Page 78 of Chaos Tempted

I break into a run, thinking of my father dying. I have to protect him.

I don’t understand why I do, but I suspect the Mage Weaver acts out of self-interest. The wise one has probably played into King Magnus’ fears and his plotting nature. But I sense the mage has her own scheme in play.

Tears flood my eyes as I run.

Why have I made such poor decisions?

I was trying to protect myself, but now everything is falling apart because I didn’t trust anyone.

35

VENGEANCE

JADEN

The first thing I see when I open my eyes is Baelen’s fierce yet feminine face. Then Daylor’s. Both are barely visible in the twilight.

I quickly remember the horrible situation we are in. My prince is missing. My loyal guard, Agis, is dead.

Goddess, and so is my mate.

Baelen hurries to help me sit up. “How are you feeling?”

I take a moment to assess myself. I’m not even close to being alright. There’s a human-sized hole inside of me. The mate bond has been broken. There’s only one reason for that—death.

A mate bond death is crippling to a survivor, especially during the first days.

I’m primed to roar with rage, but my warrior training reminds me that a quieted battlefield is not the proper place to scream. Checking the sun, I note that hours have passed. “What’s happened since I’ve been unconscious?”

Baelen frowns. “Sir, first tell us, what happened to you?”

I don’t want to answer. To do so will make Wyn’s death real. “Never mind me for the moment. Report!”

Baelen’s eyes go wide, but she nods her understanding.

Daylor steps over and squats down. “While I waited with Oakes and Wynstelle, she felt that you were under attack. They went after Eldrin, and Oakes sent me after you. I arrived just as you passed out. So Baelen stayed to look over you while I went to help the prince. But I discovered that the prince and Corwin had been captured. As they took him through, I saw the prince was also unconscious. Then I circled back to locate Wynstelle and Oakes, but I couldn’t find them. Their tracks suggest they were taken through the portal as well.”

Suspicions raised, I narrow my eyes. “How did you see all this undetected?”

“One of my magics is concealment. They looked right past me.” Daylor holds out his hands to abate my building distrust.

I soften. “Fuck, of course, I remember now.” I rub my face in agitation. We rarely rely on our guards’ magic at the castle. But now, I see we have been underutilizing their strengths. “How many Elven soldiers did you count?”

“A dozen on this side.” Daylor tilts his head in the direction of the portal. “However, I could see at least a few dozen through the portal when it was open. There might be more.”

I growl, thinking of the horrible odds of making it through the portal unscathed. “Any human soldiers in the area?”

“None so far. They are still fighting off the ghouls in the village,” Baelen says. “I can hear it from here.”

I close my eyes and focus, hearing shouts in the distance. The pain of losing Wyn floods my entire being. I can’t think straight. “Ideas?”

Surprised, Baelen and Daylor look at each other for what to suggest.

“We were hoping you might have one or two,” Daylor says with trepidation.

“I can’t… I can’t focus.” I suck in a breath to steel my nerves and confess my weakness. “I can’t feel my mate bond. She’s…”

“Oh,” Baelen gasps. “Is that why you collapsed? And Eldrin too?”

---