Fates Entwined: Halven Rising

She bit him—actually bit his lip. And then her impertinent tongue darted out and swiped lightly across the flesh of his bottom lip before she released him.

Reese’s floral scent, which didn’t come from any bottle, filled his nose. Her soft curves pressed to his hard chest, and he stared into stunning green eyes filled with laughter and fire. Keen’s body shook, his chest rising and falling.

Placing a hand on her small waist, he eased her to the ground and backed away, distancing himself.

Keen wasn’t afraid of the tiny human. He was a deadly warrior and he would fight this—whatever this was—as if it were the most dangerous battle of his life.

He scrubbed a hand down his face, watching her warily.

Then his head snapped to the side. Illa was coming; he could hear her thoughts as she searched the corridor.

Is it right or left? This palace is too large by half. Leave it to the Newlanders to build a castle the size of a small city. Great Zadkiel, is that a tear in my hem? I’m going to kill Keen once I find him for making me search this blighted palace.

In two seconds, Illa would be upon them.

Keen took several more steps back, right as Illa rounded the corner.

“There you are.” She looked relieved as she glanced between Keen and Reese, but it didn’t last. A fine vee formed between her light brown eyebrows as she stared questioningly at Keen. “Portia is looking for you. You must return.”

He nodded. “Just as soon as I escort Reese to her room.”

Illa glanced once more at Reese, but nodded with a smile before walking off.

Keen grabbed Reese’s arm lightly. She would not escape this time. She would not touch him again with her mouth… His body shook just from remembering it.

“Keen—” Reese started.

“Do not speak.”

“Oh, good Lord. You’re not going to be an ass over this, are you?”

“I thought I asked you not to speak.”

“You told me, and I chose to ignore it.”

“I also told you not to touch me.”

She stared at his hand on her arm, and he dropped it. “You still doing the double-standard thing?”

He made a frustrated sound, but she was correct. He’d touched, held, warmed her with his body. But those were things he’d controlled. For the most part. He hadn’t anticipated falling asleep and waking to her nearly naked body pressed to his. That had been the best and worst morning of his life.

The girl was a menace to his peace of mind. “I won’t promise not to touch you. There may be times when I need to in order to protect you.”

She pursed her pretty lips. “Fair enough. Then I retain the right to touch you when I need to show you with my fist, or my mouth, when you’re being a stubborn ass.”

“Reese—” His voice came out gutturally, with a fine edge, before she cut him off.

“Don’t give me any crap. You’re hiding a lot inside that pretty Fae head of yours. No one beats a guy nearly to death for getting handsy.”

Her mouth was turned down in a frown. She didn’t seem to expect him to respond, and he had no intention of doing so. Nothing he felt was relevant. He was here to do his duty. One decision—one major decision—had him promising something that could be construed as not his duty.

He’d pledged himself to Portia in order to protect Reese.

Keen hadn’t decided if that choice had been driven by his loyalty to Emain and the task to return Reese home, or something else. He couldn’t take Reese home immediately, so he’d stayed to keep her safe. But pledging himself to Portia… He wasn’t even certain the leaders of Emain would have asked that of him.

Keen stopped in front of the door to Reese’s room. Ulric had returned and was standing there with another guard. “Are you capable of making certain she does not slip out this time?” he asked dryly.

“Yes, sir,” Ulric murmured. “Won’t happen again.”

Reese pushed her way into the room. “This won’t work, you know.” She tossed her shoes on the floor, which Keen belatedly realized she’d been holding the entire way back.

He searched the room, looking in the wardrobe and a few other nooks to ensure all was well. “What won’t work?”

“Holding me here. Assuming I’ll sit by and be your patient damsel in distress. I know you’re trying to help me, and I do appreciate it. You saved my life…” She closed her eyes briefly. “But I’m not that girl. I may have grown up with money and privilege, but my parents weren’t… Well, let’s just say I’ve had to fight to keep my head above water amongst a bunch of vultures. I don’t know how to sit by and do nothing.”

