Mortal Enchantment Complete Box Set

by Stacey O'Neale

  “I think it’s a great idea.” I pointed to the puddle of gold at my feet. “Besides, we were invited to come. They’ll be delighted to see the new king of the fire court.”

  Marcus crossed his arms. “And what are you planning to do once we get there?”

  I smirked. “I plan to congratulate the happy couple.”

  Chapter Twenty

  Kalin

  “It’s all taken care of,” Bash said, returning from a talk with one of the air court knights. “Rowan has received the message from you.”

  Relief washed over my shoulders. I was so worried that Rowan would be waiting at the beach for me. Once this party was over, I planned to send a message to him to reschedule another time to meet. When we were alone, I would explain everything to him. Maybe then I could make him see that Bash was a good guy. “Thank you so much. I appreciate you doing that for me.”

  “It was no trouble at all.” Bash glanced at the dancing couples. “Care to see some of my moves?”

  “Okay,” I replied with hesitation. I wanted to decline, but after everything he had done for me, I didn’t see how I could. He held out his hand, and I accepted. We made our way to the dance floor as a new song started. The tempo was slow. Bash gently tugged on my arm, pulling me into his body. His hands curled around my waist, alerting all of my senses. I locked my arms around his neck as we began to sway to the beat. “I have to warn you I’m not that good.”

  “Don’t worry,” he responded, somehow managing to pull us even closer. “I’ll take the lead.”

  We danced together for the next couple of songs. We talked while we swayed to the music. He even managed to make me laugh a few times. I had grown to like him over the last several days. But as much as he tried to keep my attention, Bash wasn’t my real focus. As we glided over the dance floor, my parents spoke with many of the high court council members. I couldn’t tell from here, but their body language suggested their interaction was positive.

  When I wasn’t trying to read my parent's lips, I thought about my conversation with Britta. She was spooked when she couldn’t see my future, which made my panic mode go into overdrive. I had to find out what was blocking my power. As much as I didn’t want to burden my father, I knew it was time to let him in on my secret. I hoped something similar had happened to him, and he could tell me how to turn my powers back on. Maybe then I could finally discover the mystery of the akasha journals. That would solve all of my problems.

  The music stopped abruptly.

  I turned my head in the same direction as the crowd. At the end of the dance floor, a set of steps led to a stage. Orion stood between two parted forest-green curtains with his wife Marlena at his side. “Good evening, everyone,” Orion said. “I am so pleased to see so many here tonight. We have elementals from all four courts present. Marlena and I would like to thank everyone for coming to celebrate such a joyous occasion.” Marlena seemed to be searching through the crowd. When she spotted us, she motioned for us to come up to the stage. She pointed us out to Orion. “Kalin and Sebastian, please join us.”

  Bash placed his hand on my lower back, urging me forward. My legs were numb, even as I was moving through the crowd. It felt as if I were gliding. The closer I got to the stage, the more my stomach twisted into knots. Not only was I about to lie again to Orion and Marlena, but now I had a room full of elementals from each court. I could only imagine the added damage this would do when the truth came out. My palms started to sweat.

  As we stood next to the king and queen, Bash came up behind me and put his arm around my waist. It felt too intimate. Uncomfortable, even. I couldn’t help wondering how Rowan would feel if he saw us standing up here like this. I was so relieved to know he got my message, and there was no chance he would be here. Bash startled me once more when he rested his head on my shoulder. I had the urge to wiggle out of there, but a move like that would confuse the audience who expected us to be a happily engaged couple.

  Orion spoke to the crowd. “I cannot tell you how pleased I am to see you both so much in love. Witnessing your union reminds us of all of the unity we share as elementals. Nothing is more important than the balance of our four elements—”

  “I couldn’t agree with your more, King Orion,” Bash said, interrupting Orion’s speech. He released me from his hold and put his arm across my shoulders. “Once Kalin and I sit on the throne, reuniting our elements will be our highest priority. We must end the tension between our courts. I sincerely hope tonight is the start of a new age for all elementals. A time of peace.”

