Eternal Sacrifice (Mortal Enchantment Book 4)

by Stacey O'Neale

  “We had no other choice,” he finally said, as he headed toward the hidden castle. “Prisma was expected to marry a high-born or someone with royal blood. My mother was a mortal seduced by an incubus, which made me a cambion. Certainly not a fitting match for a queen.”

  “How can that be true?” I replied, still not sure if I believed him. “Mother hated halflings.”

  By the time we neared the castle, his regeneration could be physically seen. His strides were longer, and had more power behind them. “Halflings weren’t popular in any court. Prisma went along with it for appearances. If she’d been honest about her feelings, others might’ve suspected our relationship had gone beyond friendship.”

  I could barely comprehend what he was saying. Was I really speaking to my father? After all these years of believing he was dead, the moment seemed unreal. My head swam with a list of questions. Trying not to show how engrossed I’d been, I kept my tone at a relaxed level. “What was your position in the court?”

  “I was a healer,” he replied, glancing over at me. “That’s why the mortals thought I was some kind of wizard.”

  I scrutinized his answers with more questions. “You never corrected them?”

  He let out a harsh breath. “What could I say without revealing our kind?”

  I snickered.

  “What?” he asked, throwing his hands in the air?

  “Sorry.” I wasn’t trying to be rude. Everything that he’d said just seemed impossible. It was so foreign to me, it was like he was talking about someone else. I dug my hands into the pockets of my jeans. “It’s hard for me to imagine anyone wanted to be in a relationship with my mother.”

  He stopped and pivoted. “She was much more than you remember.”

  “That’s what Britta said, but honestly, it’s hard to believe.” I raised an eyebrow. “I have vivid memories of her as a dark and merciless queen. Nothing more.”

  “That was only one side of her,” he replied, putting his hand on my shoulder. “During the centuries I was with her, she was a good queen and loved by her court.”

  Good and loving didn’t fit into a sentence that described my mother. I pushed his hand off my shoulder, and kept striding toward the castle. “Those aren’t the stories I’ve heard.”

  He remained by my side as we walked. “Stories passed down through the generations tend to lose their credibility.”

  I understood better than anyone. I’d heard plenty of rumors that had been spread about me. Most had to do with the circumstances surrounding mother’s death, and why I’d refused the throne. Few had been there to witness what truly happened. But there were hundreds of versions of the event. “I’ve learned not to trust most of the members of our court.”

  “We definitely have an interesting collection of creatures.” He added, “Some, as you know, have violent traditions. Prisma had to make difficult decisions where they were concerned. At times, she overlooked bad deeds in order to keep peace. Not all her choices were met with cheers. That’s not the nature of this court.”

  The last forty-eight hours had been a roller coaster of emotions. I learned I had a father who tried to kill me and had been imprisoned since I was an infant. My mother was a lot more complicated than I’d known. She’d even risked her life to save me. And, to top it all off, I supposedly caused the world to end. My life had unraveled in front of me. I stopped. “If she was all you just described, what caused her to become the mother I knew?”

  “After she found out about Britta’s premonition, everything changed. She felt betrayed by Britta and me.” He stared at the dust covered ground. “And a darkness fell over her.”

  The circumstances were rough, and there was a part of me that felt sympathy for her. But what she’d done since then was unjustifiable. Thousands upon thousands were hurt, or worse, by her rage. “That doesn’t excuse the decades of torture she inflicted.”

  “I’m not saying what she did was right.” He paused as if he were weighing his words. “All I’m doing is trying to show things from her perspective. She’d lost everything and was left to raise you on her own. The loneliness made her bitter.”

  “That’s the thing. She wasn’t alone. I was there.” My throat swelled and I swallowed hard. No way was I going to allow myself to get emotional. “All I ever wanted was her love, and she pushed me away. Acted like she despised me. I never once felt anything from her other than disgust.”

  “You were destined to destroy us all, Rowan.” There was a pained expression on his face like the words hurt to say aloud. “She loved you as her son, but hated you at the same time.”

  This was too much for anyone to handle. I was moments away from an explosion. Fire tipped my fingers. All I had to do was let go. “She could’ve tried talking to me. Maybe if I’d known this was supposed to happen, I would’ve had more time to find a solution.”

  “Prisma thought she’d found the solution when she sent you away.” His forehead creased. “She assumed this was where you’d meet the akasha. No one knew Taron was hiding her away in the mortal world. When she found out, she was enraged. It killed her to not be part of your life.”

  “How do you know all this?” I asked, in a higher octave than usual. “You were locked in a block of ice for eighteen years.”

  “I didn’t have enough strength to free myself,” he admitted. “But I used what little was left of my power to watch over you throughout the years.”

  I backed up a few steps. “That sounds creepy.”

  He put his palms out as if he were trying to put me at ease. “It was the only way for me to know you. I never expected to be released.”

  “So what did you see?” I asked, my eyebrows creased.

  “I’ve been with you every step of the way.” He rubbed his forearms. “It’s been quite painful at times. I wish I could’ve intervened on so many occasions.”

  I lost it. “You’ve been with me my whole life. Really? The parent that tried to kill me as a baby.”

