Betrayals of Spring (6 page)

The creatures all flock to me when I go
through the Mystical Forest, and needless to say, they do so today. The sprites
of the forest are flying everywhere, sitting on my shoulders, playing with my
braid, tickling my back, and flying all around me. I’m reminded of Snow White
and how the animals followed her around and helped her do things. I guess I’m
the faerie version of her. I actually do have three rambunctious sprites that
help me with my gardening back in the Summer Court. They have agreed to do my
gardening while I’m away and have been doing so for a lot longer than that. I
hope someday my heart will find the joy in gardening like it used to. I look
around at all the little furry animals milling about and following us, and I
give them all a warm smile. Once I acknowledge them, they head out on their
way.

We ride for a few minutes more and I
begin to feel the wind changing course. The breeze is no longer the warm breeze
of the Summer, but the crisp and cool breeze of the Fall. The trees up ahead
are changing colors so I know we are close to passing through my sister’s
court. I’m pretty sure Calista and Ryder have left already to head to the
Winter Court. Calista used to visit me a lot by using Nixie to port travel.
Nixie helped save my sister in the Black Forest and she also has the ability to
port travel anywhere in the Land of the Fae in a matter of seconds. The dark
sorcerer held her captive until Calista came along and promised to keep Nixie
and her family safe in return for her help. Nixie and her family live out in
one of the forests here in the Fall Court, and from what I hear, they are
enjoying it greatly.

The color of the leaves is so beautiful,
and I can see why Calista fell in love with Fall. The leaves are swirling and
dancing in the wind while the cool breeze caresses my hot Summer skin. I feel
like I belong with the cooler air, but the Fall is not where I belong. I’ve
grown apart from the Summer Court, and I ache to find my place in our realm.
Even though I have my family and friends, sometimes the loneliness takes over,
and it feels like I am drowning in it.

“I don’t like where your thoughts are
right now, Meliantha.”

I jerk my head to look at Ashur and I
give him a dark look. I don’t need him searching through my mind right now,
especially when my thoughts are going to be harder to shield once we make it to
the Winter Court. His eyes hold concern, but that doesn’t stop me from snapping
at him.

“I’m fine Ashur. My thoughts are my own
and I would greatly appreciate it if you would mind your own business and stay
out of my head.”

He nods, but the concern is still there.

“Very well, Princess. I’m sorry to have
distressed you, but we’re almost to the Winter Court. Would you like your coat?
It’s going to be a lot colder there than you are used to.”

My head aches from stressing about this
trip and I close my eyes hoping it’ll ease off. I’m sure the bitter freeze of
the Winter wind is going to feel like nails biting into my skin, but I shake my
head, refusing the offer. I feel bad for snapping at him so angrily, but I’m
confused and terrified about what lies ahead when we reach our destination.
With him butting in, it didn’t help matters.

“I’m sorry, Ashur, for snapping at you.
I’m just a little tense right now. Thank you for offering my coat, but I will
decline.”

He gives me an amused expression and
shakes his head, probably from me not wanting my coat. If the warriors can
stand the bitter cold without protection, then I can. His eyes lock on
something straight ahead and I turn to look at what he’s staring at. Up ahead,
the distinction between the Fall Court and the Winter Court is apparent. It’s
amazing how things change from mild to extreme. The dividing line between the
courts is clear. On one side, the green grass and the colorful leaves of the
trees are present. The sky is still blue with a mixture of clouds. On the other
side, there are thick snow clouds and the snow is cascading down in abundance. I
can already see from here that the land is beautifully covered in white powdery
snow. It sparkles and glistens like diamonds. We are almost to the dividing
line when the temperature starts to change. A shiver rolls down my spine and my
traitorous mind says that maybe I should rethink putting on my coat. No, I
chastise myself. I can’t look weak.

My teeth are silently chattering and my
hands begin to shake from gripping the reigns so tightly. I close my eyes from
the chill of the wind because it’s starting to make them water and burn. As
soon as I open them, the Winter Palace comes into view. My throat tightens and
I struggle to swallow. This is going to be a test for me, a test to see how
strong I am. I take a deep breath and with determination, I steady my gaze at
the palace. I will pass the test, and I will come out on top.

