Elemental Princess: Royal Lines (Elemental Series)

by M. M. Roethig

Laughter followed her into the blackness.

  CHAPTER 1

  Soft cries carried through the stuffy hospital room drowning out the electric buzz from the lights overhead. Machines beeped in time with a tiny heartbeat, one that contrasted with the steady thump in Stephan’s chest. Paige lay panting on the bed, ready to give one last push and bring their new child into the world. Sweat-drenched sheets clung to her body, her hair askew with frazzled curls matted to her head.

  The small birthing room in the hospital looked like a fancy hotel room, complete with a jetted tub full of warm water from the bath Paige was never able to enjoy. A flat screen television flickered with the most recent football score, a game all but forgotten when the contractions grew in intensity.

  “You can do it,” Stephan whispered gently. He wiped her sweat-drenched forehead and smoothed the dark matted curls from Paige’s eyes.

  “On your next contraction, push hard. This should be the last one.” Dr. Carter sat confidently at the edge of the bed, preparing for the big event.

  A new wave of contractions hit as Paige squeezed her eyes closed and gave a gut wrenching groan. She squeezed Stephan’s hand until he thought it would break under the pressure.

  “Don’t push! Stop!” Dr. Carter’s voice rang out in the room, and the nurse, Betty, quickly stepped to his side. They spoke softly as she handed him tools from the medical tray before she beelined for the phone on the wall.

  “Stop pushing, honey. You’ve got to stop,” Betty cooed in an attempt at a soothing voice that instead held an edge of panic as she dialed the phone with a shaky hand.

  “I can’t—it hurts. I need to push,” Paige cried. She clenched her teeth as the pressure bore down on her again. She bit back sobs of pain. Stephan’s heart broke as he watched.

  “The cord is wrapped around your baby’s neck. You have to stop pushing or you will strangle it.” Dr. Carter sounded confident as he spoke, yet there was something in his voice that sent a chill of panic down Stephan’s spine.

  Paige screamed her frustration and gripped the bedrails with white-knuckled fists. Stephan stood frozen.

  “I’ve got it. Push, Paige. Push!” Dr. Carter screamed his order and Paige let out a gut-curdling scream.

  More nurses rushed into the room while Betty finished her conversation in hushed tones and promptly hung up the phone. She rushed back to Dr. Carter to help while the other nurses pulled instruments from the large closet at the other end of the room that housed a warming bed and supplies for each new baby.

  Paige and Stephan were promptly ignored as Betty grabbed the bundle from Dr. Carter. She quickly disappeared into the middle of the swarm of nurses surrounding the infant bed.

  “Doc?” Stephan asked with hesitation after a few moments of silence.

  “I need to get Paige stitched up.” The calm demeanor did nothing to soothe Stephan’s rising fears. Stephan cocked an eyebrow when Dr. Carter finally looked up and caught his eye. “You have a beautiful little girl. But—” Another doctor rushed into the room, cutting off the rest of the sentence.

  Stephan watched as the new doctor went to work with the nurses in the corner of the room and he waited for more of an explanation. None came for several agonizing minutes.

  With a deep sigh, Dr. Carter cast a compassionate glace at Paige who lay exhausted against the bed. She never wavered in her stare as she watched the commotion in the corner.

  “The umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck three times. It cut off her oxygen and she wasn’t breathing. Dr. Ericson is the best NICU doctor we have.” Dr. Carter’s explanation was full of empathy.

  Paige grabbed Stephan’s hand and pulled him down against her. Her strength was gone, but he had no problem falling against her as she sobbed into his shoulder.

  “I can’t lose her, Stephan. I can’t.”

  Stephan’s voice failed him, his throat swollen with emotion. He closed his eyes and sent up a silent prayer as he begged for the life of his little girl.

  Miles away a fragile, silvered haired woman lay on a soft bed of white, every breath a struggle. The death rattle had crept into her lungs and everyone knew her time drew near.

