Fates Entwined

by Jules Barnard

  Keen rattled off numbers of soldiers in Emain. Meanwhile, he pondered his dilemma. He was beholden to Portia after his declaration this evening. But to go against the soldiers he’d fought and trained with in Emain for decades would not be pleasant.

  “What of the abilities in Emain among those who remain?” Portia asked. “They have the Halven, Elena. Should have destroyed that child when we found her.” Portia shook her head. “I wasn’t in the right position at the time, but mark my words, I will not make the same mistake twice. She wouldn’t have her powers if she hadn’t come to our realm. Does she still pose a threat to us?”

  Elena was always powerful. The Ancient Allon tea she’d drunk in Tirnan had simply made her more so, but Keen didn’t feel it prudent to point that out.

  “Elena can manipulate natural elements into anything, as long as she understands its design.”

  Portia glanced at Marlon. A muscle in his jaw twitched. The male Halven was never far from Portia’s side, yet he wasn’t treated as an equal. It was a most unusual alliance. And Beatrice was nowhere in sight, likely implementing some other deadly scheme of Portia’s.

  “If Theda’s Halven shows herself, we will be prepared. As for the rest, we can hold our kingdom—with your leadership of the soldiers, of course,” Portia said. “However, to be safe, it wouldn’t hurt to appeal to Old Kingdom for assistance.”

  Keen’s brow furrowed. “Old Kingdom?”

  Portia smiled. “You didn’t think I’d let go of our homeland, did you? Rest assured, our precious Old Kingdom will be mine once more, as it was intended before that madman Niall took over. The only good to come from Derek O’Brien’s devotion to Elena was his following her into Tirnan and putting an end to Niall’s rule. And now I’ve formed a deal with Hakon Radnor, the next in line to the throne.” Portia smiled across the ballroom at Illa standing in the corner with a group of courtiers. “He and his daughter will help complete the alliance.”

  “What alliance?” But Keen feared he already knew.

  Portia’s eyes widened, as though Keen were dense. “Between you and his daughter. You will marry Illa and help rule Old Kingdom—on my behalf, of course. I cannot be in two places at once, now can I? I need someone to gain the Oldlanders’ acceptance of me as their rightful queen.”

  12

  All week Reese had tried to sense Keen’s emotions, and bumped up against a brick wall. Much like the man himself.

  “How come I can’t sense what you’re feeling?” she asked as she practiced the sword maneuvers he’d taught her that morning.

  Reese had been reading her maids’ emotions all week. Who would have thought such a complex storm of feelings existed beneath their stoic beauty? So far she detected steamy feelings from Enid toward Reese’s guard Joseph, which he seemed oblivious to. And even the men had become an emotionally open book. Joseph resented Ulric. Reese hadn’t figured out why, because she couldn’t tell his thoughts, only his feelings. Meanwhile, Ulric had conflicted affections for Reese’s sister Illa, who’d come to visit Reese a couple of times.

  And damn, was that awkward.

  Illa had no ulterior motives—at least, none Reese could detect—but Illa was super uncomfortable and anxious around Reese. Still, it was wonderful to get to know a sister she’d never known she had.

  Keen paused briefly in the pull-ups he was doing—out of boredom, it seemed—and Reese had to admit the sight was hot-guy mesmerizing as his biceps bulged with every lift to the bar. She pretty much had to ignore what was going on off to the side, so she didn’t accidentally cut off her arm.

  “I’ve come to the conclusion we are blocking each other,” he said. “Sometimes abilities between Oldlanders are so similar that they can block one another. It doesn’t happen often, but it does happen.”

  She set the tip of her sword on the ground. “Please tell me we’re not related.”

  His eyebrows pulled together. “Of course not. The Radnor and Albrecht families come from different angelic lines.”

  Oh, thank God. It would be extremely creepy to have…the sort of thoughts she’d been having about Keen if he was related to her. “You never explained your ability. I assumed you had none.”

