Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 109477 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 547(@200wpm)___ 438(@250wpm)___ 365(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109477 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 547(@200wpm)___ 438(@250wpm)___ 365(@300wpm)
He approached her like he was advancing on a skittish animal. His movements were so fluid and graceful, entrancing.
“I will always find you, little dove,” he murmured. “I’ve made it perfectly clear: you’re mine. Your whereabouts are of the utmost importance to me.”
“Why?”
He didn’t answer as he stopped in front of her and reached out slowly. His fingers lightly glanced across her bruised cheek, her temple, where the boot had connected, and the scrapes on her face. Anger flickered across his expression, and his jaw tightened. She could see the violence sparkling in his eyes.
“These tracks of tears…” His voice was a low growl as he drew a line beside her nose and around her mouth. “Were they real?”
“No.”
He smirked. “Of course they weren’t. You’re much too fierce to let a minor inconvenience like an abduction break you.”
Down to her neck.
“Is this…” His voice turned deep and rough again, and his body tensed, like he was struggling to keep his composure. Like he might want to kill them all again. “Did they scratch away your skin?”
“They wondered why I could understand them.” She told him what she’d said and why.
“Ah.” He relaxed slightly. “Clever. When it comes to the power in a kingdom, not many outside of a court will have mindgazer magic. And members of the court don’t trouble themselves with mundane affairs like acquiring chalices and diddling with humans.”
“Except you.”
“Except me, but I’m a rare circumstance.”
“Why?”
He didn’t answer as he pulled her torn shirt away from her arm to look at the wound. “At least you heal quickly. That’s a blessing.” His hand dropped, and his eyes met hers. “Chalice, in your tongue, is a goblet of sorts. Or the cup-shaped interior of a flower. In mine, it’s more” —he toggled his hand—“myth, almost. It’s given to mean an instrument that holds unlimited power. That isn’t necessarily the case, as no power is unlimited, but that’s the theory. There are many kinds of chalices—again, in lore. The most powerful is one produced by nature, enhanced by a human, and blessed by the gods, some say.”
“The ones over there with the gems?”
He toggled his hand again. “They aren’t exactly gems, but yes, essentially.” He looked beyond her at the horses. “We’ll need to bring all these animals with us. I won’t leave them here to die. Tomorrow, though. We can’t travel any more tonight. It’s too dark, and there are wild things out there that would give us trouble.”
“You can’t see in the dark, then?” she asked. “I thought dark fae could see in the dark.”
“Not all. And while yes, I can mostly see in deep night, the horses cannot.” He walked around her to the animals. “Besides, that fire is glowing merrily. We might as well enjoy it.”
“What about the other group? You’ve been watching me, fine, but what about them? I was in the Chester lands when their…whatever they were attacked.”
“Not their.” He ran his palms along the horse’s withers. “Those creatures were the minions of the dark fae, but not under my control. Further proof that the Sapphire Throne is dabbling where they shouldn’t. And how did they find you?” He glanced back at her, his expression lost to the night. “They felt you. Any fae on this side of the fringe would’ve. You still radiate the power that coursed through you. Smell like it, sweet and savory and delicious. It adds to your overall allure, something I didn’t think could be possible. It seems you’ve found the crystal chalice.”
So it was true. She’d been right. And judging by how long he’d looked at it a moment ago, he knew which one it was.
Cold washed through her. This was it. He’d found what he’d been seeking, plus a host of additional powerful items. Now he could create that bridge and bring his kind into these lands.
Her chest was tight, but her resolve hardened. She was here now, in its vicinity. She knew which one it was. If she could destroy that orb, they wouldn’t have the power to leave their realm. Their plans would be forfeit.
Not advertising her intent, knowing she was far enough away that he couldn’t touch her mind, she raced toward the fire and the magical items. She barely paused to get her bearings, knowing he’d be coming hard after her. She planted her foot, lifted the other, and slammed it back down. It connected with the item, and she anticipated hearing the hard crunch of its cracked surface…except that sound never came.
A burst of power so potent that it made her eyes water exploded from the point of contact. It didn’t seep into her body like before, but burst outward. She was lifted up and thrown backward, her limbs windmilling as she flew. She hit the ground and rolled, the breath knocked out of her.