Page 89 of Chaos Tempted

“I believe I heard the whole chant. But let’s secure the fucking thing first,” I growl under my breath and rile myself up for battle. “Daylor, can you conceal us until we are upon them?”

“I believe so,” Daylor says as he pushes out his magic to conceal us as we stand.

In close formation, we stalk up to the soldiers, completely invisible. When we are within striking distance, I lunge forwardand drive my sword into the first portal guard. The hapless guard falls like a sack of flour, already dead.

With my attack, Daylor and Baelen slash at their own adversaries’ throats, almost in perfect tandem, dropping them where they stand. We each now have another guard to take out. Without the element of surprise, we have to work harder for the kill.

Daylor makes himself invisible again, slicing completely through his opponent with a single stroke. Then he moves to assist Baelen and me with the last two soldiers, who have been wildly swinging their swords at us, keeping us at bay.

Once the fight is over, we look down with sad eyes at the inert bodies sprawled on the ground. Even if these elves are vile, it weighs heavily on me to kill my own.

I steel myself and approach the portal. I recite the words I overheard Turgon whisper and wave my hand over the portal, hopeful I have heard his chant correctly.

We all hold our breath. The gateway opens.

“Thank the stars for my excellent hearing,” I mumble and glance through. “No one on this side.”

We retrieve our horses and advance into Elfhame, sighing with the rightness we feel being in our homeland.

After swiping the doorway closed, I look to the ground for clues. “This is all trampled. We won’t be able to track where Eldrin was taken from here.”

Daylor inspects the tracks as well. “Do you think they took him back to Ryven Castle?”

“It’s our best chance of finding him. And if nothing else, we can gather forces at the castle and hunt for him.” I clutch my chest as another wave of pain from losing Wyn crashes over me.

“Sir?” Baelen asks. “Are you going to be alright?”

“I… I can handle the pain,” I grumble. Squaring my shoulders, I try to shrug off the feeling that my insides are being carved away. “Let’s just find Eldrin.”

41

CONVERGENCE

WYNSTELLE

On the ride to where Eldrin is being kept, Oakes has a tight hold on me. I don’t mind his overprotective grip, since it’s disorienting not having our connection anymore. Although he says that he still has a sense of me, just as he had before our mating, I don’t have that same blessing. I try to connect to him with my mirror magic, but it seems that I have lost that, too. Or perhaps I’m just too drained to work it.

“Does it hurt?” I ask softly. “The loss.”

“Like I want to die.” Oakes squeezes me tighter.

I wonder if he is trying to force the connection back through his overly tight embrace. “Do you thinkwecan be fixed?”

“I don’t know.” Oakes exhales slowly. “I hope so.” I hear the doubt in his voice, right alongside the desperation, and it matches my own.

“If Eldrin and Jaden are alive…” I choke up with emotion. “Then they must believe thatI’mdead.”

“I’m barely holding onto my sanity, even with you in my arms.” Oakes says with empathy for his friends, “I can’t imagine what they are feeling.”

“We have to find them!” I grip his arms to anchor with the onslaught of grief.

Just then, Lalo flies up and buzzes by me. “We’re almost there. I spotted four soldier elves outside the shelter.”

“Any sign of Jaden and the others?” I ask.

“Not yet. We will keep looking and spreading the word to find them.”

“Thank you, Lalo.” I try to collect myself. “I appreciate all you and yours have done for me and mine.”

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