Fragile Reign (Mortal Enchantment Book 2)

by Stacey O'Neale

  Samson grinned, seemingly pleased with himself. “I’m glad to see someone on the council has come to their senses.”

  Jaya smiled at me. “Effective immediately, I vote that Kalin ascend to the throne.”

  A lump swelled in my throat and I swallowed hard. “Hold on one second, I wasn’t suggesting—”

  “She is a halfling.” Samson argued. “The elementals of our court will never accept her.”

  “A few might have reservations, but we can find a way to resolve their concerns.” The group remained silent while Jaya tapped her finger against her bottom lip. “If Kalin were to marry a full-blooded air elemental, it would strengthen her position.”

  Samson crossed his arms, chuckling. “I’m not at all surprised to hear you make this suggestion. After all, Sebastian is your son.”

  Sebastian? I was still trying to wrap my head around her proposal that I take the throne. Were they actually trying to decide my future husband for me? “Wait one second. Who is Sebastian?” Before anyone could answer, I thought back to the conversation I had with Ariel at the Midwinter’s Ball. She said all high-ranking elementals were betrothed at infancy. I cringed, already knowing what they would say, but not wanting to hear it.

  Looking surprised by my ignorance, Jaya answered, “Sebastian is the elemental your father chose to be your husband.”

  Revel—a younger council member who rarely spoke during these meetings—said, “I second the motion. Kalin shall marry Sebastian, and then ascend to the throne.”

  This can’t be happening. I watched in horror as the other council members agreed with the ruling. Everyone except Samson, of course. He sat back in his chair, seemingly unsure how his big plan had failed. Was I engaged? I shook my head in disbelief. I didn’t even know Sebastian. And what about Rowan? How could I explain any of this to him? My stomach sickened, then my legs went numb. Had the floor been knocked out beneath me? I sat down in my chair before I collapsed.

  I lost several minutes of time wrapped up in my own thoughts. When I came back to reality, I realized most of the council had left. Only Jaya remained, sitting in the chair next to me. “I can’t do this. I won’t marry someone I don’t even know.”

  Jaya pressed her lips together, compassion written all over her face. “No one said ruling was easy. Sometimes sacrifices are necessary for the greater good.”

  Giving up carbs was a sacrifice. This was my whole life. I would miss out on everything: dating, falling in love, everything. It meant ending things with Rowan. My chest ached at the thought. “So I’m just supposed to be okay with all of this because I’m royal? How could Dad do this to me?”

  She frowned.

  “I’m sorry.” For a moment, I forgot Sebastian was her son. I needed to tone it down. “I don’t mean to sound negative about your son. I’m sure he’s great.”

  She leaned closer to me. “Your father arranged this marriage to help you. He anticipated the objections to your birthright. He wants you to be the next queen. This betrothal solidifies your ascension.”

  That made sense. Dad never meant to hurt me. He arranged a marriage because he thought he was helping me. I just wish he would’ve shared that little nugget of information with me. Hearing it from a council member only made it worse. “But I don’t even know him.”

  Jaya patted my hand, smiling. “Maybe it’s time we change that.”

  I could actually hear the resistance in my tone. “You mean—”

  “I mean, it’s time you met Sebastian.”

  I was having an out-of-body experience. That was the best way to explain how I felt after the council meeting. I was engaged to an elemental I had never met. Engaged. I shut my bedroom door behind me. Leaning back against the wall, I closed my eyes. Jaya left only minutes ago, planning to return with her son.

  “The meeting went that well, huh?”

  I screamed.

  Two knights rushed into the room with swords blazing. That’s when I noticed Mom sitting on the edge of my bed with her hand over her chest. Eyes bugged out as if she had been electrocuted.

  I ran to her, wrapping my arms around her shoulders. She was shaking. “I’m so sorry, Mom. I didn’t see you there.” I glanced at the guards. “I’m fine. You can leave us.”

  They both nodded, leaving the room.

  Mom laughed. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I should have said something as soon as you entered the room.”

  I sat next to her. “I’m glad you’re here.”

