Ronan ran his large, calloused hands through his thick, black hair. “I’ve already thought of that. I must have been up half the night yesterday looking through photos of numerous noble families. I could not find any that resembled Gwen.”
The guard slumped down in his seat. “It’s going to drive me crazy.”
Kalan tried to hide his chuckle. It was not every day he saw his friend so worked up.
“I am sure it will come to you,” the prince assured, returning his attention to the leather-bound volume in his hands. “And if not, I am sure someone will recognize her once we bring her to court.”
Ronan rolled his neck before nodding. “I hope so. For my sanity’s sake.”
Kalan shook himself out of the memory, returning his attention to Gwen. He decided not to read too much into her reaction to Ronan’s comment. Although she seemed to be at ease with Kalan’s presence, the girl had not warmed up to Ronan. The prince attributed it to the fact that Ronan only sat and watched the training sessions, rarely interacting with her. He did not believe her unease with the guard to be anything personal.
Breaking the small amount of tension still floating in the room, Kalan chuckled as he stepped out of the door. “Well, she does look like many noble females,” he allowed. “It would be easy to believe she is familiar.” The prince did not miss Gwen’s grateful expression.
Just then, two female voices travelled down the hall to them. Kalan believed he recognized them as belonging to Gwen’s two human companions. He was proven right when they rounded the corner of the wallpapered hallway and stopped in their tracks upon seeing the two males with Gwen.
“Oh,” the shorter one said, “Sorry, Gwen. We didn’t know you had company.”
“No worries, Kate,” Gwen allowed, gesturing for her friends to approach. “They were just leaving.”
“Hello again,” Kalan greeted the women as they advanced. “I don’t know if you remember me, but I was at the bar a couple weeks ago where I met Gwen. My name is Kalan.”
Both girls shook his outstretched hand. “I’m Kate,” one replied as she released his hand. “This is my sister, Sara.” The other girl nodded in affirmation.
“We had no idea that you and Gwen kept in touch,” Kate stated, giving her friend a curious and accusing glance.
Gwen coughed. “Yeah, well… It’s not a big deal. They actually know Ian. So…”
“Really?” Kate interrupted in a falsely sweet voice. “Were they here to see Ian? We didn’t see his Jeep outside so we figured we would invite you to grab a late lunch. Maybe Ian would like to join us?”
Kalan fought a grin as he watched Gwen cringe at her friend’s obvious setup. The prince had been shocked when the Summer Fae announced he was going to handle maintenance on his vehicle while Gwen practiced her abilities, leaving her alone with the Winter Fae. Kalan found himself pleased with the trust the Summer Fae’s absence indicated.
“Uh, no... Ian isn’t here.”
“Interesting,” Kate said before turning her attention to Kalan and Ronan. “I apologize, how rude of me. Would you two like to join us for lunch? We know this wonderful Thai place. It’s one of Gwen’s favorites.” She gave them a wink along with her smile. “I’m sure you’ll love it.”
The glare Gwen gave her friend was comical to say the least. Although it was amusing to see Gwen so flustered, Kalan did not wish to prolong her discomfort.
He opened his mouth to politely refuse the girl’s offer when Ronan interrupted, “We would love to join you ladies.”
Kalan shot an incredulous look to his guard, but was ignored. The male’s attention was focused on the other sister, Sara. She was an understated beauty. Dressed in casual shorts, a t-shirt that read “Texas A&M University”, her hair pulled back into a pony-tail, and her face bare of all makeup. She seemed to be completely unaware of her prettiness. It made her that much more endearing.
Not knowing how to back out of the occasion now, Kalan could only shrug and offer Gwen an apologetic glance as he answered Kate. “Sounds great.”
***
When they arrived at the Blue Elephant Thai restaurant, Gwen instructed Kalan and Ronan to head inside and inform the hostess of their party’s number. She stayed outside waiting for Kate and Sara to pull into the parking lot. While her Hyundai Elantra was able to hold five people, given the size of the men with them, Gwen suggested taking two vehicles to the restaurant.
