Fragile Reign (Mortal Enchantment Book 2) Read Online Free PDF Page A

too much power and ended up passing out right on the beach. Rowan told me that using too much energy could cause an elemental to go into a coma or even die. “Dad, you’ve been out here for a while.” A knot formed in my throat and I swallowed it down. “How about we go inside and get some breakfast?”
    Dad ignored my concern. “Patience, my girl.”
    When he reached into the sky again, his arm was trembling. He was going to hurt himself. Or even worse. I had to do something fast, but I didn’t want to make a scene in public. If I had, I would basically be confirming the rumors going around. I grabbed his other hand and focused. I had spent time over the last week training with Ariel. We had practiced power transformation. As I squeezed his fingers, a surge of energy shot down my arm, settling into our joined hands. When he jolted, I knew the power transfer was complete.
    I quickly released his hand.
    Within seconds the noise from the storm had ceased. Darkened skies melted away, brightening into a creamy blue. Dad raised his palms above his head. The clouds floated higher into the sky, allowing us to see beneath the mountains. For the first time, the woodland forests came into view. It was a rare sight for everyone to enjoy. Dad kept the castle hidden within a blanket of clouds—most of the time—for our protection. A shield from what, he never said. The crowd cheered loudly, some patting Dad on the back. It was obvious they were happy to see him. He was well loved by our court.
    I tugged at his hand. “Come on, show’s over.” After a few more minutes, he was finally ready to go. We strolled toward a side entrance that few ever used. It was utilized mostly by Dad. As usual, two knights trailed us. Before Dad was kidnapped, his knights had allowed him private time—moments in the day when he could truly be alone. But after everything that happened, they now refuse to leave his side. They even stood outside his door while he used the bathroom, which I thought was overkill.
    Unlike the grand foyer with its exquisite marble, the side entrance was simple gray brick with rusting wall sconces holding lit candles. The cold, musty air made me shiver as we made our way down the dank walkway. There was so much I wanted to say to Dad, but I needed to get him alone. I didn’t trust anyone to hear the concerns I had over his weakened power. Down here, everything echoed. The clicks of our shoes sounded more like an army when it was actually only four sets of feet.
    When we finally reached Dad’s quarters, I turned to the two knights. “You can wait outside the door.”
    They hesitated, as if they were afraid to take their eyes off their king. I imagined that they felt responsible for what had happened to him. But they weren’t the only ones fooled. No one could’ve imagined that Jarrod—the leader of his knights and trusted friend—was the traitor. As well as Dad had known him, he was unaware that Jarrod had children. Everything about Jarrod was a well-kept secret. Even now, I could tell Dad still hurt from the sting of his betrayal.
    In my entire life, I had never wished death on anyone. But I was happy that Jarrod was dead.
    Dad pointed toward the door and the knights bowed. The handle clicked when they exited the room. We were finally alone in his private space. Almost. His over-sized brown owl sat perched on a wooden post. Bright yellow eyes watched me. Dad ran his finger over the back of his head, the bird nuzzling in response. They had clearly bonded. The creature left me unnerved, but he also led me back to the castle when I was lost in the woods. It wasn’t until Dad was in recovery and moved back into his room that I learned the owl was his pet.
    Dad’s relaxed demeanor made me feel like this was a good time to talk. “You have to be more careful.” I said, as he turned his attention to me. “You were struggling to control your power and I was afraid you might hurt yourself.”
    Beneath the owl’s perch