Reign of Ice (Forever Fae #4)(14)

“What do you think I should do?” I asked nervously. “What do you think will happen?”

Elvena shrugged. “I’m not sure, Princess, but if what I think might happen happens then it could be the key to saving our land.”

“How so?” I asked, wide-eyed.

She smiled and took my hand, turning my palm up. “When you and Brayden join hands, blood to blood, your essence will mingle with his. His blood will flow through your body and it’ll no longer be purely Summer … but Winter. Do you understand what I’m saying, child? Do you realize what this could mean for us?”

Slowly, I nodded as everything became clear. Could it really all be that simple? With Brayden’s blood intertwined with mine I would complete the circle and Durin could forge the weapon we needed to defeat the dark sorcerer. I wouldn’t have to complete the marriage bond with Brayden to save our land just like we first thought.

The only problem was that I would be consenting to a bond that was just as deep as the marriage bond. Brayden would be able to feel and hear my thoughts unless I purposefully shielded them. It wasn’t going to be easy, especially with what I already knew my future was going to entail. Keeping that from him was going to be hard, but I had no choice, not if this was the key to saving our land. If bonding with him right now would ensure everyone’s survival then I was going to do it.

Lifting a brow, I crossed my arms over my chest and said, “You do realize how hard this is going to be for me to be bonded with him right now, don’t you? We don’t exactly have the best relationship. I might end up killing him before we can even complete the bond.”

Elvena giggled and patted me on the cheek. “I highly doubt that. Even though you two are at odds right now, he is still the one for you. Who knows, this might be what you both need. Now go in there and claim your guardian, child.”

She looked back at me once and winked before turning the corner and heading out of sight. I walked slowly to the door to my father’s study and paused, placing my hand on the handle.

Taking a deep breath, I opened the door. Once I was inside, I slammed it shut behind me. I couldn’t back down now, but the moment he came into vision, my knees almost buckled at the sight before me. It was not what I expected to see.

Brayden stood there, not in his armor, but in a simple black button down shirt and dark denim jeans. I just realized I had never seen him in plain clothes, and for once he almost looked normal. My heart raced just staring at him and I almost forgot why I was standing there. As he moved closer, I had nowhere to go but toward the door. I moved back until I could move no further. His lips tilted up in the corner as he gazed down at my mouth and then into my blue eyes.

“Are you ready to face me yet?” he asked.

I stood up straighter and pushed off the door thinking he’d step back, but he didn’t. All it did was put me flush with his body where I couldn’t help but breathe him in. However, I wasn’t going to let it distract me. Smirking, I replied, “I think the real question here is if you are ready to face me. I guess we’ll see, won’t we?”





“WHEN DID YOU realize it was me?” Brayden asked. He was so close I could smell his Winter scent and feel the coldness of his skin through my dress. It sent chills down my body, and made more than my skin shudder at the close contact.

I shrugged my shoulders. “I didn’t realize it was you until the very end. I could feel you near, but with you dressed in the Summer armor I didn’t think it could possibly be you. I have to say, it was the first time I’ve been tricked by someone. Whose idea was it to dress you in the Summer armor?” I asked. “I figured someone like you would have despised giving up the Winter crest during a fight.”

He licked his lips and sighed. “It wasn’t easy, Princess, but it was something I had to do. Pride and loyalty to my court has always been my top priority.” He paused and took a deep breath, closing his eyes with his next words. “If you must know, Ariella, I did it all for you.”

“Why, Brayden? Why did you do it for me?” I challenged. Pushing away from the door and from him, I went to stand in front of my father’s desk, crossing my arms over my chest. We stared at each other for what felt like an eternity. When he didn’t respond, I opened my arms wide and gazed around the empty room. Exasperated, I snapped, “There’s no one in here for you to be embarrassed about hearing you. What is so hard about answering a simple question?”

“It’s because it is not a simple question,” he retorted. “Nothing about you is simple, Ariella. You’re very … complicated.”

I scoffed. “I’m complicated? What about you? Why do you even bother with me if I’m so complicated? You could easily go back to your Winter Court and have uncomplicated relationships with whoever you fill your bed with.”

Brayden groaned and ran his hands over his face. It was the first real emotion I’d seen from him and with it I saw the fire … literally. His ability was for fire and his hands blazed with it. He stalked toward me with nothing but heat in his gaze until I backed up against the desk; it made me tremble, and for the first time ever being around him I saw the spark.

“First off, Princess, I may be complicated but I’m not the type of man to spill out my feelings like a damn female, especially in front of others. And about the women you speak of, I haven’t indulged in a woman’s touch since before I met you at the Winter palace. I know I walked away from you after the vision and I apologized for that. It was a mistake on my part and I asked for your forgiveness. I did what I did tonight to win back your trust and mend what I had broken.”