Reign of Ice (Forever Fae series) (6 page)

THE SOUND OF
metal clanging and clashing against each other was piercingly loud as the warriors fought. There were so many good fighters and I was beginning to recognize some of them by their movements. I trained with these men so I knew how our techniques worked and what our style was, especially those I fought with on a regular basis. As I searched through the crowd, hoping that I would find Brayden, there was something inside me that told me he was there … somewhere. I could feel the pull on my soul like I did every time he was near.

“Father?” I whispered, tilting my head in his direction. “Have you seen Prince Brayden? Is he here? I can feel him, but I don’t see him out in the crowd.”

“He probably just arrived and hasn’t made it in here yet,” he said quietly. “I’m sure you will see him later, little one. I know things are hard between you two, but it will all work out. Just have faith in your heart.”

My mother scoffed and leaned forward so she could see past my father to me. “Of course things are hard after what he did,” she said, looking from me to my father. “He deserves every ounce of wrath you can give him after he left you in the Spring Court the way he did. He’s just a typical Winter
Fae.”

My father whirled on her and hissed, “That’s enough, Tatiana. Our daughter has been through a lot over the past couple of days and she can make her own decisions concerning the matters of
her
heart. The young man deserves a chance to prove that he is worthy.”

“He has a lot of proving to do if that’s the case,” I mumbled to myself.

Over time, the amount of warriors on the floor started diminishing rapidly as more and more of them became injured. The fighting had been brutal with many limping away and bleeding, but there were still four fighters going strong, Kamden being one of them. Once the wounded warriors took off their helmets, I was shocked to see Riddik as one of them. He happened to be the same warrior I used my wind magic on six years ago when I blew him across the Summer Court because he refused to be my date to Calista’s guardian ceremony. That incident earned me a night of solitude in my room while everyone else enjoyed the party. Lowering my head, I couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across my face at the thought. It was amazing how much things had changed since then, especially me.

By the time my gaze found the warriors again, there were only two left.
Kamden and one of my Summer warriors. They mirrored each other exactly, their swords drawn and angled perfectly in the striking position. I edged closer in my seat to get a better look, but the Summer warrior’s back was to me so I couldn’t get a glimpse of who he was.

The more I watched them fight, the more confused I became. I had never seen two fighters move with the same grace and efficiency and block each other as if they knew their next steps. We didn’t fight like that in the Summer Court at all. It was almost like …

“Oh, no,” I groaned quietly, placing a hand over my mouth. It couldn’t be, could it?

Frozen, I watched as
Kamden’s moves slowly began to falter and grow tired, weary. When the other warrior knocked him on his knees and kicked his sword away, I saw the defeat in Kamden’s eyes and I knew it was over. He lost.

The
Summer warrior backed up and sheathed his sword before turning around and strolling up to the dais; his walk and stance very familiar. My father immediately stood and clapped his hands; the whole room exploded into applause. My guardian had been chosen.

“Well done, warrior,” my father announced. The warrior bowed his head, but made no move to take off his helmet. My heart was pounding out of control, and it wasn’t going to stop until I saw the face of my guardian. I had to see him with my own eyes, because my soul was screaming at me it could only be one person, except that couldn’t be possible. There was no way it could be him.

Standing from my chair, I started to take a step forward to approach the warrior, but my father’s large hand grasped my elbow, halting me in place. “Wait,” he insisted quickly.

Before I could protest, his voice rose above the crowd, but the grip he had on my arm was one I knew very well; it was the same one he would use on me as a child when he wanted me to stay quiet. It wasn’t until his next words that I understood why he didn’t want me to make a scene.

“Due to the intimate circumstances of the Blood Ritual, it has been decided that it will be done in private this time. I know it hasn’t been done like this in the past, but I must respect these wishes. If you would, I ask that you please enjoy all the food and wine to your heart’s content while Ariella and her guardian take a short intermission. We have much to celebrate when they return.”

My father nodded to the warrior and he slowly retreated out of the room, and out the door. Gritting my teeth and trying to keep my calm, I hissed quietly, “Father, let me go. I have to know who he is if I am to be bound to him. Why do we have to do the Blood Ritual in private?”

He sighed and let my arm go. “You’ll find out very soon, little one. But for now I need you to calm down and come with me.”

Reluctantly, I nodded and said, “Fine, but give me one minute with
Kamden.” I rushed down to the floor. Zanna was already there at Kamden’s side, helping him to his feet.

When I got there, he took off his helmet and grabbed my hands. “Please forgive me, Ariella. I’m so sorry I didn’t win for you.” His whole body was drenched in sweat and the look of defeat in his eyes made my heart break.

I squeezed his arm and shook my head, smiling warmly. “You did fantastic, Kam. There’s nothing to be sorry for. Your fighting was amazing.”

Pulling me closer, his eyes went wide and he searched all around us to make sure no one could hear him. Quickly, he started to whisper, “Ariella, there’s something you need to know.”

