Royal Enchantment (Skeleton Key) (3 page)

A moment later, they came to a small reading room. Or at least it looked like one with a floor-to-ceiling bookcase taking up one of the walls. A large bay window was the centerpiece of the room. Instantly, she went to it, knelt on her knees on the bench seat, and peered out. Below was the largest and most beautiful rose garden she’d ever seen. Upon further inspection, she noticed several paths weaving through the garden like a maze. “Beautiful.”

“Roses were my mother’s favorite flower. She spent hours of every day tending to the garden.” Finn sat on the seat next to her, staring out the window. Sorrow rolled from him and reached out to her.

“What happened?”

He lifted his gaze, and her heart broke at the unshed tears; yet, she didn’t comment and let him speak when he was ready. After a moment, he looked back out the window. “The Morna and Calim—the Light Elves—went to war a few decades ago. The war threw the balance of our world off. The more unbalanced our world became, the more magick they used.”

She sensed that something much darker had happened. “Are you still at war?”

“No. The Light Queen and I formed an enchanted contract.” He straightened and lifted his chin. “It’s unfortunate that it took a plague that my uncle started to make our parents see what they’d done. My parents, as well as many others, died in that plague.”

Reacting on instinct, she covered his hand with hers and said, “Your uncle created a plague?”

“Yes. He started up a group of rebels who were for neither side and claimed to be against the war.” Finn worked his jaw, making the muscles in his face flex. “He only wanted to claim the throne and wipe out the Light Elves.”

He turned his palm up and closed his hand around hers. Warm, electrifying energy sparked between their palms. When she glanced down, she could see their auras. Something her mother had taught her to do at a young age when she’d started suffering from social anxiety. All she had to do was make sure she was grounded and centered every morning through meditation. And keep her aura a color of blue that wasn’t too light or too dark. The color of peacefulness and truth.

In that moment, with hers and Finn’s hands joined, there were three colors: dark green, dark blue, and light blue. She knew the green was his, because it made sense to her. The comfortable and healthy color of nature. His hair had a green hue to it—as did his skin, she realized, being as close to him as she was then. However, her aura had never taken both colors of blue at the same time before. “I’ve never seen it do that before.”

“You can see our energies?”

“Yes. Mine is always a medium blue. I have to make sure of it.”

He faced her, linking their fingers together as he did. “Why?”

She really didn’t want to talk about it with him. After all, they’d just met. And he hadn’t really told her where she was. After tugging her hand free, she stood and drifted around the room. “You promised me food and an explanation of where I am.”

She caught the slight smirk on his lips before he stood and stalked toward her. “Food is on its way. You are in Edra, the Realm of the Elves.”

“How did I get here?”

“You said you had a key and it unlocked a door. My guess is that the door was a portal.” He stopped inches from her. “We have been waiting for you.”

Waiting for me
? “Me? Why?”

With a narrowed gaze, he studied her for a moment. “You don’t know?”

“Know what?” She fisted her hands. He wasn’t making sense. Why wouldn’t he just tell her already?

Just then, a light knock sounded on the door. Finn didn’t move from his spot in front of her. “Come in.”

The door opened, and a young, petite girl entered carrying a tray. She had purple hair and mocha-colored skin. She met Ava’s stare briefly before glancing to Finn and then the floor as she made her way to the table to the left of the bay window. After setting out the plates and pouring what Ava assumed was tea, the girl turned to Finn. “Will there be anything else?”

“No, Fern. Thank you.”

She curtsied and left the room.

“Have a seat.”

Although Finn’s words were soft, she sensed the command in them like a power only he possessed. Maybe so. He was the King, after all.

After taking her seat, she inhaled the savory aromas of thinly sliced steak over steamed vegetables. Her stomach growled. There went pretending she wasn’t hungry to get more information from him. Still, she studied him as he took the seat across from her with fluid grace. He was beautiful, yet masculine at the same time.

“Please, eat.” He frowned as if uncertain about something. Before she could ask what about, he spoke again. “There is a legend of two elves, one Dark and one Light, who fell in love. Because the union was forbidden, they left Edra to live in the human realm. Their escape sparked a war between my people and the Light ones.”

