The Betrayed (Gifted #2)

By Deborah Andreasen

In this sequel to The Gifted, Hunter has a chance to finally claim revenge.

**

Life went from strange to surreal for Pyper once she stepped into her destined role as Queen of All Fae. For once, she finally feels like she belongs.

But for Hunter, the Winter Fae who nearly succeeded in killing Pyper, life has not been the same. Shunned by his court, Hunter returns to demand revenge. The laws are clear, and Pyper must pay. They begin a journey that will change everything Hunter thought he knew.

When war threatens her people, Pyper must plunge into a dark and dangerous world in order to save thousands of innocent lives. With an unexpected ally, she must rid the Otherworld of an enemy and protect everything she holds dear.

But at what cost?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Deborah Andreasen
• Release date: Mar 28, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301022199

Deborah Andreasen

After earning her degree in Business Management and Finance, Deborah decided to do something useful with her ability to be long winded. She decided to become an author. Her most recent novel, The Betrayed, is the second book in the Gifted series.Deborah and her husband are the parents of three children, one of whom is an angel baby. They love spending time outdoors, but this proves challenging as winter tends to be nearly nine months long where they live in Southeast Idaho.Deborah loves to hear from her readers!To learn more, go to www.deborahandreasen.com

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The Betrayed

by Deborah Andreasen

Copyright 2013

Smashwords Edition

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal use only. It may not be re-sold or given away to other people. Please share this book with others by purchasing an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

~For Abigail and Eli. You were worth it.~

Prologue

Hunter

Morning was near. I could tell by the way the dew mist clung to my cheeks and turned my skin clammy. I kept my eyes closed, hanging on to the last threads of sleep.

Filling my lungs with cool air, I wished I weren’t so aware of the morning drowning my face, the rock poking me between my shoulder blades, or the wet of the grass seeping up through my cloak.

A hand clamped down hard on my mouth, and my eyes flew open. It was morning alright, but the moon was gone and the sun had yet to rise. The forest was under a heavy blanket of thick blue, and I could see nothing but two eyes, wide and round.

My muscles reacted as I tried to roll away from my attacker, but his arm came down fast, pinning me to the ground. A harsh whisper cut through the dewy morning, scratching at my ear.

Hurry! There isn’t much time.

And then he was gone, leaving prickles of electricity across my skin as the adrenaline pushed through my veins. He disappeared through the thick trees that still sparkled silver as the morning vapor clung to their branches and wrapped around their trunks.

Silver and blue. The colors of our court, but I had no love for our kingdom.

I suppressed a yawn and a sigh as I wrapped my cloak around me and chased after my brother, trailing sparkling mist in my wake.

1

Hunter

Hunter.

My name is whispered as I pass, and I barely suppress a glare. Instead, I clench my jaw. Do they really believe I cannot hear them? It would not matter. Even without their whispers, I would still know it was my name they said behind their hands. With every raised eyebrow, every turned back, every sideways glance and pointed look. I am the one they whisper about; the one they mock.

I am the one who could not defeat the Été Gifted. I am the reason they have a dirty Queen. A half-mortal who rules them. Oh, they love her well enough, but there will always be a clause to their affection.

She is wonderful, but…

For all the good she is and does, she is still human. Nothing will ever change that. And what do Zomer care if a person is good?

I had retreated to the forest edge this morning, as I find myself doing more and more frequently. My mind had wandered, once again, to my time as a boy, hunting wild creatures with my brother, Falcon. He wanted to make sure I lived up to my name. Most of the time I did.

A kitchen maid found me there; she had a message from the king. She stuttered and refused to meet my eye as she told me Talon wished to see me. She fidgeted so intensely that I was completely distracted.

She did not look away with scorn or ridicule. She looked away in embarrassment, perhaps even pity.

This tiny Fae with blue skin and white hair knew that her very presence was meant as an insult to me.

I was once one of the most powerful Fae in the entire court. I was the king’s right hand man. I was his weapon, his path to High King and ultimate power. In the end, no one but a lowly kitchen maid could be spared to fetch me.

