Royal Enchantment (Skeleton Key) Read online

  She placed a finger over his lips, halting him in mid-sentence. “I didn’t mean right now. I can wait until the threat on my life is over.”

  “You are staying?”

  A laugh escaped her. “Not so fast. I’m not sure I belong here, but I will help you in any way I can. Plus, my parents are from here, apparently, and I want to know everything about their life here.”

  “Fair enough.” He linked their fingers and added, “Would you join me for a late-night stroll after we return?”

  Giddiness rose within her. “I’d love that.”

  She glanced out the small window with a smile. Peace had settled over her as if she had finally found where she belonged. As far as marrying the Morna King? Well, he would have to do some serious wooing.

  The carriage rolled to a stop in front of a beautiful, white and gold mansion. Rose vines with multi-colored blooms crawled up the sides. A large staircase spilled from the center of the front of the house, meeting the gravel of the driveway. “It’s beautiful.”

  “It’s okay.”

  Ava glanced at him and noted the semi-smile on his lips. “It’s beyond beautiful to me. In fact, this whole place is.”

  He leaned over so his lips brushed against her ear and whispered, “I’ll have you begging to stay before the week is up.”

  Heat pooled in her abdomen. She sucked in her bottom lip before saying, “You really are sure of yourself.”

  The green in his eyes darkened and he leaned into her. Their gazes locked, intensifying the wildfire inside her. Then she lowered her eyes to his lips. What she wouldn’t do for a proper kiss in that moment.

  Just then, a hint of awareness brushed against her subconscious, and Finn broke the eye contact to glare out the window. “Your aunt grows impatient.”

  Ava glanced behind her. At the top of the large staircase, stood a woman she’d know anywhere, yet had never met. With long, blonde hair the color of spun gold, the Calim Queen was beautiful. The lavender gown she wore fell to the ground and pooled into a train, spreading out behind her. She also looked too much like Ava’s father to be anyone but his sister.

  Tears filled Ava’s eyes, and instantly she opened the carriage and ran up the stairs. When she reached the top, she threw her arms around Willow. Footsteps closed in from all directions, but Ava didn’t care. Suddenly, they stopped, making Ava glance up. Willow had her hand up as if to call off the guards, but she didn’t need to. They stared at Ava in awe.

  “What’s going on?”

  Willow framed her face and smiled. “I didn’t tell them you were coming. I wanted it to be a surprise.” The Queen turned to the guard closest to her. “We’ll take our tea in the gardens, privately.”

  The large elfin male nodded then rattled off orders to the others. After they’d disappeared, Willow looped an arm with Ava’s and greeted Finn and Kellam. “Does he have to hover?”

  Finn glanced at Kellam, who then let out a growl before returning to the carriage. Turning his attention back to Willow, Finn bowed and held out his hand. “Hovering is his specialty.”

  Willow laughed. “Thank you for bringing her to me.”

  Finn flicked a glance to Ava. “There is much we need to discuss.”

  “Yes. Come.” Willow descended the stairs, still holding on to Ava’s arm. “We won’t be disturbed. Plus, the gardens are enchanted to keep unwanted guests out.”

  Ava glanced at Finn, worried that Willow had gotten uninvited guests like they had earlier. Finn kept his features emotionless. She’d have to ask him how he did that.

  When they approached the gardens, all her worries seemed to mute to a low hum in the back of her mind. The fragrance of gardenias and lilies filled the air. The sense of calm circled around her. Yet, Ava couldn’t stop her fidgeting as she sat between Willow and Finn at a white circular table in a small courtyard. Questions whirled in her mind. So much had been opened up to her in the short time she’d been in their world, and she didn’t know where to start.

  Finally, Willow spoke as if knowing what she needed. “I see both of your parents in you.”

  “Tell me about them?”

  Willow smiled. “They were so in love. From the moment they met. Jandar planned their escape before asking your mother.”

  “How did they meet?” Ava relaxed a little and sat back in her seat.

  “I’m not sure of the details. Jan said he met her in the neutral area between the kingdoms. Faylan was hunting, unaware she was being watched. At least, that was Jandar’s tale.” Willow’s smile faded. “His eyes lit up at the mention of her. I was the only one he could tell. We were twins, after all.”

