Bound by Fate (Cauld Ane Series Book 10)

by Piper Davenport

  “Is that why you came down?”

  He smiled, wrapping his arms around me. “I wanted to make sure my lass was okay. I could feel your stress.”

  “Thanks, Daddy,” I whispered, hugging him back.

  “Love you, sweetheart.”

  “Love you, too.”

  We closed Hershey into his stall, then Dad drove me back up to the house, pulling up to chaos. Mum came rushing out looking drop-dead gorgeous as she always did but glaring at my father as we approached her.

  “You said ten minutes, Con.”

  He smiled, leaning down to kiss her. “I was twelve.”

  “You were thirty.”

  “Sorry, Mummy,” I said. “We were checking Hershey’s foot.”

  She continued to give Dad a mock glare, even though she addressed me. “You’re not the one who should apologize.”

  “I’ll apologize properly later,” Dad said.

  “Okay, gross,” I hissed. “You two keep that talk to your own heads.”

  Dad chuckled, kissing my mum again.

  “I’m going to change,” I said. “I’ll be quick.”

  “Take your time, honey,” Mom said. “I’m giving your chores to your dad.”

  I grinned. “Don’t have to tell me twice.”

  I made a run for the stairs before they stopped me.

  Isla

  THE MORNING OF the Games arrived, and I was filled with nervous energy. This year my feelings of excitement were amplified as this was the first time Uncle Kade had given me the responsibility of planning the event schedule. It was a huge responsibility and had consumed most of my spare time over the past four months. Now that the games were almost underway, I could finally relax a little, as my work was all but completed. At least until my ár mökunar celebration.

  I’d interned for the charitable side of my uncle’s company from the time I was in secondary school throughout university. Gunnach Pharmaceuticals was a multi-billion-dollar company, and Kade ran the human medicine division, while my father ran the animal medicine division. Uncle Brodie had come home from his stint in the Royal Air Force and focused on his real estate endeavors and heading up the charity with Payton. I’d recently graduated with a degree in finance and had a job lined up working within the fundraising side of the family business. The next three years of my life were well planned out. Which was precisely how I liked things.

  I drove over to Kade’s home and parked in front of the door. His home was an ancient, historical castle, and newcomers to the area were often gob smacked by the size and beauty, but to me, it was a home away from home.

  Kade might be king, but he was uncle to me.

  The door opened before I could raise my hand to knock and their butler, Winston, smiled wide. “Miss Gunnach. Welcome.”

  “Hi, Winston. How are you?”

  “I’m well, ma’am. You?”

  “I’m great, thank you. Is anyone home?”

  Before he had a chance to answer, I was picked up off my feet and twirled, then dropped into another pair of arms and finally set on my feet as I laughed so hard, I could barely catch my breath.

  “Boys!” Samantha growled. “Leave your poor cousin alone.”

  My aunt pulled me in for a much gentler hug as Liam and Phin grinned behind her.

  “I’m fine, Auntie,” I assured, and she cupped my face.

  “Thank you for jumping in today. Payton’s being pulled in a hundred different directions.”

  “It’s my pleasure,” I said. “She and I spent a couple of hours last night going through everything.”

  “Oh, that’s great—”

  “Isla!” my cousin Billie squealed, making a run for me.

  “You’re home too?” I asked, hugging her tightly.

  Billie was one year younger than me and would be going to Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts. Since she’d graduated her prerequisites early, she’d decided to come home until the fall semester started. Okay by me. I missed her when she was gone. Especially, so far away.

  “I’m home until July,” she said. “So, we will have lots of catch-up time.”

  “Definitely.” I slipped my hand into her arm. “How are they going to keep you cool enough to attend classes in the States?”

  Billie hadn’t wanted to attend anywhere other than Harvard, but not being able to actually harness the weather and keep things cool enough to be safe, it was a concern. I was glad Kade had a work-around because Billie would have been devastated if she’d had to pick a school closer to home.

  “Da’s got it sorted. My home is close to campus and is temperature controlled. Plus, I have a driver and security who will be monitoring me. Colton is taking point on that, since he’s human.”