  “A common misconception, and one I use to full advantage.” He grinned devilishly, then dropped to the ground below the bar. He took a sip of water. “I read minds. And you read emotions—a distinction, but a subtle one. It is logical that the neurological and magical pathways we both use are conflicted in some way, and that is why we block each other.”

  She stared at him. “You people live in this historic building, give up the tech world—and you can come to that neuroscience conclusion? I’m impressed, Keen. That’s the most modern thing you’ve ever said.”

  He seemed disgruntled with her comment, and Reese smiled. Would have been more satisfying if she’d sensed his annoyance, but she’d settle for the sour look on his face.

  He leapt up and grabbed the bar, returning to his pull-ups. Reese twisted away. She really couldn’t watch him while he did that. “So how should we use my ability? Want me to read the emotions of Portia’s advisors? See if any of them are unhappy or disgusted by her?”

  She heard Keen thump to the ground again. “You will do no such thing. With my ability, I can keep track of what is going on.”

  Reese sheathed her sword, which she was growing fond of. Keen had even let her pick the pretty one with a lapis azure pommel. She set it aside and sank onto the exercise mat. “So what’s going on? What does Portia want?”

  She had yet to confide in Keen about the message Theda had sent. The more she thought about it, the more nervous it made her. He’d sworn loyalty to Portia, and he’d told her very clearly that Fae couldn’t lie. Which meant he truly was committed to protecting Portia.

  The information Reese had put Portia at risk. In the wrong hands, that information could get Elena and the others killed. She wanted to trust Keen, but she couldn’t risk her friends’ lives. Not after his declaration to Portia at the ball.

  He wiped a towel over his face, but as far as Reese could tell, he wasn’t sweating. Meanwhile, her training uniform was stuck to her back and wisps of her hair were plastered to her temples.

  Keen tossed her a towel. Apparently, she wasn’t the only one who’d noticed how sweaty she was. “You will remain in your room when you aren’t training with me. I will handle the rest.”

  Reese stopped patting her face with the towel. “Um, excuse me? First of all, that’s what I’ve been doing, and I’m about to lose my mind from cabin fever. Second, why am I training if I’m not to take part in my own rescue efforts?”

  Keen picked up Reese’s sword and locked it away in a cabinet, which meant he was getting to know her too well. She’d gotten used to the deadly weapon and was no longer afraid of it; she wouldn’t mind keeping her pretty sword at her side. He walked toward the door. “I did not save your life only to throw you into the middle of danger. Leave the negotiating and fighting to me and my men.”

  Reese followed him out. “Sexist much?”

  “It is our way,” he said, without looking back.

  She scrambled to keep up with his long stride down the hall. “But women here fight. I’ve seen female guards, and Illa said she trained with swords.”

  He glanced over. “Illa?”

  She parted her mouth in a silent what? “She visits me. We’re getting acquainted.”

  Keen seemed to consider this. “I suppose that is all right.”

  “Like you have a say. Anyway, let’s get back to this sexist treatment.”

  Ulric nodded as they approached Reese’s gilded cage and opened the door to her room.

  Keen kept on walking. “Goodbye, Reese. Ulric will ensure you are comfortable until we see each other again.”

  The hell she’d stay pent up in this place. It was dangerous, she got that. She might enjoy pretty dresses and colorful nail polish, but she also liked a good fight—physical or mental. Holding her out of the fray was like loc
king up shoppers in front of a Black Friday sale.

  Ulric was beginning to feel uncomfortable, according to what she was picking up from his emotions. She considered yelling at Keen, but changed her mind because brick wall. Instead she turned to Ulric. “Why does he keep me locked away? I’m a prisoner, I suppose, though Portia didn’t exactly treat me like that at the ball. I have guards protecting me day and night. Why do I need to stay in this room? It’s not like Fae lock away their females.”

  Ulric scratched his jaw and shifted his feet. “Depends on the female.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  Now Ulric was tilting his head from side to side, popping his neck. Definitely uncomfortable. “We can be overprotective of our female family members, or…”

  She rolled her hand, motioning for him to continue.

