Page 50 of Chaos Tempted

SPELLS

JADEN

“Are you working with Oakes after breakfast?” I ask Wyn on the way to meet Oakes and Eldrin in the prince’s dining hall.

Wyn doesn’t answer—again. She has said nothing since we woke up in the middle of the night when she confessed her vision. In the morning, she went through the motions of readying herself when I prompted her, but she seems to be far, far away.

“Why are you so despondent this morning?” I ask, but she doesn’t even glance in my direction. “If you’re giving me the silent treatment concerning Twyla, remember I’m on your side. Whatever you want to do. We can leave for the mortal realm after breakfast.”

I watch her intently, hoping her frustration is only because we haven’t warned King Nathaniel yet. But something is off. The bond between us doesn’t feel as clear as it normally does.

She follows along beside me as if dream-walking.

When we arrive at the dining hall, Oakes stands up immediately and hurries over to Wyn. “What’s wrong?” he asks worriedly. “Wyn?”

Her eyes are vacant. “Nothing,” she says without emotion, not making eye contact.

Eldrin tenses, jumps up from his seat, and joins Oakes as they gaze into her eyes.

“Wyn?” Eldrin calls her again.

As terror sets in, I pull on my black locks in distress. I hoped I’d just imagined her unusual behavior. “Other than that, she has said nothing since we woke up.”

“Wyn? Can you hear me?” Oakes asks, holding her shoulders and squeezing her to break her trance.

“Yes,” she says, with no inflection in her response.

“How do you feel?” Oakes prompts again.

“Fine.” Her answers are by rote and lifeless.

“Anything unusual happen after we left?” Oakes asks me.

“Wyn had a bad dream about Twyla. She woke up long enough to tell me about it, but she quickly fell back to sleep. Maybe it wasn’t just a dream or a benign vision.”

Eldrin shakes with fear and rage. “Could it be some poison or curse given to her by one of the delegates last night?”

“I hope not. This is one of the strangest afflictions I’ve seen!” I pace as Oakes inspects her with his psychic sense.

“Well, there were enemies among us last night. Turgon, for one.” Oakes crinkles his forehead as he thinks the predicament through. “But we kept her social contact to a minimum. She didn’t eat or drink while she was there. I didn’t sense any nefarious intent, and believe me, I was on high alert to pick up on any.”

“And she was fine for hours while we were intimate with her afterward,” I add. “This makes no sense.”

“Oakes, when she arrived, how did you pick up on her condition so fast?” Eldrin asks.

“When she entered the room, I tried to communicate through our telepathic link, but her mind is… silent.”

“Silent?” Eldrin clasps his hands on either side of Wyn’s face and calls to her in desperation. “Wyn?”

“Yes,” she says with a blank expression, not really seeing him mere inches from her face.

When she doesn’t react normally, Eldrin says, “Her soul doesn’t seem to be in her body. Look. Her eyes are dull. Flat.”

“We should go to Mage Neven,” Oakes announces, pulling Wyn from Eldrin’s grasp and cradling her to his chest.

“Immediately.” With Eldrin’s need to protect her, he reaches out to scoop Wyn back from Oakes to carry her off himself.

I place my hand on his arm to stop him. “No, not like that. Let’s not make anyone else aware of her condition yet.” I look at the door. “She seems capable of walking on her own with someone leading the way. When we get outside the castle, then you can ride with her to the mage.”

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