Enchanted Beauty

by Marly Mathews

  “You should act poorly in front of him. If you were weak, he wouldn’t dare risk moving you, by magical transportation or by physical transportation. But I hesitate in allowing you to stay here any longer. You are in grave peril. Mavis told me that the tea she drank had been meant for you.” Ardal furrowed his brow with worry.

  “That was Katrina’s doing. She was obviously jealous of me, and she wanted to get rid of me. I was an obstacle in her path. She hated the fact that Roland gave me more attention than he gave her.”

  “She also hated the fact that you outshine her in the beauty department,” Delbert snorted.

  “Enough of this idle chit-chat about me. We must make sure that Shaylah and Larissa do not meet such a terrible fate. They can’t be forced to marry monsters. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone, least of all Malachi’s sisters.”

  “You already saved Daniel. Malachi’s heart must be overflowing with his love for you. You have most certainly solidified his faith in you.”

  “I thank you…I think.” Annabelle smiled at Ardal. “Come, we must start to act. Where do we find Shaylah and Larissa? Are they being kept in the dungeons?”

  “No.” Ardal started to walk aimlessly around her room. “They are being kept in the North Tower. It is a fortress. Getting inside will not be easy.”

  “Can’t you just use your magic to transport us there?” Annabelle asked.

  “Your father has protected the tower quite heavily. I tried to get in there and bounced off the shield he had erected. He has definitely mastered his Craft.”

  “Then, we need to figure out a way to get in there, with his blessing,” she sighed. “I’ll have to ask him to let me see them.”

  “Annabelle! That won’t work. He will be suspicious.”

  “I don’t think he will. Not when I tell him that I want to personally bring them the news of Daniel’s demise.”

  “That just might work.” Ardal looked hopeful. “I’m not saying it will—but we don’t have much choice. Your father’s powers have developed greatly since the last time he and I met.”

  “Met? The two of you once knew each other?” Annabelle couldn’t imagine the Thalin Elf ever having any reason to know Roland.

  “Yes. We knew each other in his youth. We used to be friends.”

  “Used to be?”

  “Our friendship dissolved when he decided that his greed knew no bounds.”

  “By waging war on Thaliana,” she concluded sadly.

  “Yes. Ever since, he hasn’t been the same man. He’s become a vile man…bent on only one thing—he wants power and he’ll take it by any means necessary.”

  She looked away from Ardal. “You three need to make yourself scarce. I need to think of a way to call on Roland.”

  “His quarters are across the hall. All you need to do is knock on his door.” Mavis thought she was being helpful—and yet, Annabelle didn’t know if she really wanted to be in her father’s quarters.

  Alone.

  She nodded her head. “Right, then. I have to do what I have to do. You three stay here then. I should be back in two shakes of a lamb’s tail. At least I pray I’m back here in that amount of time.” She could hear the nervousness ripe in her voice.

  “Good luck.” Mavis smiled at her.

  “You take care, Annabelle. I don’t like the way that Roland looks at you. I just hope you realizes that you are his daughter, and doesn’t forget because you resemble your mother so closely.”

  “I don’t think he would ever be that twisted, Delbert.”

  “Just take care and be careful. Please.” She appreciated his concern, it warmed her heart.

  “You should drink this, first.” Ardal moved forward, handing her the potion. She drank it down in one quick gulp. She could never get used to the way it tasted like whatever she fancied at the moment. Right now, it tasted like hot cocoa.

  “Thank you.” She fortified herself, and said a little prayer. Her next encounter would be the one that would either break her father’s trust in her or solidify it. “I’m going in.” Ardal opened the door for her, clicking it softly shut once she’d left. She looked to the door across from hers. Gooseflesh prickled along her arms. Sighing, she crossed the distance to Roland’s door. Summoning her courage, she was about to knock on it, when he opened it. He looked surprised and a little perplexed.

  He already wore his dressing gown. His hair was wet, telling her that he’d recently bathed. How he did it all in the scant minutes that she’d been away from him was beyond her.

