“You’ve been so nice to me, and for that reason, I can’t lie to you.” I had to be upfront with Bash. He had certainly earned it. “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?” Bash said his name with irritation in his tone. Like the words burned his throat.
“How did you know about Rowan?”
Bash chuckled. “Everyone knows.”
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 star-crossed 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. “Because I knew the daughter of King Taron would put her court before her heart.”
And that’s when the truth slapped me right across the face. Bash understood the expectations and just assumed I would feel the same way. But the decision wasn’t as easy for me as he implied. 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. “I wish my situation was as simple as you make it all sound.”
“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’m 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 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 pleasantly happy in my current position.”
This close, I took in his sweet nectar scent. I couldn’t help it. He placed my hand on his chest, and heat radiated up my arm. His eyes settled on my lips, and the intensity of his stare made my mouth dry. He wasn’t going to push me, but I knew all I had to do was give him a sign. A smile or a look and his lips would be on mine. “I want to try.”
I jolted at my response.
He stepped back, sporting a confident grin. “I am pleased to hear you say that.”
I had no idea what had just happened, but I felt horrible like I had done something 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 from our vineyard.”
In addition to perfection, he also fermented his wine. Seriously, where were his faults? 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 make wine.”
Bash seemed satisfied by my response. “You can have the rest of it. I brought a barrel for King Taron.”
I finished what remained in his sack. 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. I let out a long exhale as my shoulders relaxed. “Sure, ask away.”
He leaned in and whispered, “Is it true that you’re the next akasha?”
My eyes widened with shock, and I rose to my feet. “How do you know about that?”
“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 of surrender. “Your secret is safe with me, Kalin. I would never intentionally put you in danger.”
“Is that why you're so nice to me?” I asked, sounding like an accusation. “You think I’m this all-powerful elemental?”
“I’m sorry if I’ve upset you. I promise that 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’ve treated you. 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’ 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.”
“I feel like my life is spinning out of control.” My eyes welled with tears. “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.”
Dad had already spilled the beans. The rest flew out like word vomit. “Akasha's from the past left diaries in a secret language. If I were the akasha, I could read it.” A single tear streamed down my cheek. “I could use the knowledge inside to heal my father and restore the council’s faith in him. I could also bring balance to the elements.” I harshly wiped away the tear with the back of my hand. “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 need more time. I wouldn’t give up so easily.”
“I haven’t given up.” Had I?
“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. And you will have 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. After all the kind things he said, it wasn’t fair to Bash. “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 half a day, I arrived at the beach mid-afternoon. Thanks to a lot of rest, and Orion’s tonics, I was feeling recharged. The time I had spent in the mortal world completely drained me. I wasn’t in any condition to take on Valac and his rogue elementals. And if I had taken on Marcus’s father, I had no doubt he would’ve killed me. It was 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 on the fire court council.
Marcus would be 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 react—whether they would choose to embrace me as their new leader or wish for my death. I had no doubt Valac fed them plenty of lies.
Lost in my 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 pressed 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 liked this greeting. I wrapped her legs around my waist, eliminating any space left between us. She let out an approving moan.
I didn’t care if we were alone. Whatever I had been thinking about was gone. All my focus shifted toward Kalin. I bent my knees, gently guiding her onto the sand. I balanced my weight on my forearms. She dug her fingers into my hair, and I lost every bit of restraint I had. I trailed a row of kisses from her ear to her collarbone. Her skin smelled like a mixture of honey and strawberries. Lost in the moment, I wanted nothing more than the feel of her in my arms.
I pulled back, our eyes meeting for the first time. Kalin’s cheeks were flushed, lips reddened from my 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 aim to please.” I kissed her again.
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. “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.
I arched up long enough to remove my leather jacket. As we kissed, the blood drained from my brain. Everything around us melted away. All I could feel was Kalin’s lips against mine. My fingers desperately wanted to touch every 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 to make sure I didn't imagine 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.”
“I know you will.” Kalin put her hand on my cheek. “I trust you.”
I leaned down to kiss her softly. I moved slow, enjoying the feel of her. When she opened her mouth, I teased her with my tongue. She ran her hands over my stomach and ribs, and I let out a low growl. I almost lost control a few times. At some point, my fingers slipped beneath the wire of her bra. I ran the tip of my index finger over her sensitive spot. She let out a pleasing sound. I kept going, kissing 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, 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,” she sniffled. “They said we need a strong leader because we are at war.”
Anger rumbled in my chest. After everything she had done for them. All she had sacrificed. How could they put her through this? “Unbelievable.”
Lowering her head, she said, “They want me to be their queen.”
I grabbed her shoulders, waiting for her to make eye contact with me. “Yeah, but that’s a good thing.”
She shook her head, lip quivering. “You don’t understand—”
Seeing her like this made my blood boil. It took all I had to contain my power. The energy begged to be released. “Then explain it to me.”
