Mortal Enchantment

by Stacey O'Neale

  As a solitary, he wasn’t tied to any of the elemental courts. Dad once told me those kind of elementals were the most dangerous because they didn’t follow any court rules. “If you’re solitary, why are you helping me?”

  Rowan squared his shoulders. “I owe your father a debt. If he’s alive, I will do whatever I can to find him. That’s why I’m helping you.” For some reason my heart ached. His explanation for being here had nothing to do with me. I immediately pushed those thoughts away. It didn’t matter what his reasons were.

  Rowan choosing to leave the fire court must be why Liana called him a deserter. I wanted to ask him why he left, but the burning glare he shot me signaled that our little Q and A session had ended. “Fine,” I said, sliding my arm inside his. I pulled him toward the gateway while my head filled with more questions. I wanted to know about his debt to my father. Was it part of the reason he left his court? Solitary life seemed so lonely. Why had he chosen complete isolation?

  The circulating flames loomed as we approached. I bit my lip as I stepped inside. The darkness was the same as the last portal. Instead of cold, the intense heat pushed against my skin. I was covered in sweat. The farther we walked, the more powerful it became. My mouth was dry and a migraine was forming at my temples. The heat penetrated in waves, as if I was walking into the sun. I shielded my arm over my face out of instinct. Rowan put his arm around me, protecting me from some of the heat. I clung to his chest, my fingers digging into his shirt.

  Even with my face covered, I squinted when a bright light flashed. The temperature dropped by what seemed like a thousand degrees. I let out an exaggerated breath as I made a mental note to never, under any circumstances, travel through another fire portal.

  After I was done complaining, I took in the new scenery. It was like I was standing inside a post card. Miles of empty white sand beaches surrounded us. The only noise was the intermittent sound of waves crashing into the shore. Salty air floated into my nostrils. A sparkling mist lingered over the ocean, appearing to rise into the sky. It was the magical veil hiding Avalon from the rest of the world. The misty green forest stood at least a half-mile in the distance. Under normal mortal circumstances, it would have been heavenly. But this was Avalon, the land of ‘crazy-shit-can-happen-at-any-moment.’

  Rowan cleared his throat.

  Glancing down, I realized I was still holding on to him. I let out an odd, anxiety-filled laugh. Perfect, considering I just admitted to staring at him. I was sure he was appreciating this, which only made the moment much more cringe-worthy. I released my grip on his shirt, wishing I was invisible. And there it was, more humiliation for his enjoyment. I scrunched my face with no idea what I should say. “This is awkward.”

  He tried to smooth the creases that my tightly gripped fists had made on his shirt with very little success. “Try to be gentler the next time you're in the mood for a cuddle.” He winked.

  “Yeah,” I huffed. “That's exactly what I was trying to do.” Why was I letting him get me so crazed? I’d dated guys at my school. Hell, I even had a few PG-13 moments. But I had to admit, something about being with Rowan felt different. My body reacted to him. And as annoying as he was, I wanted to be close to him.

  I stared at him, staring at me—waiting for a response. “You owe me some answers.”

  Rowan laughed. “What I owe you is the training I promised.”

  I crossed my arms. “You said you would answer my questions.”

  “I never told you that I would answer more questions. You need to focus on what’s ahead of you, which won’t be easy.” He playfully tapped his fist against my shoulder. “Besides, there will be lots of time for you to fantasize about me later.”

  I let out a frustrated growl. “You’re impossible.”

  “And you’re wasting time.”

  The nerves climbed on top of one another in the pit of my stomach. Rowan was not like any of the elementals I was used to. Throughout my life, Dad had sent plenty to watch over me, but they barely spoke to me. It was like I was being guarded by the secret service. But Rowan was so relaxed, even flirty. Was he really flirting with me or was he just toying with me? Okay, I needed to stop thinking about him, like immediately.

  Finding Dad was my focus. The thought that he might be somewhere hurt or dying made my chest ache. If the situation were reversed, he’d do whatever was necessary to find me. If I had any hope of rescuing him, I had to learn how to use my power. But if I couldn’t find him before the Ball, I had to protect his crown. There wasn’t room for failure. “You’re right, let’s get started.”

