“Prophecies are strange things. You never know if they have been misinterpreted.” Queen Orla stated wisely, giving Kalan a supportive look. “If you feel she is your destiny. You should fight for her.”
“I’m afraid my mother would disagree with you, Queen Orla. She is very confident in the current interpretation of my prophecy.”
“Convince her she is wrong, then,” King Cai said firmly. “Let me tell you something, Prince Kalan. If this Lady Gwenevere is your lifemate, and you deny it, you will only bring both her and yourself agony in not fulfilling a bond. You can try to separate yourself, but if the feelings grow unbearable, you will know that she is the one.”
Kalan met the king’s sincere eyes. They pleaded with him. King Cai knew the pain of separating from one’s lifemate, he had endured it for a year. He did not want the prince to suffer the same way if it could be helped.
With a heavy heart Kalan found himself offering insincere affirmatives that King Cai might be right, all the while knowing that he and Gwen could never be. Not because he would not choose her, but because she would not choose him.
Chapter 32
The festivities wound down. Music continued to play, but hardly any couples were dancing. Numerous fae were being escorted back to their quarters, feeling the effects of too much elixir at the bar.
Gwen stood in the shadows of the patio, hugging Ian as he was preparing to depart while it was still crowded enough for his presence to go unnoticed.
“I will grab all my stuff from Winter Court and head home as soon as I can,” Gwen repeated to him for the third time.
“I will have your room all nice and clean for you, neat freak.”
Gwen laughed. “You better have not gone in my room.” Ian simply chuckled as the pair ended their embrace.
“There’s one thing I need to tell you before I go, Gwennie.”
“Shoot.” Gwen smiled, not at all expecting the enormity of her friend’s upcoming words.
“I spoke with Kalan earlier. About his prophecy.”
Gwen held up a hand. “Please, Ian. I don’t want to talk about it.”
Her friend’s eyebrows narrowed. “You don’t understand. I need to tell you something.”
“I think I can imagine what you want to say. ‘Don’t have a relationship with a fae who is destined to be with another’. Rest assured, Ian. I know. I already realized how dumb I was to allow feelings for him in the first place.”
“That is not what I was going to say,” Ian countered. “I would appreciate it if you would just let me speak. This is complicated.”
Though she was a tad bit intrigued, Gwen did not want to discuss the subject of her current heartbreak. She knew Ian well enough, however, to know that he would not let her out of whatever he wanted to say. With a reluctant wave, she gestured for him to continue.
Ian inhaled, releasing the breath as he straightened his shoulders. “While you are right in thinking I would discourage you from having a relationship with the fae. He is a prince after all, and you are hardly in a position where you should willingly step into the spotlight; which would be sure to happen if you and Kalan chose to be together…”
Gwen was barely listening. She knew all of this already.
But then Ian continued. Gwen would never forget the moment as Ian revealed, “I believe you might be Prince Kalan’s lifemate…”
Gwen froze. “That’s not funny, Ian.”
“I am not joking.”
“Impossible. We don’t have the same birthday.”
“Well…” Ian began, his expression and tone making Gwen wary. “You actually do.”
“No,” Gwen continued arguing. She would not allow herself false hope when Ian clearly had the wrong facts at hand. “His birthday is October 7th.”
“So is yours.”
Gwen never stood so still in her life. “December 7th,” was all she could manage.
“According to documentation in the Human Realm, yes, your birthday is listed as December 7th, 1990.” Ian stepped forward and took one of her, now icy, hands in his.
“You weren’t born in a hospital, Gwennie. There was no official birth certificate drawn up. Your mother and I spent the first two months of your life getting the hang of raising an infant. We did not even think of needing your birth to be documented until you were 8 weeks when we had a discussion about wanting to join a play group at a local YMCA center. Your mother brought home the flyer which stated they would need a copy of the child’s birth certificate and immunization records. I went to the hospital that day and glamoured a doctor to create both. I did not realize I failed to insist on your legitimate birthday until I got home. Your mother and I thought nothing of it. If anything, the different date could potentially keep you under the radar if anyone took the time to calculate your mother’s absence with the birth of a child I am seen taking care of. It seemed like Fate was helping us keep you hidden.”