Tears welled in her eyes. “They said a halfling couldn’t rule over a court alone. They want me to join with a pureblood air elemental to strengthen my position.”
I should’ve suspected they’d want a pureblood in power. Now I understood Kalin’s somber mood. Taron must have arranged a marriage for her, and like many other ridiculously important things, he didn’t tell her. “Did you come here to say goodbye?” I pointed to the spot where our make-out session had just taken place. “Is that why you wanted all this?”
She buried her head in my chest, wrapping her arms tightly around my waist. “No, I don’t want to end what we have. That’s the last thing I want.”
Watching her fall apart in my arms gave me stabbing pains in my chest. “It’s killing me to see you like this. What can I do? How can I help you?”
“I thought I had the solution, but now I’m not sure.” She gazed up at me. “My father gave me journals from all of the previous akasha. If I can learn to read them, I may be able to turn the power on.”
These journals seemed like they were the solution to all our problems. Having that power would change how the council saw her. There would be no need for an arranged marriage. “Why are you unsure?”
“I tried to read them,” she hesitated. “So far, it hasn’t worked. The symbols moved around, but nothing was legible.”
A small part of me filled with hope. “It sounds like something is beginning to happen. Keep working at it.”
She smiled. “That’s what Sebastian said.”
Who? “Sebastian?”
Kalin pulled out of my arms. “My betrothed.”
That was the last person she needed to be around. “Why are you hanging out with that guy? He wants a piece of your throne. You should stay far away from him.”
She held up her hands. “You don’t understand. Bash is trying to help me. He said he would pretend to be courting me while I worked on my akasha powers. He said it would give me more time without anyone asking questions.”
Could she not see the obvious staring her in the face? “This smells like a load of bullshit to me.”
“What?” Her eyes widened with shock. “You don’t even know him.”
No need. The picture couldn’t have been any clearer. The guy had an agenda. He was there for the power that comes along with reigning. He didn’t know Kalin and probably didn’t care. “I don’t have to know him. Just think about it for a second. Why would he help you? If you succeed, you won’t need him. He has everything to lose and nothing to gain from your success.”
Her face went completely red. Wow, she was pissed. Some people couldn’t handle the truth. “You’re wrong, Rowan. He cares about me. He’s trying to prove his loyalty.”
And why did he need to prove his loyalty? Oh, right, so he could win her over and share her throne. “Kalin, no one is a saint. His motives have a purpose, and that purpose is to rule. Right now, he’s probably making plans to sabotage your efforts.”
She rolled her eyes while putting her shirt back on. “I’m not going to talk to you about this anymore. You are completely out of line. Bash has been nothing but kind to me. I have no reason to doubt his intentions.”
“Bash? Is that his preferred nickname. How cute.” I already hated this guy.
Kalin laughed. “You sound like a jealous boyfriend.”
Then the words spilled out. I wasn’t even sure what I was saying. The rage was blinding me. “I am a jealous boyfriend. You’ve just spent the last several minutes talking about some asshat who’s making claims on my girl. What did you expect me to say? Did you think we would become besties, have sleepovers, and braid each other’s hair?”
A second later, her lips were on mine. Her fingers twisted into my hair, pulling me even closer to her. Her mouth widened, making room for our tongue
s to collide. The next several minutes were intense. No matter what I did, she acted as if she couldn’t get enough of me. I wasn’t complaining, either. I wrapped my arms tightly around her waist to let her know I felt the same way.
When she finally pulled away, I asked, “What was that for?”
She shrugged. “You called me your girlfriend.”
If I knew that would be her reaction, I would have said it a long time ago. “It’s all about titles, huh?”
“Don’t forget, you said it first.”
I tried to blow it off. “Don’t let it go to your head.”
She smiled wickedly. “Too late.”
“I meant what I said, Kalin. I don’t trust him.” I let out an exaggerated sigh. “But I will go along with it if you think this plan will work.”
“I do.” Her voice was strong, determined. “Dad is convinced I am the next akasha. I don’t believe it, but I want it to be true. If there’s even the slimmest chance, I have to try.”
I took her in my arms, our bodies meshing. Her strawberry scent swirled around me, igniting my desire for her once more. For Sebastian’s sake, he had better be genuine. Because if he wasn’t, I planned to introduce his throat to the sharp edge of my blade.
Chapter Twelve
Kalin
The rising sun warmed my face, waking me from the first restful sleep I’d had in weeks.
The rays gave my bedroom a soft, purple hue. I snuggled deeper into my comforter, soaking in every last second of slumber. My mind replayed every moment from last night. The way Rowan comforted me. I felt a sense of solace when he wrapped me in his arms. His reassurance was more than I asked for, and certainly not what I expected. He wasn’t known for wearing his feelings on his sleeve. Some elementals would argue he had no feelings at all. But last night, something was different. We weren’t just kissing. It felt as if every touch was meaningful.
Mortal Enchantment Complete Box Set Page 36
