Chapter 22
CHAPTER 22
I writhed and bellowed. I was burning, being eaten alive, my skin being flayed. All of my existence echoed around the pure torture someone was delivering upon me.
“Elowen?” A male’s voice echoed from far away. He sounded urgent. Panicked. But so very quiet and so very, very distant.
“By all the gods and goddesses. Help her!” the male growled so savagely that, for the briefest moment, it cut through the haze.
“I can’t. This is part of a calling. She suffers the effects of a fairy’s magic when she awakens.” Whoever had just spoken sounded almost smug. Guardian Alleron. “For someone who claims to know so much about lorafins, I’m surprised you’re ignorant of this.”
“But she’s covered in bruises!”
“She is. You can thank your magic for that. ”
Jax snarled. “Stop this!”
“I can’t.”
I screamed again when another stabbing sensation ripped through me, but I could have sworn no sound came from my lips.
Somehow, I managed to register what was happening. I hadn’t been lost. I’d been frozen in Jax’s magic. His power had robbed me of sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell. That was the terrifying void I’d experienced. It wasn’t because I’d been lost in the Veiled Between. It was because of the side effects, and it was only now starting to wear off.
But the strength of Jax’s internal pain-inducing psychic power was pure agony. His magic barreled through me unchecked, tearing, beating, and burning everything inside me. My organs, my veins, my very essence. Not one part of me was left unscathed.
And there was nothing I could do to stop it.
“I’m sorry. Stars, Elowen, I’m so sorry.”
I tried to rouse more from the agonizing void. My heart beat at a furious pace. Another burst of sizzling flames sped through my innards. Galaxy Above, make it stop!
“I should cut off your fucking head for this!”
“I apologize, Dark Raider, but this is what you...you wanted,” Guardian Alleron stammered. “This is the price of a calling.”
“How much longer until she’s conscious?” Jax demanded.
“That would depend upon the strength of your magic, but since she’s twitching now and making those mewling sounds, I would imagine fairly soon.”
“But it’s already been an entire day.”
A day? Stars Above, I’ve never been under that long.
“True, which would imply you’re quite powerful.” Guardian Alleron’s reply sounded uneasy, as if he was reminded once again of the magic harbored within the Dark Raider. “But her own magic will soon rise and suppress yours. Usually, at this stage, she begins to regain control.”
And some part of my mind knew I was close to coming out of this, so I fought against Jax’s magic and struggled to regain all of my senses. I did my best to quell the burning and beating pain barreling unchecked through my body. The darkness within me flared, my magic rising even though the collar hummed. I ignored the painful zaps that followed and consciously began to douse Jax’s crackling power.
A moan came, a loud one. My moan. My voice was back.
“Elowen!” Jax called. “Can you hear me?”
My eyes opened to slits. Dim sunshine greeted me. Slowly, so slowly, Jax’s magic receded more as my darkness cooled his monumental power.
One last flash of shadows crept through me, the collar tingling along my throat again, but in a whisper, my magic calmed everything completely. My eyelids fell limp again as the remains of his magic at last, blessedly receded.
The calling was done. Finally . But Goddess, I hurt everywhere . It felt as though a herd of domals had stampeded over me after my skin had been flayed.
I whimpered despite trying not to, but the aftermath of Jax’s calling was brutal .
“Damn all of this!” Jax snarled. “Elowen?”
It took me a minute to realize that my hand was clasped in his. Hard callouses rubbed my skin, and with each touch of his palm, my senses grew more alive. A soft bed was beneath me, and the aroma of spice and pine hovered in the air.
“Her bruises are starting to fade,” Phillen said gruffly, and I vaguely registered that all of Jax’s friends were present as well.
“Ah, she’s beginning to fully wake,” Guardian Alleron said matter-of-factly. “The Dark Raider’s magic should no longer be affecting her.”
“Elowen?” Jax called again.
“Jax?” My voice sounded parched. Hoarse. I was thirsty. So very thirsty. But at least the torture was over.
“Are you okay?” he whispered.
“She’ll be fine,” Guardian Alleron replied for me. I cracked my eyes open again just in time to see him wave dismissively. “After she comes to, the magic that hur—I mean—suppressed her always wears off.”
“And the bruises?”
“Will likely be fully gone within the hour,” my former guardian replied. “She heals quickly.”
Another low growl came from Jax.
I opened my eyes wider and shifted slightly on the bed. I was in the same position I’d been in when the calling had begun. Jax’s bloodshot eyes met mine, and I stared at him in confusion, remembering what he’d snarled at Guardian Alleron.
“Was I really under for a day?” I rasped.
Through his mask, his jaw clenched. “Yes,” he replied hoarsely.