“But you told Kalan I was born on December 7th.” Gwen tried to remember the car ride following her encounter with the prince and Ronan at the piano bar. She remembered thinking it odd that Kalan asked Ian her birthday. “You lied?”
“No,” Ian replied nicely, giving her hand a squeeze. “You actually saved me from that one. You answered the prince’s question with what you truly believed to be the truth. As far as you knew, your birthday was December 7th.”
“The Winter Solstice Ball,” Gwen’s mind was running through the math. “That’s in late December. I thought I only had a couple weeks with my mother before she died.”
“Not that it is much better, but we actually had a couple months with your mother.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“You did not need to know. For all intents and purposes, your birthday is December 7th. Every record of you shows that. The deception had the potential to work to our benefit should anyone look in to us. You did not need to know,” Ian repeated, his mouth turning down. “That is, until I realized you could be Kalan’s lifemate.”
Hollowness roared in Gwen’s ears as her friend repeated the words. She couldn’t speak. She could only think one thing: I could be Kalan’s lifemate.
The realization was thrilling as well as frightening. Gwen did not know if she was ready for the commitment she understood a lifemate to be. She had her whole life ahead of her, a life she fully intended to live in the Human Realm. But Gwen knew her feelings for Kalan. And his for her. There was no way she could keep this information to herself. No way could she prevent Kalan from knowing that he might have found his lifemate… and it was her.
With a swish of her lavender skirts, Gwen turned and practically ran into the emptying ballroom. She barely heard Ian’s pleas for her to wait for a second. She couldn’t even if she wanted to. Gwen was feeling a pull like no other to find Kalan. She needed to tell him.
Gwen’s head swiveled back and forth across the room. Kalan was nowhere to be seen.
“Ronan,” she cried out upon seeing the guard standing near the winter dais with other nobles Gwen could care less about at the moment. “I have to see Kalan. Now.”
She ignored the shocked expressions from the surrounding fae. Screw what they think.
“My niece,” Ronan greeted her purposefully, his eyes conveying his displeasure at her outburst. “The royal family has been escorted from the room. They are retiring for the night.”
“Uncle,” Gwen forced herself not to yell with impatience. “Might I have a word in private?”
Gwen alternated standing on one leg to the other before the other fae and Ronan exchanged goodbyes.
“I need to see Kalan,” Gwen repeated once they were relatively alone. “It’s urgent.”
Ronan eyed her, speculatively. “I thought you two fell out?”
Gwen frowned. “Did Kalan tell you that?”
“He did not have to. It was all over his face. He looked like someone was repeatedly punching him in the gut.”
Gwen could not describe the amount of remorse she felt. “P
lease, Ronan. Will you take me to see him? The guards might not let me near him if you aren’t there.”
Ronan sighed in exasperation. “Of course I will.” Gwen forced herself not to tug the guard into a run as he led her through the citadel and up to the Winter Royal’s floor.
They arrived outside the prince’s chambers. The time it took for the stationed guard’s three knocks and Kalan’s manservant’s resulting answer was excruciatingly long. The fae dipped back into the room, and when Kalan’s face showed itself in the doorway, Gwen thought her heart might burst from her chest.
He’s mine… the once possessive language now seemed totally appropriate to her.
“Kalan.” Her voice was breathless. He had showered, and his wet dark hair plastered to his forehead gave him a sexy and seductive appearance. More so than usual.
“Lady Gwenevere. Is everything alright?” His tone was distant. Cold. Gwen ignored it.
“May I come in? I need to speak with you.”
“That might not be–”
Gwen did not allow him the opportunity to turn her away. She brushed past him and entered. She heard Kalan tell his guards to stand down. No doubt, their instinct would be to remove intruders.
