Page 108 of The Bound Mage
Jaxon’s voice boomed across the waves, amplified by magic to cut across the distance and the shrieking wind. “If you want your mate, you’ll have to come and take her from me yourself. Assuming she still wants you by the time you get there.”
Jaxon laughed, the sound echoing off the cliffs as the ship vanished like a ghost into the lingering mist that hung low over the Shadowed Sea. Maybe the ghostly remnants of the Veil would have destroyed another ship, but with Araya on board and Jaxon wielding that staff...
Loren doubled over, a raw scream of rage tearing from his throat. His shadows flailed, writhing around him in wild, frenzied arcs, striking out at the rocks, the sky—even him, his blood soaking the rocky ground from a hundred cuts. But it didn’t stop the pain. Nothing could.
He’d failed her.
Lorne didn’t know how long Thorne let him grieve. It could have been minutes or hours before his friend stepped forward—straight into the raging shadows.
“Stop—” Loren gasped, blood soaking his shirt. “They’ll hurt you?—”
“You won’t.” Thorne’s hand landed on his shoulder, his warm healing magic running over Loren’s skin like water. The shadows hissed, but stilled, drawing in around him.
“You won’t get her back from here,” Thorne said, his amber eyes steady. “We need to go back Lumaria—make a plan. We’ll get her back, Loren. But not from here.”
Loren’s throat worked, his voice hoarse from screaming. “We?”
Thorne clapped him on the shoulder, standing. “Do you really think I’d let you do this alone?” He held out a hand, pulling Loren to his feet. “She’s not just your mate, Loren. She’s our queen. And I’ll follow you into the heart of the New Dominion itself to bring her home—we all will.”
Chapter
Forty-Five
Loren pacedthe length of the war room like a caged predator, leaving muddy footprints on the polished stone. He hadn’t bothered to change, blood still crusting his clothes from the cuts Thorne had healed. The shadows trailed him, twitching restlessly as they muttered amongst themselves.
The Small Council watched him carefully, their expressions ranging from nervous unease to outright terror. They’d all gotten the report ahead of his arrival. They knew what had happened, who had come to take his mate. But none of them wanted to be the first to speak.
It was Cormac who cleared his throat finally, standing.
“The New Dominion is in retreat,” he said. “They never made landfall, but we need to take the opportunity to fortify our defenses?—”
“Fortify our defenses?” Loren turned slowly. “They took the Queen.”
“And our heart breaks for you, Your Majesty,” the High Luminary said, her voice gentle. “To lose your Goddess-given mate…it’s a pain I wouldn’t want to wish on my worst enemy.”
“She’s notlost,” Loren snarled. “She was captured—by New Dominion forces. What weneedto be doing right now is making a plan to rescue her.”
“We don’t retrieve captured prisoners from the New Dominion,” Cormac snapped. “If we tried to rescue every mate and loved one that was left behind we’d all be long dead?—”
“Bold words, from a traitor,” Eloria snapped. She still wore her battle-stained clothing, her hair freed from its braid to tangle around her dirt-smudged face. “Shall we discussyourconduct, Cormac? You undermined your king in front of his army as the enemy was approaching our shores. You insulted his queen. Why should this council listen toanythingyou have to say?”
Cormac’s mouth twisted. “I don’t regret my words,” he said stiffly. “As a member of your council I have every right to voice concerns about the fate of our people?—”
“And as my brother’s Princess Regent,Ihave every right to censure you,” Eloria cut him off, her voice rising. “I’m stripping you of command relieving you of your seat on this council.”
Cormac’s face mottled red. “I spoke for you?—”
“You advocated for placing me as ruler above my brother—the monarch chosen to lead us bydara’elin accordance with our most sacred traditions.” Eloria stepped forward, her eyes blazing. “You didn’tvoice your concerns, Cormac. You committedtreason. And you will leave this room before I have you removed.”
For a heartbeat Cormac just stared at her, his hand on the hilt of his sword. His gaze drifted around to his fellow councilors, but none of them met his eyes.
“Fine,” he snarled. “Die here, then. But that halfbloodwhoreis no queen of mine.” He turned on his heel, stalking from the room. The heavy door slammed behind him so hard the aetherlamps shuddered, every eye turning to Loren as the SmallCouncil waited to see how their lost prince and his shadows would answerthatinsult.
Except for Eloria.
His sister let out a breath, taking her seat. “Now that that’s settled,” she said coolly, “we can return to the important business at hand—how we bring your queenhome.”
“With all due respect, Princess,” the High Arbiter said, his tone carefully neutral. “Your brother has been recognized as king, yes—but until his coronationsheis not queen.”
