As it was, he had made it clear that he couldn’t wait for her to leave Winterland, that she was nothing but a hindrance.
“You do not need to worry. My head and my heart are clear and I will fulfill my destiny.”
“I can only hope you find love at the end of the road, Solara.” She let out a small laugh. “The kind of love Garick gives to you is a miracle, Noele. I do not hold out hope that I will ever be loved like that.”
At that moment Roarke walked into the hall. Solara felt the heat cross her face. Despite her resolve to do her duty, she could not stop her body’s reaction to seeing him, nor could she keep from watching his progress. He nodded to them as he approached.
“Good morning, Roarke,” Noele said, gracing him with a smile.
His face lit up and he stopped, took Noele’s hand in his and pressed a light kiss against her knuckles.
“Good morning, my queen. I trust you slept well?”
“Very, thank you. What are you about today?”
“Shoring up the main gate, training of the guard, sharpening of swords. Typical daily duties. And you?”
“Seeing to the cooking, making sure the linens are changed in all the bedchambers, and tending to my garden, as always. May you have a pleasing day, Roarke.”
“You too, my queen.” He turned, then as if in afterthought, inclined his head slightly in Solara’s direction before leaving the hall.
She might as well have been invisible for all the attention he paid her. Turning away, she grabbed the dishes and began to slam them down on the tables.
“If you take your anger out on my dishes, I fear we will need to replace them.” Noele’s teasing voice did not help her disposition at all. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I am merely setting places at the table.”
“I think you are jealous of the attention Roarke pays me.”
“Jealous?” She whirled around to face her sister, only to find a teasing grin on Noele’s face.
“Aye. Jealous. Roarke pays only the appropriate amount of attention to me. We are friends. He is my guardian and my protector.”
He had also been her sister’s lover for one night. Granted, it was elvin custom that the king share his bride with his protector, but Solara would not soon forget that Noele had shared a part of Roarke that she never would.
Noele bent her head to Solara’s and whispered. “What happened with Roarke and I was required custom. One time, and nothing more. You know where my heart lies, sister.” Solara realized she hadn’t shut off her thoughts from Noele. She took her sister’s hands. “I meant nothing by my thoughts. I’m being foolish, ’tis all.” Noele motioned to a group of women just entering the hall, giving instructions for serving the food.
“Come walk with me to the gardens. The meal will not be served for a bit and I wish to speak alone with you.”
She followed Noele, nervous and anxious at what her sister had to say.
Noele had been right. She had no business going to Roarke’s room last night. What if something had happened? Something…compromising.
Of course for that to occur, Roarke would have had to be interested. Which, clearly, he was not. Since that night in the gardens he hadn’t touched her, hadn’t indicated he wanted her as he had then.
With a sigh she kneeled on the sun-warmed ground next to Noele, helping her tend to the flowers and herbs. And waited.
Noele contemplated what she would say to her sister about Roarke. She plucked at weeds while planning her words carefully.
She sighed, wondering if she should even broach the subject. If she delved deep, used her magic, and saw a destiny for Solara that she shouldn’t see, then what would she do?
And yet the sense that Solara’s fate lie down another path had wriggled its way into her mind since the day her sister had arrived at Winterland.
The feeling grew stronger when Solara and Roarke occupied the same room.
“The onions and cabbage are coming along nicely,” she murmured absently, pulling away weeds threatening to choke the new vegetables. “The herbs will be ready soon. I must remember to pick them.”
“What is on your mind, Noele?”
Placing the weeds on the warm grass next to her, Noele gazed into Solara’s eyes. “I wonder about your fate.”
“What of it?”
“Simply curious. Indulge me.” She took Solara’s hands into her own, closed her eyes and concentrated on the magic within her.
Pregnancy had seemed to provide a clarity she hadn’t possessed before. She saw farther, felt more deeply, than she’d been able to previously.
A warmth enveloped her like a cloak, shielding her from the cold chill of being out of her body. She saw a land similar to Winterland, a castle as beautiful as the one she called home.
