Tournament: Game of Hearts, #1

By Kaye Draper

One fae woman. One royal marriage tournament. One unforgettable team of competitors.

 

Lady Katrina Bellflower, the mixed-blood steward of Larkwood, is in charge of a secluded fae territory on the brink of expansion. But the good fortune of the people she governs is about to become her downfall. The queen of Elfhaven has declared a tournament, and the winning team of fae males will be bonded to a mysterious, unnamed courtier—Lady Katrina. Kat might not like the idea, but one doesn't say no to the queen of Elfhaven when she demands entertainment.

 

Kat dreads the idea of being bonded to strangers. She isn't allowed to reveal her identity, and she isn't supposed to play favorites. But she finds a way to get to know the teams of fae males who may soon share her home and her title by posing as a palace gossip. Kat's heart is torn between duty and longing as she is forced to conceal her true identity and her real role in the tournament. Despite her best efforts to remain impartial, the powerful, alluring men of Raven team kindle a fire she cannot ignore, and she finds herself yearning for them to win. But someone else has other ideas.

 

As the tournament progresses, all thoughts of future happiness are shadowed by the specter of sabotage. Lady Katrina discovers that there is more at stake than her bonding and the stewardship of Larkwood. Nothing is ever as it seems when ancient, mercurial fae royals are involved.

 

At this rate, it will be a wonder if the men of Raven team even manage to survive the Game of Hearts, let alone emerge as champions.

 

Author's note

*Game of Hearts is a two-book duology. As such, there are unresolved conflicts from book one that lead into book two. The story is complete at two books.

*This story was previously published as a serial story (Tournament of Hearts), but has undergone extensive editing and contains additional chapters and other changes.

*The relationship in this story is poly romance (meaning multiple love interests).

*Contains MF, MM, and XM/XF romance

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kaye Draper
• Release date: Jan 23, 2024
• ISBN: 9798223007050

Kaye Draper

Sometimes our greatest strengths come from our deepest challenges. I write magic and romance, starring a cast of creatures with feathers, fins, and teeth. My books include paranormal romance, urban fantasy, and fantasy romance--with the occasional steampunk or alien story thrown in just for kicks. My pan heart firmly believes love is love, so you'll see straight, LGBTQIA, monogamous, reverse harem, and poly relationships in my work. My favorite theme is overcoming our inner demons and the insecurities that hold us back. I also advocate for self-development and mental health and dabble in non-fiction as time allows. I love the outdoors and still hope to be abducted by fae! (I may have more in common with my characters than I care to admit.) You can help Kaye create at patreon.com/KayeDraper.

Book preview

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Prologue

Things seemed so simple then. I thought I had weathered all the hardship a girl could weather. My mother had passed away when I was younger, and a few years later I lost my father as well. Fae were long-lived compared to other races, but both of my parents had been older. It still hurt, but I was mature enough now to tell myself it was inevitable. And now my life was as perfect as it could be, given everything. Despite my losses, I knew I was blessed. I had my stepmother, Lady Rose. She was an amazing woman, and she treated me as if I were her own blood. I had a lovely home in a close-knit territory. I had good friends. Surely, everything would be pleasantness and pixie dust from here on out.

It certainly seemed so that day, as I lay stretched out on an old blanket on the lumpy forest floor, my eyes half closed against the dappled light that danced through the canopy of leaves above. My childhood friend, Gambol, sat beside me, waxing on about the injustices of the Elfhaven social class system while he finished off the leftovers from our picnic. Gambol was a talented baker, and he was currently working on opening up a small bakery in town. He would be wildly successful. I was so stuffed full of bread, cookies, and tarts that I was sure I'd never move again. I would just sink down through the blanket and into the grass and leaves and become one with the forest.

It's just stupid how everyone puts so much weight on whether a person is highborn or lowborn, Gambol said, waving a hand. "It shouldn't matter. We're all fae. Who cares about subtypes and the kind of magic you can do?"

