Pulling my knees to my chest, I stared out into the clear skies. It was another beautiful day in Avalon. The temperatures were in the lower seventies without any hint of rain. It was a perfect t-shirt and jeans type of day, which was what I wore. I had been outside since the sunrise. For the last few hours, the castle had been bustling. Air and woodland elementals worked together to prepare for the big engagement party. My dreaded engagement party. The party I couldn’t get them to cancel regardless of what I said or how hard I begged.
Orion and Marlena promised a lavish affair, and it looked like they were not exaggerating. The party invitations, engraved onto thin slices of twenty-four-carat gold, were delivered by tiny will-o’-the-wisps. Elementals from each court received invitations—all of them. My gut told me this open invite was a bad idea. Many members of the fire court had grown to despise the air and woodland elementals. How easy would it be to start a war during the party? Too easy. But Orion thought the event might bring the courts back together.
His view of the situation was about as far away from mine as possible.
Bash’s response shocked me the most. He knew better than anyone that our engagement wasn’t real. It was his suggestion, after all. Why would he want to parade around as my soon-to-be-husband only to reveal the big lie later on? Those exact words came from Rowan. He hadn’t trusted Bash from the beginning, but he had never met him. Since he first arrived at the castle, Bash had been there for me, from his words of encouragement to his unwavering friendship. No, it was unfair to doubt him. Rowan would realize that once they met.
“Princess Kalin,” one of my guards called out, shaking me from my thoughts. “I am sorry to disturb you, but Ariel insists that you return to your quarters. She said it is an emergency.”
I packed the akasha journals back into my bag, hoisting the handle over my shoulder. I made it back to my room in no time at all. When I opened the door, I had to step over piles of fabric and sewing equipment. The dressmakers had been busy in my absence. The evidence was all over the floor. Ariel sat slumped in a chair, her fingers tapping the armrest. She wasn’t the cheery elemental I was used to seeing. And the scowl across her face told me it was about to get ugly in here.
“Do you know what I’ve been doing all morning?” Ariel asked, voice full of agitation.
“Yoga?” I joked, unsuccessfully attempting to lighten the mood.
It looked as if steam was about to come out of her ears. “I’ve been trying on dresses. Your dresses for your fake engagement party. They’ve all been fitted for me because you were gone.”
I cringed. When I went out this morning, I asked not to be disturbed. I told the guards to say that I wished to be in private, no matter who came asking. I had forgotten all about the dress fitting. I grabbed her hands, pulling her up and out of the chair. “I’m sorry, Ariel. I genuinely forgot.” I glanced over to the bed at the stack of dresses lying on top of my comforter. “I can see you’ve worked hard on this. I’ll find some way to make it up to you, I promise.”
“Yeah, you will,” Ariel said, crossing her arms. “But now we’ve got to get you ready for this party. You don’t have much time left.”
Like I could forget. Instead of focusing my time on regaining my powers, I was only hours away from my big fat fake engagement party. Where was Bash when I needed him? In my current mood, I could drink a gallon of his wine. “You know this is going to be a total disaster, right?”
“Of course it will,” she agreed, without a second of hesitation. “But on the positive side, you’re going to look ridiculously hot.”
Ariel plopped me down into a chair, swirling my seat around to face the mirror. She immediately went to work. As she curled my hair into submission, she spoke of the rumors she had heard. As I expected, the woodland king and queen went overboard. The best mortal chefs from all over the world, who would later have their memories wiped, catered the party. Their ballroom was dripping with rare breeds of flowers from top to bottom. As each guest arrived, they would receive a special jeweled goblet. At some point, the details became overwhelming. I had to stop listening.
“This may be my best work yet,” she said, breaking me out of my thoughts.
I stood to get a better look. My hair hung in loose curls down my back, every piece in the perfect position. She was right to applaud herself. This hairdo deserved to be on a magazine cover. “What would I ever do without you?”
“I don’t know, girl,” Ariel said, shaking her head. “Pray that day never comes.”
“I’m serious.” I playfully smacked her on the arm. “You’re the best. You are.”
“You can revel in my awesomeness later,” she patted the seat cushion. “I still have plenty of work to do.”
Laughing, I sat back down in the chair. Ariel opened her makeup arsenal, lining up all of her brushes in order, smallest to largest. Then she opened a palette of eye powders. The colors had been organized alphabetically by name. This girl was beyond organized. There were actual medical conditions that could explain what I was seeing. “Are you planning to use all of them on me?”
“Patience, my padawan,” she winked.
My mouth hung open. I was completely impressed until I remembered that she had never seen any of the movies. “Oh no, you cannot quote Star Wars.”
“Why not?” Ariel chuckled, applying sparkly eye shadow to my lids.
In a serious faux tone, I said, “Those who mock the series may never quote the series. That’s the rule.”
We both chuckled. It was nice. Freeing, even. For a while, she made me forget about everything going wrong in my life. Our banter reminded me of my mortal friends. Whenever I was around them, I never had to think about my life in Avalon or my impending responsibilities. I could be a teenage girl. We hung out together, shopped for clothes we didn’t need, and gossiped about who was taking who to prom. It was blissful, and I yearned for the simplicity of it all. That’s why Ariel was so important to me. She somehow filled the void. Where would I have been without her?