  “I thought you would be falling into bed by now. You haven’t even changed into your nightwear,” he chastised.

  “I feel restless.”

  “I know how that is. Many nights, I’ve lain awake mulling over the choices I’ve made in my life. Come in, come in, the halls are damp in this old castle. I have a roaring fire blazing in my hearth.” She cautiously stepped over the threshold and took in her surroundings. Her eyes fell on a portrait that made her breath hitch in her throat.

  “Ah. Yes. I thought you might be interested in that likeness of your mother and me. That was commissioned a year before you were born…or a year before I thought your mother had lost you.” He fell silent for a few minutes. “She is a sight to behold, isn’t she? You should see her when she is battle ready. I far prefer her in her royal gowns, but then, she likes the warrior witch side of her personality. It was never something we could really see eye to eye on.”

  She sighed. The pain behind her eyes was dulled—but at his reference to eye to eye, he had refreshed and refocused her mind on that.

  “Sit down. You still look quite tired. I must say, I admire your tenacity. Most dare not disturb me once I have retired for the night.”

  “I—” Annabelle cleared her throat. “I wanted to ask you something.”

  “Anything.” He smiled and settled himself in his huge throne like chair opposite hers.

  “I want to see Malachi’s sisters.”

  “You what?” Roland narrowed his eyes, and leaned toward her. “You’ll be seeing them tomorrow at their nuptials.”

  “No…I want to see them before that. You see, I’d like to tell them personally that I had a hand in their brother’s death.”

  He beamed at her. “You do take after me, my darling daughter. You are right. I will even take the liberty of transporting Connor up there as well. As twins they were very close.” He stood up and walked toward her. She had to hold herself back from flattening herself against the chair. He knelt down in front of her. Reaching for her one hand, he kissed it. She wanted to pull away—she couldn’t pull away. She had to stick it out…and hope that he didn’t decide to get any more affectionate. “You fill my heart with pride and unexplainable love. For the first time in many years, I have someone in my life that might be able to save me from myself.”

  “I feel the same way.” She wasn’t speaking a falsehood. She did feel the same way about Malachi. She bit her lip. “You don’t have to feel guilty about not being in my life—I made out just fine, even though my heart ached for a father that wasn’t always stealing things, and my adoptive mother died when I was very young.”

  He looked grim, his nostrils flaring in indignation. “I should have known you still lived. My magic failed me—I should have sensed you. Blood of my blood—and you existed so long without me knowing.”

  “She bound my powers and she’s camouflaged my magic mark. I still haven’t been able to reveal it.”

  “She did the unthinkable by stripping you of your birthmark. To think that for all of those years, you existed as a lowly non magic human—it makes my blood boil.”

  “I lived comfortably.”

  “Comfortably, maybe. But not as comfortably as you would have lived as the rightful princess of both my kingdom, and of your mother’s kingdom. You were served a great injustice, and I will spend the rest of my life making up for that.”

  “You could start by letting me in to see Malachi’s sisters. I’d like to drive the dagger i
n a little deeper.”

  “Wise idea. Very clever. I like the way you think.” He stood up. Offering her his hand, he looked at her in expectation.

  “Come, my dear daughter. I will take you there.”

  Damn. Double damn. Why did he want to accompany her?

  Smiling sweetly, she placed her hand in his, and hoped for the best.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Opening her eyes, she stared over at Roland.

  “This tower seems quite comfortable.” Annabelle looked down at the steep stairwell behind them.

  “Indeed. It is rather large. My men wondered why I had given such a grand space to the Hawthorne women, but they never questioned my decision. I don’t like to have my decisions questioned.”

  “As do I.”

  He smiled indulgently at her. “Aye. I thought you might not. I have transplanted Connor inside there. No doubt the three of them are having a most touching reunion.”

  “No doubt.” Her heart constricted at the same time that her throat did. If she wasn’t careful her she was going to get all choked up. He still had his arm draped around her shoulders. She’d prayed that he would decide to leave her alone—unfortunately, her prayers had not been answered.

