Page 52 of Kingdom of Faewood

I brought a hand to my forehead and scrubbed my eyes. My feelings for Guardian Alleron had always been twisted and complicated, but the truth was, he was the only family I’d ever had. But the irony of that wasn’t lost on me. He was my only family because he murdered my mother.

Jax’s voice fell to a whisper. “He’s used you for your entire life, Elowen. Filled your head with lies, seduced you with his sweet words, but he’s nothing but an evil snake.”

My brow furrowed, and one thought and one thought only penetrated my mind.

He’s right.

Silence again reigned in our tent as soft snores from the one next to us filled my ears, yet despite being tired, despite pain still running through me, I couldn’t relax.

It seemed Jax couldn’t either. He lay still, his breathing deep and even. Yet despite our silence, he continued watching me. Watched me so closely that once again, it felt as though he saw into me.

Sitting up, I finally undid the braids that I’d been wearing for the past two days. Jax watched that too, his intent gaze upon each of my fingers threading through my hair until my long chestnut strands tumbled down my back.

His throat bobbed in a swallow, his mask not hiding that. “You’re absolutely beautiful, Elowen,” he said so softly that I almost didn’t hear him. “And I can seethat you’re not just beautiful on the outside but on the inside too. Despite everything he’s done to you, your heart is still good.”

Jax closed his eyes before I could fully process his tender words, and once I did, my heart pounded, my breaths turning shallow.

Sinking back onto the furs, I closed my eyes and let Jax’s heat warm my side. And when I finally drifted off to sleep, it was only to dream of masked fae, a yearning for a family I would never have, and inevitably being lost in the Veiled Between.

CHAPTER 13

Footsteps padded by my ears. Soft steps like ghostly whispers. They disturbed the Wood’s soil littered with fragrant pine needles, each step inadvertently creating puffs of aroma that tickled my senses and roused me from sleep.

I opened my eyes groggily. Darkness greeted me. Beside me, a male slept. Soft, even breathing reached my ears, and a warm, hard body was turned on his side. His chest was pressed flush against my back, and his arm rested around my waist, as though completely unaware of the casually intimate way he held me.

Jax. Every inch of him was heated, as impenetrable as stone, and strangely, being held by him felt nothing but safe.

I roused more. I’d never been held by a male before. Not ever. Guardian Alleron had never permitted it since he wouldn’t allow me relationships. He’d only ever granted males the right to touch me during callings, and that was under hisever-watchful eye, except for the time he’d left the room and Lordling Neeble had...

I shoved that thought away and settled back more.

Jax’s arm tightened around me, as though sensing my fear. And even though he still slept, he dragged me closer to him, even if the movement was slight.

My cheeks pinked. His heat wrapped around me, keeping me warm in the chilled air. I closed my eyes again and was about to settle back to sleep, but then abruptly started.Wait, if Jax is still sleeping beside me, then who’s outside the tent?

A faint whisper on the breeze reached my ears, but it was so quiet I couldn’t decipher it. I scrubbed more sleep from my eyes, and my heart began to pound.

Somebody was outside our tent.

I was certain of that.

My collar vibrated along my throat, and my breathing sped up with every passing second. It was possible I was hearing the other males. Perhaps Phillen or Lander had gotten up to relieve themselves. But if that was the case, they wouldn’t be trying so hard to conceal their movements.

I turned over to jostle Jax awake, but before I could, the tent’s canvas door flew open, and a large siltenite fairy dove inside.

Gasping, I lunged out of the way.

But he wasn’t going for me.

The glint of metal in the moons’ dim light caught my eye. The blade streaked upward, its intent clear.

“Jax!”

But my warning came too late.

The dagger fell and impaled the Dark Raider.

I shrieked and flew back. A groan came from Jax, his hand going to his upper stomach, right by his heart. The blade had sunk all the way to the hilt, and an eruption of blood gushed from the wound.

---