Page 75 of Chaos Tempted

The pain is unimaginable. I fall to my knees, my energy draining from my body. “Why? I don’t understand,” I say and lose consciousness.

33

SABOTAGED

ELDRIN

Magnus’ Elven soldiers circle around me and my guard, Corwin, ensuring that we have no escape route. I wonder where Agis is. He wasn't far behind us. I hope he’s positioning himself for the confrontation I sense is on its way.

“What is the meaning of this?” I ask with indignation and glance around the surrounding wilderness, hoping to find Jaden or one of my other guards nearby to aid in an escape.

I hope Wyn is safe with Oakes and far away from the dangerous situation. I feel her nervousness through our bond, but that’s to be expected when we separated.

King Magnus’ commander, Turgon, appears in a gap in the soldiers’ circle. “You are coming with us.”

I should have known I would see him here. No doubt, he’s carrying out all my father’s orders and perhaps has masterminded this whole invasion.

“Where do you plan on taking me?” I growl.

Turgon never liked me, but the elf’s sneer at my question is evidence that something terrible is about to happen. Normally, he conceals his feelings for me publicly. He no longer believes he needs to keep up pretenses, which is a bad sign for me.

He doesn’t answer for a long moment—the tension palpable in the small clearing.

“I’m here to bring you back home, safe and sound, of course.” Turgon’s voice speaks lightly, feigning innocence. “The mage told us the mortal king took you prisoner.”

I wonder if he is referring to Mage Neven or the mysterious Mage Weaver who linked Twyla and Wyn as infants.

But he is unlikely to answer that question, so I ask another instead, “Did you release the ghouls as vengeance for my alleged incarceration?”

“Of course not, but we should go before they attack us too,” Turgon explains, his tone still insincere. “We can’t risk your life by staying a moment longer in this realm. Come along now.”

“No.” I mentally dig my heels into the ground. “I need to find my advisors, Oakes and Jaden. And Wynstelle, my mate. They should be close by, with my guards.”

“If we see them, we will bring them along.” Turgon shrugs as if it’s of no importance, but it’s my entire world on the line. “But they are not my first concern. You are.”

I don’t move. “Not acceptable.”

“Fine. I will send my scouts to find them and bring them to thefaeside of the portal.”

I look over at Corwin, knowing we are in no position to argue—outnumbered and in dubious hands. I don’t want to risk Corwin’s life or my own.

I can sense Wyn’s panic through our mate bond. She is close, too close, and she’s worried about me. Perhaps the best course of action is to play along. Then she and Oakes might sense mylocation and follow me peacefully to Elfhame. “Which way to the portal?” I ask.

Turgon tilts his head in the direction that I sense Wyn is located. Good. Perhaps she and Oakes were confronted with the same choice of returning to Elfhame. She is probably panicked, not knowing if Jaden and I are safe. I wish I had Oakes’ ability to send her a telepathic message and tell her to meet me in Elfhame. But she is unusually intuitive for a mortal, so she likely will know what to do.

I urge my horse toward the portal. If I hurry, I can calm Wyn’s nerves with my presence. And then I can calm my own by hopefully seeing that Wyn, Oakes, and Jaden are safely escaping the mortal realm.

It’s a quick ride. As I near the newly created doorway, I’m distracted by a large group of Elven soldiers. My father’s army is poised for war. And the mortals think the only threat at the moment is the ghouls.

“Oh, my stars above and stones below,” Corwin whispers as he rides next to me.

I have to agree. This is a time for cursing and perhaps some prayers to the Goddess.

I realize my hubris in thinking I could stop the bloodshed. My father has probably been planning this for two decades, waiting for the humans to relax, believing themselves safe. The peace treaty and the quiet years that followed lulled the mortals into moving on without fear or preparing for this.

Looking around, I don’t see Wyn, Jaden, or Oakes. My other three guards aren’t there either.

“Hurry now,” Turgon grunts.

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