Enchantment's Trap (Vampire Magic Book 4)

by Sela Croft

  Even as I thought it, I doubted that would be the case. Valter was too hot headed, so it was more likely that he’d follow through on his plans of aggression. Yet there was no way to know for certain.

  What I needed was better intelligence, sources of information about my brother’s activities. It seemed odd that I’d resort to spying on my own brother, but these were strange times. Since Logan had left, the kingdom had been unsettled.

  Some of the vampires in our ranks were loyal to Valter; they followed his orders without question. If he issued commands to prepare for attack, those vampires would be aware of the action before I was. Thus, I began consulting with each of them to see what I could learn.

  I didn’t openly oppose Valter’s objectives. Instead, I maintained a non-committal, curious attitude. It was better not to create resistance, as then they would tell me very little. And would most certainly report back to Valter about my reconnaissance efforts.

  Raulia had been loyal to the royal vampires, and a supporter of each of us. She was a trusted friend and had proven herself. I met with her in the council room to determine where she stood on the matter of attacking the Fae.

  Her wild red hair was curly and as bright as if lit by fire. Her blue eyes pierced into me, and I knew that she’d be honest, if nothing else.

  I sat at the long table, while she paced like the caged wolf that she was. “I wish to discuss the status of the war,” I said. “After meeting with Valter, I’m aware that he’s lobbying for a full-out attack.” I watched her but couldn’t perceive her thoughts.

  “Valter’s violent nature will pull him toward attack,” Raulia said. “He isn’t comfortable with delay.”

  “Even if the delay is to gain information about our enemy and their strategy, information that might ensure our success?”

  Raulia smirked. “Surely, you know your brother better than that. He’s not a strategist. That’s your department.”

  “But gaining more information will do no good, if we’ve already attacked. There will be no way to mitigate our vulnerability then.”

  “I see your point,” Raulia said. “I must tell you that I agree with Valter’s motives. Our kingdom is at risk. We must act. To launch a campaign against the Fae is justified.”

  “So, you support Valter and will counter my efforts to place our armies in a better position?”

  Raulia shook her head. “I didn’t say that. While I agree with Valter’s motives, I understand that Shadowland is in a fragile state.” She lifted her hand. “Unity is most important. For without it, we are fighting each other. That will only aid our enemy.”

  “Does that mean that you’ll help me?”

  “If I can,” Raulia said. She looked thoughtful. “You haven’t mentioned your other brother. Do you know anything about Logan and Callie’s whereabouts?”

  “I have to admit that I don’t. I haven’t heard anything from him or had any reports about the two of them.”

  “For now, we should proceed with the urgent matter of the war,” Raulia said. “Utilize your resources to gain what information you can. And I’ll see what I can find out.”

  That was a good idea. I was glad to have the help, since I’d felt very much alone in my argument against rashly attacking. There was something to be said for overwhelming force, and Valter with his dragon fleet were excellent for that. But preparedness had value that was often underestimated.

  There wasn’t much time, since I didn’t know how long Valter would hold off, if he waited at all. I leaned on any contact that might know what he was up to. While I tried to piece together bits of information to get a clear picture of my older brother’s activities, I received a message from Raulia. She requested a meeting with me.

  Once again, we met in the council room and I sensed that she had something important to relay. “What have you found out?”

  Her blue eyes glowed like blue flame in a fire. “I’ve made an important discovery. Valter has been having secret meetings with his generals, any vampire in charge of the realm’s defense. And the worst of it is that it appears he’s swayed most of them to his point of view.”

  “My brother is waging war on his own initiative?”

  “That’s precisely what’s happening.”

  “That has disaster written all over it,” I said. “My own brother is holding secret meetings behind my back. It’s likely that he wasn’t going to inform me until the attacks had already been launched.”

  “When it would be too late for you to do anything about it.”

  I was angry but reigned in my temper. I might stand a chance of derailing my brothers plans, if I didn’t allow emotion to rule.