  “Well, you just make sure you’re careful.”

  “I will.” She squeezed my hand. “I promise.”

  “Good morning, lass,” Kade said, and he walked into the foyer and gave me a hug. “Early as always.”

  I smiled. “I’m a Gunnach. We’re always early.”

  “Aye, ’tis true.”

  “The car awaits, Majesty,” Winston said, and Kade nodded.

  “We’ll see you later,” Samantha said, standing on her tiptoes to kiss him.

  He kissed her gently, then he faced me and waved his hand. “After you.”

  I walked out to the awaiting Towncar and slid inside while Uncle Kade made his way to the other side.

  “Mornin’, Isla,” his head of security, Alasdair, said.

  “Morning, Alasdair. How are you?”

  “Very well, thank you. Are you excited?”

  I grinned. “Always.”

  Alasdair drove us the two miles to my uncle’s flattest piece of land north of his home, and we parked outside the VIP tent and Alasdair climbed out and opened my door for me. Once we had set our things down in the tent, we walked the area, and I took notes as we inspected each of the events.

  As we made our way around the competition grounds, I was struck by how truly regal my uncle could be. Growing up, he was just Uncle Kade. The one who’d do all the silly voices when reading to us. The one who taught me how to bowl and how to bait a fishhook. It was hard to remember sometimes that my Uncle Kade is a king.

  As hard as I tried to view myself as a normal person, the truth is I am Cauld Ane, and was born of noble birth. Events like this, where many Cauld Ane were gathered, reminded me of my lineage and often gave me both a sense of pride and a feeling of unworthiness.

  The world may have seen Kade Gunnach as the successful CEO of a multi-billion-dollar corporation and treated him as such. However, when the Cauld Ane looked at him, they saw their true king. The one foreseen and given authority by the Council of Oracles to rule over us.

  The older I got, the harder it was for me to see him as just my Uncle Kade. He was also my king and my instincts to serve and protect him were growing inside of me, although I’m not sure I was fully aware of it.

  We reached the medical tent and made our way inside. A group of exceptionally large men were gathered in a semi-circle surrounding a massage table. Sitting on that table was Thor Olsen.

  “Dr. Gunnach,” Thor said, greeting Kade with a smile that made my insides feel like melted strawberry milkshake. “How happy it is to be seeing you,” he said in broken English.

  “Please. I told you to call me Kade.”

  “And I told you that my mama would…how do Americans say…beeeech slap me if I did.”

  Then it happened. I snorted. I snorted in front of Thor Olsen. I snorted and he noticed.

  “And who is this lovely young lady with the pretty…laugh?”

  Oh my god, my milkshake runneth over. I struggled, unsuccessfully, for words and thankfully my uncle came to my rescue.

  “This is my niece, Isla. She works as a volunteer for our charitable foundation and is a vital and invaluable member of the team,” he said with a gentle squeeze.

  “I’m sure this is true. It’s so nice to meet you, Isla,” Thor said, and
it was then I noticed the icepack on his knee. “I’d shake your hand, but I’m afraid mine are cold and wet.”

  “What happened?” Kade asked.

  “He was trying to show off in front of the runt,” one of the men said, to laughs all around.

  From everyone except Thor, that is.

  “Close your lips, Magnus,” Thor grunted.

  “Show me,” Kade said, motioning to his knee.

  Thor slowly peeled back the ice pack to reveal a knee swollen to twice its “normal” size.

  “That doesn’t look good,” Kade said softly.

  “It’s not,” Dr. McDuff shouted in the thickest Scottish accent I’d ever heard. Dr. McDuff had been the chief attending doctor at the Gunnach games for as long as they’d been held, and in all the time I’ve known him, I think I’d understood about two-dozen words total.

  “How did this happen?”

  “I was warming up…” Thor started.

  “The puppy was beating him at leg presses, so he tried to show him who the big dog is,” Magnus said.

  “When I can stand again, I will crush you like a grape,” Thor shouted.

