Royal Enchantment (Skeleton Key) (2 page)

Ava let out a frustrated growl.
Damnit
. Why was she so naive and stupid?

“Why can’t I just be swallowed by the earth or something?” Rising to her feet, she climbed back up the stairs, and before she realized it, she was standing outside the locked door again. It bothered her that she couldn’t get in. But it was just like her to obsess over something like that. Besides, it didn’t make any sense why the door was locked.

She turned and sighed. She really had other things to worry about. One of them was moving her things to the house. It seemed she was out of a job, and had depleated a large chunk of her savings buying the house outright instead of taking a mortgage on it.

You’re in deep now. Might as well push ahead and make the best out of the crap situation.
Damn Jeff. She’d trusted him.

When she reached the stairs, she spotted something on the floor, a reflection of light like a prism. She bent down to take a closer look and discovered a glass skeleton key sticking out from behind the railing post. It was about four inches long and made of thick glass with a skull on the top. The bottom key portion looked like…well, human teeth.

She picked it up and tested the weight. A couple of ounces, she guessed. Studying it for several moments, she wondered where it had come from. Her thoughts turned to the locked door. No. That would be too easy. However, it
was
a skeleton key. Literally in this case.

What did she have to lose? Pivoting on her heels, she walked to the door, glad no one was around to witness her state of crazy.

She took a deep breath and stuck the key into the lock. Turned. A click sounded a moment before the door swung open. A smile lifted her lips, but it was short-lived as she stared out into a forest.
What-the-ever-loving-freaking-hell
?

Instantly, she closed the door. Surely she was seeing things and needed to call a shrink. Hell, maybe just go to the nearest liquor store.

Okay, Ava. You’re not crazy
.
You may be a little weird at times, but you are not crazy.

She opened the door again and let it swing wide.
Holy crap
. There really was a forest in one of her upstairs rooms. Well, she had asked for the earth to swallow her. She laughed at her attempt at a joke and stepped through the door.

Once she crossed the threshold, the door vanished behind her. Whirling around, she scanned her surroundings. Nothing but trees, bushes, and a whole lot of nature. The house was gone. Everything was so green and full of life, almost magickal.

I’m definitely not in Georgia anymore
.

A howl like she’d never heard before cut through the trees in the distance, followed by shouts. Then the sound of horses’ hooves pounding the earth grew closer. Her heart jerked to life, beating rapidly as the howls and gallops got louder, nearer, moving in on her too fast.

Desperate to find a hiding spot or at least get out of whatever it was’s path, she darted to her right. She hurtled over fallen trees and barreled through the brush. But the howls and shouts still closed in. She cut left, only to realize she’d made a mistake. Thick, thorned bushes stood about six feet tall between two large oaks.
Damn
.

She turned to dart back the way she’d come, only to come nose to nose with a large, snarling animal that appeared half-sabretooth tiger and half-dragon. Large, purple wings stuck out of the beast’s back. Its snout was long and dragon-like, with fangs about as big as her hand from tip of middle finger to wrist.

She was trapped like a rabbit on a fox hunt. She just
had
to know what was behind that damn door.

“Charles. Heel.” The deep boom of a command came from behind the animal and sent a chill up Ava’s spine.

Charles backed off but only enough for the man to step into her line of sight. Ava’s heart skipped a few beats as she stared at him. Long, black hair that appeared green in the sunlight cascaded over his shoulders, framing a beautiful yet masculine face. Heat rolled within her abdomen, spreading to the rest of her body. Desire filled her mind, dizzying. The urge to touch him was strong, almost too strong for her to ignore.

What the fuck was wrong with her?

“Who are you?” The man loomed over her, arms folded, revealing the most unusual markings tattooed on his forearms. His words shocked her out of the haze.

Glaring at him, she mimicked his crossed-arm stance and asked her own question. “Where am I?”

He narrowed his gaze on her, but she swore there was a hint of a smile on his lips. Like he approved of her attempt to be brave. “Answer my question first.”

Even though it was a command, he spoke the words softer than his previous ones. Still, it wouldn’t hurt him to say ‘please.’ She released a sigh and figured she’d play nice. After all, she had a feeling she was in his world now. “Ava Green. I unlocked a door with a glass skeleton key and ended up here.”

He raised a brow and studied her for a moment. “You are from the human realm?”

Umm, yeah, the last time she checked… “And you’re not?”

One corner of his mouth twitched. He relaxed his stance and gripped her wrist. “Come with me.”

“Where?” Her heart pounded while her mind screamed that she was going to die.

“My home, where I can keep you safe from my enemies.”

What the hell did that mean? She planted her feet in place and jerked her arm free, which was easier than she’d expected. “I don’t know who you are, and I’m not going anywhere with you.”

He stared at her as if he weren’t used to being told no. A mix of shock and annoyance became etched onto his face. After a few moments, he reached for her again, but she darted out of the way. He muttered something that wasn’t English before saying, “I am Finn, King of the Morna, the Dark Elves.”

King? Dark Elves? Okay, she must have hit her head and this was all a dream. Any moment, she’d wake up. Or it could be that Finn was the delusional one. “You do know that elves aren’t real, right?”

His brows dipped as he stepped closer to her and waved a hand in front of her face. “Forgive me.”

Before she had a chance to question him, everything around her grew dim. Her body went limp in Finn’s arms. “What…?”

“Shh. Just sleep.”

Sleep sounded wonderful. She closed her eyes and snuggled into his chest as he scooped her up.

Chapter Two

“This is a mistake.”

Finn glared at his head of security as the male went on about how he was endangering his life. Blah, blah, blah. If Finn went to the bathroom alone, he was endangering his life. “What would you have me do with her?”

