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

sat a silver box on top of a chest of drawers. Dad opened the box, pulling out a chunk of what looked like fresh red meat. He fed it to the bird. Blood dripped down his beak. Gross. “I know what you did back there, but it wasn’t necessary. I had it under control.”
    There was no way he was okay. Why wasn’t he being honest with me? How could I help him if he refused to see what was right in front of him? “No, you didn’t. Your hands were trembling.”
    “Trembling?” he repeated as if I had said a joke. “That doesn’t mean anything. I’m still recovering from the iron poisoning. Trust me, in a few days I’ll be as good as new.”
    Dad put his arm around my shoulders, squeezing me closer. The sense of security that came from his embrace was instant—knowing I was safe and loved. Memories of him from my childhood flooded my mind. They were only dreams, but even then I knew his power was boundless. But those thoughts vanished when I wrapped my arm around his waist and I felt his ribcage. He had lost a considerable amount of weight—at least thirty pounds. He was saying all the right things, but the physical evidence was undeniable.
    “Please Dad; tell me what’s happening to you?” I pinched his side for dramatic effect. “You’re losing a lot of weight and you’re obviously weak. I want to help you, but I don’t know what to do.”
    He lowered his head, taking a deep breath. “I don’t know, sweetheart. In all my years, nothing like this has ever happened before.”
    Fear strangled me. I could barely get the words out. “Are you…dying?”
    “I don’t know.”
    I was sick of feeling helpless. There had to be something I could do. If I was the akasha, as Dad believed I was, shouldn’t I be able to give him some of my power? Couldn’t I regenerate him or permanently transfer power to him? What was the point of being this all-powerful elemental if I couldn’t save my own father? “I need to learn more about these powers I’m supposed to have. There has to be a way to wake them up. Maybe if I had them, I could save you.”
    “Don’t worry about saving me. If this is meant to be, it will be. But if you truly want to learn more about your powers, I have a possible solution.”
    My eyebrows knit together. “What do you mean?”
    “Our court protects the sacred texts. Within those documents, you’ll find all the records of our existence back to the creation of this world. Some of those books you’ve already read.”
    Of course. I’d spent half my childhood reading those books, and then Dad would come into my dreams and explain anything I didn’t understand. I learned all about the formation of the courts, the decrees we lived by, and the systems we lived within. “None of those books mentioned akashas from the past.”
    “Within those halls, we have many books and objects unknown to most of the elementals. Only the heads of the royal families can access the hidden areas. The knowledge within those books has been a well-guarded secret.”
    This last week was a nightmare for me. I had tried everything I could think of to come up with a way to ignite my akasha powers, and all along he had the answer. “Why didn’t you tell me about the secret books before now? I’ve been going crazy trying to figure this out on my own.”
    His voice turned stern as he replied, “You were meant to gain the knowledge once you ascended to power. Just telling you of their existence breaks our laws.”
    More about the rules? The council took great pleasure in explaining the rules to me. I may have rescued Dad earlier if these so-called rules weren’t in place. “Will these books tell me how to turn my power on?”
    “Maybe. Maybe not.” He sat down on the side of his massive bed. “Several of the previous akashas kept journals. You might find the answers you’re looking for in their words.”
    I was dumbstruck. “You’ve never read them?”
    “They aren’t in a language I understand.”
    Oh this just