  “Or when we feel—attached.”

  “Attached? As in, when you love someone?”

  He looked away and sighed. “Or when we want them,” he finally mumbled.

  Reese couldn’t read Keen, but she knew he was hiding his feelings from her. She thought she had a pretty good idea what those feelings were after he’d lost his shit and beaten the crap out of the groping Fae outside the ball.

  Did she recognize male possessiveness from past experience? Hell no. But she’d watched plenty of it play out on the big and small screens, thanks to her parents’ built-in movie theater. She knew what jealousy and possessiveness looked like.

  No guy had ever defended her virtue without some ulterior motive. Until Keen.

  And now Ulric was telling her Keen wanted her, which she’d already suspected. But that was the thing—Keen refused to give in to his attraction to her. As long as she had guards, she was safe inside the palace, yet he insisted on locking her away. Because this was about more than his desire for her physically. He cared, even if he never admitted it.

  And that was how Halven came into existence. The angels made their Fae offspring far too beautiful and heroic.

  Reese entered her room and stormed to the window. She looked out at the darkening sky, the strange red stars beginning to flicker. She had to put Keen out of her mind. He might want her, might even care about her, but it wasn’t enough. Because he would never allow himself to do anything about it.

  Regardless of whether Keen wished to lock her away to keep her safe, the battle Theda had warned her about was looming. There was no way Reese would hide.

  She took a quick shower and was dressed and pulling a comb through her damp hair—when a hand clamped over her mouth. And the hand didn’t have a body.

  Reese screamed and screamed, her voice muffled by large fingers.

  Then Derek appeared over her shoulder—his arm attached to the hand that covered her mouth.

  “Quiet,” he urged, and removed his palm. “The doors inside the palace are thick, but Theda says we need to keep our voices down. Fae hearing is powerful.”

  Reese spun and punched him in the stomach to make sure he was really there. And because he deserved it for scaring her so badly. “What the hell, Derek?” she whispered. “Why couldn’t I see you?”

  He didn’t even flinch at the punch. Maybe because his abs were like granite. And because he was distracted. By Elena stumbling through thin air and landing in a heap on Reese’s bedroom floor.

  Along with a beautiful blond woman.

  And another tall female—this one with black hair and fair skin.

  “Elena?” Reese said. A burning sensation rose behind her eyes. It felt like months since she’d seen her roommate, not weeks. She’d never been so happy to see anyone in her life.

  “No noise,” Derek reminded her. “They know we’re here, but they don’t know where.”

  Elena climbed from the floor and ran into Reese’s arms.

  Reese hugged her friend so tightly she thought she might crush her.

  Elena grabbed Reese by the shoulders and held her back a step, looking her over. “I was so worried when you didn’t come home. You’re okay?”

  Reese nodded, unable to believe any of this. That after all this time, she was reunited with her friend. And that Elena had appeared out of nowhere.

  “We searched high and low for you,” Elena said. “As soon as Keen got word they had you in New Kingdom, we sent him and began planning a rescue.”

  How was Reese going to tell Elena about Keen?

  “So much has happened…” Reese stepped away, trying to figure out how to explain Keen and his relationship with Portia—when she got a good look at her friend. Her gaze flew to Elena’s heels to make sure she wasn’t missing something. Elena had always had a few inches on Reese, but this was different. “Why do you look taller?”

  Elena tucked her dark, wavy hair behind her ear and glanced at Derek. “It’s a long story, but basically—Tirnan. We traveled here after you didn’t return home, and it changed us.”

  Reese’s forehead furrowed. “Keen said you came to Tirnan to create the cure.”

  Elena nodded. “And Derek was with me.” She gave Reese the CliffsNotes version of what had happened in Old Kingdom with Derek’s biological father, the ruler, and how Derek had been forced to kill him in order to save Elena. “The only way I could create a cure was to enhance my powers by drinking a tea made of leaves from the Ancient Allon, this giant tree that grows through the center of Old Kingdom’s castle. It enhanced my abilities, but it also enhanced other things: my height, strength, speed. Derek drank it too.”

