Dad ignored my concern. “Patience, my girl.”
When he reached into the sky again, his arm was trembling. He was going to hurt himself or worse. I had to do something fast, but I didn’t want to make a scene in public. If I did, I would be confirming the rumors going around. I grabbed his other hand and focused. I’d spent time over the last week training with Ariel. We practiced power transformation. As I squeezed his fingers, a surge of energy shot down my arm, settling into our joined hands. When he jolted, I knew the power transfer was complete.
I released his hand.
Within seconds the noise from the storm had ceased. Darkened skies melted away, brightening into a creamy blue. Dad raised his palms above his head. The clouds floated higher into the sky, allowing us to see beneath the mountains. For the first time, the woodland forests came into view. It was a rare sight for everyone to enjoy. Dad kept the castle hidden within a blanket of clouds for our privacy and protection. At least, that’s what he told me. The crowd cheered loudly, some patting Dad on the back. It was obvious they were happy to see him. He was well-loved by our court.
I tugged at his hand. “Come on. The show’s over.”
After a few more minutes, he was finally ready to go. We strolled toward a side entrance that few ever used. He had it built for the royal family—our family. Per usual, two knights trailed behind us. Before Dad’s kidnapping, his knights had allowed him time to relax in private. But after everything that had happened, they refuse to leave his side. They even stood outside his bathroom door, which was overkill.
Unlike the grand foyer with its exquisite marble, the side entrance was simple gray brick with rusting wall sconces holding lit candles. The cold, musty air made me shiver as we made our way down the dank walkway. There was so much I wanted to say to him, but I needed to get him alone. I didn’t trust anyone to hear the concerns I had over his weakened power. Down here, everything echoed. The clicks of our shoes sounded more like an army when it was only four sets of feet.
When we finally reached Dad’s quarters, I turned to the two knights. “You can wait out here.”
They hesitated as if they were afraid to take their eyes off of their king. I imagined that they felt responsible for what had happened to him, but they weren’t the only ones fooled. No one could’ve imagined that Jarrod, the leader of his knights, was the traitor. Although they spent centuries together, Dad was unaware that Jarrod had children. Everything about Jarrod had been a well-kept secret. Even now, I could tell Dad still felt the sting of his betrayal.
In my entire life, I had never wished death on anyone. But I was happy that Jarrod was dead.
Dad turned the handle on the door. We stepped inside. We were finally alone in his private space. Almost. His oversized brown owl sat perched on a wooden post. Bright yellow eyes watched me as Dad ran his hand over the back of his head. The bird cooed. The creature unnerved me, but he also led me back to the castle after I’d gotten lost in the woods. I asked Dad if he had sent the bird to help me. He didn’t.
Dad’s relaxed demeanor made me feel like this was a good time to talk. “You have to be more careful,” I said, as he turned his attention to me. “You were struggling to control your power, and I was afraid you might hurt yourself.”
Beneath the owl’s perch sat a silver box on top of a chest of drawers. Dad opened the box, pulling out a chunk of what looked like fresh red meat. He fed it to the bird. Blood dripped down his beak. Gross. “I know what you did back there, but it wasn’t necessary. I had the situation under control.”
There was no way he was okay. Why was he lying to me? How could I help him if he refused to see what was right in front of him? “No, you didn’t. Your hands were trembling.”
“Trembling?” he repeated as if I had said a joke. “That doesn’t mean anything. I’m still recovering from iron poisoning. In a few days, I’ll be as good as new.”
Dad put his arm around my shoulders, squeezing me closer. The sense of security that came from his embrace was instant. I knew I was safe and loved. Memories of him from my childhood flooded my mind. They were only dreamwalks, but even then, I knew his power was boundless. But those thoughts vanished when I wrapped my arm around his waist and I felt his ribcage. He had lost a considerable amount of weight. I guessed at least thirty pounds. He was saying all the right things, but the physical evidence was undeniable.
“Please, Dad, tell me what’s happening to you?” I lifted his shirt and pointed to his ribs. “You’re losing a lot of weight, and you’re weak. I want to help you, but I don’t know what to do.”
He lowered his head, taking a deep breath. “I don’t know, sweetheart. What they did to me was unprecedented. I don’t know what’s happening to me.”
Fear strangled me. I could barely get the words out. “Are you…dying?”
“I don’t know.”
I was sick of feeling helpless. There had to be something I could do. If I was the akasha, as Dad believed I was, shouldn’t I be able to give him some of my power? Couldn’t I regenerate him or permanently transfer power to him? What was the point of being this all-powerful elemental if I couldn’t save my father? “I need to learn more about these powers I’m supposed to have. There has to be a way to wake them up. Maybe if I had them, I could save you.”
“Don’t worry about saving me. If this is meant to be, it will be. But if you truly want to learn more about your powers, I have a possible solution.”
My eyebrows knit together. “What do you mean?”
“Our court protects the sacred texts. Within those documents, you’ll find the records of our existence back to the creation of this world. Some of those books you may recognize.”
