Betrayals of Spring (Forever Fae #2)(10)
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?”
Ryder places his hand on her shoulder and squeezes. “I don’t know why she wouldn’t tell you, love. Maybe you should ask her.”
She nods her head and then turns to me with worried eyes. She hesitates before speaking. “There is something else you should know, Kalen,” she warns. “Meliantha isn’t the same anymore. She’s not the same tender-hearted and shy girl that you knew years ago. I don’t know what happened to her, but she isn’t like that anymore.” She looks down to fidget with her hands, and if Calista is fidgeting then that means the situation is serious and she’s truly worried. A feeling of dread settles in the pit of my stomach. It’s been five years now, and I can only imagine what all has changed.