Of course I do not blame the girl. I can’t imagine the courage she must have had to even contemplate stepping foot near the forest.

My footfalls echo through the long marble corridor as I march to the king’s summon. The only other sound I hear is the harsh whisper of my name among the courtiers. I clench my jaw so hard I fear my teeth might crack.

Have they nothing better to do than stand around and gossip or complain?

I no longer nod to them as I pass by. Their opinion of me could not possibly sink any lower, and I don’t foresee it rising any time soon.

I had one chance, and I tragically lost it.

Before the battle, no one knew Pyper was Orion’s daughter and the rightful heir to the throne. How was I supposed to prevail against that?

She could have killed me. She should have killed me.

Pyper, Queen Pyper that is, knew my only weakness, something I revealed to no one. But she showed mercy and healed me. When she was crowned, she should have had me executed. I tried and nearly succeeded in assassinating the High Queen.

But again, she showed mercy.

Your Majesty. I’m at his feet sooner than I would have liked. I bow at the waist, keeping my eyes lowered and my expression blank. I know I look almost bored to anyone watching me. But the king is not just anyone. He knows me too well.

Hunter? Talon puts a meaty hand over his eyes, as if blocking out the sun. We are in his throne room, deep in the heart of a cold mountain. Is that you?

He laughs and slaps his knee. His graying hair makes the black in his beard, and in his eyes, that much darker.

Quiet laughter bubbles around the edge of the room. The king likes to surround himself with those who worship him.

I don’t move a single muscle, not even to breathe.

Oh really. I called for my dear friend, not this statue. He smiles at me once more, seeming kind.

But I, too, know him well. Talon anything before he is kind.

The king’s eyes narrow and he drops his chin slightly, instantly turning from jovial to menacing.

I drop my gaze and bow my head in respect. Out of the corner of my vision, I see him raise a single finger. Footsteps echo through the cavernous room. In a moment, doors close and silence falls.

I’m alone with the king.

Come closer, so I don’t have to yell to converse with my Gifted. The subtle sarcasm hits as an arrow to my already dying self-worth. It’s not a mortally wounding shot, though. Perhaps just an arrow to the shoulder of my dignity.

Talon watches me with hawk eyes as I step closer. This is a test. Everything is a test with him.

Tell me, Hunter. How are you faring?

Sire?

How are you getting along since… He rolls his hand in irritation.

The meaning for my existence, the most important moment in the history of Zomer, and my tragic, epic failure, all rolled into one exasperated hand gesture.

Fine, I clip.

Talon looks away, shaking his head.

Quietly, he utters, Lies. He turns his black eyes to me once more, and I feel his gaze piercing me like daggers. I’ll not have lies told in my presence. I see how you wince when you enter a crowded room and all eyes turn to you. I see you hunch in the corner like a wounded animal, waiting to die. You may think you’re hiding your suffering from me, but I see it all.

Of course he does. He feeds on the pain of others. He licks it off his fingers, like the last drops of a succulent meal running down the back of his hand. He must relish my pain, as if it’s a rare delicacy.

I clear my throat.

It is true, I speak slowly. Things have been difficult recently. It’s humiliating reliving my failure in front of the one who relied so heavily upon my expected success.

When we discovered the Été Gifted was a teenaged girl, and a mortal at that, we nearly raised the banner of success at that very moment. All I had to do was one simple thing: win.

Hunter, The king says my name in a sigh of disappointment. The irony of my own name is another arrow, this time to the spleen. I will admit I am not pleased with you of late. He rolls his gaze to me once more, and a pit of fear begins to freeze within me. Not for myself, but for...

It would have been easy for me to take out my aggression and have you dealt with.

I seriously doubt that. I was the one dealing out his aggression before I met the red-haired human.

But, Talon holds up a thick finger, I remember all our times together, and I think of you almost as a son. I couldn’t bear the thought of losing you forever.

A son? This is the kill shot to the heart. My own father was brutally dealt with before my very eyes.

I have kept you here in hopes that you would someday be able to prove yourself to me.

Until I became useful once more, no doubt.