  Sadness washed over Ava and mixed with her own grief, that of losing the only two people she’d ever cared about. “Why was it forbidden for a Morna and Calim to fall in love?”

  “My father was a harsh ruler and believed the two kingdoms should never have any kind of relations. Growing up, Jan and I were taught to accept it as the law. When we got older, we realized it as our father’s own prejudice against our Dark cousins.” Willow let out a sigh before sipping her tea. “When Jandar left our realm with Faylan, Father was beyond furious and blamed the Morna for turning his only son against his kingdom.”

  Ava’s heart broke for Willow and everyone in Edra. “Then war broke out.”

  Willow nodded. “And both sides hoarded power to use on the other. After years of battles, the magick faded. Then, my father helped Quinn create a plague.” She paused briefly. “I’d had enough of the war and the sickness spreading over the land. I drove a sword through my father’s heart and claimed his throne.”

  With a gasp, Ava reached out to her aunt. “Oh, I’m so sorry.”

  Willow took her hand and held it. She opened her mouth, then moved her gaze to Finn, narrowing her eyes at him. Ava wondered what the Calim Queen saw or sensed. Returning her gaze back to Ava, Willow frowned. “You’ve begun the bonding.”

  The bonding? “What?” Confusion stirred up her fear of the unknown.

  Finn spoke in a flat tone. “Your grandmother was a seer. Willow has the gift.”

  That still didn’t answer Ava’s question. Before she could ask again, Willow said, “When you saved Finn’s life, you started the bonding. It’s the first step to mating or getting married.”

  Ava tugged her hand away from her aunt and sat back in her chair again. Uncertainty swirled inside her gut. “What does that mean?”

  Finn dropped his shoulders and faced her, his face full of compassion and worry. “Nothing is set until we go through with the ceremony and complete the ritual. I would never force it on you.”

  “Yet, you didn’t tell me it had started. That I started it?”

  She stood, and Finn followed. “I said you being able to heal me meant we were true mates. Nothing has started. Unless you want it to.”

  Ava glared at him. “So it’s my fault?”

  Willow cleared her throat as if to remind them she was still there. “It is no one’s fault but the Fates. However, there are bigger issues we must discuss.” When Ava sat back down, Willow continued. “Ava will be a target for the rebels. Your uncle won’t stop until he has your throne.”

  Finn let out a growl-like sound from his throat. “Quinn will be disappointed. He will not win.”

  Willow picked up her teacup and tilted it toward Ava. “Not with her by your side. However, he has found Sana—the other hybrid female—and plans to mate with her.”

  Confused, Ava glanced from Willow to Finn. The two of them clearly knew what was going on, but neither was offering any explanations. “Who is Sana, and why do we care if she mates Quinn?”

  After a long silence that threatened Ava’s sanity, Willow spoke. “Sana is your half-sister. She was born days before your parents escaped to the human world.”

  “Half-sister? Then she is not from my father? I can’t believe my mother was unfaithful.” The sadness in Willow’s blue gaze soured Ava’s stomach. “What happened?”

  “I don’t know all
the details. I didn’t know Sana existed until a few weeks ago. My gift of Sight only shows me the future, not the past.” The Queen paused as if the mention of Sana upset her more than she wanted to show. “She is like you; half Calim and half Morna. Rumors drifted on the wind that your mother had been raped by my father’s guards. A punishment for ruining the Calim Prince.”

  Tears welled up in Willow’s eyes, breaking Ava’s heart. Taking a breath and wanting to change the subject, she searched her mind for a question not involving her parents. She’d find out more about her mother later. Someone in the Morna kingdom would know her mother. Or she could hunt down Sana for a little Q&A. “How am I supposed to set things right?”

  A smile lit up Willow’s face. “You will come forward to all the people, win their trust and love, and then restore the Light and Dark magicks of the land. In turn, you will unite both kingdoms.”

  That didn’t answer her question. “How am I to restore the magick?”

