Eternal Sacrifice (Mortal Enchantment Book 4)

by Stacey O'Neale

  Reinforcements had arrived from every court. It was the first time I’d ever seen all of us working together against a common enemy. They fought hard, but the battle raged on. I needed to be out there fighting, not sitting on my ass. I stared at Kalin. As she bandaged up the wounded, she watched the war from the window. She ached to be out there too. All the other leaders fought alongside their elementals. She had the power of all four elements, and knew we needed her help, but she had to stay with the shield. I wasn’t strong enough to defend the final sacred object if Valac found his way inside.

  And as hard as it was to watch her own elementals perish, she couldn’t risk it.

  I fought to stand, wobbling as I struggled to hold my own weight. I stood on my feet for only a moment before my knees began to buckle. I let out a frustrated growl. It was useless. I had nothing left. I sat down in the closest chair, slamming my fist onto the tabletop. Heads turned in my direction and I shooed them away. How many elementals had Valac recruited? If I had to guess, there were close to a thousand. I leaned on my elbows with my face in my hands. This was my fault. As much as I wanted to see my friends happy, I should’ve stopped the wedding. I should’ve known he’d strike while we were off-guard. Why hadn’t I seen it coming? At the time, the risk of an attack seemed slim. All the other raids happened while the leaders had been pulled away from their courts. The remaining elementals were outnumbered and overrun quickly. But this assault had lost the element of surprise. We were ready, and had our most powerful royal members in attendance. It was a bold move on his part. One that cost the lives of much of his force.

  “Rowan, they’re pushing them back,” Kalin said, breaking me out of my thoughts. “Some of them are retreating into the forest. The hounds are chasing them.”

  The tension in my shoulders relaxed.

  Marcus wouldn’t stop until he killed every last one of them. We’d discussed our intentions before we left for the fire court. I had no interest in prisoners. The rogues had fought against their own kin. If I had my way, none would survive the night. “Have you seen Valac?”

  “No,” she replied. “Not once.”

  He hadn’t abandoned them. I still felt the presence of the ring. If I had any strength left, I’d be able to identify his specific location. Aggravation overwhelmed me once more. This had to end tonight. Valac couldn’t be allowed to rebuild his army. We’d already endured too many losses.

  “What’s going on?” Ariel asked, holding handfuls of fresh bandages and ointment she retrieved from the supply closets in the infirmary. “Is Marcus all right?”

  “They’ve started to retreat,” I told her. “Marcus and the other hounds went after them.”

  Ariel handed the supplies over to a group of woodland faeries. “Does that mean it’s over?”

  Kalin glanced over to me. Without words, we each knew what the other was thinking. This wasn’t over until Valac was found. And I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was all some kind of diversion. But would he sacrifice the lives of most of his rogues to make a play for the shield? If he failed, he’d surely die. With all of our leaders in one place, there was a chance we could overpower him. The move was risky.

  Unless he had someone on the inside helping him.

  “Guard the shield, Kalin,” I urged her. “Call your knights back here.”

  My words sent out an alarm throughout the ballroom. Elementals that were able grabbed their weapons. I forced myself to stand, ignoring the weakness that threatened to collapse me to the ground. My sword felt like a five-hundred-pound weight in my hand, but I held it anyway. I refused to be helpless. Even if it cost me my life, I’d defend Kalin and the shield.

  A horde of rogue elementals rushed into the room from a side door.

  I was right.

  They had to have someone from the air court helping them. Someone who’d remained hidden until just now. That was the only way to explain how they’d come through the castle without anyone alerting us. Fear rippled through me. Woodland faeries raced outside to call for help, while the rest of us raised our swords. Kalin held her palm up. Wind rushed to the door, preventing the remaining invaders from coming inside. With her other hand she pointed to a group of rogues. They were sucked into a large tornado-like sand storm, the same one Orion had created outside. Glass shattered as she thrust them through the window.

  Mayhem broke out in every direction.

