Fates Entwined: Halven Rising

Reese waited in the room she’d been given. It was a simple space with stone walls, similar to the dungeon back at New Kingdom, but warmer and with a large, comfortable bed.

And this was one of the finer rooms in the castle.

A fireplace in the corner provided heat, and wooden chairs and a small table offered creature comforts. She’d already bathed—in a wooden tub. That was a new one. But whatever, she’d smelled Keen’s scent on her skin and it had been making her crazy. She’d washed it off with the soap the maid gave her. But the moment it was gone, she regretted it. What if she never saw him again—never smelled that cedar scent mixed with man, and a hint of metal from the weapons he never seemed to be without?

Reese paced her room, and darned if this didn’t feel like her time trapped in New Kingdom. She’d had a moment of doubt, when she considered doing as Elena asked and not taking the tea. The last thing she wanted was to make things harder for her friend. But this was bigger than the both of them. She couldn’t sit by and wait for things to happen. There were no guards outside her door, no one in this castle waiting to attack her the way they were in New Kingdom.

A knock sounded, and her maid entered the room. “Your food, miss.” The girl crossed quickly and set a tray of cheese, bread, and strange Tirnan fruit on the table.

Before they’d parted, Elena and Derek and the others had decided a quick meal and rest in their rooms was best for tonight. The Fae who’d never drunk the Ancient Allon tea were doing so this evening. They’d need rest, or so Elena and Camille had said. Even Fae needed to sleep and heal from the effects of the Ancient Allon.

The maid turned and clasped her hands in front of her, a mild but friendly smile on her face. “Is there anything else I can get you?”

“Yes. Tea from the Ancient Allon. I’ll be drinking it this evening as well.”

The girl’s gaze dipped down Reese’s body. “But miss, it is poison for one such as you.”

Elena had said the tea was deadly to humans and could cause death to Halven. But the belief was that Halven with royal blood survived. Derek and Elena had, and they’d benefited from the magical properties of the leaves.

Reese had been a prisoner and a victim in this land, and she was done. She wanted to be strong. She wanted to do more.

“I am of noble Fae descent. I can drink the tea without harm, but”—Reese stepped forward—“do not tell anyone, do you understand?”

“Miss, I cannot help you. I must do as my king commands.”

“And what were his commands?”

The girl studied her warily. “To provide the tea of the Ancient Allon to any warrior who requests it.”

“And I am a warrior.”

Reese was no dummy. She made sure her maid agreed not to tell anyone that she was taking the tea, by binding the girl with a promise. And now Reese lay on her bed, her stomach cramping, her head throbbing, wondering what the hell she’d done to herself.

She moaned and curled into the fetal position. It would be all right. Everything would be okay. She’d survive this. She had to. Because she wasn’t leaving this land until she helped her friends ensure their people would be safe from Portia. Reese couldn’t bring Elena’s mother back, but she could help her regain the right to protect her people. And she could make sure Keen wasn’t a slave to Portia, even if he was married to another.

A stab of pain shot through her midsection and she cried out. Her eyes teared up from the throbbing of her head. She leaned over the bed and expelled the contents of her stomach, too weak to get up and find a bowl.

She breathed shallowly, her hands tightening and curling after the loss of fluids. The room winked…and then faded entirely.

Reese heard shouts, a female voice—anxious, distraught…

Moments, or hours, later, she woke without opening her eyes to a warm pressure on her arm. And sensed terror from the person touching her.

“Sister, what have you done?”

Illa.

“What is the meaning of this? What has happened to my daughter?”

Radnor? And he, too, was frightened. She’d been sick after drinking the tea. So sick. She still felt like death.

Reese managed to blink. Radnor was staring down at her, a look of terror in his gaze.

He turned to a soldier behind him. “Get the castle alchemists.”

A few moments later, Reese woke to the prodding of a man in monk’s robes—except this man had golden hair, rosy lips, and he was beautiful, like all Fae. He placed a hand on Reese’s forehead.

“Well?” Radnor said.

“I cannot predict whether she will live or die. Only the leaves determine such things.”

“You imbecile!” Radnor shouted. “Heal her.”

