Royal Enchantment (Skeleton Key) (9 page)

“Yes. I searched the moment she vanished. I sensed her panic and tried to connect with her.” Willow’s eyes filled with tears.

“Then she’s in the Wastelands. I’m going to get her back.”

Willow nodded. “Do take care.”

“I will have guards and warriors with me. Quinn and Sana will not get away with stealing my Queen.” After a slight raise of one corner of Willow’s lips, Finn ended the communication by lifting his hand from the mirror.

“Everything is ready.” Kellam entered the room in battle gear, holding Finn’s amour.

It was a good thing his personal guard wasn’t going to talk him out of going. He knew better. Taking the chainmail armor, he put it on. “Let’s go get the Queen back.”

With a nod, Kellam turned on his heels and led Finn down the hall to a pair of winged horses. Charles, the dragon-sabretooth tiger hybrid, waited impatiently by the horses. The beast was ready for battle.

Finn smoothed a hand up Charles’s snout. “Today is your day, friend.”

Charles replied by blowing a puff of air from his nose, smoke rolling out with it. Then he raised his wings, ready to take off with Finn and the guards.

Finn climbed on his winged horse and took to the sky, flying toward the Wastelands.

Ava paced the small windowless room she’d woken up in minutes before. Or was it hours? She hadn’t a clue. There was no magick for her to draw on. No elements to call inside her cell. And she didn’t have any hairpins to pick the lock on the door.

A squeak sounded from the rear left corner of the room. She whirled around and spotted a small mouse. “How did you get in here?”

Her heart pounded as hope for an escape rose up within her. Carefully, she crept closer to the mouse. Its ears perked up as it looked directly at her. When she got within a foot from it, the creature scurried up the wall and disappeared behind one of the stones. When Ava touched the wall, she felt an almost silent pulse of magick.

Ha. There you are
. She knew there had to be some way out of there. Nothing is ever that airtight or sealed up completely. Sliding her fingers around the stone, she found a crack large enough to fit two fingers inside. Determination to get out of there fueled her strength. She fixated on what little energy was coming through the crack as she pulled on the stone.

After a moment, it moved a fraction of an inch. Excitement sparked in her gut and she doubled her efforts to pull the stone free. But it was short-lived when Sana’s voice sounded in Ava’s mind. “
What are you up to, little sister
?”

Fucking bitch. “Why don’t you come in here and find out?”

Whether it was by magick or being pissed off at her evil half-sister, it was enough to raise her natural power up, breaking whatever had held it at bay.
Good one, Mom. You bound my powers?
And Finn had thought it was from her being raised in the human world. She should have known it was more than that.

With one last jerk, Ava tugged the stone from the wall. To her satisfaction, it was an external wall. The gloom and doom of the Wastelands welcomed her from the small hole. Closing her eyes, she focused on Finn, visualizing his face in her mind. “My King, my love. Do you hear me?”

Nothing happened, and she sagged against the wall. She would not give up. She and Finn would stop Quinn and Sana, but they needed to be connected to do so. Separate, they were weak compared to the evil couple.

“
Ava
.”

Her heart jumped to her throat. “
Finn
!”

“
Thank the gods. I feel you, and Charles has your scent. We’re on our way.
”

The door opened, and Ave glared at Sana as she entered with a smirk on her face. “You can try to escape, but you won’t get far. You see, by getting into my head like you did yesterday, you linked us together. I can find you anywhere.”

Not if I kill you
. “Is that supposed to threaten me in some way?”

Sana narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips. “Did you think by bonding with the Morna King you would be strong enough to fight me?”

Ava had to figure out a way to keep the female out of her head. “What do you want besides world destruction and to be Queen Bitch?”

Sana waved away Ava’s words, but it appeared to bother her more than she wanted to admit. Good. That told Ava she was getting to her. “Now, name-calling isn’t any way to talk to your sister.”

Why was she stalling? Ava glanced to the open door behind Sana, causing the female to move into her line of sight. Hmm. She was definitely up to something. “Cut the shit, Sana.”

“You are as strong-willed as your parents.” Sana stepped closer while Ava’s heart skipped several beats. A sad yet satisfying laugh filled the room as Sana continued. “Your father didn’t die of old age. One, he wasn’t human and couldn’t grow old. I do have to give him some points for protecting you, though. The stubborn bastard never plead for his life while I cut off the blood flow to his heart.”

Ava fisted her hands at her sides while tears filled her eyes and a lump lodged in her throat. “You’re lying.”

Sana tsked. “You know I’m not. As for your mother, or
our
mother, she killed herself before I could rip her mind open to find you.” Sana’s eyes flashed black for a moment, and she rushed toward Ava, gripping her by the throat and pinning her to the wall. “You should be thankful they loved you so much they hid your destiny from you. Thank them for allowing you to grow up weak, like a human.”

Fury mounted, igniting the flame deep in Ava’s soul. Heat spread throughout her body like it had the day she’d burned Quinn. She welcomed it and willed it to grow. Kenia’s words entered her thoughts.

