Page 7 of Kingdom of Faewood
Serinity had been an adult, but still young when she’d died, not older than a hundred summers. I studied the image at the same time the semelee did. Long blond hair. A radiant expression. Dazzling light-brown eyes.
I had no idea what had befallen her or why the gods had decided to take her so young, but she was gone from our realm forever, now only a memory of those who loved her.
The semelee studied the image more as others crept fromthe darkness to slither around me. A shiver of pleasure wracked my ghostly form with each fleeting touch of their shadows. Sheer power vibrated from them, and I caressed each scaled back that slid and slithered by my sides.
Find her. Now, I commanded in a forceful tone.
The semelee hesitated briefly before spinning away into the darkness, and its hesitance was enough of a reminder that I didn’t control them completely. And possibly never would.
A hum vibrated along my collar, connecting me mentally to the fae lands once more. That damned connection was why I wasn’t fully in control of them, but then I reminded myself that I couldn’t blame my collar for everything. I needed to be more forceful when I spoke to them. More powerful. It was the best I could do since my collar kept me somewhat contained, even when my guardian relaxed its magic.
She’s here.The semelee reappeared abruptly, and at its side, I sensed another presence. Softer. More fragile. Frightened.
Where am I?Serinity Himil called out, her voice quiet and timid.
You’re in the Veiled Between,I replied in as soothing of a tone as I could muster.Your father has asked me to summon you. My name is Elowen, and I’m a lorafin who resides on the Silten continent. I’ve called you from the afterlife today because your father wishes to know how you fare.
My father?Her voice grew more animated.
Yes, let me speak with him brieflyso I can help you two communicate. I squeezed my eyes shut and concentrated on the lordling’s physical hold on me in my realm. I called upon more of his magic and asked his first question for his daughter.
Serinity? Is that you?
Da! Oh, my dear da, how I miss you!
A choked response came from him, and then he asked her things rapid-fire. It was a struggle to keep up, but he started the way most fae did. He asked her personal things. Identifying questions that only she could answer.
It was a test—a hesitance on his part to accept that I truly was a lorafin.
Minutes passed, but Serinity answered everything immediately, and my whispered replies to him in the fae lands eventually seemed to convince him that I truly was in the Veiled Between.
Once Lordling Himil realized that, their conversation became excited and joyful. It continued long enough that I eventually had to put a stop to it. I had to remember that I had two more callings today and needed to conserve my energy and not dispel all of my magic on the first.
I must let her go,I whispered to the noble.
A little longer,the lordling replied in an irritated tone when I began to release my hold on him.
I can’t. I’m sorry.
Da!Serinity cried.
Damn you, let me talkto her longer.
I’m sorry. I have to let her go.I summoned the semelee again before either could argue further.Take her away.
Serinity screamed when the semelee whisked her back to the afterlife, sucking her soul away to the realm that I could not see, the realm we all passed to when death came for us.
Another curse spewed from the noble, but I released his magic just as the effects of his calling raged through me.
A shiver wracked my ghostly form, coldness seeping into my bloodstream from the lordling’s elemental magic. Icy waves of torture crept along my limbs, making me feel like I’d been doused in the Brashier Sea with its floating icebergs and frigid waves. But a moment of relief passed through me too. It didn’t feel like I was drowning. Coldness I could live with. It was much less scary.
Next?I called in a tired voice in the fae lands.Two more. I have two more of these.Conserve your strength, Elowen, I thought to myself.
A new hand clasped mine in the fae lands. Dark, snapping magic instantly clouded around my thoughts, like jagged knives of slashing death.
A wave of horror washed over me as Lordling Messepire’s magic engulfed me. Breathing heavily in my physical body, I had to force myself not to recoil. Yet despite my terrified reaction to his monstrous magic, I could have sworn that Lordling Messepire smiled.
I layon the enchanted carpet, zooming back to my guardian’s estate. Zale, Mushil, and the two other guards who’d accompanied us stood at each corner of the carpet, studiously watching our surroundings.