Page 84 of Kingdom of Faewood

A flash of raw emotion streaked across his eyes. It almost looked like pain or perhaps disappointment. But he veiled it too quickly for me to fully grasp whatever it was, but one thing I’d learned since being locked in here, I was a fool to fall for anything he said or did.

But despite knowing Jax could very well be deceiving me now, I didn’t yank my hand back. Instead, I tried to quell my growing desire to do whatever he wanted just so I could potentially gain my freedom. A true family was never in the cards for me now, thanks to my guardian’s betrayal, but perhaps at least I could be the maker of my own destiny, no longer a slave if the supernatural courts deemed me safe.

You’re an idiot, Elowen.

But I couldn’t completely ignore the singular goal that was now staring me smack in the face. My entire life I’d been working toward this moment. Autonomy. Independence. Perhaps Jax would keep his promise, and the entire past four days would end up being one long nightmare that I couldhopefully forget one day. Perhaps...but I supposed only time would tell.

Jax dipped his head. “Ready?”

I pulled my hand free of his. “Yes.”

In a few strides, Jax was at the door again. My nostrils flared when the door opened readily for him.

“Phillen?” he called down the hallway. “Bring him in.”

I tried to see into the hall again, but he’d barely opened the door enough to call to his friend. In less than a minute, Guardian Alleron was in the room with Phillen right behind him. The rest of Jax’s friends filed into the chamber too, slipping through the door so quickly that my head spun.

All of them were masked, bandanas in place, yet that was where the similarities ended. Trivan, Lander, and Bowan wore clothing as fine as Jax, but Phillen and Lars wore uniforms of forest green, gold, and sapphire blue—Stonewild Kingdom colors.

But uniforms for what?

Before I could ponder that, Jax was in my space again with Guardian Alleron right behind him. At least, I wasn’t the only one afraid. Given my guardian’s terrified expression, I couldn’t help but wonder if Jax had robbed him of his senses the entire night and had only just released them.

Jax handed the adaptor to Guardian Alleron, then turned his azure eyes on me. “Elowen? Shall we begin?”

I walked stiffly to the bed, and my collar vibrated asemotions roiled within me. I took deep, steadying breaths, but it did little to calm my nerves.

This could potentially be my last demanded calling ever. Tomorrow, I could be free.Or not.This could all be a ploy to trick me.

I lay on the bed, placed my arms at my sides, and waited. But nobody moved.

Guardian Alleron raised his eyebrows at the Dark Raider. “Are you going to touch her?”

Jax’s brow furrowed, and he growled, “Why would I touch her?”

I flinched, unable to help it, even though a part of me knew that Jax thought Guardian Alleron was inviting him to touch me indecently, as Lordling Neeble had, yet it still hurt. Jax had rejected me very clearly yesterday morning, so maybe he truly thought I was hideous, and his touches earlier had been out of necessity, not choice.

I fought the urge to rub my temples. Confusion filled me at Jax’s waxing and waning actions. He couldn’t very well rob me of my senses and lock me up, then feign irritation at Guardian Alleron inviting him to touch or harm me. Stealing my senses and holding me captivewasharming me.

Guardian Alleron’s nostrils flared. “She needs to access your magic to perform your calling. In order to do that, she needs to be touching you.”

The Dark Raider’s eyebrows slanted sharply together. “That isn’t how I was told callings worked.”

My ears pricked. It wasn’t the first time Jax had implied he knew about lorafins, and I couldn’t help but wonder if what he knew was true and where he’d acquired his information.

Guardian Alleron sighed again, and subtle sarcasm dripped from his tone when he replied, “By all means, if you know more about Elowen and her callings than me, do whatever you prefer.”

Jax and I regarded one another. His shoulders tensed, and his hands fisted.

Sighing, I gave up on trying to understand any of this. I just wanted his calling over and done with.

I raised my arm, holding out an outstretched palm to him. “If you want someone or something found, and I want to be free, this is the only way. Take my hand.”

The adaptor flashed in Guardian Alleron’s palm. A jolt skated down my spine from the collar, and I yelped.

My former guardian gave Jax a mock frown. “Sorry, my finger twitched.”

Jax scowled, and his aura abruptly pounded through the room. Out of nowhere, Guardian Alleron cried out in pain, his face contorting, the muscles in his neck flexing.

---