But it wasn’t a castle deep in the southern lands. Snow surrounded it, and forests just like the ones where she lived, with cliffs overlooking the northern sea.
She saw Solara standing on the cliffs, and the shadow of a man behind her. His features weren’t visible, but he had dark hair flowing in the breeze and from the back looked like—
Jerking her hands away from Solara, she opened her eyes to find her sister regarding her with a wide-eyed expression.
“What? What did you see?”
Noele stood and brushed the grass from her shift. “Nothing. It…it was unclear. I have things I must tend to. We will speak later, sister.”
She nearly ran from the gardens, needing to put as much distance between her and Solara as possible.
She closed her thoughts in case Solara became curious and decided to probe.
Once she reached her bedroom, she shut the door and sat on the bed, curling her feet underneath her.
Her heart pounded madly against her ribs and she placed her palm over her breast as if to quiet the riotous beats.
What she’d suspected was true. Solara’s fate did not lie with Braedon of Greenbriar.
Her destiny was with Roarke. ’Twas Roarke Noele had seen in her vision, standing at the cliffs with his arms around Solara. ’Twas Roarke’s heart she saw entwined with her sister’s for all eternity.
But how could that be? Solara was promised to another. Their customs demanded the faerie princesses marry a king to whom they were betrothed, unless that king refused the marriage or chose another.
Roarke was neither a king nor the one to whom Solara was betrothed.
Their match could not be.
And yet, she had seen it clearly, knew it to be the truth. Roarke and Solara shared a destiny. All was unfolding as it should.
Or was it? She’d felt the tension since Roarke had brought Solara back to Winterland. They avoided each other completely.
Perhaps destiny would find its own way with those two.
And perhaps she would give it a little nudge in the right direction.
She smiled, a plan already formulating.
* * * * *
Lying in the middle of the huge bed, Noele looked like a small child, so frail and weak. Yesterday in the gardens she had seemed fine.
“I am sure once you have something to eat, you will feel better.” When Noele had not come down to oversee the breakfast preparations, Solara had gone in search of her, finding her still abed and pale as her white wings.
“I cannot eat. Please, Solara, help me if you will. Go downstairs and see to the morning’s preparations.” Her? Oversee a meal for hundreds? “I do not know how. Surely Isolde—”
“Oh, I could not ask her to run to and fro. As it is she has been staying by my bedside tending to me. Please, dear sister, I have no one else to rely on.”
Seeing her sister’s pitiful countenance convinced Solara to do whatever was necessary to make sure Noele rested and didn’t worry about the castle. If it were not for her running off, Garick would be at Noele’s bedside right now, caring for his wife.
“Of course. I will see to things immediately.” She scurried toward the door, then paused, turning back to Noele. “What things should I be seeing to?”
By the time the castle inhabitants had sat down to the morning meal, Solara had managed to get the cloths and dishes on the table and ensured the kitchens were preparing the food Noele had ordered. She mentally ticked off the items on the list Noele had given her, marveling at what it took to ensure a castle ran smoothly.
“Where is Noele?”
She jumped at the sound of Roarke’s voice. He took a seat next to hers, much to her dismay. “She is ill.”
He frowned. “Is it the child?”
Nodding, she added, “’Tis common in pregnancy for the woman to fall ill during the first few months.
She did not look at all well this morning, and cannot hold down any food.” Roarke swallowed hard, and Solara focused on his neck where the line of his beard ended and his skin began.
“I will see to her after the meal,” Roarke said, then stood and moved down the table to sit with his men.
She watched him with a hunger that no food or drink could satisfy. No matter that he didn’t want her, despite the fact she knew she could never have him, she wanted him with all her being. In her mind’s eye, whenever she thought of her future, she thought of it with Roarke. Foolish notions, indeed.
She ate her meal with Elise and Mina, who bombarded her with questions about Noele. She placated them as well as she could, having promised Noele that she would not breathe a word of her pregnancy to anyone. Only she and Roarke knew of the child Noele carried. Noele wanted to tell Garick before anyone else found out.
