Work of Fate (Dual Court Kiss Book 2)

by Britt, Samantha

  “I’d rather not.”

  Ronan sat beside him on the bench. “This cannot continue, Kalan. Whatever happened, the way you are processing it is not healthy. I’ve tried to be patient, but I will not allow you to insist on shutting me out.”

  Kalan raised an eyebrow to his friend’s authoritative words, but continued to face the pond. Both fae knew Ronan, as his guard, could not make him do anything. However, the prince wondered if his friend might.

  “Something strange happened, I know it,” Ronan continued. “I could see it on your and the Summer fae’s faces when you exited the tower. Whatever it is, do not bear it alone. Tell me. You can trust me.”

  “It’s not a matter of trust,” Kalan said into the frigid air. He was channeling his tumultuous feelings and releasing them with his magic, bringing down the temperature of their surroundings.

  “What, then?”

  The prince closed his eyes. He wanted to tell his guard it was nothing, but the lie caught in his throat. His longing and fear for Gwen were definitely something.

  Kalan wished he could confide in his friend. Ronan had many years on the prince and often gave sage advice to the young fae while he grew up. But how could he reveal a secret which further endangered Gwen’s wellbeing?

  Although, Kalan considered, Ronan is fond of Gwen.

  The guard told Kalan as much when the beauty was a Winter Court guest. The pair, apparently, grew quite close during her stay. The prince should not have been surprised, considering all the time Ronan spent entertaining and instructing Gwen.

  Why, then, would Kalan worry that informing Ronan would risk Gwen’s safety? Maybe Kalan needed to reevaluate his reason for remaining silent. Was it out truly out of fear for Gwen? Or was a part of it a selfish desire to try and find a solution on his own, regardless if his behavior and actions cause those around him to worry on his behalf?

  Kalan sighed, squeezed his eyes tight for a moment, and opened them. He trusted Ronan; he could know the truth.

  “Alright Ronan… I’ll tell you.”

  Kalan began with describing the pull he felt towards Gwen. Ronan heard bits of it before, but he had not heard of the conversation between the prince and the Summer Royals at the Summer Solstice ball. Kalan recounted the words exchanged with Their Majesties in Eirie, and he elaborated on their initial suspicions Gwen was his lifemate. Before Ronan could point out the unlikelihood of that being the case, the prince shared the news Gwen shared with him following the ball; he told Ronan he and Gwen shared a birthday.

  “Well that’s fantastic, Kalan!” Ronan exclaimed in genuine excitement for his friend. “I remember how strangely eager and insistent Gwen was to find you after the ball. Now, it makes sense. How astonishing that it should work out that way.” In the midst of his enthusiastic response, the guard seemed to forget about the prince’s anything-but-happy demeanor the past few weeks.

  Kalan held up a hand to stop his friend’s exclamations. “Just wait. I’m not finished.”

  The prince asked the guard if he remembered his odd behavior in the armory, and how he damaged the room with his frigid powers.

  Ronan nodded. “Of course.”

  “Well,” Kalan continued, “I learned something interesting that day.” He told Ronan of Gwen’s utilization of Summer Powers. He revealed to the male how he learned the truth regarding how Eilian came to be Gwen’s guardian. The Summer fae was lifelong friends with her mother, and her mother was none other than the late Summer Court Princess.

  Ronan barked out in astonishment. “Princess Gwendolyn had a child? A daughter? But… Gwen’s Winter abilities…” The guard trailed off, unwilling to voice the obvious conclusion he had come to. The prince let him off the hook.

  “Gwen’s father is a Winter Fae. She’s of dual-court blood.”

  Ronan released a low whistle. “Well… I wasn’t expecting that.”

  Kalan smiled numbly, knowing the guard had not even heard the worst part.

  “I know the status of her bloodline seems troublesome,” Ronan observed after a moment of thought. “But I vividly recall you and Gwen being on good terms following the day in the armory. So, the information has obviously not hindered your desire to be with the girl.”

