The blade touched Aeron’s cheek. The duke howled in pain. Gwen shouted in anguish and pulled against her restraints.
She let out a shuttering breath when she realized the Winter Fae had not cut Aeron with the deadly metal. Instead, Lord Leo placed the flat side of the dagger to the duke’s face. Now, a rectangular burn marred Aeron’s smooth skin.
Gwen bit her lip to hide her whimper. Aeron’s face was pale, and his breathing was labored. Other than that, her friend gave no indication he was in excruciating pain. He continued to meet Lord Leo’s gaze, but the injured male did not say a word.
“What were you saying?” The Winter Fae asked with cruelty. Gwen winced when Lord Leo tapped the dagger on Aeron’s scalp.
Aeron’s eyes tightened, but he held his ground. “I was saying, Queen Tanya and I were close.”
Lord Leo smacked Aeron with his free hand. The duke’s head flung back and hit the stone wall–hard.
“What is wrong with you?” Gwen found her voice. Anger boiled through her veins. “Stop it!”
As if motivated by Gwen’s outburst, the secretary hit Aeron again. He accompanied the blow with a kick to the ribs.
“What were you saying, Duke Aeron?” Lord Leo asked, kneeling close to Aeron’s bloodied and burned face.
Gwen did not know whether to cheer or scold Aeron’s withering look. She landed on scold when the duke accompanied the look with a blood-filled spit in the Winter Fae’s face.
Lord Leo wiped his cheek and looked at the spit on his hand. He stood and stared down at the injured prisoner. “You seem eager to perish here.”
Gwen gasped and tugged on her restraints.
Aeron appeared unaffected by the words. “You and I both know I was never going to leave here alive.”
Lord Leo smiled. Gwen felt as he started using his Winter ability to lower the temperature in the room. Both prisoners began to shiver.
“Wh-What are y-you do-doing?” Gwen’s voice stuttered from the cold. The Winter Fae had to know he could not kill them with his abilities, even if he tried to suffocate them. At least, Gwen did not think he could. Lord Leo faced her.
“Experimenting,” he stated and continued to observe her. Unable to hold his gaze, Gwen turned her eyes to Aeron. His burn was inflamed and stood out against his skin, which now had a bluish tint.
“You appear less affected,” the secretary spoke, drawing her attention back to him.
Gwen frowned. “That should not surprise you.”
“You are right,” he admitted. “But I am surprised, nonetheless.”
Gwen did not know how to reply. She simply shrugged. She hoped the Winter Fae would keep his attention on her. Gwen did not know how much more abuse Aeron could take, and she did not want to see her friend die.
Gwen was destined to be disappointed. Lord Leo walked back to Aeron and grabbed the chains gathered by the duke’s legs.
Aeron did not look at the secretary. His eyes were on Gwen, and they were full of reassurance.
Gwen’s watered in response. She shook her head at his acceptance of the situation. He wasn’t meant for the fate he was being given.
A corner of his lips lifted as Aeron gave her a small smile. It fell as Leo wrapped the chains around the duke’s neck.
Aeron grunted as the secretary pulled them closer. Gwen saw his skin sizzle from the contact.
“Stop!” She screeched. “Stop!”
Lord Leo did not stop. He continued to strangle Aeron with the burning chains. The moment seemed to last forever.
Gwen opened her mouth let out an ear-splitting scream.
A ground shaking boom sounded from outside the room’s door. Gwen heard, and felt, as the concrete walls and floor cracked.
“Wha-,” The Winter Fae began, but he was cut off when a large chunk of the ceiling fell in the center of the cell.
Gwen looked up, and watched as another piece began to detach above her. Instinctively, she bent forward and covered her head with her arms, bracing for the impending impact.
Chapter 34
“Are you certain this is where Gwen is?” King Kheelen asked Kalan for the second time.
The prince nodded and examined the exterior of the small cottage, located on the outskirts of Winter Court. It was small, probably a one bedroom home. The structure was made of stone with a thatched roof. There were no signs of life, but the familiar tug on Kalan pulled him to the cottage. Now that he was open to the connection, Kalan swore he could feel, and hear, Gwen’s steady heartbeat.
