Page 6 of Kingdom of Faewood
Lordling Messepire, however, wore Mistvale Kingdom colors: bright yellow, dark purple, and deep red.
My stomach churned. Mistvale magic was always a wildcard during callings. And who was to say if these two only harbored magic of their kingdoms. It was possible they’d been blessed with the unusual ability to wield magic from more than one kingdom.
But other than their kingdom colors hinting at their magic, I had no idea what was in store for me since the two lordlings appeared as all siltenite fae did. Smooth skin, fae-tipped ears, and no animalistic features. They looked like any other high fae of the realm.
Yet Lordlings Messepire and Himil undoubtedly harbored some kind of extreme magic if they were important enough to be needed for document signing. Most likely, they each led one of the ten noble Houses of their kingdoms.
I really need to learn who all the House leaders are, I thought for the umpteenth time. But House nobles changed like the wind at a king’s discretion, and we’d been so busy over the past season as Guardian Alleron clamored for funds in order to build his beloved estate that I hadn’t looked at the House lists in ages.
At least I knew what to expect from the king’s calling. King Paevin had an air elemental power. At the end of his calling,I would feel like I was floating. Air was always an easy one to deal with, but as for the other two males...
I pumped my hands into fists.Regardless, it will all be over by tonight.
Activity from outside shone through the window, and I welcomed the distraction of the wildlings working just past the palace’s land. The same scenes that had filled my windows graced the king’s sitting room as well.
But none of the males here seemed to care about the Centennial Matches. Instead, they all continued to assess me—avidly, hungrily—as they asked their rabid questions.
A shiver of dread danced down my spine, but I did my best not to let fear shine upon my face, then reminded myself that once I did my duty, my guardian would allow me to leave.
It would be the same as it’d always been.
“Right over here, girl.” The king indicated a settee by the cold fireplace.
His command startled me, and awareness hit me that in the time I’d been watching the wildlings outside, all four males had stopped talking.
“As you wish, Your Majesty.” I curtsied and kicked myself into action, but irritation prickled my skin at being calledgirl. I’d known the king for months now, yet he still treated me like a nameless, brainless young thing even though I was highly educated and twenty-eight summers old, making me a fully matured adult.
My swirling gown brushed against the furniture on myway to the settee. Since the lounge chair was positioned right next to Lordling Himil, I had no choice but to pass closely to him.
When I did, his finger subtly reached out and ran along my skin. It left a tremor of coldness in his wake.
When the frost from his fingertip melted away, some of my anxiety calmed.So he wields a water element, not fire. Thank the stars and galaxy.At best, I would be freezing when I awoke from his calling. At worst, it would feel like I was drowning. Coldness I could live with. My upcoming hot bath would eventually cure that. As for drowning, well, the sensation was scary but would eventually pass. But fire... I shuddered. The pain from fire was always unbearable.
I lowered myself to the settee and lay back. The ridiculous gown I wore fluffed like a cloud around my legs, and the tight corset dug painfully into my ribs. My guardian gave me a sharp look, and I quickly smoothed whatever expression I’d been wearing.
The king and his two lordlings gathered closer, hovering above me. Their eyes practically glowed with anticipation.
Guardian Alleron’s handsome features carved into the expression he usually wore during my callings—patient appeasement. “She needs to be touched by whomever would like their calling done first. Who would like to start?”
Lordling Himil lifted a hand immediately. “I’ll go.”
Guardian Alleron inclined his head. “And what is it you wish Elowen to discover in the Veiled Between?”
Lordling Himil’s throat bobbed, and for the briefest moment, his anticipation faltered. He blinked rapidly. “I’d like to contact my daughter, Serinity.”
Guardian Alleron’s voice dropped in sympathy. “Of course, please grasp Elowen’s hand.”
I closed my eyes when the lordling’s dry fingers tightened painfully around mine, then sent a silent prayer to all of the gods and goddesses that I wouldn’t be broken upon waking.
My guardian waved his adaptor and tapped the wand in a series of connected beats. A powerful well of magic vibrated around my collar, unlocking it, and then...
My magic unleashed.
CHAPTER 2
What do you seek, Daughter of Darkness?The semelee swirled around me, its scaled black serpentine body an inky shadow in the Veiled Between.
I floated in its midst, a commanding presence that the semelee was intrinsically drawn to.I need you to find this female. She’s crossed to the afterlife.I pulled on Lordling Himil’s magic in the fae lands, just enough to show the semelee an image of the lordling’s daughter.