After the door closed, Gwen turned around and met four questioning eyes. Ronan had followed the prince into the room, while Kalan dismissed his manservant.
“What is this about, Gwen?” It was Ronan who broke the tense silence.
Gwen did not look at the guard. All her attention was riveted on the handsome prince next to him. Kalan stood rigidly, causing his white shirt to cling to his flexed muscles. His loose pajama pants hung low on his hips, accentuating the lines that traveled from his hip to inner thigh. Gwen snapped her mouth closed. She always found Kalan attractive, but something seemed to change in her. She couldn’t seem to stop staring.
“Gwen?” Ronan repeated her name when she did not answer.
“Can I speak to you alone, Kalan?”
“I believe it might be wise for Ronan to stay,” the prince replied, remaining aloof. “I would not want anyone to have reason to believe something untoward was occurring in here. It seems you made it quite obvious that you intended to visit me in my private chambers. I do not wish for anyone to get the wrong idea.”
Gwen allowed herself a small twinge of embarrassment before she swiftly dismissed the emotion. Once again… screw what they think. No one had any idea what the purpose of this meeting was. They could not even fathom it.
It was the reminder of her task at hand that had Gwen smiling wildly. She met Kalan’s surprised eyes. Not even he could imagine what she was about to reveal.
With a rightness Gwen never knew to feel, she spoke the words that would change both of their lives.
Chapter 33
Kalan’s heart raced… and stuttered… and ached… and warmed all at once as he watched Gwen from across his bed chamber. She seemed nervous, yet excited, her presence doing wondrous things to soothe his broken soul. The prince shook himself out of the affectionate thoughts. If he was to ever survive his heartbreak, he needed to not be simply undone by the vision of her.
Kalan barely heard Gwen’s question before he instinctively responded for Ronan to stay. He made up some nonsense about propriety, when in reality he did not trust himself to be alone with Gwen. No telling what he would do to alleviate the pain of the words they exchanged earlier in the evening if left alone with the beauty. He did not doubt he would do anything and everything in his power to ensure she could never leave him.
Gwen looked a little put out by his words, but quickly recovered, sending a bright smile in his direction as she continued to hold his gaze.
“I have something to tell you…” her voice was light. It caressed Kalan as it reached his ears.
“What is it?” His voice sounded hollow and dark. The exact opposite of Gwen’s.
“Before I searched you out,” she began, continuing to grin in between words. “I spoke with Ian.”
Kalan nodded. “Yes, I exchanged words with him as well this evening.” He did not know why he felt the need to say that. Awkwardness, maybe?
“He told me something. I promise I had no idea until he told me. I would not have knowingly kept it from you.” She rambled, but Kalan did not mind. He did his best to not feel any emotion at the moment.
“My birthday isn’t really December 7th,” she rushed out before lowering to barely above a whisper. “I was born in October… on the 7th.”
Kalan’s world stilled. He could hear a hum of noises, but was unable to identify their source. He knew the room he stood in was his own, but everything around him seemed to blur out of recognition. All that remained in his strange state was Gwen, bathed in her own golden glow.
It couldn’t be, he thought as he slowly replayed her words. The moment she spoke them, the prince took no time in realizing the implications. If Gwen’s words were true… they shared a birthday. And she could be his lifemate.
Now, Kalan’s heart only thumped strongly in his chest. He continued to watch her in contentment, taking in every inch of her beautiful, hopeful expression. She couldn’t be lying.
It was Ronan who broke the silence. “I believe I shall leave you two alone to discuss this.” Before Kalan could comment, the guard slipped through the door.
“Please say something.”
“Is it true?”
He watched as her eyes began to water, but she continued to smile. “Yes. Ian just told me.”
Kalan could not stop himself. He practically tackled Gwen as he wrapped his arms around her slender waist, hoisted her in the air as he held her tightly, spinning while releasing relieved and disbelieving laughs.
