Mortal Enchantment (14 page)

‟All I could make out were their feet. A man in a nice suit who came off pretty intimidating, and an air court elemental wearing yellow robes. The air court voice I didn't recognize, but the other sounded a bit like you.”

He chuckled. ‟Like me?”

‟No, I mean, the door was shut, and it was one of the thick iron doors. They seemed to be standing in an old prison cell.”

‟Why would I be meeting with someone in the basement cells?”

‟Well, obviously it wasn’t you. They were talking about preparations. I came in at the tail-end of the conversation, but it was about everything continuing to go as planned. And they mentioned the council, the Ball, and I think they were also talking about me.”

He rubbed the side of his cheek. ‟Did they mention your Dad?”

‟No, but I feel like this air court member was close to Dad. Maybe he was helping the other guy kidnap him.”

He waved his arms. ‟Whoa, whoa, whoa. Whatever you do, don't repeat that to anyone else.”

I was overwhelmed with urgency. ‟Why? I need to go in front of the council and tell them what I saw.”

‟You saw feet and heard part of a conversation. You can’t go to the council until you have solid proof that an air elemental was involved. It could be someone on the council. You don’t want to let them know. They could panic and kill your father, Kalin.” Rowan put his hand on my shoulder. ‟You could be on to something, but we need to find evidence before we get anyone else involved.”

‟But that's what I mean. Nothing's happened. No evidence. No nothing.” I took an exaggerated breath. ‟Something is going to happen at the Ball. I can feel it.”

He ran his fingers through his hair. ‟Kalin, we don't know if they were talking about your Dad. Like you said, they never mentioned him or the kidnapping. You need to be smarter about this. You have to find proof.”

‟Then help me. Come to the Ball tonight.”

He immediately shook his head. ‟I'll head down into the basement and look for clues while everyone else is at the Ball. This way, no one will get suspicious.”

I couldn’t help feeling disappointed that he wasn’t coming to the Ball. Yeah, it was lame considering the circumstances, but I would bet he looked amazing in a tuxedo. ‟Okay fine. I'm going to go meet up with Ariel and see what kind of dress I can salvage for the Ball. Track me down if you find any evidence.”

He cupped my shoulders with his hands, peering down until we were only inches apart. The cinnamon scent of him was all around and I took in a deep breath. ‟Try to get this out of your head. All you need to be thinking about is the display of power. Keep your emotions under control. I know you can do this.”

So my to-do list consists of the following: Going to the Ball in what's left of my dress, displaying my brand new power by extinguishing a fireball as it's thrown at my head, uncovering evidence to stop a traitor’s plot, oh and of course, save my father's life. Sure, no problem.

After I got out of the bath, I heard a knock on my bedroom door. When I opened it, Ariel stood there with a gown folded under her arm, a wrapped box in her hand. We made eye contact and the side of her mouth twitched slightly. But when she smiled, the guilt from yesterday churned in my stomach.

I stepped out of the way so she could come inside. She laid the dress and gift box on the
bed, then she turned around to face me. She was a total knockout in a beautiful lavender strapless gown with a fitted bodice and flowing empire skirt. Her hair hung down her back in loose curls, and her lips were cherry red.

I held up my hand. ‟Before you say anything, I need to apologize. I feel awful about what I said and how I left. I was so wrong on every possible level.”

The tension she had in her shoulders visibly released. ‟I'm sorry too. I should have had the fabric inspected. I never imagined something like that would happen.”

Ariel had gone out of her way to help me since I’d first arrived. She had become more than just an aid assigned to support me. She was a friend I could be totally honest with. A person who understood me. And no matter what, I did not want to lose her. ‟You know, I'd rather just forget it ever happened. Are we still friends?”

‟Of course!”

I wrapped my arms tight around her neck. It was a hug-it-out moment. ‟Since we've cleared that up, what goodies have you brought me?”

I released her from my embrace. She held up the dress. To my complete shock, it was the poisoned dress. ‟How is this possible? Is it safe?”

‟Of course! The woodland faeries have their own brand of concoctions. They used some kind of herbal powder to remove the toxins. Then they repaired the damages.” She fluffed the bottom of the gown. ‟I told you, they're the best.”

