As soon as one of the knights showed up at my door, I followed him down the long, winding hallway. The walls vibrated with the sounds of sensual, rhythmic music. My nerves tingled with anticipation. This was my first time at one of these events. The noise level escalated, the closer we approached. Tonight would be a wild night, assuming the rumors were true.
A gust of wind brushed against my face as the doors opened to the ballroom. Black-feathered elementals flooded the room. I swallowed hard. Each wore elegantly dressed attire in a cascade of colors. Candlelit silver chandeliers illuminated the dimmed dance floor. Bodies clung to one another, moving to the beat of the erotic song. Wooden tables lined the walls where groups sat, laughing and drinking from crystal flutes.
The music stopped, and a single trumpet wailed.
The crowd turned to face me. “Prince Rowan of House Djin,” an unfamiliar male voice announced. Whistles and claps rang from every corner.
I waved, keeping with proper protocol.
The tuxedoed knight was leading me toward Prisma’s table when my siblings stepped into our path. Valac’s appearance never changed. His clothing was pressed and pristine like it was still on a mannequin. Tonight, he wore a suit eerily similar to mine. As always, his slicked-back black hair was perfect, not a single piece out of place. His face reminded me of cold stone because he very rarely expressed any emotion. His twin sister Selene stood at his side. Her red, floor-length gown looked like it might have just come from a fashion house in Milan. She glanced at me quickly, smiled, and then returned her attention to her brother.
“Congratulations on your upcoming coronation, brother,” Valac said, his voice monotone. “I’m sure you’ll make an excellent king.”
“Thanks, buddy. It almost sounded like you meant that.” I patted him on the shoulder. “Seriously, though, I appreciate the effort.”
“He does mean it, Rowan,” Selene interjected, playing the mediator as usual. “We both do.”
If she didn’t worry so much about Valac’s opinion, she probably would’ve been happy for me. Selene has never given me the impression she wanted the throne. Her only interest was the spoils a royal life offered. Prisma made sure she had the best of everything. She has always favored my siblings, adopting them both after she found them abandoned.
Prisma told me I was the product of a rape. I didn’t see how that was possible; she was the strongest of all the fire elementals. When I asked for details, she shut me down. After all these years, I still don’t even know my father’s name. From birth, she has treated me like an inconvenience—a pebble in her shoe, which was why her decision to pass the crown onto me didn’t make sense. I need to speak to her immediately.
“Well, this was predictably uncomfortable. We should do it again sometime in the never future.” I disappeared into the crowd before either had a chance to respond.
I spotted Prisma’s table in the far corner of the room. Her red gown was so tight I couldn’t fathom how she was breathing. Several council members surrounded her. Each wore suits with a red shawl hanging loosely over their shoulders to alert every one of their positions. They carried on by themselves, not yet acknowledging my presence.
I came to stand directly in front of her. “Great party, Your Majesty. When do the strippers get here?”
She scanned me from head to toe. “You look ridiculous with that metal pierced into your eyebrow.”
Score one for me. “I was wondering when you’d notice. I hope you don’t mind, Your Majesty.” It took everything I had to hold back the smirk growing across my lips.
“You will remove it before your coronation,” she said, eyes narrowed. Her tone was all statement, zero requests. Man, she seemed even more pissed than I envisioned. I gave myself an internal high-five.
“If it pleases you, I’ll take it out.” I bowed. I’d put it back in the moment I was crowned.
“The royal families have arrived. Each has their own table.” She pointed toward the other side of the room. “Go greet each member accordingly.”
“Do you think we could talk first?” I was determined to get her alone before the ball got going. It could be days before I’d get another opportunity.
“There will be plenty of time once you’ve properly greeted our guests.” She shooed me away with her hand.
Damn, the love coming off of her was deep. I felt her scowl searing the back of my head as I sauntered toward the other regal tables. Without question, I knew where I was heading first. I wanted to meet Ariel, the air elemental that had captured Marcus’s attention. On my way there, three barely dressed females attempted to wave me over. They clung to one another, swaying to the thumping beat of the music. My body ached to join them, but I didn’t have time for any of that.
The long, rectangular table designated for King Taron and his guests sat empty. The group stood in a circle in front of it, talking amongst themselves. Their knights kept watch over them, lined up a short distance away. The air court was the most modest of the four. Nothing about their attire was ever lavish or embellished. They kept to themselves, preferring to spend their time in the mountains.
A beautiful young female refilling their wine glasses caught my attention. She had to be Ariel. I scanned the area for Marcus, expecting to see him close by. I didn’t see him.
I was about to say hello to her when King Taron noticed me. I hadn’t seen him since I was seven or eight. It had been one of the few times I had been invited to visit with Prisma. After a council meeting, he had found me hiding from Marcus during one of our games. He seemed huge to me back then. I must have looked scared because he bent down each time he spoke to me. That day, he had spent an hour showing me some tricks with his wind magic, even letting me throw fireballs at him. I remember wishing I had a father like him—or any father, for that matter.