  Rogue elementals from my court lit several woodland faeries on fire. Kalin propelled a stream of water at them, diminishing the flames. Then she used another tornado to eject them out the window. But she’d used too much magic in too many different directions. The rogues she’d held at the door managed to get inside. They filed in, surrounding the perimeter of the room. Screams of pain echoed all around as we fought back. One of the rogues lunged at me. I had enough strength to slice into his midsection. It wasn’t enough to kill him, but he was mortally injured at the very least.

  The ground shook as a hound stepped inside the room. I couldn’t recognize who it was, but he definitely wasn’t on our side. Water elementals tried to force him back, but he just pushed right through their water attack. He leapt, crushing their chests when he landed on top of them. They were dead in an instant. Knights threw iron knives at him, which only bounced off his thick skin. I wasn’t sure there was anyone here who was strong enough to stop him. Then Kalin appeared behind him, jumping on his broad back. She ignited the sword in her hand, engulfing the blade in flames. She plunged the weapon into his neck, severing his spine.

  Only a few yards away, Valac stood beneath the door frame. He wore the Green Armor. Excalibur was in his hand, while the ring gleamed on his finger. His eyes were fixated on her. She was so focused on the hound as she rode his back, she didn’t see what was right behind her. Valac raised the sword, preparing to slice into her. Fury took over me, and I moved as fast as I could. My legs were stiff with pain, making my pace even slower. I screamed her name over and over as I tried to warn her. There was too much commotion all around us. She didn’t hear me.

  I’d reached the middle of the room and watched in horror as it happened.

  Ariel thrust herself at Valac, blocking Kalin from his attack. The blade cut into her side, and she let out a wailing scream as she collapsed to the ground. Blood puddled around the incision, turning a section of her wedding dress crimson-red. Kalin turned around at the sound, and placed her hands over her mouth. She crawled over to her, placing her head in her lap. The rest of the room stood still at the sight of them. Kalin wiped her hair away from her face as tears ran down her cheeks. It all had happened so fast. Even Valac seemed to be stunned by what had transpired.

  Only a short time ago, Ariel stood beneath a floral archway and said her vows. Now she was dying on the floor of her wedding reception.

  That was when Marcus ran into the room. In an instant, he was next to her. Ariel placed her blood-stained hand on his cheek. He whimpered, nuzzling his massive head into the crook of her neck. An overwhelming ache radiated from within me. But it wasn’t my hurt. It was Marcus. I sensed him once more. But this time, the sensation was much stronger. I felt his grief as if it were my own. I held my hand to my chest as his heart shattered. I’d never known agony like this before. It was such intense emotional anguish that it had become actual physical pain.

  Then I heard his voice inside my head. “No, Ariel. No! Please don’t leave me,” he cried. “Not like this.”

  I tried to respond telepathically. “Marcus, I’m so sorry.”

  He turned to face me. “You can hear me?”

  “I don’t know how or why, but yes,” I replied, still unsure how to explain what was happening between us. “For the first time, I can.”

  Marcus shifted his glare to Valac. He had remained there, only a few feet away from them, still seemingly in shock by what he’d done. “You did this.”

  He let out a roar that shook the entire room.

  “Marcus, don’t,” I begged. “He’ll kill you.”


  “Can’t you see?” Marcus replied, crouching down into a fighting stance, growling from deep in his throat. “I’m already dead.”

  Valac raised his sword, ready to defend himself. The blade was still wet with Ariel’s blood.

  I was heading over there when Selene stepped in between Valac and Marcus, her hands straight out at her sides. My brows snapped together. Was she protecting Marcus? “Please, I’m begging you,” she said to her brother. “If you have any shred of love left for me, you’ll leave now.”

  “I didn’t want to kill her,” he replied, pointing his blade at Kalin. “She was supposed to die.”

  Valac went after Kalin because she was the only one that could stop him if he pierced the mist. Without her, we’d have no other choice but to surrender to his demands. Kalin carefully sat Ariel’s head on the floor. When she rose to her feet, fire burned from one hand and a wind tunnel spun in the other. “Take your shot,” she said, waving him on.