“You may depend on the sun and moon for your magick, but your power also comes from your heart, your emotions. Your passion. You can do anything you desire.”

Sana said she’d stopped Ava’s father’s heart by cutting off the blood flow. Ava wondered if she could do the same. Ava gripped the wrist of Sana’s hand that was wrapped around her throat. Sana’s pulse beat strong under her fingers, so she focused on slowing it down.

After a few moments, it did, and Sana jerked away, releasing her hold on Ava. Taking advantage of her sister’s distraction, Ava thrust a fireball at her. Sana dodged it. The ball hit the wall in the hallway and exploded into a fiery blanket, coating the walls and floors.

Not waiting for the female to react, Ava charged her. She hit Sana in the stomach and knocked her to the ground. Wrapping her fingers around her neck, Ava squeezed and said, “I wish you would lose all your power and ability to use magick. For my parents and all those you ever hurt, that is the least you deserve.”

The words just tumbled from her lips without her thinking about what she was really saying. She was so angry, the only punishment short of death she could think of was for Sana to live as a mortal. No magick. Nothing but a shell in a magickal world.

The onyx Kenia had given her, which Ava had hung around her neck earlier that morning, vibrated against her skin. Ava instantly wrapped her free hand around it. Sana saw it, and her eyes grew round. In between gasps of air, Sana said, “You don’t know what you just did.”

Huh
? A moment later, Sana’s magickal signature dulled, then faded into nothing. Ava released her and stood. Did she just take her sister’s powers from her?

Just then, shouts echoed from down the hallway. Ava turned to the door, only to take a step back. The flames were twice their original size and spreading fast.
Okay, think
. Finn had said she was elemental. Glancing back inside the room, she caught a glimpse of the hole in the wall. Wind. No, that would only fuel the fire.

She needed water. Yet, Kenia had said Ava could do anything she desired. Hesitantly, she reached into the flames and was surprised that they didn’t burn her. “I will the fire to stop.”

Slowly, the flames lowered until they faded completely.
Wow
.

“Ava!”

She glanced up at Finn’s voice and tears filled her eyes. “Finn.” She ran to him and threw her arms around him. “Where’s Quinn?”

His guards stalked down the hall from different directions, each one shaking their heads. As if the mention of his name had summoned him, Quinn appeared at the end of the hallway. With an evil snear and a growl, he threw an energy bolt at them.

On instinct, Ava threw up her hand, raising a circle, blocking them from Quinn. When the bolt hit the shield, it bounced back and slammed into Quinn’s chest. The male fell to the ground, unmoving.

Once Ava took down the circle, Kellam glanced into the room. “What are we to do with her?”

“She’s no threat anymore. I took her powers from her. Although, I’m not sure just how I did it. I say send her to Kenia so she can learn to be nice and to live without magick. Like all the people of Edra have had to do for so long.” Ava glanced at Finn and then drew her brows together. “If that is what you want to do. You are King, after all.”

Finn snaked his arms around her waist and tugged her to him so their bodies meshed together. Desire heated her insides, and she ached to get him alone. One dark brow rose and he smiled as if knowing where her thoughts had gone. “And you are Queen. Your word is law, as well.”

“Well, then we need to consult with Willow too since Sana is also a Calim.”

Finn nodded. “We can. For now, Sana will go to your great-aunt. If Willow wishes, and thinks death is more suitable, I’ll honor her word.”

Ava frowned. She wasn’t sure she could ever order anyone to death. Well, except for Quinn. He deserved what he got, even though it was self-defense.

“Hey.” Finn cupped her chin and turned her face to his. “You restored the magick.”

“What? How?”

With a gentle tug, Finn steered her down the hall. “You were right about Quinn cursing Edra and blocking the magick. I’m not sure how he did it, but the moment he died, I felt the snap of the curse breaking. I can feel the magick around us, and I know it’s only stronger at home.”

A smile formed on her mouth and her heart swelled. The elves of Edra had their lives back. The war was finally over, and the aftermath was no more. She was free to go home.

Home? She was home. These were her people, her family. She belonged in Edra.

Coming to a stop, she framed Finn’s face. “I’m falling in love with you. I’m not sure I’ll make a good Queen, but I’m willing to try.”

His face brightened with happiness. “I fell in love with you the moment I saw you.” He kissed her and scooped her up in his arms. A moment later, they materialized in his bedroom at the palace.

“Welcome home, my Queen.”

The End

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Skeleton Key
novella!

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.

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Skeleton Key
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About the Author

In 2008, Lia Davis ventured into the world of writing and publishing and never looked back. She has published more than twenty books, including the bestselling
A Tiger’s Claim
, book one in her fan favorite Ashwood Falls series. Her novels feature compassionate yet strong alpha heroes who know how to please their women and her leading ladies are each strong in their own way. No matter what obstacle she throws at them, they come out better in the end.

While writing was initially a way escape from real world drama, Lia now makes her living creating worlds filled with magic, mystery, romance, and adventure so that
others
can leave real life behind for a few hours at a time.