Page 77 of Kingdom of Faewood

“And I’m assuming you know that’s not information I generally share freely,” he added.

My insides curled. Of course it wasn’t something he would share easily. I was certain his enemies would kill for that information. But he’d told me.

Warmth spread through me, and it hit me that even though he didn’t desire me, we’d still called a truce between us. I could even consider him a friend, because despite the fact that he’d abducted me, he was going to free me to the best of his ability. If that didn’t deserve a tentative friendship, I didn’t know what did.

I sat up straighter. “As your lorafin, I take the responsibility of guarding that knowledge very seriously.”

His fingers played with the hem of my shirt, his movements quick and agitated. “You’re not my lorafin, Elowen,” he said softly.

“I’m not?”

“No, you’re your own. Nobody owns you. Not unless you willingly give yourself to someone.” He added the last bit so quietly I strained to decipher it.

I ran my fingers along my collar. My pulse spiked, but not from its magic. “This would speak otherwise. Only someone who’s owned would wear something like this.”

“Stars Above. I hate that thing.” He cursed softly under his breath.

I angled my head up to see him better, and my pulse leaped. He was so close I could see the individual stubble hairs on the underside of his jaw, barely visible beneath his mask.

My entire body thrummed, and I wondered how I was going to go an entire day like this. It felt as if every second that passed, my awareness of him increased. His scent, his feel, his voice... For one crazy moment, I considered asking him to rob me of my senses just so my mind could realign, and I could force my budding attraction into submission. Just so my stupid virgin body would stop wondering what it would be like for this male to take me.

But I couldn’t, not without raising questions from him and thoroughly embarrassing myself in the process, so to distract myself, I launched into a discussion about books, the places I’d traveled with Guardian Alleron, and the wildlings I’d met over the seasons.

Jax listened attentively, asking questions as well, as though he truly was interested to learn all of those mundane details. Or perhaps he was just being polite.

But surprisingly, when I asked questions of him—his favorite hobbies, favorite foods, favorite entertainment venues—he answered, but more evasively, so I couldn’t knowwherehe enjoyed those things, just that he did.

Still, I had a feeling that what he revealed to me wasn’t how he usually interacted with captives. He had told me where he lived after all. The actual city, nonetheless.

But at least my plan worked. As the hours wore on, and my chattering continued, I wasn’t completely aware of his every movement.

Just mostly aware.

We traveledthrough the morning and into the afternoon, and I perpetually wondered when we would reach Jaggedston. Jax had us stop once, to give everyone a chance to drink and grab something to eat. Supplies were low, so it was only dried meat and a few apples, but I didn’t complain. Come tomorrow, I would perform Jax’s calling, and then...he would free me to the best of his ability.

Each time that thought struck me, my internal magic warmed, heating and igniting as though knowing that it was the last time I would ever have to perform a calling outside of my own choosing. And that warmth infused life into me, especially since the temperature had cooled as the terrain aroundus turned into rolling hills with vast mountainous peaks looming on the horizon.

And as the day wore on, the scent of the sea grew in the air. Salt kissed my senses, and I tried to remember what I’d learned of Stonewild Kingdom’s capital. It sat near the sea on the northeast side of our continent. Like all of the continent’s kingdoms, ten noble Houses ruled the land, yet the king was the supreme ruler of them all. It was also the largest city in the north, over two million fae calling it home.

Beyond that, there wasn’t much I knew, but in a population that big, it would be easy to blend in. Perhaps that was why Jax had chosen to call the capital his home despite the numerous kingsfae who heralded there as well.

“Did you grow up in Jaggedston?” I asked, the land once again a blur around us as Phillen ran at his full pace.

“I did,” Jax replied.

I perked up. So he hadn’t chosen the city. The city had chosenhim. “Do you have family there?”

He stiffened. “I do.”

“Tell me about them and about how you ended up being the Dark Raider.” The bold statement left my lips, like a whisper on the breeze, but his comments from last night still sat with me, the hints he’d given about also being abused. And since he’d answered some of my questions today about his hobbies and favorite foods, I figured he might answer more.

Jax’s hand shifted, his fingers curling around the hem of my shirt. “There’s not much to tell.”

“We both know that’s a lie.”

He inhaled, and his fingers rubbed my shirt more. “I’ve been the Dark Raider for more summers than I can remember.”

“Did someone teach you how to do what you do?”

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