  “You’d need your fancy Hollywood special effects team to pull that off, my friend.”

  “I mean it, Magnus. Quit while you’re ahead,” Thor threatened, his friend’s ribbing clearly getting to him.

  “Here’s an idea. See if your makeup lady can make your knee look better,” Magnus continued. “Or better yet, you can go back to Hollywood and get your fat knee liposuctioned.”

  Thor’s fellow competitors erupted into laughter, until he slid off the table and onto his feet. He spun around to face his tormentors, and they all instantly froze in place. It was only when Thor was standing that I could see just how much taller than the other men he truly was.

  “Alright, you lot. Clear out!” Dr. McDuff shouted, in as clear a voice as I’ve ever heard him.

  The rowdy bunch of men did as the doctor instructed, following the doctor out, leaving Uncle Kade and me alone with Thor. As soon as the men were out of sight, Thor grabbed his knee, wincing in pain.

  “Here, let me help you,” Kade said, grabbing one of Thor’s massive arms and helping him back onto the table.

  “You’re a lot stronger than you look, Dr. Gunnach,” Thor said, surprised.

  “Please, call me Kade.”

  Thor smiled. “Okay, Kyaade,” he said, awkwardly forcing his name out.

  Kade laughed. “Maybe Mama Olsen was right.”

  “Mama is always right,” Thor said, with a mixture of sweetness and fear.

  “Will he still be able to compete?” Kade asked Dr. McDuff.

  “Sure!”

  My uncle looked a bit shocked as he asked, “Really?”

  “At next year’s games,” the doctor replied with a gravely laugh.

  Thor sighed. “I’m sorry, Dr. Gunnach. I was looking much forward to be your champion again.”

  “It’s okay, Thor. Injuries happen during competition. I just wish there was something more I could do for you,” my uncle said, giving me an inside look. Both of us knowing that if he was Cauld Ane, his mate could heal him with a touch.

  “Who’s this runt Magnus was talking about?” Kade asked.

  “Ehhh,” Thor grunted with a dismissive wave.

  “Is he Scottish? Someone we could use as a substitute?”

  “The puppy?” Thor bellowed. “Replace me?”

  “No one could ever replace you, big man,” Kade said, placing a hand on Thor’s boulder of a shoulder. “But…”

  “But, what?”

  “Magnus did say this guy was out pressing you.”

  “Only because I hurt myself,” Thor said, unconvincingly.

  Kade lowered his chin.

  “Okay, this pup is strong,” Thor huffed. “I don’t know how. He’s a pip squeak. A skinny little runt.”

  “What’s his name? Where’s he from?”

  “He’s American. Must be an amateur. I’ve never seen him at a competition before. Ben Johnson is his name.”

  “Sounds like we should introduce ourselves to this newcomer,” my uncle said to me with a smile.

  “He shouldn’t be hard to find,” Thor said, pouting. “He’s the tiny, skinny shit with all the tattoos.”

  Kade nodded. “We’ll find him.”

  I followed Kade away from the gorgeous and bigger in real life Thor, my heart racing from being so close to a star.

  Arric

  “MORE WEIGHT,” I growled.

  “There is no more. That’s the max setting on this machine,” Frank, my overly polite, young Scottish spotter exclaimed.

  I let the handles down and turned around to see he was right. I grunted. “Lightweight piece of shit.”

  “This place is only meant to act as a warm-up facility, mate. Not a full-service gym,” Frank said.

  “Yeah? Well, how the hell am I supposed to warm up my back if that’s all the weight that candy-ass machine can handle?”

  “Sir,” Frank said, softly. “The competition begins in less than twenty minutes.”

  “Your point?” I shot back.

  “If you’ll notice. You are the only competitor left here,” he said, nervously looking around the empty tent.

  “I thought the Scottish were known for being direct,” I said, urging the guy to get on with his point.

  “Yes, well. It’s just that most of the men have completed their warm-ups and are conserving the remainder of their energy for the actual competition.”

  “Jesus, Frankie. I’m not a psychic. Are you kicking me out or what?”