A war? Because two people fell in love? “Why?”

“The male was the Prince of the Calim. He was the only son to the King and Queen.”

“But war?”

Finn cut his steak as he continued. “The Calim King demanded my parents’ firstborn as payment for losing his only son. Of course, my father refused, so the Light King declared war, blaming the Morna for corrupting his son and people.”

He paused to take a bite and chew. Ava pushed her broccoli around her plate, taking in the information. The thought that this whole thing could be a dream drifted through her mind. She didn’t understand why he’d told her about the couple and the war. It didn’t answer any of her questions.

“The war went on for decades, and used up a lot of the natural magick. We grew weak, both the Calim and Morna. Our ability to self-heal and remain ageless decreased to almost nothing. Then the plague fell upon us, killing most of our people, my parents included.” Finn set his fork on the table and rose to stand in front of the window.

Her heart broke for him, even though she could sense a wall go up around his. He most likely hid behind that barrier. She felt the need to comfort him. Instead of reaching out to him, she shared her own loss. “I lost my parents a few years ago. My dad fell ill. Doctors said it was pneumonia and that he was too old to fight it off. Well, they didn’t say that exactly, but I got the message. Anyway, a few months after Dad died, Mom passed away. It was as if her mourning sent her into a deep depression and she willed herself to die. She didn’t love me enough to stay.”

Finn was at her side in a flash. Ava didn’t even see the man move. Kneeling at her side, he took her hands in his. When she peered into his dark green eyes, she saw the first signs of tears. “That is not true. When elves mate, it’s for life. One dies, the other will follow into the next life.”

Confusion rolled through her mind like storm clouds. “Elves? My parents were human.”

His eyes sparked like an inner light had been flipped on behind his pupils. After a moment, he drew his brows together. “After Willow, the Queen of the Calim, and I ended the war, a seer prophesied that the child of the lovers would return to us and restore the magick of the land.”

“And you think I’m that child?”

A sensual smile lifted one side of his mouth. “You are no child. But yes, you are the one who will forever link the Morna and Calim and restore the magick to Edra.”

She tugged her hands free and shook her head. He’d told her the story because he believed the lovers were her parents. That made her half Morna and half Calim. Still, she wasn’t sold. “If I am this hybrid elf, why don’t I have any powers?”

“Our magicks are limited in the human realm.”

He seemed to have an answer for everything. “My parents never had any either, and they didn’t have a reason to lie to me my whole life.” Anger fueled the pain of loss that surfaced when she first mentioned the two people that had meant the most to her. She pushed her plate to the center of the table and stood. “Thank you for the food, but I need to get home.”

By the time she reached the door, Finn was there, blocking her exit. “I can’t allow you to leave.” He raised one hand and caressed her cheek with his knuckles. “Not yet.”

With pursed lips, she stepped back and stared at him, seeing his energy flow around him.
Just because he believes what he said doesn’t mean it’s the truth.
She crossed her arms. “So you have the power to control my free will?”

A frown formed on his perfect, handsome face. “I do not.” The muscle in his temple twitched as if he ground his teeth. “I ask you to stay. With me. We can get to know each other, and you can learn about our realm.”

She didn’t fail to notice that he referred to Edra as if it were her world instead of just his. “Why? I didn’t ask to be here. I was comfortable in my life where I was.” With the expectation of the most recent events, that was.

He opened his mouth, then closed it again. A moment later, he broke the eye contact and threaded his fingers through his long, dark hair. “I believe you are who I said you are, and I’d like a chance to show you the truth. Besides, if I am right, then you are in great danger.”

“Danger?”

With a short nod, he held out his hand. “Even though Queen Willow and I are bound to a peace treaty, the rebels will kill you to keep you from uniting the two kingdoms.”

There it was. The ripple in his aura. He didn’t lie to her, but he didn’t tell her the whole truth either. However, she’d play long. For now. “Wouldn’t I be safe in my own world?”

“No. Not now that you are here. Your presence in the forest would have alerted our enemies. They will be searching for you.”

Hmm. “And I’m safe here?”

Emerald eyes locked with hers. “Yes, but only inside the palace walls. I have the palace warded to protect those within, including you.”