“Thank the Fates!” He bellowed with amusement, burying his face in her throat. Gwen wound her laced arms around his neck, holding on, as she joined him in laughter.
“Is it true?” He asked again, placing her back on her feet, barely able to believe that his heart’s desire turned out to be the same female he was destined to be with forever. There were no “ifs” for Kalan anymore. He knew Gwen was his one.
Gwen smiled, her heart in her eyes. “Truly.”
Knowing without a doubt on what he wanted, and no longer feeling any reservations now that he knew she his lifemate, Kalan held Gwen’s delicate hands in his, and bent a knee.
Gwen gasped, worrying Kalan as her smile fell for the first time since she entered his room. He persevered. He refused to hold back any longer. The prince’s heart thumped in his chest as he prepared to ask the most important question of his life.
Before he could proceed, however, Gwen began speaking, “Isn’t it soon? Shouldn’t we get to know each other more? We don’t know who my father is. And I have medical school an–”
Kalan stood and cut her nervous rambling off with a kiss. Wrapping his strong arms around her waist, he brought her body flush against his. Gwen’s hands reached up his shoulders and held tight to the back of his neck. Their lips pressed together in passion, both of them using the moment to express their love for the other.
I should have done this first, the prince thought, amused, as he continued to enjoy the kiss.
With great strength, Kalan managed to pull back and rest his forehead against hers. “Be with me?” He asked in a whisper. “I love you, Gwenevere Longe. We will be able to figure out anything life throws at us later. It doesn’t have to happen anytime soon. We have many lifetimes ahead of us. Just please, say you will marry me… eventually.”
It wasn’t the way Kalan wanted to ask the question, but he knew his love well enough that she was not ready to agree to bonding directly. She needed time.
Gwen’s pink lips curled into a smile, blue eyes bright with unshed tears. “Yes,” she whispered back, cupping his cheek, staring lovingly into his eyes. “Eventually.” Gwen stood on her toes and pressed in to him for another long, romantic kiss.
Kalan couldn’t believe it; continually reminding himself that it was not a dream. Gwen was really his. More i
mportantly: she knew it. She accepted it. The prince did not know what he ever did to deserve someone like Gwen, but he was determined to spend the rest of his existence ensuring he did.
A knock interrupted the couple’s embrace.
Wishing to eliminate the distraction as soon as possible, Kalan quickly said, “Enter.”
His temporary guard stepped in the entryway. “King Kheelen requests your presence in his rooms, Your Highness,” the fae stated formally. “I was instructed to inform you he wished for you to appear sooner rather than later.”
“Thank you,” Kalan dismissed him. He turned back to Gwen only to see her expression turned from light to wary. “What is it?”
She eyed the door in thought before giving him her attention. “I’ll wait here for you. Go speak with your father.”
Kalan smiled. “That’s okay. You can come with me.”
She shook her head. “No. I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Why not?”
Gwen hesitated briefly, but then informed Kalan of her strange encounter with his father while they danced.
“That’s surprising,” Kalan commented once she finished her story. “He has never been one to push my prophecy. That’s my mother’s job.”
Gwen shrugged. “I just know what he said. It seemed clear that he did not want me to be with you.”
“Well, no bother,” Kalan told her. “Now that we know you are my lifemate there will not be a problem.”
“I’m not sure we should be telling others,” Gwen admitted, looking at him with reservation. “I still have a secret to keep. It might not be best for me to receive extra attention by being your lifemate.”
Kalan could kick himself. He did not even think of that. Of course Gwen did not want all of Winter and, now that they were allies again, Summer Court knowing of their relationship. It seemed the couple still had complications surrounding their relationship, even if one of the biggest hurdles was crossed.
“I would like to be able to spend time with you at Winter Court without my father’s disapproval. Could we not just tell him about our revelation? It would remove his displeasure as an obstacle, and he would not expose us if we requested he did not.”
Will of Fate (Dual Court Kiss Book 1) Page 27