“What is it?” I asked hesitantly.

He closed his eyes and blew out a sigh. “Your guardian is—” That was as far as he could get before my father interrupted us.

“Ariella,” my father commanded, sending Kamden a warning glare. “I need you to come with me. Now.”

Kamden
sighed and stepped away from me. Calista and Meliantha came to my side and took my hands, tugging me with them. “We have to go,” Calista said. “You can talk to your friends when you get done with the Blood Ritual.”

“Do you know what’s going on?” I demanded, following them out of the Great Room and into the hallway.

“Not exactly,” Meliantha admitted truthfully, “but we have an idea.”

We were headed toward my father’s study and behind us Ryder and
Kalen followed close by, along with Sorcha and Drake.

When we approached the door to the study, my mother and father were there along with Queen
Mab, King Madoc, Elvena, and Durin holding a box in his hands. I stopped mid-step and jerked my hands away from Calista and Meliantha. “Okay, this is it. What’s going on? I’m getting sick and tired of being left in the dark about everything. I want answers right now.”

“Ooh, she is feisty,” Queen
Mab acknowledged with a huge grin on her face. “She will do well in the Winter Court. My son is a lucky man.”

My mother rolled her eyes and scoffed, earning an even bigger grin from Queen
Mab. Durin, the leader of the dwarves, approached me warily and handed me the long wooden box that I was for certain had my guardian dagger in it. Durin was short, reaching about four foot tall, and his warm hazel colored eyes were always soft and genuine when he’d talk to me. I’d seen him at his fiercest and there was nothing soft about him when he was like that. His short brown hair and closely shaven beard was not something you would see on a dwarf, but Durin was different … he was separate from all the rest.

“I brought the dagger for you, Princess. I incorporated your
Summer heritage along with the Winter since you’ll soon be one of them. However, given all the gloomy faces here I don’t know if that was such a good idea on my part, but hopefully, it’ll be what you want.”

Taking a deep breath, I slowly opened the box, and when the dagger came into view I gasped, “Oh my.”

The weapon was exquisitely beautiful, and with it coming from Durin I knew there was no way it wouldn’t be. I could feel the power in the blade as I touched it. The handle was wrapped in vines representing the Summer Court, but what made it even more beautiful was that the vines were covered in ice, or at least that’s what it looked like. There was a crystal coating around the vines that gave off a blue hue and it sparkled like snow, glittering just like my skin did in the vision.

I leaned down and kissed
Durin on the cheek, completely in awe with his masterpiece. “It’s beautiful, Durin. Thank you.”

He bowed his head. “You’re welcome, Your Highness. However, I think I will leave you all and get back to the celebration. Good luck with the Blood Ritual and make sure you don’t kill your guardian with that,” he teased, glancing down at the dagger with a smirk on his face. He bowed one more time before disappearing down the hall.

The tension in the hallway was awkward, and much to everyone’s disbelief I wasn’t stupid. I knew who was waiting for me and I wanted to know why he and everyone else decided to trick me. I may have been fooled at first, but my heart knew who was in that room.

Clutching the box in my hand, I started for the door, but paused when my father placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. “I know you know, Ariella, and I know you are angry. I’m sorry I kept it from you, but it was all his idea and I agreed to it. He’s trying hard to win your trust, little one.” He paused for a second and hesitated before asking, “Are you going to accept him as your guardian?”

Did I even have a choice?
I wondered.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do,” I said softly. “But I do know that I need to talk to him in private. He tends to not speak when others are around.”

Ryder and Kalen both chuckled in the background and Sorcha nodded in agreement when I glanced at her. They knew their brother well. If I was going to get any headway with him it needed to be without everyone’s prying eyes and ears. Surely, they all agreed and left me to myself, except Elvena who pulled me away from the door with a determined gleam in her eye.

“What’s wrong,
Elvena?”

She put a finger to her lips and whispered, “Shh … I don’t want Brayden to hear us out here.” I nodded my head in understanding, but I was intrigued as to what was on her mind. She continued, “None of us know what’s going to happen if you bond with Brayden in the guardian bond. This sort of thing has never happened before.”

“What do you think I should do?” I asked nervously. “What do you think will happen?”

Elvena
shrugged. “I’m not sure, Princess, but if what I think might happen happens then it could be the key to saving our land.”

“How so?” I asked, wide-eyed.

She smiled and took my hand, turning my palm up. “When you and Brayden join hands, blood to blood, your essence will mingle with his. His blood will flow through your body and it’ll no longer be purely Summer … but Winter. Do you understand what I’m saying, child? Do you realize what this could mean for us?”

Slowly, I nodded as everything became clear. Could it really all be that simple? With
Brayden’s blood intertwined with mine I would complete the circle and Durin could forge the weapon we needed to defeat the dark sorcerer. I wouldn’t have to complete the marriage bond with Brayden to save our land just like we first thought.