  I called the guards outside the door and one of them entered. “Contact Valter, this instant. Tell him I’ve requested an audience. Stress that I’m waiting impatiently, and that I don’t intend to leave this room until I speak with him.”

  Raulia’s expression mirrored my feelings. Valter’s belligerent attitude was to be expected. But for my brother to act, without my agreement, was going too far. His behavior bordered on treason, although I withheld speaking that word.

  He was my brother and we had a kingdom to protect. We were one brother short, already. If Valter and I were at odds, that would leave Shadowland in upheaval—and while war raged on, no less.

  Raulia and I waited anxiously. I began to think that Valter wouldn’t show up, that he might refuse to meet with me, which defied belief.

  When I’d nearly given up, Valter strode into the room, dressed in battle armor. “You wish to speak to me?”

  I stood up. “What are you doing, my brother. We didn’t agree to go after the Fae with such a vengeance. We have no idea what we’re walking into or what they have planned. It might be suicide, if we go in blindly.”

  Valter didn’t flinch. He looked at Raulia then back at me. “My armies have already begun the preemptive strike on the Fae borderlands.”

  It was too late. My brother had set events in motion that couldn’t be undone. He looked at me, exuding confidence. “Florian, you must decide if you’re going to help save our realm…or refuse to take action. For if you don’t use your power to ensure our survival, you will have to face the consequences.”

  Chapter 20

  Logan

  The passageway was dark but inviting. I put out my arm to hold the others back, since I wasn’t sure what to expect. It might be an exit, or it might be a trap.

  Either way, I had to find out. “Wait here until I check to see if it’s safe.” I stepped up to the new path out of the room. I hesitated to be hopeful, before assessing whether we could get out that way.

  The entry was dimly lit, but I could see inside. A tunnel had appeared. It extended into the blackness, so I had no way to tell how far it extended. If I walked its length to see where it ended, I might lose contact with the others.

  Noah, Callie, and Rosamon waited quietly, but watched hopefully. “Can we get out that way?” Noah said.

  “I can’t say for sure. It’s a long, dark tunnel, and I have no idea where it leads,” I said. “We can’t just stay here in this debacle.”

  “I can’t imagine that waiting for the Fae to arrive is a good idea,” Rosamon said. “I’m surprised we haven’t seen Amalia yet. But it’s only a matter of time.”

  “I agree,” Callie said. “If there’s a chance of getting out, we must take it.”

  I waved the others forward, then stepped inside. “It seems suspicious that this avenue of escape appeared. I don’t trust it. Let me go first, then you follow.”

  The passage was chilly and musty, but I proceeded. Glancing back, I confirmed the others had followed. The tunnel seemed stable, yet I had no way to predict if it would stay that way. The walls had low vibrations, possibly aftershocks from the quake.

  If the violent shaking resumed, the tunnel could cave in and we’d be crushed. The vibrations bothered me, but I had my power at the ready. I was prepared at any moment to hold back any falling masonry. Yet there was
no certainty that would be enough.

  “Noah, activate your mist form,” I said. “The moment these vibrations turn into another quake, envelop all of us inside it.” One look back told me that he’d done as I asked.

  Keeping a watchful eye, I led the way. There wasn’t any sign of another presence. It was quiet, and after a few minutes the vibrations stopped. I breathed a sigh of relief, taking that as a sign we wouldn’t have to face the violent shaking again.

  Noah must have noticed the same thing, as he deactivated his mist. He walked a step behind Callie and Rosamon to better protect them from any unexpected encounters.

  The tunnel curved one way then the other. But the surface beneath us was flat and easy to traverse. The scene didn’t change. It was one long, bleak tunnel with no end in sight. It was a good thing that no one was claustrophobic.

  Up ahead, a glimmer of light shined, so I increased our pace. When I drew closer, a doorway became visible. If it was a way out, then we were in luck.