  “No, no, Mr. Johnson. I only meant that I know you’re new to the games and would hate to see you injure yourself before you have a chance to compete.”

  Thoughts of injuring myself, conserving energy, pushing too hard were the furthest from my mind. In fact, lately, I couldn’t seem to push myself hard enough, no matter how hard, or what, I tried. That was half the reason I was here today. I’d planned on lifting until the final minutes before the competition began. There was bound to be an hour of dancing, bagpiping, and who knows what else before the action would begin and I wanted to be as pumped as possible.

  “What brought you to compete in the Gunnach games this year? If you don’t mind me asking.”

  “I saw one of those on a gym wall back in the States,” I said, pointing to a poster advertising this year’s event.

  “Everyone wants to be the next Thor Olsen,” Frank said.

  “Your poster boy looks over-conditioned, if you ask me,” I said with a dismissive chuckle.

  Frank straightened up, clearly offended by what I’d said. “I assure you, sir. Mr. Olsen’s fitness regimen is very precise. He is never over conditioned.”

  “Not his workout, man. I meant the guy’s hair,” I said with a playful jab to Frank’s arm. “What the hell is up with that pretty boy anyway?”

  “You don’t know who Thor Olsen is?”

  Frank laughed. “I take it you don’t watch much television?” he asked, handing me a towel.

  “I don’t have a T.V.,” I replied.

  “An American without a television?” he asked in shock. “Well, that over-conditioned pretty boy, as you call him, is not only the breakout star of Swords of Fire but the champion of the Gunnach Games for the past five years.”

  “Swords of Fire?” I asked.

  “You know. The show with the dragons and wizards…”

  I stared at him blankly. “Again, still don’t have a TV.”

  “What about your phone? Every episode is available for streaming.”

  “No phone either.”

  “Now I know you’re taking the piss,” he said, stunned.

  “That kind of shit requires electricity, and I don’t exactly have that either.” I said, drying off.

  “You should catch an episode, mate. Every week some poor bloke gets his head cut off, and then the ladies get their kit off.”

  “Kit?”

  “Thei
r clothes, mate. They show their diddies, their chebs… you know, their tits?”

  I shrugged.

  I raised an eyebrow, pointing again to the promotional poster. “That guy is the five-time champ, huh?”

  “Indeed,” Frank replied with a nod, but before he could go further, two men dressed in matching kilts and a beautiful blonde entered the tent.

  Frank instantly walked over to greet them. “Sir, sir, miss. It’s lovely to see you again. I hope all is well with you.”

  “Thank you, Frank,” the first man replied, extending his hand for a formal but warm handshake. “My niece and I are doing well today, thank you. It appears the same cannot be said for Thor.”

  “Yes, sir,” Frank said sheepishly, his head bowed. “He had a bit of a…mishap on the leg press.”

  The first man turned to me, giving me the once over. “And you must be the young man Thor keeps calling ‘the Runt,’” he said. “Ben, is it?”

  I’d signed up for the competition under an assumed name just as I had for every amateur fight, wrestling match, 10K run, or obstacle course I’d been a part of. I never competed twice and never for money, so anonymity had never been an issue.

  I let out a grunt, fighting back the overwhelming urge to tell this man every secret I’d ever kept.

  “Sorry, your name. It’s Ben, right?”

  “Arric, actually,” I corrected him before I realized what I was doing. Shit. I don’t know what compelled me to give him my real name, but the words sort of fell out of my mouth before I could stop them.

  “Please, forgive me,” he replied. “Well, clearly, Thor was having a bit of a go at you. You certainly look fit enough to compete in our little games.”

  “And who are you?” I asked.

  “Do you honestly not know who this man is?” the second man asked, looking both shocked and offended.

  “It’s alright, Alasdair,” the first man said, politely waving the second man off. “Our young guest has come all the way from America. Besides, the Gunnach family doesn’t do much business in…” he paused in thought before saying, “Alaska.”

  My spine stiffened. “How the hell did you know I’m from Alaska?”

  “I have a knack for knowing where people are from. It’s a bit of a party trick, really.”