Of course! I’d spent half my childhood reading those books, and then Dad would come into my dreams and explain anything I didn’t understand. I learned all about the formation of the courts, the decrees we lived by, and the system they established. “Do any of those books mention the akasha's from the past?”
“It’s possible. Within those halls, we have many books and objects unknown to most of the elementals. Only the heads of the royal families can access the hidden areas. The knowledge within those books has been a well-guarded secret.”
This last week was a nightmare for me. I’d tried to come up with a way to ignite my akasha powers, and all along, he had the answer. “Why didn’t you tell me about the secret books before now? I’ve been going crazy trying to figure this out on my own.”
His voice turned stern as he replied, “You were meant to gain the knowledge once you ascended to power. Just telling you of their existence breaks our laws.”
More about the rules? The council took great pleasure in explaining the rules to me. I might have rescued Dad earlier if these so-called rules weren’t in place. “Will these books tell me how to turn my power on?”
“Maybe. Maybe not.” He sat down on the side of his massive bed. “Several of the previous akasha's kept journals. You might find the answers you’re looking for in their words.”
I was dumbstruck. “You’ve never read the books?”
“They aren’t in a language I can translate.”
Oh, this just got better and better. “Okay, let me get this straight. Some of these books may have all of the answers I need, but no one can read them?”
“An akasha can read them.”
He meant akasha who could access their power could read them. Unfortunately, that wasn’t me. I was already overwhelmed with frustration, but I was out of options. “Please take me to these books.”
Chapter Five
Rowan
It had been nearly two years since I last stood outside the fire court castle. My last visit was one I would never forget. I was carried out on Marcus’s back after I was mutilated and near death. I still had nightmares almost every night. I'd see Prisma watching with delight as my best friend was forced to tear off my wings—my punishment for not following through with my promise to murder Kalin. But I wasn’t the only one who
suffered. Marcus couldn’t deal with what he was made to do.
Although he went away, Marcus returned when I needed him most. Ariel had kept in contact with him, sending him an urgent message for help. He arrived in time to assist in Taron’s rescue, saving countless lives in the process. Unfortunately, we couldn’t save everyone. Many fire elementals, including Queen Liana, were killed. Tensions with the air and woodland elementals were at an all-time high. I was determined to put an end to the turmoil by claiming the throne.
Marcus led me toward a portal at the base of the volcano. The pathway took us inside the castle. We headed down one of the many dimmed hallways. I expected to hear the usual racket: screams from pleasure, groans from the pain, or just general excitement. To my surprise, there was dead silence. The only noise I heard was the tapping of my leather boots against the black obsidian flooring.
I ran my fingers down one of the walls, still warm from the lava burning beneath. A thin layer of grime coated some of the areas instead of normal smoothness. Glancing down at my fingertips, I saw something I wasn’t expecting: blood. I stopped to take a better look. Dirt, ash, and dried blood coated the walls. I bent down and noticed more blood on the floor. “Check this out,” I said to Marcus, pointing out the splotches. “Can you tell me how old this is or who it belongs to?”
Marcus approached the wall, taking in a long inhale. “It’s hard to say. Some of the blood is new. Other spots are older.” He moved farther down the hall, sniffing as he went. “It’s definitely from fire elementals. Multiple elementals.”
The battle with the other courts took place in our territory, but the army never reached the castle's interior. That meant something happened after the fighting had ended. A cold chill ran down my spine. Something told me Valac was to blame for this. I couldn’t come up with any other way to explain it. There had to be someone here who could tell us what went down. “We need to find the fire court council members.”
Marcus nodded. “Let’s start with the throne room.”
“Agreed.”
My mouth fell open when we reached the entrance. The golden door was held on by only one hinge, blocking our way inside. It took both of us to pry the heavy metal out of the way. Marble statues that stood for thousands of years lay in broken pieces. The lava rock throne appeared to be intact, minus a few cracked steps. Piles of ashes scattered the floor. That was strange. The ashes of deceased fire elementals always returned to the eternal flame. Why were they still here? “What the hell happened?”
“I have no idea,” Marcus said, rubbing the back of his neck. He looked as stunned as I felt. “But whatever it was, I’m glad I missed it.”
“Prince Rowan?” A weary voice called out.
I twisted around. It was Xavier, one of Liana’s elected council members. He was an incubus, one of the few left in the world. He wore a tattered red council robe with gloves over his hands. An incubus could enslave mortals with a simple touch, making him one of the most dangerous of our court. His seduction didn’t work as well on elementals, but he could certainly influence us if he wanted. The centuries-old incubus came toward me but stopped when Marcus moved to block his path.
He was protecting me.
Xavier cowered, which wasn’t an unusual reaction. Most elementals feared the hounds. They could be vicious killers when prompted and sometimes even when not prompted. But Xavier was no threat. Prisma had punished him long ago for tempting a mortal. He had not known that the mortal was one of her favorites. The mortal died under his seduction. In retribution, she mutilated his hands. I heard he hasn’t taken off his gloves in public for centuries.
I put my hand on Marcus’s shoulder, letting him know it was okay. “Xavier, what happened here?”