  “Nothing has hindered my desire to be with her.” The words were true. Kalan might have been initially wary of acknowledging his feelings for his half-sister, but that was no longer the case. Fate made the reality clear through his feelings, ailments, and words of the Wise Ones. Gwen was his lifemate, and the prince recognized the fact weeks ago. All that kept the two apart, now, was Gwen’s aversion to accepting the information.

  “What changed? If the two of you were not bothered by her dual-court heritage before the ball, what has caused the strain between you now?”

  Kalan turned to his friend and studied his face. All the prince could see was sincere curiosity and genuine concern. He knew he could trust Ronan; the male guided Kalan through many trials in his life. Why not this one?

  With a fortifying breath, the heartbroken fae shared the cause of his sorrow with his friend. Kalan told Ronan of the words King Kheelen used to claim Gwen as his daughter and, subsequently, ruin any chance the prince had of happiness.

  Words could not describe the complete and utter shock Ronan expressed following Kalan’s explanation. The prince turned his attention to the frozen pond and let the guard compose himself.

  Moments passed before Ronan cleared his throat. His voice sounded uneasy, “Are… you certain?”

  Kalan gave a humorless laugh. The question was similar to the one he asked himself after Gwen regained consciousness in the king’s study. It was a question posed as a last-ditch effort to discount the unpleasant truth of the situation… and it was pointless.

  “Yes,” he muttered. “My father seemed quite confident.”

  Silence settled as Ronan continued to process the information. Kalan was sure he knew what was going through his friend’s mind. The guard, no doubt, recalled any and every interaction and observation he had with Gwen.

  “That was not what I was expecting.”

  Kalan smirked. “Nor I.”

  “So… she is your half-sister?”

  “Yes.”

  “And Lady Gwen is a dual-court fae?

  “She is Princess Gwen, now,” Kalan corrected without thought. No matter which court bloodline you chose to acknowledge, Gwen was due the title of Princess.

  Ronan realized the same thing. “She’s a Winter Princess and a Summer Princess.”

  “Yes.”

  “She has both of the most powerful lines flowing through her veins.”

  “That is precisely the problem.”

  Ronan frowned. “What do you mean?”

  “My mother has mounted an offensive to see to Gwen’s demise. She cites the dual-court prophecy as evidence Gwen is a threat to the Fae Realm. Imagine Queen Tanya’s rise in persistence should she learn Gwen is my father’s daughter.”

  “And,” Kalan added with conviction, “That she is my lifemate.”

  Ronan’s head snapped to his. “You believe she is your lifemate? Your half-sister?”

  Kalan nodded in confidence. “I know it. An Elder Wise One confirmed it in Eirie. Gwen grew so upset with the realization she fazed out of Eirie.” The prince chose not to mention their intimate kiss also put Gwen on edge.

  Ronan continued to stare at him; his brows furrowed in thought.

  Without warning, the guard’s expression went from confused to disbelieving. His back straightened as his eyes grew wide.

  Kalan frowned at Ronan’s random change in demeanor. “What?” He asked him.

  Ronan’s gaze flickered back and forth between Kalan’s two eyes. His eyes seemed to take in every aspect of the prince’s features. The younger fae had no idea what was happening.

  “What?” Kalan repeated. “What’s wrong?”

  Ronan shook his head and quickly rose to his feet. “I’m sorry, Kalan, but I have to go. I’m sorry for what you
are going through. I’ll be back soon, and hopefully we can devise a plan to fix this for you. After all, if Fate has deemed you Gwen’s lifemate, you must be together.”

  Then, in the blink of an eye, the guard’s body shimmered out of sight as he fazed out of the garden. Kalan stared at the space where Ronan disappeared and could not shake the feeling his friend knew something he did not.

  Chapter 19

  “What the hell were you thinking, Gwen?” Ian’s infuriated voice assaulted Gwen’s eardrums. She sat in a corner of the Summer gardens; she hoped to find privacy in the isolated spot while trying her best to pull herself together. Gwen’s encounter with Kalan and departure from Eirie left her feeling drained of all energy.