  Simon sat vigilantly by her side. Grief and anguish clearly shone in his features. His muddy brown eyes were wet with millions of tears that ran freely down his strong, angled face.

  Dimly lit candles cast dancing shadows around the small, quaint room as the fire popped wildly in the stone hearth on the far wall, filling the room with sweltering heat. Beads of sweat clung to Simon’s forehead. His short-sleeved shirt clung to his torso and revealed the sweatmarks along his back.

  A door creaked open, but Simon didn’t turn to look.

  “He’s finally asleep,” Lizzy said as she placed a hand on her husband’s shoulder. “Goodness, Simon. It’s so hot in here. You’re drenched.” Lizzy walked to the window and cracked it just a bit. “There, that should help.”

  A swift breeze penetrated the room and Simon sighed in relief as the cool air swept over him. Despite his attempts to keep from complaining, he welcomed the draft if only for a moment.

  “Liz, honey, please close that. Aria is freezing.” Simon looked at Lizzy with pleading eyes. “She shivers uncontrollably and I can’t make her stop.”

  Lizzy wore a long sleeved nightshirt that clung to her round belly and showed off her tanned, bare legs. Fuzzy socks acted as a barrier against the chill of the hardwood floor and Simon smiled when he noticed them. Her long blonde hair hung haphazardly around her shoulders in a messy ponytail tied at the nape of her neck. A few stray curls fell around her face, accenting her youthful complexion. Simon could see the sparkle from the fire in her green-blue eyes and the outline of her body as she came to kneel in front of him.

  Lizzy grasped his hands in hers, closed her eyes, and kissed his palm gently.

  “Sweetheart, she’s dying. No matter how warm you make the room, she’s not going to recover.”

  “I know. It’s just . . .” Simon closed his eyes, unable to continue.

  “Simon. It’s her time to go and we need to let her. You served her well, but it’s time. It’s our time, too. We can finally move on and have the life we want.” Simon closed his eyes and touched his forehead against hers. He inhaled deeply and then kissed the tip of her nose as she continued. “Your stewardship as Guardian is over. Let’s celebrate her wonderful life and concentrate on our boys and our life.”

  Lizzy placed both hands on either side of Simon’s face and forced him to look into her eyes as she stood and moved between his legs. She leaned over and placed an urgent kiss on his lips. The kiss was full of need, love, and, Simon suspected, great relief. She was under the impression that everything would change now, and he wished he could give her that, but knew it was impossible, even now.

  “I need you, Simon.”

  Simon growled his appreciation for her words and snaked his arms around her expanding waistline. He pulled her close and kissed her belly before he spoke softly to his unborn babe. Lizzy ruffled his hair and kissed the top of his head as he murmured to their child.

  A bright light swept through the room as if a flash of lightening suddenly erupted from the hallway. Lizzy froze in place as understanding hit. Terror shone in her eyes and she ran.

  Simon let out a sigh of resignation. He knew what the light meant and expected it. The same happened to him once, too, changing his life forever.

  He turned his gaze to Aria lying still on the bed. Her faded blue eyes peered expectantly back at him, a tiny smile on her lips. After days of being unable to talk, Aria whispered through a bone-dry throat.

  “Train . . . him . . . well.” She coughed. “I . . . am . . . proud.”

  Aria closed her eyes and let out a long, satisfied sigh as her body went slack against the bedding. A thin wisp of light rose from her shell and gently danced toward the open window, swirling and spiraling up to the stars. Her spirit was now free.

  “Eryk, no!” Lizzy’s desperate cry broke the silence. Desp
ite the pain in his heart, Simon stood and placed a kiss on Aria’s forehead before he followed the panicked screams.

  Simon knew why Eryk was here. Kaden, only three years old, was now a Guardian.

  Paige clung to Stephan as they watched the flurry of activity around their little girl, still blue on the table in the corner. Dr. Carter removed his gloves while new nurses worked to clean up the soiled linens from the recent birth.

