Page 40 of Kingdom of Faewood

“We’ll camp here for the night,” Jax said quietly into my ear, then signaled for his friends to stop.

I gave a small nod, not replying. Jax and I had barely spoken since we’d reached our tentative truce hours earlier, as though each of us was afraid to break whatever fragile bond had been born between us.

My captor jumped off his friend, his movements practiced, but I sat on Phillen a moment longer. I couldn’t help the sliver of awe that coursed through me when I looked down at Stonewild Kingdom. The kingdom north of mine cascaded down the mountain’s slope to spread out before me like a vast blanket.

A sandy valley waited at the bottom of the mountain. The desert seemed endless, sprawling as far as I could see.

Far in the distance, though, twinkling lights waited. I had no idea what city it was, but I knew it wasn’t Jaggedston, Stonewild’s capital. Jaggedston lay much farther north, near the coast, and its palace was whispered to be constructed ofblack rock and sheets of onyx stone, so different from the palace in Faewood.

Finally, I slid my leg over Phillen and fell lightly to the ground. Stiff muscles greeted me when I landed, but I forced myself to walk and shake it off.

Magic billowed around the stags, and they shifted one after another. In a blink, all of them were disguised fae dressed in black attire. Masks covered their faces, and bandanas covered their heads. Once more, six male siltenites and my guardian surrounded me.

I arched an eyebrow. “How convenient that you don’t all end up naked when you shift back to fae.”

Bowan’s eyes crinkled, and his earring flashed in the growing moonlight. “Oh, you’d like that, would you, Lorafin?”

“Hardly.” I gave him my back and strode to an area in the forest that had a large break in the trees. The view opened, allowing me a perfect spot to see the last remnants of the sunset.

A huff came from behind me, and with a start, I realized Guardian Alleron was watching me. His hands were still bound, his mouth an angry slash of a line, and his eyes... They were staring daggers at me.

Guilt hit me when I realized that even though I’d made temporary peace with my captor, my guardian certainly hadn’t. He’d been bound and robbed of his voice all day.

I hurried toward him to offer what help I could, but beforeI reached him, Jax pointed to a tree and addressed his friends. “Tie him up over there.”

The Dark Raider cast a glance my way, that intent look in his eyes again, but then he strode out of the clearing and disappeared into the Wood.

I scowled after him. “Is that truly necessary? I thought we had a deal.”

But if Jax heard me, he didn’t respond.

“Come on, Slave Guardian.” Bowan made a move toward him.

Guardian Alleron stumbled back, and Landertsked.

I rounded on both of them. “Please, don’t hurt him. He’s done nothing wrong.”

But my begging didn’t alleviate their rough handling. They had my guardian pinned between them two steps later, and even though my guardian kicked and seethed, they dodged his blows effortlessly, and then hauled him toward a pine and slammed him to the tree.

A squeak of rage emitted from me, but even that didn’t deter them. Within seconds, Guardian Alleron was entirely bound with lashing strands of the same ropelike magic Jax had used to hold him in place. The glowing strands had grown from Bowan’s hands this time, as though they were a part of him, and I couldn’t help but wonder what spell was used for that, or ifhewas the one who harbored Mistvale magic.

After Bowan’s magic tethered my guardian to the tree, themagical rope shone like stars around him, and every time my guardian moved, the bindings hissed and sizzled.

Despite their humming warning, Guardian Alleron fought against the restraints.

Bowan chuckled. “I’d advise against that.”

Ignoring him, my guardian wrestled more, but when the magic dug deeper into his skin, cutting into him like barbed knives every time he twisted or kicked, he finally stopped.

Blood trickled from small cuts under the magic, and my guardian grew completely still. I had a feeling if he hadn’t, Bowan’s magic would have cut right through him.

Bowan winked. “Tried to warn you.”

He and Lander ambled away, and my guardian’s nostrils flared as he shot me another look. The accusations wordlessly flying from him had me instinctively going to help him again. I wasn’t sure what I could do, but perhaps I could put a pillow beneath his legs or behind his back. Something to make him more comfortable.

“This will all be over soon,” I whispered as I fussed at his side, but Guardian Alleron only seethed more and glared at me, and it struck me that with his voice still gone, he couldn’t say what he was thinking.

And perhaps that was for the best. Given the rage strumming from him, I had a feeling I would be getting a tongue-lashing if he could.

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