Again with a half-truth. She had to get out of there. Finn didn’t make sense. Hell, none of the crap that had happened in the last hour made sense. “You still haven’t answered my question as to why I should stay.”

“Your life is in danger now.”

She glared at him. She trusted people too much in her life. That’s why things like the partnership with Jeff ended with her being shitted on. She simply didn’t understand how people could be so hurtful. “You are withholding information from me. Why should I believe anything you say?”

When he opened his mouth to speak, she held up a hand. “Don’t tell me another half-truth.”

He dropped his shoulders. “I know from the bottom of my soul that you are the hybrid elf we’ve been waiting for. I also know you are to be my bride.”

Her heart stopped for a brief moment, then resumed beating at an alarming rate. His bride? Oh. No. That wasn’t happening.

She rushed to the door and ran down the hallway, desperate to find a way out of the palace. Away from Finn.

Chapter Three

Ava made it to the edge of the forest before Finn flashed in front of her. Skidding to a halt, she glared at him. Magick rippled around him, darkening his aura. A mix of anger and fear flowed from him and touched her awareness. He truly was afraid for her life.

She flicked her gaze to the large bodyguard behind Finn. Kellam stood with his arms folded like a wall. No, he was more like a dragon, waiting for danger to strike. Turning her attention back to Finn, she pointed at him. “I’m not marrying you. One, I don’t know you, and two, I will not marry anyone I’m not in love with.”

Finn closed the gap between them, took her hand, and then flattened her palm against his chest. Heat enveloped her, making it impossible to concentrate. His voice was calm and soft when he spoke. “I wouldn’t have it any other way. Please stay with me. Learn about my people, our people, and give me a chance to woo you.”

A tiny voice in her head screamed to run, but it was her heart that she trusted the most. Even when it led her down a darker path. Maybe she was here for a reason? However, she still wasn’t sold on Finn’s story of her parents being elves. “I’ll give you a day.”

A sexy smile lifted the corners of his lips. “That’s hardly fair. Give me a month.”

A month? Thoughts of home churned in her mind. She had no one waiting on her. In fact, she wasn’t sure there was anyone who would miss her. Really, she didn’t have anything to lose. Or gain. Sadness settled into her heart. Her life was a lonely, pathetic mess. “One week.”

He looped an arm around her waist and meshed their bodies together. Desire rushed through her, making her lightheaded. She took a deep breath to try to clear her thoughts, but his clean, earthy scent only made her want him more. Then he let out a low growl-like sound that vibrated his chest. “Two weeks.”

Oh, dear God. “No more.”

“Deal.”

The sound of that one word made her suddenly think she had just sealed her fate with the devil himself.

She opened her mouth to speak, but Finn placed a finger over her lips in a silent command. A moment later, he moved to stand with his back against her front in a protective stance. Kellam moved in beside Finn then stepped forward. Fear burned her insides as a dark energy touched her psyche. Peeking around him, she couldn’t see any signs of a threat, but it was there, lurking.

“What is it?” she whispered.

Finn reached back with one hand and gently squeezed her elbow. “Go inside.”

“What is it?” she asked again, a little louder.

Just then, a man…no, an
elf
stepped out of the shadows as if appearing from the darkness. He was about a foot taller than Finn with long, black hair that blended with his tunic and leather pants. His dark gaze met hers, just as a creepy smirk tugged at his mouth. Suddenly, the fear in her gut morphed into a need to protect herself as well as Finn.

Before she could form words to question Finn again, the man spoke. “She has returned, but she is weak.”

Kellam let out a low growl a moment before Finn replied to the man’s taunt. “I claim her as my bride.”

“But she doesn’t accept.” The man laughed. The sound made Ava’s skin crawl.

Finn’s body tensed, his muscles going rock-hard under where she rested her hands on his biceps. “She has agreed to courtship. You have no business here.”

The other elf stepped closer, ignoring the warning growls from Kellam while his gaze fixed on Ava. She started to back away but straightened her spine instead. Something told her she was safe with Finn and his guard. “My nephew has forgotten his manners. I’m Quinn, the rightful King of the Morna.”