The alchemist lifted Reese from behind with his strong arm, and she moaned, the movement making her head swim and throb simultaneously. He brought a bowl to her lips. “It isn’t much, but the broth of the sibel flower strengthens the blood.”

She tried to sip it, got some down, and then coughed nearly all of it back up.

Radnor gripped the bedpost, his eyes wide, an avalanche of emotion pouring off him. And then Ulric entered.

Along with Keen.

Despite her poor physical state, Reese’s heart managed a weak lurch.

And then she gagged and expelled the precious drops of liquid the alchemist had managed to get down her throat.

The alchemist handed her a cloth and helped her lie back. When she caught her breath and opened her eyes again, Keen was standing over her, looking angrier than she’d ever seen him. And then she passed out.

“Why would you give her the tea?” Keen shouted. Reese would know his voice anywhere.

Her stomach rioted, her head pounding so hard that when she opened her eyes she couldn’t see anything for several seconds. Her vision cleared—to Keen squaring off with Derek.

“She is small! What were you thinking?”

“I didn’t give it to her,” Derek bit out. “She suckered one of the maids into getting the tea. And Reese may be small, but she’s strong.”

Not small—five foot six, Reese would have said if she could.

Keen punched Derek in the face.

“Keen!” That was Elena.

Derek touched his bloody lip, then tackled Keen.

“Damn you both,” Elena shouted. “We don’t need this right now!”

Off to the side, Hakon pressed his fingers to his forehead and shook his head.

“Stop,” Reese said, so weakly she feared no one would hear her. “Please.”

Keen’s head whipped around. He rolled to his feet and strode over, his nostrils flaring. “Reese.” The word came out like a prayer, so soft and full of longing.

She closed her eyes, taking in the sound. Was there anything in the world more comforting?

“Don’t fight,” she whispered.

“No, little one. Not until you are better and I can punish you thoroughly.”

Her eyes were closed, but her mouth curled up at the edges. It was a hollow threat, and they both knew it.

Someone grabbed her hand, but it wasn’t Keen. Reese opened her eyes and found Illa at her side. Elena stood in the background, biting her thumb, worry rolling off her as Derek wrapped his arm around her shoulders, his bloody lip nearly healed.

Illa brought a bowl forward. “Sister, please drink more of the alchemist’s broth.”

Reese tried to sit up, and this time it was Ulric who helped her. She sipped the broth and twisted her mouth away from the bowl when she couldn’t get any more down.

Ulric set the broth on the nightstand and went to stand behind Illa. He placed a hand on her shoulder, and Illa absently reached for it.

Reese’s brow furrowed. “Shouldn’t you be holding Keen’s hand?”

Shame and confusion tossed around inside Illa. Her hand fell to her lap.

Ulric shot a glare at Keen, irritation and jealousy cutting through him.

Being ill made the emotion storm around her more nauseating. She was too weak to block it.

Keen didn’t seem aware of the tension coming off Illa and Ulric, or he just didn’t care. He was staring at Reese with utter mortification, his chest heaving.

“Everyone out.” His tone was deadly calm.

“But—” Elena started.

“Now!”

They left the room one by one, except for Hakon, who lingered near the door. “You will let me know if…”

“She will be fine,” Keen said over his shoulder. “But if… I will let you know.”

Hakon closed the door behind him.

Keen moved closer and gently set his large arm over her chest, cradling the side of her face. “You cannot die, little one.”

Stubborn man. As if she had a say in these things.

She turned into his warm palm and swallowed the ball that had knotted in the back of her throat. “I don’t plan to. Strong…”

“Yes.” His voice was strangled. “You are strong. Remember, it is I who am weak when it comes to you. You must not leave me.”

“You…left me.”

“Never. I’ll never leave you.”

She shook her head. “They won’t let us be together.” Her forehead scrunched. “Not sure who they are…maybe the universe. We’re not meant to be together.”

He pressed his hand to her chest above her heart. “We are together in here,” he said softly, and touched his forehead to hers.

Warmth spread through Reese’s body, and the pounding in her head eased slightly. She breathed deeply and fell asleep.