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  Mage Shifter

  Magical Creatures Academy: Book Three

  Lucía Ashta

  Mage Shifter

  Magical Creatures Academy: Book Three

  Copyright © 2019 by Lucía Ashta

  www.LuciaAshta.com

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual persons, places, or events is purely coincidental.

  Cover design by Sanja Balan of Sanja’s Covers

  Editing by Lee Burton

  Additional editing by Elsa Crites

  ASIN B07RJY8SBV

  Version 2019.07.31

  Books by Lucía Ashta

  WITCHING WORLD UNIVERSE

  Magical Creatures Academy ~ Next Level

  Power Streak

  Magical Creatures Academy

  Night Shifter

  Lion Shifter

  Mage Shifter

  Sirangel

  Siren Magic

  Angel Magic

  Fusion Magic

  Magical Arts Academy

  First Spell

  Winged Pursuit

  Unexpected Agents

  Improbable Ally

  Questionable Rescue

  Sorcerers’ Web

  Ghostly Return

  Transformations

  Castle’s Curse

  Spirited Escape

  Dragon’s Fury

  Magic Ignites

  Powers Unleashed

  Magical Arts Academy Omnibus, Books 1-4

  Magical Arts Academy Omnibus, Books 5-8

  Magical Arts Academy Omnibus, Books 9-13

  The Witching World

  Magic Awakens

  The Five-Petal Knot

  The Merqueen

  The Witching World Omnibus, Books 1-3

  The Ginger Cat

  The Scarlet Dragon

  Mermagic

  The Witching World Omnibus, Books 4-6

  Spirit of the Spell

  The Light Warrios

  Beyond Sedona

  Beyond Prophecy

  Beyond Amber

  Beyond Arnaka

  PLANET ORIGINS UNIVERSE

  Dragon Force

  Invisible Born

  Invisible Bound

  Invisible Rider

  Planet Origins

  Planet Origins

  Original Elements

  Holographic Princess

  Planet Origins Omnibus, Books 1-3

  Purple Worlds

  Mowab Rider

  Planet Sand

  Holographic Convergence

  OTHER WORLDS

  Supernatural Bounty Hunter

  (co-authored with Leia Stone)

  Magic Bite

  Magic Sight

  Magic Touch

  Pocket Portals

  The Orphan Son

  STANDALONES

  Huntress of the Unseen

  A Betrayal of Time

  Whispers of Pachamama

  Daughter of the Wind

  The Unkillable Killer

  Immortalium

  About Mage Shifter

  Rina Nelle Mont is a dual mage shifter. And she sure as hell isn’t a quitter.

  Though the leaders of the Voice have stolen her shifter magic, she has mage magic in spades, even if she has little idea how to control it.

  And she and the prince of the fae are in love.

  Cue drama with the king of the fae, who doesn’t want the prince to slum it with a non-fae, and worse still, a non-elf.

  Rina is about to take on the fight of her life—both at the academy and in the fae’s Golden Forest. The odds may be stacked against her, but what else is new?

  She’ll roll with the cray cray. What’s a dual mage shifter to do?

  For my uncle José,

  for being my go-to Latin expert,

  but mostly for being an amazing person

  Contents

  Part I

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Part II

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Part III

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Notes

  Want More?

  Power Streak

  The Sirangel Series

  The Magical Arts Academy Series

  The Witching World Series

  The Dragon Force Series

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  I

  ~ The fae’s Golden Forest ~

  ~ Winter break ~

  1

  I flinched as the argument between the king of the fae and his son escalated and King Dillmon’s condemnation pierced the wall that separated us. I was sitting on a bench in an open courtyard, entirely alone but for the trees that seemed to commiserate with my predicament, rustling when there was no breeze as if to offer me comfort. At the first sign of disturbance, the king’s extensive staff suddenly found other places to be, unwilling to bear any part of their ruler’s wrath. I didn’t blame them. The king was fierce, and I too would have gone elsewhere if not for the fact that Leander had asked me to wait for him here … and I was the reason for the king’s upset.

  Sure, Leander probably hadn’t expected to enter a shouting match with his father, but then again, since our arrival Leander had been far more hopeful than I, as if he didn’t catch the surreptitious stares the king’s advisers directed my way.

