Page 98 of Chaos Tempted

Dominant.

Turgon is using magic to overpower Eldrin’s mind.

I sense the need to prove himself stirring inside the prince.

Then suddenly, I can’t feel his emotions anymore.

Eldrin is blocking me from our bond. Or something has snapped our fragile reconnected bond. He squares his shoulders. “I can fight better than you think I can. What do you want me to do?”

“What!” My mouth drops open, and I pull on his cloak.

He holds his hand up to me, keeping me away. But he doesn’t so much as look at me as he says coldly, “This isn’t aboutyou.”

“Eldrin,” Jaden’s voice warns with a deep rumble.

“You’re right, Turgon. King Nathaniel tried tokillme with iron like the coward he is.” Eldrin sets his jaw. “And after experiencing the loss of my mate bond and the suffering when I thought she was dead, I realized my father was right. A mate is a fucking weakness. Unsurprisingly, the bond was so easily broken. But now, I knowexactlywhat the human means to me.”

“Eldrin?” I cry. “Why are you saying this?” I don’t understand why I can’t read his energy or emotions at all.

Has our bond been severed again? Did our ritual not work?

The prince turns and glares down at me without responding to my pleas. I sense no love, no compassion for me, and no bond.

Oakes twists his face in confusion. “So… you want to fightforTurgon?”

“No. This ismyfight now.” Then the prince looks at Turgon with interest. “Your orders?”

“Attack the castle. Kill the king.”

“Fine. Jaden and Oakes are coming along with me.” Eldrin glances around. “Are my personal guards still alive?”

“Back at the shelter.” Turgon inclines his head in the direction of the cabin.

“Eldrin!” Oakes tries to snap the prince out of it.

Eldrin spins and points his finger in Oakes’ face. “I’m your fucking prince. Youwillobey my orders, or you can meet the end of a sword,” Eldrin threatens Oakes and then glowers at Jaden and me, daring us to argue and die.

All three of us are stunned into silence over Eldrin’s wrath.

Turgon studies Eldrin for a long moment, trying to read his sincerity. He finally smiles. “You’re doing the right thing for your realm. If you survive, you will be a hero. If you don’t, a martyr.”

“Enough chatting.” Eldrin stomps toward Merlara’s unconscious body and shoves her with his foot to see if she’s faking. “Oakes, heal her. But only enough so that we don’t have to drag her. She’s coming too.”

Turgon puts his hand up, not giving up his authority so easily. “Now, wait a moment. The human and her keeper are staying with me.”

“No.” Eldrin sneers. “I will use thehumanto distract and antagonize King Nathaniel. And I need the keeper to keep the mortal in line.”

Commander Turgon huffs and then concedes, but he must see the wisdom in his plan. “Whatever. But in the end, she will die.”

Eldrin shrugs, completely indifferent. “Death comes for us all in the end—even for elves.”

Rattled by the turn of events, Oakes takes a moment before hurrying over to Merlara. I join him to check on my guardian’s condition.

Jaden can only stand nearby in shock and glower at the prince.

Eldrin ignores Jaden’s intense scrutiny and demands, “Bring our horses here!” When there’s no movement from Turgon’s soldiers, Eldrin snaps, “Now! Or do I need to kill one of you to get the rest to follow my orders?”

Turgon chuckles, “I’m finally seeing a bit of your father in you. It’s about fucking time.”

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