As the day passed into twilight, I arrived at the engagement party with my parents, and Bash by my side. My canary-yellow, floor-length gown had a tight, strapless bodice with a flowing skirt. Bash wore a black tuxedo with a long jacket. He was very handsome, as usual. Dad wore his traditional black tuxedo with a yellow bow tie, but he had something special made for my mother. Her floor-length capped-sleeve gown was hand-beaded with sparkling yellow crystals. She had her hair twisted into a braided bun, making her look like a queen.
Her smile was the best part. I’d never seen her so happy.
The ballroom in the woodland castle looked like something straight out of a Disney movie. Couples in formal wear glided across the gold-accented flooring to the music coming from the orchestra. Elementals from each court were present, but the majority of them were from the air and woodland courts. Taking in our audience only reminded me of the turmoil between the courts. It would take much more than a party to mend those deep wounds, to rebuild the trust we once had with one another.
The royal families were all seated together at a long rectangular table. We sat a bit higher than the dance floor, making it easy to take in the exquisite room. Golden pillars lined the walls, shimmering almost as much as the massive crystal chandeliers. The entire space was lit with hundreds of white candles, giving the ballroom a creamy, romantic glow. Waiters served wine in the goblets Ariel had described. When I got one in my hand, I took in the carvings and the multi-colored, large-cut jewels embedded into them.
The goblets matched the place settings on our table. Gold and specialty cut stones lined each porcelain plate. Even the freaking silverware was gold. Without our asking, food was brought out to us. It was caviar. I had never eaten fish eggs before, but the ache in my stomach was advising me not to try it. I sat back in my chair, trying to wrap my head around all of this for a moment. Everything in the room had to be worth millions of mortal dollars. You could feed an entire country for a month just by cashing in some of this
stuff. I had never seen anything so lavish in my life.
Even Kim Kardashian would have been impressed.
“Have you ever tried caviar?” Bash asked, spooning some onto a warm blini. “It’s always been one of my favorites.”
Bash ate the caviar with such enthusiasm. He relished in all things regal. I assumed it came from his upbringing. Royals were supposed to eat elegant dishes prepared by the finest chefs. Too bad, I was a hamburger-and-fries kind of girl. I couldn’t imagine Bash eating anything greasy. He was too pristine for any of that. All the more reason we should never marry. He would not be happy with someone like me. They dressed me up as if this was my natural environment. In reality, I could live without all of these luxuries. I was into different things.
I was into Rowan.
Then, it hit me like a slap against the back of the head. I was supposed to meet Rowan at the beach at sundown. With all the party plans and my issues with my power, I had completely forgotten about our agreement. He was probably there now and worried about me. I had to find a way to send a message to him before he went to the air court castle looking for me. If he went there, someone would tell him I was attending my engagement party. I couldn’t imagine that would go over well. I stood. “I have to go.”
Bash grabbed my forearm. “Where are you going?”
“Rowan is waiting for me,” I said, voice frantic. “I have to get a message to him. He’ll be worried if I don’t show up.”
“Please sit down,” he said, guiding me back into my chair. “Let me take care of this for you. I can send someone right away. You stay and enjoy the party with your parents.”
I turned to my parents. Both were greeting a group of water elementals. I realized I should be with them, speaking to other guests. This party was about more than just my fake engagement. Dad hoped to lessen the tension between the courts. As a princess and future queen, it was my duty to do what I could. I smiled at Bash, appreciative of his kindness. “Thank you so much for doing this for me. If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to join my parents.”
“Wonderful idea,” he said bowing. A second later, he was off speaking to a group of air court knights.
I was about to join my parents when I noticed Britta, the water queen, standing on the other side of the dance floor. She was difficult to miss, wearing an iridescent gown that seemed to change colors in the candlelight. Her perfectly straight black hair flowed down her back, making her porcelain skin appear even paler than it already was. As I got closer, I could see the white henna-styled tattoos on the sides of her face.
Any hope of getting the water court back to the high council meant bringing Britta back into the fold. No one in our court had seen her since the day the high council disbanded. She declined to speak to anyone. But the fact that she came tonight was a good sign. Perhaps she was interested in the same things we were. If we could open up communication with her, maybe the three courts combined could help the fire court rid itself of Valac and unite them once more with Rowan as their king.
I made my way through the center of the dance area. The current song was slow, making it easier to weave my way through the couples. Once I reached Britta, I bowed in respect. “You look extraordinary, Your Highness.”
Britta nodded her head once. From inside my head, she said, “Good evening, young Air Queen.”
Air Queen. No matter how many times I imagined it–it never felt real. Maybe because I was considered young in the mortal world, but here in Avalon, I was an adult. “Oh, I’m not a queen just yet.”
She smiled mischievously, like someone keeping a secret. “It has been your destiny since your birth. I saw it for myself the day you were born.”
