Read Online Enthrall Me (The conclusion to Enchant Me) by Anne Violet - Free Book Online Page A

Ciara had removed all traces of Brianna in the room, even the bed, which somehow made it even worse, more obvious that something, or someone was missing. Without speaking Alexis, threw a dark wrap over her black dress, and made to head out the door, but I grabbed her from behind, wrapping my arms around her. She tried to shrug off my hold. “Alexis, if you need to cry, just cry. You can’t keep holding it in, and pushing everyone away.”
    “Christian, let go,” she demanded, and tried to pry my fingers away.
    I held her even tighter still. “Do you even know how much it kills me to see you hurting, but acting like you’re not?”
    “I’ll cry all you want once we get through this, but until then don’t ask me to do that. Now, let me go,” she warned.
    Reluctantly I released her. “Will you at least tell me you love me?” I must’ve sounded pathetic enough, cause she glanced at me over her shoulder with a trace of the smile I was used to. “You know I do,” she answered then headed downstairs.
    We met up with everyone outside, and made our way to the circle. Most of the Groves from out of town, had left earlier in the week, but those that lived close, had returned for tonight’s ceremony. As we started up the path to the circle, groups started to form, divisions within the Groves themselves. Not just one Grove divided against the others, but within each individual Grove, sides were being taken. It had been going on ever since Brianna’s murder, and the council meeting.
    I felt uneasy with our people divided. Even now as we wound our way up, Grady, Liam, and Ciara walked ahead, while Alexis, Neila, and I walked behind. I could tell by the way Alexis looked at Ciara now, that she felt disillusioned. A part of me just wanted to grab Alexis and go home; our time here had been nothing but nightmare after nightmare. But I knew Alexis would never leave with things like this, and I too, wanted to avenge Brianna. Tomorrow another council meeting would be held to decide the Grove’s next action, since they had been unable to come to a decision the last time.
    We reached the circle, and everyone took their place around it. Ciara placed the urn with Brianna’s ashes on a center stone and stepped back, giving a nod to Neila who nodded stiffly back. Stepping within the circle of stones, Neila created a ball of fire in each of her hands and walked clockwise, in a symbolic gesture of the sun’s path around the circle, consecrating the space.
    I glanced down at the feel of Alexis’s shaking hand clasping mine. The control that Alexis had fought so hard to maintain, was close to breaking. She bit on her lip to keep from crying, and I forced myself to look away. If I comforted her now, she would lose it.
    Looking across the circle, I could see Liam staring at Neila with frustration and sorrow. I could guess his thoughts. He’d finally been getting close to prickly Neila, only to have recent events, break them apart again.
    Suddenly a scream filled the air, and Mika who had been standing at the other end of the circle came running towards us. Where she had been standing, a black fog crept towards us. Alarm raced through me as I sensed powers in that dark fog. Before I could say anything, a huge volley of objects hurtled toward us. Spheres made of fire, ice and energy rained down on us, and everyone scattered to the shelter of the trees around us. Everyone but Ciara. She stood her ground, protectively standing in front of Brianna’s urn. Without hesitation Grady raced across our circle and threw his arms around Ciara, he started to haul her to safety, just as a fireball streaked towards his back.
    Alexis cried out in warning, stepping out from the shelter of the forest, and with her powers, halted the weapon, and shot it back into the fog. The dark launched more weapons towards us, but this time accompanied by people. All those of us with powers leapt forward to fight. I darted over to Alexis, when abruptly someone stepped