Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 91049 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 455(@200wpm)___ 364(@250wpm)___ 303(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91049 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 455(@200wpm)___ 364(@250wpm)___ 303(@300wpm)
“Your power will be bonded to the roses you so love, but a rose will be your undoing.”
A single rose appears before me, suspended in the air. Its closed red petals turn from a lush red to burning flames. “This rose will bloom when you turn twenty and five. If you can’t love and find love by the time the last fiery petal falls, you will remain in this state forever. Your powers lost, and all of you forgotten forever.”
“No,” I roar.
Looking at Bach as he has turned into a tiny fairy, I begin to fight the spell. My magic fights back from deep within. I will not allow this.
“You and the others who do not reside here must leave now,” the woman says to Helenier.
“Is it done?”
“It is. I will banish this castle to a far way realm. That will hold her power and the spell. Leave, all of you, leave now or be trapped here forever.”
“And no one will remember this night?”
“No, you are the only one who will remember what has happened here. She and this castle will be all but forgotten by all of this realm.” She looks Helenier over. “I warn you. If I die, this enchantment dies with me.”
Helenier’s face fills with anger as she purses her lips, but she takes off without a word. I continue to fight, but nothing is working. I roar loudly and begin to sob.
“Why?” I sob.
“Power such as yours needs balance. You weren’t given this lesson. Your heart is cruel and knows not real love. You, my child, are spoiled.”
Her words echo as she disappears. I can feel the castle in motion. My stomach tightens and my thoughts race. How could this be happening?
Suddenly, it’s like the castle has been dropped. The loud sound of its landing fills the air. The binds around me fall away.
I stand and stumble over to the nearest mirror. Tears well as I look at my reflection. The enchantress’s words come back to me.
This rose will bloom when you turn twenty and five. If you can’t love and find love by the time the last fiery petal falls, you will remain in this state forever. Your powers lost, and all of you forgotten.
“Who will ever love this?” I cry and drop to my knees, using my magic to crack the mirror reflecting the beast I’ve become.
This can’t be real. This isn’t my fate. What am I to do?
Chapter 2
Mismatched
Argon
One Hundred and fifty years later…
Heavy rain falls from the sky like the weeping tears of widows in the night, with no end to their sorrow in sight. I haven’t seen rain like this in years. It speaks to my heart and its wariness.
With my magic, I stop the rain above and cause my cloak to vanish. Each step feels weighted as I move forward—much like my thoughts.
Sorrow fills the air. This memorial site always has the feeling of sadness. It’s as if our world understands how great the loss of our queen was.
I glance around at the glowing flowers my father enchanted in memory of Mother. Magic dew drips from them. Giving the illusion that even the flowers weep for the loss of our great queen.
“Hello, Mother,” I say as I sit on my knees before the statue. I can’t bear to look up at its face. Father used the best sculptures to capture her likeness and they nailed it.
I still remember the day she fell ill. We sat in the library together. Me reading, and her looking through some holograms. I can still hear the gasp that fell from her lips before she collapsed to the ground.
Unfortunately, nothing could heal her, and she released this life only a few short months after. My father was devastated, as was our kingdom.
Although my pain was great, I don’t think anything could come close to the pain my father felt. He has repeatedly said it didn’t feel natural; it wasn’t real. His response to her death was as great as his pain, and now… now my fate has been sealed, and as a result of it, I’m lost in sorrow of my own.
I stare down at my hand as I allow my magic to run through it. The blue light that surrounds my fingers is only a fraction of my true power. I close my hand and bare my teeth, finally looking up at the statue.
“How could a woman who can’t use this small measure of power without harming herself be my soul match? Mother, nothing makes sense around here anymore. I wish you were here.”
My thoughts go back to the ceremony. Nothing happened as my father said it should’ve. There was no burning sensation in my chest, revealing that my spirit link was open. I felt no pull.
I could barely feel enough magic coming from Coralo to believe she possessed any at all, let alone be my soul match. I am the prince of the Kunglig Kingdom. Our family has power that surpasses most kingdoms on our plane.