Page 2 of Veil of Shadows

Worst of all, whether Jax had ever intended it to be so, I had a new guardian now—the crown prince of Stonewild Kingdom. Jax owned me. And if that wasn’t bad enough, he was also as dishonest as Guardian Alleron. The Dark Raider had told me so many lies.So many.And to think I’d once hoped we could be friends.

I scoffed. Truth be told, I’d wanted to be more than friends with him. Much more. My stupid virgin body had craved his touch despite who he was. I’d reacted so acutely to his scent and protectiveness. Ever since I’d met him, an electric spark of attraction had sizzled within me. Yet the male had only sought to use me. Just like every other male in my life.

You’re such an imbecile, Elowen.

A teapot and a cup of tea suddenly materialized on the table in front of me, appearing from thin air. I started, my heart beating rapidly at the suite’s magical gesture.

“Took me by surprise with that one,” I murmured to the enchantment, then I figured a cup of tea might help, and it wasn’t like I had anything else to do. “Thank you,” I added with a grumble.

Leaning forward, I poured a cup of the steaming brew with my good hand, then added a hefty dose of sugar and milk. Out of nowhere, a plate of biscuits popped into existence, sitting right beside the tea.

A small smile lifted my lips. “You always think of everything, don’t you?” I murmured to the chamber.

“I try to.”

Jax’s quiet response made me jump, and I swirled toward the sound of his voice, nearly spilling the hot tea in my lap.

The crown prince of Stonewild Kingdom stood near the bedchamber’s arched entry. He leaned against the wall, wearing the same cobalt sweater and black slacks that he had earlier when he’d discovered me downstairs detained by his staff.

I studied his features despite my anger with him. I couldn’t help it. For the first time since we’d met, he wasn’t disguising himself, and I couldn’tnotnotice.

Dark hair, curling slightly at the ends, draped across his forehead, and eyes so blue they reminded me of ocean waves, cresting in shades of navy and sapphire, regarded me intently. I could stare at his eyes all day. He had mesmerizing eyes, hypnotic in a way.

Snapping myself out of his innate ability to entrance me, I quickly assessed the rest of him. He had a defined jaw, something I’d seen hints of through his mask in the previous two weeks. And he had a strong nose that was slightly wider than what would be considered classically handsome yet onlymade him more ruggedly appealing. His lips were well-defined and slightly full, exactly as I remembered when I’d caught a brief glimpse of them after slapping him across the face in the Ustilly Mountains. Broad shoulders, a tall and strong physique, and an intimidating presence rounded out his allure.

The Dark Raider’s unhidden appearance was breathtaking, and I hated to admit it, but he was an absolutely beautiful male. Yet, without his mask, it was almost like looking at a stranger. Although, all I had to do was stare into those swirling cerulean irises and inhale his scent, and I knew who he was.

But despite recognizing him on an intrinsic level, I didn’t actuallyknowhim. Because one minute, he was Jax, the Dark Raider and savior of the poor throughout the continent. And the next, he was Prince Adarian, the crown prince of Stonewild Kingdom, who could be just as ruthless as his counterpart, considering he’d locked me back in this chamber.

One thing that I was certain of—this male was a wearer of two faces and a deceiver of us all.

I waved at the tea distractedly. “You summoned this?”

He shrugged. “I thought it may help.”

He pushed away from the wall, and his soft footsteps prowled along the carpet as he approached me, yet I refused to acknowledge him further. Even so, he dropped onto one of the chairs across from me, and his focus settled on my injury. “I wanted to make sure you were all right.”

I angled my upper body away from him, shielding my arm from view. Chest rising faster than I wanted to admit, I took a sip of tea. The cup rattled on the saucer when I set it back down.

“I’m just fine, Guardian Jax,” I replied, a sheet of ice in my tone. “I couldn’t be better, and how are you on this lovely evening?”

His nostrils flared, and he leveled me with a narrowed stare. “Don’t call me that. You know I have no desire to be your guardian.”

“Yet you are now, aren’t you?”

The muscle in his jaw began to tick. “Not by choice. Please, Elowen. Call me Jax, as you have been, at least when we’re not in public.”

I met his gaze straight on and unflinching. I brought the teacup to my mouth and took another sip. “But Jax isn’t your name. Your real name is Adarian.”

“I prefer Jax.”

“Why?”

“Jax is a nickname used by those I consider my friends.”

“And you wantmeto use it?”

“I do.”

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