Page 21 of Chaos Tempted

He sighs and then rubs his face. “I… I don’t know. Seeing her. I suppose it stirred up all my pain of losing her just to have to give her up again. It reminded me of the lies I’ve lived with for twenty years.” He gazes into my eyes. “All this talk of war… my people trying to start one. Then it appears the Elven realm wants blood, too. If that happens, then my sacrifice was for nothing.”

“I’ve never made you happy?” I ask, tears dropping into my lap. My head feels strange, as if I’m not in my body. Perhaps because I don’t want to hear his answer.

“I didn’t say that.” His voice softens. “But I lost something precious. There has been an emptiness in my soul for twenty years. No matter how wonderful you are, you can’t completely fill that loss.”

I painfully choke down my pride and his rejection, realizing it’s only natural that he feels this way. A lost child is a lost child, no matter how many others you may have. “I understand.”

10

COMMUNION

WYNSTELLE

Jaden wakes first in the morning and says in a hushed voice, “Eldrin, look.”

I stir, despite his quiet tone. When I remember that I’m in bed, naked with all three of my elves, I blush.

Oakes smiles lovingly at me. “No need to be embarrassed. We are mated now. We’ve seen every inch of you and you of us.”

“I know.” I give him a quick peck. “But it will take me a day or two to get used to being with all of you like this.”

Eldrin reaches out and touches my shoulder. His voice is strained as he asks, “Wyn, how do you…feel?”

“Fine,” I say with alarm. “Why are you asking me in such a strange way?”

“Your changeling mark on your back, it’s…glowing,” Jaden explains.

“What?” For the first time, Ifeelthe mark’s presence—the shape and placement. I hadn’t noticed the vague tinglingsensation until they mentioned it. Perhaps that’s only because my whole body feels tingling and different since they’ve claimed me as a mate.

Jaden scoops me up in his arms, carries me across the room, and places me on my feet in front of a large mirror.

I look over my shoulder and see the mark in the middle of my back, glowing like embers. “What does it mean?” My voice rises with panic.

Eldrin rubs his chin thoughtfully. “Twyla didn’t mention it was supposed to do that. However, she wasn’t exactly sure how our psychic mate link would work, or if it would work at all. Perhaps it will fade?”

“It could have been activated because of our ceremony last night.” Oakes hovers his large hand over the mark. “It isn’t giving off any extra heat.”

A horrible thought occurs to me. “Didn’t Twyla say it would change when the other was dead?” My eyes gleam with tears at the thought of the changeling’s potential death.

Oakes cradles my face in his hands. “From what I’ve read, it turns black when that happens.”

“Did the books mention glowing?” Jaden asks.

“No. The lore concerning changelings is almost nonexistent.” Oakes inspects my mark again with a soft touch. “I was surprised I found that much information.”

Then I feel the pressure of another person’s presence in my mind. It isn’t like Oakes’ gentle telepathic communication. It’s as if someone else’s soul has been stuffed inside my body. I double over with dizziness from the invasion. When I try to stand upright, I sway and fall into Oakes’ arms.

“What’s wrong?” Eldrin shouts and rushes to help.

“There’s a swell of psychic energy within her,” Oakes says as he carries me to the bed. “Wyn, what are you sensing?”

I can’t answer. My mind isn’t in control. I see my father, King Nathaniel, and he’s angry. Pained. He’s looking right at me.

No. Not me. At Twyla.

I hear my father’s voice echoing in my mind,“And there has been an emptiness in my soul for twenty years. No matter how wonderful you are, you can’t completely fill that loss.”

Then the sensations and vision fade.

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