I changed into a Pink Floyd t-shirt and my favorite pair of skinny jeans. For a second, I thought about how the council might react to my mortal clothing. They would certainly disapprove. I didn’t care. If I was going to get to know Sebastian, I wanted it to be on my terms. Once I arrived back in the foyer, I found him waiting for me. He wore the same attire as most of our court: loose fitting yellow pants with a plain yellow shirt. Although he meant to blend in, something about him just didn’t. He carried himself as if he were already part of the royal family.
When he saw me, he smiled as he bowed. “Princess Kalin.”
I guess I could add textbook manners to his list of perfections. I waved my hand. “Please just call me Kalin. There’s no need for us to be formal.”
“Of course,” he replied, holding out his arm for me.
I tucked my arm into the crook of his elbow. “I thought we might go somewhere and talk in private.”
“Did you have anywhere specific in mind?” he asked.
I led him outside the castle toward the side of the mountain where Dad liked to meditate. Where he used to like to meditate. He hadn’t been back to the area since he was kidnapped. I doubted he would ever find peace there again. I sat next to a large oak tree. The winds were stronger here. I pulled the hairband off my wrist, using it to tie back my hair.
Sebastian sat next to me, crossing his legs. “Do you like it out here?”
I closed my eyes, inhaling a deep breath. “I like the quiet.”
“Would you prefer I not speak?”
“Oh, no. I’m sorry.” My cheeks burned. “I meant that I come out here sometimes to get away. It’s been pretty crazy over the last two weeks.”
“I can only imagine the anguish you must have felt when your father went missing. My mother was distraught, but refused to talk about it most of the time. She has been close to your father for a number of years. When he disappeared, she barely spoke to anyone.”
Jaya had always been one of Dad’s strongest supporters on the council. I was sure their friendship played a role in our betrothal. “Your mother has been a friend to me on the council during his absence.”
He stared at the puffy white clouds blocking most of our view. “She wants you to take the throne. At first, she worried about your mortal upbringing. But you made quite an impression on her when you arrived. She admires your…tenacity.”
Surprise did not begin to explain my reaction to his comments. The council fought me every step of the way when I first arrived in Avalon. I didn’t think I had one supporter on the entire council. It could have been so much easier if Jaya had stood up for me then. If any of them had tried to help me, we might have found Dad before the war started against the fire court. “There is no need for me to take the throne. My father will recover soon.”
Sebastian shifted, turning his body to face me. “Are you sure?” he questioned. “After what happened to him, I don’t know how anyone could come back from that.”
“Dad will recover,” I said, sternly. Although I wasn’t sure if I was trying to convince him or myself.
My reaction made him squirm. Sebastian cleared his throat. “I’m sure you’re right. After all, he is the strongest member of our court.”
A dull ache formed in the pit of my chest. I wasn’t trying to make him uncomfortable, especially since he had been nothing but kind to me. I desperately needed a subject change. “Tell me about you.”
“What do you want to know?”
Everything. “Whatever you want to tell me.”
“First, I prefer to be called Bash. Sebastian is what my mother calls me.”
I assumed he would prefer his formal name, but I was happy to go with a nickname. “Bash? I like that.”
He grinned. “In my free time I play the piano and cello, but music is not my passion. I love to travel. As a child I visited every country in the mortal world. My parents insisted I learn about different cultures and customs. Of all the places I visited, Italy and Africa were my favorites.”
My mother never took me anywhere. She always lived in fear that someone would catch me using my powers, which made no sense since I was never trained. I was shocked that she let me attend a mortal school. But I guess that wasn’t a big deal since I had knights with me at all times. “I always wanted to go to Tanzania. You know, go on one of those Safari adventures where you get to see the wild animals.”
His eyes danced with excitement. “It’s not too late. You’re still young enough to go without worrying about aging.” Placing his hand on top of mine, he said, “We should go together.”
