But she didn’t attack either of their courts. She went after Rowan, and they have a long history. Wasn’t he technically still a member of the fire court? How could her actions against him destroy the peace between our courts? This war wasn’t the answer. I had to come up with another option and fast. "We shouldn’t rush into war. Call another emergency council meeting, and we’ll discuss this.”
"The high council has disbanded,” Jarrod said, appearing irritated by my suggestion. "In their absence, the air and woodland courts made the joint decision. We will go to war.”
I wasn’t the biggest fan of the high council, but if I were able to get them all in a room together, I believe we could’ve settled this peacefully. But I had no ground to stand on with the air court council. Not without my father. "If you truly believe Liana has my father, can you guarantee his safety once she discovers us charging into her territory?”
Jarrod ushered me aside to speak privately. "When the battle begins, I’ll send a small unit inside to recover King Taron. They’ll be too busy fighting us to notice.”
Was that meant to comfort me? "I’m sorry, Jarrod, but I won’t gamble on my father’s life. You will stop this now.”
Jarrod grabbed my upper arm, drawing me closer to him like a child about to be scolded. Rowan moved toward us. I held my hand up, asking him to keep his distance. Snatching my arm away, I asked, "What do you think you’re doing?”
"You may be the princess of this court, but you cannot override the orders of the council. And even if you did, you couldn’t stop King Orion from attacking. With or without your permission, this will happen.” Jarrod glanced around to see who was watching. "We attack at sundown as planned, and if our king is alive, we will bring him home.”
Jarrod returned to King Orion’s side, and I remained in place. They were beyond reason, and with the high council gone, I could do nothing to stop them. Rowan raced over. There was only one thing I could do to end this nonsense. "They won’t listen to reason.”
Rowan made a growling sound from deep in his throat. "I’ll make them listen.”
Before he got too far ahead, I caught up to him. "There’s another way, but I’ll need your help.”
“What can I do?”
Powerful thunder rumbled in the skies. I had to keep calm, or I’d start another lightning storm. “The only way to stop this war is to find my father.”
Rowan raised an eyebrow. “I hope you’ve got a plan.”
Hundreds of knights gathered outside now. I had maybe twelve hours to find him before all hell broke loose. Was I crazy to think I could find him when none of the courts could? My chances were slim to none, but I had no other option. I tried to remember every detail of our last dreamwalk. "If only Dad could have told me where he was.”
"What do you mean, told you?” Rowan asked with a confused look on his face. "You spoke to him?”
Then I remembered I had only told Ariel about the dreamwalk. She dismissed it as a nightmare, but would he? "Dad dreamwalked with me a few nights ago.”
His face turned red. "Why are you just now telling me this?”
I immediately realized what a stupid decision I had made. "At the time, I wasn’t sure if I could trust you.” I cringed. “He said the traitor was someone I trusted.”
“And you automatically assumed it was me.” His face lost all emotion. It was like I was watching him build another wall between us. "Tell me everything you remember.”
The bitterness in his words was enough to make me shiver. Guilt washed over me, and I wanted to apologize and make him understand why I felt the way I did, but I could tell I was better off just answering his question. "What he showed me wasn’t a normal dreamwalk. It was fast, and everything around me shifted and changed form. When I found him, he was in an empty room. He told me I would be betrayed by an elemental I trusted, and then he faded away with the vision before he could name the traitor.”
Rowan crossed his arms. "Did you recognize the location?”
"No.”
"Describe it to me.”
I searched my memory for every small detail I could recall. "It’s hard to explain. There was nothing on the walls and no windows. He was in a dark room in an abandoned building, or maybe it was something new still under construction. It had a smell I recognized. Something was recently burning there.”
"That’s all you remember?” He took an exaggerated breath. "I need you to dig deeper. What was on the floor, the walls, the ceiling?”
I stayed silent for a minute or two as I replayed every moment of the vision. Then, something clicked. "There was a playing card on the floor. One of the suit cards. A king or queen. And a couple of plastic chips. Poker chips.”