After Kalan returned to Winter Palace from Eirie, he sought out the king to elicit his assistance in assembling a rescue party. The prince did not know what he would encounter once he found Gwen, but wanted to be prepared for anything. Without needing any supporting detail, King Kheelen gathered a group of soldiers and insisted on accompanying his son to find his daughter.
Kalan frowned as he thought about how he would ultimately tell his father the truth regarding his dual-court heritage. Despite how callous he appeared when discussing the topic with his mother, Kalan was deeply affected by the true identity of his father. The prince was relieved to know the information freed him of any relation to Gwen, but it pained him to know the male who raised him had been deceived for so long.
Kalan knew he would need to tell the king the truth eventually. He could only hope the blow would not completely devastate the monarch.
“What is the plan, Your Highness?” Sir Torin asked from Kalan’s left. The soldier was released from the Summer Court cells, and was the first volunteer to assist the royals on their rescue mission. The prince’s wariness of the male no longer existed after learning Torin tried to warn Gwen of the queen’s attack. The guard was a valuable, dedicated ally.
Kalan turned to address the rescue party, but his words were stopped by an agonizing pain. It started at his wrist and crawled up his arms.
Confused, Kalan looked at his arms and frantically rubbed them. Thinking it might be his clothing, the prince shrugged off his overcoat. It made no difference. The feeling continued to travel up to his biceps.
“Kalan?” King Kheelen questioned, holding out a hand for assistance. “What is wrong?”
The prince rolled up his sleeves and inspected his skin. He breathed in his nose and out his mouth to try and moderate the pain. His skin was normal, but continued to feel as if it were burning.
“Gwen…” Kalan ground out as another invisible flame licked his skin. The prince knew he was feeling his lifemate’s pain.
“What?” The king asked with confusion, observing his son with concern.
The prince continued to breathe methodically. At the group’s questioning gazes, Kalan held up a hand for them to give him a moment.
Soon, the pain dimmed to a manageable level. The sensations lingered, and Kalan’s anger grew as he considered what could be causing Gwen such pain.
The prince turned to the five Fae with him and explained, “Gwen is being hurt.”
King Kheelen stiffened and eyed his son from head to toe. “How do you know that?”
“Because I can feel what she feels,” he revealed.
“From your connection.” Sir Torin bravely observed. The soldier did not see the king’s disapproving look.
“Yes,” Kalan acknowledged. The king’s eyes drew together.
“How is she being hurt?” Another guard asked.
“I am not sure,” Kalan admitted. “It is a burning sensation. I do not know the cause.”
“Shall we go investigate?” Torin asked. All eyes returned to the cottage. Kalan gave a nod and, one by one, the Fae fazed to the door of the cottage.
Sir Torin stepped forward and tried the door handle. His hand flew back as it made contact; he let out a shout of surprise. The guard reached for the handle again, but Kalan put his palm on his arm to stop him.
“Don’t,” Kalan instructed; his eyes travelled over the handle and the perimeter of the door. It was all lined with Iron.
“Who owns this cottage?” The
prince asked his father.
“I do not know.”
Kalan moved to the side and observed the cottage’s windows. They were also lined with Iron.
“Who would be able to access this much Iron?” The prince asked. No one in the Fae Realm should have been able to find so much. Then again, his mother had enough to make numerous weapons for her assassins. The prince suspected she was the source of this Fae’s supply, as well.
“How do we get in?” The prince asked aloud. No one offered him a solution.
King Kheelen placed a heavy hand on his son’s shoulder. “No Fae could have gotten in here,” he revealed. “Are you sure Gwen is here?”
“I am positive.” Kalan shrugged off the hand and walked around the cottage to search it for any other point of entry. There was none.
“Can we faze inside?” Sir Torin asked.
“I already tried,” King Kheelen revealed, surprising them all.
“When?” Kalan questioned.
“The moment we realized Iron surrounded all the openings. The cottage seems to be warded against intruders.”