  “Would you like me to crack the window? It might help relieve some tension to let some fresh air in.” Stephan gave a quick nod and Dr. Carter moved to open the window. “You’re lucky to have this room. All the other rooms have sealed windows,” he said as he slid the pane easily to the side. Stephan felt a wave of fresh air filter through the crack.

  No words were exchanged as Stephan stood next to his wife with her hand firmly gripped in his. In an effort to keep up his façade of strength, Stephan turned his eyes to the newly opened window when he felt the sting of tears threaten to overwhelm him. As he looked out at the sky, he saw a swirling mist dance through the crack into the room. It moved with purpose in the direction of the infant warmer where the NICU doctor worked furiously. Stephan’s gaze followed the glowing mist through the room. He was surprised to notice the other occupants remained unaware of the light that penetrated the gloom as it danced lightly over his daughter.

  The magical fog spun and dipped in the air before hovering above his oxygen-deprived child. As suddenly as it came, it danced out the window and lifted to the heavens.

  Instantly, machines beeped noisily and the doctor’s voice pitched in excitement. “We’ve got her back. We’ve got her back!”

  “Doctor. Look at her eyes.” Betty’s high whisper reached Stephan’s ears.

  “No time, get her to NICU, stat,” the doctor screeched as the other nurses wheeled the baby from the room.

  “Betty, what about her eyes?” Paige asked quietly.

  “They were the most incredible blue I’ve ever seen. And the pupil looked like a drop of rain.” Betty walked from the room in a daze.

  “Oh, Stephan,” Paige cried. “Not my little girl, too. I didn’t want this life for her.” Sobbing uncontrollably, she clung to her husband and buried her head in his chest.

  Stephan silently comforted his wife as he offered up another prayer, this one of thanks for saving his daughter. He didn’t care if she was a born Elemental. His little girl would live.

  Stars peppered the darkened sky high above the treeline. It was a peaceful night with a subtle chill in the air that hinted at a change of season. In the distance, a dense white cloud whirled high in the midnight sky, making its way to the tall, stone cottage house in the distance. As the cloud moved, it covered the starlight, drowning out the twinkling lights in its wake.

  A soft moan ripped through the quiet night sky as the mist condensed on the balcony near the ceiling-to-floor glass French doors. A tight whirlwind swirled mercilessly on the porch until a small figure of a woman appeared out of the darkness.

  Inside the cozy cottage, Elzar closed his book and calmly placed it on the stand next to the oversized leather couch where he sat. The fire alight in the hearth gave a quick flicker followed by a wisp sound before the flames dimmed. He knew of his pending guest even before she materialized.

  Casually, Elzar stood with a confidence that came from years of hard-earned life lessons, and released his breath in a loud exhale. He padded barefoot to the balcony door. Dressed only in a pair of comfortable knit pants, Elzar opened the door on his waiting guest just as the last tendrils of mist drifted backward, revealing the woman inside. Elzar made no effort to cover himself against the chill in the air as he strolled outside.

  “Isa, what brings you here?” Elzar said under his breath, his annoyance not far from the surface.

  Isa’s long hair jutted from her scalp in every direction. Once a vibrant blonde, her hair was now pale and streaked with dull grey throughout. Hands, frail and wrinkled, reached up to smooth down the matted mess while she smiled a toothless grin at him. Dressed in a long, flowing silk gown that blew gently in the breeze, she looked at odds with herself as she abandoned her hair to fidget with the sapphire ring encompassing her right middle finger. She looked ancient, appearing much older than Elzar even though she was, technically, younger than him. Her paper-thin skin lay in folds around her face, and her eyes had a layer of film that stretched across her pupil.

  Isa was a witch and her years of witchcraft had taken its toll. The results were not pretty.