  He reached behind his back, gripping the handle of his blade and released it from its sheath. Pointing the weapon in my direction, he said, “It's called a khopesh sword. This one in particular is made of solid iron.”

  “Why even have iron weapons in Avalon if so many are allergic to them?” I asked.

  “Knights of each court are required to carry them as a display of their power. For the most part, it keeps the other elementals from challenging the courts.”

  The sun's luster danced across the silver sheen. “Does that mean you’re a court knight?” My eyes moved from the sword to his lips, which were now arched in the corners, then to his eyes.

  “It means I'm strong enough to carry it,” Rowan replied, staring at me in a way that made my knees feel like wet noodles. “I am curious to know its effects on you.” Taking a few steps in my direction, he held the curved blade out horizontally, only inches from my stomach. I felt nothing. “I was right. Your mortal blood protects you from the irons’ presence. In a lot of ways, it gives you the edge against a pure elemental. This knowledge could be important should you ever need to defend yourself.”

  My confidence had built. Feeling cocky, I slid my finger across the blade. A searing heat instantly radiated from my finger. I looked down and saw layers of charcoal colored skin had peeled away from the tip. My finger smoked like meat on a grill. “Little problem here.” I wiggled my hand violently. The pain sped up my arm.

  Rowan's eyes widened. “What in the world would possess you to do that?”

  “Bad time for scolding, don’t you think?” I shrieked.

  “Try to summon your healing powers.”

  It was as if I had stuck my finger in a pot of boiling water. “It’s too much…the burning, I can’t—”

  Rowan growled. Dropping his sword, he pulled me down to the water's edge. “The veil gives the water medicinal qualities. It may be able to heal your wound.” He raised his eyebrows. “What are you waiting for?”

  Panicked, I ran in and plunged my hand in and out of the salty coolness. When that didn’t seem to be enough, I dove into the waves. Below the surface, the water twinkled with tiny white illuminations reminding me of Christmas tree lights. I reached out for one of the tiny glowing droplets. A hand connected with mine. I screamed. Bubbles erupted out of my mouth.

  A siren song whispered in my head. I relaxed completely. A child-size merman with a green tail and short blue hair smiled at me. It was impossible to be afraid while staring at his cherub face. He wrapped seaweed around my finger. The burning sensation was gone in moments. Perhaps it wasn’t the water with medicinal qualities after all? I reached out for him with my other hand, but he jolted as if he had heard something I hadn’t. In an instant, he was gone.

  My lungs burned for air. I rushed toward the surface. After a few seconds of paddling, I was back on the shore. The only ache left rested in my bruised ego.

  My clothes were soaked. With my hair dripping into my face, I must have resembled a wet poodle. I climbed up on the sand to where Rowan stood shaking his head. “Do you have no sense of self-preservation?” he asked.

  I had a feeling a lecture was coming. After that pain, I wasn’t about to take any more from him. My bitch-switch flipped on. “Yeah, I’m all about the sadomasochism. I guess you figured me out.”

  His jaw clenched. “You need to get serious.”

  Oh, it was so on now. “Are yo
u kidding me? Yeah, like I wanted to get burned. I swear, being with you is like the icing on a giant shit cake!”

  Rowan headed toward the forest, mumbling something under his breath. A moment later he stopped. He made his way back to me. “You can’t afford to make any mistakes, especially if it endangers your life.”

  It was clear I still had so much to learn. I still wasn't even sure who I could trust. Maybe Rowan, but even he refused to be completely honest with me. Again, I thought about Dad and my heart ached. I could have cried out of sheer frustration. “I’m doing the best I can. I wasn’t prepared for any of this, and right now, I’m still trying to figure it all out.”

  “I know.” He gazed into the distance, taking a long breath.

  “What do you mean you know?”

  He straightened his back. “Nevermind. Let’s move on to your training.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Really? You’re not going to tell me what you meant?”