I took a closer look at the fabric. It was perfect. ‟I'm completely impressed.” I ran my fingers over the elegant cloth. It was still as soft as it was on the spool.

Ariel laid the garment back down on the bed. ‟We've got plenty left to do before you're ready to try it on again.”

She spent the next hour twisting and pinning my wavy hair into an over-the-shoulder style. I reached behind, running my hand down a curved braid with tiny flowers tucked inside. My hair was truly glamorous. After my tresses were fit for a red carpet, Ariel applied my make-up. She used subtle cool tones for my eyes and cheeks, but when she got to my lips, she chose the same bright red lipstick she was wearing.

When I saw the finished product, I was overwhelmed. I could not believe it was me in the mirror’s reflection. I put my hand on my chest. ‟Thank you so much for this. Everything is so perfect.”

‟Not just yet.” She wiggled her eyebrows, heading over to the gift box she had sat on my bed, she handed it to me. ‟Somebody left this outside your door. By the size of the box, I'm guessing its jewelry. Maybe it's meant for the Ball?”

The only person who had left anything for me was Rowan. Could he have left another gift? Something he wanted me to wear to the Ball? The thought gave me a shimmer of excitement. I opened the box, another soft black box sat inside. It was a ring box. I recognized it from all the engagement advertisements on television.

I opened the box, taking a heavy breath as Ariel gasped. It was a thick white-gold ring with a yellow topaz round stone in the center. The air court symbols were embedded on both sides of the center stone.

I would recognize the ring anywhere.

Dad never took it off.

‟What does this mean?” Ariel shrieked.

I held the ring inside my clenched fist. The metal dug into my skin. ‟It means the people who took my father are here.”

Ariel was visibly shaking with what I assumed was fear. Her eyes darted around the room like she expected to find a hidden camera or something. ‟But how did they get so close to you? And why would they leave the ring?”

Because they wanted me to be afraid, and they succeeded. ‟I think they want me to know how easy it is to get to me. To make me feel vulnerable.”

Ariel rushed to the door. ‟We need to report this to Jarrod. We have to alert the knights.”

She reached for the handle and I put my hand on top of hers. ‟No. I'm going to go the Ball as scheduled. I won't let them know I've flinched. That's exactly what they want.”

‟But, Kalin―”

I could not let her go to Jarrod and the knights. Rowan planned to search the basement for clues. If the knights went searching the castle, they would find Rowan and possibly ruin everything. ‟You have to trust me here. They won't make a move at the Ball. There will be witnesses everywhere. What I really need to do is to get through the night. We'll deal with this afterwards.”

Ariel chewed on her bottom lip. It was easy to see she didn’t agree with me, but she had no choice, and she knew it. ‟I'll stay with you all night. I won't take any chances.”

‟Come on, girl. I promise, everything will be fine.” I let her out the door and followed down the hallway toward the ballroom. I swallowed hard, hoping she didn't notice my anxiety. She needed to think everything would turn out okay. I wanted to believe it too, but I wasn't certain.

Nothing was certain anymore.

The sun set, illuminating the stone hallway with a glint of tangerine. The farther we moved down the corridor, the louder the piano music sounded with a mass of voices in the background. I shook along with Ariel’s jitters. Of course, I had no choice since she had my arm wrapped inside hers. At the end of the walkway stood two French style golden doors, both engraved with a mountain landscape etching.

I pulled on her arm, and we stopped. ‟Come on, Ariel. I need you to be brave with me or I'll never get through this.”

She smiled back at me. ‟You’re right, I'm sorry. Nothing has changed. You'll go in there and claim the power for the air court then we'll worry about the rest later.”

I wasn’t entirely sure who she was trying to reassure. I took the last few steps, settling right in front of the massive door.

Ariel tapped on the door with the leaf shaped knocker. Her arm still nestled in mine, we waited as the door screeched open. The music echoed down the hall while a brush of cool air pushed the curls away from my face. I turned away as the setting sun's light poured out of the entrance. Ariel led us inside, oblivious to the brightness.