  “I brought these for you.” She handed me a cardboard box. “I can’t believe you left without them.”

  I opened the box, and shrieked. It was my entire Pez collection. Since I was a toddler, we had collected them. We spent hours on Ebay bidding on the rarest ones. Last time I counted, I had well over two hundred dispensers. It was probably a silly hobby, but it was special to us. I sat the box on the floor. “Thank you for bringing these. It means a lot.”

  She shot me one of her Mom stares. It was the expression she made when I was sure she was reading my mind. “What happened at that council meeting?”

  Mom had been in Avalon for less than one day. She had just reconnected with Dad after being apart for sixteen years. This wasn’t the time to explain my engagement. She had no idea I was betrothed. There was no way she would have gone along with it. Instead of worrying about me, I wanted her to focus on her relationship with Dad. Let her enjoy some happiness for once. Throughout my childhood, I could never remember Mom going on a single date. I always assumed she was still in love with Dad, but I never had the courage to ask.

  Then I thought about our last conversation. I had promised I wouldn’t keep secrets from her. Well, it technically wasn’t a secret if I planned to tell her. Maybe let her get settled here, then fill her in on all the crappy details. “The council meeting was boring. Tell me what happened with Dad.”

  “What do you mean?” She asked, coyly.

  I nudged her playfully with my elbow. “Spill it, Mom. I want to know everything.”

  Mom shook her head, smiling. “Nothing happened, nosy. He gave me a tour of the castle, then showed me where I’ll be staying. That’s all.”

  I raised my eyebrows. “Did you make any other plans?”

  “He’s asked if I will join him for breakfast.”

  Things seemed to be going well between them. With all the drama going on, it was nice to have something positive to focus on. “Well, I think this is great. You know, you two getting acquainted again.”

  She tapped me on the tip of my nose. “Don’t get ahead of yourself, little cupid. A lot of time has passed. We’re not the same as we once were. I imagine it’s going to take a while for us to get to know each again.”

  That was fine with me. All I wanted was for them both to be happy. And judging by the googly eyes they gave each other, I would bet there was still something between them. I hugged her. “I’m just glad you’re here.”

  “There’s no place I’d rather be.”

  Chapter Nine

  Rowan

  “You wish to challenge me?” Darius asked, chuckling. “Since when do you have any interest in pack leadership?” The hounds laughed, mocking Marcus.

  “Rowan is our true king. Instead of offering your allegiance, you wish to fight him.” He stood firm with fierceness in his glare. “You leave me no choice. You are no longer acting in the best interest of our pack.”

  The crowd silenced, waiting for his father to respond. “Very well, Son.” Darius said, smiling with confidence. “I accept your foolish challenge.”

  The horde of hounds screamed with excitement. My mother had forced Darius to fight other hounds, but none had ever challenged him for pack leader. Marcus took off his shirt, throwing it in a nearby corner. The bruises on his upper body had not completely healed. How could he possibly beat his father? Darius doubled him in size and Marcus was injured. I couldn’t let this happen.

  I grabbed his arm, turning him to face me. “This is suicide, bro. You’re not one hundred p
ercent. You can’t win like this.”

  His eyes had changed to red, a sign he had already begun to shift. “You heard my father. We are out of options.” Marcus said, voice almost a growl. “We need the pack to defeat Valac.”

  There had to be another way. Something I could offer instead of this. “I can take him.”

  “No, you can’t. You’re strong, but you’re not one of us.” Marcus squeezed my shoulder. “We need the hounds on our side. My father will never concede.”

  “Marcus—”

  He didn’t respond. Within seconds, he had shape-shifted into hound form. The crowd backed up several feet, making room for their battle. Members of the group laughed as others ripped into Marcus, taunting him. None of them thought he could beat his father. But this fight would not end with a simple beating. Darius would kill his own son to show dominance among his pack.

  The already loud noise amped up even higher as the two hounds circled one another. It was easy to tell them apart. Although they both had slick black hair and menacing exterior, Marcus was considerably smaller than Darius. Each bared their teeth, growling. They appeared to be sizing each other up. Darius lifted a paw as if he were about to pounce. The muscles in Marcus’s back tightened in response. I could have been wrong, but it sounded like Darius was chuckling.