I yawned. He was right, of course. But it was hard to focus when I was so sleepy and full. And it wasn't as if it was as dire as he made it out to be. Gambol might not have all the cold perfection and high magic of a highborn, but he was still full-blooded fae, with his pointy ears and his ordinary but solid magic. I on the other hand had a mix of highborn, lowborn, and human in my blood. If anyone should be feeling outcast and downtrodden, it was me. But neither of us had ever really suffered for being what we were. It was just that Gambol’s family had always been just a wee bit feisty about things like this. They had been passed over once upon a time when the royal family appointed a new steward for the territory, ages ago. Well before my stepmother was steward. Some people just lived to hold silly grudges. It gave them something to talk about, I supposed.

Gambol, I began, ready to tell him to stuff it, like usual. I knew he was just talking to hear himself talk. My family was friendly with the royal family, and my stepmother was a highborn, but he didn’t hold it against me. He just liked to ramble.

My reply was interrupted by the flutter of wings and a loud caw as a big crow landed on the blanket beside me. The bird pecked at my hair and I sat up with a curse. Gambol! I exclaimed again, this time in horror. He stared at me with wide hazel eyes and a lean cheeks full of pie, startled by my sudden panic. You let me nearly sleep the afternoon away! I should have left half an hour ago!

His brows shot up and he spoke around his mouthful of food. Shit. I’m sorry, Kat! I forgot. He waved a hand as he swallowed his food. "You know how I get. Why would you trust me to be the responsible one? He rolled his eyes at himself and stood, giving me a hand up while my crow friend picked at the crumbs we’d left behind. Go on. I know how much you wanted to attend this meeting. I’ll pack things up."

I reached up and gave his bony shoulder a squeeze. Gambol had always been a skinny kid, but now that we were creeping toward adulthood, he had become tall and lanky. He wasn’t exactly handsome, I suppose, but kind of…loose-limbed and good-natured. Someday soon, he’d probably start turning heads. Not that I was a great person to judge his prospects. It was impossible to think of the man as anything other than my brother. Thanks Jes, I said distractedly, my mind already miles away. I need to get back, or Lady Rose will tan my hide.

She would do no such thing. If anything, she’d just give me that look. The one that said I was better than this. And then she’d show me the new book she bought me or take me out riding and tell me all about the joys of being a steward. I don’t think she had ever reprimanded me in my life.

Balefire, I called as I stepped off the blanket, dusting breadcrumbs off my breeches. Come on, we’ve got to hurry!

The crow was only one of Bale’s many forms. My pooka companion might be wild and unpredictable at times, but he understood me. And he usually listened. He knew he wouldn’t get treats later if he nettled me. The crow leapt into the air, transforming into a tall black horse with a flowing mane and glowing red eyes as he went. He tossed his head and showed me his sharp teeth, but relented and took a knee to make it easier for me to scramble onto his back.

Pooka were a type of wild fae creature. Intelligent, but mischievous. They sometimes even took the form of goblins just to toy with people. Or they would lure the unsuspecting onto the back of their magnificent black horse form, only to take them on a terrifying wild ride through the night and dump them in the middle of nowhere.

Luckily, Balefire considered me a friend.

Giving Gambol one last wave, I bent low and clung to Balefire's back, without a saddle or bridle, and I let the sleek black stallion do as he would, taking us back toward home. The Wild Wood was cheerful this time of day, despite its name. Dappled sunlight filtered through the canopy, rippling over us in a dazzling display that became nearly blinding as we broke through the edge of the wood and thundered down the path that led back home. The old, gnarled trees seemed to reach toward us as if begging us not to leave, but I knew I'd be in serious trouble if I lingered.

For one, the sun was sinking, and Wilds were far less friendly at night. And also…I was already late.

My stepmother, Lady Rose, served as the steward of Larkwood, where she cared for the territory and its residents under the authority of the king and queen of Elfhaven. Ever since my father's death a few years back, she had insisted that I be involved in the day-to-day running of things. I think she was lonely since my father's passing. He had helped her behind the scenes with all the little things that didn't require her judgment, saving her time and energy by helping with paperwork and minor issues that came up around the little town of Mistvale, where we lived. But with my father's passing, Rose had to shoulder things alone once again.

