Reign of Ice (Forever Fae #4)(12)
“Good evening all honored guests and friends. Tonight we celebrate my youngest daughter’s twenty-first birthday along with her guardian ceremony. I wanted to thank you all for coming and to also wish our warriors the best of luck. Afterwards, we will have an amazing celebration to honor both Ariella and her guardian.”
My father raised his arms toward the warriors and motioned for them to get in position. The only person I knew in the crowd was Kamden because his armor was different from everyone else’s. It was a good thing, because now I would be able to spot him in the fray.
The warriors took up their stances; their swords poised in the air and their muscles ready. My father’s booming voice echoed across the room, “Warriors, you may begin!”
THE SOUND OF metal clanging and clashing against each other was piercingly loud as the warriors fought. There were so many good fighters and I was beginning to recognize some of them by their movements. I trained with these men so I knew how our techniques worked and what our style was, especially those I fought with on a regular basis. As I searched through the crowd, hoping that I would find Brayden, there was something inside me that told me he was there … somewhere. I could feel the pull on my soul like I did every time he was near.
“Father?” I whispered, tilting my head in his direction. “Have you seen Prince Brayden? Is he here? I can feel him, but I don’t see him out in the crowd.”
“He probably just arrived and hasn’t made it in here yet,” he said quietly. “I’m sure you will see him later, little one. I know things are hard between you two, but it will all work out. Just have faith in your heart.”
My mother scoffed and leaned forward so she could see past my father to me. “Of course things are hard after what he did,” she said, looking from me to my father. “He deserves every ounce of wrath you can give him after he left you in the Spring Court the way he did. He’s just a typical Winter Fae.”
My father whirled on her and hissed, “That’s enough, Tatiana. Our daughter has been through a lot over the past couple of days and she can make her own decisions concerning the matters of her heart. The young man deserves a chance to prove that he is worthy.”
“He has a lot of proving to do if that’s the case,” I mumbled to myself.
Over time, the amount of warriors on the floor started diminishing rapidly as more and more of them became injured. The fighting had been brutal with many limping away and bleeding, but there were still four fighters going strong, Kamden being one of them. Once the wounded warriors took off their helmets, I was shocked to see Riddik as one of them. He happened to be the same warrior I used my wind magic on six years ago when I blew him across the Summer Court because he refused to be my date to Calista’s guardian ceremony. That incident earned me a night of solitude in my room while everyone else enjoyed the party. Lowering my head, I couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across my face at the thought. It was amazing how much things had changed since then, especially me.
By the time my gaze found the warriors again, there were only two left. Kamden and one of my Summer warriors. They mirrored each other exactly, their swords drawn and angled perfectly in the striking position. I edged closer in my seat to get a better look, but the Summer warrior’s back was to me so I couldn’t get a glimpse of who he was.
The more I watched them fight, the more confused I became. I had never seen two fighters move with the same grace and efficiency and block each other as if they knew their next steps. We didn’t fight like that in the Summer Court at all. It was almost like …
“Oh, no,” I groaned quietly, placing a hand over my mouth. It couldn’t be, could it?
Frozen, I watched as Kamden’s moves slowly began to falter and grow tired, weary. When the other warrior knocked him on his knees and kicked his sword away, I saw the defeat in Kamden’s eyes and I knew it was over. He lost.
The Summer warrior backed up and sheathed his sword before turning around and strolling up to the dais; his walk and stance very familiar. My father immediately stood and clapped his hands; the whole room exploded into applause. My guardian had been chosen.
“Well done, warrior,” my father announced. The warrior bowed his head, but made no move to take off his helmet. My heart was pounding out of control, and it wasn’t going to stop until I saw the face of my guardian. I had to see him with my own eyes, because my soul was screaming at me it could only be one person, except that couldn’t be possible. There was no way it could be him.
Standing from my chair, I started to take a step forward to approach the warrior, but my father’s large hand grasped my elbow, halting me in place. “Wait,” he insisted quickly.
Before I could protest, his voice rose above the crowd, but the grip he had on my arm was one I knew very well; it was the same one he would use on me as a child when he wanted me to stay quiet. It wasn’t until his next words that I understood why he didn’t want me to make a scene.
“Due to the intimate circumstances of the Blood Ritual, it has been decided that it will be done in private this time. I know it hasn’t been done like this in the past, but I must respect these wishes. If you would, I ask that you please enjoy all the food and wine to your heart’s content while Ariella and her guardian take a short intermission. We have much to celebrate when they return.”
My father nodded to the warrior and he slowly retreated out of the room, and out the door. Gritting my teeth and trying to keep my calm, I hissed quietly, “Father, let me go. I have to know who he is if I am to be bound to him. Why do we have to do the Blood Ritual in private?”