Rowan leaned his head back while rubbing his hands over his face. "I can’t believe I never thought of this before.”
"What?”
In a disgusted tone, he replied, "Nevin.”
"Who’s Nevin?”
Rowan rubbed his temple. "My uncle. He was exiled from Avalon a century before I was born. He runs a few hotels in Las Vegas.”
"Las Vegas?” How could an elemental survive for centuries in exile? “How is that possible?”
"He’s only half-elemental. His father was an incubus making him immortal.”
If my father were in Vegas, that would explain the wrinkles I saw on his face. Without the protection of Avalon’s veil, he would be dead in a matter of weeks. "We have to go. Now.”
He shook his head. "Nevin is too dangerous. We need to reunite the high council and let them decide.”
"No, we’re way past debates. There’s no way I’m waiting here for them to make a decision. He’s dying in the mortal world.”
My voice must have carried because several knights turned around to listen. Rowan leaned down and whispered, "Kalin, do you know what an incubus can do?”
I had read that an incubus could dreamwalk and suck out your soul, but I had no idea what was a myth and what was real. Either way, I had no interest in taking part in any soul-sucking activities. If he was trying to scare the crap out of me, mission accomplished. "I’ve heard rumors about them.”
"Nevin can feed on mortal emotions. His ability to influence makes him deadly to mortals, and since you are a halfling, you’re vulnerable. If you touched him, even in the slightest way, you would be under his control.”
Hearing that made my skin crawl. “I have no interest in touching Nevin.”
“It could happen by accident,” he continued. “And once it happens, you’ll want to be near him with a desire like you have never felt before. You would never leave his side, and you would do whatever he asked, even if it meant killing yourself.” He shook his head again. "No, I won’t risk your life.”
I couldn’t believe a creature with so much power was allowed to live in the mortal world. I was terrified, but I refused to abandon my father. "I’m going. I’ll go by myself if I have to, so you can help me or not.”
He let out a growl. "I will take you, but from this moment on, you listen to everything I say.”
I nodded, knowing full well that was not likely to happen.
As if he were reading my mind, he said, "I mean it, Kalin. No more questions. Not one. Got it?”
"Got it.”
Rowan waited in the hallway outside my room while I rummaged through my closet. A set of tactical gear seemed like the way to go, but we needed to blend in with the mortals. All these over-priced outfits were finally going to come in handy. I chose a purple Burberry jacket with a tank top, Roberto Cavalli jeans, and Christian Louboutin leather boots.
When I opened the door, Ariel was talking with Rowan. Her eyes narrowed, while her fists planted on her hips. Yeah, she was pissed.
"What’s going on?” I asked.
"There’s no way I’m allowing you to leave this castle,” she replied. “It’s too dangerous.”
Rowan must’ve filled her in on our plans. "I’m sorry, Ariel, but you can’t stop me. The only way I can prevent this war is by finding
my father. And if Rowan’s right and he’s in Vegas, he won’t last much longer.”
"How do you know?” She paused and thought about it for a second. "Are you referring to the nightmare you had? Kalin—”
"She told you about it, and it never occurred to you to tell me?” Rowan argued. “You just dismissed it as a bad dream?”
"Don’t blame her,” I interjected. “This was my mistake.”
“You’re right about that,” Rowan added.
I turned my attention back to Ariel. "Do you understand why I must go?”
"I won’t let you.” I was about to say something, but Ariel held up her hand. "Unless you bring me with you. I can protect you.”
Rowan chuckled. "You can? And how will you do that?”
Ariel pointed an open hand toward Rowan. A strong gust of air propelled him up against the wall, and he was unable to move. I put my hand over my mouth to hide my laugh. "That’s how. Any more questions?”
"Release me,” he insisted.
She closed her fist, and he dropped to the ground. Damn, I didn’t know Ariel had that much power. I seriously never saw that coming, and neither did Rowan.
I turned to Ariel. "Remind me never to piss you off.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Kalin
Nevada was hot.
