Fates Entwined: Halven Rising

“Dark Fae?” Elena repeated. “You have black hair, while everyone else here is either blond or redheaded, or at the very least, a light brunette, but what do you mean, there’s another kingdom?”

Camille sat on the edge of her bed, her back straight. “It is difficult to survive in the Land of Ice. Few leave, and even fewer manage to find our land without perishing first. That is the reason we’ve remained separate from the rest of Tirnan.”

“But you’re here…” Reese stared at Camille, not understanding any of this.

“A few of us have left over the years, but there has been no way to communicate once we’ve gone. The kingdom is isolated, the land encased in minerals that block magic. We can’t reach out to our brothers and sisters back home without making the return trek, risking our lives again in the process. Those in the Land of Ice assume death to any who try to leave. It is the most logical conclusion.”

Reese had read something about the Land of Ice in the book Enid had given her, and she thought she remembered Amund saying he was from there. Which made Camille’s story all the more plausible—not that Reese had doubted her. “Why did you leave if the chances of survival were slim?”

“For the same reason Elena’s mother left her people. I was promised to a man I despised. My parents agreed for me to—breed with this man against my wishes. His wife wasn’t happy about the arrangement either, but he was powerful and could do as he pleased. He wanted a child, and his wife had not succeeded in providing him one.”

“They would have forced him on you?” Elena asked, her voice high. “My mother was a princess and had expectations put upon her. I don’t think they do that unless…”

Camille raised an eyebrow.

“Oh,” Elena said, looking surprised. “You’re…noble? Exactly how many noble Fae are there?”

“Not as many as you would think. There’s a reason you and I and the others battle for control of the kingdoms. It’s because we carry strong abilities and bloodlines—angel blood powerful enough to rule this land. In any case, I was young and foolish. Thousands of miles separated us from civilization, and there was almost no vegetation between the Land of Ice and here. I took the risk, but I barely survived the journey, even with my power to create portals.”

“You said civilization,” Elena said slowly. “The Land of Ice is uncivilized?”

“Compared to here? Yes. And the queen wanted me dead after her husband wished me for his concubine and broodmare.”

Reese snorted in disgust. “Are there any decent noblemen in Tirnan?”

Camille shrugged noncommittally, then peered at Elena. “Your mother was an exception.”

Camille had run away from someplace no one could get to or from, and she might or might not have an evil queen after her. Tirnan was intense.

“Are you safe?” Reese asked. “They aren’t coming after you, are they?”

Camille stood and looked out her window. A dirt berm surrounded the castle, protected by a moat. Different castle, same green forest beyond as New Kingdom, with tons of guards milling about. “Safe is subjective. I have been untouched for hundreds of years in Sunland, but that does not mean the queen has forgotten her husband’s infatuation. If there was a way for her to reach me and make good on her promise to have me killed, she would.”

“But you’re the only Dark Fae to survive the journey,” Reese pointed out.

Camille turned to her. “I am the only Dark Fae in any of the three Kingdoms, that I know of, though Amund said he was from the Land of Ice when we met with him in the tavern. It is possible there are others. Amund has the build and look of Dark Fae. If the rest of my people succeed in bridging the distance between our lands, they will attack, and not only me. The king was extremely ambitious. He dreamed of ruling all of Tirnan.”

“Jesus,” Reese muttered. “The royal Fae and their need for control. No one will be left once you guys are through duking it out.”

Camille tilted her head. “Quite possibly, though it’s in our blood to dominate—a side effect of being Fae.”

Elena threw up her hands. “Okay, well, we can’t worry about that right now. One major battle at a time.”

“Right.” Reese nodded. “And this one we’re planning against Portia… What exactly happens if we manage to capture her?”

Elena swallowed and twisted her hands together. “I’ve spoken to Derek about that. If we capture Portia and gain control of New Kingdom…Derek is willing to give up his claim to the throne.”

“What?” Reese blurted. Camille stared in surprise as well. “Derek talked about giving it up before, and now you’re supporting him. Why?”

“Hakon has been kind to Derek, but he doesn’t approve of him in charge,” Elena said. “He doesn’t want any blood of Osulf Niall’s running this land, and I can’t blame him after what Niall did to his family. At the same time, he doesn’t want to rule either—but he would support Keen.”

“Wise.” Camille nodded. “Hakon is a powerful influencer. Derek holds this land, but just barely. With Hakon’s support, a man could rule with little conflict.”

“Exactly,” Elena said. “If Derek agrees to cede the throne to Keen and Illa after their marriage, Hakon will get everyone behind our cause against Portia. Most of the soldiers already are, but it doesn’t hurt to have more.” At Reese’s look, Elena said, “It’s not so bad. Hakon believes Derek would make a great liaison between the kingdoms while we work out a truce. The goal is to bring New and Old Kingdom together.”

But that wasn’t what had Reese’s face turning to stone. “So there’s no hope of preventing the marriage? Between Keen and Illa? We’re attacking the night the wedding is to take place. If we leave early enough…”

Elena was silent as she glanced at Camille, then back to Reese. “I’m sorry,” she said. “Camille will start bringing soldiers to New Kingdom before the ceremony begins tomorrow night, but she’ll have her hands full with the numbers we need to battle Portia’s military. We can’t bring people over early, or the Presence Charm will announce their arrival too soon; Portia would know something was up. She expects several of us to come for the wedding, but not an army. And not hours before the wedding. By the time we’re ready to act, Keen and Illa will be married.”

Reese swallowed and nodded. She’d hoped, but… Yeah, hope was a silly thing. “You’ve forgotten one problem. Entrapping Portia and putting Keen in charge isn’t the solution. He swore an oath to protect her. If she’s alive, he has to fulfill his commitment to her.”

Elena’s mouth twisted. “That’s the weak link in the plan. And protection is ambiguous, don’t you agree? Would Portia be in danger if we placed her in comfort while locked away? We wondered how she managed to keep everyone in line. The second virus was her trump card. No one would have gone up against her with that hanging over their heads; they were all too terrified after witnessing the destruction the first virus caused. Without a threat of revolution, Portia didn’t need to enforce a stronger oath from her soldiers. Protection was more than enough.”

She looked between Reese and Camille. “We attack now before Portia has a chance to release the second virus. If the oath Keen made to Portia becomes a problem, preventing him from making decisions that would hurt her physically or mentally, Hakon has agreed to rule over Old Kingdom. Though he’d prefer not to.”

“You could kill Portia.” Reese shrugged. “Just a thought.”

Elena shook her head vehemently. “We’re not like her; we’re not murderers. Imprisonment and stripping her of her power will be punishment enough. The situation isn’t ideal, as your father hasn’t a taste for leadership. Osulf Niall destroyed any ounce of ambition Hakon once had on that front, but Hakon wants someone trustworthy in charge. He’s agreed to do what he must to keep peace between the lands. Apparently, other noblemen in Old Kingdom would never cooperate with Newlanders. They’re all too ambitious.”

Reese understood why Elena didn’t want to kill anyone. But she feared that leaving Portia alive was a bad idea. Still, Elena and Derek knew the politics of Tirnan better than she did. She trusted them.

“Then it’s settled,” Reese said. “We’ll get Portia out of power one way or another…and Keen and Illa will marry.”