My purpose was to try to coax her into a conversation about the high council, but my curiosity got the best of me. “When you peek into my future, do you see me as the akasha?” I didn’t see the point in hiding anything from her. If she could see the future, it was likely she already knew I was going to ask.
Britta placed her hands on either side of my head, thumbs over my temples. As she closed her eyes, I felt a tinge of pain, almost like a tiny electric shock. She pulled her hands back, making me wonder if she felt the sensation too. “Something is blocking my view. I see nothing when I glance into your future. There is blackness, but not death. It is something else. Something different.”
Blackness? That was what I saw each day. Every time I attempted to meditate, all I could see was nothingness. There was no power or even the slightest aura. It was as if all the elemental had been drained out of my body, leaving only my mortal half. “Could it have something to do with my abilities? I have been unable to use them or even connect with my aura. Do you think the two blockages are connected?”
She bent down, her eyes piercing into mine. “For certain.”
My heart was beating rapidly enough that I could hear drumming in my ears. “Is there anything I can do to fix it?”
“You must identify the cause of the block. Consult with Taron.” Britta pressed her lips into a thin, straight line. “Whatever is causing this is very powerful.”
Chapter Nineteen
Rowan
I waited at the beach, eager to see Kalin.
The waters were calm without too much salty wind coming off the waves. As the sun began to set, the yellow and tangerine skies slowly melted into a light purple tinge. Soon the stars would be visible, the perfect scenery for a romantic evening. I didn’t have time to put together a picnic. After I left the caves of the eternal flame, I returned to my quarters only to shower and change clothes. Marcus tasked the hounds with interviewing all of the surrendering rogue elementals. He was sure one of them would be able to tell us where we could find Valac.
When the battle began, I was surprised Selene wasn’t by his side. I replayed everything back in my mind. It was then that I realized I had not seen her at all. Would he keep her away, worried she might change sides? Or had he killed her as I had feared? The thought made my stomach sour. Selene had always been the mediator between us. We weren’t close, but we had our moments. I certainly wouldn’t wish for her death. But Valac wasn’t acting rationally. He might have made a reckless decision when dealing with her disloyalty.
I heard a rustling behind me. I twisted around, but nothing was there. The anticipation of Kalin’s arrival was eating away at me. There was so much I had to tell her. I couldn’t wait to see her face when she saw my new wings. As the first hour rolled past, my excitement shifted to concern. Was she running late? I thought for sure she would have gotten a message to me if she couldn’t make it or sent one of her knights to tell me in person. It wasn’t like her not to show up. Each passing hour made the intensity of my restlessness grow. After the skies had turned pitch dark, I finally gave up.
Kalin wasn’t coming.
There was still a chance she had sent a message to the fire court. That was where I told her I would be. I decided to return to the castle and check before I took a pathway to the air territory. The last thing I wanted to do was barge in and make a scene for no reason. My temper had been known to get the best of me where she was concerned. But at this point, I had no reason to fear something bad had happened. For all I knew, she could have been exhausted and had fallen asleep. Even as I convinced myself there was no need for concern, something brewed deep in my gut. An inkling that I needed to return to my court.
The portal opened at the entrance of the fire court castle. I stepped inside the main foyer when Marcus came barreling down the hallway. By the time he reached me, I had noticed he was panting. “I’ve been looking all over for you,” he said, out of breath. He handed me a thin piece of yellow gold the size of a piece of paper. “This came from Orion.”
I read the engraving. Kalin and Sebastian invited the entire fire court to their engagement party. Anger coiled in my chest. Besides the fact that this was wildly dangerous, and put their actual lives in jeopardy, Kalin told me the engagement meant nothing. That the whole thing was an elaborate ruse to keep the
council happy while she attempted to study the akasha journals, then later I hear from Marcus that she now had a date for their pretend nuptials. There was so much wrong here that I didn’t know where to begin.
Through clenched teeth, I said, “Orion sent me an invitation.”
“Invitation to what?” Marcus asked. Concern creased his forehead.
What was I supposed to believe? Her relationship with that asshat appeared to be escalating. Had something changed? Did the pressure from the council force her to move forward with a real wedding? Had this piece of shit, whatever his name was, get into her head? Was he the reason Kalin didn’t show up for our date? Ever since she first mentioned him, I had a bad feeling. And since then, the feeling had only gotten worse. My hands ignited into flame, melting the gold into a liquid that splattered the floor.
I shook my head, still not accepting what I was about to say. “Orion is throwing an engagement party for Kalin and Sebastian. She’s moving forward with the marriage.”
Marcus backed up a few paces, taking a long look at me. “Okay, your expression is all kinds of evil right now. I’m not sure what you’re thinking, but whatever it is, I’m positive it’s not good.”
I had to see for myself. If she was going to marry this air elemental, I needed Kalin to tell me to my face. “Get dressed in your nicest suit. We’re going to a party.”
“Oh, no. You can’t just show up at their engagement party.” Marcus shook his head. “Bad idea is written all over this.”
Mortal Enchantment Complete Box Set Page 42