I was more than happy to help wherever she'd let me. She may not be my birth mother, but I loved Rose, and I knew she loved me. She had never made me feel unwanted or like I was less important because my blood wasn't her own. Rose hadn't ever looked down on me or my father for our mixed heritage. She just loved us both. And when he was no longer in the picture, she continued caring for me as if it wasn't even a question, including me in her life and her work, as if it were only natural.

Today, she insisted I attend a meeting with a certain highborn baron who seemed to have forgotten that he wasn't in charge. The human kingdoms across the sea had taken to using our titles as their own, and I understood that they had come to mean something quite different there. Apparently, humans gained their titles by birth or wealth. But in Elfhaven, the title of baron was a privilege to be earned. We relied on a hierarchy of rank to help with delegation of responsibilities that kept the territory running smoothly, since the steward couldn't be everywhere at once. It was necessary to give over responsibility to some individual counties or large estates to those highborn capable of assisting.

Despite what Gambol said, the hierarchies that were in place in our country served a greater purpose. Highborn were more likely to be chosen as stewards and barons and such because their strong magic and other inherent skills were helpful to the people they governed. It wasn’t so much about who had better magic. It was about what kind of magic—and other skills—were best suited to the job.

But there were bound to be people who would abuse the system. This particular baron had been driving the workers in his little corner of Larkwood to work grueling hours with laughable wages, and then required them to purchase all their necessary day-to-day staples and supplies from businesses owned by the baron himself. Essentially, he made them work for free by ensuring that what little pay they received was then returned to him. And that was the kind of thing that the steward of Larkwood would not tolerate.

I was pretty sure Rose wanted me there so I could see a good example of how she delt out punishment and removed people from their appointed posts. Sometimes I wondered if perhaps her including me in these things was about more than her needing help and company. Sometimes I thought maybe she was grooming me…but that was ridiculous. I wasn’t a highborn. My magic consisted of unimpressive brownie stuff. Nothing suited to ruling people.

The pounding hoofbeats of my mount changed from the dull thump of the leaf-covered path to the more solid sound of packed gravel as we reached the main road leading to our home, Northbower estate. I sat up and urged the stallion to slow down a bit as we approached the cobbled drive leading to the manor. The pooka had been a gift to me from Rose on my fifteenth birthday, and though he was a fine mount and a loyal companion, the shapeshifting creature was not a normal horse. Balefire would be more than happy to continue at a breakneck pace right across the property, through the house, and out the back courtyard, terrifying every servant and breaking every priceless object along the way, just for the pure joy he got from causing mischief.

I guided the headstrong terror to the stables and hastily got him taken care of, tossing him an extra fish as thanks for not taking me off on a wild ride. Then I hurriedly washed up in the small area off to the side that was equipped for washing beasts and stable hands alike. I knew I wouldn't have time to sneak up to my room and change before the meeting. Rose probably had the baron in her office by now, giving him a lecture on how to be a decent person. I'd be lucky to get there in time to witness his demotion.

I rushed toward the house, a million thoughts swirling through my mind. My hurried footsteps slowed, however, when I noticed a pair of saddled gryphons waiting in front of the manor. They weren't tied up or otherwise tethered. They were just that well trained. Their lion’s bodies were massive, and their yellow eyes sharp in their eagle heads, alert and taking in everything around them. But their wings were folded, and they stood calmly awaiting orders. The deep red and black regalia adorning their saddle blankets and tack was familiar. These were gryphons from the royal guard…

A strange sensation lodged in the pit of my belly as I climbed the stairs. I had called the beautiful manor house my home ever since my widower father told me he had decided to formally bond with Lady Rose and make her my stepmother. But something seemed wrong with the place now.

The brownie in me knew when hearth and home were unsettled. I had already been through enough upheaval and loss in my life, but now something inside me screamed it wasn't over. That things these past few years had been far too perfect.

The entry door stood ajar, and soft masculine voices filtered out, though I couldn't make out the words. I pushed the door open and found two royal guardsmen speaking to the butler, Saffron, in hushed tones. I knew that tone of voice. That way of speaking. It meant that something terrible had happened and the person talking was trying to be gentle in their delivery.

