Temperance

  Contents

  Temperance

  Copyright

  Also by Ella Frank

  Coat of Arms

  The Origin of the Sensualeer

  The Beginnings...

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Special Thanks

  Author's Links

  Ella Frank

  Copyright © 2014 by Ella Frank

  Edited by Mickey Reed

  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without the written permission of the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Also by Ella Frank

  The Exquisite Series

  Exquisite

  Entice

  Edible

  Standalone

  Blind Obsession

  Veiled Innocence

  The Temptation Series M/M

  Try

  Take

  A Desperate Man Series

  Co-authored with Brooke Blaine

  The Fantasy

  Many years ago, the mortals of Arcania succumbed to a deadly plague.

  The illness spread throughout the land, killing nearly all of those in its wake—save the one who started it.

  Caitlin, a magical being born of half-blood to the Guardians, surrendered to the power within her the day she met Dillon. With one touch, a touch she knew was best left unfulfilled, the desperate cravings her kind received in exchange overtook her mind, body, and soul.

  She became crazed, delirious with her own strengths and abilities, and when Dillon in turn rejected her for the power he had awakened, she decimated the fragile lands which he, a mortal, walked upon. No man, woman, or child was safe, and within days of her wrath having been unleashed, those who were not of a higher power perished under the weight of her magic.

  The Guardians, having witnessed this barbaric act of genocide, knew she needed to be stopped. If not, the world they had created over a millennium ago would implode upon itself, as there would be no one left to sustain its life-force. For Arcania’s core was fueled by the inner strengths those very mortals possessed. They were the keys.

  Deciding that the only way to stop her was by capture and banishment, they created a being of great power—one who was pure, a direct descendant of the three full-blood Guardians—to implement the task. For the only being who could hope to succeed was one of absolute power. The Hierophant.

  Sent down to the desolate wastelands that remained, he was instructed to wait at the heart of the land—the Gorge where the Twelve Lakes met. That was where the army of the Guardians would appear. They, together, would help to defeat Caitlin, who was high on the power of all those who’d fallen around her.

  It is rumored to have taken months to overthrow Caitlin, and once she was exiled, a new order was dictated.

  The Hierophant was to remain as a link between the mortals and Guardians, and from there on out, he would be the one to rule over all the land and name the Empress who would govern it. She, in turn, would be given an amulet that could be welded against any being of his kind should it ever come to this again.

  The soldiers were to stay behind also, for their powers enabled them to entice the mortals, and the Guardians knew they would be vital in the repopulation of Arcania. Their kind had been wandering amongst the people for decades—a mystery of sorts. It wasn’t until the battle that the mortals were made aware that those marked by the Guardians had a very specific name—one that encompassed their very actions and abilities.

  From that day forward, they would be known as the sensualeers.

  Arcania

  Past…

  The sun was shining and filtering through the branches of the tall trees as Maeve ran down the grassy bank of the Hei Falls.

  She loved this place. It was a magical little hideaway she and her three siblings had found when they were young children.

  It was on the West bank between two tall Sequoias, and when they stepped in between them, they emerged inside an old, crumbling ruin. They’d since made this spot their own, bringing blankets and other knickknacks in order to make it more…theirs.

  Today was different, however.

  She was no longer a child, but a young woman, and she was not meeting all of her siblings. She was meeting only one—Seraphine.

  She’d seen her just this morning, when her sister had been practicing her magic, and while Maeve had been climbing out of bed, she’d scared her half to death by appearing at the foot of it.

  Sera hadn’t actually been there in the room with her, but the image she’d been projecting was clear enough, as was the message she’d given Maeve to meet her here today.

  So there she was, racing along the bank and wondering what it could be.

  Was it something about tomorrow eve? No, that could not have been it. If anyone would have been told of anything regarding tomorrow’s ceremony, it would have been her.

  She was, after all, the guest of honor.

  When she finally reached the top of the small hill, Maeve stepped between the two trees and appeared in front of her sister.

  “Maeve,” Sera greeted with a grin as she hurried forward and reached for her with gloved hands. “You’re finally here.”

  Maeve smiled and let her sister lead her over to the long, wooden bench they had sat on as children while reading of faraway lands for hours at a time.

  It was peaceful there, and it was a place she loved to escape to. She often still came down with her writing paper and quill, but today, it seemed that Sera was using it for discretion—no one would find them there.

  “So? What is so exciting you couldn’t wait until I awoke to come find me?”

  Sera sat and urged her to do the same. Then she sank her top teeth into her bottom lip and appeared nervous, which had Maeve giving her fingers a light squeeze.