  I couldn’t help but notice every single one, their disapproving looks stinging like wasps. And while I wished they’d be a bit more discreet about their judgment, I understood that to support me—and the second prince’s interest in me—was tantamount to opposing their king. The advisers would remain long after I came and went, and the fae could live for hundreds of years. None of them were willing to risk the king’s trust over a nineteen-year-old who’d lost her shifter powers. Even Adalia, whom I’d grown to consider a close friend, hadn’t been around as much as usual, though I didn’t know if her absence was of her choosing. The more time I spent among the fae, the more I discovered that the king’s reach was considerable, and his hold on his people unyielding.

  His control over his two sons was the firmest of all. It was a stranglehold.

  “You cannot expect me to approve of this pairing,” the king yelled, though with the natural boom of his voice I would have heard him even if he hadn’t shouted. “It’s unreasonable for you to expect my permission to court this young woman.”

  “Why, Father? Why is it so unreasonable to think that I might care for someone outside of our people?” Leander met his father’s ferocity with his own, allowing me to make out every one of his words. “The world is vast.”

  “But your responsibility is not to the larger world, it’s to your people here. And because of this responsibility, you cannot develop any kind of relationship with this girl. It can never lead to anything.”

  “I am not in line to inherit your throne, Father, which means that my responsibility to our pe
ople varies from my brother’s. What I choose to do does not affect our people in the same way.”

  The king laughed, sending a shiver of foreboding racking through me. “You’ll say anything to get me to agree, won’t you? Even if you must know it’s ridiculous. Of course you owe a duty to your people. You’re a prince of this court, by the gods. That means you have every bit as much responsibility as your brother. Just because he’s in line to inherit the throne doesn’t mean there isn’t a chance that you will someday become a successor. Even if you don’t, the alliance that will be formed by your marriage is an essential part of building the power of our people. Your responsibility as a prince of the fae, and not just of the fae, but of the noble line of elves, is to put your people before yourself.”

  “Like you, Father? To end up in a loveless marriage just like you and Mother?”

  “Your mother and I love each other.” But even through the wall that separated the courtyard from the interior of the palace, the king’s statement lacked conviction. I wasn’t surprised. I’d met Leander’s mother, and though she fulfilled her obligations dutifully, I’d caught her exchanging secretive looks with another elf when they thought no one was looking. Leander’s mother was in love all right, just not with her husband.

  If Leander responded to his father, I didn’t hear it.

  “My son, like your mother and I, your obligation is to marry according to power. You must aid your people by forming an alliance with the right clan of the fae. This is how our people have built their strength for ages. The world of supernaturals is as tumultuous as ever. It’s essential that we continue to bolster our power in the face of the threat coming from the Voice.”

  “The Voice hasn’t threatened the fae,” Leander said. “Only Rina and Ky. They want nothing from the fae.”

  “For now. The Voice longs for more power. Creatures like that always desire more. They covet what doesn’t belong to them. Then it will be more important than ever that our people be positioned to resist them.”

  The king’s voice softened: “The future is unpredictable, son. The best we can do for the fae is to be as powerful as possible. You will have to marry someone of my choosing.”

  “And if I don’t want to?”

  “When your king commands you to marry, you will do so. It isn’t about desires. It never was.”

  My insides felt suddenly cavernous. So that’s it? Whatever Leander and I share is over before it even had a chance? My heart ached, and for once I didn’t bother trying to stop it. I’d grown weary lately of working so hard to control my emotions.

  “And if I refuse?” Leander asked, making my pulse pick up.

  “Then you will be disobeying a direct order of your king. Though you’re my son and I love you, I will punish you as I must if you do not do what is expected of you. That is my duty as a king to our people.”

  I had no idea what this punishment might consist of, but I was certain it wouldn’t be good. I couldn’t do that to Leander. I wouldn’t allow him to choose me if it would ruin his life.

  Several moments passed in silence during which I wondered if that was it or if they continued their conversation more quietly, until I heard Leander’s voice again. Imbued with a tinge of hope, I inched closer on the bench seat so as to be sure not to miss a word.

  “Father, am I correct in understanding that your opposition to my courting Rina lies only in your desire to align me, and by extension the kingdom, with the partner of the highest power, whether that power is her own or associated with her tribe?”

  The king hesitated, and I could picture him narrowing his brilliant blue eyes at his son in suspicion. “Yes, of course.”

  “Other than that, you have no other problem with Rina?”

  “No, I don’t.” But the king drew out his words, preparing, as I was, for the other shoe to drop.

  “Then what if Rina proves her worthiness to you?”

  Oh. Hell. No.

