CHAPTER 1
The crown prince’s half-breed brother sat on a chair, entirely catatonic, as we all stood in a circle around him. The hustle of Leafton’s nightlife hummed through the windows of Jax’s private suite at The Silver Hand. Life carried on outside these walls. Yet we’d come to a standstill.
Large permanent antlers rose from Bastian’s temples, and he still wore the same dirty, homespun trousers and top that he’d been wearing in the Wood’s underground caverns. But despite being among his friends and family again since we’d rescued him, Bastian had done nothing but sit on the chair we’d placed him on.
Glazed eyes stared at nothing in particular, even when we waved a hand in front of his face, and he had absolutely no emotional response. He breathed, but that was his only sign of life.
“How are we going to get Bastian to the Solis continent like this?” Lander gestured to Jax’s despondent brother, his voice its usual monotone.
Frowning, I wondered the same thing because according to the semelees, traveling to the Solis continent and finding the creator of Bastian’s anklet was the only way to have it removed. And it was imperative that we got that jewelry off him because the semelees had also confirmed that the gem within his anklet was how someone was controlling Bastian’s mind.
I momentarily ran a finger along my collar, hoping against hope that whoever had created Bastian’s anklet had also forged the irremovable jewelry that controlled my magic. I knew it was unlikely, as I’d been told my collar could never come off, but now...
I quickly shoved that envious thought away. Right now, our focus was Bastian. Not me.
Everyone glanced at one another, and Lander’s question still hung heavily in the air.
Jax’s brow furrowed, his midnight eyebrows drawing together until a sharp groove appeared between them. “I suppose we’ll have to carry him.”
Trivan scoffed, and the lean blond placed a hand on his hip. “Carry himeverywhereon the Solis continent? Won’t that look rather odd?”
“I don’t think we have a choice,” I chimed in. “The semelees said Bastian needs to be present to have his anklet removed by the Solis female who forged it, and if the only way we can move him is by carrying him, then we’ll have to.”
“What about an enchanted carpet?” Lars asked. The quiet redhead had hardly said a word since we’d retrieved Bastian over an hour ago. Phillen, Jax’s other private guard, stood beside him. “Maybe we could place him on one?”
Alec nodded, and the light caught on the dark-brown hair of the Graniteer House noble. “A carpet would certainly be the easiest way to move him, especially if we’re going to Harrivee’s floating meadows. An enchanted carpet could also help us travel while we’re there.”
Jax placed his hands on his hips, his fingers tapping rhythmically. “That would work, and like you suggested, Alec, a carpet would also help us traverse the Solis landscape. Good idea, Lars.”
The redhead dipped his chin.
I cocked my head. “Will it be easy to find an enchanted carpet?” Dealers of the magical forms of transportation could be hard to come by. Usually, they were sold out.
Jax drifted closer to me, his pine and spice clouding around me. “I know someone in the capital who can get us one.”
I smirked and said teasingly, “Of course, you do.”
His lips curved, and he set his hand on my lower back. Our mate bond hummed inside me with contentment at that simple gesture.
I still couldn’t believe that Jax and I were actually mated now and that I was mated to acrown prince. Our bond was still so newly formed that we hadn’t had a chance to even enjoy it yet.
As though recognizing where my thoughts had turned, his eyes heated, and he leaned down and kissed me on the neck.
An array of shivers blasted down my spine.
Trivan coughed, but it did little to hide his snicker in our direction.
“What about Quinn?” Lander arched an eyebrow. “We’ll need to let him know that we’ve left Leafton and are going to Harrivee’s floating meadows.”
His practical reminder pulled me back to the conversation, and I reluctantly stepped away from Jax.
Jax sighed. “I’ll send a dillemsill.”
Phillen, the brawniest of the bunch, crossed his arms, then scratched his cheek through his heavy beard. “I’ll fetch one in the morning.”
I scrunched my nose up. “Can dillemsills even find a crowfy shifter who’s currently in shadow form?”
Bowan shrugged, and his earring flashed in the fairy lights with the movement. “Some can. It depends how much magic the bird possesses. They’re all slightly different in strength.”