  “What is it?” she asked with a soft laugh. “You can tell me.”

  Sera glanced around as if she were checking to make sure they were alone, and then she turned back and confessed, “I’m in love.”

  The words were said on a rush of air. It was clear she’d been keeping this to herself, not wanting anyone else to know. But with all of the commotion in the castle over the last few days leading up to the ceremony, Sera had had no choice but to wait. But now, it was as if she were finally free of a burden she’d been carrying around.

  Maeve scooted in closer to her side and looked into her sister’s deep-blue eyes. She knew that Sera struggled with bei
ng different, but Maeve was also convinced that she was destined to be just as happy as the rest of them.

  “You are? Tell me about him. Who is he?”

  Sera twisted around so their knees were bumping and grinned even wider—if that were possible. “He is one of the Imperial Guards.”

  Maeve couldn’t help her excited laugh as she asked, “Have you told him yet?”

  “No,” Sera replied, shaking her head adamantly.

  “Why ever not?”

  “You know why, Maeve.”

  Maeve let her eyes move to the gloves Sera was wearing. They were always in place to protect those around her and cover the marking below. An intricate vine weaved up from the golden tip of her index finger and followed the veins in her forearm all the way to her shoulder, which was currently covered by her dress.

  “No man is going to want…what I am.”

  “That’s not true,” Maeve said, instantly jumping to her defense. “Any man would be lucky to have you. This…” She paused and touched her finger to the glove. “This is who you are, Sera. In fact, if truth be told, it enhances your appeal. It doesn’t diminish it.”

  Sera pulled her hands from hers and turned away. “That’s easy for you to say, Maeve. You aren’t the one who is marked or the one who lives with the stigma of a crazed Empress. You know that mortals fear my kind. That’s why we hide from them what we are.”

  The silence that hung between them was heavy and full of so many unshared emotions that neither really knew where to go from there. Maeve wanted to offer encouragement and support, but she wasn’t sure it was what Sera needed.

  “Are you nervous for tomorrow?” Sera asked.

  Tomorrow… She’d managed to push it aside for a few minutes.

  Maybe that was why she was so excited to hear more of Sera’s newfound love, because tomorrow, she would be given hers.

  A man chosen by someone other than herself.

  Decided by the Guardians, fate, or whatever you wanted to call it.

  Tomorrow, the Hierophant would name her ayon.

  “Yes,” she finally answered. “I am nervous. But this is what has been done for years, and it’s my duty to be next as the firstborn female.”

  Her sister nodded but said nothing, so Maeve kept talking.

  “Sera, I think you should tell him how you feel. I know, if I had the choice and felt as you do, I would. If he is meant to love you, and you him, then the Guardians would not let him ridicule you.”

  Maeve watched her as she mulled over her words and then stood.

  “Perhaps you are right,” she agreed, beginning to pace across the grass. “I will tell him after the ceremony. He’ll be there.”

  Maeve stood also and, once again, clasped both of her sister’s hands in her own. “I think that’s a wonderful idea. Just think—by tomorrow eve, we shall both know what our fates will be.”

  Sera sighed, seemingly more relaxed now that her decision was made clear, as they walked over to the Sequoias. “Indeed, sister. I believe we shall.”

  * * *

  The time was upon her.

  It was the night of the Ascension.

  Maeve looked herself over in the full-length mirror and wondered what the night would bring. Her raven-black hair had been gathered in a loose, knotted bun at the nape of her neck and had varying shades of turquoise sapphires pinned throughout. The blue and green hues sparkled under the glow of the firelight and matched the jewel-colored tones of her elaborate gown.

  Every panel had been intricately stitched by the handmaidens of L’Mere. They took great pride in their work and the fact that they were touching the next Empress’s attire.

  A crisscross of lacing held the bodice together and was secured at the base of her spine with silk ribbons, which were tied in an elaborate bow. The back of the garment was a flourish of the finest materials, decorated with the feathers of a peacock and gemstones of their land. Altogether, the ensemble was breathtaking.

  She gently ran her hands down the front of the material and wondered again if she would feel different come tomorrow. But there’d be no way of knowing until the night was over, so it was best to go and do what needed to be done.

  There was a soft knock at her bedroom door, and as she looked at it in the reflection of her mirror, she spotted her sister Sera poking her dark-haired head inside.

  “Good eve to you, Empress.”

  Maeve turned and gave her younger sister a smile. “Don’t call me that, Sera. It’s not my title to use.”

  Sera made her way into the room and ran her eyes down over her gown. “Maybe not yet, but in several hours, you will be the crowned Empress of Arcania, and standing beside you will be your Emperor. Your ayon.”