An idea formed in Kalan’s mind. He knew it would risk revealing his secret to the Fae with him, but these Fae were there to help rescue a dual-court Fae. Clearly, they were not the enemy.
Without telling anyone what he was about to do, Kalan willed himself to faze into the cottage. He heard his father shout his name as the prince disappeared from view.
Slowly, the interior of the cottage came into focus. It was bare. There was not a single piece of furniture or item in the space.
Kalan shouted to the Fae outside to tell them he made it inside, but there was no response. The prince realized he could not hear them and deduced the wards on the cottage kept sound trapped within its walls. He turned in place to observe his dusty surroundings.
Kalan’s eyes were making their third examination when he noticed a portion of the floor which was free of dust. Cautiously, the prince approached and inspected the area. He knelt down, held his hand out, and slowly moved it over the section of floor.
Kalan inhaled as he felt a trickle of air rise from between two wood boards. He traced his fingers along the floor, searching for a way to open the suspected door. Moments later, he was rewarded with reaching a cracked section large enough to fit two fingers. The prince shifted and slowly opened the hatched door.
Immediately, the small cottage’s temperature plunged. The frigid air coming from the dark opening was cold, even by Winter Court standards. The temperature made Kalan wish he put his coat back on before fazing into the cottage.
The prince peered into the space, but could not see beyond the first few stone steps leading down. He took a fortifying breath as he moved and entered the cold, dark abyss.
***
Kalan’s hands trailed the sides of the stone passage. He estimated he descended the equivalent of three floors before finally reaching a flat landing. The prince’s vision adjusted the longer he spent in the darkness, but it was far from clear. He took extra care to not make any noise, knowing even the smallest sound would echo down the corridor.
A muffled shout passed through the air. Kalan stiffened and strained to listen. He did not hear another sound, but the pull around his chest tightened measurably.
Gwen.
Kalan could feel his lifemate’s fear. His quickened his pace. The passage seemed never-ending. The prince never made a single turn.
“Stop!”
Kalan heard the word shouted twice. He knew the voice belonged to Gwen. Fury emanated from his skin as he acknowledged the terror evident in her tone. The walls on either side of him began to shake as Kalan broke into a run. He barely registered the stones falling around him; his focus devoted entirely on reaching Gwen and stopping whomever was harming her.
Gwen’s scream was Kalan’s undoing. Unaware what he was doing, the prince felt his power draw towards his body. In an instant, the prince found himself standing in the center of a brightly lit room. His fury debilitated by his momentary blindness, Kalan blinked against the harsh light. He jumped back as a portion of the ceiling landed beside him.
Kalan looked up and noticed another portion was moments from falling. He stepped away but froze when his eyes trailed downward and noticed the Fae beneath the impending stone.
Gwen ducked and covered her head. Time slowed as Kalan watched the chunk of stone separate from the cracking ceiling. Heat gathered in Kalan’s palm. With no thought, he held out his palm and directed the Summer Power to the falling stones. They were burned to ash instantly. Kalan’s arm shook as he lowered it to his side.
Gwen remained hunched, bracing for an impact never to come. The prince’s eyes drank her in, and they narrowed as he noticed her torn clothing and red skin. He saw the physical damage of the burning sensations he felt outside the cottage. His fury returned with a vengeance.
A noise on the other side of the room drew his attention. Kalan watched as Lord Leo recognized him. The secretary loosened his hold on the Iron chains he was using to strangle Duke Aeron. The Summer Fae gasped the moment he could draw breath.
The prince spared a quick glance of assessment to the male he learned was his father. The Iron had not punctured skin; the duke would not perish from the injuries.
Kalan returned his Wrath-filled gaze to the Winter Fae. “Leo,” the prince’s voice was ice.
He heard Gwen’s soft gasp of surprise, but Kalan did not turn to face her. His attention was devoted to the subject before him.
The Winter Fae bent to a knee and lowered his head. “Your Highness.”
“What do you think you are doing?”
The secretary did not raise his head. He answered towards the floor. “What your mother has ordered. For your own good.”
Another blast of heat shot out of Kalan’s palms. This one was involuntary.