I pulled my hand back in one swift motion. Together? I wasn’t ready for that. Bash looked like I just stepped on his puppy. Guilt poured into my chest. The poor guy had been nothing but nice to me. It wasn’t fair to reject him like that. I put my hand on top of his and squeezed. “Sure, maybe we will go someday.”
His whole face lit up. “Sounds like a plan.”
Any girl with working eyeballs would have been happy to switch places with me. Bash had all the criteria for the perfect boyfriend. Obscenely handsome appearance aside, he was nice and charming. He seemed to really care about what I had to say without being judgmental. I should have been ecstatic that I was betrothed to someone like him.
But I wasn’t.
Instead, all I could think about was Rowan. He was also charming and gorgeous, but with a dangerous edge. I could hardly tell what he was thinking most of the time, whereas Bash was open to answering all of my questions. When I was with Rowan, I always felt safe. Mostly because I know what kind of warrior he is. I doubted many could hold their own against him. Bash would protect me behind the comfort of his knights. Both of them came from very prestigious families, but Rowan wasn’t gifted anything by his family. Eventually, he would claim his throne with only a sword.
I had to be upfront with Bash. He had certainly earned it. “You’ve been so nice to me and for that reason, I can’t lie to you. I have feelings for someone else. I don’t know where it’s going right now, but I do know he’s important to me.”
“Rowan, right?” He appeared uneasy just saying his name. Like the words burned his throat.
“How did you know?” I asked.
He chuckled. “Everyone knows.”
Of course. We were probably the hot gossip topic around Avalon. Fire elementals continued to attack our court in the mortal world, which should have put us on opposite sides. In the eyes of the elementals, we were the definition of a doomed relationship. “If you knew about us, why did you agree to come here and marry me?”
Bash stared at me as if he were surprised I asked. “Because I knew the daughter of the air court king would put her court before her heart.”
And that’s when the truth slapped me right across the face. Bash understood what was expected and just assumed I would feel the same way. But the decision wasn’t as easy for me as it seemed to be for him. I wasn’t ready to give up what I wanted for the sake of my court. I wanted to find a way to have it all. “You make it all sound so simple.”
“I’m sure it’s not and I want you to know I am in no rush.” Bash took my hand, entwining our fingers. “But I am hoping you have room in your heart for me. In time, I hope you will at least give us a chance.”
Bash continued to impress me with his kindness. “I’m sorry to put you through this. You’re obviously an awesome guy. You deserve better.”
“There is no one better than you, Kalin.” He tugged on my hand, closing the distance between us. “I am very happy in my current position.”
This close, he smelled like some kind of sweet nectar. I couldn’t help taking it in, letting go in the moment. He placed my hand on his chest. Heat radiated up my arm. Watching me, his eyes settled on my lips. The intensity of his stare made my mouth dry. I swallowed hard. Part of me was screaming. I had to say something, anything. “I want to try.”
I jolted at my own response.
He stepped back, sporting a confident grin. “I am so
pleased to hear you say that.”
I had no idea what had just happened, but I felt horrible like I had done something terribly wrong. If I meant what I said, I was hurting Rowan. The guy who had saved my life more than once. If I didn’t mean it, I was lying to Bash. The guy who was opening his heart to me, willing to wait for a chance to win mine.
Bash reached for a small leather sack attached to his side. “You look like you could use a drink.” He removed the lid, handing the pouch to me. “It’s wine. I made it myself.”
In addition to perfection, he also makes his own alcohol. Seriously, where did this guy come from? No one could be this amazing at everything. I took a sip. It tasted the way he smelled: sweet, like honey. “This is delicious. I can’t believe you made this.”
Bash seemed satisfied by my response. “You can have the rest of it. I brought a barrel with me for your father.”
I finished the bottle. The liquid warmed my tongue and throat. “Thank you so much.”
He was quiet for a long minute, as if contemplating his next words. “Can I ask you something?”