  I struggled to reach them. Giving up on my legs, I tried flying. My wings were too heavy, and I tumbled to the ground. None of us were at full strength. Even combined, I wasn’t sure if we could take him down. “Don’t do it, Kalin,” I yelled. “That’s exactly what he wants.”

  “Please,” Selene pleaded to Valac. “Let them grieve.”

  Marcus had shifted around Selene. He was a second away from pouncing. I had no time to reach him. He was still too far away. Then it hit me. If I could communicate with Marcus, there was a chance I’d inherited my mother’s ability to control the hounds. I didn’t want to do that to him. He’d experienced it before when she forced him to tear off my wings. But if I didn’t do something, Valac was going to kill him.

  “I’m sorry, Marcus.” I concentrated solely on him. Focusing on the bones in his limbs, I tightened my fists until my knuckles were white. My body was completely still. He tried to push forward and stopped mid-step. He roared as he tried to move, but went nowhere. I’d done it. I had the power to control the hounds. “This was the last thing I wanted to do to you. But I won’t let him kill you.”

  “I don’t care what happens to me,” he snarled. “Let me go.”

  “Which is why I can’t let you go,” I replied. There was movement going on all around me. I heard the sound of swords scraping against one another. But I couldn’t see any of it because I needed all my concentration focused on Marcus. He fought back. Each second that passed was harder than the last. I wasn’t sure how long I could keep this up. My core force drained away at a rapid pace. If it emptied completely, I’d die.

  “You can’t hold me forever.” he said, pushing back against my power.

  “No, I can’t,” I replied, struggling to maintain him. “But I’ll protect you until my last breath. Even if I’m protecting you from yourself.”

  “I don’t need your help,” he growled.

  There was one last thing I hadn’t tried. The only way I had left to reach him. “Marcus, Ariel is dying. There’s nothing that can be done to stop it. Do you want to spend her final moments fighting Valac or by her side?”

  Instantly, he stopped and I released him. Once the connection was broken, I saw that war had exploded all around me. I couldn’t see Marcus or Kalin. There was too much happening. Still on my knees, I felt the world was teetering back and forth. My vision blurred.

  Then there was nothing.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Kalin

  My best friend was dying.

  I was about to challenge Valac when I heard Marcus struggle. Something was holding him in place, preventing him from moving. I scanned the room. That’s when I saw Rowan, who seemed to be in some kind of trance. I watched in awe. He’d told me about his mother’s power over the hounds, but he said he didn’t have it. Maybe he’d just realized it. Neither of them said a word, so I concentrated on their bond. I heard the end of what I assumed was a conversation between them.

  Holy shit.

  Rowan had the power to control the hounds.

  Whatever he said seemed to stop Marcus. I stood frozen in place as he morphed back into his mortal form. Other hounds fought all around us, clearing away the remaining rogues. I spun around. Valac was gone. He must’ve gotten away. I reached behind me. The shield. It was gone too. He’d taken it while I was trying to connect with Rowan and Marcus. How had I let this happen? Ariel had given her life to save mine. Marcus had lost the love of his life. All for nothing. Pain seared through me like a hot knife, slicing right through my heart.

  Marcus took Ariel’s hand in his. Tears welled in his eyes. I wanted to grieve with him. To show my support and tell Ariel how much I loved her. But it felt like an intrusion. They loved each other so much, and now everything had been taken away from them. It wasn’t fair. None of this. Ariel groaned from the pain. None of the ointments we had would help her. Excalibur’s blade acted like a poison. Even our strongest medicines did nothing to relieve the stress on her.

  “I can’t heal her,” Selene said, sniffling. “But there is something I can do to ease her pain. Will you let me?”

  “Yes.” I was supposed to be the all-powerful akasha, and yet I couldn’t save my best friend. But if I could ease her pain in any way, I was willing to do it. “If it’s okay with Marcus.”

  He nodded.

