Page 40 of Enchanted Hero (The Secret Enchanters #1)

Pure rightness embraced her as she drifted to sleep, far beyond pleasure and desire, without the slightest regret.

Just before she surrendered to her dreams, the truth sparkled, emotions she could no longer deny.

No matter who he was, no matter what he was, Alexander Stone was something very, very important to her.

Her true love.

Everleigh fluttered her eyelashes against sunlight so bright, it shimmered behind closed lids.

Silky sheets caressed sensitive skin, wondrously sore from yesterday’s activities.

She stretched, opening her eyes to a huge picture window of bright blue skies and a shining sun far past its rise.

The world seemed brighter, the air fresher, the colors more vibrant.

Yet memories flooded her mind, and she stiffened.

Yesterday was beyond anything she could have imagined, but uncertainties swirled like the secrets ever-present in Alexander’s eyes.

If what she suspected was true, he could be more than a man, more than human.

Yesterday, he claimed he’d never let her go.

Something in her wanted that more than anything.

Yet wariness fought with emotions, wrought with uncertainties. Should she fight him, fight herself? Did she even have a chance of winning against the formidable man?

Did she want to?

It was time to discover everything. No matter the consequences, she had to know the truth. Then she would make her own decision.

She turned, poised to face the mysterious man, only the bed was as empty as the answers she sought.

Disappointment spurned her movements, as she propped herself up, smoothed down her hair.

What was so important Alexander snuck away even before she woke up?

She scooted to the edge, and something crinkled under her.

She reached for the thick ivory linen paper.

There are no words for the perfection of last night.

I had a family emergency, but will be back soon.

Breakfast is in the kitchen. Do NOT leave.

Alexander.

Her anger dissipated as quickly as it was forged. What had happened? Was it related to the heroics? He had no right to order her to stay, but she couldn’t abandon him during an emergency. If only she could discover his secrets without confronting him.

Her options – or lack thereof – tangled as she searched for her clothing. They were gone, but a shimmering ivory chiffon dress was draped across a chair. A note was pinned to it: Everleigh, NEW.

She picked up the silky fabric and held it to her cheek.

Light and ethereal, it heralded from a designer whose garments started at five figures.

She quickly donned the dress, slipping her feet into matching ballerina flats that, like the clothing, were her perfect size.

She padded to the door and stepped into the long hallway.

“Hello?” she called, yet as expected, no one responded. She turned toward the kitchen, stopped.

If she wanted to discover the truth about her mysterious colleague, this was her chance.

Once Alexander returned, no doubt he’d evade her queries and minimize her suspicions.

With only a moment’s hesitation, she strode down the hall, away from the kitchen, away from her host’s dictates.

Her time would expire the second he returned, so she moved swiftly as she opened door after door, then another and another.

Office, bedroom, gym, bedroom – one luxurious yet ordinary room after the next.

Until she found the room .

She had reached the last door in the hallway.

Whereas the other doors were oak, this one was black wood with intricate carvings of looping symbols, almost like a language of some sort.

She’d seen it before – on the books Alexander claimed from her collection and the antique shop.

Her hand tingled as she touched the knob, almost as if it held a mild electrical current. With a deep breath, she entered…

Enchantment.

The cavernous room soared at least three stories high and extended hundreds of feet in each direction. It was an impossible twisting of space, with an office just a few feet away. The room simply couldn’t extend that far.

The impossibilities didn’t end there. Scores of objects filled the room, reminiscent of the treasures she collected. Whereas one needed faith and imagination to believe her company’s relics might have some sort of mystical background, these objects posed no such challenge.

They were supernatural.

Even the most die-hard nonbeliever couldn’t ignore this eclectic wonderland.

The items glimmered and shined, floating around the room in clear defiance of gravity.

Orbs glowed with inner light, books turned their own pages and colorful glass sculptures drifted in surreal waves.

No amount of computer technology could be responsible for such miraculous sights.

She stepped closer, reached out and touched one of the glowing orbs.

Then… it giggled! Suddenly the orb flashed blue and melted into a floating liquid, still giggling as it floated away.

A mirrored ball stretched into long tube, before turning into a horse and galloping away in an invisible race.

The unmistakable truth burned as brightly as the flaming candle that was dancing – literally – in front of her.

The items were supernatural… and so was Alexander.

It didn’t seem possible, but in a room of impossibilities it was the only logical conclusion. He had to be the hero, the man who’d risked his life to rescue others. He’d never seemed ordinary, but now it was clear how extraordinary he was.

And he wanted her.

She inhaled a shivering breath, sacrificing a moment to explore her feelings now that she knew the truth.

Yesterday she’d admitted the love he inspired, and even this discovery hadn’t the power to diminish that.

He was extraordinary with or without powers, with or without fame, the fortune, all of it.

He was extraordinary simply because he was him.

She loved him so much.

She turned back to the room, his world, his life. What were all these things? The urge to examine each and every one beckoned, to learn the truth behind whatever hidden culture they represented. To learn everything.

She took a step toward a glowing fountain, yet stopped as unease swept through her.

Memories flashed, of her first meeting with Alexander, on the fateful night of the tornado.

She’d been so busy congratulating herself for slipping past the powerful Mr. Stone she hadn’t considered why it had been so easy.

In reality, he’d been in control the entire time. She looked to the door.

Had Alexander set her up again?