The wine hit me all at once. My shoulders relaxed as I let out a long exhale. “Sure. Ask away.”
He leaned in and whispered, “Is it true you’re the next akasha?”
My eyes widened with shock. I rose to my feet. “How do you know about that?”
Bash hesitantly stood. “My mother has known for a while.”
Had my father told her? I thought it was kept secret because my life was in danger. “Who else knows?” I asked, sounding much more defensive than I intended.
“As far as I know, she is the only member of the council who knows.” He waved his hands as if he were raising a white flag for surrender. “Your secret is safe with me, Kalin. I would never intentionally put you in danger.”
“Is that why you’re being so nice to me? Because you think I’m this all-powerful elemental? Well, news flash: I’m not. You can quit the perfect guy act right now.” I turned away from him, crossing my arms in front of me.
“I’m sorry I have upset you. I promise, it wasn’t my intention.” He let out a long sigh. “Mother told me only a few weeks ago. It has nothing to do with how I feel. And if it’s not true, it doesn’t change my feelings.”
I put my hands over my face, embarrassed by my reaction. I acted like a child having a tantrum instead of a future queen. It wasn’t fair to jump down his throat. Bash didn’t deserve any of the attitude he was getting. I turned to face him. “I don’t know what to say. I’m sorry just doesn’t feel like it’s enough.”
“It’s okay,” he smiled, trying to reassure me. “If I were in your situation, I would have lots of questions too.”
My eyes welled with tears. “I feel like my life is spinning out of control. The more I do to try to fix things, the worse it gets.”
“Well, maybe I can help.” He reached for my hand and I accepted.
No one could help me. “How?”
“First, tell me why you don’t think you’re the akasha.”
Apparently, Dad had already spilled the beans. The rest flew out like word vomit. “Well, there are these books, like a series of diaries. They’re written in a secret language. If I were an akasha, I could read it.” A single tear streamed down my cheek. “If I were the akasha, I could heal my father. I could restore the council’s faith in him. I could bring balance to the elements.” I harshly wiped away the tear with the back of my hand. “Well, I tried and I can’t read them. End of story.”
Bash rubbed his thumb over the spot where the tear had fallen. “How many times have you tried to read them?”
I shrugged, trying to ignore the way my skin still tingled from his brief touch. “Once.”
He leaned closer, our faces only inches apart. “Maybe you just need more time. I wouldn’t give up so easily.”
“I haven’t given up.” Had I?
“Now I see how I can help you. While we’re together, you can practice. Everyone will assume I am courting you, which will make the council believe they are getting what they want. This will give you plenty of time to work this out and heal your father.”
I shook my head, not believing what I was hearing. “But why would you do that? If your plan works, you don’t end up on the throne.”
He cupped my face in his hands. “I would do this for you if it made you see my intentions are true. And then…maybe you’ll give us a chance after all.”
I didn’t want to lie to him. After all the kind things he said, it wasn’t fair to him. “I can’t promise that I will want to marry you when this is over.”
“I’m willing to take that chance.”
Chapter Eleven
Rowan
After sleeping for more than twelve hours, I arrived at the beach mid-afternoon. Thanks to a lot of rest―and one of Orion’s tonics―I was finally recharged. The time I had spent in the mortal world completely drained me. I definitely wasn’t in any condition to take on Valac and his rogue elementals. And if I had taken on Marcus’s father, I have no doubt he would’ve killed me. It’s hard for me to believe my best friend was now the leader of the Gabriel Hounds. When I defeat Valac and reclaim the throne, he will sit by my side in the council.
Marcus will be an equal in every way.
I strolled down the sandy coast for hours while the sun warmed my face. I wanted to get my head sorted before I returned to the fire court. I had a lot I needed to work out. The most important was my upcoming meeting with the remaining fire elementals. Xavier had sent out word of my return. I had no idea how the members of my court would feel. Whether they would choose to embrace me as their new leader or wish for my death. They were likely fed plenty of lies by Valac. Who knew how long he had been recruiting.