  This time Reese took in Derek, and really looked, not just because he’d scared the crap out of her.

  He hadn’t only grown in height, he’d become huge—bulky and strong-looking. “Wow.” She shook her head. She thought she’d had a busy few weeks, but Elena and Derek hadn’t only changed magically, they’d changed physically.

  “How come I couldn’t see you?” she asked Derek again. Because understanding his ability to float body parts seemed important.

  He explained his power to Blend with air, water—whatever he wanted. He could become the elements around him. He hadn’t sent his hand through the air; he’d been there all along. He’d simply allowed his hand to become corporeal while the rest of him remained a part of the elements.

  Keen had told her that Derek’s father had been a noble Fae and the ruler of Old Kingdom. It made sense that Derek would have an ability, but this was wild. Not to mention her friends had just stormed her room through an invisible door.

  While Reese mentally grappled with everything, Elena grabbed her shoulders and twisted her in the direction of the two women who’d arrived with them. “Reese, I want to introduce you to my mother and her friend Camille. Camille has the ability to create small portals. That’s how we got here. The portal is…well, actually, I don’t know what it is physically. I just know what it does. It allows us to travel from one place to another, but it takes a lot of Camille’s energy. She needs to rest in order to do it again.”

  Camille had long, dark hair—almost black—and bright blue eyes. “You’re Fae?” Reese had never seen a dark-haired Fae before. There was something delicate about Camille, even though she was as tall as Elena.

  “I’m from Sunland,” she said. “It’s the third kingdom in Tirnan.”

  “Camille is here to help,” the other woman added.

  “And this is my mom, Theda,” Elena said, smiling at the other woman. “Can you believe I found her?”

  Reese shook her head. “To be honest, I can’t believe any of this.”

  There were four people standing in her bedroom—two Halven and two Fae—who hadn’t been there minutes ago. But there was no doubt the woman named Theda was her roommate’s mother. The love and devotion pouring off Theda when she looked at Elena wasn’t like anything Reese had ever witnessed. Granted, Reese was new to sensing people’s emotions, but Theda’s seemed particularly strong—a true mother-daughter bond.

  Camille walked to the bedroom door and touched the wood. “Four guards outside,” she whispered.

&nb
sp; “I can also sense Fae power better than others,” Camille explained in answer to the question that must have been written on Reese’s face. “It allows me to detect when and how many of our kind are near. We must be quiet and plan quickly.” She looked at Theda. “I sense groups gathering in strategic places inside the palace. They are searching for us.”

  Reese held up her hand. “I swear I didn’t tell anyone you were coming, not even Keen.” She glanced at Theda. “Scared the bejesus out of me when you sent that message. How did you do it?”

  Theda smiled. “That is my gift—to communicate with all animals across vast space. I’ve been in the Tirnan forests in hiding, along with one of my soldiers. The challenge was coordinating a plan with Elena on Earth. Sending messages between realms gets tricky, even with my ability.”

  Reese nodded, having only a general sense of what she or the others were talking about in reference to their powers. “What do we do now?”

  Derek stalked around the bedroom, opening the wooden wardrobe, then a chest of drawers. Then he did the freakiest thing she’d ever seen and stuck his head through one of the walls.

  He pulled his head back out. “We can hide in the adjacent room. Unless New Kingdom has others with Camille’s ability that detect energy levels the way she can?”

  “Not likely,” Theda said.

  “Good, then I can Blend us in and out of these rooms to keep us hidden when they come searching.”

  They’d all been careful to keep their voices down, so… “How does the palace know you’re here if you snuck in through my bedroom?”

  “Presence Charm,” Theda answered, checking the weapons on her person. And holy hell, she was covered in them. A covert knife here, a sword secretly stashed on her back there. “All of the kingdoms use Presence Charms. They inform the palace when an intruder has entered the land, but they’re not very accurate as to where the intruder is located. That provides us some time.”