Page 54 of Protected By the Fae King

My shifting.

The playful glow in Elix’s eyes.

And then…?

The fog returned, a blanket of blackness befalling me again. I fought against it, but it was too strong, the hold overtaking me. From somewhere far away, I heard her voice calling me back.

“I’m sorry!” Elix sobbed. “I’m sorry, please wake up, Jace!”

It’s okay, Elix,I told her silently.I’m okay. I’ll be fine.

But then I was fully underwater again.

The next timeI came up for air, the voices around me were clearer.

“He’s healing,” Cirilla said distinctly. “He’ll make it out of this.” Relief shot through me, and I worked feverishly to pry my eyes apart.

“Why isn’t he waking up?! It’s been hours!” Elix cried, the anguish in her tone breaking me.

“He will,” the enchantress reassured her. “The healers are doing everything they can, and he has healing powers of his own.”

“He does?” Elix sounded surprised.

“Of course. Why don’t you go get some rest? It’s late?—”

“I’m not leaving Jace’s side,” Elix interjected. “Not for a second. I don’t care if I’m here for days.”

“Someone can come and get you?—”

I groaned softly to show them that I was waking, and they both stopped.

“Jace!” Elix’s breath was warm on my face, and finally, my struggle to open my eyes succeeded. Her concerned expression broke my heart more, the pain in her beautiful eyes hurting me more than the pain in every part of my body.

“What happened?” I slurred, my throat raw and thick.

“Get him some water!” Elix barked at someone behind her without looking away from my face. Her hand gently stroked at my hair, the regret painted over her complexion. “I’m so sorry!” she whispered, tears flooding her eyes. “There was an attack?—”

“The Order…” Cirilla offered. I tried to sit up, but both Cirilla and Elix put their hands on me to stop as one of the palace healers appeared with a glass of water. Elix took it to place it at my lips.

“There’s no evidence that this was the Order of Souls, but it certainly seems to be the work of dark magic in play.”

I was aghast. “We never had an issue with the Order. Agnan, the group’s leader, is dead… isn’t he?”

They looked at one another and nodded.

“As far as I know, Agnan is gone, and the Order is hanging on by a thread, but they exist in fringes. Those who exist still hate the royals and want them gone,” the enchantress offered, not giving me much hope. I sighed and arched my back. Once again, I was enshrouded in attention, and more water was thrust into my face.

“I’m all right,” I insisted, taking it from her hands, and I meant it. I was already feeling stronger with each passing moment, but Elix was surprisingly stubborn.

“Just stay down until you’re fully healed,” she insisted, moving to prop the pillows around me.

“Who was it if not the Order of Souls? Just some random fae?” I asked, trying to make sense of it. My question was again met with no proper answer. “What happened to the assailant?”

That should be an easy enough response.

“He’s dead,” Llyodiver piped in from his place by the door.

“No thanks to you,” I scoffed angrily. “How did he get in here?”

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