My hands shook, and I curled them into fists at my sides and squared my shoulders before I spoke. What's happened? I demanded, refusing to use the hushed tone myself. If I pretended there was no reason for that tone of voice they were using, then it might drive away whatever curse had just befallen the household.

The house looked the same as always, warm and glowing with love and wood polish. The afternoon sun suffused everything in gold, glinting off bits of gilding on the painted vines and flowers that twined across the wallpaper. It was far too sunny and magical in here for that tone of voice the guards were using. Or for the twisting fear in my gut.

The guards turned to me with grim faces, but it was Saffron who spoke. I had no idea how old the patient, capable, long-suffering man was, since he was full-blooded fae. But his eyes had fine wrinkles around them, and the corners of his lips formed deep grooves when he was beset by powerful emotions. Like he was now. Kind blue eyes stared into mine as he spoke.

Lady Katrina, I'm afraid we've just received news that there has been an accident. He didn't beat around the bush or draw things out for my benefit. He knew I had no patience for that sort of thing. Your stepmother…. His voice wavered, and he paused to compose himself. Lady Rose is dead. An ill-timed encounter with a passing fire lizard on her way back from town this afternoon.

I shook my head at him. No. There aren't any fire lizards in Larkwood.

A swarm came through sudden-like, one of the guards said, his gravelly voice trying its best to be gentle, when I got the feeling he was more used to barking orders. A migration event, we think. They hied on off through the territory and into the mountains over in Trollheim right after, according to witnesses who saw them pass through.

I swallowed hard. Tears were already spilling down my cheeks, but I refused to sob out loud in front of these men the way I wanted to do. I was Lady Rose's daughter. I knew how to keep my composure. There were questions I needed to ask.

But for some reason, I couldn't say anything at all.

Lady Katrina? the other guard said with an apologetic note in his voice. I know you need time to process what has happened, but we've been sent here to retrieve you.

I looked at him in confusion. Retrieve me?

He nodded. The king and queen wish for you to visit the palace for a time. The two of us came to give you some warning, but there will be others joining us shortly. An escort to ensure no harm comes to you on your way to the capital.

I blinked at him. I can't go visit the capital now. I need to…I have to…there are…things that need to be done here. I—

Saffron put a hand on my shoulder, interrupting my rambling attempts at forming a thought, and drew my attention back to his steady gaze. He had to be as heartbroken as I was right now—maybe more so, since he had been my stepmother's most loyal servant and friend for decades. But he only showed me solidarity and calm as he tilted my entire world on its axis.

Lady Rose named you as her heir and recommended you to the royal family as steward of Larkwood, should anything ever happen to her. He gestured to the guards. You need to report to the capital to be formally approved by the king and queen and sort out your inheritance, my lady. He gave me a sad, fleeting smile then, clearly aware of how utterly confused and shocked I was. I know that Lady Rose had every faith in you. Surely you know she has been training you to be steward for years now. Though I think we all rather thought you wouldn't need those skills for quite some time to come.

The sob finally escaped then, loud and gasping, as if I'd been stabbed. He was right. She had been grooming me. I knew it in my heart. And I had always been so happy about that. So thrilled that she hadn't turned me away, that she clearly thought of me as her own daughter, even once my father was gone. Even though I was a lowborn mix, with little magic and only my character to recommend me.

But despite that, I had never really let myself dwell on the thought that I might be steward of Larkwood one day. It seemed such a distant thing. Lady Rose was relatively young, and she was a highborn fae, born of elven and other high fae blood. She might live for a couple of centuries, at least. I thought I'd simply help her out, serve as her right-hand one day, the way my father had. I thought I had a lifetime to learn everything she had to teach me about caring for the land and its people.

But now I was alone. A lowborn left on my own with this huge and wholly unwanted new position. And I was only eighteen years old. Larkwood and all of its people were utterly doomed if anyone honestly thought I could take on this responsibility.

Come along, my lady, one of the guards said, patting my back in an almost fatherly manner. We don't want to keep the king and queen waiting.