Goddess, I’ve never been under that long. I tried to sit up, but my muscles screamed in protest. Wincing, I settled back down but slowly raised an arm. The long-sleeved emerald-green sweater I wore had been pulled up to the elbows. Bruises littered my forearms. Tentatively, I lifted the hem to reveal my stomach.
Jax’s breath sucked in when the black and yellow splotches covering my abdomen were revealed.
“By the galaxy and stars,” I whispered. I pulled the hem back down, then tugged on my sleeves so my arms were covered too. I didn’t have to look at my legs to know they were beaten as well.
I couldn’t remember ever having been this affected by a calling before. A shudder ran through me. Jax’s calling was by far the worst one I’d ever experienced, thanks to his horrifically powerful magic.
“Water?” I croaked.
“Lars!” Jax boomed.
A minute later, the redhead was at my side, handing a cup to Jax. The Dark Raider cradled my head, his strong fingers sliding through my hair. He massaged my neck briefly, soothing my aching muscles before he helped me up, then held the cup to my lips.
“Drink.”
The smooth, cool water rolled down my throat, and I greedily consumed all of it. “Goddess, that’s good,” I said with a sigh when I finished.
“Lars, get another one,” Jax snapped.
Lars disappeared from the room and returned with an entire jug of crystal-clear water. I eagerly drank another full glass. When finished, I didn’t sound quite as hoarse. “You’re probably wanting to know what I saw and what the semelees told me.”
I could have sworn Jax scowled in response. “That can wait. Phillen?” he called over his shoulder. “Have a bath readied for Elowen and summon food.”
Phillen gave a curt nod and strode into the bathing chamber. The sound of running water came next.
I eyed his other friends. Lander, Trivan, and Bowan remained. All of them stood stoically, and they all wore the same clothes yet were still masked. But if they’d also remained the entire time I’d been under, that meant they’d all stayed up through the night, and nobody had slept.
“You must all be exhausted.”
Jax’s eyebrows slanted together. “ That’s what you’re worried about? ”
“May I be excused now?” Guardian Alleron asked stiffly from behind him. “Now that my work is done here?”
Jax cut him a glare, then snatched the adaptor from his hand before signaling Bowan over. “Take him back to his chamber and secure him.”
“Gladly.” Bowan’s earring winked in the morning light as he clasped Guardian Alleron by the elbow and hauled him from the room.
“The rest of you are also dismissed,” Jax called to his other friends.
They nodded and filed out the door. A few minutes later, the bath water stopped, and Phillen also exited the room. It struck me how readily and easily Jax issued orders to his friends. Strangely, they never seemed to mind.
It was on the tip of my tongue to ask him why that was, but the scent of food abruptly filled the air.
Frowning, I peered around Jax to see a tray of food sitting on a table near the end of the bed. Steam rose from it, and fragrant aromas followed. But nobody had come in the room carrying it.
My eyes bulged. “Where did that come from?”
“This chamber’s enchanted. All you have to do is call to the magic, and what you need appears.”
My jaw dropped. “That’s how the food got in here before? But I never wished for it.”
“No, you didn’t, but I did.”
How Jax had known that a hot bath and food were all that I craved right now, I didn’t know, but given how tired I felt, I wasn’t going to ask.
I managed to wrestle myself upright into a sitting position. Jax immediately reached for me, but I brushed him off. “I’m okay.”
His hands balled, but he relented.
Fragrant scents continued to rise from the food. Jax retrieved the tray and set it gently on my lap. My mouth watered, and I spooned the thick stew, grateful for the tender meat and vegetables because my jaw was still sore from the calling. Goddess, even my mouth hurts.
I ate slowly and carefully, my stomach rumbling in contentment after a day with nothing.
Jax’s intent attention never left me, not even when he pulled the chair by the foggy window to sit at my bedside.
“Did none of you leave throughout the calling?” I spooned another bite of stew.
He shook his head.
“Not even when Guardian Alleron informed you we no longer needed to remain in contact?”
“I removed my hand at that point, but—” Again, he shook his head. Leaning forward, he placed his elbows on his knees and clasped his hands. He looked...defeated.
Cobalt irises shifted, his attention drifting over me. I was still entirely covered in the sweater and breeches I’d put on yesterday, but the backs of my hands were visible, and splotchy bruises still covered them even though a few had faded .
“Does this happen often?” he asked quietly.
I followed his line of sight. He was staring at my hands. “Bruising? Not necessarily. It depends what the magic is of the fairy I’m performing a calling for.”
“Meaning . . .”
I finished the last bite of my stew and pushed the tray away. Jax immediately whisked it from my lap and set it on the table. He grabbed the pot of tea that he’d also summoned and poured me a cup.
Once I was sipping the hot brew, he returned to his hunched position in the chair, watching me and waiting for me to continue.
