The Shadow Prince (Mortal Enchantment, #1)

Chapter Four

I sat for a long moment, dumbfounded. "You can't be serious."

She grinned proudly. "I am."

I searched my mind for any reasonable explanation for her request, but came up with nothing. "What did Kalin ever do to you?"

She sat in her chair, tapping her fingers against the arm rest. "These are my terms, Rowan. If you want the crown, you will kill her."

My mother has never been rational. Actually, she was crazy most of the time. But this was a stretch, even for her. "What you're asking is far beyond murder; it's treason." It would mean breaking every rule in the decrees. Just considering this warranted my execution. "If you want me to do this, I need to know why."

She leaned back in her chair with a disgusted look. No one questioned her orders. After a minute of contemplation, she said, "I believe Kalin is the next akasha."

An akasha was an elemental capable of controlling all four elements of nature. There had been many over the centuries, but there hasn't been a new akasha since the last one died over one hundred years ago. Many thought they were extinct. "That's impossible. The akasha has always been a pureblood elemental. Last time I checked, Kalin was a halfling."

Leaning forward, she scowled at me. "No one knows why an akasha is born. There are no rules to say it must be a purebred."

I crossed my arms. "Why do you believe she's one of them?"

"Taron has kept her in the mortal world, guarded by his knights since her birth-"

"She's the daughter of a king. I don't think it's unreasonable that he would want her protected." Having no concept of real love, it wasn't a surprise that she couldn't understand why a parent would safeguard their child.

"That's not my only reason," she said, visibility aggravated that I interrupted her. "My spies tell me she's never been trained to control her air element. And, she's never once visited Avalon where her power would be strongest."

The decrees prohibit spying on other courts. Of course, my mother wasn't big on following the rules. Although, I had to admit, what she was saying was unusual behavior for an elemental. We each learned to control our element as children. No exceptions. Taron did seem to be hiding her, but was she really the next akasha? "Okay, let's assume you're right. How does this harm you? Their sole purpose of existence is to keep the four elements in balance."

She rose. "Taron plans to put her on the throne. If Kalin is the akasha and the air court queen, it gives their court too much power."

"I get it now. It doesn't bother you that she might be the akasha. You're upset because she's part of another court."

She held up her hand, done listening to me. "I have sufficiently answered your questions. You will kill the Princess or you will not ever sit on my throne. Think it through, Rowan, because this will be your only opportunity."

The magnitude of her request finally started to settle in. "You do realize the coronation is only days away, right? Even if I agreed, there's not enough-"

"Then I suggest you leave immediately," she said, leaving the room before I had time to finish my response.

The voices and loud music ringing out all around me had ceased. All I heard was the rapid beating of my own heart.

After this latest demand, there was no question my mother needed to be removed from power. It should have happened a long time ago. As king, I could erase all the fear felt by the members of our court. I could release the Gabriel Hounds from their positions of servitude. Not to mention, my best friend could be free to be with the girl he was falling for.