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Chapter 1

Five Years Later

Itried to maneuver the overflowing basket of apples and fish through the barn door, skinning my knuckles in the process. Fern sucking son of a twice-fucked toad! I muttered, kicking the stable doors wider so I could stagger over and plop the basket down onto a nearby table.

The work surface was scattered with tack that someone had been polishing recently, and I pushed it out of the way. Motes of dust and straw chaff danced in the air like pixie dust, glowing in the afternoon sun that filtered in through the open door and the skylights above. Balefire, currently in stallion form, stretched out his long neck toward me. His velvety black lips twitched over his razor-sharp teeth as he sniffed at the basket.

Yes, you spoiled brat, I muttered to the shape-shifting beast. Pressing my poor, skinned knuckles to my lips, I muttered a minor healing spell before I lifted the basket again and took it over to the pooka's stall. There was no heat in my words, and I knew that Balefire could sense my fondness for him, even through my grumbling. Pooka were cleverer than most of the wild fae creatures that roamed Elfhaven. Sometimes that was more of a curse than a blessing, but I wouldn't trade him for a calmer, more predictable pet for any amount of gold or jewels in the world.

I was bent over depositing the basket of fish and fruit into the feed trough in Balefire's box stall when a clear, cultured female voice spoke from right behind me. "Surely you have grooms and stable hands who could do that, lady steward. How undignified."

I rolled my eyes and straightened, turning to face my best friend as I wiped my grimy hands on the rough fabric of my worn and faded work pants. You know me, I drawled as I arched a brow at the vision of beauty who stood framed in the doorway of my stables. "I'm always so concerned about appearances."

Amaryllis laughed, the sound like tinkling bells. Then she came to hug me lightly, despite the fact that she was wearing ice blue watered silk and I was covered in mud and dust, and probably had twigs and leaves sticking out of my hair. It's what I love most about you, the princess of Elfhaven assured me. Releasing me, she went to take a seat on a nearby stool, not at all concerned about her fine clothes or my mucking about in the stables. It's refreshing to spend time with someone who has their priorities straight, she said with a little lift of her chin. Much better than spending time with the rest of the stuffy court.

I shook my head at the highborn fae princess, wondering what mischief she was up to now. What important meeting are you missing to be here giving me commentary on how I take care of my horses, Ama? I don't want your parents blaming me for your slacking off. Again.

Ama and I had been friends ever since my father married the steward of Larkwood. We had met during some stuffy business meeting or other, ransacked the palace kitchens, snuck out into the gardens and been fast friends ever since.

She huffed and lifted her perfect nose in the air. Ha. Shows what you know. The meeting was over an hour ago. Then she tucked a lock of her honey-gold hair behind one tall, pointed ear before shooting a glance my way. "I'm here on official business. The king and queen asked me to speak with you. Which is just such a chore."

I raised my eyebrows at her as Balefire noisily dug into his fruity, fishy treats. A little shimmering coil of shadows danced around the pooka as he shook his head in delight. Your parents sent you? I asked Amaryllis, a bit of anxiety settling low in my belly.

If the king and queen were using my friend as a liaison, then they must be certain that I would hate whatever message she bore. And if she had left her meeting only an hour ago, that meant she had used a portal spell to get here. One cast by the high cleric at the palace in Brightfall. What did I do now? I quipped, crossing my arms over my light cotton shirt and staring her down. I swear, whatever it is, it wasn't me.

I was joking, mostly. Amaryllis's parents were wonderful rulers, kind and just, and the queen had been my late stepmother's best friend all their lives. They had fully supported me taking over for Lady Rose as steward of Larkwood, even though I was so young. They had guided me every step of the way. I didn't fear the king and queen, or really hold them in the same awe that most people did. But that little nervous tell, the way Amaryllis was having trouble meeting my eyes…that didn't bode well.

Out with it, I said, grabbing a pitchfork and striding into Balefire's stall to clean up while he was distracted with his treat. Pooka were trouble-loving terrors who required a firm hand and a master who was constantly on the lookout for their games. But they were also easy to bribe with food once you earned their trust. Still, it was best to get this stall cleaned before Bale ran out of food and decided he needed other entertainment. I was not feeling like a midnight ride through the swamp affixed to the back of a demon horse who would only let me down when he was done playing terrorize-the-fae-person.