  Anger raged inside me, knowing I was powerless to stop this.

  Even if I attacked Darius, the other hounds would take me out before I could do any real damage. There was nothing I could do but watch. Darius had never been beaten—ever. The odds were definitely in his favor. But maybe Marcus knew something the other opponents didn’t. He had been fighting with his father since childhood. I was hoping Marcus had a plan. The heat coming off of the hounds caused the temperature to soar.

  Sweat trickled down their spines.

  Darius was the first to attack. He leaped, attempting to land on top of Marcus. Their bodies crashed together in mid-air. The ground rumbled. I had to steady myself to keep from falling. Darius swatted the air with his front paws, each time barely missing Marcus. He blocked the assault, preventing any kind of physical damage. Marcus opened his jaws, reaching outward for his father’s neck. Darius blocked him with a blow to the side of his face. The move left a bloody claw-mark on his cheek. Marcus turned his head, wincing in pain. The crowd cheered in response.

  Droplets of smeared blood coated the surface of the fighting area. Snarling, Marcus pounced. The ground roared like an earthquake as they rolled around. Each tried to dominate the other, taking turns on top. It had become a wrestling match. The crowd backed up, giving them more room. Their movements were so fast, it was difficult to make out what was happening. At some point, Marcus tore his teeth into his father’s hind leg. Darius never cried out. Even if he was moments from death, I doubted he ever would. The Gabriel Hounds were trained to tolerate the pain. They never gave up.

  That was why they were incredibly difficult to beat.

  In a surprise move, Darius managed to get him into a head lock. Marcus fought hard as he was pulled onto his back, swatting at him with all four paws. I heard a crunching sound as his father dug his massive jaws into his son’s throat. Blood dripped down the side of his neck while Marcus continued to fight. Terror coursed through me as his movements slowed by the second. A sharp pain rushed into my chest. Marcus wouldn’t want me to interfere. He made that clear, but was I supposed to stand here and watch him die?

  Screw that!

  Reaching behind, I released my sword from its sheath. A few of the closest hounds seethed in pain. I swatted the air a few times, forcing them backwards. I was about to go after Darius when something really heavy knocked me off my feet. My vision was blurry. It took me a second to get back to normal. When I could focus again, I saw three growling hounds ready to attack. Anger fueled my power as I shot several fireballs into their faces. It didn’t stop them, but it did stun them.

  I couldn’t beat them with brute force. As a group, they could easily take me out. I also couldn’t use too much of my power. Each burst of fire would weaken me until there was nothing left. Instead, I focused on my sword skills. The hounds weren’t known for their agility. I kept my movements quick, never staying in the same spot too long. I managed to slice my blade across the eyes of one of them, blinding him. One down and two to go. Seeing what I had just done, most of the watching hounds cowered away. Apparently, I had proven to be a worthy adversary.

  High on adrenalin, it took me a moment to realize all the hounds were silent. I thought of Marcus. Picturing the last image I had of him sent a cold chill down my spine. Was he dead? Fear took over as I pushed through the mob. Two motionless hounds lay in a pool of blood. I forced my way to the front, kneeling to get a closer look. Both hounds shrunk back to their human forms. Each was covered in a mixture of dirt, sweat, and blood. Cuts and bruises covered their arms and legs.

  I crawled over to Marcus, flipping him onto his back. He had a pretty severe bite mark right over his Adam’s apple. Relief spilled over my shoulders when I saw that his throat was still intact. I put my ear on his chest, listening for a heartbeat. I couldn’t hear his heart, but I could tell he was breathing. Somehow, he had survived the attack. “Marcus? Stay with me, buddy.”

  Some of the other hounds had circled around Darius. One of them turned around, and in disbelief said, “He’s dead. Darius is dead.”