The girl raced over to the Civic when her friends arrived. Kate got out of the car eagerly while Sara was more reserved. The older sister had seen Gwen’s expression and knew she was upset.
“What the hell, Kate?” Gwen questioned crossly. “Why did you invite them to lunch? This is going to be so awkward!”
Tossing her hair over her shoulder, Kate frowned and placed her hands on her hips. “No way. Don’t take that tone with me. We should be mad at you for lying to us. You said nothing happened between you and the guy from the bar. Then, lo and behold, we find him and his hunky friend leaving your apartment when Ian isn’t even there. If anyone owes someone an explanation, it’s you.”
Gwen looked up at the sky, exasperated. “I know,” she admitted. “It’s complicated, alright. I didn’t know how to tell you guys. I still don’t know how.”
“Truthfully,” Sara answered. “Just tell us the truth.”
Easier said than done, Gwen thought bitterly. No way could she tell her friends she was a fae–an immortal and magical creature from another dimension. They would think she lost her mind. She sighed, knowing this was the situation Ian had warned her about when he informed her she could no longer lie. She would need to work around the truth with her best friends. It broke her heart.
“When I was speaking with Kalan at the bar,” she began, still looking up, “Ian arrived and recognized him. Turns out that Kalan and Ronan are somewhat my distant relatives.” No lie there, Kalan had told Gwen that most Winter Nobles share similar bloodlines.
“I have been spending time with them, getting to know them, and learning all I can from them. It has been really enlightening.” Taking a deep breath, she lowered her gaze and met each of her friend’s eyes.
“I apologize for keeping it from you. It was just such a crazy discovery that I didn’t know how to handle it.” Complete truth.
Kate’s demeanor softened at her words. “Gwen, you know we are here for you. You can tell us anything, no matter how crazy.”
“Right,” Sara chimed in. “That’s what friends are for.”
At that moment, Gwen wanted nothing more than to completely confide in her best friends. To tell them all the unease, insanity, and, ultimately, the excitement that had taken over her life the past weeks. But she couldn’t. Although Kate and Sara were two of the strongest people she knew, Gwen recognized that the truth of her situation would send her friends into a frenzy of disbelief and shock.
Gwen had no idea what path her future was going to take. She and Ian discussed various options for her since she learned of her background; all of them kept her tied to the fae world for the time being. She needed her friends to know that something was happening in her life, but she didn’t want them to worry about her.
Forcing a smile, Gwen replied. “I’m really glad to finally be learning something about my family. I am actually contemplating going to visit Kalan and Ronan’s hometown and families at some point this summer.” She added the last part on whim. She had not decided if she truly wanted to visit the Winter Court, but in case she did, it would be better for her friends to be forewarned. The sisters had been expecting Gwen to spend her entire summer break with them in San Antonio. They would find a sudden departure odd.
Thankfully, her friends only appeared mildly taken aback with her words. “I think it’s great you’re learning about your family,” Sara supplied kindly. “Would Ian be going with you if you visit?”
“No, I don’t think he would be able to make it.” That fact was what held Gwen back on making a decision about visiting the Fae Realm. Ia
n informed her that with the war between the courts continuing on, there was no way he would be able to join her if she visited the Winter Court. The idea of being surrounded by strange fae without him was not a welcome one.
“Ian would let you go alone?” Kate asked with incredulity. “With practical strangers?” Her friends were well aware of her foster brother’s protective nature.
Gwen shrugged. “He is not thrilled about it, but he trusts Kalan.” She was surprised with the words, knowing she had to believe them.
Kate shook her head, but she was quick to bounce back to her eager mood from when she exited the car. “They sure are cute,” she laughed, as the trio began walking towards the restaurant. “I don’t blame you for wanting to take a trip with them.”
Gwen’s cheeks heated. “That is not what it is about,” she protested, only to be met with looks of skepticism from her friends. “It’s not!” She insisted.
“Please, Gwen,” Kate rolled her eyes. “We know you. You can’t say that you are not attracted to them. Those guys are drop dead gorgeous!”