A low growl rumbled from the male. “You could have put her in one of the holding cells until I verify who she is.”

Fury rushed through him. With his inhuman speed, he was in Kellam’s face with his hand around the male’s throat. “She will not be locked up like an animal.”

Kellam narrowed his crimson eyes and worked his jaw before asking, “What are you not saying?”

“You saw her. She’s the one. She’s the daughter of Jander and Faylan.” Finn backed off and turned toward the bed where he’d placed the female after arriving moments ago. She wasn’t just the prophesied female that would set things right again, she was also his mate.

A half-grunt, half-growl escaped Kellam. “So you endanger everyone in the palace by bringing her here?”

“She is under my protection, as much as all my people.” Finn didn’t want to discuss it anymore. “Your job is to tighten security around the palace and keep her identity a secret.
And
to find out where my uncle is hiding.”

Another complication in his life. Quinn, his uncle, had been responsible for starting the plague that had wiped out sixty percent of the population of Edra. Finn suspected he also had something to do with the depleted magick.

Quinn had become predictable in making his threats to claim the throne over the years. However, a few months ago, the messages stopped. That had both Finn and Kellam concerned. Kellam more so than Finn. After all, the palace had a ward around it so no one—who didn’t belong—could enter the gates.

“She could have been sent by the rebels.” Kellam glared at her suspiciously.

Finn shook his head. “No.” It was all the explanation he’d give Kellam. He didn’t see what Finn saw apparently. If he did, he wasn’t saying so just so he could argue with Finn.

Kellam had been with Finn since his training had started at the age of five. The male knew better than anyone that Finn was stubborn to the core. Once his mind was set, nothing would stop him. Not his uncle. And not the rebels.

Studying the sleeping female, Finn refrained from going to her, releasing her blonde hair from the bun, and threading his fingers through it. From the moment they’d made eye contact in the woods, he’d known who she was. He’d filled with hope that the seer had been right about the prophecy of their savior. Although when the urge to touch her, to claim her as his bride rose up within him, he’d known she was so much more. Precious. The fire in her eyes before he’d put her to sleep told him that she wasn’t afraid to take chances, and would do anything to protect herself. Even if she didn’t realize her destiny.

“She has no idea who she is.” Kellam turned back to Finn, annoyance still weighing heavily in his stare.

Flicking his gaze to Kellam, Finn let out a warning growl to let the male know the conversation was over. When he glanced back at her, Finn meet her blue eyes and his heart skipped several beats. She was his mate, and he’d do anything to make her his bride.

Ava opened her eyes and blinked several times, trying to clear the fog from her brain. Confusion weighed on her like a wet blanket. By walking through that door, she must have entered a portal of some kind. But to where?

Whispered voices from across the room cut into her thoughts. Finn was in some kind of tense conversation with a much larger man. Sitting up in bed, she watched them, noting how...not human the larger man was. He was the tallest person she’d ever seen, towering over Finn by at least four feet or so. But that wasn’t the strangest thing about him. His skin was a dark navy blue that appeared black in the shadows. White hair was braided down his back, the tip of the plait brushing the waist of his black pants.

Without looking at her, he snarled at Finn. “She has no idea who she is.”

She fisted her hands while meeting Finn’s stare. Annoyance raced in her blood. “I know who I am. Who are you?” After flinging the covers off, she marched to the tall blue guy. Before she could get close, Finn appeared in front of her. Yes. Appeared. As if by magick or something. She focused on Finn, then folded her arms. Something in the way he stood protectively between her and the blue guy told her that they were hiding information. “What is going on?”

Finn held out his hand. She didn’t take it, so he dropped it. “I sense a power within you. A mixture of both Dark and Light magicks.”

He was insane. Had to be. She’d stepped into a world of crazies. “I don’t have, nor have I ever had any magick.”

Finn nodded. “I can see how this could be very strange to you. Even unbelievable. If you give me a chance, I’d like to explain.”

When he lifted his hand this time, she took it after a few moments of hesitation. She hadn’t a clue what he was talking about, but she needed to know where she was and how she could get back home. Before the insanity wore off on her.

Her belly chose that moment to rumble, embarrassing her. Finn smiled and tugged her toward the door. “I will feed you.”

Food sounded great. Besides, Finn was easy on the eyes. Glancing at him, she caught a glimpse of his pointed ears from under his hair. She jerked to a stop and brushed his hair aside. Before she could touch him, he gripped her wrist and shook his head. “The ears are sensitive.”

“You’re an elf.” The words tumbled out before she’d thought better of it, or realized how crazy it sounded. Sure he’d told her in the forest that he was the King of the Dark Elves, but she really didn’t believe him. Elves were myths, weren’t they?

One corner of his mouth lifted in a sensual half-smile. “I told you I was. I don’t lie. It’s a waste of time and air.” He leaned in closer so their lips were inches apart. “Besides, I could never lie to you.”

“Why?” she breathed out, her heart pounding wildly in her chest, pulsing in her throat.

He frowned and stepped back. “I will explain in private after you eat.”

“You can explain
while
I eat.” She tugged her hand free from his and crossed her arms.

He narrowed his emerald green eyes, and after a moment, he said, “Very well.” Nodding to the other man, Finn gave a tart command, as if annoyed. “Set a meeting with Willow.”

Mr. Blue Man let out a soft growl that Ava couldn’t help but think was directed at her, then left them alone. She followed Finn when he exited the room. “Who was that?”

“Kellam. He’s my head of security.”

Okay
. “What is he?”

Finn didn’t answer right away, just continued to walk down the hall. Fine, she’d save her questions. For a little while anyway. But she would get answers. One way or another.