But since we were going back to Stonewild soon, I knew it was only a matter of time before they found that out too.
But all in good time. First, we had to discover who created Bastian’s collar and put a stop to them.
We useda portal key to travel back to Leafton, knowing our presence would inevitably be missed if we didn’t stick to our original schedule of enjoying the Match Finals.
Bastian’s eyes grew wide when he beheld the destruction of the Stonewild royal suite at The Silver Hand.
“I did this?Seriously?” He swung his head back and forth, surveying the damage. Then he laughed. “I have to say, it’s actually quite impressive.” He flexed an arm.
Phillen snorted, and Bowan laughed.
But Trivan rolled his eyes. “Rubbish, this was all from that strength the anklet gave you. I can still beat you sparring. Fairly easily, I’d like to remind you.”
Bastian dropped low, knees bent. “Oh, is that right? I see your ego hasn’t changed in the slightest while I was comatose. Maybe it’s time I remind you how easily I can best you?”
Trivan grinned, and the two of them tackled one another, getting a chuckling laugh from Jax even though more furniture began to fly.
I couldn’t help but laugh too when another chair crashed into the wall, even though it added to the damage that would need to be addressed.
Alec shook his head. “Children, I swear. We can’t take them anywhere.”
While Trivan and Bastian’s boastings and wrestling continued in the living area, the others set about cleaning up the mess from earlier this morning. Unlike the spilled coffee, which a cleaning charm had easily taken care of, the broken walls and exploded plaster would take longer to reconstruct and would require purchasing advanced construction charms. Lars and Phillen volunteered to venture into the city to buy what was needed for the task.
I tugged on Jax’s sleeve as the others got to work. “I’m going to our chambers. I need to venture to the Veiled Between while the rest of you clean up so we can finally have full answers. We can’t delay this anymore. We need to know who’s behind it all.”
My mate’s midnight brows slanted together. “I’ll stay with you, just in case you need my help to return.”
I slid my hand through his, knowing that I very well could need help, because while my magic was now entirely free, I was still new to navigating the Veiled Between without my collar. I’d had to use the pull of Jax’s magic once before to find my way back when I inadvertently traveled there during a dream. There was nothing to say I wouldn’t need his help again until I learned to command my magic fully, even if I now was a lorafin queen.
We entered our chambers, and I shut the door behind us.
“You’ll stay at my side?” I asked quietly, then lay on the bed.
Jax kneeled beside the mattress and took my hand. A fierceness entered his expression that took my breath away. “I’ll never leave it.”
CHAPTER 10
I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. Magic cascaded through me, as though eager to be released and used. I felt different but in a good way. Whereas I’d always felt the collar’s restricting hold previously to some extent, even after Guardian Alleron had loosened it, now, I wasentirelyuncaged.
I called upon my lorafin powers and asked them to take me away. It was so simple. So easy. Without my collar in place, my magic surged forward. The warning vibrations from my collar were gone. The pain that would follow for using my magic unchecked had been obliterated. Purepowerthrobbed around me.
My soul shot through the universe instantaneously, and the Veil’s mist appeared at my fingertips. I parted it, cutting through the Veil so swiftly that all it took was a whisper of magic, and I was inside.
The second my soul crossed into the Veiled Between, a pulse of my newly released powers vibrated out of me, as though a rock had been dropped into a pool, and a swell of ripples shot through the water around me, alerting every semelee within the Veiled Between that I’d arrived.
That’d never happened before.
She’s come, a semelee whispered, eagerly surging forward.
And she has so much power. Do you feel it?another replied.
Before I could so much as utter why I was there, semelees were swirling around me, twisting through my limbs, caressing my soul, sliding across my back. It was as though they wanted to touch me. Needed to.
Stop, I said, my voice deeper and more commanding than it had ever been before. Magic barreled through me. So much power. So muchmightlay at my fingertips. The heady feeling coursed through me once more, but I tempered my wonder.
Every single semelee halted their movements the second I requested it until not even a flap of time stirred around me, not even a whisper of the cosmos. It was as if the entire Veil had stilled.
I need answers, and I have many questions.