Gwen opened her mouth to tell her friend she was wrong, but the words caught in her throat. Her eyes widened in horror at her inability to speak. It was like there was a physical barrier preventing any noise from escaping her vocal cords. She had never felt anything like it.
Witnessing her friend’s expression, but misinterpreting it, Kate smiled in triumph. “See!” She exclaimed. “I knew it. You’ve got the hotts for your distant relatives.” Her words even elicited a small grin from Sara.
Overcoming her shock at being unable to speak, Gwen shook her head. “Of course I think they are attractive,” she conceded, ignoring the smugness on Kate’s face. “But that is not why I would travel to their homes. I want to learn more about my parents.”
Sobering at the mention of her friend’s unknown parents, both sisters’ eyes filled with compassion.
“We believe you,” Sara assured. “Kate was just teasing. Really, we are glad you are finally getting answers. I know that not knowing has bothered you for a long time.”
Kate wrapped her arm around Gwen’s giving it a squeeze. “If you’re up for it, you definitely need to learn anything you can about your parents. Even if that means we lose you for a little bit of the summer.”
Gwen gave her friend a grateful smile as they entered the restaurant. Kalan and Ronan were sitting close to the door, waiting for the hostess to take them to a table.
As she moved to take a seat by him, Gwen’s eyes met Kalan’s. They sparkled with amusement. Curious as to what he found so funny, she gave him a questioning stare.
He glanced around and, noticing that Ronan had both sisters engaged in conversation, turned his body toward her to effectively block out the others. Her eyebrows rose in question to his continued mischievous gaze.
“What?” She finally asked when he remained silent. She tried to not be distracted by how close his face was to hers.
Twinkling blue eyes captured her gaze. “Nothing,” he replied roguishly, “I was just wondering how it feels to ‘have the hotts for a distant relative’.”
Gwen’s eyes widened in surprise and, before giving herself a moment to feel embarrassed, burst into laughter.
Add crazy bat hearing to the ever growing list of fae abilities, she thought amusingly. She obviously still had much to learn about being a fae. The realization excited her.
Chapter 11
Three days later, Kalan sat in the Winter Court Throne Room with his father’s advisors. They received a response from the Summer Court regarding the proposed meeting with their ambassador and were awaiting the king’s arrival before opening the correspondence.
As Kalan waited, his mind wandered to various subjects, all circling around the same fae. He and Gwen continued to work on mastering her elemental abilities daily, and Kalan was pleased to notice that her manipulations with physical objects were becoming more pronounced over their past few meetings.
Kalan smiled at the memory of Gwen’s enthusiasm when she froze a water bottle all the way through. In her excited state, the female jumped up in victory and caught him in a happy embrace. Although the contact was brief, Kalan could still recall the feel of her shorter frame wrapped around his body.
A moaning door broke him out of his reminiscing as King Kheelen entered the Throne Room accompanied by his mother, Queen Tanya. The prince was only mildly surprised at his mother’s presence. The queen possessed an equal amount of influence and power over Winter Court as her husband, but often elected to not partake of advisory meetings. Instead, leaving that duty to the king. Kalan supposed that the uniqueness of this particular situation brought her out of her self-imposed absence.
Everyone stood in respect as his parents approached.
Gesturing for his advisors to sit, the king took his place at the head of the oak table after seating his wife on his left. Kalan sat to his right.
“I understand we have news from Summer Court,” King Kheelen began, leaning back into his large chair. “Lord Leo, would you do the honors?” His demeanor displayed a certain lack of interest, but Kalan saw the intrigue that filled his father’s face. He was as eager as the rest to learn what contents filled the letter.
The secretary quickly nodded and opened the message sealed closed with the Summer Court royal crest.
Lord Leo recited the contents:
Dear Royal Majesties of the Winter Court,
Queen Orla and I are pleased to have received your response to our missive. We are even more pleased to find that you are willing to meet with our court appointed ambassador to discuss negotiations between our two courts.