  Marcus had done the impossible. He was the new leader of the hounds. But would he live to see it? I picked him up, heaving him over my shoulder. Even in his mortal form, his weight was almost too much to bear. I fought through the pain. If it meant saving his life, I would carry him from one end of this planet to the other. He was all the family I had.

  I ran back to the pathway with Marcus over my shoulder. My legs and shoulders burned while I panted heavily. One more step was all I kept thinking. “When I get you out of this, I’m putting your ass on a diet!” I joked, unsure if he could hear me.

  Overheated, the occasional night breeze was welcome. The moonlight lit my way as I finally approached the pathway. I pressed forward, entering through the circling ball of fire. I headed toward the only elemental that could save my best friend: Orion. The woodland faeries were well-known for their healing potions. Judging by what I saw on the outside, Marcus would need all the help he could get.

  The pathway opened in front of the massive flesh-colored caves resting in the center of the woodland territory. Hundreds of doors and windows had been cut into the exterior walls, winged faeries flew all around the outside, as if they were guarding the place. No elemental court had ever challenged them. Not only were they known for their potions, but they were also the best metalworkers. Even my sword was forged within those walls. A gift from Orion, meant to congratulate me on my impending ascension.

  I was about to enter the caves main entrance when I was stopped by two brownies. They crossed their swords, blocking our way. Their long arms were exposed, skin as coarse as tree bark. With hair like dangling vines, they looked more like walking trees than faeries. They spoke to each other in a language I didn’t recognize. Beyond their own kind, Orion told me he was the only one who could understand them.

  “Push aside. We’re here to see Orion.”

  They continued to speak to one another in their language, appearing as if they were debating something.

  “I don’t have time for this. My friend is dying and we need Orion’s help.” When they continued their mumbling, I sat Marcus down on the ground, leaning him against the rocky cave wall. A ping of disappointment settled in my chest when I noticed his eyes were still closed. I had hoped he would show some sign of recovery. My anger raged, burning away any patience I had left. They will take me to Orion. Now.

  And if necessary, I will cut through every one of his fae to get to him.

  I unsheathed my sword, pointing the blade at their necks. “I really don’t want to hurt anyone else today, but if you don’t get out of my way, I’m going to slice right through you both.”

&nb
sp; They eyed my weapon with curiosity. Perhaps they recognized it? I warned them one last time by swinging my sword once in the air. That must have done the trick because they both moved out of my way. As they scurried away, I sheathed my blade and hoisted Marcus back over my shoulder. “We’re almost there, buddy. Just hold on for me.” I said, hoping he could hear me somehow.

  We entered the main foyer of the caves, racing through the lavish interior. The cathedral ceilings seemed to go on for a mile, reinforced with shiny gold trimming. As we hurried through, we passed massive crystal chandeliers lining both sides of the walkway. The travertine limestone floor had the woodland court symbol engraved into every honeycombed colored square. Directly in front of us, a mural—the size of a baseball diamond—had been painted to symbolize the woodland court. In the picture, the king and queen sat in the forest surrounded by dancing faeries. Everyone looked very happy and beautiful, which was a pretty accurate representation of the court.

  Next, we rushed through another grand foyer. This one had two levels and was shaped like a hexagon. I circled around, scanning each one of the golden doors. I hadn’t been here since I was a child, but I remembered getting lost several times by entering the wrong door. Some went to different locations within the castle. Others went outside, but my favorites were the magical pathways. Woodland portals are very different from the other courts. I didn’t always end up where I wanted to go. Faeries had an interesting sense of humor. Tension built in my chest, knowing Marcus was fading fast. I had to get him to Orion. I was running out of time.

  Marcus would have no problem finding Orion in this maze. He could figure it out just by sniffing the doors. “I could really use your nose right now.”

  I put my hand on the closest door. Room temperature. I hustled over to the next one. This time, the door was much cooler. I checked the other four remaining doors. Most were tepid except for the second door I checked. Temperatures inside the caves were always cold. It made sense that this one must lead to the rest of the caves. I wasn’t completely confident, but I had run out of options. I turned the doorknob and made my way inside. A sense of relief came over me when I realized I had entered Orion’s throne room.