  “Well, shall we, my dear?” Roland asked, smiling benignly at her,

  Nodding her head, she once again equipped herself to handle the situation at hand. She’d gotten them into this mess—and now she had to figure out a way to get out of it, without earning the wrath of her doting father. She grimaced.

  “You look as if you’ve eaten something sour,” Roland remarked.

  “My stomach is a bit upset.”

  “You’ll feel better in a few minutes.”

  “I expect you’re right.” Ardal would never forgive her for this. She had undertaken this task willingly, and she didn’t know if she was going to be able to gain the upper hand over her father. Something had to give in her favour. It just had to.

  “Many people wonder how I am able to imprison so many strong and talented magic kind. Little do they know what my special gift is, I’ve kept it a secret for many years. Not even your mother knew of it.”

  “We all have our little secrets we must bear,” Annabelle whispered smiling.

  “Indeed. Except this one isn’t your run of the mill secret, my daughter. This one is a secret that gives me the power to bring my enemies to their knees. I can only hope that you too carry the rare ability.”

  Her heart stalled in her chest. She coughed as dust flew under her nose. “Rare? How rare?” She fleetingly thought of her extraordinary veiling ability. Meeting his gaze, she prepared herself for his answer.

  Instead, he gave her a crafty smile. “I don’t want to overwhelm you tonight. I’ll tell you tomorrow…when I feel the time is right.”

  “The time is right? You are mysterious, Father. I am waiting in anticipation.”

  “I need to know that you don’t have any plans of leaving me.” He stalked toward her. Cocking his head to the side, he brushed his hand through her tresses of hair. “Your hair is like silken gold. So soft…so silky. If you left me, my rage would know no limits.”

  “We will never be separated again. I won’t allow it.”

  “Good to know we are in agreement. I will hold you to that promise.” He looked toward the great double wooden doors. They glowed with a faint light.

  “That’s another one of my spells. I have to make sure that the entire tower is reinforced. I was afraid that someone would try to rescue them—alas, no power is great enough to break through my magic shields.”

  “In that case, I feel very safe with you.”

  “As you should. As you should,” he reiterated. “Allow me a minute, and we should be able to pass right through my spell.” She looked around her as he went through his process. She heard him faintly murmuring beneath his breath. “Take my hand. It is time.” He reached for her hand, and enclosed it in his firm unyielding grasp. Her bones felt terribly fragile beneath his thick and sinewy hand. She sucked in her breath, as they walked right through the formidable looking door.

  Angered gasps echoed around her. Tingles ran up and down her spine.

  “Your Majesty!” The words were spoken with a mingling of disgust and outrage, with just a slight trickling of respect.

  She looked over at two ethereal looking women. Their beauty was haunting. They were mirror images of each other. Blond haired, and green eyed with high cheekbones and a regal stance despite the shabbiness of their appearance. They, too, looked tired and worn out. They had her confused with her mother. She smiled wryly.

  “Alas, you are not looking upon your queen. Give it time though, and I will have my daughter flanking my side and my wife flanking my other side—even if my wife has to be in chains when she is standing with me.”

  “Daughter?” Shaylah and Larissa said in unison. They grabbed for each other, hooking their arms and steeling themselves against the shocking revelation. The figure in the corner finally stirred. He moved forward, deliberately taking his time, so that Annabelle would squint her eyes to make out his profile. “It can’t be. She can’t be.” They had an uncanny manner of speaking at the same time—it was astonishing and yet, a little unsettling.

  “Oh, I assure you, ladies. I am quite alive! I am sorry that you mourn my existence. Here’s another tiny bit of detail about me that may or may not top off your evening. I’m your dear sister-in-law. Malachi forced me into marrying him, and he forced me into a great many other things as well,” Annabelle stated, keeping her tone cold and unwavering.

  “You lie. Malachi would never marry a woman as cold as you.”

  They already thought she was cold after only the first impression of her? By the Graces, they were quick to cast judgment. On the upside, she didn’t know if it was Larissa or Shaylah that had thrown the insult at her.

