Chapter 11
CHAPTER 11
I knew Jax thought presenting me to his parents as a supremely magical lorafin would sway them to our side and would convince them to believe me about King Paevin. He also thought they would accept me as his future bride, given what I was and that we were mated. But the reality of my lineage couldn’t be forgotten. I was a commoner. I might have godlike power, and they might relish having a lorafin in their court, but it was entirely different to welcome one into their family, as the future Stonewild queen nonetheless.
But Jax held my hands in our bedroom chambers as a dillemsill swirled in a tornado of magic at our feet. Jax had just finished telling it his message, and the dillemsill was on its way to Stonewild’s palace to deliver it to his parents.
“We’re really going to tell them about King Paevin’s plan and that we’re mated?” The urge to wring my hands grew even stronger.
“It’ll be all right, my love.” Jax squeezed me again. “The dillemsill will tell my parents that I need to meet with them privately, that it’s urgent, and that I want to introduce them to someone before we share some disturbing news. Have faith in me, my love. I’ll make them come to accept you. You’ll see.”
I took a deep breath and nodded. Elsewhere in the suite, now that the damage from Bastian’s attack this morning had been entirely fixed, everyone was packing in a hurry, readying for our departure from Leafton. Considering what kind of despicable fairy King Paevin truly was, none of us felt obligated to carry on with our ruse of enjoying the Match Finals. In the coming days, word would eventually reach the king of what we were accusing him of, and all of us were fine with drawing that line in the sand between us now.
But despite everyone’s eagerness to leave, I couldn’t stop knotting my fingers together and picking at my fingernails. I was going to meet Jax’s parents tonight. As his mate.
I joined Bastian in the living area as Jax went off to see if everyone else was ready to go.
Bastian was sitting on one of the chairs. Several bags lay packed at his feet, and his antler rack appeared a dark beige in the low light.
He hunched forward, elbows on his knees, and a troubled look was upon his features. “It was truly the Faewood king who ordered my abduction and enslavement?”
I dipped my head and paced to the other side of the room. “Yes. King Paevin is an absolutely wretched fairy.”
Bastian’s lips thinned into a tight line, and his furious expression reminded me so much of his brother that I was astounded nobody had realized the likeness between the two. But on the other hand, I wasn’t that surprised. Nobody had reason to suspect the Stonewild king of infidelity or that he had banished a secret half-breed child.
Bastian huffed. “Jax will find a way to stop him. Just wait, Elowen. You’ll see. My brother’s unstoppable when something’s driving him.”
I stopped my frantic movements and forced myself to sit beside him. Sounds of the others carried from down the hall, and I knew they were almost ready to go. “You’re right. I should stop worrying and have faith that not only will your parents accept me, but we’ll stop King Paevin too. After all, your brother’s desire to find you is how he and I met and got us to where we are now.”
Some of the ire on Bastian’s face lifted. “Is that right? So, really, you should be thanking King Paevin for taking me. If he hadn’t, you may have never met your fated mate.”
His teasing tone had my wringing hands loosening. “Or perhaps I should thank you for enduring what you did for the past several months, all so I could meet your brother.”
The lightness in his face lessened. “Do you think they forced me to . . . breed . . . while I was down there?”
My breath caught. “I don’t know, but I can ask the semelees next time I’m in the Veiled Between. Would you like that?”
“Yes, I need to know.” An air of heaviness settled around Bastian, like a cloak of despair. “Please understand, Elowen, I would never have knowingly or willingly been unfaithful to Anna. Even if she and I can never have children.”
I scooted closer to him. “I can see that. You seem very committed to her.”
“I am committed. I plan to wed her, which I know some think is crazy since we’ve not known each other long, but she’s the one for me.” He clasped his hands together, and his head dipped. “But if I’ve bred a child with another half-breed, I’ve not only broken the law and can be executed for it, but I’ve also betrayed Anna.”
My heart broke when his face entirely crumpled, and I placed my hand over his. “No, you didn’t betray Anna or do anything illegal. King Paevin is the one who should be held accountable for all of these crimes and for everything else that’s happening in the Wood. Not even the supernatural courts could hold you responsible if an illegal half-breed child has been born. If you had knowingly bred such a child, they may hold you responsible, but you never consented to it. Both you and that child would be victims in all of this.”
His shining blue eyes lifted to mine, but despite trying to reassure him, they didn’t lighten. “I hope you’re right, Elowen, because by the stars, if you’re not...” He hung his head again. “I really hope you’re right.”
We arrived back in Jax’s private tower in the Stonewild palace by mid-evening, the portal key depositing us down the hall from the enchanted chambers Jax had initially held me in. It’d already been such a long day, but I straightened my spine, knowing the hardest part was yet to come.
Outside the palace, the bustle of the city was going strong. On the horizon, the sun was setting, casting the city in an ethereal glow. Through the windows, everything looked so beautiful and alive, but all I could think about was that every single citizen in this city had no idea of the atrocities currently being committed just south of their kingdom’s border.