The Summer power struck the floor beside the Winter fae. Leo jumped and looked at Kalan with shock… and fear.
“Do not pretend to know anything about me or my own good.” Kalan’s Wrath was inches from being uncontrollable.
“How…” Leo gulped and stared in disbelief. “How are you doing that?”
“I believe you know.” The prince allowed his eyes to meaningfully trail towards the chained Summer Fae.
The secretary’s eyes widened. “Impossible…”
“Apparently, it is not.”
Leo gaped, speechless. His mouth opened to object, but he quickly closed it and maintained a look of confusion.
“What is going on?” Gwen’s soft voice flowed into Kalan’s ears. It instantly relaxed him. Just being near Gwen was doing wonders on the nagging discomfort he experienced, but hearing his lifemate speak practically erased the sensation.
The relief disappeared the moment Kalan saw Leo’s eyes on Gwen. The hatred flowing from the Winter fae’s eyes ran deep.
As if viewing events from outside his body, the prince watched himself barely lifted his right hand and direct it to Lord Leo. With a twitch of his fingers, Kalan sent a gust of heat, so forceful, it sent the secretary flying back. Leo lifted his arm to brace himself for the fall. The male did not remember he still held an Iron dagger in his hand.
As the Winter Fae locked his arm behind him, his palm made contact with the lethal metal when it was forced between the concrete floor and his skin. The secretary managed to utter one cry of distress before he slumped backwards, landing over the dagger. Kalan barely saw the hint of red marring the male’s pale skin.
Lord Leo did not move again.
The prince turned, still controlled by Wrath, and eagerly sought Gwen’s gaze.
His lifemate’s emotions were varied and easily discernable from her expression. Gwen looked shocked, terrified, confused, and relieved. She raised a shaky hand to her head, but quickly lowered it with a hiss. Kalan felt the burn around his own wrist, as well.
Within a moment, the prince stood by Gwen’s side. Their eyes connected as he slowly lowered himself to kneel beside her. Gentl
y, he placed both of his hands on top of the Iron manacles imprisoning his love. Kalan forced all the pent up Summer and Winter abilities through his hands, covering the cuffs with them.
Kalan did not need to look down to know the metal cuffs dissolved away. Gwen’s soft gasp and Duke Aeron curse of disbelief told him he was successful.
Chapter 35
“What just happened?” Sara asked. She raised her hand to shield her eyes from the sunny sky.
Sara and Ronan sought shelter moments before the sky began releasing hailstones of varying sizes. The weather sirens continued to blare, and Sara felt more nervous with each passing second. Until only seconds ago, she swore the apartment was going to be in the middle of the impending tornado the loud noise was warning them about.
Ronan stared at the dissipating clouds, his eyebrows narrowed in confusion. Suddenly, realization dawned. He let out a triumphant laugh and smiled brightly. Sara looked at him as if he were mad.
“What is it?” She asked warily.
Ronan shook his head with a smile and placed his hands on his hips. He surveyed the surroundings with relief. “I believe…” he paused and gave Sara a warm grin. “I believe Kalan has found Gwen.”
Epilogue
“Ruler of the cold, best he shall be,
Strength and wisdom in swarms,
All for naught in absence of lifemate,
The female first life this day,
Shall be the key to the peace for all of Fae.”
Three years later...
“You look absolutely beautiful, Gwen,” Sara Roberts told her friend as tears gathering in the corners of her eyes. She pulled a tissue from her clutch and patted them away; she did not want to ruin the makeup she just finished putting on.
“Breathtaking,” Kate Roberts added, smiling brightly as her eyes roamed over Gwen in her gown. “I can’t believe you are really getting married!”
Gwen chuckled and turned away from the floor-length mirror to look at her two best girlfriends. Both sisters wore long blush dresses made of satin; their matching brown hair pinned in curly up-dos. “Kalan and I have been engaged for years,” she pointed out with a smile, glancing down at the beautiful sapphire and diamond ring on her left hand. “You had to see it coming.”
Work of Fate (Dual Court Kiss Book 2) Page 23