“Valac, Your Highness. He arrived with a group of followers after the fighting ended, insisting that the throne belonged to him. The council rejected his claim. He has no ties to the Djin bloodline.” Xavier nervously smoothed the loose blond hair that had escaped his low ponytail. “After the council denied his claim, they started attacking everyone. A few escaped, but many did not. I came back only yesterday and discovered what he had done.”
I clenched my teeth. Valac was responsible for all of this destruction and loss of lives. He waited for Liana to die, thinking he could claim the throne with little objection. He probably thought that my injuries were life-ending, leaving no one to stand in his way. I only wished I had been here when the council rejected his claim. Not just for the amusement of their refusal, but so I could’ve ripped his throat out with my bare hands.
“Were the other council members killed?” I asked.
Xavier looked away, tears welling in his eyes. “Only three remain.”
“What are we going to do?” Marcus asked.
This situation was dire. Way more than I had anticipated, and I went in expecting it would be bad. Now I would have to be the one to put it back together. The one they needed to lead. Was I ready for this? Under the circumstances, I didn’t think it mattered. We had finally reached the worst of the worst. The fire court could not continue to exist in constant turmoil. It was time to take control. “Xavier, I want you to send out word to the remaining fire elementals. Tell them it’s safe to return to the castle.”
“Shall I announce your return?” Xavier asked.
I pressed my lips together. I wasn’t sure if they would see my return as positive or negative. Valac had attacked them, but what did they know of me? I’d spent most of my life in the mortal world. They would only know whatever Prisma had told them or whatever rumors they had heard. There was a good chance that they saw me as an enemy, but what choice did I have? “Yes, let them know I will address them once we have gathered.”
“As you wish,” Xavier said, scurrying out of the room.
Marcus circled the massive throne room, taking a closer look at the damage. I watched the lines of worry form across his forehead. He knew this was bad, probably the worst he had ever seen. When he finally stopped, he said, “We’re screwed.”
Agreed. “Have a little faith.”
“What do you plan to do?” he asked.
I shrugged. “Save the day. Be the hero. You know, the usual stuff.”
The corner of his lip curled. “Well, hero, care to fill me in on your plan?”
There was no plan. I hoped the fire elementals would return. I needed to see how many we had left. The youngest ones would remain in the mortal world. They had to keep our element under control as best they could while we sorted things here. But I did need to know if the other elementals would stand with me against Valac. Would they support me if I claimed the throne? Until they returned, all of my questions would remain unanswered. “I’m letting the plan marinate for a while.” I clicked my tongue while I shifted around the ash piles. “In the meantime, we do have something we can do.”
He crossed his arms. “And what’s that?”
“We can clean up this mess. There’s some serious stink going on around here.”
Marcus chuckled. “I didn’t know you cleaned.”
“I have many hidden talents,” I said, wiggling my eyebrows.
He waved his arms. “No need for you to continue with that train of thought. Let’s start cleaning up this mess.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to know?” I teased. “It may come in handy the next time you’re alone with Ariel.”
“Trust me,” he chuckled. “I can handle that department on my own.”
It was nice to laugh with Marcus. Things had been too serious for too long. I think we both needed it. We spent the next several hours sweeping up broken marble, and then we buried the ashes. Marcus found a cleaner for the bloodstained walls and floors. Usually, the hounds that became servants did these types of jobs. I would bet they left after Liana’s murder. Prisma was the only one who had the power to control them. I was surprised they had stayed after her death.
If I had any chance of defeating Valac, I would need the support of the hounds. I imagined it would be di
fficult to gain their allegiance. Prisma never treated them properly. Perhaps I could offer them the freedom they never had, even a spot on my new council, in exchange for their help? “Do you know where the hounds are now?”
Marcus paused from mopping. “No, but I would guess they are still within our court.”
“I doubt they will respond to Xavier’s request.” The hounds never took orders very well. After all the war and destruction, they might find a summons amusing. Who knows? They might have been the ones who did all this damage. “Will you find your father and request a meeting with him on my behalf?”
Once again, worry lines formed across his forehead. “Rowan, I’m not sure if that’s a great idea. My father hated Prisma, even more than you. I don’t know what he might say or do to you.”
I patted him on the shoulder. “That’s a chance I have to take.”
Chapter Six
Kalin
Beneath the air court castle, there were several deep caverns. None were visible from outside the mountain. The way to reach them was through a secret portal within Dad’s chambers. According to him, only a member of our bloodline could use the pathway. Any other elementals that attempted to use the portal would be dead before they reached the other side. Each royal family from the other three houses had a gateway into the caverns. He said each akasha also had a portal as well, but only akasha knew how to reach it.
As we stepped out of the portal, Dad lit the torch he had brought. Shadows covered much of the caverns. The entire area, which seemed at least a mile wide, was made of limestone. Stalactites hung down like icicles, while thick columns supported the vast ceilings. As Dad led me through, he lit sconces attached to various walls. The wind blew cool and wet. I rubbed my bare arms, wishing I had worn something thicker than my black Ramones t-shirt. My boots came in handy since the ground was uneven with loose, broken rocks.
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