Page 46 of Dragon King's Cursed Mate

However, before he could speak, Seraphina turned toward Valon. “You dare challenge The Oracle of Eryndral, the most powerful oracle in all the realms.”

Valon paled as it wasn’t Seraphina’s voice that spoke. It was several voices, a choir of ancient beings woven together. The words echoed against the temple walls.

“Foolish one. Though you are a sage and may see, you can be blind. We see through the veils of time and all the threads that hold the fates of all. You cannot fathom the depth of knowledge we hold. We know every whisper of the wind and every ripple upon the water. We hear every heartbeat and every soul’s cry.”

There was a pause as Seraphina held Valon’s gaze, although everyone else in the room stared breathlessly at the Oracle. Dain couldn’t move as though the fates or the gods had chained him to the chair so he could hear the message, even though it was directed toward Valon.

“To doubt the Oracle is to doubt the gods and the fates. That is dangerous, mortal. Your mind cannot begin to understand the truths we see and we speak.”

The voices lowered and sounded even more dangerous. “We’re not here to entertain you, Valon. We’re here to make sure that the rightful king once more regains his throne. Question us again at your peril.”

Seraphina dropped to the floor in a heap, unconscious.

Dain’s heart nearly stopped as he rushed over to her. He felt for a pulse and was relieved that she was still alive.

“Do not question her loyalty again,” Dain warned Valon, although he looked at all the dragon shifters in his council.

He carried her to his tent, laying her on the cot. Dain sat quietly in the chair next to her, holding her hand.

At some point, he fell asleep, but soon opened his eyes, wide awake. He stood near the ancient tree that glowed from within.

“The answers are inside of you. Open your mind and your soul. Accept what you see, what you feel.”

Dain growled. “That tells me nothing. What am I seeking?”

The tree was silent. A minute later, Dain woke up in the chair, still holding Seraphina’s hand.

He was beginning to fear that she wouldn’t wake up when her eyes finally fluttered open.

Dain knelt beside her and touched her face. “I was so afraid I lost you for a moment.”

She covered one of his hands with hers. “Never.”

Seraphina sat up. “I need some water, please.”

He handed her a bottle and looked at her worriedly. “Do you faint every time the voices speak through you?”

“Yep.” She grinned. “There’s usually no one around who’ll pick me up and take care of me. It’s terrifying to most people. When they speak like that, they’re angry. They push me aside and take over my body.”

“It was a little frightening,” Dain said.

She sighed. “While they were—uh—visiting, they left me a message, and you aren’t going to like it.”

Dain groaned. “What is it?”

“I must travel to Elderglen. There is an object I must recover. It holds a facet of Malakar’s power, and if I destroy it, it will put a chink in his armor, so to speak.”

“What is the relic?”

“It is a bloodstone. Malakar had to give a small piece of himself, his essence that was tied in a spell cast by a dark magician. It was the magic that helped give him the strength and strategy he needed to overthrow you.”

“When are we making this trip?”

“We?” Seraphina raised her eyebrows. “Wedon’t need to go anywhere. This is a task I can do alone. I can travel through the shadows without being detected.”

Dain narrowed his eyes at her. “You’ll go nowhere without me.”

“It should be done tonight.”

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