  Selene bent down on the other side of Ariel. She slid her hand in hers and began to sing. Banshees were known for the part they played in death. Not many knew they could also ease the pain of sufferers with their song. Her voice was soft and soothing. Ariel watched her as she sang. An ease came over her. Everyone around us seemed to be calmed. She continued for several minutes. Ariel watched her with a smile on her face. A line of blood ran out of her mouth, and down her cheek.

  Her eyes closed and she took one last breath.

  And then she was gone.

  The song ended abruptly as Selene ran away in tears. Marcus put his head on Ariel’s stomach and cried. Riddled with grief and guilt, I decided to do the one thing I could do for my best friend. I’d make sure Marcus was given privacy to grieve. I turned around, and walked toward a group of my knights. I pointed to them, taking one last glimpse of the greatest friend I’d ever known. A lump swelled in my throat. “I need you to form a blockade around Marcus and Ariel. I don’t want them disturbed for any reason. Do you understand?”

  They nodded.

  The hurt from her loss made it hard to breathe.

  Where was Rowan? I’d lost sight of him during all the commotion. I searched through the bodies in various stages of decay. Then I saw him, face down in the middle of the dance floor. My chest tightened. He wasn’t moving at all. I raced toward him. When I reached him, I got on my knees and rolled him over. I put my head on his chest and listened for a heartbeat. Relief spilled over me when I heard him breathing. It was faint, but he was still alive. “Rowan,” I cried. “Can you hear me?”

  No response. He wasn’t injured. At least, not physically. He appeared to be passed out. Whatever went on between him and Marcus had drained his power. Since he’d already weakened himself making that fire barrier, he had to be near death. I had to do something. Now. The woodland faeries told me that they weren’t able to help him because he needed to return to the eternal flame. That was the only way to revive a fire elemental after he’d used all his core power.

  But I couldn’t do it alone.

  Several hounds stood outside of the barricade. Selene cried on the shoulder of one of them. They each looked on as their pack leader grieved. I ran over to them. “My knights will protect Marcus.” I pointed to Rowan. “Your king needs your help.”

  A younger-looking one was the first to speak as we made our way over to Rowan. “Do you know how he was injured?”

  “He used up all his core power,” I replied, although I wasn’t sure if he had other wounds. There wasn’t time to check. “He may die if we don’t return him to the eternal flame.”

  Another hound stepped forward. He picked Rowan up off the ground, cradling him in his arms. “We ca
n take him.”

  “I’m going with you,” I insisted.

  Selene shook her head. “The flames will burn you.”

  “No, they won’t.” I opened my palm, and ignited a ball of fire. They glanced at each other as they shrugged their shoulders. I peered at Rowan, lifeless in his arms. “We can’t waste any more time. Show me the way to the eternal flame.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Marcus

  I stood over the remnants of my wife.

  A few small flecks of ash were all that was left of her. The rest had joined the winds, and carried her away. For a short moment in time, I had everything I ever wanted. I was happy. I had hope for the future. And as quickly as it came, it was ripped away from me. Leaving my heart torn into shreds. Now I had nothing except the emptiness. The swelling hole inside of me that would never be filled. I rubbed my hands over my face as I tried to make sense of all that had happened.

  When I finally stood, I realized I had knights from the air court all around me. They were each in a fighting stance as if they were prepared to defend me. I scanned the rest of the area. The ballroom was empty. The once-immaculate reception room was destroyed. Blood had pooled on the floor, stained the silk linens, and even sprayed on the walls. Tables had been overturned and broken. The ceiling had burn marks and ruined light fixtures. Shards of glass were in several small piles as if someone had begun the cleanup.

  I had one last mission in this world. One purpose. I’d search until I found the elemental responsible for all of this death and destruction. The one who had started a war that cost the lives of thousands of elementals. The one that had stolen the only pure happiness I’d ever known. Rage rose within me. I’d be the one that killed him. I’d watch as life left his eyes, and I hoped he’d experience the kind of pain I’d carry with me for the rest of my days. But I couldn’t do it alone.