King Taron held out his arms and hugged me. “Rowan, you’ve grown up quite a bit since I last saw you.” Squeezing my bicep, he said, “I’m impressed.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.” I bowed. “It’s been almost ten years since I last saw you. How are things in the sky?”
“Always changing.” He put his hand on my shoulder. “Speaking of change, congratulations on your upcoming coronation. I have to admit, Prisma’s announcement was unexpected. I didn’t think she planned to abdicate her throne.”
That was interesting. Prisma never told the council about her decision. “It came as a surprise to me as well.”
“I’ve thought about stepping down myself. My daughter will be joining me here in another year. Once Kalin is fully trained, I may abdicate.”
His daughter was a mystery to most elementals. All I knew was that she was a halfling, living with her mortal mother. “You must have a lot of faith in her.”
“She’s a special girl.”
Orion, king of the woodland court, patted Taron on the shoulder. The two elementals embraced. They had been close friends for centuries. “We are all looking forward to getting to know Kalin,” he added.
“Thank you for coming, King Orion.” I bowed. Although the woodland faeries were known to be playfully carefree, they made the best weapons and were widely considered masters of war. But, since the decrees, there had been no significant conflict between the courts for centuries.
“We’re all happy to be here for such a special occasion.” Orion waved over one of the male faeries from his court. “I had this made for you by our greatest blacksmith.” The faerie held out a sheathed sword attached to a leather shoulder strap. “I heard you’ve become quite the accomplished swordsman.”
I spent countless hours a day working on my swordsmanship. The calluses on my palms proved it. “I can hold my own.”
Orion placed the sword in my hands. “This is a weapon made for a king.”
I gripped the handle, releasing the blade from its sheath. Taking a closer look, I realized the curved sword was iron—the only metal that caused an allergic reaction in elementals. Many of the weaker members of our court could barely stand
to be in its presence. Even a small slice into the wound could cause immense, burning pain. Stronger elementals used them as weapons. I stepped back a few paces to swing the blade a few times without endangering anyone. It felt surprisingly light in my hand. “This is an incredible gift. Thank you very much.”
Orion put the sword back in the sheath, then slid the leather strap over my shoulder. “Let’s hope you never have to put it to good use.”
After a few more introductions, I excused myself so that I could greet the members of the water court. Although they had never given me a reason, I always approached them with caution. They were seated at their table, taking in the room. Water elementals could speak to each other using telepathy, which made me nervous. The water queen, Britta, could read the thoughts of other elementals. I didn’t want her poking into my head, so I cleared my mind as I approached. With her scaled wings and white henna-styled tattoos on the sides of her face, she was impossible to miss.
I opened my mouth to speak, and Britta jolted. The color of her blue eyes faded until there was nothing more than white showing. I’d seen this once before as a child. She had a vision.
“Thank you for coming, Queen Britta,” I said, not sure if she could hear me.
From inside my head, I heard, “I see trouble for you, young prince. Two possible outcomes lie at your feet. At the end of both paths, blood covers your hands.”
“My hands are covered in blood. Are you saying someone will die?” My eyebrows furrowed. “You have to tell me more.”
“I cannot.” Her face remained expressionless. “The future is always changing. Outcomes are never certain.”
Panicked, I grabbed her arm. “Can you see who the blood belongs to?”
Other water elementals headed in our direction, and I quickly pulled my hand back.
“No.”
My head swirled with possibilities. Would I hurt or kill someone? Was I going to find someone injured or killed? Was it my blood? I couldn’t think straight. And at some point, I had unknowingly walked away from her. I stood alone in the corner of the room. Sweat pearled the back of my neck. I searched the area, having no idea how I’d gotten here. The water elementals had to do something to me. No one in our court knew the extent of their telepathic abilities.
After my disturbing conversation—and possible Romulan mind-meld—with Queen Britta, I returned to Prisma’s table. She sat in the same place, talking and laughing with some of the high-ranking air court members. When she didn’t acknowledge my presence a second time, I reached my breaking point. I was done waiting. “Excuse your minions. We need to talk.”
“What about?” she questioned coyly.
I wasn’t in the mood to play games. “You know what this is about.”
She turned to her followers and shooed them away. One by one, they got up and left the area. I saw her say something to the final person, but the music was so loud I couldn’t hear what they discussed. There was no point in asking, either. She wouldn’t tell me the truth.
“Why are you abdicating your throne?” I asked boldly.
Prisma stood, eyes widened as if she wasn’t expecting the inquiry. “Why are you questioning my decision? Most children would be thrilled to be in your position.”
“For the last sixteen years, I’ve barely seen you. Then, out of nowhere, you send Marcus to tell me that you plan to pass your crown to me. Wouldn’t that sound suspicious to you?”
She put her hand on her chest as if she was shocked. Always the drama queen. “Are you saying you don’t want to be king?”
“I’m asking,” I leaned toward her, resting my fists on the table. “What’s in it for you?”
“There’s nothing in it for me, my darling boy.” She waved her arm around. “As you can see, I have everything I need.”
I crossed my arms. “What do you want in return? I know there’s something.”
She sat down and ruffled the skirts of her gown. “I have been made aware of some concerns amongst the council.”