  “Rowan, I contemplated that decision for a long time.” He paced around me. “I spent day after day trying to come up with an alternative. It made me sick to even consider killing you. But I couldn’t let my love for you stand in the way. If the mist is pierced, the akasha must make the sacrifice.”

  My hands fisted at my sides. “I won’t stand by and allow her to do that. You don’t know her like I do. I—”

  “Love her?” He smiled weakly. “I know.”

  Okay, he understood where I was coming from. Maybe now he’d help me. “If you know how I feel, find another way,” I said, desperately. “Think of something that will save her life.”

  “I wish I could, son.” He clasped his hands together like he was about to pray. “I’d give anything for that.”

  “I’m not your son,” I replied, with venom in my tone. Anger overwhelmed me, and I couldn’t hold back any longer. “We might share blood, but that’s it. You mean nothing to me.”

  “Rowan—” His voice cracked.

  I held my hand up. “Forget about it. Let’s get back to the castle and plan our next move.”

  We were silent the rest of the way as I tried to make sense of everything I’d learned. I had never felt so many emotions happening at the same time. Throughout my life, my father had walked alongside me, unable to reach out in any way. All the times I felt abandoned I was never alone. But what did that mean? Was I supposed to accept him as my father? Let him be part of my life?

  As much as it burned, I had to bury my feelings for now and deal with the bigger issue.

  He crushed me when he confirmed he couldn’t save Kalin. I was beyond devastated. Valac had already collected three of the sacred objects. If he managed to get the shield away from me, it was all over. And he had followers everywhere. I had no doubt they were hidden in plain sight. It could’ve been anyone. He could’ve attacked at anytime from anywhere. Was I really going to have to stand by and watch Kalin die?

  The thought made my stomach churn.

  Once
inside the castle, I searched for Marcus. I needed to update him on everything that had happened, plus we needed to come up with a plan to make sure Valac never got his hands on the shield. My first instinct was to go after him. Challenge him to a fight, and pray he wasn’t as impossible to beat as Britta had suggested. But things had changed. I couldn’t take a chance that he’d defeat me and seize the shield. If he did, that would be the end for Kalin. No matter what the circumstances were, I wouldn’t let her die.

  When I found Marcus, he was in the training area with at least fifty other hounds. The rectangular room had very little decoration. Only cement walls, cedar wood flooring, and an assortment of punching bags that hung from the ceiling. A regulation-size boxing ring sat in the center. Each of the four corners had a padded pole and three thick red ropes that connected them. Two hounds without gloves circled each other inside.

  Marcus stood on the outside next to Ethan. He was reading a letter intently, while the little hound tried to sneak a peek over his shoulder. Ethan managed to duck a split second before he clotheslined him. That seemed to send him a signal because he ran to the opposite side of the ring, and cheered for one of the hounds.

  “He really looks up to you,” I noted, nudging his shoulder.

  Marcus took his eyes off of the letter long enough to glance up at me. “He needs to learn his boundaries.”

  “He’s young.” I shrugged. “Don’t you remember what I was like at his age?”

  “Yeah, a pain in the ass,” he replied, folding the letter and putting it in his back pocket.

  I chuckled. I’d never let anyone else talk to me the way he had. Most elementals were afraid to have a conversation with me as it was. But I’d known him all my life. He was my best friend, and the one person I’d counted on to keep me in check. “It’s a good thing those days are long gone.”

  “Says who?” He raised an eyebrow.

  I punched him in his massive bicep. He didn’t respond. Since Marcus had become the leader of his pack, he’d doubled in size and strength. Any muscle magazine in the mortal world would gladly put him on their cover. He took the changes in stride, never letting his new position go to his head. He was still the most level-headed elemental I’d ever known. Certainly the best. “You could at least pretend that hurt.”

  Marcus noticed Merlin for the first time. He sized him up, giving him the once over. When he was satisfied, he crossed his arms over his massive chest. “I expected you to be older.”

  “I get that a lot,” Merlin replied.

  “I have so much to tell you,” I said, turning their attention to me. I couldn’t wait any longer. “So much has happened. I’m really not sure where to begin.”

  Marcus tilted his head to the side, and I followed him. He led us to a private corner. “Before you do, I’ve got something to tell you.”

  My eyebrows knit together. “What?”

  He massaged the back of his neck. “I’m getting married.”

  “I know that.” I rolled my eyes. “I was there when you proposed.”

  “No, I mean I’m getting married.” His eyes rounded. “Tomorrow.”

  “What?” I was happy for Ariel and Marcus, but a wedding was the furthest thing on my mind. We’re in a middle of a war. We had so much set in motion with an obstacles every step of the way. “Now?”

  “The timing isn’t the best, but Ariel’s really excited.” He shrugged. “They’ve been working around the clock to put everything together.”

  They? What was going on? “Kalin’s okay with this?”

  Marcus grabbed a hundred pound punching bag off the ground with one hand like he was lifting a feather. He clipped it to a hook that hung from the ceiling. “From what I hear, it was her idea.”