  “Nope,” he replied with a cheeky grin.

  Why did he insist on being so irritating? And why had I bit my bottom lip when he smiled? I needed to refocus. “Fine, time for the training.”

  Chapter Seven

  The afternoon sun pounded down, drying my hair. My fingers wiggled through the salty knots while I silently prayed that I didn’t look as bad as I imagined.

  Rowan slid his leather sheath off his shoulder, placing it on the ground. Relief washed over me knowing the iron sword was farther in the distance. “Your power is linked with your emotions. If you’re centered, your power will flow evenly. Without control, you’ll use too much energy.” He stepped closer. “The first part of your training will be finding your center. Have you ever tried to meditate?”

  I snorted. “No, definitely no.”

  He huffed. “Sit down and close your eyes.”

  “How do you want me to sit?”

  Grabbing my arm, he guided me to the ground. We both sat cross-legged, mirroring one another. He placed my hands on top of my knees with his hands resting on top. Heat radiated up my arms. With a soft voice, he said, “Now I want you to close your eyes and relax.”

  I smirked. Oh sure, no problem.

  He tightened his grip around my hands. “I need you to take this seriously. Do you want my help?”

  “Yes,” I whispered.

  “Then you have to trust me and do what I ask.” He loosened his hold, massaging his thumbs into my palms. Oh yeah, this was the opposite of helping. “Close your eyes,” he insisted.

  I relented. I had no idea why, but I desperately wanted to giggle. “Okay, my eyes are closed.”

  In a soothing tone, he said, “Try to turn off your mind. Listen to the sounds of the waves crashing into the shore. Focus on only that noise without thinking about anything else.”

  We sat silently.

  I couldn’t resist the temptation. I peeked out of one eye and saw that his eyes were closed. I opened both of my eyes, watching as the sunlight flickered across his face. The silver bar in his eyebrow shimmered in the light. The salty breeze blew a few stray hairs onto his cheekbones. My fingers tingled with the desire to tuck them back behind his ear.

  “This isn't going to work unless you try,” he said, jolting me out of my haze.

  How did he always catch me watching him? Frustrated, I squirmed in the sand. Rowan was right though; I wasn’t trying. Dad would expect me to make this work. If he was not found in time, I needed to be prepared to take his place. And right now, at this moment, I have to make more of an effort. I closed my eyes, focusing on the roaring waves. Random thoughts popped into my head, but I pushed them out. Starting over each time—concentrating on the ocean.

  I had no idea how long we had been sitting here. “You're doing a good job,” he said, breaking the silence. “Let's try taking the next step. I want you turn off the sounds you hear and only visualize yourself sitting here. Start at the top of your head and don't stop until you are at your toes. Can you see yourself?”

  I tried not to break my concentration, visualizing myself sitting here. From behind, I saw my backside. I cringed, realizing my hair situation was completely out of control. Rowan was the total opposite. Even with his eyes closed, he managed to look yumtastic. I refocused on me until my body started tingling all over. It was as if my senses were alive. I was totally aware of everything around me. Each grain of sand, the ardent sun, every gust of wind—they were part of me—we were all connected somehow. What a total mind trip. I saw myself again, except this time, a soft golden yellow light swirled around my body. “Yes.”

  “Can you see an aura of energy around you?” he asked.

  “Yes.”

  “That’s your power when you’re focused and controlled. Remaining centered will allow you to use more energy for longer periods of time.” He released my hands. “As you lose control of your emotions, the color will darken. The power will become impossible to control and will drain you. Potentially even kill you.”

  I lost my focus completely as the panic brewed in my stomach.

  “Kill me?” I shook my head. “I don’t know if I’m ready for this.” Dad had told me the power was part of me, but I never thought using it could weaken or kill me. The moment after I closed my eyes, I swallowed hard. The aura had darkened to a burnt orange, appearing as thick as syrup.

  “You’re ready. This is the only way we can unlock your power. Don’t break your concentration; you’ve come so far already.”