  As a group, we approached the light. But it wasn’t an opening to the outside. The doorway was to a large chamber, so we stepped inside. The room was unlike any I’d seen before.

  The chamber had a vast array of mirrors, far more than Rosamon’s room had contained.

  Noah and the girls walked around, as I stared in awe. The mirrors were massive, some rising up to the high ceiling, and others wider than my arm span. These had to be a different type, or maybe possessed more intense power.

  Each time one of us stepped in front of a mirror a scene came into focus. Callie stared into a massive mirror in a gilded frame. “Come over here,” she said. “This is the outside. There are trees and sunshine and people.”

  I looked over her shoulder. “Do you recognize the place?”

  Callie shook her head. “It isn’t a place I’ve been, but it’s forested area like my home.”

  Rosamon gasped. “This tall mirror has a view of frightening scenes.”

  I turned to see that the mirror was showing battles between Fae and vampires. “Turn away; that will only upset you.”

  Callie walked past mirror after mirror, pointing out views of the outside world. “It’s amazing. Is there no place the mirrors can’t look out on?”

  I stood before a mirror playing scenes from Shadowland. The sights made me miss my kingdom, but this was no time for sentimentality.

  “Here’s something you might want to watch,” Noah said to me. “It’s Fae territory; we might learn something.”

  There was activity in the capital city of Caros. Its inhabitants were scurrying about, busy with their daily activities. But I didn’t see anything that shed light on our predicament.

  Then I spotted a short, wide mirror displaying some intriguing scenes. “This is a realm that I don’t recognize. Can you tell where this is, Noah?”

  Noah stepped close to observe. “It’s strange, but I’m not familiar with it either.”

  Rosamon and Callie were intrigued by an oval mirror displayed on a sturdy wooden stand. It tipped back or forward for easier viewing.

  Noah and I stood behind the girls to see what had them so captivated. I was familiar with the outside world, having seen many views of it. And I had memories of it, from before I’d been turned into my immortal form.

  The scene in the mirror looked very realistic. It was of a clapboard house with a sidewalk lined with flowers. The girls were spellbound, but I wasn’t sure why. It looked like a very average house to me. But then, I didn’t understand much about what pleased humans.

  Noah seemed engaged as well. I wished that he’d clue me in, so I’d know what the attraction was.

  The scene shifted to a bedroom. It was a girl’s room judging by the color scheme and the ruffled curtains. In the dim recesses of my mind, I was about to latch onto the significance of that room. It shouldn’t have been familiar, and yet…

  Maybe I was channeling Callie’s interest and it wasn’t a place where I’d been. She seemed completely enamored with the room, as did her sister.

  Rosamon’s face lit up then she reached toward the mirror. When her fingers touched the glass surface, she collapsed and fell. Alarmed, Callie grabbed her sister, catching her before she hit the floor. “Rosamon!”

  Noah scooped Rosamon’s unconscious body into his arms, as I rushed over to Callie.

  Callie’s gaze was locked onto the mirror. An image flitted across the glass; it was of Rosamon on the other side beckoning to her.

  Before I could stop her, Callie touched the mirror. Much to my horror, she collapsed then slumped to the floor next to her sister.

  Chapter 21

  Logan

  Noah sat on the ground, cradling Rosamon. And I dropped to the floor next to Callie, supporting her head in my lap. Desperate to follow the girls, I instinctively reached out and touched the mirror—but nothing happened.

  I’d seen that vision of Rosamon beckoning to Callie from the other side, but I didn’t see her in the mirror anymore. Yet the image of the girl’s bedroom was still in focus.

  I turned to face Noah, who didn’t appear any more pleased than I was. I pointed at the mirror. “It’s their bedroom in Oregon. I stood outside many nights guarding them. I recognize those curtains. They waved in the breeze when they had the window open. And it looks like their home. Through the window, I see the trees of the forest behind their house.”

