Page 31 of Kingdom of Faewood

Once certain there were no signs of anything being amiss, I sat down on the bed and waited.

CHAPTER 9

By the time the three moons were high in the sky, the galaxy was alight in a myriad of colors, and the hooting and hollering were so loud from below that I wondered how anyone managed to sleep at this inn, Jax still wasn’t back.

I crept to the door, pressing my ear to it to listen.

Nothing.

Nobody stirred outside the room. The only sounds were the loud yells that crept up the stairs from drunk fae below.

I paced back to the bed and lay down. Or rather, I tried to lie down. My large gown made that difficult, but I did my best to heave the opulent skirt out around me, which made the mattress squeak and bounce a few times since it was such a fuss. I loosened a few of the stays too but had to bend and twist to do so. Not for the first time, I cursed the tight corset and bulky design.

Finally settling back, I did my best to relax, but my collar wouldn’t stop vibrating, and the mattress kept squeaking. It didn’t take much imagination to figure outwhythe bed was so loud. Even though I’d never been privy to such bedchamber activities, it didn’t mean I was entirely naïve of them.

Grumbling anew, I eyed the door again, and my collar emitted a smallzap. “Stars!”

I took several deep breaths, and finally, my collar calmed. Fingers tapping on my thighs, I contemplated what to do. Since Jax still wasn’t back, and he thought he’d sealed the windows and door, it was possible he had no intention of returning tonight. Perhaps he figured I was his secured prisoner who he’d fetch in the morning. Given the late hour, that seemed the most likely option, which meant I would probably be alone in this chamber all night until Guardian Alleron arrived.Ifhe arrived...

Whatever the case, I had a feeling I would be alone for the foreseeable future. Decision made, I heaved out of the bed and thoroughly set to work on my gown. Several minutes and many curses later, I finally had the horrid contraption off me.

I sighed in bliss when the heavy clothing dropped to the floor.Galaxy above, that feels amazing.Dressed in nothing but my underthings and a thin shift, I pulled back the covers and fell between the sheets.

Despite the squeaks, the bed was soft and better than the Wood’s hard ground. And considering so muchhad happened in the past two days, it wasn’t long before my eyes closed, and exhaustion overtook me.

A hand clampedover my mouth. “Elowen?” a low voice hissed.

My eyes flew open, a scream lodged in my throat, but when familiar eyes and the scent of smoky leather clouded around me, my panic eased.He made it!

The inn’s chamber was dark, although traces of gray light streaked through the window, hinting that dawn was coming.

“Do you understand that it’s me?” my guardian asked.

I nodded behind his palm.

Guardian Alleron removed his hand, and I had the urge to throw my arms around his neck, but his savage and terrifying smile of victory stopped me. He looked positively...sinister.

“You’re not hurt?”

“No, Guardian. Are you?” I eyed his shoulder. A thick bandage was apparent beneath his jacket where Jax’s arrow had penetrated him.

He scowled. “It’s a deep flesh wound, but I’ll live.”

Relief barreled through me, and I threw the covers off me. At the same time, I slid my hand across the bed to the other side.

Smooth covers greeted me. Jax had never returned, just as I suspected he wouldn’t.

That realization hit me at the same time I took in my guardian’s appearance. Guardian Alleron’s face was covered in unshaved stubble, his usual clean-cut appearance gone. He was also dressed all in black, perhaps in mockery of the Dark Raider or simply as a way to hide in the night, but from the looks of the rising dawn sun, that clothing wouldn’t hide him for long.

My guardian crouched at my bedside and hurriedly retrieved my gown. “Get up. We need to get out of here.”

I grabbed the large dress and peered around. “Have you seen him?” I pulled on the silky material with hurried movements and cursed when the voluminous skirt caught on my heel.

“No, but you’re certain it was the Dark Raider who attacked us in the Wood?”

“Yes.”

I finally got the gown on and smoothed it down. My guardian signaled for me to turn around. His movements were rough and jerky as he tightened the stays and did quick work of securing the gown at my back. “You’re sure?”

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