The meeting with my family and the
warriors went as well as could be expected. Safety was discussed and it was
decided where our guests will be staying for the night. I’m now in my bedroom
looking in anticipation at the cottage next to my cabin on the right. I was
told Meliantha and her guests will be staying in that cottage for their visit.
Excitement and dread both spiked in my gut when I heard they assigned her to
that lodging. I want to see her, but I fear of what I’m going to see. Ryder has
his log cabin beside mine on the left, and he and Calista will be staying there
with little Merrick when they arrive. These three houses are the only ones on
the eastern side of the palace. Everyone else will be staying in other places
scattered around the Winter grounds.

Being so close to Meliantha is going to
kill me. I felt the connection we had years ago and I thought she did, too, but
she denied me when I went to visit her. I had planned to tell her how I felt
and to possibly see if I was the one to complete her, but the door was slammed
in my face. I am hoping to get the chance to talk to her tonight to see what I
did wrong. Being rejected by her devastated me. She’s probably not going to
want anything to do with me now once she finds out I am to marry another.

I look out the window and the fountain
across the way is frozen. I send out my power to melt the water to get it
flowing again. It would be nice to see running water around here instead of
ice, and to also see some color scattered about like the flowers in the Summer
Court. I’m starting to get tired of seeing nothing but white. I hear my front
door opening and closing, and the sound of light steps running up the stairs.

“Uncle Kalen!”

My thoughts of Meliantha and a different
land are thrust out of my mind when the high-pitched childlike voice of my
nephew screams my name. Hearing him brings a much needed smile to my face. He
bursts through my door and runs straight for my arms squealing and laughing the
whole way. I laugh and scoop him up to twirl him around the room.

“Hey, little man, how is my favorite
nephew doing?” I laugh.

I look over at the door as Ryder and
Calista enter the room with smiles on their faces. They look so happy together.
A spark of jealousy ignites in my gut, but I try to swallow it down. I envy
their happiness; I want it for myself, also. I often dream of what my children
will look like and every time they come out looking just like Meliantha with
her silky, auburn red hair and amethyst eyes.

I hug Merrick one last time before I set
him down. “I saw puppy, Kalen, I saw puppy,” he shrieks excitedly.

He must be talking about Accalia. She’s
the pup of Aki and Larentia and they are part of my pack of white wolves. They
consider me to be their alpha, so I make sure to spend a good deal of time with
them. I remember speaking to Meliantha about them and how interested she was in
learning more since one of her magical abilities is with animals. I was looking
forward to having her meet my wolves.

Ryder walks over, scoops Merrick in his
arms, and grins.

“I told you, son, that they’re wolves…
not puppies.”

Merrick shakes his head and shrieks
again, “Puppies!”

Ryder looks to me and whispers loudly,
“He gets his stubbornness from his mother.”

He bellows out a laugh and Calista walks
over to smack him across the head. Calista wraps me in her arms and whispers,
“Your brother has no clue what he’s talking about.” She releases me from the
hug and winks at me. It feels good having my brother back here. I didn’t
realize how much I would miss him after he left.

“I’m so glad you all could make it. Have
you settled in already?” I ask.

“Elvena is here, and she’s getting our
stuff unpacked. She’s going to watch little Merrick tonight while we attend the
ball,” Calista answers.

Ryder walks over with Merrick in his
arms and claps me on the shoulder.

“Congratulations on the engagement,
brother,” he announces. “You know, Calista and I both thought you and Meliantha
would have hit it off by now. You seemed really interested in each other at our
wedding.”

I couldn’t stop my smile from fading. A
sense of longing rumbles in my gut and the hole that’s been placed in my heart
from before has just grown bigger. I shrug my shoulders slowly. and I look at
Calista when I speak.

“I don’t know what happened. I felt the
connection the moment I saw her and I instantly fell for her. I went to visit
her not long after your wedding to pursue her, but she denied me and told me
never to come back.”

Calista’s eyes go wide and she places
her hand over her chest. She’s obviously shocked.

She shakes her head in disbelief and
cries, “I wonder why she didn’t tell me. I had no clue you went to see her.”
She looks away and whispers to herself, “Why wouldn’t she tell me?”