I was so lost in my own thoughts, I didn’t notice Kalin until she was right in front of me. She didn’t give me a chance to say anything. Instead of talking, she threw her arms around my neck and crashed her lips into mine. There was nothing sweet about this kiss. It was raw and wild, sending every nerve-ending in my body into high alert. I definitely liked this greeting. I wrapped her legs around my waist, eliminating any space left between us. She let out an approving squeal.
There was no time to check to see if we were alone. No time to think. The only thing on my mind was touching her. I bent on my knees. Gently, I guided her onto the sand. I was on top of her, balancing my weight on my forearms. She dug her fingers into my hair and I lost every bit of restraint I had. I trailed kisses from her ear to her collarbone. Her skin smelled like a mixture of honey and strawberries. I wanted to forget about everything, totally lose myself in her. It would be so easy to stay here with her in my arms.
I pulled back, our eyes meeting for the first time. Her cheeks were flushed, lips reddened from kisses. It was the hottest she had ever been. Seeing her like that only made me want her more. “You seem happy to see me.”
In between heavy breaths, she said, “I just need you to kiss me, okay?”
I kissed her mouth. “Done,” I said, then repeated the same kiss. “And done.”
Kalin surprised me by rolling us over until she sat on top of me. Leaning down with her hands on my chest, she said, “No matter what, I don’t want you to stop.”
No matter what? In one swift motion, I pulled her onto me and rolled her over. Once I was on top of her again, I said, “As much as I appreciate the green light, I have to wonder where this urgency is coming from.”
“Please,” she insisted. “This is what I want. You are who I want.” Her hand slipped under my shirt, her fingers trailing over my chest and stomach. It wasn’t an innocent gesture. She was trying to turn me on.
It was working.
My clothes were suddenly too restricting. I arched up long enough to remove my leather jacket. Although I moved fast, my mouth ached to be pressed against hers. As we kissed, the blood drained from my brain. Everything around us melted away. All I could feel was her lips against mine. My fingers desperately wanted to touch ever
y inch of her soft skin. My senses went wild when her fingers tugged at the bottom of my t-shirt. I reached back, pulling the shirt over my head.
I took a cue from her, carefully removing her Pink Floyd shirt. The green bra she wore looked amazing against her olive toned skin. My hands throbbed to touch her newly exposed flesh. “Is this okay?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
I needed to hear her say it again just to make sure I wasn’t imagining it. “Are you sure?”
“Please don’t stop.”
“Oh, I definitely won’t stop.” That didn’t sound exactly right. “I mean, I’ll stop when you say so.”
Kalin put her hand on my cheek. “I know you will. I trust you.”
I leaned down to kiss her. First just her top lip, then the bottom. The next kiss was soft. I moved slow, opening her mouth, and then teased her with my tongue. She ran her hands over my stomach and ribs. I almost lost control a few times, but managed to keep the slow rhythm going. At some point, my fingers slipped beneath the lace on her bra. I ran the tip of my index finger over her sensitive spot. She let out a pleasing sound, so I continued the trail down her stomach. When I reached the button of her jeans, I felt her hand on top of mine.
I pulled back, glancing at her face. She was crying. “What’s wrong? Why are you crying?”
“I’m sorry. It’s not you. Please, just keep going.”
“While you’re like this?” I wiped the tears away with my thumb. “You’re going to tell me what’s going on. Now.”
Kalin rolled away from me, then stood. “I don’t even know where to start.”
I stood. “The beginning usually works best for me.”
She wrapped her arms tightly around her waist as if she were holding herself together. “My father isn’t getting better, Rowan. The council wants to remove him from power. They said our court is vulnerable. They said we need a strong leader because we are at war.”
Anger rumbled in my chest. After all she had done for them. All she had sacrificed. How could they put her through this? “Unbelievable.”
Fragile Reign (Mortal Enchantment Book 2) Page 8
