Page 6 of Veil of Shadows

I fell back onto the bed, bouncing a couple of times on the mattress. I stared at the ceiling and wondered if Jax would supply me with a calendar. If I was to now be the crown prince’s lorafin, crossing off a day each morning would give me something to do. Besides, I missed that routine. I missedmarking a day away each morning when I woke up. But most of all, I missed working toward my dream.

I’d been counting the days until my thirtieth birthday for as long as I could remember, and I relished the habit, even if my thirtieth birthday no longer held any predestined meaning.

Still, it was something to do. Something I could control. And having control in my life had always been nonexistent, so I would take it in whatever form I got.

A soft knock came on the door.

I bolted upright, my eyes going wide as a shot of electricity tingled along my collar, but before I could call out, the handle was turning, and a slim female slipped over the threshold.

My collar vibrated violently, and my hand whipped to my throat. “Who are you?”

The female gave an apologetic smile and closed the door behind her. The ring of the magical bolt sliding into place filled the room, followed by a pulse of Jax’s magic.

Once again,everyoneseemed to have access to Jax’s unlocking spell except for me.

Bristling, I readied myself for whatever was to come. Probably more conflict. Maybe orders. Definitely demands. Somebody always wanted something from me.

The slim female faced me, her back to the door, and I quickly took in her blond hair and brown eyes. She was a siltenite fairy, no wildling features, and she wore a simple yellow dress. Nothing about her attire screamed wealth, but she didn’t look poor either. In fact, she appeared similar to me now that I wore plain pants and comfortable tops, thanks to my single shopping spree in Fosterton.

“I’m sorry.” She wrung her hands, and her voice was soft and small, reminding me of a delicate bird. “I should have waited for your permission to enter, but it’s late, and I’ve been in such a hurry to finish my evening work so I could get down here, but Iknow we haven’t been very respectful of your privacy. I should have considered that and waited for you to call out.”

My eyes narrowed. “We? Do you work with Jax?”

She laughed softly and walked farther into the room, clasping her hands behind her. “Oh no, he’s a friend of mine, or rather, a friend of my husband’s. You’ve probably met him. His nickname’s Phillen.”

My eyes bulged. “You’re married to Phillen?”

She dipped her head. “For the past sixty summers.”

Understanding dawned. Phillen had mentioned once that he was married, and he’d been more agitated than Lars earlier today when I discovered the Dark Raider’s identity. He warned Jax of the consequences of me knowing the truth of them, and if I recalled right, he said something about needing to keep their families protected.

I cocked my head. “Do you and Phillen have children?”

She nodded again and stepped closer to me until she was only a few strides from the bed. “We do. Only one, so far. The stars blessed us with a wee boy after many,manyfull seasons of trying to conceive. Cassim’s three now.” A wistful smile curved her lips.

“You have a toddler.” I let out a breath. No wonder Phillen was so protective of his family and insistent that Jax not let me go. He had a wife and a small child he feared would be compromised if the Dark Raider’s secret came to light.

“I’m Saramel, by the way.”

Saramel. That name rang a bell, and when I recalled why, my eyes grew round. “You’re the fairy Jax wished he’d asked to visit me when they’d been called away, so I could be told that my release was delayed.”

“Yes, that would be me.” She dipped into a curtsy. “I only wished that he had. It would have avoided the circumstance we’re currently in.”

Flustered, all I could do was nod.

Saramel nodded toward the sitting area. “It’s well past supper time, but the prince told me you never summoned any food. Would you care to join me for a meal?”

“The prince is monitoring when I eat?”

A blush worked across her face. “He’s . . . quite concerned about you.”

I glanced at the clock. “But it’s the middle of the night. We’re to have a meal at midnight?”

She shrugged. “Better late than never.”

I found myself rising to join her. I was hungry after all. I’d barely eaten anything in the past week, so I followed her into the sitting area and seated myself beside her on the couch.

Saramel offered me another tentative smile before she turned her attention upward. “Please bring us a tray of the chef’s roasted hen, sautéed rice, fresh salad, steamed greens, and the three desserts that were on the menu tonight.”

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