  But since Leander couldn’t see the panic settling over me like a thousand-ton mantle, he continued: “What if she were to prove her power to you?”

  The king chortled. “I understand you have a thing for this girl, but do as your brother does. Get your rocks off as you please, in private. Have your fill of this girl until you tire of her, and then you can come at your alliance without regrets.”

  “What I feel for Rina isn’t like that.”

  “You don’t know that. You’re acting like a boy, Leander Verion. This is an infatuation. You’ll get over it.”

  “And if I don’t?”

  The king growled. “And if you don’t, you deal. Just as I have. Just as your brother will. And just as a long line of our ancestors have. It’s how it’s done. Love has nothing to do with duty.”

  “It should.”

  “You can’t be suggesting that you love this girl...”

  I stopped breathing while I waited, wondering if I shouldn’t be listening to this conversation even if Leander had deposited me right where I sat. Ah, who was I kidding, hitched tight with anticipation, I needed to hear what they said like I needed to breathe.

  When Leander finally spoke, he spoke so softly that I strained to hear him: “I think what I feel for her could become love. If we had a chance, we could love each other.”

  “Ach, you’re like a child all of a sudden! It could become love—no! It can’t! It isn’t allowed. You’ll only make it harder for yourself if you learn to love someone you can’t have.”

  I shot to my feet, unable to remain still any longer, and paced in front of the bench, barely noticing the colorful, fragrant blossoms that flourished in the deep stone planters of the courtyard. I chewed on my cuticles until Leander spoke again.

  “If Rina were to prove herself worthy to you, then, may I court her?”

  I stopped walking, gaping stupidly at the stone wall in front of me, the one that concealed the prince who was saying crap he shouldn’t.

  “The girl has no power, Leo.” The king’s voice deflated of its earlier rage. “Her power was taken from her. There’s no getting it back. Have your fun with her and then discard her when you’re finished. That’s the best you can hope for.”

  “But if she proves herself to you, will you accept her?”

  “She has no hope of doing so.”

  “Then you lose nothing by agreeing.”

  “Nor do I gain anything.”

  “I won’t bring up the matter again,” Leander offered.

  “Never again? Not even once? And you won’t bring the girl here again?”

  “Not unless it’s to prove her worthiness to you according to our agreement.”

  “So now we’re making an agreement?” the king asked.

  No, absolutely not.

  “Yes, we are,” Leander said. “If Rina can, let’s say, defeat Galen in a challenge, then you’ll allow me to court her without limits.”

  “You must be joking.”

  “I’m not. She can’t challenge me to prove her power to you in the traditional way of the elves. You wouldn’t trust that I won’t be lenient with her in combat. She’ll have to challenge Galen.”

  “Of course I couldn’t. A man never fights fair when he wants what’s between a woman’s legs.”

  “I want more than that with Rina,” Leander said, but I flushed at the thought of the sexy elf between my legs. At least no one was here to observe my discomfort at being a witness to this private discussion, or to see how quickly my thoughts turned to a naked Leander.

  The king laughed again. “You’re not suggesting you want to marry the former shifter.”

  “I’m not. But I also don’t discount what might come in a future with her. There’s enough there to suggest possibilities.”

  Is he suggesting what I think he’s suggesting? I couldn’t quite wrap my mind around it. Not only did my prince want to give us a chance, he wasn’t setting a limit on what might come from it.

  “Son, you can’t seriously think you’ll end up marrying the girl. She’s powerles
s in a world where power is everything.”

  “Yes, and since power is everything, then you won’t have a problem agreeing to our courtship if she can beat Galen in combat. You know there’s no one better. And you know he won’t take it easy on her.”

  “No, he won’t.”

  “So there’s no risk in your agreement.”

  The king hesitated, and my heart clenched in my chest. What the hell is Leander getting me into? I appreciated his faith in me and all, but had he lost his damn mind? Had he forgotten that Jevan transferred my shifter magic to Fury only a couple of weeks ago? Had he forgotten that I woke every morning with a gaping wound for a heart because I missed my lion? I had to move on … because she was never coming back.

  “You’re actually suggesting that if Rina can beat Galen that I approve your union with her?” The king’s disbelief was blatant, and I didn’t blame him one bit.

  “That’s exactly what I’m suggesting. At the time of her choosing, mind you. Not right now. She’ll need to train first.”

  “No matter how long or how hard you train that girl, she’ll never beat your brother. He’s been trained to defend this kingdom since he could first hold a sword.”