  Without speaking Isa sauntered to him like a cat stalking its prey. She lifted her chin toward his face and placed her hands on his hard, bare chest while she closed her eyes. Her frail hands rubbed against his skin, lingering on the scars that stretched the length of his chiseled chest.

  After long moments, she stretched up on her toes and placed a chaste kiss on his cheek, missing his lips only when he turned his head at the last moment. Her bluish lips lingered for a moment before he felt her smile and step back. She dropped her arms to her sides and waited.

  With repulsion he couldn’t hide, Elzar looked down his nose at her and stared into her pale eyes.

  “Invite me in?” With a smile that looked more like a sneer, Isa slowly licked her chapped lips and looked at the open door leading to Elzar’s study.

  Without a word, Elzar turned and motioned for her to follow.

  Isa trailed behind him as small tendrils of vapor paved her every step into the dimly lit room. The fire burned in the stone hearth on the far wall, fighting to keep alight the further inside the room Isa walked. A sudden chill penetrated Elzar to the core and he visibly shuddered.

  “Why do you visit me here?” he asked, facing her. Isa frowned at the question while searching his face.

  “Why do I continue to help you, my Elzar?” she questioned. Her once blue eyes lit as she waited for a response, and he attempted to soften his features.

  “Because you love me, my dear.”

  “Hmm.” Isa tipped her head to the side as she studied him a few moments longer.

  With outstretched hands, Isa took a step forward to close the distance between them, catching Elzar around the waist. She clasped her hands behind his back and leaned into him in a weak embrace, resting her head on his bare chest. She inhaled deeply and smiled when his heartbeat picked up.

  “It is happening,” she whispered against his bare skin. Her clouded eyes could see little, but her inner sight was more than enough to cause his heart to skip a beat at her words. “It won’t be long now. She’s coming, the most gifted Elemental being this world has ever seen.”

  Elzar wrapped his arms around Isa and gave her an affectionate hug for the first time in ages. All those years of waiting would finally pay off. “This is the day we’ve been waiting for. She will be ours.”

  Isa melted into his embrace and sighed for a brief moment. Then, she tipped her head back to look into his eyes and smiled. Her grey and blonde streaked hair hung down her back, and the dry brittle strands brushed his fingers before he quickly released his hold.

  Isa placed a hand on each side of his face and gave him an expectant, toothless grin. There was more, Elzar knew, by the way she looked at him. He grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her back gently, hoping to break the hold, but Isa held firm.

  “Where can I find this child?” The shock in his voice was hard to hide and Isa giggled loudly before she stepped back, her eyes roaming over his body. She ran one long nail seductively across his chest until she reached the gnarly scar on his skin. It angled across his chest from shoulder to hip, disappearing beneath his waistband. He remembered the day he received the wound that made his scar, a parting gift from the Elemental King that nearly took his life. Isa healed his wounds many years ago, at great cost to her. Her looks bore testament of that, and Elzar had to remind himself of her sacrifice for his life.

  “She will have more powers than anyone before, but she will not be yours this night. That I have seen,” Isa said as she st
epped away from him. “Beyond, I cannot tell you what lies ahead, but I warn you this . . . she will hold the world in the palm of her hands.”

  “Then we must find her quickly. Only then will I, uh . . . we, hold the power we need to change this forsaken world.” Isa nodded and walked to the edge of the balcony.

  “Isa, where can I find this child?” Elzar asked. “You must help me find her.”

  Isa laughed and the sound grated him.

  “I cannot see those things, my dear. I only know that she will destroy you if you do not find her soon.” Isa’s response created more questions than answers and Elzar stepped forward to stop her so he could get the answers he wanted, the answers he needed.

  “You must find her on your own,” she said before he could speak. “Only then will you have the influence over her that you need.”

  A bolt of lightning shot across the sky with a loud crack that shook him to his core. Elzar blinked at the sudden brightness that surrounded him. When he opened his eyes again, Isa was gone.

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