  “Only you will know when the time is right. I will say it comes from your heart, and it is something you must learn on your own.” Willow stood and scanned the area. “You must stay for dinner.”

  Ava and Finn nodded at the same time. Something told Ava that it was going to be a long and painful journey. The question of the decade was, would she survive it?

  Chapter Five

  Ava stepped out onto the green lawn that seemed to stretch out for acres behind Finn’s large estate. They’d returned an hour ago from the Calim kingdom. Ava had told Finn she was tired, but when she got to her room, she couldn’t rest. Too much going through her mind.

  Her main concern was how she had not thought about home or anyone there. Was she being too insensitive about Jeff’s death and Alice? Of course, the widow had stolen from her.

  “A pebble for your thoughts.”

  Finn’s rich, slightly accented voice smoothed over her from behind. It was so hard to deny him, or stay away from him. “I’m a little restless, and thought some night air would help.”

  He came to stand next to her then linked their hands together. “You are troubled.”

  “Before I found the skeleton key and entered this world, I found out that my business partner was killed. I was sadder for his wife than myself. Does it make me a horrible person that I don’t mourn his death?” Once the words had left her mouth, she realized that she hadn’t grieved for her parents either. Well not for a long period of time. Sure, she was sad—she’d even cried—when they died, but she didn’t mourn for them like other people did. Like humans did.

  “We don’t see death as an end. It is the beginning of their next journey. So no, you are not a horrible being.” Finn faced her and placed her hand over his heart. “I miss my parents every day, but I know I will meet them again. If not in the afterlife, then in the next one.”

  That is how she felt, but didn’t know how to explain it. “I guess I kind of knew something was going to happen. I mean, Jeff had been acting strangely for a few weeks before his death. I guess it was why I’d started to pull away from the business, like I was looking for something else.”

  Finn began to walk, tugging her along with him. “I’m not surprised you have strong intuition. You could have gotten it from your grandmother on your father’s side.”

  Ava nodded. Now that she knew that her father’s mother was a seer, a lot of things made sense to her. “Why was the Calim King unforgiving? I mean, he was a Calim Elf.”

  “The differences between the Calim and the Morna are not good versus bad. It’s in our magick. The Calim get their powers from the sun and all things ruled by it. My people and I are ruled by the magick of the moon, the darkness.” Finn glanced at her briefly. She swore she saw a flash of concern in his eyes. It was his next words that confirmed what she saw. “You are both. Therefore, you get your powers from both the sun and the moon.”

  “Making me more powerful than any elf alive.” Suddenly, she wasn’t sure she wanted to be there anymore. “No wonder your uncle wants me dead.”

  “Sana is also a hybrid. And she’s had her whole life to hone her powers.” Finn spoke low, and his tone had a hint of a tremble to it.

  “Who says I haven’t? I mean, I may have lived in the human realm, but I can’t believe my parents would leave me defenseless. Even though they lied to me about who I am.”

  With a gentle tug, Finn pulled her into his warm arms and stopped walking. “They wouldn’t. They would make sure you had what you needed. My guess is they might have prepared you all along, waiting for the day they would reveal everything.”

  Ava let out a sigh. He was right, but she was too tired to think anymore about it. “Tell me about your childhood.”

  “I was born months before the war broke out. Most of my life was spent in a safe shelter in the Wastelands, where I trained until I was old enough to fight in the war.” He smiled at her, apparently sensing her horror at his upbringing. “We were at war. Besides, all our children are trained at a young age to fight, hunt, and survive.”

  She wasn’t sure she liked the idea but let it go for now. “So I guess you didn’t have time for fun.”

  “I did. It wasn’t always work. But life in the Wastelands is very different.”

  “Are they as dark and dead as they sound?”

  Finn chuckled. “Yes. The Calim are powerless there, for there is no sun and very little light.”

  Ava frowned. “The perfect place to hide your children and females during a war.”

  “I regret nothing about my childhood. Besides, the training aided me while claiming the throne. I defeated my uncle then, and will again.” A flash of inner light, or was it more of a glow, lit up his emerald eyes. He turned away from her too fast for her to study his reaction. “Quinn warned me when I banned him from my kingdom that he would return and challenge me.”