The humidity made me feel like I was inside a sweaty gym sock. There was no wind blowing or cool air of any kind. It was a subtle reminder that Vegas sat in the middle of the desert. As we strolled down the strip, I thought about using my power to create some coolness. Like us, the mortals we passed could’ve used an icy winter breeze. But I decided against it because I figured I should save my power.
Knowing an incubus fed on mortal emotions helped me understand why Nevin would be attracted to such a location. Vegas was all about mortals indulging in their desires. A concept I was sure an incubus highly supported. From the bright flashing lights of the casinos to the award-winning shows offering up beautiful dancers in lavish costumes, the possibilities appeared endless.
As we made our way around, I began to see cracks in the shiny, manicured surface. During our scenic trip, we discovered the Statue of Liberty, Egyptian pyramids, and even the Eiffel Tower. The replicas of the famous destinations gave the city a hollow, empty feel. Much like the glamour of the elementals, the beauty of Vegas was an illusion. Underneath the surface was a city thriving on the addictions of its patrons. Wandering through the glittery streets, we encountered homeless beggars, drug dealers, and pimps offering up pictures of women who sold sex for a living. They left these residents off the advertisements.
The harsh reality made me sad.
We had been walking for so long my feet ached. Passing by the never-ending supply of hotels made it seem impossible that we would ever figure out where Nevin was. Each hotel promised the highest of luxuries, yet each time I pointed to one, Rowan quickly rejected it. He said he had a feeling where Nevin would be, but said nothing else as we strolled down the main streets of the city. I imagined Nevin would be at a five-star hotel with a large casino, mostly catering to high rollers with large wallets. A place where exquisite food and drinks were served by men and women who just recently stepped out of Vogue magazine.
While Rowan ignored us, Ariel and I kept each other company. She pointed out all of the tourist attractions, telling me about the history of the city. Her face was animated while she told stories of mobsters, famous murders, and the golden years of Hollywood. Her familiarity with this place led me to assume she grew up here before returning to Avalon.
Rowan stopped unexpectedly, and we nearly ran into him. He made a beeline toward a crowd around the largest water fountain I had ever seen. We sorted through the swarm of people until we reached the edge of the water. Jets sprayed the water straight up into the air as speakers started to play a recognizable song I couldn’t place.
Ariel sang "Luck Be a Lady” along with the chorus of the song.
I leaned my head into her ear. "Frank Sinatra?”
She nodded, but never took her eyes off of the colorful water as it danced hundreds of feet up into the skies, perfectly in sync with the lyrics of the song.
As the crowd cheered, Rowan announced, "The Bellagio.”
Ariel waved for me to follow her as she headed toward the main entrance of the hotel. The moment we walked into the lobby, my mouth fell open. I gazed up at the high ceilings. A chandelier with thousands of hand-blown glass flower blossoms covered most of the space. I was breathless. Other tourists bumped into me while they took pictures, trying to get a better look at the artwork. They moved around me, and I never budged. I stared aimlessly at the colorful treasure.
Ariel put her arm through mine. "The sculpture is called 'Fiori di Como.' World-renowned artist, Dale Chihuly created it.”
"How do you know that?”
She pointed to a wooden stand in the middle of the room. There was an engraved gold plate that told all about the blown-glass sculpture and its creator. I clasped my hands behind me while I leaned into the stand. As I stood silently, reading all about the artist, someone tapped my shoulder. An impatient Rowan stood next to me with his pierced eyebrow raised. "Come on.”
He led us down one of the many hallways of the hotel. I peeked over my shoulder and saw Ariel following closely behind. Music played wherever we went in a language I didn’t speak. Walking within the identical cream-colored hallways made me dizzy. Each had sparkling marble floors covered by lavish maroon rugs. I wondered how many people got lost every hour in this place. My nerves sparked each time a hotel worker passed us. They wore perfectly assembled outfits matching the hotel’s decor. I kept waiting for one to ask where we were going, but instead, each only slowed down to greet us.