Amaryllis was right. Northbower estate employed people to do this job. The stable master was probably out taking their lunch at the moment, and I knew that this was the day they liked to treat the rest of the barn staff. They'd be back eventually, and they'd be more than happy to take care of Balefire. But I actually enjoyed caring for my mount myself. My stepmother had instilled in me from a young age that the best employers were the ones who expected nothing from their workers that they wouldn't do themselves. It was what had made her so capable of running the estate, and our distant corner of Elfhaven. And she had learned from the best, from the king and queen.

Amaryllis's parents ruled by a similar principle. It was why they encouraged their children to make friends throughout the kingdom, and not stick to studying government or socializing only in their highborn circles.

Don't kill the messenger, Amaryllis said firmly. You know I love you, Kat. Mom and dad do too. Which is why they sent me instead of a bird carrying a fancy royal decree.

I leaned the pitchfork against the outer wall and closed up Bale's stall, leaning back against the sturdy plank door and crossing my arms over my chest. Royal decree?

She nodded, then took a deep breath. Squaring her shoulders, she lifted her chin and used her serious princess voice. The construction on the mountain pass is beginning. You know that will bring more traffic into Larkwood.

I nodded. The letter I received recently from the royal secretary informed me that the plans were moving forward. My stepmother and the rulers of Elfhaven had been discussing the construction of a mountain pass through the Old Scourge mountains for as long as I could remember. Larkwood and its largest city, Mistvale, were cut off from the rest of Elfhaven and the seaports by the mountain range that encircled our territory on the east and west. And to the north, the mountains separated us from the rocky, barren country of Trollheim and Dwarfhall. As it was now, we had to travel south, then detour out around the end of the mountain range to get to the capital city of Brightfall. And the closest seaport was through the territory of Trireme to the southwest.

This mountain pass would give the territory of Larkwood a direct route to the capital and the ocean ports. Trade and travel would increase, and the territory I had stewardship over would likely see substantial growth. This wasn't news to me. It didn't warrant sending Amaryllis to soften me up. I narrowed my eyes at her. This is about the mines.

She sighed and ran a hand over the gossamer fabric of her skirt. In large part, yes. The pass was enough to change everything, but this newest development will magnify those changes tenfold.

I ground my teeth together. I grew up here, in this quiet, thriving, but sheltered town in the middle of a nearly inaccessible mountain valley. I was the steward of the land. I governed and cared for this territory on behalf of the king and queen. It was an enormous responsibility, but one I loved. One I felt well-trained for and able to handle. But a few weeks ago, a strong vein of mage dust and star crystal was discovered in the mountain range in the northwestern part of Larkwood. And now…now my small, quiet corner of Elfhaven was poised to become a wealthy trade city, the new jewel of the kingdom.

Mage dust was used to enhance magic. It let fae cast stronger spells with less effort. It could even grant some lucky humans the ability to perform small magics. And the solid form, star crystals, powered our lights and mechanical devices without the need for other fuels or power sources. Both items were relatively rare, highly sought after, highly regulated, highly valuable assets.

Amaryllis straightened her back and met my eyes, and I saw both my best friend and a royal looking back at me. As far as I'm aware, you still have no serious lover, Kat. No mate—or mates—chosen, no one of interest who you might take as a bonded. The king and queen wish for you to remedy that as soon as possible.

I scoffed. Of all the things I had expected my best friend to say her royal parents wanted to talk to me about, my love life hadn't even occurred to me. You know I've not exactly been star-favored when it comes to lovers, I said dryly.

For starters, I hadn't been interested in more than the occasional fun here and there. But there was also the matter of my mixed heritage. I tried not to let my gaze linger on Amaryllis's slender, willowy stature, her tall, pointed ears or her beautiful, iridescent wings. They were features that every highborn fae female possessed. I was unfashionably short and plump, my ears were rounded, and my back was bare, thanks to my lowborn heritage.