Chapter 3

I came to in a cell. My head throbbing from the blow that had knocked me out. I stood up, wanting to see what I could discover about where I was being held. Black spots clouded my vision accompanied by dizziness and an overwhelming need to vomit, forcing me to sit back down with my head between my knees. As I sat there, taking small slow breaths to calm my stomach, electricity filled the room. It felt like lightening was about to strike in my cell, causing the hair on my arms to stand up.

"Why are you here?" came a man's voice that sent shivers of excitement to the core of my being. When I didn't respond, I heard him sigh.

I chanced a peak and was surprised to find him close to the cell bars, staring at me intently. The light I had seen around him during the fight seemed brighter inside the dark room. Before I knew I had done it, my body had risen and I was standing directly in front of him, only the bars separating us.

"Why are you here?" he repeated.

My heart fluttered. My body wanted to be wrapped around his, but I fought the urge and mustered all the anger I had to keep myself from begging him to open the cell and ravish me.

"I'm here to kill you, your highness". I responded, hoping that my voice sounded strong and cold.

"Oh?" his eyebrow raised, and a smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth," And what exactly is it that I have done to warrant death by the hand of the Princess of the Water Clan?"

I stood silently, trying to fight against every urge my body was having in response to this man. I was supposed to be avenging Mikah, not throwing myself at someone who had a hand in his murder. He reached his hand in the cell and touched my face gently, sending sparks of pleasure across my skin before hastily removing it as if he had remembered that I was the enemy. His sudden touch and withdrawal sending pangs of rejection through me, giving me something to latch my anger onto.

"You had my brother murdered and stole his wings!" I spat at him with venom in my voice.

He laughed causing me to glance up at him. He ran his hands through his dark hair as if unsure of what he had just heard and how to respond. After a moment he reached for the keys and unlocked my cell door. Fuck! I retreated towards the wall of the cell, certain that he was going to murder me as well.

"Princess you are mistaken", he said, advancing toward me in the cell, "I think we may have a common enemy though. My own father wa" I lunged forward, hoping to knock him off balance so I could escape through the open door.

"What the fuck are you doing!" he exclaimed as he grabbed my hands and jerked me up, pinning me to the cell wall by my wrists. "I'm trying to tell you my own father was murdered this morning and his wings were stolen as well!" He leaned his face down close to mine, only an inch separating us.

"Lies!" I spat.

"Look, if you promise not to attempt to" My body moved of its own volition again, my lips crashing into his, cutting off whatever he was about to say.

Fated mates were supposed to be a myth, but apparently the Goddess had a twisted sense of humor fating me to my enemy. My mind was warring with my body, but my body was winning. I felt my legs lift and wrap around his waist, pulling him into me. His body responded to my own and I could feel his arousal, separated only by our pants. I was surprised at the whimper that escaped my lips when he tore his mouth from mine.

"Oh Goddess, oh fuck!" he whispered breathlessly. "Stop!" He commanded me, my body grinding against his with a mind of its own.

The need in his voice only sent my body further into a frenzy. I was going to tear the clothes off this man and have him whether my brain wanted it or not. Sensing that I was unable to stop myself, he let go of my wrists and forcibly shoved me off of him.

"Damn it woman! I'm trying to tell you that I will show you my father's body if you promise not to try and murder me!", something in the tone of his voice snapped my control back into place.

I didn't respond. I was trying to compose myself and make sense of what he had just said. There was a sincerity in his words that made me want to believe it wasn't some trick to throw me off and keep me from killing him and his father. He turned his back to me and walked towards the cell door.

"Well? Are you coming? I don't think you're going to kill me after that little display unless you plan to sex me to death".

I felt my face flame from embarrassment but followed him out of the cell. I was surprised that he didn't blindfold me or put a hood over my head before leading me through his palace. He strolled casually through the halls as if I weren't his sworn enemy. He stopped abruptly causing me to collide into his back. Electric sparks lit up my body where it had touched him, and I heard him inhale sharply.

"His body is in here." He said, guiding me into a room.

He hadn't been lying. I saw the Kings body propped in a large bed. His throat had clearly been cut, but someone had stitched it closed like they had done for Mikah. His wings also weren't on display. I wanted to believe this was some messed up trick, but I knew that our wings could no longer retract after death. The noticeable absence of color in the king's face and his wings nowhere in sight, there was no denying he had met the same fate as Mikah.

"Who?" I asked softly.

"He had a piece of cloth with part of the Earth clan seal in his hand when he was discovered. Though, given that you are here to kill me because of your brother's murder, I'd now be willing to bet the Earth clan has experienced a similar murder."

This man's mind was fast. He put that together just from what I had said in the cell. I was impressed.

"I think someone is trying to start war between all the kingdoms" he continued, "Without burning my father's wings, I can't send his magic back into the collective, neither can you without your brothers. Someone wants us doubly weakened."

What he said was making sense. Even though there were regular skirmishes between our kingdoms at the border, we did have a treaty. The main fighting had ended years ago when I was still a child. Our kingdoms weren't allies by any stretch of the imagination, but the treaty had prevented us from being openly enemies even if we hated each other. The Earth clan was also on good terms with both of our clans, they had no reason to assassinate the Fire clan's king. At least no reason that was known to my clan. They had remained neutral in our war, refusing to break alliance with either side. The whole thing reeked of a deeper plot.

I was pulled from my thoughts by sparks shooting through my hand. When I glanced up at the Prince, he appeared surprised that he had taken my hand in his. He didn't pull away when he realized what he had done though, instead he gently led me to the door to exit the room.

"You must be exhausted and starving. I'll take you to one of the guest suites and have food sent for you." His voice barely above a whisper.

"My men!" I exclaimed, suddenly remembering that I hadn't come on this mission alone.

"They are in the dungeon. I had you placed in an interrogation cell, but I expect your men are on orders to kill me. I can't let them out until those orders are rescinded and I'm certain they won't make an attempt on my life."

"Then why put me in a suite instead of back in the interrogation cell?"

"We're fated Princess, I knew it the moment I laid eyes on you in the skirmish. I know you feel it too given your actions in the cell. You couldn't kill me no matter how badly you wanted to." He chuckled. "You're also still holding my hand."

Fuck! It felt so natural to let him lead me by the hand that I hadn't noticed I had never pulled away. He may have been framed for my brother's murder, but we were still enemies. We had been since before I was born. I knew better than to question the Goddess, but she had some serious explaining to do.

"This is your suite Princess." He said, "I'll have food sent up from the kitchen so you can eat. The servants have already laid out some sleepwear and there is a bathroom inside where you can bathe if you wish. I will leave you for the night and we can talk more in the morning."

"Thank you, your highness." I responded with a slight curtsy. He may be an enemy, but he was still royalty.

"Aro, you can call me Aro."

"My name is Miriam."

"Well, goodnight Miriam, sleep well." Before I could say anything else, he had closed the door and was gone.