We have discussed the situation amongst our advisors, and have decided we are agreeable to the initial meeting taking place at Winter Court. In a week’s time, we shall be sending His Grace, Duke Aeron of Summertide, to meet with you to initiate discussions which are of interest to both of our courts. Rest assured, Duke Aeron will be given complete authority to discuss matters in both my and Queen Orla’s name.
We look forward to Duke Aeron’s report regarding the interactions between our people after such a length of silence.
In Truth,
His Majesty King Cai of Summer Court
Her Majesty Queen Orla of Summer Court
Lord Leo lowered the paper slowly, his eyes observing his king’s reaction.
King Kheelen did not appear much affected by the contents of the letter. The queen, however, looked surprisingly uncomfortable.
“My Dear,” Queen Tanya addressed her husband, “Does not their sudden pleasant demeanor worry you? Not once in twenty three years have King Cai or Queen Orla reached out to communicate with us in such a passive manner. Now, they suddenly they want to meet for potential negotiations? Negotiations in our own court? I do not like it. Their behavior is clouded with ulterior motive.”
His mother turned her attention to her son. “Kalan, do you not think this strange?”
The prince answered truthfully. “Of course the situation is strange, Mother. I imagine everyone must think it to be so. However, we will not be able to learn any information regarding their motives if we do not go forth with meeting their ambassador.”
Unpleased with his response, the queen returned to her husband. “Surely you would not let a Summer Noble and his entourage into our court. Not to mention in reach of our son...” His mother didn’t have to spell out her implications. They were clear.
The king sighed and reached out a hand to his wife. “Rest assured My Queen, we will take the utmost precautions regarding the safety of our son. No harm shall come to him.
“Besides,” he continued, giving her a small smile. “I believe you were well acquainted with Lord Aeron in the past. Do you believe he would be so dishonorable to harm Prince Kalan while our guest?”
Kalan was unsure if he was more surprised to hear his mother had been acquainted with a Summer Fae than by his father’s attempt to console his wife. Kalan supposed that prior to the war and his
lifetime, such inter-court friendships might really have not been uncommon. Although he had already accepted it, the news made Eilian’s account of his dealings with Gwen’s parent that much more reasonable. His father’s sudden kindness, though, the prince had no reasoning for.
Undeterred, his mother continued. “I was once acquainted with him, but many years and much fighting has occurred since then. I cannot pretend to know if he is honorable or not.”
Prince Alvin spoke up. “We shall take extra precautions with Prince Kalan’s safety during the duke’s stay here. After our meeting, perhaps we will have a better understanding of what to expect from this unprecedented communication with the Summer Court.”
The table of advisors all stated their approval and then moved on to other Winter Court matters that required discussion.
Queen Tanya left the room shortly after, not looking at all pleased with the meeting’s outcome. A slight worry grew in Kalan’s chest in fear of what his mother might do to emphasize her disapproval.
***
Later that same day, Kalan found himself seated at a small table located on one of the many palace patios. Although the weather in Winter Court was consistently fifty degrees, the cold air was refreshing to the prince after an afternoon spent indoors.
The stone patio had a glass covering, allowing Kalan to use the little natural sunlight that penetrated the typical Winter Court gray clouds. He was turning the pages of a new manuscript, loaned to him by the master trainers, when a faint breeze blew a strand of his hair into his face.
Brushing the wayward strand out of his eyes, a motion from his peripheral caused him to look up. Kalan was surprised to be met by a pair of warm, brown eyes. The eyes belonged to a lovely girl with curly, dark hair. She stood beside the chair across from his small table.
The girl gave him a tentative smile as she bobbed into a well-executed curtsy. “Prince Kalan.”
Momentarily speechless, he could only nod a greeting as he continued to observe her. She was a tiny thing, appearing to barely reach five feet in height. Unconsciously, he found himself comparing her size to Gwen, deciding that the other fae’s five and a half feet was more to his liking.
Will of Fate (Dual Court Kiss Book 1) Page 9