And luckily for us both, I have found the chance. The Summer Solstice is in two weeks. We will travel to the Été court, Talon flares his nostrils, to celebrate with the Queen. That is when we will make our move. That is when you will show me that I have kept you alive for a reason. His black eyes pierce me, and he leans forward, whispering. You will not fail me again.

Talon’s words are slow and deliberate, each sound drilling a hole in me.

What do you say, Hunter? Talon leans back, slouching in his throne. Are you eager to exact a little revenge?

His mouth curls into a wicked grin, and I can almost see the evil dripping from his teeth.

I fall to one knee and recite, I live to serve. My breath comes in heavy gasps.

Revenge. At last.

But, revenge on whom? I have yet to decide.

~

What did he want? Summer’s soft voice floats from the corner of the darkened room. I knew she was there before I entered, but even so her voice makes me clench my teeth in irritation.

She’s one of the only people who has not turned their back on me. Though she makes the achingly lonely days bearable, I still sometimes wonder if solace would be preferable to her companionship.

Now is one of those times.

I’m silent, debating how much to confide in the Summer Fae. Her name that matches her court is a cruel irony. She’s no longer loyal to the Été. She cannot escape her name, just as I cannot escape mine.

It’s about her. I can feel Summer raise her eyes to my face. Isn’t it?

Should I even answer? I don’t even attempt to hide the disdain.

A hollow silence fills the space between us as I move from the door to my wardrobe and begin pulling out the necessities.

I’ve nearly packed a trunk when Summer melts away from the shadows and moves toward me. Her golden hair is breathtaking, and for a moment, I want to just watch her as But then my eyes meet hers, and I see a soul of darkness and hate.

I see my reflection there.

I suppress a shudder and continue packing.

You’re leaving.

As is evident. I sweep my arm across the nearly full trunk.

You’re leaving me? She takes a step closer and wraps a lithe arm around the post of my bed, as if it will anchor her. Or hide her. You’re going there. To be with her. She spits the last word.

I snap the trunk shut. My eyes meet Summer’s and I shake my head in disbelief.

You think I’m going there to be with her? That spending time in the presence of the person who has turned my life into a cosmic joke is something I look forward to? Keeping my eyes on Summer, I lift the trunk off the bed and begin to turn away.

Wait, she says softly, and I feel myself soften toward her.

My name may be whispered with silent laughter. Fae may raise an eyebrow as I pass, or laugh as I leave the room. They may even tell stories of how the great Hunter was once a Gifted, and what a disappointment it is that he’s now the court jester.

But at least I’m still a Zomer.

I am one of them, no matter what. I belong, even if it is at the bottom of the dung heap.

Summer is Été. To the Zomer, she is invisible. I may be ridiculed, but at least I still exist. That is more than I can say for her. It’s out of pity that I turn back and face her.

She is so different than she used to be. Her face now seems hollow, her high cheek bones prominent on her frail face. Her green eyes are pale.

She was once one of the most beautiful Summer Fae in the realm. She was close to Skye, and many wondered if the two would marry. When Pyper became Queen, that left Summer with no future in any throne. The life she had expected and worked toward for so long suddenly evaporated.

Summer broke in that instant.

With nowhere else to go, she sought solace in the lion’s den. And here she waits to be devoured. But the lion has turned its back on her, and now she has faded into a shell of what she used to be.

What will you do? she asks, her voice barely more than a whisper.

I close my eyes for a moment. Then inhaling sharply through my nose, I answer, What I must.

2

Pyper

I just don’t understand why this is so important to you. I cover my eyes with my hands.

Kael and Baler have been bothering me about this for a week, if not longer. I’m about ready to cave in, but know I can’t.

The air is warm around me, proof that summer is indeed almost here. The entire palace is coming alive. Vines crawl along the castle and curl around everything. Leaves bow and sway in cool breezes, and flowers of every shape and color imaginable are starting to open. The Otherworld is a cascade of color.

"Come on Pyper. You can’t seriously be denying your loyal subjects one simple thing." Baler gives me an innocent smile, but I see behind it. We did grow up together after all.

