Page 18 of Kingdom of Faewood

Phillen glanced over his shoulder and snorted as he and the other males fell into a single-file line, knees lifting high as they effortlessly pranced through the Wood.

The gait was bumpy and awkward, and each jar of Phillen’s body felt like my arse was slamming into stone. At this rate, I would be black and blue by lunchtime. Not to mention, the pain from the callings roared back a thousandfold.

Phillen’s pace increased, moving from a brisk trot to a slow canter as the stags cut through the thick Wood. A minute later, we reached a trail. A single strip of soil, trampled by so many creatures the footprints were hard to decipher, cut through the Wood.

Each stag stepped onto it and made a single line, nose to rear as they lined up, never once breaking stride.

“You travel on wildling trails?” I somehow managed.

Jax shrugged. “It’s easiest. Keeps the path clear, and nothing tangles our antlers.”

I stiffened. He’d saidour antlers. I was guessing that meant hewasa stag shifter too.

I opened my mouth to ask another question, but Phillen took off. I lurched backward, hitting Jax right in the chest, but since he was so damned tall, my slamming head missed his face entirely. Pity. I wouldn’t have minded giving him a split lip for what he was putting me through.

The stag’s speed increased, all five of them moving in perfect synchronicity. The realm rushed past me. We weremoving even faster than an enchanted carpet, but then a rush of thick magic puffed from the brawny male, and then...we were flying. It was almost as if Phillen was no longer touching the soil, as though he glided along the air, kissing the forest floor in barely discernible flutters.

Phillen and the other shifters moved like the wind, and if not for Jax’s solid form and unyielding arm locked around me, I would have indeed flown right off. But my captor’s strong thighs seemed to cling effortlessly to his friend despite their impossible speed. Not once did his seat falter.

So this is why Jax insisted on being so close.

Wind whipped against my face, and I squinted my eyes against the wind that began to cut into me like needles. Eyes watering, I could barely breathe, the wind was so fierce.

“I can help with that.”

Behind me, a puff of magic emitted from Jax, and the wind immediately stopped.

My hair, still braided thank the Goddess, no longer had wispy strands flowing around my face, and while Phillen continued to move in a blur, the air around me stilled even though the rocking motion of Phillen continued.

“What did you do?” I was too in awe of whatever magic he’d just woven not to ask.

“I created an air bubble around us to stop the wind.”

“You created... Wait, do you haveelementalmagic?” Perhaps the Dark Raider wasn’t from Stonewild after all. He’d never actually confirmed he was a brommel stag shifter despitesayingour antlers, and if he had elemental air magic, then it was likely he was from Faewood—my kingdom.

“Perhaps.”

I rolled my eyes at another vague answer. “So you’re from Faewood?”

He shrugged.

At my throat, my collar rattled when my irritation spiked. I knew I needed to figure out a way to delay us, but Jax’s clandestine responses were getting on my nerves, even if it was for the best that I didn’t know much about him. Less reason to kill me and all if I couldn’t find a way to escape.

Jax shifted behind me. “Why does it do that?”

“What?” I replied distractedly.

“Why does your collar vibrate by your skin?” With his free hand, he trailed a fingertip along the smooth metal.

I stiffened again. “It does that in warning.”

“Warning of what?” His finger continued to trail along my collar, and if I didn’t know better, I had a feeling he was assessing it more thoroughly.

“A warning to not use my magic.”

His finger stopped. “You were just trying to use your magic?”

“No, but lorafin magic typically responds to emotions. I thought someone such as yourself would have known that since you sought me out?”

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