  “She wasn’t thinking, and that is the problem,” Aeron added fuel to his brother’s fire. He glared at her with the same disapproving look he and Ian shared during the last hour. Both brothers found her within moments of returning to the palace from Eirie. Neither wasted time in telling her just how foolish her actions inside the walls of the citadel were.

  Ian added credence to his brother’s words. “How could you be so stupid? Why would you even try to faze out of Eirie without us?”

  “I’m sure you know.” Gwen believed the reason was obvious.

  “What did Kalan do?” Ian seethed. “Surely, nothing which would warrant your blatant display of superior power to every single Wise One in existence. Did you assume what you attempted, and succeeded in doing, would not have severe implications? Do you think word of this will not get out? That it will not reach Queen Tanya’s persecuting ears?”

  Gwen took a shaky breath. “I already told you. I wasn’t thinking. I–”

  “Damn right, you weren’t thinking,” Ian shouted. “You’ve essentially validated every accusation Queen Tanya is spouting to her supporters. You have power and abilities which no fae has ever had and, arguably, should never have. You can overcome the strongest restrictions imposed on our kind with little to no consequences.”

  “I feel exhausted,” Gwen whispered in rebuttal.

  “That is nothing! You should be unconscious with how much ability you must have wielded in order to successfully faze out of Eirie. I’m telling you Gwen, this is bad. You may not be getting this, but this is BAD!”

  “Trust me,” Gwen couldn’t hid her sarcastic tone. “You’ve made that clear.”

  Aeron jumped in. “If that were the case, you would not look so calm.”

  “What do you want me to do? Freak out? You two are doing that enough for all of us.”

  “This isn’t funny,” he replied in response to seeing the corner of her lip turn up. “This is b–”

  “Bad,” Gwen interrupted the duke. “I know, but I can’t do anything about it now.”

  Ian rubbed his hands roughly over his face. “This can’t be happening.”

  Gwen glanced away from her friend and his worry over what she had done. Gwen knew she should be more concerned about the implications of her actions, but all her thoughts focused on her time with Kalan.

  She remembered the sheer joy and relief she felt by his presence, not to mention his touch. She wondered how long the respite would last this time.

  She also recalled the hope and happiness the prince displayed while discussing the Elder’s revelation. Gwen still felt the weight of longing and despair settled in her stomach.

  It did not escape Gwen’s notice that both Ian and Aeron seemed inclined to not address the issue of her being identified as Kalan’s lifemate. Instead, both males chose to harp on her great offense of fazing out of Eirie.

  Gwen knew she should not have done it, but she needed to escape the situation with Kalan. Fazing was the only option. She was so flustered and desperate to leave that she forgot all about fae being unable to faze from within the citadel. How could Gwen anticipate she would succeed when she hadn’t managed to faze anywhere yet? Much less, succeed in an area spelled specifically against fazing?

  Gwen said the only words she could think of to make her friend not angry with her. “I’m sorry, Ian.”

  His shoulders sagged as his head turned up. Though his features resembled those of a young adult, Gwen saw her friend’s true number of years reflected in his dull green eyes. Moisture gathered in hers; she hated knowing how much her actions were burdening Ian. His life purpose, the past twenty-three years, was to keep her safe, and she was making it near impossible for him to do so.

  “Please, Gwen,” Ian said towards the cloudless sky. “Will you go to your rooms until I come for you? I need to speak with King Cai and Queen Orla.”

  Gwen opened her mouth to offer to accompany him and explain herself to her grandparents, but Aeron’s quick jerk of his head discouraged her. She bit the inside of her cheek. With a small nod, she turned on her heel and made her way out of the gardens. Gwen knew the possibility of, once again, being secluded in the villa-prison was high.

  Once she was out of the twins’ sights, Gwen saw Jai fall into step behind her with her peripheral vision. She looked and tried to determine his thoughts on her actions in Eirie, but he wore his usual impermeable mask.

  She decided to speak to Jai, even though the chances of a response were slim to none. She needed to talk to someone. “I guess you heard all of that,” she offered, referencing Ian and Aeron’s verbal reprimands as the pair walked into the palace.

