Betrayal (32 page)

Kin was coming to our court.  Official visit of the winter king to the summer court to amend and unify the ties that bind the two.  Or at least, a reason to see each other.  I deeply care about Kin.  I couldn’t say I felt that way a year ago when my emotions about him would have erupted a volcano of fire on him if he’d tried much more of his rude shenanigans on me.  But that was then and this was now. 

“Is he here?” Bane asked.

“Yes,” I offered sending Ian into a fidgety mess.  He hated my connections, particularly this one.  I hated his. 

A young guard sat across from me, trying to get my attention.  His mind told me he just wanted to ask me questions about Kin, the winter king and how we became “friends”.  Ha!

Ian chose at that moment to use his new found powers and alter my thoughts by making the unsuspecting guard excuse himself away from the meeting room without a reason why.

I scowled at him as he admitted nothing with his “loving” doe eyed man look.  Maybe my ringing ears from bells and tingles were even stronger when others, especially Ian, were breaking in my thoughts, but I could also sense when he did it to others.

Besides, with the power Ian had put into our wedding bands and my ring, we couldn’t be penetrated very easily unless royal. 

The room moved around me standing to attention.  In the last weeks, I’d come to accept the all stand, here comes the queen or king, alter call. 

Pike greeted Kin first with an arm shake.  Next went Bane and a few others that had made the new acquaintance of Kin in the new exclusive weapons room and sparring area.

Ian greeted him, then moved in my direction to no doubt, stake his claim.  Ian’s thumb brushed my cheek just as Kin moved his body in my direction.

And as Kin turned to me, I knew my strategically chosen place to stand was just the effect I hoped for by the way his eyes veered up from my face to the painting above.  He watched the painting as he took my hand and placed a kiss on the back of my wrist. 
              “Thank you,” his voiced chilled the possibility of ever having hated him all over again.  His fingers conveyed the feelings he felt.  I heard the tenderness loud and clear.

I was a girl for both courts.  I needed both of them.  Prophecies are never wrong, but they don’t usually involve a half human, therefore my choice is what mattered most.  I asked Ian recently if he kept all the secrets about what the prophecies really meant so I wouldn’t judge his motives.  He didn’t really have to answer, but reminded me that it would always be about my choice.  He really did love me years before just like I did him.  He said it for years in his own way, and now I knew.

Kin never denied what was the truth, just tried to steer it with every willed turn tell attempt to avoid it.

I never denied the right thing to do, but I denied the truth.  I belong here and both the Seelie and Unseelie courts really do need me.

And that has made all the difference.  
I think this era in life has ended and a new one begins now. Acceptance for the path not taken.  To new adventures.

I walked over to stand beside my husband and let the negotiations begin.

Winter and summer joined together. 

I was like the conduit that holds them at bay from killing each other.  The prophecy was set in motion to make the other-world people form alliances.  Define
people—
impossible.

It was my choice!  My choice!  Maybe the prophecy said there were other options, but I made my own!  Who will ever know?

As the summer drew near and the first lighting of the season came into view, the courts were in awe of the unified lighting of the winter and summer Firebearers.  Kin and I joined hands and lit the fire in my court and then traveled that same day to his court to mimic the same making history rewritten with yet another first for the Fey record books.  First
me
, now this.  All traveled to and from including a few curious Nym supporters who had been with Kin for several years now and claimed allegiance to him still.  They also said they believed him to be worthy of his court long ago and rued the day when his father would cease dominion.  It all came to pass and now the courts were at peace with one another just like the prophecy said.  It seems to have created a chain reaction off of each prophecy.  After one fell into play, another took effect.  As events unfolded, it all came to pass.

I became the first queen in Fey history to have more than one child.  Our daughter was born in summer.  Her name, Gina.  After my mom who was buried ten years back.  A son was born not a century later.  His name, Pikin after the two very close friends who were there when he was born.

Bane and Sarah finally married and have four children, the most of our kind.  All four are boys who look just like Bane.  Poor Sarah.  Yeah, right! 

Pike never married.  I’ve heard it said that some are just not the marrying type.  Even Fey men.  He seemed to fit that type in every single way.    He remained a good friend and sometimes too good for Ian’s taste.  Occasionally he would disappear for months on end.  When I’d ask, he’d get that dark, sad look in eyes and force a smile.  If it was something he wanted me to know, he’d tell me.  He never did. 

And Kin.  He married Catrin, the arranged marriage.  They are happy.  He is very fond of her.  They have a son.  His name, Grayson. 

Kin has taken his court to a new level.  It’s still surrounded with various unethical happenings, but that’s just the way of it.

I studied Henry David Thoreau sophomore year and would have never thought his words would describe something so dear to me.  “There is no odor so bad as that which arises from goodness tainted.”  The only puzzle piece in my life I never quite fit into a perfect place was Kin.  But as the words say better than I can admit—Kin was never goodness from the start, therefore, he was forever tainted.