In the hall, it was quiet, yet Bastian glanced around warily even though no servants were in sight. He scanned everything—the tall walls, the hanging tapestries, the rich carpet with its thick, woven fibers—he took it all in as though he’d never seen it before, and I couldn’t help but wonder if he’d ever been in the palace.
“Do you think he has any idea I’m here?” Bastian asked Jax. All emotion had wiped clean from Bastian’s face, yet his eyes gleamed with something dark and unforgiving.
Jax’s mouth tightened. “No, our father is none the wiser as to what occurs within my tower. My wards see to that. He can’t hurt you here.”
Lander glanced around as the others did the same, but we were truly alone. In his usual monotone voice, Lander said to Jax, “So the plan is to meet in the main hall at nine for the supper meal, after you’ve had a chance to speak privately with your parents and introduce them to Elowen, correct?”
Jax’s princely expression fell into place. “Correct. I’ve asked my parents to be there at eight so Elowen and I can speak with them before the rest of the court arrives for the evening meal. I have no idea how that discussion will go. Be ready to defend Elowen and me if needed.”
Lander, Trivan, Alec, and Bowan all nodded and then headed out together. I could only imagine they were returning to their Houses to bathe and dress for the evening meal before returning to the palace once more.
Lars and Phillen still stood at our sides, but Phillen kept glancing at the stairwell.
Jax followed his line of sight. “You’re both dismissed. Feel free to check on Saramel and Cassim, Nellip. Just be in the hall by nine. We’ll see you both then.”
The guards bowed to their prince, and Lars added, “After I bathe and dress, I’ll check on her guardian before supper, to replenish his stores if needed.”
Jax inclined his head, and my lips parted. A jolt of shock shook my system. Guardian Alleron. I’d nearly forgotten about him.
My former guardian was still confined within one of Jax’s chambers and had been so since we’d left for Leafton. He’d been alone for days, with food and water left behind to nourish him, but I doubted Jax had given him back his voice. His isolation was likely driving him mad. But for the life of me, I couldn’t find an ounce of will to care.
Both guards hurried off, leaving Jax and I alone with his brother.
Jax cleared his throat. “I’ll show you where you can stay, Bas, while we sort things out. You’ll be safe here.”
Jax clasped my hand, and that simple gesture soothed my bond.
I followed the brothers down the hall, and my thoughts whirled with what was to come. Before leaving Leafton, Jax had prepared me, telling me that supper was served precisely at nine each night, often with nobles of the ten Houses in attendance, so it would be the perfect opportunity to tell the other lordlings and ladies of what King Paevin had done.
And hopefully, our private discussion with his parents beforehand would go smoothly. With any luck, they wouldn’t hate me, and they would accept our newly formed mate bond.
My stomach was a mess of twisting and turning knots as I followed Jax and Bastian to the end of the hall, and I was in such a worried state that it took me a moment to realize that Jax had led us to the same enchanted chambers where he’d once kept me.
I paused at the door. “You want Bastian to stay here?”
Jax gave me a sly smile as he laid his hand against the door’s lock. A shimmer of magic clouded around his palm, a click sounded, and then the door opened. “You asked me once why I’d created this chamber with its strong enchantments and fogged windows to hide any prying eyes from seeing in, and it was for one reason.” He opened the door more, and the familiar furnishings inside greeted us as we stepped over the threshold.
Jax closed the door behind us, and Bastian turned in a slow circle, whistling low beneath his breath. It was obvious from his wide-eyed surprise that he was as taken by the chamber’s elegance and large size as I’d initially been.
A pulse of Jax’s magic emitted over the lock again, freezing it, then he faced us. “The reason I created this chambers was in case I ever needed to hide my brother.” He gave Bastian a sad smile. “It’s warded. Seers can’t penetrate its protective magic, and I’m hoping the king’s child psychic can’t see into it either.” He slid his hands into his pockets and eyed Bastian. “What do you think? Do you like it?” The prince’s expression was guarded, but I still caught the undercurrent of hope in his aura.
“This is where you want me to stay?” Bastian put his hands on his hips and surveyed the suite.
Jax raked a hand through his midnight hair. “Only for the time being. I know you want to get back to Anna, and I promise to get word to her that we’ve found you and you’re safe, but I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to return home yet. As Elowen’s pointed out, there’s nothing to stop King Paevin from capturing you again.”
Bastian’s brows folded together, and he nodded. “As long as you tell Anna so she knows that I’ll be back at her side as soon as I’m able to, it’s fine if I need to stay here for a while.” His eyebrows shot up. “Or...do you think I could have a looking glass and contact her myself? At least then, she and I could talk. I won’t tell her anything about where I am or who you are, obviously.”
Jax laughed softly. “Yes, if you’d rather tell her yourself, I can get you a looking glass.”
Bastian grinned. “Perfect. Our plan’s settled. I’ll hang out here, talk to Anna every day, and enjoy a life of leisure while you go save the kingdoms.” I burst out laughing, and Bastian winked at me. “Just let me know when it’s safe to head back to Anna. But in the meantime, if I can talk to her, you don’t need to worry about me. Being able to speak with her will tide me over. Not to mention, it’d be nice to spend my mornings sleeping in. The shipyard’s schedule can be brutal.”