I caught a glimpse of a sign reading “Conservatory and Botanical Gardens,” and urgency came over me that I couldn’t explain. All I knew was that I needed to go in there. I inhaled a long breath. My nose filled with the intoxicating floral scents. When I turned around, Ariel excitedly smiled which told me she was thinking the same thing I was. Rowan, on the other hand, wore an aggravated expression. I made my best ‘sad puppy eyes’ face at him, and he grumbled under his breath but followed me anyway.
Once inside, we strolled through an oasis of abundant trees, exotic flowers, and plants. The heavenly sweet scents inundated my senses as we wandered leisurely inside elegant glass gazebos. We strolled over a wooden bridge and stood beside a mortal-made pond that even a nature-loving elemental would appreciate.
When we reached the last row of red tulips, I felt a hand around my bicep. I peered over my shoulder as Rowan said, "We have to keep moving.”
"Why?” This trip was about rescuing my father, but I didn’t want to leave this place. I crossed my arms. "Can’t we stay here just a little longer?”
Rowan bent down until he was only inches from my face, making it impossible to look anywhere else. My heart raced. "There’s a faint pheromone scent hidden beneath the flowers. It’s been a while, but I’m guessing Nevin is close.” He pointed to a hallway at the far end of the Conservatory. “The scent is coming from that direction.”
"We should track it,” Ariel added.
We followed Rowan toward the walkway. As soon as we got away from the flowers, Ariel put her hand over her nose. "I can smell it now. It’s awful.”
Although I couldn’t smell it, there was something unnatural about the way I felt. My emotions heightened. "You can smell, Nevin?”
Rowan let go of my arm. "Every incubus has a unique pheromone they use to attract mortals. They smell like their favorite scent. To an elemental, it’s much more potent, like a pollutant. Once you’ve had more training, you’ll be able to sense it immediately.”
The farther we went, the more the corridor lined with mortals. A mixture of bells, whistles, and cheers filled the air. It didn’t take long to realize where the scent led. The casino? Well, that’s pretty smart. The mortals are drawn to it as if gambling wasn’t tempting enough on its own.
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br /> "Wait one second,” Ariel stopped. "Look around. We’re standing inside a five-star hotel. We can’t go into the casino looking like this. We have to blend in, and right now, we look like a bunch of teenagers. There’s no way they’ll let us set one foot inside.”
She was right. All the commercials for the casinos always had women in lavish dresses and men in suits. "Any idea how we might get a clothing upgrade?”
Ariel perched on her tiptoes, scanning the hallway. "I think I see a restroom down there.” She met eyes with Rowan. "Go and change into something suitable. Leave Kalin to me.”
What in the world did she have planned?
"Meet back here in fifteen minutes,” he replied.
Ariel ushered me into the ladies' bathroom, which was just as regal as the rest of the hotel. An apple scent lingered throughout the sitting area—plush chairs with a few wooden end tables scattered about the room. Rounded globes of fresh red roses sat on every flat surface. The rest of the bathroom had the same creamy-colored marble as the rest of the hotel. I followed Ariel inside one of the much larger accessible stalls.
She wasted no time using her glamour to alter her casual dress into a tight, black cocktail design with spaghetti straps. Once her outfit was complete, she turned her attention to me. I stepped out of her reach. "No way, I’m not wearing something like that.”
"We’ll drop the glamour as soon as we find King Taron,” she promised. "Let’s have a little fun.”
I held my hands up in surrender, and she went to work. With the flick of her wrist, my shirt and jeans became the same dress she was wearing, except the color was candy apple red. Stepping out of the stall, I tugged at the bottom of the dress. When I caught a glimpse in the mirror, I had red lips and hair styled in long, loose curls. "When this is all over, you need to teach me that trick.”
Ariel nodded. "I promise.”
When we peeked out the bathroom door, Rowan was waiting outside. He leaned against the wall, fiddling with the silver bar in his eyebrow. With his black suit and slicked-back hair, he looked devilishly handsome in a James Bond sort of way. As we got closer, I realized his red tie was identical to the color of my dress. I glanced at Ariel, wondering if she had done that on purpose. She pretended not to see that I was glaring at her.
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