  The crowd cheered.

  I stood frozen with an awkward smile. What was Bash doing? He knew our union wasn’t real, yet he was announcing his plans as if he were moments away from ascending to the throne. Was Rowan right all along? Had Bash always had an ulterior motive? I attempted to pull away from him, but he tightened his grip. I tried to remind myself I had to put on a show, but he was starting to piss me off. My eyes searched the crowd. The audience seemed to be enamored with him. Bash certainly had a way with words.

  “But first,” Bash said, pulling me around to face him, “I get to marry the love of my life. And that is far better than any throne or anything else this world has to offer.”

  “What are you doing,” I whispered. “What’s come over—?”

  Bash’s lips crashed into mine. His hand gripped the back of my neck, making it impossible to pull away. It wasn’t a pleasant kiss. His lips were hard, pressing into mine. When I squealed, he plunged his tongue inside of my mouth. Each time I tried to use my hands to push his away, he fisted my hair tighter. I had never felt so violated in my life. As the crowd roared with excitement, I wasn’t sure what I wanted more: to scream or cry.

  When he finally released me, Sebastian said, “Next time, go along with it, and I won’t have to make it uncomfortable for you.”

  Anger bubbled in my chest as I continued to play along, smiling and waving at elementals who congratulated us. We stepped behind the curtain, no longer visible to the crowd. My hand was still inside his death grip as he led me down a back staircase. When I was sure we were alone, I slapped him across the face. “There is no next time.”

  “Yes, there will be.” Sebastian pushed me against a wall. With his hands on either side of my shoulders, he kept me from escaping. “Your father is weak, and your power may never return. Do you know what that means?”

  I opened my mouth.

  “It means you need me. That I’m the one with the power here.” He put his hand over my mouth, muffling my intended response. “You will marry me now, or I’ll walk away. Remember, you stand to lose everything. You need me.” He chuckled. “Do you think your father will survive without the additional power that the throne provides your house? Not likely.”

  I bit his palm, forcing him to pull his hand back. Even though I heard the words, it was hard to believe this was the same person I thought I had come to know. “Everything you said about wanting to help me, was that all a lie? Is this who you really are?”

  I tried to wiggle free.

  Sebastian pressed his body weight into me, making it impossible to move. “You just don’t get it, do you? I’ve spent my life preparing to rule our court. I’m not walking away from all of this just because you love that fire court traitor. Not a chance. I will rule,” he said, running his finger over the top of my cleavage. “And you will rule at my side.”

  My blood burned in my veins. Everything about Bash was a lie. All this time, he was using me as a pawn. He was only positioning himself within our court. And all along, he planned to blackmail me into marriage. “You disgust me. I will never marry you.”

  “You will, halfling, or have you forgotten that you can’t rule alone?” Sebastian pressed his lips into mine, even harder than the last time. “Fight it all you want, but I’m the only choice you have.”

  “Well, isn’t this special?” a familiar male voice said, turning Sebastian around. His movement made it possible for me to get away from him. When I fi
nally escaped, I could see who had spoken to me.

  It was Rowan, standing next to Marcus in his animal form.

  I stepped forward, but Sebastian clasped his hand tightly around my wrist. Marcus growled. Sebastian leaned in close to my ear and said, “Before you do anything stupid, remember what I said. You will lose everything if I walk away. The council will never support you alone on the throne.”

  “You don’t know that.” My father had allies on the council. Surely they would support me. Then I thought about Samson. He would fight me every step of the way. How many council votes did he have in his pocket? And would Jaya support me if I didn’t marry her son? I wondered if she had been part of Sebastian’s plan all along.

  Sebastian nestled his nose against my earlobe, making me want to vomit. “Are you willing to risk your father’s life to find out?” he asked, voice sweet as honey.