Jax released a breath, and his face lightened. “Oh, brother, how I’ve missed you.” He laid a hand on Bastian’s shoulder, but before Jax could pull back, Bastian seized him and yanked him into a hug.
“I never thanked you properly for what you’ve done for me, J.” Bastian’s words turned gruff, his joking nature calming. “You risked your life, your friends’ lives, your mate’s life...all to save me.”
Jax’s throat worked in a swallow as the brothers held each other, and a sharp ache formed in my gut. Relief filled me that he finally had Bastian back at his side, but I would have been lying to myself if I didn’t also feel a twinge of envy. I was so thrilled the brothers were back together, but a part of me wished for that too...to have a sibling so I could experience what they had.
Jax squeezed Bastian tighter. “You know I would do anything for you. You’re my brother.”
I could have sworn a coating of moisture filled Bastian’s eyes. “And you’re mine, but it’s more than saving me from the Faewood king that I’m thankful for. You’ve never seen me as a half-breed either. Never, in all the seasons since you found out I was your brother, have you ever treated me any differently. I don’t know if I’ve ever properly thanked you for that.”
Jax pulled back, his gaze sharpening. “That’s not something you ever need to thank me for, and you shouldn’t. Everyone should treat you with kindness and respect regardless of who your father and mother are. It’s despicable that our culture allows half-breeds to be treated as they are, as you’ve been treated your whole life.”
A burst of pride and love bloomed through me as the fierceness of Jax’s words penetrated my soul. He believed that, truly believed that, and not for the first time I saw the courage and perseverance that made my mate who he was.
It was Jax’s unwavering belief that all Silten fae—both siltenite, half-breed, and wildling—deserved equal treatment and fair laws. Those beliefs and seeing the injustices in our land had forged his path to becoming the Dark Raider. And I had a feeling that if the day ever came where Jax was the king of Stonewild, it wouldn’t be just his raider acts that strove to perform justice. It would be his ruling hand as well. Real change would come under Jax’s leadership. I was certain of that.
“Elowen,” Bastian said, grinning over his brother’s shoulder, and I realized he’d been staring at me as I remained wrapped up in my love for my mate. “Come here and join us.” He opened his arms to me, Jax doing the same, and before I knew it, the two brothers had me crushed against them as the three of us embraced.
I laughed, and Jax did too.
“My brother’s a lover and a jokester,” Jax said in a chuckling tone. “I did warn you of that, didn’t I? Expect to get hugs regularly from him.”
I laughed more. “I can get used to that.” I’d received such little affection in my life, and I was coming to learn I quite enjoyed it.
Hugging them one last time, I finally pulled free of the two large males. Standing apart again, Bastian surveyed the chambers. “So now what?”
Some of the lightness in Jax’s expression vanished, and he placed his hands on his hips. “I’ll get you a looking glass so you can talk to Anna whenever you want while the others and I work to stop what King Paevin’s doing. Once I’m certain it’s safe to return you home, we’ll get you back to Anna.”
Bastian nodded, and then, in a sudden burst, he jumped backward and landed on the bed with his arms spread out. His leap was so big some of the pillows bounced off the mattress, and one flipped upward and wedged right between his antlers. He freed the pillow and flung it to the side. “I suppose I can get used to this in the meantime. I’ve never lived in luxury before.”
Laughing again, I nodded toward the walls. “And when you’re hungry, all you have to do is ask the enchantment for whatever it is you want. It’ll deliver any kind of food you’re craving.” I eyed Jax teasingly. “Someone forgot to mention that tidbit when I was caged here. I thought servants were sneaking in when I wasn’t looking to deliver food. It nearly made my heart stop in fright.”
“Wait, my brother held you captive here ?” Bastian’s eyes grew entirely round.
Jax scrubbed his cheeks. “It’s not one of my proudest moments.”
“Don’t worry, Bastian,” I added. “I’ve forgiven him, even though he nearly starved me.”
Jax hissed, looking sheepish. “Damn. I’m a horrible captor, aren’t I?”
I grinned and pinched him teasingly. “Good thing you eventually made up for it.”
A sly smile lifted his lips, and he drifted closer to me, putting his hands on my hips and then drawing me against his chest. “Perhaps you could join me in my private chambers now, mate? Considering I don’t intend to let you sleep in any other chambers ever again?”
I arched an eyebrow. “Keeping me captive again?”
“Definitely, but your new captivity comes with lots of fucking. An added perk. It’ll be better than the first go-around. I promise.”
Bastian covered his ears. “That’s your cue to leave, you two. I’m glad you’ve found your mate, J, but I don’t need to hear the details.”
A flush of embarrassment rushed up my neck, but so did a bolt of want . It hummed through me, and Jax’s burst of hunger—that had nothing to do with food—shot toward me on our bond.
I draped my arms around his neck. “Well, with a promise like that, how could a female refuse?”