Page 111 of Forsaken Secrets

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Kaiya

"Kaiya. Kaiya! What the hell were you thinking? Gods. When I find who fucking did this to her …" Eli's voice pulled me out of the darkness and I looked up to see him, green eyes tight with concern and freckled cheeks flushed.

Another darkly handsome man stood to his right, but where Eli's face was wide and welcoming, this one was narrow and sharp. And that grin … it was so damn arrogant.

I disliked him immediately.

"Eli? Wha — what's happening?" I asked, my words slurred. I pushed to sit and gasped. I expected more of that fiery pain from before, but it was just a dull ache.

Eli held out the little relic he carried around. "I was trying to heal you, but you were resisting. If you'd just relax, I could finish it up. Gods. What were you thinking coming down here with those injuries?"

I shook my head and scooted away from him, the conversation from before flooding my brain and drowning out his voice.

My hands tightened into fists.

He'd lied to me, betrayed me, and had made me trust him! I'd come down here to help him escape!

And for what?! What would have happened if I hadn't overheard that? Would he have just disappeared one night?

Anger pulsed through me as I pushed to my feet.

The stranger was already standing, but Eli pushed to his feet as well, holding his hands out. "Look — Kaiya. You're in no shape to be walking around, let alone climbing. You need to sit back down and tell me what happened."

I slipped the little knife from my shirt and closed the two steps between us until I was directly in front of Eli, my knife pressing into his throat. He looked down at me, those green eyes wide with surprise.

His jaw pulsed, and I leaned closer.

"Oh, I told her I needed help adventuring." I mimicked his tone from before.

His eyes widened.

"Yes. I heard what you said. Who in the seven hells are you?" My voice was little more than a furious hiss.

Eli stared at me, his green eyes soft with regret.

"Ahh. So this is the bond mage?" That silky voice came from behind me. I looked out the corner of my eye to see the stranger lounging against the wall. He tilted his head to the side; one black brow quirked, and let his blue eyes drop to my feet and then back up.

That smug grin never faltered and the strange confidence he exuded tugged at something in me. I pushed it away to focus on Eli.

"Tell him to back up. I'm not kidding. I need answers, and I will dig this blade into your pretty throat if you don't fucking answer me. Today has been a mess of a day, and I do NOT have patience for this shit."

Eli winced and stared into my eyes, his own wary and unsure.

"Jaiel. This is not the time. It's obviously not working. You should do as she says."

Jaiel? This was the Fae prince? Gods. No wonder he was such an arrogant prick. I regretted any moment of sympathy I'd felt for the bastard.

He stared at me, his brow creased. "She should be on her knees or passed out right now, Liam."

Eli swallowed, the motion jostling the knife in my hand and sending a small trickle of blood down his throat.

I froze, my gaze stuck on that trickle of blood. It was deep red and slid slowly across his skin. It made my chest ache.

No. No. I was not this person.

I dropped my hand and stepped back, the knife clattering to the stone floor. My breath came fast, and I had to look away to make myself calm.

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