I feel very blessed to have such great friends and to still be looked upon as this grand figure in the Fey history.  Of course, we are writing it as we go since our generation of the current court changed everything based off a page’s worth of words called a prophecy about little ole me.  And with a few centuries to go in my life, I will cherish every second of it.

We’ll come seek you on one hallowed eve (Fey winter solstice)

When grace upon you is in full bloom (Grace, the half Fey, half human)

A queen emerges among us all (both courts involved- now know means Grace is a daughter of both courts.  mom Seelie  dad Unseelie)

To take us into a peaceful rule (solve two court’s long disputes against each other)

A prince will name her to his own (one of three- who?)

Guard her well from friend or foe (current queen designated Ian got this role)

Come seek us at the pass (when the queen claims who she chooses)

Otherwise, you shall not last. (all will perish if she doesn’t)

              To rule them all  (Grace)

              The courts anew (combine both courts)

              The feud’s dispute. (the long overdue feud between two courts)

              Odd man out ((Pike)

              Settles all (settles courts long dispute)

              He will renew (saves Grace in end)

              A Prince’s rule under burn (Kinsler)

              The summer (Grace – summer Firebearer)

              The winter (Kinsler- winter Firebearer)

              surpasses all! (all other Fey)

              The story’s told

              Of this I know

              The first son born

              Will bear the one

              She will be queen

              To rule them all

              The courts anew

              The feud’s dispute.

              Odd man out

              Settles all

              He will renew

              The summer

              The winter

              And all!

Cold

Warm

the fire burns on

unite the two

before it’s due

and the courts shall

be made anew.

Here is an excerpt of Guardian, for which is the story of Deception retold by Ian’s point of view.  The book takes you back a hundred years to before Grace and what life was like for him.  You see what he wishes he could say to Grace, but never seems to find the right time or place or ability to let down his shield of hidden feelings that he’s held in for so long and never thought it manly enough to tell the one who matters most.  He couldn’t lose her, but he just didn’t know the eloquent ways of saying it the way she needed. 

We know in the end that Ian has her heart the same as she holds his.  How did that love develop and come to be, is the question.
 

Guardian

Fey Court Trilogy

Companion

Novel



by Cyndi Goodgame

“I’m leaving you man,” I told Pike.  He didn’t mind taking his sweet time.  I left anyway.  He’d catch up.

I arrived at the clearing near the old abandoned warehouse from thirty years ago that the humans had left decaying and covered now in poison ivy.  The dead oak tree beside it would deter any wayward humans in the other direction. Kinsler had long glammed the face of it to keep anyone from anointing our dungeon of play. 

I aimed for the nearest bird of choice.  Aiming my bow for the fun of it, I nailed the sucker dead shot to the neck.  I didn’t usually make it a sport to kill the animals of the forest, but after nearly a hundred years of boredom, a few birds would not be missed.

Alone.  I was tired of being alone.  That’s what brought three enemies together enough to agree to disagree and “hang out” as the humans say. I’d watched plenty of humans in my time.  They were arrogant, foolhardy idiots who lived among a hidden, fantasy world that they assumed didn’t exist and wasn’t nearly as glorious as they thought it to be from the stories they liked to tell.

“You missed,” the deeper than a drum voice sounded behind my back.  I ignored his attempt at sarcasm knowing I never missed. 

“Pike coming?” Kinsler asked sauntering up closer.

“Yeah, late,” I returned.  We never spoke in large sentences.  I favored reading, but long since gave it up for no one gave any conversation to it.   

“Here!” Pike’s voice rose above the trees.  We looked up to see his arrogant ass looking down the shaft of his arrow aimed at us.

“Dead!”

We both glanced at each other and shrugged.  We were all lethal to each other anyway you look at it.  We all had equal status.  Well, except Pike.  When his mother, the previous queen of the Seelie Fey court disappeared, her assumed death left a new queen, my mother.  He has since resented me.  In MORE ways than just that.

However, since the three of us have nothing in common but weapons in our hands that were meant to defend us against each other, we gave in to a truce to have
something to do
. I heard a human once call it “frenemies”.  We most definitely not friends.  More like “agreeable enemies”.

“The old place could be a perfect trap.  We have yet to put it to use.”  Kinsler always saw the possibilities.

“Or love nest.”  Pike was always focused on one thing.  Anything female and what it could gain him for pleasure alone.  His self-respect was non-existent.

Ignoring the promises made by their twisted minds, I walked around the building contemplating my own.  It could be anything.  Snaked between the two courts, it was a great meeting place for three of us.

“My father knows about it, but doesn’t seem very interested in its possibilities,” Kinsler offered.

That sparked my interest.  I aimed my glare at him unable to always hide the ill-tempered feelings towards him.  “What will he do about it?”  Meaning…any evil plotted plans.

He shrugged one shoulder and leaned on the Oak, “Don’t know. He might have mentioned housing slaves.”