  His words sent a cold chill down my spine. Within each court, all members of the royal and high-ranking families received the most power. The remaining elementals obtained a small fraction in comparison. I had not considered that the additional power was responsible for Dad’s survival. If we lost the throne, would the remaining iron in his system kill him? No, I wouldn’t gamble on my father’s life. I wanted to kill Sebastian, but all that would do was endanger my father. I needed more time to come up with a strategy. As sick as it made me, I stepped behind Sebastian and said nothing to Rowan.

  Sebastian released my wrist and said, “That’s a good girl.”

  Rowan’s face was full of disgust. His words came out like venom. “After I heard you set a date, I didn’t want to believe it. I was even willing to accept that the on-stage kiss was part of the facade. But here you are, making out with no one around. I guess it’s all true.”

  Tears welled in my eyes. Rowan wasn’t supposed to be here, which meant Sebastian had lied about sending him a message. Everything inside of me desperately wanted to run to Rowan. To explain everything to him, tell him how sorry I was for not believing him when he warned me about Sebastian. I should have trusted his instincts. Now I had no choice. I needed Sebastian until I could discover what was blocking my power. Meanwhile, I watched in horror as Rowan’s heart broke right in front of me.

  “I’m sorry you had to find out this way, Rowan. It certainly wasn’t my choice.” Sebastian ran his knuckles across the side of my cheek. Bile rose into my throat. “But yes, we have fallen madly in love. The sooner we marry, the better. Isn’t that right, Kalin?”

  Rowan’s eyes met mine. As his stare bored into me, I could see the hurt he was trying to hide. Knowing I caused him such pain was like getting stabbed in the chest. “Is it true, Kalin? Is this how you feel? Because if it’s not, I will gladly separate his head from his body. All you have to do is contradict him.”

  I wanted nothing more than to reveal the truth. Rowan was all that I ever wanted. The one I loved. I would have been beyond happy to call Sebastian out on his lies. And I would have enjoyed every second of watching Rowan slice him in two. But I was stuck within the web that I had built. I’d told Sebastian all about my father’s health and my inability to use my powers. I’d handed him all the ammunition he needed to turn the council against me. Now the only hope I had was to regain my power somehow, but for that, I needed more time.

  I lowered my head, ripping my own heart apart. “I’m sorry.”

  It was all I could manage to say without bursting into tears.

  Marcus whimpered.

  “I believe you have your answer, Rowan,” Sebastian said, smiling like a Cheshire cat. “I do hope you will hold no ill will toward our court. It is my fondest wish to reunite the high court. I expect you will represent the fire court. After all, you are the new king.”

  Joy radiated through me. Rowan was the new king. He had succeeded. I didn’t know how Sebastian knew that, but I was sure it was true. I glanced up at Rowan, but he quickly turned away. The small bit of enjoyment faded, replaced by an ache in the center of my chest. How could I have done this to him? How could I have let things get so bad? I never felt as horrible as I did at this moment. All of this was fully and completely my fault.

  “When you are ready to reunite the high council, the fire court will be there,” Rowan said, voice colder than I had ever heard before.

  “That’s wonderful news,” Sebastian said. “King Taron will be most pleased to hear this.”

  Rowan turned to leave, and I gasped. He had wings. Beautiful black feathers with flecks of gold that shimmered in the light. He must have been so happy to be able to fly once more. Had this happened when he became king? I had the sudden urge to run to him, throw my arms around his neck. “Rowan, your wings,” I said, unable to hold back the excitement in my tone.

  But I quickly remembered where things stood now between us.

  Marcus watched Rowan. He was just as eager to see his response as I was.

  Rowan looked over his shoulder at me for only a brief second but said nothing. Then he was gone. Marcus lowered his head, following Rowan as he left. He had given up on us because he thought I had given up on him. Even if I found some way to awaken my power, I wasn’t sure he would ever forgive me. Suddenly, every breath I took sickened me. A carnival of emotions overcame me, and I wanted to scream and cry and vomit. I wanted to claw Sebastian’s eyes out. I wanted to wrap my hands around his neck and strangle him.