  Maeve clasped her hands in front of herself and nervously twisted her fingers. It wasn’t so much the ruling of the land that had her worried, but that of her ayon being named.

  As the firstborn female of the Imperial Family, she was destined to ascend and rule.

  She was also destined to be paired.

  “Oh, come now, Maeve. You know as well as I that the Empress is paired with her ayon because they are two halves of a whole—they are one. That’s why they work to rule the land. The second he is named, your connection will be forged.”

  She did know that. It was common knowledge throughout Arcania, documented in the scrolls. But learning about it and knowing it was to be her fate were completely different experiences.

  “Mother did not have an ayon.”

  Sera reached out to her and touched one of the curls bouncing by her cheek. “Yes, but Mother was selected to once again purify the bloodline. The Guardians chose her to have the four of us. She made that sacrifice, and in the end…”

  “I know,” Maeve whispered, thinking of their mother, who had just recently passed. “She went mad.”

  There was a somber air about the room as they reflected on all that she had gone through. It was believed that she had played an integral role in their race’s survival by sacrificing herself—a role they had yet to understand or see as necessary.

  All they knew was that the Hierophant had recently begun talking of change, and people were starting to wonder what exactly it was he could see. But no more information was forthcoming—only time would reveal all.

  “I do not believe that he would have allowed her death to be in vain,” Maeve stated, turning back to the mirror.

  “I agree. He must know of something that we do not for such a sacrifice to have been made.”

  Maeve nodded and closed her eyes, taking a calming breath. She could do this. She just had to think of everything her mother and each Empress before her had gone through. It gave her the strength, the fortitude, to step into her own destiny and take it by the reins.

  Opening her eyes, she noticed Sera watching her with a soft smile.

  “I have a present for you.”

  “Sera,” Maeve admonished. “You shouldn’t have.”

  “Oh, it’s nothing elaborate,” she assured her as she handed over a beautiful silver circlet with a cerulean-blue stone in the center of it.

  “It’s beautiful,” Maeve whispered.

  “It will only enhance your beauty tonight as you take the crown.”

  Maeve saw the way Sera watched her as she placed the headpiece on. “There. How’s that?”

  Her sister’s eyes almost glowed with pleasure as she looked her over and replied, “Simply stunning, Maeve. Come now, sister. Let’s go. It is time that you met your ayon so I can tell the man of my dreams what is in my heart.”

  After Sera took her hand, they both left her chambers to find their other two siblings and make their way to the palace.

  * * *

  The Palace of Ascension had been built high over the Gorge. The enormous structure arched from the East bank to the West, and the monolithic pillars supporting it appeared to emerge from the mountains on either side. The bridge-like palace that stretched across the expanse boasted two watchtowers, which stood so tall tha
t it was often said that those inside could touch the sky.

  Maeve and her three siblings—Seraphine, Li’Am and Rhiannon—made their way to the West entrance and stopped once they reached the massive double doors. Maeve was to be the one who opened them. Then she was to be followed inside in order of birth. Since there were only seconds separating them, it wasn’t as if being the oldest meant she was the wisest. It merely meant that she was the one bestowed the heaviest obligation.

  She walked up the three wide steps to the large, wrought-iron gates and could see the light from inside beckoning her forward.

  Come in, Maeve, firstborn of Iona.

  She knew it was he who was calling her—the Hierophant. It was time.

  She looked above the gate where it arched, just like the palace itself, and saw the coat of arms for Arcania.

  At the highest point in the center was their world, and below it, the shield was divided into four intricate quadrants. Each one represented a key component of what made Arcania thrive. The moderation and balance of man and animal, the strength of one’s convictions, and true judgment and justice for all. The moon, which hung in the right-hand corner and seemingly watched over all below, was a symbol of their greater Gods. Those of the sky.

  The sun, the moon, and the stars—the three Guardians.

  They were the ones who had come together to purify their line after many years of inbreeding and adulteration. They were once again aligning the Imperial Family with their direct descendants, the Guardians.

  After reaching above to the handles, Maeve slowly opened the double doors. She took a deep swallow of air and then let it out as she made her way inside. She walked across the large, stone balcony and then stopped in front of the man who stood in the center of the raised dais.

  He was dressed in a pure-white coat that had a stiff, raised collar to his chin and was buttoned down the left-hand side of his chest with ornate, brass buttons. His pants matched the color of the coat and had golden seams that ran down the outside of each leg. Draped around his broad shoulders was a red cape that was lined with white furs spotted with black and decorated with hundreds of diamonds to match the crown atop his head.