  “All right, but if I die, I’m haunting you for eternity.”

  He chuckled under his breath. “I look forward to that.” Although my eyes were still closed, I was sure he was grinning.

  When I concentrated again, my aura was a light orange. I focused on the briny gusts of cool air blowing off the ocean. Slowly, a yellow light poked through the orange. I fixated on my slow breaths. Eventually, the color returned to a creamy yellow hue.

  I opened my eyes and the warm yellow aura radiated off my skin. “It’s so strong, I swear I can almost see it.”

  He raised his eyebrows. “Well done. You’re picking this up faster than I expected.”

  “I have to be honest. I was really worried back there when you first started talking about the dangers, but now I get it. It feels like it’s a part of me.” Suddenly, I felt hopeful and grateful to Rowan. I didn’t completely trust him, but I appreciated what he was doing for me. I surprised myself by pulling him into a hug.

  He jolted in surprise.

  I released him and stood. I could not believe I’d nearly leaped into his lap. It seemed as if I was going for the world record in mortification. Too bad invisibility cloaks aren’t a real thing.

  If he noticed my embarrassment, he never acknowledged it. “You managed to find your center, but do you think you can focus while distracted?”

  My body tensed. “What kind of a distraction?” I wasn’t ready. My instincts told me to get the hell out of here. What a jacked-up situation this was.

  “I’m going to try to provoke you. I want you to stay calm. Let me know when you're ready and remember to concentrate.”

  This wasn’t going to end well, but I didn't have a choice. I had to do this. Conquering this would mean I was a step closer to controlling my power. I had to be brave.

  I met his stare.

  He wiggled his eyebrows.

  With a brazen grin, he strolled behind me. I didn’t turn around to see where he went. This was his test. He wanted me to flinch. I stared out into the ocean, watching the waves form. I visualized the warm yellow energy radiating from my skin.

  My eyes widened.

  Hot breath tickled the back of my neck while fingertips slithered slowly from my wrist to my shoulders. Focus. Stay focused. Every hair on my arms stood. Subconsciously, I let out a low moan. He nuzzled his face into the nape of my neck, running his nose against the back of my ear.

  Spinning me around, our eyes locked.

  Deep sapphire eyes penetrated into mine. There was something there that I hadn’t seen befor
e. An intensity I didn’t understand. As his gaze shifted to my mouth, everything around us ceased to exist. Oh God, he was going to kiss me. My lips parted in anticipation.

  Rowan leaned closer, then stopped abruptly. His face drained of emotion and he crossed his arms. “I should’ve known. We need to start with a smaller distraction.”

  No freakin’ way! He was going to kiss me—I was sure of it. Nice, he tried to blame it all on me. I waved my hand in front of me, trying to play it off even though he’d won. “Oh please, that was nothing.”

  He smirked. “Really?”

  “Yes, really.”

  “Then why are you blushing?”

  “It’s sunburn.” I pointed to the sky. “In case you hadn’t noticed, we have been standing on a beach in direct sunlight for hours.”

  “Okay,” he challenged. Leaping backwards, he landed a few feet away. “Let’s move on to something a bit more…physical.” He tilted his head as if he was sizing me up.

  My legs trembled. “What did you have in mind?”

  Reaching down, he pulled his sword from its sheath. The iron weapon gleamed in the sunlight. How far was he willing to take this? A second later, he answered my question by lunging toward me with his sword aimed at my head.

  No time to think.

  No time to move.

  An uncomfortable rush of heat ran from my shoulders to my fingertips. It pulsated like a heartbeat, urging to be released. I pointed at Rowan. The burning sensation discharged out of my hands. An explosion of wind caught him in mid-air, thrusting him backwards. He landed on his back, motionless.

  “Rowan!” I shrieked. I wanted to go to him, but all of the energy had drained out of me. My muscles ached in my arms and legs. I put my hands on my hips, taking in a few slow breaths. This was what Rowan was talking about. Using my powers only for a moment left me feeling as if I had just finished an intense workout. When the weakness finally subsided, I ran to him.