I opened my eyes, taking in the packed ballroom. White marble floors sparkled in every direction with couples moving across a crowded dance floor. The women wore exquisite Ball gowns in a riot of colors. All were beautiful—some were made of fabric while others were made of flowers and vines. The men managed to look just as dreamy. All wore black tuxedos with ties, vests, and even some scattered top hats. Each guest had a mask either covering their eyes or their entire faces. Of course, the masks matched to coordinate each couple.  It was a scene straight out of Phantom of the Opera.

We stood at the top of a double stairway for several minutes. I was captivated by the orchestra sitting right in between the two staircases. Gnomes from the woodland court held string instruments and flutes, or sat behind various drums. With each hypnotic chord the entire room vibrated in exact unison. The dancers flowed with the music almost like a joint performance. My body stirred with a desire to join them. But before I could take my first step down the long stairwell, I felt a tickle behind my ear.

‟Surely you can't expect to attend a masquerade ball without a mask?” Ariel asked rhetorically while she attached the yellow mask behind my ears.

I zipped around, catching a glimpse of my reflection. The mask matched my yellow gown exactly, only covering my eyes and nose. A starburst of diamonds exploded over the middle of the mask, tracing the eye holes. Ariel appeared beside me in the reflection. Her mask had feathers across the top, matching flawlessly to her gleaming lavender gown.

Ariel spun me around until our eyes met. ‟Now, this part is very important. When the music stops, they will announce you. You'll see your escort on the other end of the stairs. They will say your name and you'll meet him halfway. He'll put your hand inside his arm and you'll walk to the middle of the dance floor. Then, you dance. Got it?”

My heart pounded like a beating drum. ‟Hold on a second, an
escort
? Why do I need an escort?”

She shook her head, laughing. ‟Relax, it's only for a few minutes. The escort will help you down the steps. You’ll walk, you’ll dance, and you're done.” She repositioned a few of my curls. ‟It's no big deal, I promise.”

I watched the couples below doing some old-school waltz. The room suddenly felt incredibly hot. A drop of sweat ran down my back and I was sure my face was blood red. ‟But Ariel, I don't know how to dance like that.”

My chest tightened.
Is this what it feels like to hyperventilate?

She fanned my face with her hand. ‟All you need to do is concentrate on the music, the steps will come. Don't over-think it.”

The steps will just come?
Oh good, I'm feeling so much better now!

Ariel's eyes widened for a split second, then she immediately put her hands at her sides and bowed. Over my shoulder I saw the woodland court king and queen. We remained still as they moved toward us. The queen was picture perfect with porcelain skin and long brown hair hanging in loose curls down most of her back. Her dress was a strapless forest green gown with white flowers sewn into the bottom trim. The king looked flawless in a black tuxedo with a green tie matching the queen’s gown.

I took Ariel's cue, bowing my head.

The king spoke first. ‟You've arrived at last, Princess Kalin. The fire and water courts have already been announced.”

Now was not the time to tell them about the ring. ‟I apologize if anyone had to wait. We had a bit of last minute drama to deal with, but it's resolved.”

His voice turned sullen. ‟I had hoped Taron would have surfaced by now. He is an ally to the House of Gheb, as well as the entire woodland court. His disappearance has upset us deeply.”

His allegiance to Dad was not a surprise. Dad had told me many stories about his longtime friendship with King Orion.

‟I had hoped the same, Your Majesty. I'm sure the council is doing all they can to find him.” I lied. No matter how useless they seemed, I needed their help. After the Ball, I planned to call an emergency meeting and tell them about the dream vision of Dad, as well as show them the ring.

The king and queen moved into position at the top of the staircase. ‟For now, I hope you can enjoy the Ball. The shifting of power is an important moment for your court. Your father would be proud to see you now, Kalin.”

I forced a smile. His words sliced into my chest like a sword. King Orion meant well, but thinking of my father in his current state made my heart ache.

The music stopped except for a trumpet drawing everyone's attention toward us. Ariel led me to the side of the steps behind the king and queen, then disappeared into the crowd below. I fanned my hand in front of my face to create a little breeze while I replayed every step of what Ariel had told me. I hadn’t noticed that a man in a black tuxedo now stood parallel to me. Minus the diamonds around the eye holes, he had an identical mask. His hair was slicked back and his face was cleanly shaven. Whoever he was, he had yummy written all over him.