We all do. Well, maybe not Ethan. He's probably the most adorable of all of us. The rest of us, we're no good for you."

  I scowled at him. "I don't need anyone telling me who is or isn't good for me."

  He shrugged. "I know you'll never listen to reason, you're in too deep already."

  "What's that supposed to mean?" I asked.

  "You know what it means. But now isn't the time to argue. Ethan was right. This isn't a game. And we're running out of time to help you prepare."

  "We're going to talk more later," I said.

  "We will," he agreed. "After the test."

  I wanted to press on, to understand what was going on inside Tristan's head, but we were losing time. "What exactly is it? The test?"

  "Only those who’ve been through the test truly know what it entails and while you won't die from it, there have been several cases of Fae driven mad by the elements of the test. Most of the time that happens when someone is tested for all four courts of magic. Which is what she's going to do to you. The difference is, I think the madness stems from being tested for magic you don't possess in the slightest. We know you have at least three, possibly four of the courts worth of magic flowing through you. So I doubt you'll walk away from it with too much damage, but we have to be smart about this."

  I glanced around the larger than necessary room. Looking for a distraction, anything to take my mind off of the thought of the looming test. I wondered if it would be easier to hear all of this and face my fears if I had Ethan or Dane by my side. I looked back at Tristan. "Why do we have to be alone for this?"

  "Because my methods are unconventional."

  A trickle of fear ran down my spine. I still didn't know everything responsible for Tristan's dark reputation. I tried to remind myself that the others would not have left me alone with him if they were worried he would harm me. But I still couldn't imagine what Tristan wanted to do that he wouldn't want the others to see.

  "At some point, you're going to have to learn how to trust me. Or this isn't going to work." Tristan looked hurt. "I'm trusting you by helping you with this."

  The fear I was feeling gave way to guilt. I wanted to trust him. "What is it that we need to do then? I'll do my best."

  "What I'm going to do for you has to remain between the two of us. You can't tell the others. You can't tell anyone."

  I swallowed hard. "I don't understand what you'd want me to keep from them. Besides, won't Tiana find out when I meet with her?"

  "I'm hoping she'll be more focused on administering the test than digging through your head." Tristan crossed the room toward the two chairs, sat, then gesture to one of them. "This is the best way. If you want to be successful."

  Squaring my shoulders, I walked over to the chair and sat. "I won't tell. You have my word."

  Tristan knelt in front of me just as Cormac had when he’d come to comfort me after my meeting with Tiana. The sight of the Winter Prince on his knees in front of me was enough to send a rush of lust surging through me. To be honest, I never thought I'd see Tristan on his knees in front of anyone. Least of all me. I shouldn't keep feeling like this about him. What was it about Tristan that made me feel like I wanted to lose all control? Squeezing my thighs together, I took a few deep breaths, hoping he couldn't sense my arousal.

  Tristan lifted his fingers to my temples, just as Tiana had done. "I'm going to try and reduce any pain that comes with these memories, but I can't mask it all. You'll need to try to stay quiet. I don't want Ethan or Dane crashing in on us."

  "I don't want you digging through my memories." My heart raced and I fidgeted in the chair, ready to push myself past him toward the door if needed. I didn't want to go through that again. Feeling someone else inside my head wasn't pleasant. I was still haunted by Tiana poking around at things I didn't want to see again.

  "These won't be your memories. They belong to someone else. As far as I know, I'm the only one who has this gift and no one else knows I can do this. I need you to help me keep it that way."

  Understanding why Tristan wanted to do this in secret now, I nodded.

  "Close your eyes and try not to fight it." He pressed his fingertips gently against my temples. "I'll be right here the whole time."

  I closed my eyes and forced myself to steady my breathing, overly aware of Tristan's fingers against my skin. His touch was cooling and more comforting than I expected it to be. I settled my hands in my lap and waited, anticipation prickling up and down my arms.

  All at once, the blackness of the back of my eyelids was replaced by watery, fading sunlight. I recognized the sitting room of Tristan's palace where we spent the night before embarking on this journey to the Queen. There were two figures seated on the couch. One of them small, a child. The other an older female who looked only a few years younger than me. They both had the same blonde hair and the same icy blue eyes. Dressed in the colors of the Winter Court, I knew these had to be important people in Tristan's family. Was the young boy one of his siblings? And who was the female?

  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 favor
ite 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 the 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.