His sandy hair is now cut short, just the way Raven likes it. Or so I’m told. His square face is tanned, giving me the impression that he spends most of his time outdoors. That would make sense. He’s been training with River to enter the Queen’s service as the new Captain. I guess millenia of service has been enough for River.

I cock an eyebrow at him.

My friend, Kael laughs and claps a hand on Baler’s shoulder. I believe that is yet another no.

It is absolutely a no, I barely suppress the laugh bubbling up. You may not wear giant snowflakes to the Summer Solstice celebration.

Baler takes a deep breath and sighs.

Fine, he mutters as he turns toward the door. You haven’t heard the last of me, you know, he calls over his shoulder.

I know, I answer, but I follow him out the door with my mind and make the toe of his left shoe stick to the ground.

Ow, hey! he calls.

I laugh and release him. Smiling, I look up and see Kael watching me. I know he can’t see me in the normal sense of the word. His vision was damaged months ago when he was taken captive by the Zomer. They were less than hospitable, and I’ve never forgiven Talon for what he did. Hunter was the one who actually kidnapped Kael. I hold him responsible, but I know that he was under orders from his king, Talon. I still wonder how much of it was following orders and how much was Hunter being, well, Hunter.

The silence and warm air suddenly turn heavy. I drop my gaze from Kael and roll my shoulders back.

What? I ask, filling the silence.

He smiles and shakes his head a little. His shaggy brown hair falls into his eyes. It’s long, just the way I like it. His green eyes are ringed with brown, making them both colors at once, but the damage to his eyes has muted the vibrancy.

Nothing. He shrugs.

Then why are you staring at me?

Kael has promised not to read my thoughts unless I give him permission. Sometimes I sort of force my mind onto him, and in those instances, he can’t help but hear what I have to say. But otherwise, I trust him enough to know he’s letting me have my privacy.

I just miss you. That’s all. His smile turns a little sad.

I nod slowly, my heart mirroring his sad smile. I know what you mean.

I don’t know if you realize this, his real smile is back and he takes a few steps toward me. I drop my gaze to his feet so he can see where he’s going through my eyes. But Baler and I only bother you with this stupid snowflake prank as an excuse for me to see you.

That’s not true! I nearly shout.

He laughs and sits on my desk. Yes, my desk. It’s covered with papers. Letters, reports, requests, and who knows what else. Before I became the Queen, I thought royalty just sat around arranging marriages and throwing parties or something.

Kael’s leg dangles; he bumps into my knee.

It is true. You’ve been so busy running the world that I haven’t had a chance to spend any time with you.

I see you all the time Kael, I say, but the guilt is coloring my voice and my face. My argument only has a single leg to stand on, and I think he knows it.

Kael shakes his head. Meetings and advisory councils don’t count.

To be honest, I always kind of figured if I ever got a boyfriend, he’d have to share me with a career or something. But I honestly never expected this. I gesture to the splayed papers Kael is sitting on.

He slides closer to me so that he’s sitting directly in front of me.

I always knew someday I’d be kissing the Queen, and she would be mine.

He leans in and presses his lips to mine for a gentle moment that comes and goes too quickly.

Before I showed up, Kael was ready to become Été’s ruler, and one day the High King of both courts. That was before I became the Gifted. The previous High King, Orion, died without an heir, or so everyone thought. It was my duty to fight for the throne to go to Été, and ultimately Kael, but instead I found out I was Orion’s daughter. The only way for me to come out of that battle alive was to claim the throne instead.

Kael has been nothing but supportive, but I often wonder if his adjustment is harder than he lets on. After I was first crowned, he disappeared for a month, and it’s still a sore subject. But I’ve decided I don’t care where he went, I’m just glad he’s back.

Ok. What do you want? I whisper. He smiles and kisses me once more. I stand up and wrap my arms around his neck, pulling him closer. He sighs and puts his forehead to mine.

Just this, he whispers back and leans in once more.

The door behind him opens loudly, and I bite back a sigh.

Your Majesty. I must speak with you. River, my Captain of the guard, advisory councilor and trusted friend, is always straight to the point. Usually I appreciate it. But I also