Fates Divided: Halven Rising

A low chuckle rumbled from the lead guard. “You jest, filthy Halven.” He held his mouth in a tight smile, but uncertainty crossed his eyes.

“I’m not lying,” Derek managed to get out. “The king—he’s my father.”

One by one the Fae’s subordinates inched closer and studied Derek. Silence filled the room.

“I’ll notify his majesty,” one of the soldiers said, and separated from the rest.

The leader grunted. His gaze slid to Elena and his mouth quirked at the corner. “This one is mine.”

Derek ground his teeth. “Lay a hand on her”—his breaths came in quick, jerky bursts; the itch of his flesh healing offered hope he might actually survive the bullet wounds—“and I’ll snap it off.”

Elena caught his eye and frantically shook her head.

Before any of the guards could react to Derek’s threat, the men parted and a tall, commanding Fae about the same physical age as his adoptive father came forward. The man must have been following the commotion from someplace nearby to arrive so quickly.

Derek sucked in a breath. The Fae leader’s hair was long, hitting the top of his shoulders in thick blond waves with streaks of gray. His eyes glowed a striking bottle green. The eyes and hair weren’t like Derek’s at all, but the face… Derek never thought he’d meet anyone he resembled, but this man looked like him. Or rather, Derek looked like Niall.

Osulf Niall sent a cursory glance toward Elena, then studied Derek for several minutes. “If I didn’t know it by your appearance, the power my guards say you yield confirms it.”

Niall flicked his fingers and two guards stepped forward.

“My son, how unusual that after all my years of searching, you have come to me. We will discuss your future in my chambers.” He strode away without glancing back.

The two guards grabbed Derek under his arms and dragged him behind their leader.

“No!” Derek shouted. “I won’t leave without Elena.”

Niall halted on the massive planked staircase, casting back a calculating look. “As you wish. I will allow you this boon.” He scanned his men. “No harm comes to the girl within the walls of my castle.” His gaze returned to Derek. “And you will give me something in return.”

Derek kept a watchful eye on Elena as they entered the king’s apartment, similar in size to the one Theda occupied in her castle. There the similarities ended.

Niall’s rooms were not rich and opulently decorated. Instead, woven rugs covered the floors and large tapestries decorated the walls. Nothing in the rooms spoke of luxury.

“How did your guards take away our powers?” Derek asked.

They hadn’t much time. The more information they gathered, the better their chances. And right now, Derek had Niall’s attention.

Niall approached a carved wooden chair set on a dais and sank down, one leg outstretched. “A null gun. Clever device. We do not eschew all modern technologies. Of course, this one is composed primarily of magic, which makes it as ancient as time.”

“How long do the effects last?”

His father smiled mockingly. “You may be my son, but I will not disclose all our secrets.”

Derek’s face burned with rage. Niall’s men had disarmed him and Elena in minutes. He couldn’t let it happen again. He wouldn’t.

Niall laughed. “Such passion—I see it on your face. You’re just like your mother. She had beautiful blue eyes and golden skin. Her beauty and passion drew me to her, but that was a mistake. I underestimated her determination to protect you. It was unfortunate she took her own life to prevent me from finding her and encouraging her to tell me where she had hidden you.” Niall shook his head. “Such a waste. You lost your mother and I was denied my son. I learned to select biddable females after that.”

His real mother was dead?

And this man had driven her to take her own life.

Derek’s head pounded from the force of the blood pumping through his system. His mother had saved him, not abandoned him. Just as Elena’s mother had saved her. Or tried to.

Niall glanced at Elena. “You would do well to learn from my mistakes, son. This female—the Newlander, whose elemental magic I sense—will only cause you grief and frustration. She has too much spirit and bad blood. No good can come from such a union. You have strong mental powers. We must keep the bloodline pure and cleanse it of your mother’s dilution.”

“I don’t need relationship advice, Father. And Elena’s bad blood is the only thing standing between you and certain death.”

Niall’s jaw twitched in agitation. “Oh? And why is that?”

“Because without her abilities, you’ll die from the disease. Or have the Fae collapsing around you escaped your notice?”

Niall lurched forward in his chair, anger—maybe hatred—contorting his features. “Watch your mouth,” he growled. “I will not hesitate to smite it from your face.”

“So much for unconditional love,” Derek muttered sardonically.

“Stop, Derek,” Elena pleaded. She peered up at Niall. “What he says is true. We are risking our lives to save your people. We want to help.”

