Page 87 of Kingdom of Faewood

That’s him, I said.

Yes, but even though his image matches, thefeelof him is different. It is why we wanted to assess him more, but now we are certain.

I had no idea what was going on, so I studied again what the semelees revealed. A grand arena was behind the male and the other half-breeds. Flags in the colors of turquoise, white, and dark brown waved in the wind. Faewood Kingdom colors.

I studied it more. The image spanned out. Wildlings worked around an arena. Construction was underway everywhere I looked, and when the image grew to an even larger area, I saw the palace. With a sharp intake of breath, I realized where the male was.

The Centennial Matches.

The semelee seemed to sense when full understanding hit me. Its cold, shadowy claws dug into my torso, holding me in its embrace as it dragged me deeper into the Veiled Between.

Too far, I called to it.

Come with us, Commander of Darkness, Princess of Fate. This is where you belong.

My concentration faltered at that last title. To command the fates was the ultimate power of a lorafin. I’d never been able to grasp it. Only a queen could do that, and the semelees had told me countless times that I was still a princess.

But the thought of controlling that much power, even if only a fool would do such a thing...It called to something deep inside me. Something my birthright demanded I heed.

No, I pulled back, forcing the semelee to relax its hold.I have what I want. You need to let me go.

But the semelee hissed, embracing me in its coldness as more joined in. They swirled around me. Inky blackness, scaled backs, venomous bites. As more semelees writhed together, they pulled me farther into the Veiled Between.

No!I struggled and fought against them, but they were sluggish to respond.

If only I was stronger, they would yield to me more. A true lorafin could command them completely, not only partially as I could.

Come, Princess of Darkness.

They sucked me under, pulling me down, down . . . deeper, farther.

Oh Goddess!They were pulling me under.Jax!I screamed his name, yet no sound came out.

A powerful zap abruptly came from my collar, then another and another. My soul convulsed. My spirit ignited.

Another electrifying jolt enflamed my limbs, and then I was falling.

Falling.

Falling.

Pain erupted along my skin. Darkness. Silence. Eternal flames. A void.

Agony ripped through me, searing through my soul and electrifying my nerves. I screamed, anything to hear my own voice and know that I still lived, and that this pain was a figment of my imagination.

But . . . nothing. No sound came.

And then the painexploded. Searing, burning fire erupted across my limbs, and the reality of what was occurring hit me.

Oh Goddess, I’ve been lost.

CHAPTER 22

I writhed and bellowed. I was burning, being eaten alive, my skin being flayed. All of my existence echoed around the pure torture someone was delivering upon me.

“Elowen?” A male’s voice echoed from far away. He sounded urgent. Panicked. But so very quiet and so very, very distant.

“By all the gods and goddesses. Help her!” the male growled so savagely that, for the briefest moment, it cut through the haze.

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