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.
“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.
Similar Books
