Page 104 of Taken By the Fae King

Draymon dips his chin.

“Where are you going?” Emryll asks.

A low growl rises in my chest. “To the dungeon to question the Mage.”

When I reach the dungeon,I find Aren standing before the Mage, his eyes burning with anger. “How did you get past our wards?” he asks, his voice low and deadly. “Why did you attack the queen?”

I move to his side, and he gives me a subtle nod of acknowledgement. The Mage is bound with chains to the bars of his cell, unable to move save for lifting his head and glaring at me in defiance. “Your wards are not as strong as you think,” he replies darkly. “As for the queen”—his eyes lift to mine, narrowing—“I believe you already know the answer.”

I do not believe for one moment that he was able to pass through our wards without help. The magic that is used to create them is strong enough to repel even the Mages. Someone inside had to have helped him, and now I must discover who.

“You think to give me cryptic replies.” I seethe. “But I assure you.” I level a dark glare at him. “Iwillfind out the truth.”

His brow furrows in confusion a moment before I press two fingers to his temple. Closing my eyes, I brace myself, shielding my own mind and my thoughts as I dive into his.

Panic grips me in an iron vise, but I realize this fear is not mine. “Stop!” he cries out in my mind, but my powers surge forward, tearing through his memories as I seek the truth.

He throws up a brick wall, trying to seal away his innermost thoughts, but I smash through it. Another rises to replace it, but it crumbles beneath my power. Frustrated, I grit my teeth and push harder.

Blood pours from his nose, eyes, and mouth as I focus all my intent upon tearing through his defenses.

Aren inhales sharply beside me as the Mage begins to thrash, struggling against my powers.

She is fated to the Fae King—a Sanishon from the prophecy.Wisps of thought and memory collide as a cloaked figure stands before him, pointing at a scroll. I focus my concentration, trying to determine who it is.

“She is one of the Great Uniters, and she must be killed.” His voice trembles. “She cannot be allowed to live.”

“How did you get past our wards? Who told you she was my fated one? Tell me,” I demand. “Now!”

“Never!” he roars. A surge of energy rushes forward. A wall of dark magic slams into me a moment before another wall rises between our minds, sealing me out. I push at his shield and the image of Lord Torien flashes in his thoughts.

Before I can search more, he falls still, his head and shoulders slumping forward as he goes unconscious.

Unwilling to give up, I mean to search his still mind, but find only a darkened void. His thoughts and memories completely hidden from me by his dark and terrible magic.

Breathing heavily with exhaustion, I turn to Aren. “I saw Lord Torien in his mind. He must be behind this. Find him,” I command. “And place extra wards on this cell, and post guards at the dungeon’s entrance. I’ll not take any chances on him escaping.”

Aren dips his chin and goes to work on the wards. I would do them myself, but I’m exhausted. The mental strain of trying to read his thoughts has weakened me.

When Aren is finished, he walks over to me. “I don’t understand how this happened. Why would Lord Torien turn against his own people to ally with the Mages and Wraith?”

“I do not know.” I curl my hands into fists at my sides at the memory of Grayce’s terror as she reached for me through the bond. I turn to Aren. “Double patrols along our borders and the guards along the city’s perimeter. Until we find Lord Torien, my mate will not be safe.”

CHAPTER57

GRAYCE

The sound of people talking breaks through the hazy fog of sleep as awareness slowly trickles back into my mind.

“Double the patrols along our borders and the guards around the castle,” Kyven commands. “You are my best warriors, and I want you to guard my mate… shadow her every movement when we are apart.”

“Yes, my king.”

I open my eyes to see Aren and Talyn bowing to Kyven.

“Did you send the raven to King Varys and King Aurdyn?” Kyven asks.

“They have already been sent,” Aren replies.

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