  I stared at the room, absorbing the fact that the feminine space was where Callie had stayed before I’d known her. I wanted to be in the room, feel it, sense Callie’s presence. The space was endearing, simply because she’d loved it so much.

  “What’s happened?” I was devastated by this turn of events. Callie was outside my reach, and there didn’t seem to be anything that I could do.

  Noah stroked Rosamon’s long hair, paying no attention to me.

  “Something bad has happened,” I said. “You know the outside better than I, and you are familiar with the town where they lived.” I paused. “Noah, what do you think?”

  “I’m pretty sure I know what’s going on,” Noah said. “It’s the only thing it can be.”

  In a flash, I knew. But I waited for confirmation.

  Noah looked in the mirror. “Callie and Rosamon have been projected back to their world. It’s the mirror’s magic. The girls can exist there in illusory form.”

  “For how long? When will they return?”

  Noah shook his head. “I can’t say, but the girls are there now.”

  A deep male voice reverberated in the room. “Indeed, my daughters have projected back to Oregon.”

  “You’re back,” Noah said.

  “Bramwell Mayfair?” I said to Noah and he nodded.

  “We meet at last, vampire prince,” Bram said.

  I was in no mood to socialize, even if the man was Callie’s father. “You might have shown up sooner,” I said. “We could have died in this place.”

  “I was detained.”

  Noah kept his eyes on Rosamon but said, “You might sound a little concerned, since you are their father. Both of your daughters need help.”

  “I’m aware of that.” I could hear Bram clearly but couldn’t see him. It was as Rosamon had said, he was communicating from his cell.

  “Since you’re here now, how about a little help?” I said with annoyance. “You’ve been in this prison for a long while. You must have figured out a few things.”

  “Yes, I have learned a lot. I only wish that I’d figured out how to get out, on my own.”

  “What matters right now is what’s happening with your daughters.” I looked up as if Bram might enter the room as an apparition. But he didn’t.

  “I couldn’t agree more,” Noah said, glancing at me.

  “Since you’re the impressive sorcerer…and you know so much…I demand that you tell me how to follow them into their world,” I said.

  Bram chuckled which grated my nerves. “I’m afraid you cannot follow them.” He hesitated. “But don’t worry. If my daughters
don’t make any mistakes while in the outside world, they should be fine.”

  The man’s cavalier attitude toward his daughters, whom he should care about, drove me to rage.

  “That’s enough of your verbal ping pong. Don’t give anymore vague answers,” I said. “Tell me precisely what will happen if Callie or Rosamon make a mistake, while they are out there.”

  The irritating sorcerer didn’t take the bait, nor did he change his attitude. His voice was somber and steady. “We should all hope that the girls don’t make a mistake.”

  I moved Callie closer to Noah, and gently lowered her head to his knee. He watched both girls.

  I stood up and paced the room. “Where are you…you arrogant…” I held my tongue. Bram was Callie’s father, but he was pushing me to the limit of my patience.

  There was no sign of the sorcerer. It was obvious that he had the ability to communicate from his cell, wherever that was. Rosamon had dealt with him, using the same method. It irked me that I couldn’t see him, couldn’t look in his eyes and determine his intent.

  I wasn’t enamored with his attitude. The man should care more, do more. I reined in my temper. Bram might be an ally, and if so, he could help us. But I refused to deal with him from a distance. The welfare of his daughters, one of them my true love, was too important.

  It was time to stop playing around. I spun in a circle. “I demand that you show yourself. You make observations from a safe distance. I want to see you…in person.”

  The silence raised my ire. The sorcerer was toying with me; I had no doubt about that. He wasn’t going to get away with it. I’d get the upper hand, whether he wished to co-operate or not.

  Bram spoke in a slow, calculated manner. “I’d like to meet with you, and I’m more than willing to go to that chamber.” He let me absorb his words. “But I regret to tell you that I cannot move from my cell. If I could have, I would have years ago. However, vampire prince, you are welcome to seek me out.”