1
So many emotions warred inside of me that I couldn’t figure out what to think or feel. Not as they dragged me further into the forest. Not when they blindfolded me, not only stealing my sight but all my senses. I couldn’t feel, couldn’t smell, couldn’t taste. Nothing.
I was tossed into a world of nothingness, leaving me with only thoughts and fears to keep me company. And the fears really settled in. Deeply. Was this how I was going to die? Be raped? Forced to have Fae babies? Was I ever going to be able to see my guys again? Where were they? What had happened to them?
It remained like that until for what felt like a short time but had to be a while because by the time they removed the cloth and all my senses snapped back into place, I was kneeling before Neyil, completely surrounded by Fae.
I curled my fingers as I fought my fear and confusion and blinked through the bright light. My eyes burned and watered as everything focused, and I no longer saw bright light. We were inside a throne room by the looks of it. There were grand windows and intricately carved pillars. A huge, fancy-looking seat had tall, lean Fae guards all around. Portraits adorned the walls. But that was all that felt familiar.
My fingers dug into soft, lustrous, and grassy earth. A soft breeze blew through, bringing with it the scent of fresh lavender. There were even the sounds of birds chirping in the distance. It almost felt more like I was in the middle of the woods rather than inside a castle, especially one housing a Fae as dangerous as Neyil. Even the tall windows blended in nicely, looking outside into a forest that seemed to tightly wrap against the castle in a cocoon of apparent safety. If I closed my eyes, I’d truly believe I was still outside.
I tore my gaze away from my new surroundings and focused on the most dangerous person near me. Slowly, I looked him over and compared him to all the information I knew about him. The Fae king. Taller than the other Fae. Leaner. His long, silvery hair nearly went down to the back of his knees as he stood before me, looking down at me with an expression devoid of all his thoughts and feelings.
The Fae king still stood before me without giving anything away. He just stared at me, the discomfort growing between us as the sense of danger increased significantly. I looked to my right, to Aylia. She had been my roommate at the academy and had become a good friend of mine. But to think she worked for Neyil.
I felt like a fool. It had been too good to be true, having a friend on my side. I thought she was helping me escape the dungeons to meet up with my mates, not with the Fae king. The hurt and betrayal stabbed hard inside my chest, and I had to swallow to keep my emotions in check. Even as my limbs shook in fear, I couldn’t break down.
Not here in enemy territory.
“Isn’t she better than you expected,” Aylia said with a warm smile as she looked up at the Fae king.
The expression on her face was one I had never seen before. It was full of warmth and devotion. She truly was Neyil’s person.
“She is absolutely wonderful, Miss Aylia. You did well,” he said, his voice also warm and soft as he spoke. His head tilted to the side as he stared down at me, his expression still such a stark contrast to the warmth of his voice. His violet eyes looked inside of me. I suppressed a shudder, trying to look like I wasn’t about to pee myself. “And you mentioned that she is already mated to three dragons?”
He moved closer and leaned down, his hair brushing my shoulders as some strands fell forward. His touch was gentle as he grabbed some of my own hair and brought it closer to him, moving the strands around as he got a closer look.
“This is absolutely fascinating. She barely has any color in her hair, as if she had not truly bonded with them yet.”
“Lord Neyil, I’ve seen it with my own eyes,” Aylia said. “She can ride them, and they have been making good use of her, breathing fire even in human form.”
For once, Neyil finally showed an emotion as he scowled in displeasure. “That is unfortunate. It is good we got her when we did.”
Before I could say anything, he put his hand on my head and pure warmth flooded through me. I screamed and threw myself backward, landing hard on my tailbone, but that pain was nothing compared to the fear that choked me from being touched by him like that.
“What did you do?” I snapped out as I tried to skitter away. Guards shifted so that I bumped into their legs. They weren’t willing to let me run away any further.
“Rayna, I am the last person who would ever want to cause you harm,” Neyil said, his hand still hovering in the air where my head had been.
I swallowed hard. “Not sorry for being unable to believe you.”
His lips pressed together in a thin line for only a moment before he relaxed. “All is well, and you will come to understand your true predicament in due time.”
“Is she okay?” Aylia asked.
I whipped my head to look at her, frowning at the concern in her voice, talking as if she actually cared.
“You got her out in time. No lasting damage. She is also stronger than I expected.” That last part he said in a softer voice. The focus he had on me made me extremely uncomfortable as he continued to stare after me.
“Enough!” I snapped, needing them to stop talking about me as if I weren’t kneeling right there before them. I also wanted him to stop looking at me like I was a yummy prize he’d finally gotten his hands on. “Return me right now. I don’t wish to be here. I want to be with my mates. What you have done is disgusting, and I refuse to be part of anything you plan to do. You might as well kill me instead.”
Aylia took in a sharp breath at my harsh words but remained silent even if she looked like she wanted to punch me in the face.
“I trusted you,” I snarled at her, turning all my anger on her. She seemed like the safer bet. “I told you so many of my secrets. To think you’re a traitor.”
I was so into making sure I could hurt Aylia with my words that I didn’t realize the true danger had gotten close to me. I practically threw myself back as the Fae King reached out to me, his long, slender fingers getting too close to me.
Before I could fall over, he grabbed my shoulder and steadied me on my knees. “Careful, little Divine,” he said in a voice that felt all too intimate. Once he knew I wasn’t going to fall, he slowly helped me climb to my feet. My hands were useless since they were still tied together. “Rayna, I know everything is confusing for you right now, but I have been searching for you for a long time. Soon, you will understand.”