Enthrall Me (The conclusion to Enchant Me) by Anne Violet Page A

him.”
    A fireball appeared in her hand, and with the glint in her eye, I knew it wasn’t a bluff. The guy at her side held her back. The older man stepped forward then and spoke. “Your whole Grove attacked us for one man’s revenge,” he glanced at Christian then back to me, “because of a broken heart? I don’t think so.”
    “That’s what I believed,” I lied, doing my best to keep my emotions even, I had learned some tricks living with an Empath. Uncertainty passed over her features, but she didn’t seem confident either way.
    They asked me question after question, some I could answer, and others I wouldn’t. Off and on they would let Christian play with my mind, in hopes of getting the answer they needed, but most of the time I passed out, or Ciara would stop him.
    More days passed, and they realized I had no more, or would give no more information, and they left me alone. And in this time, I figured out my Grove’s plan. I also understood why they took Alexis and left me behind. If we had just taken Christian and ordered him to help our Grove, he would’ve just refused, no matter what they did to him, but with Alexis they had leverage. Now it was up to me to deliver him. I tried to ignore the worry that crept into my mind, but couldn’t. What would they do to Alexis to bring Christian to his knees.
    I contemplated various schemes to trick Christian into coming to France, and then it clicked. I didn’t need to. They would know anything at this point would be a trap, so why hide it. Christian would do anything for Alexis, even risk his own life. No schemes were necessary, he would come on his own.

    With perfect timing, Ciara and Christian came down the stairs, primed I could tell, for another useless interrogation. They both whirled around at the sound of someone running down the stairs. A short Asian girl appeared, shaking with shock. She glanced back and forth between Ciara and Christian. “She’s at the veil, Alexis is at the veil!”
    “What?” I burst out. The other two had been shocked into silence.
    Finally Ciara spoke. “Mika, how can you sense someone so far away?” The girl named Mika became nervous, and looked away.
    “I increased her powers,” Christian announced.
    “You what?” Ciara asked in a warning tone. Christian scowled at her, and didn’t respond. “How dare you do that. She’s just a child,” she screeched at him.
    “I needed to know she’s still alive,” he roared back. Then his attention shifted to me, he hated me more than ever now. I couldn’t help but flinch in anticipation of one of his mind torture sessions.
    “Christian, no!” Ciara ordered.
    “I’ll get their location from him this time,” he ground out.
    No, he wouldn’t.
    “He’s never going to tell us. I can feel his resolve on that.”
    Frustrated and in pain from being chained down in the same position for days, with very little breaks, I yelled at both of them. “We don’t have time for this. Didn’t you hear that kid? Alexis is on the verge of death,” I studied Christian. “You already know what you need to do.”
    “It’s a trap,” Ciara said, stating the obvious.
    “Yes, but you’re going to go anyways,” I replied, looking meaningfully at Christian.
    “Mika, can you tell us anything else? Can you talk to her?” Ciara pleaded.
    Mika shook her head. “Not until she crosses over.”
    Christian and I stared each other down. “You need me Christian. I won’t help you destroy my Grove, but I will try to help you save Alexis.”
    Ciara considered me for a second. “I can sense his sincerity, at least regarding Alexis.” Christian nodded acknowledgement, he had no delusions about my feelings towards his own safety. “Come upstairs,” she commanded.
    “There’s nothing to talk about Ciara. I’m going. I don’t need your permission to leave. I will bring Alexis back,”
    “I agree, but we will still discuss the situation upstairs,” she replied through gritted teeth, and