  Ava huffed out a low growl. “That man…er elf…will not rule. He’s evil.”

  Finn faced her again, a seductive smile curving his lips. “Rule with me. Say yes and be my Queen.” He snaked an arm around her and tugged her close so their bodies meshed together. “The human world isn’t your home. Edra is.”

  She studied him for several long moments. There was nothing waiting for her return. Her career was ruined, and she’d have to start over anyway. However, there was something in his tone that told her he wasn’t sharing everything. “What are you not saying?”

  He closed his eyes briefly and inhaled slowly, releasing the breath just as slow. “I must take a bride to keep the throne. They were Quinn’s last words when he left.”

  “Like a curse?”

  He nodded. “A challenge, threat, whatever you want to call it.”

  Crossing her arms, she scanned his features. “With me here, you fear he’ll make good on his word to claim the throne?”

  “Especially if he indeed marries Sana. He’ll be too powerful to defeat.”

  The power the two elves would form after the union would be too great for Finn to fight alone. He needed Ava to protect his throne and people. Willow did say that Ava had already started the bonding. And the more she got to know Finn, the more she wanted to be a part of his world and life. Plus, Edra was her parents’ home. “What would being your Queen mean for me?”

  “You would rule by my side, be loved by our people, and become the most powerful elf in Edra.”

  She smiled, hearing the teasing tone of his voice as he said the last part of that statement. “I don’t want power.”

  He closed the gap between them and heat rose within her. “That’s what makes you the perfect Queen.” He dipped his head and pressed his lips to hers. An inferno raged to life in her core, then spread throughout her body.

  Pleasure consumed her, making it hard to think straight. In that moment, she wanted him like she’d wanted no other. It was crazy. She didn’t believe in instalove, but there was no denying the feeling that she belonged to him, in this place.

  She let out a soft groan as he broke the kiss. A dark presence touche
d her awareness. Even the hair on her body stood on end. Whirling around, she came face-to-face with Quinn and a female. The female looked a little like Ava’s mom, telling her that this was her sister. However, it was obvious it wasn’t going to be a happy family reunion. Sana was so full of hate, anger, and regret that she’d allowed it to darken her heart. Her aura said it all.

  “We finally meet, sister.” Sana’s cool taunt was spoken on a chuckle.

  Ava narrowed her eyes, which she never took off Sana, because deep down, Ava knew her sister was the real threat. “He’s just using you.”

  It was a weak attempt to fire back at her, but it was the first thing that popped into Ava’s mind. Suddenly, she heard Sana speak, but the female’s mouth never moved. The words were sent telepathically, for Ava’s ears only. “You are wrong. It is I who am using him.”

  Visions and images of the Calim palace consumed by flames flashed in Ava’s mind. An army of Morna storming the kingdom, killing everyone in their path. Bodies of the Calim littering the forest floor and village streets… The images flashed faster and faster through the horrid event. A future event where Sana controlled an army to wipe out the Calim.

  The images cut off abruptly, leaving Ava to stumble a step backwards. Finn touched her lower back with his hand, but it did nothing to soothe the rage building inside her. Cutting her evil sister a glare, Ava snarled, “You will not get away with it.”

  If the bitch could get inside my head, then I can get in hers. Ava focused and sent her a message, checking to see if she could telepathically communicate with Sana. “I will not allow you to hurt anyone.”

  A raise of a brow told Ava she was heard. Good. “You are weak, little sister. I’ve had my whole life to strengthen my powers, while you were hidden in the human realm.”

  Sana didn’t hide her jealousy very well. Ava smirked. Gotcha. “I’m sure you had a good upbringing. What made your heart so dark?”

  Rage swirled around Sana a moment before she charged at Ava, much too fast for her to track. Sana tackled her to the ground before a shimmering bubble formed around them, leaving out the men. Ava glanced to Finn and spotted fear in his green depths. Flicking her attention back to Sana, who had her pinned to the ground, Ava grabbed her sister’s face and cupped her head while staring into her eyes. Flashes of Sana’s childhood ran through Ava’s mind.