  Now I was really confused. Why had Kalin set all this up? Was there something she wasn’t telling me? Had she already known that Merlin couldn’t help us? I held onto the bag as he punched. With each blow, I slid backwards several inches. If he kept going, it was only a matter of time before the bag exploded. “I’m happy for you, man. I really am.”

  “I’m a little nervous.” His final punch broke the bag. Powdered cement poured onto the floor with a hiss.

  I tried to lighten the mood. “If you’re worried about the wedding night, I’m happy to offer some pointers.”

  He let out a hearty laugh. “I’ve got that area covered, thanks.”

  I chucked. “Okay then, what’s the problem?”

  “It’s her parents.” He removed the bag from the hook and dunked it into a heavy duty trash can. “They’ve never wanted her to marry me. I can’t imagine they’re taking the news well.”

  Was he really going to let their opinions affect the best day of his life? “Fuck her parents.”

  He kicked his foot into the pile of cement. “That’s how I feel, but Ariel wants them there. It’s important to her.”

  “If they don’t want to be there, it’s their loss. Don’t worry about it.” I cupped my hand firmly on his shoulder. “The only person Ariel’s going to worry about showing up is you.”

  His shoulders visibly relaxed. My words seemed to put him at ease. “I can’t believe it’s really happening. I’m actually going to get the girl.”

  No one deserved happiness more than Marcus. With all the craziness going on, I was going to enjoy this moment. I smirked. “Come on, princess. It’s time to get you ready for your big day.”

  He shook his head, smiling. “There’s a good chance I may strangle you today.”

  “No worries, buddy.” I winked. “I like to live on the edge.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Marcus

  Rowan didn’t travel with us.

  He took a hidden portal that was used by the royal family. It was the only route he was sure Valac couldn’t hijack. The shield was safest that way. I invited Selene to journey with me. She seemed genuinely surprised she was invited. As we made our way to the air court, I was still reeling from everything Rowan had told me. I would’ve never guessed that Merlin was his father. We’d all been led to believe that his father was dead. And all along he was trapped in an icy prison by the two queens.

  “Did you know about Prisma and Merlin?” I asked her.

  “No, she’d managed to keep their relationship from me as well. But I’m not surprised she didn’t tell me.” She lowered her gaze to the floor. “She was always guarded.”

  How was that possible? I’d always assumed they were close. It seemed like Prisma was always doting on her. She kept her looking like a doll in lavish clothes and jewelry. She’d been given the best of everything her whole life. “But you were together for centuries.”

  “That doesn’t mean we were close. She treated me like her child,” she replied, sternly. “Her personal life was never part of the conversation.”

  After all the time they’d spent together, Prisma never saw her as an adult? Never confided in her or saw her as an equal? “That’s really sad.”

  “How did you meet Ariel?” she asked, changing the subject.

  I let it go. There was no reason to keep pushing her. She’d obviously been through more than I ever imagined. “I met her in the mortal world. She was fifteen at the time. She heard me when I was going through my first shift.”

  A confused expression fell over her face. “What do you mean she heard you?”

  “The first shift is the most painful.” My muscles ached at the memory. “All the bones in my body broke, and then reset into different positions. I doubled in size. My skin tore as it stretched. There was blood all over the ground. It was excruciating.”

  She put her hands over her mouth and gasped. “That sounds awful.”

  He shrugged. “It got easier every time after that.”

  Crinkling her face, she seemed pained by the conversation. “Does it still hurt when you shift?”

  “Yes.” After a Gabriel Hound went through the first shift, we were required to return to Avalon and begin training. I was forced to shift over and over again each d
ay until I got used to the pain. Until my body went numb, and I was near death. But all these years later, I still felt the pain. It never truly goes away. “Every time.”

  Her eyebrows rose. “And Ariel witnessed this?”

  “She heard me screaming during my first shift, and tried to help me. She brought me healing herbs and salve from the air court.” I tried to push her away. I wasn’t sure if I had control over my body, and I didn’t want to take the chance that she’d get hurt. I was in and out of consciousness for hours at a time. She had stayed with me. I had visions of her rubbing the ointment into my bloody skin. But at the time, I wasn’t sure she was real. The pain was so intense I had hallucinations.

  She reached out and put her hand on my shoulder as if she were trying to comfort me. “How long was the first shift?”

  “Twenty-four hours if you count the recovery time.” The transformation took about eight hours but I wasn’t able to move afterwards. My body needed time to heal itself. I’d slept for the rest of the time. Well, I tried to sleep. Every inch of my body ached. It was nearly impossible to relax, making sleep difficult.

  “You’re so brave.” Tears welled in her eyes. “I’m not sure I could handle something like that.”

  “We each have our own burdens to carry.” I shrugged. “Had I not gone through that, I might’ve never met Ariel. She was worth all of it.”

  “She sounds amazing,” she replied, genuinely.

  “I think you two would get along well. She’s into girly stuff like you. I’m sure you’d have a lot to talk about.” Ariel loved getting dressed up. From the gowns to the hair and makeup, she was into it all. It was odd that she’d have any interest in me. I wasn’t into any of that fancy stuff. I was never invited to any of the formal parties, but I doubt I would’ve gone even if I had been. Those events were nothing more than a snooze fest.