  Instead, I dropped to my knees.

  Sebastian bent next to me. He put his finger under my chin, tilting my head until our eyes leveled. I swatted his hand away. “Easy now, Princess.”

  “You haven’t won yet,” I snarled, fists clenched at my sides.

  “Don’t get any ideas in that pretty little head of yours. This arrangement we’ve made stays between us. If I suspect you’ve told anyone, I will alert the council to your father’s health and your inability to use your power. As a matter of fact,” he said, twisting one of my curls around his finger, “You should be happy I’m allowing you to share the throne with me. I may end up insisting you thank me for it. After all, I am saving your father’s life.”

  His eyes traveled to my chest and lower. It was very clear what kind of gratitude he had in mind. “You’re an evil little shit. I swear, I—”

  Sebastian pulled me into another kiss before I could push him away. “I do love the taste of your lips.” He stood, holding out his hand as if he fully expected me to take it. “Now be a good girl and pull yourself together. Our guests are waiting for us.”

  I glanced up at him in total astonishment. “Do you think I’m going to go out there with you?”

  “I don’t think anything. I know it.” Grabbing my arm, he forcefully pulled me to my feet. “You will go out there and behave as if you are the happiest elemental who ever lived. You will go back to your castle, and you will prepare for our upcoming nuptials. And when I say so, you will marry me.”

  There was nothing left for me to do. I had to follow Sebastian’s commands until I found a way to get myself out of this. I let him tuck my arm into his as we returned to the ballroom. We passed couples as they laughed and danced. I gave my best fake smile as we made our way through the crowd. Surrounded by hundreds, I had never felt so alone in my life. Like I was locked inside an invisible cage.

  I couldn’t scream.

  I couldn’t fight back.

  He had won this battle. But the war had just begun.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Rowan

  I needed to clear my head.

  To get away from everyone and everything I saw. I took a portal to the beach—the last place I had spent time with Kalin. Nothing about the last several hours made any sense. I walked aimlessly down the sandy beach as I tried to unravel the confusion in my head. Dark skies made it difficult to see much of anything in front of me. The only illumination came from the full moon. In this dimmed light, I could make out the outline of the veil protecting Avalon. It sparkled like the stars in the sky.

  My thoughts quickly shifted back to the e
ngagement party. Kalin just stood there at his side and didn’t say a word. She didn’t even bother to answer my question. Did she feel nothing when she saw me? Did she even care how I felt? She wasn’t the girl I had come to know. The brave girl I had trained. The girl who wouldn’t give up, even when her court was against her. The girl who fought to save her father against all the odds. The girl who stole my heart.

  Kalin chose Sebastian over me—over us.

  But maybe it was for the best. Sebastian was her betrothed. Taron had picked him for Kalin, so he must’ve thought he was right for her. How could I think I had a chance? I was the prince who refused his crown—the untrustworthy outsider with serious family drama. We were a supernatural reality television show in the making. Not to mention, my stepbrother was behind all of the problems we still hadn’t resolved. None of that screamed perfect son-in-law material.

  “Rowan,” a voice shouted out.

  I unsheathed my sword as I turned around. Out of the shadows, Marcus appeared. I narrowed my eyes. “I thought I told you I want to be alone.”

  Marcus crossed his arms. “I thought I told you that wasn’t going to happen.”

  I returned my weapon to its sheath. “What do you want, Marcus?”

  He pointed over his shoulder. “I want you to go back and fix that mess you just left.”

  “Me?” My eyes widened with shock. That was not the response I was expecting. “You saw what happened back there.”

  Marcus rolled his eyes. “Sebastian is lying.”

  “She made her choice.”

  “That’s complete bullshit, and you know it.”

  I wasn’t interested in rehashing the event. As far as I was concerned, Kalin had made her feelings known. “She had every opportunity to contradict him, but she stood there silent.”

  “Exactly.”

  “Exactly what?” I asked irritated.