After the meal, she made sure the rooms were cleaned and the temporary tables stored. Then she went to check on Noele.
Only Noele wasn’t alone. Roarke sat on the edge of the bed, holding Noele’s hand.
She stepped in the room and cleared her throat. Noele smiled weakly in her direction, but Roarke did not even turn to acknowledge her.
“Breakfast went well,” Solara reported.
“Thank you.”
“Are you better?”
She nodded. “Somewhat, although I am still weak. I fear I will have to find someone else to tend to my duties around here for a bit. I am so tired I can barely stay awake.” Solara slipped onto the edge of the bed, ignoring Roarke. Their knees touched and he moved his away.
Noele smiled, then put her hand over her mouth and yawned. “My apologies. I do not know why I am so tired.”
“You carry a burden beyond your own body,” Roarke said, then patted her hand. “You must rest.
There are others here who can fill in.”
His gaze gravitated to Solara. “Your sister, for example, has nothing to do to occupy her time until Garick returns.”
Did he think her lazy? She had helped out whenever she could before now. Truly, the man was insufferable. “I have already offered my assistance.”
“I’m afraid I will need more than just a little help, Solara. If this pregnancy is anything like Mother’s, she was abed quite a bit in the beginning.”
“I will do whatever you ask of me.”
“Thank you. To begin with, I will need you to work with Roarke.”
“I do not need her to work with me!” Roarke shot off the bed, backing away as if Noele had just set him on fire.
“Of course you do,” Noele explained. “My sister knows nothing of running the keep. You know everything. In Garick’s absence I need you to show her what needs to be done.” Show her? Solara swallowed past the lump in her throat. “Surely someone else can—”
“No, I think it would be best if you and Roarke worked together. With Garick and I both unable to fulfill our duties, there is much to be done beyond the daily running of the castle. Decisions must be made, and I trust no one else but the two of you. Solara, Elise and Mina can help with some of the daily chores.
Roarke, put someone else in charge of training the guard so that your time is not consumed there.” Noele had changed from sister to Queen of Winterland. Solara had no choice but to do as she bid.
“Aye. We will see it done.”
Roarke nodded his assent, bowing his head. “You need but tell me what must be done, and I will make it so.”
Noele’s lips curled in a satisfied grin. “Perfect. Shall we get started, then? I have a very long list.” Chapter Seven
A very long list, indeed. Solara had no idea Noele was responsible for so much. Running the castle took up much of her day.
Apparently, her sister added on some of Garick’s duties for Roarke to do, because the way the list read, Solara would be spending a considerable amount of time with Roarke, going over accounts and holding meetings with the townspeople.
The last thing she wanted was to spend time in close proximity to Roarke. He’d made it abundantly clear he had no interest in being with her, and in fact could not wait for her to leave Winterland.
Now that she knew how he felt, or how he didn’t feel, she was anxious to move on to her new life. In the meantime, she would work alongside him in an effort to help Noele and Garick, and for no other reason.
They were to meet in Garick’s offices this morning. Nervous flutterings in her stomach would not go away, and she blamed it on worries about doing a good job for Noele. After all, she had much to learn in a short period of time.
Shortly, she would be queen of her own lands. The sooner she became accustomed to her duties, the better she would handle the transition.
After checking on Noele, she headed to Garick’s office. When she opened the door, she found Roarke sitting at the desk going over some papers. She admired the strength of his profile as he bent over two sets of ledgers sitting open on the desk.
He hadn’t heard her enter, so she took a moment to watch him.
Stars, he was a beautiful man. Her breath caught and held as he ran his fingers through his long hair, and she recalled the exquisite sensation of touching him in the gardens.
That night had remained so fresh in her memories, and yet made her long to recapture a moment which seemed to have occurred a lifetime ago. She closed her eyes and recalled the way he touched her, his earthy scent fueling her desire for him. The way he had brought her to pleasure had been a dream fulfilled.
With a sigh, she opened her eyes and found Roarke staring at her.