“Really?” I raised an eyebrow. “Do tell.”
With a look of concern on her face, she said, “You’ve spent your entire life away from our court, Rowan. Our kin hardly knows you.”
She had forgotten all about my forced exile. Here comes the truth. “I’m sure you’ve come up with a way for me to prove my loyalty to the council.”
With a dangerously sweet grin, she replied, “I want you to kill the halfling daughter of King Taron.”
Chapter Four
I stood for a long moment, dumbfounded. “You can’t be serious.”
“I am.”
I searched my mind for any reasonable explanation for her request but came up with nothing. “Why would the council want me to kill Kalin?”
“The request hasn’t come from the council. These are my terms, Rowan.” She sat in her chair, tapping her fingers against the armrest. “If you want me to assure the council that you are ready to ascend to the throne, you will kill her.”
Prisma has never been rational. She was crazy most of the time, but this was a stretch even for her. “What you’re asking is far beyond murder; it’s treason.” It would mean breaking every rule in the decrees. Just considering this warranted my execution. “If you want me to do this, I need to know why.”
She leaned back in her chair with a disgusted look. No one questioned her orders. After a minute of contemplation, she said, “I believe Kalin is the next akasha.”
Akasha were elementals capable of controlling all four elements of nature: earth, fire, air, and water. There had been many over the centuries, but there hasn’t been a new akasha since the last one died over one hundred years ago. I thought they were extinct. “That’s impossible. The akasha has always been a pureblood elemental. Last time I checked, Kalin is a halfling.”
Leaning forward, she scowled at me. “No one knows why akasha are born. No rules stipulate that the elemental must be purebred.”
I crossed my arms. “Why do you believe the princess one of them?”
“Taron has kept her in the mortal world, guarded by his knights since her birth—”
“She’s the daughter of a king. I don’t think it’s unreasonable that he would want her protected.” Having no concept of real love, it wasn’t a surprise that she couldn’t understand why a parent would safeguard their child.
“That’s not my only reason.” She appeared visibly aggravated that I had interrupted her. “My spies tell me she’s never been trained to control her air element. Never once visited Avalon, where her power would be strongest.”
The decrees prohibit spying on other courts. Of course, Prisma wasn’t big on following the rules. Although I had to admit what she was saying was unusual behavior for an elemental. We each learned to control our element as children. No exceptions. Taron did seem to be hiding her, but was she the next akasha? “Okay, let’s assume you’re right. How does this harm you? The sole purpose of the akasha is to keep the four elements in balance.”
She rose. “Taron plans to put her on the throne. If Kalin is the akasha and the air court queen, it gives their court too much power. That will leave the elements unbalanced with unpredictable consequences.”
If she genuinely cared about the fate of the elements, she would’ve brought her concerns to the high council. I wasn’t buying any of this. “I get it now. This is all about power. You’re upset because she’s part of another court.”
She held up her hand, signaling she was done listening to me. “I have sufficiently answered your questions. You will kill the princess, or you will never ascend to the throne. Think it through, Rowan.”
The magnitude of her request finally settled in. “You do realize the coronation is only days away, right? Even if I agreed, there’s not enough—”
“Then I suggest you leave immediately,” she said, leaving the room before I had time to finish my response.
The voices and loud music swarming all around me had ceased. All I heard was the rapid beating of my own heart.
After this latest demand, there was no question the fire court would be better off if Prisma weren’t their queen. It should have happened a long time ago. If I ruled, our people could live without fear. I could ensure the gabriel hounds became full-fledged members of our court with equal rights and all that that entailed. Not to mention, my best friend would be free to be with Ariel without repercussions.
But could I kill an innocent halfling to make it happen? Does potentially saving thousands justify the death of one who deserved to live? A person who could be the salvation of our entire species. Then I thought of Taron—the ruler who had been the kindest to me. He was thrilled about his daughter coming to live with him. How could I hurt him in such an unforgiving way?
Either conclusion had severe consequences. Regardless of the path I chose, someone would die, and the blood will be on my hands. This was the vision Britta had seen. An ache formed in the center of my chest when I realized I’d reached my decision. Prisma had left me no choice. No matter how heartbreaking it would be, Kalin had to die. It was the only way.
“Hey, man.” Marcus broke me out of my thoughts. “Are you okay? You look like you’re about to puke.”
The room felt as if it were closing in on me. “I have to get out of here.”
“Wait. Why?” He reached out for my arm. “What’s going on?”
I glanced around at all the eyes watching us. “Trust me; you don’t want to know.” I pushed my way through the crowd, heading toward the exit.
“I’m coming with you.”
I increased my speed, but he kept pace with me. I didn’t want him involved. If caught, Prisma would never admit she was responsible and have me executed to protect her secret. Marcus would suffer the same fate. I refused to allow that to happen. “You can’t follow me.”
“That’s too bad because I am.”
We headed through the exit doors, past the guards, and down the hallway. I scanned the area to make sure we were alone. “I get that you’re trying to be a good friend, but you have to understand that I’m doing the same thing. Please go back to the ball and have fun.”
Mortal Enchantment Complete Box Set Page 3