“Meaning that whatever adverse effects one can suffer from another’s magic are what I experience,” I explained.
His eyes narrowed. “So all of your senses were gone during the last twenty-four hours?”
“Yes.”
“And the bruising and I’m assuming burning”—he raised his eyebrows, at which I nodded in confirmation, causing a snap of his jaw—“is because of my ability to cause pain in others?”
“Yes.”
“You felt the worst of my magic?”
I took another sip and nodded. “All of it.”
He sat back, his aura rising. “Is it always the most painful aspect of a fairy’s magic that you suffer from?”
“Usually. Just count yourself lucky that I didn’t shift into a stag.” When my attempt at humor failed to elicit any crinkling around his eyes, I cleared my throat and took another drink of tea.
“Why didn’t you shift?”
I shrugged. “Shifter magic has never affected me during callings. I think it’s because our intrinsic magic can’t affect another fae, only our extrinsic magic.”
He rubbed his chin through his mask. “In other words, because I can’t make other fae shift into a stag, but I can rob their senses and cause them pain, that’s what you experienced.”
“Exactly.”
“But you didn’t experience any of the elements?”
“I felt your fire, but blessedly, your water, earth, and air stayed at bay.” I forced a smile. “So it could have been worse.”
He leaned back. “That’s probably because fire is my strongest element. Goddess Above.”
Steam from the bathing chamber wafted into the room, and I itched to sink into the bath that was waiting for me. I felt marginally better after the food and drink, but the beckoning heat from the tub was deliciously inviting, considering how much my muscles ached. “Would you rather I tell you now what the semelees revealed, or would you prefer I...” I gestured toward the bathing room.
Jax pushed to standing. Energy pulsed around him. “No, you bathe first. ”
My eyebrows shot up. “But you abducted me for this one purpose. To know what’s become of him.”
His jaw locked, and before I could say more, he was at my side, his arms going around me. The feel of him made my heart stop.
“It can wait.” In one large sweep, he’d cradled me in his embrace and was striding across the room.
“Jax, what are you?—”
“I’m helping you,” he cut in gruffly.
My cheeks reddened.
He strode into the elegant bathing chamber. White floors and white wallpaper flecked with light blue flowers greeted me. Someone had also put a bouquet of freshly cut blue roses on the counter.
“Where did those come from?”
Jax averted his gaze. “I summoned them. I thought the roses might smell good and provide a more...relaxing environment.”
“Oh.” His thoughtfulness pierced my heart, and I was reminded of the oscillating feelings he’d elicited in me before the calling.
He slowed when he neared the tub, then stopped at its edge. Floral hints rose from the water, and the pale pink color alerted me to the elixir the enchantment had added. A fresh stack of white towels also sat on a small stool beside the tub. Next to that waited soap and products for my hair.
“Impressive. Your enchanted room missed nothing. ”
He made a noncommittal sound. “It’s pretty attentive to details.” He set me down and waited until I was steady before removing his hands. “Do you...need help undressing?”
My eyebrows shot up. The other morning, when I’d been so aroused following our night together at the inn, I probably would have taken him up on that offer, but now...
“Is this how you attempt to get a female’s clothes off? You abduct her, then use her until she’s black and blue before offering your services?” I asked mockingly.
His brows slanted together so sharply that I knew my verbal dagger had hit its mark.
Before he could say anything further, I shook my head. “No, I’ll manage.”
His harsh expression smoothed, yet his voice was stiff when he said, “Thank you for what you did.” His throat bobbed. “Saying thanks doesn’t seem like nearly enough considering what my magic did to you, but thank you for asking the semelees.” Before I could reply, he swung away. “I’ll be in the hall if you need anything.”
He disappeared out the door, leaving me reeling following his heartfelt words, but then the lock falling into place rang through the chambers.
I was once again all alone . . . and caged.
I shook my head and peeled my clothes carefully off me. And with each garment that fell, my suspicions were confirmed. Not one inch of me was left unmarked, but at least the bruises were already fading .
I stepped over the tub’s tall rim and eased myself into the hot water. Candles abruptly appeared on the counter by the roses. They flickered and only added to the atmosphere, making it entirely soothing and tranquil. Apparently, Jax wasn’t done perfecting the ambiance.
Too tired to contemplate that, I sank more into the hot water and sighed in relief when it began to soothe my battered muscles.
“You’re very good at this,” I said to the chamber, which I knew was silly, but perhaps the enchantment would understand.
A shimmer of magic appeared around the tub, and with a small smile, I realized the tub had just been spelled. I had a feeling the water wouldn’t cool as long as I remained in it.
Settling back more, I closed my eyes, and even though I’d been unconscious for the better part of a day, fatigue hit me. I rested my head back, and my mind began to drift. My thoughts scattered, and then the allure of sleep pulled me under.