  “Cold? You dare to call my daughter, cold! I’ll give you cold…” Roland threatened.

  Her heart started to drum faster. She felt as if she was going to pass out. Was it just she or was the temperature dropping in the room? The women shivered. Connor stepped between them, pulling them close to him. They were clinging to each other for warmth.

  Annabelle didn’t know what to do. She wasn’t cold so obviously, Roland was centering his wrath in on them. Swallowing thickly, she took a step forward. “You should have known better than to insult me,” she said silkily. “My father is overly protective. How do you like that?”

  “Your father is a spawn of hell, and so are you,” Connor’s voice was steady, unwavering even though she could tell that his injuries were almost as severe as Daniel had been. Daniel. She prayed he was going to make it through the night.

  “Do you hear him, Father? He is trying to sound defiant. How quaint. You should admit that you’ve been defeated. You are a loser…in every sense of the word. You can’t fight my enchantment.” Connor’s eyes snapped at her remark. He narrowed them to mere slits. She could see he was contemplating what she’d just said. His stance relaxed slightly. Larissa and Shaylah also seemed affected by her statement.

  “I hear him, Annabelle. He is quite the stubborn man. I’ve tried to get him to tell me how to break through the enchantment surrounding the Hawthornes land, but he won’t budge. Neither will the sluts.”

  Connor revved up, he moved toward Roland. She stepped in his path before he could reach Roland. What did he think he was going to do? The spells Roland had around the tower were imprisoning his abilities and his sisters. They were helpless. If they tried to act against Roland he would tear them to pieces.

  “Don’t be foolish. You’ve already been beaten to a pulp. Why take more hits when you can easily avoid them?” Annabelle asked.

  Connor looked like he wanted to give her a few hits. She recognized that look of anger in his eyes. She’d seen it in Malachi’s eyes right before he blew up the changeling. Pressing her hands on Connor’s chest, she pushed him back toward his sisters.

  “Annabelle, you are goi
ng to get your hands dirty. I don’t know why you want to mix with the rabble anyway. I thought we were here to bring them a message. I can’t wait for you to break the dreadful news to them.” Roland actually sounded giddy with excitement. Her stomach rolled again.

  “Ah, yes. The news that has made my night. You see, I’ve finally taken part of my revenge against your brother…your twin.” Connor’s eyes filled with soul wrenching pain. She was finding it difficult to breathe. Annabelle had to forge on…she had to!

  “What Annabelle wants to say…is that she blew up your bloody brother. She destroyed him.” At his statement, Larissa and Shaylah let out cries of grief. Connor remained silent, though she could see something snap inside of his eyes—something broke inside of his soul. “You can’t really blame her though, her powers are remarkable and they are untrained.”

  “I don’t believe you. I would have felt his death,” Connor insisted.

  “Oh, believe it. And tomorrow, you can watch your sisters marry two of my top generals,” Roland promised.

  Larissa and Shaylah both went silent. Annabelle’s heart ached for them. She stepped back, and sank against Roland. He put a steadying arm around her shoulder.

  “The night has been too exciting for you…you were worn out. We never should have come up here, and yet, you insisted.”

  “I know. I am sorry. I am having a wonderful time.”

  “I bet you are.” Connor’s nostrils were still flared. He reminded her so much of Malachi that she wanted to cry.

  She looked up at Roland, he had fallen unusually silent, and his eyes were filled with something that looked cloudy.

  What was he doing?

  “I have to go. I will be right back for you, darling. As you said, you’ll have time to shove the dagger in a bit farther. Don’t worry, they can’t hurt you. My spells are binding their magic.”

  “I’ll await your return. I am quite sleepy, I look forward to a good night’s sleep.”

  “As do I.” Roland shook his head. “I seem to have idiots as followers tonight. They just can’t do anything right. They have almost allowed Katrina to escape. It seems Blackburn was helping them,” he sighed heavily. “I think I just might be short two loyal followers come tomorrow. Lady Shaylah, good news…if I end up killing Blackburn tonight, I’ll have to find you another man to marry.”