  No response.

  Gwen sighed, but kept talking. “I bet everyone who finds out will either think I am the dumbest fae to exist, or close to it.”

  They turned down a marble hallway, passing posted guards every few steps. Gwen did not lower her voice. It was only a matter of time before they all knew, anyway. Four guards had been at Eirie during the incident. They were bound to share the story of her fazing to their colleagues. Except for Jai. Gwen shot him another observing glance. His expression continued to reveal nothing.

  She kept speaking. “I had no idea what I was doing. I just… had to get out of there.” Gwen squeezed her eyes shut, trying to force Kalan’s face from her mind.

  Jai’s deep voice caused her eyes to snap open. “That’s understandable.”

  She stopped walking and faced him, unsure she heard him correctly. “What?”

  Jai’s gaze was even. “It’s understandable why you would have needed to leave Prince Kalan’s presence.”

  Gwen’s jaw dropped. “How did you… You were in the foyer…” Gwen couldn’t formulate what she was trying to say. How had Jai known she was speaking with Kalan?

  “I saw the prince as he was escorted through the tower,” Jai explained. “I was confident he was going to speak with you.”

  “How?” Jai’s assumption did not make sense to Gwen. Unless… he knew about them.

  It was as if Jai became a mind reader. He answered her unspoken questions in a calm and official manner. “Their Majesties briefed me on the nature of your relation to the prince, Your Highness. Of both the blood and prophecy relations you two share.”

  “Oh god,” Gwen whispered, mortified he knew her darkest secrets. She was stunned to realize her ever-present guard had known the truth about her all along.

  Gwen stared at Jai, looking for any indication of the disgust she was confident he felt. Instead, the guard’s expression remained neutral. Typical.

  She drew a shaky breath. “You know who my father is?” Gwen needed to be sure.

  Jai nodded. “Yes. As I said, Their Majesties informed me of everything regarding you.”

  “Why would they do that?” It seemed unnecessary information to share.

  “My job is to protect you at all costs, Princess,” Jai replied. “Their Majesties knew I could not do so without knowing of any and every potential threat to your safety.”

  Gwen swallowed. “Aren’t you afraid that I am an abomination? Especially after what I was about to do in Eirie. Don’t you fear the prophecy?”

  “Not at all.” His words were spoken quickly and with complete confidence. Gwen couldn’t believe it, not after how eve
ryone else treated the knowledge of her background.

  “I’m afraid you are a member of a very small minority.” She informed him self-depreciatingly.

  “For now.”

  Gwen’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “I don’t understand.”

  Jai gave an uncharacteristic shrug of his shoulders. “I have spent enough time around you to see you are not a threat to our realm.

  “Also, I have faith in Fate. The Wise Ones validated your position as Prince Kalan’s lifemate. If that is the case, you and he are destined to do great things according to his prophecy. Which means, it is impossible for you to be the cause of the Fae Realm’s demise. The common interpretation of the dual-court prophecy must be incorrect.”

  Jai was the first fae to ever discuss the subjects of Gwen and Kalan’s sibling and lifemate relations without disgust or denial, including Gwen, herself. She was in awe of the guard at that moment.

  Gwen stared at Jai with heartfelt admiration and gratitude. Without thinking, she stepped forward, slipped her arms under his own, and wrapped them around his chest. Her fingertips could not touch due to his large width. Gwen grinned at how rigid the guard’s posture turned following her embrace.

  Slowly, Jai lifted his strong hands and lightly patted Gwen’s back. Her smile grew.

  “Thank you, Jai,” she spoke to his right shoulder, tightening her hold. Gwen could not begin to explain how much the guard’s words meant to her. He accepted everything about her without challenging any of it. Gwen did not think that had happened since she learned of her fae heritage. Not even from Ian.

  “You are welcome, Princess Gwenevere.”

  Chapter 20

  “My Queen.” Lord Leo’s weak voice reached Tanya’s ears as she stared out the window in her parlor. The queen cringed at hearing him speak. She despised the fact that the feeble male was her main ally in her campaign against the dual-court fae.