Niall eased back. He rubbed his thumb along the armrest. “And why would you do this?”

“I have an ability Fae in Emain believe can save your people from the virus—and my mother along with them.”

She left out the part about Leo and Portia threatening Elena’s human family, but Derek wasn’t so certain Leo meant to follow through on that. It could have been all Portia’s idea, and she’d left Emain to spread her hatred in Tirnan.

Now that Derek knew Portia’s true purpose, he doubted she ever believed Elena would find a cure. Had probably banked on her not finding one and had only used Elena as a convenient distraction for her real goal—to take over Tirnan with the virus as her weapon.

Niall studied Elena. “Interesting arrangement. I’ll need to confirm your story.”

“It’s the truth,” Derek interrupted. “And there’s no time to confirm it. Even if Emain Fae allowed you through the portal—which they would not—most of your kingdom is exposed to the virus, or will be by the end of the week. If I were you, I wouldn’t risk my life to confirm something Elena can prove in a matter of minutes.”

“You are not me,” Niall boomed. A warning. “However, I am willing to see this proof.”

“Then I ask again, how long do the effects of the null gun last? Elena will need her powers.”

“They’ve returned by now.” He paused and nodded to one of the guards. “If she attempts to harm me in any way, shoot her through the temple.”

Derek’s heart raced as the guard aimed his crossbow. Elena wouldn’t harm Niall, so there was no risk of the guard shooting her for that, but the Fae’s finger could slip. Anything could happen.

Niall gestured to Elena. “You may begin.”

She had her chin set in that stubborn way that usually meant all hell was about to break loose. Derek stretched his neck, the popping sound filling the silence. She had better not do something risky. He wasn’t certain they had any more luck left.

Elena breathed deeply and closed her eyes, her shoulders dropping as if relaxed. A faint wind whirled around the room, picking up speed.

She opened her eyes and the wind stopped, but the air in the room condensed. Droplets of water sprinkled on their heads from a charcoal cloud that had coalesced along the ceiling. The wind picked up again, and the pressure in the room shifted. A deafening crack boomed across the room, followed by a bright light that zipped past Derek’s shoulder.

The guard at Elena’s side shrieked like a little girl, his hand smoking where the bow had been.

Elena’s mouth twitched. “You are unharmed, your majesty.”

Derek shook his head, his ears ringing from the thunder. She was going to get them killed.

Niall’s face remained stoic. “Interesting. But manipulation of the elements will not cure the virus.”

“Which is why we’re here,” Derek said. “Elena only recently acquired her abilities. She hasn’t had time to fully develop them, and she won’t before the disease completes its spread. Unless you help us. Elena is descended from nobility, as you may have surmised, otherwise she wouldn’t have abilities. According to the Tertullian Codex, she can gain her full powers in Tirnan.”

Niall’s gaze narrowed. “I see. And what do Fae in Emain believe is her ultimate ability?”

“Transmutation. She’ll develop an antivirus to the disease.”

Niall was silent for several seconds. Derek’s palms were sweating, but he refused to look away. He had nothing to hide and he wouldn’t back down.

The king slowly tapped his finger on the armrest of his chair. “The secret for manifesting a Fae’s innate magic has been passed from one generation of nobility to the next.” He sat forward, his body going eerily still. “I will provide Elena with what she needs and tell her how to fully possess her powers—on two conditions. First, I want sole control of the antivirus. Second, you agree to remain in Tirnan. With me.”

Elena spun to him. “No.”

She had agreed to help the Emain Fae create a cure to the virus. In turn, they wouldn’t harm her family. There was no rule as to who controlled the cure.

Derek rubbed his jaw. Niall’s second condition was more complicated. He wasn’t sure why the Fae wanted him. Maybe for posterity; maybe to murder. It was a toss-up at this point. Derek wasn’t getting warm, fuzzy feelings from Daddy.

He looked at Elena, who seemed to be pleading with her eyes.

He didn’t know when it had happened—maybe subconsciously from the first moment he’d set eyes on her—but he’d do anything to keep her safe.

Elena turned abruptly to the king. “I won’t leave Derek behind,” she said, and Derek groaned.

She still had no sense of self-preservation. They’d have to work on that.

“Elena—” Derek began.

“You have no choice, my dear,” Niall answered. “Consider it the boon Derek promised in exchange for your protection within my castle. The first condition… Well, we both desire that, do we not? Develop a cure and fulfill your agreement with our people. I will make sure this Fae mother of yours survives the virus.”