Page 63 of Chaos Tempted

DUNGEONS

WYNSTELLE

In the morning, I ask for a private audience with the king. Twyla made a fuss, as she wants to keep me close and keep an eye on my dealings, but I refuse to budge on this point with her.

Finally, I’m brought inside his meeting chamber. However, my father isn’t there yet.

Using the moment of solitude, I try again to open up my senses as Oakes has been teaching me to do since we learned of my abilities. I use my mate bond to search for my mates to determine if they are alright. But they are still so faint in my consciousness, as if something or someone is hindering our connection. I had thought it was Twyla, but now I wonder if the Mage Weaver is behind it all. Is she still alive? Is she the one responsible for the ghoul spell? The influencer magic against my father? And the spell that put me inside a nightmare?

I’m lucky I broke free from that spell. But then, I worry someone only allowed me to do so. What does the mage want? War?

I can’t reach Oakes with our telepathic link. Or he can’t respond. That worries me. But I have only used mind-speak when we were both in the same room, so I have no idea what our communication range is. I regret never testing out our link before now, but I know we’ve only just begun to train my psychic ability.

But why didn’t we train to sense each other through our bond long distance? Partly, it’s because we have rarely been separated until now. And our bond and my magic are only days old, and inconsistent.

Besides, other than the telepathic communication with Oakes, a few instances of influencer magic, and a heightened sense of smell and hearing, I haven’t had much experience with the bonds or magics.

I decide we should strengthen our connection within our link in the future—ifthere is a future. First, I have to get my mates out of the dungeons and back to Elfhame.

Wandering around my father’s office, I use my limited experience with my psychic senses to search for any sign of the individual who is behind the ugly mood shift yesterday. I worryImight have unwittingly been the cause.

What if I activated my influencer magic without my knowledge?

I’m still getting used to the idea of having magic. So it makes sense that I wouldn’t be in full control. But if Ionlyhave mirror magic, who possesses the influencer magic for me to mirror? Either I have both mirror and influencer, or someone else I’m connected to has it—maybe they don’t even know they have it. Twyla is the likely source.

Then I remember how the anger and tension escalated quickly on its own during the confrontation. Even without an influencer’s nudge, the results could have turned out the same way—with the elves imprisoned.

“Wynstelle,” King Nathaniel says as he enters his chambers.

His guards scan the room, and after seeing that it’s only me, they leave the two of us alone.

“What is it you needed to say so early in the morning?” The king asks grumpily.

My eyebrows pull together in frustration. Goddess, help me. I’m about to lose my temper. What does he think I would come for? My mates are in his cursed dungeons.

“I’ve come to ask forgiveness for Prince Eldrin’s behavior yesterday. I don’t believe he meant to harm Twyla. He was very distraught about my illness, and he wasn’t himself.”

“Or he wasexactlyhimself.” King Nathaniel stands in front of me, clasping my shoulders to capture my attention. “You don’t really understand what elves are capable of. You weren’t alive during the war to see what beasts they could be.”

“Maybe I wasn’t there for a war, but I knowallcreatures are capable of atrocities—elves and humans alike. The men that almost killed me are evidence of that.” I look up at my father, pleading for him to listen. “But I know for certain Eldrin doesn’t want a war. He’s actively trying topreventone. That has been his sole focus other than protecting me—hishumanmate.”

“We don’t know that peace is his goal. He is his father’s son. King Magnus has shown us his duplicity. He broke the spirit of our agreement and had you hidden away as a slave. I now suspect that the elf who left you to die in my kingdom was all a ruse, planned by Eldrin and his father, to get elves inside my castle walls. So that I would let my guard down—to make me focus on you and your safety and not on the threat that they are. Eldrin and his advisors gained access to everythingbehind my walls. They know my resources, my defenses, and the truth about you and Twyla. I should have been warier, but, like a damned fool, I believed the story of how they rescued you because you were so certain they cared for you. And regrettably, I was more concerned about finally finding you rather than protecting my own people.”

Regrettably? Does he regret I ever showed up in his life?

I blink at all the subterfuge that he accuses my mates of committing and now regrets knowing me.

After swallowing down the pain of rejection, I make another attempt at convincing him. “You have nothing to fear from Eldrin. He’s nothing like his father. He was ready to give up his throne, perhaps his life, for my happiness.”

Nathaniel sighs wearily. “Oh, you naïve girl. That is the show they put on for you.”

I step back from my father’s grasp. “Nevermind my mates. You should worry about Twyla. She is a known spy. Magnus planted her here to be used against you. Perhaps she doesn’twantto betray you, but she is the most likely to bring about your destruction.”

“You know nothing of Twyla,” King Nathaniel says through gritted teeth.

“I do. I have a link with her. I have seen and felt things.” I try to pour my influencer magic into the room to convince him to forgive, but I don’t feel the power as I did before. “Through my mate bond, I know Eldrin has no intention of harming you. Please, release the elves so we can return to Elfhame. They were only trying to help me and warn you about the pretender princess.”

“Don’t speak of Twyla again,” King Nathaniel warns angrily, pointing his finger in my face.

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