“I cannot allow harm to come to you,” he said, his voice firmer than he’d intended.

“I understand, I just—Teach me how to use a sword. You said you would, and you’re right. I need to know.” She smiled lightly. “Did you hear that? I just admitted that you were right. Relish it, because it won’t happen again.”

His mouth twitched. “I will show you how to use weapons, on the condition that you will only use them if your life is in danger.”

She nodded eagerly, and his chest warmed.

Lord save him from pretty females who enjoyed a good fight. Reese would be his downfall.

Keen returned to the ball and discovered that the brune was working its magic. Bodies were closer together in dance, some couples paired off in corners, and the volume of laughter was louder. All the while, Portia oversaw the proceedings from her throne at the front of the room, a scowl on her face.

He thought again how simple it would be to best her if he could read her thoughts. But she blocked him while others never learned how. She was clever that way—clever in many ways. If only she’d put it to good use instead of evil.

While Portia reigned over the room from the dais, Illa mingled with Newlander courtiers off to the side.

Her presence this evening had been a surprise. Not an unwelcome one, aside from the proposed engagement, to which Keen had no intention of agreeing. However, he remembered Illa with fondness, and he feared Portia’s twisted machinations and plans for Radnor’s Fae daughter.

Illa caught sight of Keen and whispered something to the courtiers before slipping away to join him.

“She is waiting,” Illa said, her back to the throne.

Keen nodded, and the queen watched as he made his way to the dais.

Portia’s gaze flickered around the room. “It’s time to put your fealty to the test. Theda lives.”

She studied him. Gauging his reaction?

He gave her none.

“She reached out to me, attempting to use our history together to bring peace. But she wants my kingdom.” Portia snorted and smoothed her skirts. “Never.” She watched him. “Theda will attack, but does she have the military power to back her? What condition is Emain in after the skirmish with my men?”

Keen rattled off numbers of soldiers in Emain. Meanwhile, he pondered his dilemma. He was beholden to Portia after his declaration this evening. But to go against the soldiers he’d fought and trained with in Emain for decades would not be pleasant.

“What of the abilities in Emain among those who remain?” Portia asked. “They have the Halven, Elena. Should have destroyed that child when we found her.” Portia shook her head. “I wasn’t in the right position at the time, but mark my words, I will not make the same mistake twice. She wouldn’t have her powers if she hadn’t come to our realm. Does she still pose a threat to us?”

Elena was always powerful. The Ancient Allon tea she’d drunk in Tirnan had simply made her more so, but Keen didn’t feel it prudent to point that out.

“Elena can manipulate natural elements into anything, as long as she understands its design.”

Portia glanced at Marlon. A muscle in his jaw twitched. The male Halven was never far from Portia’s side, yet he wasn’t treated as an equal. It was a most unusual alliance. And Beatrice was nowhere in sight, likely implementing some other deadly scheme of Portia’s.

“If Theda’s Halven shows herself, we will be prepared. As for the rest, we can hold our kingdom—with your leadership of the soldiers, of course,” Portia said. “However, to be safe, it wouldn’t hurt to appeal to Old Kingdom for assistance.”

Keen’s brow furrowed. “Old Kingdom?”

Portia smiled. “You didn’t think I’d let go of our homeland, did you? Rest assured, our precious Old Kingdom will be mine once more, as it was intended before that madman Niall took over. The only good to come from Derek O’Brien’s devotion to Elena was his following her into Tirnan and putting an end to Niall’s rule. And now I’ve formed a deal with Hakon Radnor, the next in line to the throne.” Portia smiled across the ballroom at Illa standing in the corner with a group of courtiers. “He and his daughter will help complete the alliance.”

“What alliance?” But Keen feared he already knew.

Portia’s eyes widened, as though Keen were dense. “Between you and his daughter. You will marry Illa and help rule Old Kingdom—on my behalf, of course. I cannot be in two places at once, now can I? I need someone to gain the Oldlanders’ acceptance of me as their rightful queen.”