Forever Fae (Forever Fae #1)(49)
“How is everyone?” I ask even though I really don’t want to know how crazy everyone is going at the moment. I really want to know about Ryder, but the guilt comes back with the thought of asking Merrick about him.
“They’re all worried about you. Ryder is sitting here fuming because I’m talking to you and he’s not. His face is all red and everything. He has a dagger pointed at my chest. I love provoking him.” He laughs. “He says that if I don’t tell you that he loves you, he will rip off my balls and shove them down my throat.”
“Stop being childish, Merrick, and listen to me. We are headed to a huge tree toward the back of the village. There’s a door carved into it. It’s the only one I’ve seen in this village.” The pins and needles feeling I get when I lose my connection is coming back. I say hurriedly, “Merrick, the connection is about to fade.”
The connection drops before I finish what I was going to say. I don’t remember everything on the walk through the village, but at least talking to Merrick helped keep my mind clear. Warren and Avery both stop at the door to the tree and turn to look at me.
With a satisfied smirk, Avery, still holding onto one of my arms, guides me through the door of the tree. The space inside is hollow and there is a long staircase reaching toward the top. My hands start to sweat and my mouth goes dry. I am about to meet the most powerful person here and I have no magic to defend myself. I hope I can do this, but I’m tired from all of the travelling and from lack of food. I seriously want to kick myself in the ass for not eating because I could really use the energy right now.
My muscles scream at me and my body aches while walking up the winding staircase. It feels like tiny daggers stabbing me in the legs, and my lungs feel like I’m breathing acid. I am in perfect shape, but the events of the past couple of days have worn heavily on my body. I am also still wearing the bathrobe and I’m sweating like crazy. Avery clearly sees my distress and continues up the steps with an arrogant sneer.
“This is the dark sorcerer’s dwelling. He wants you to stay here with him where he can keep his eyes on you, among other things.”
My feelings of dread double. I have to eat, sleep and do everything under the watchful eye of the dark sorcerer and try to fight off his advances. Not to mention he’s going to be stealing my powers the entire time. It seems like there are certain places that have the strong binding magic that keeps me from connecting with Merrick and some places that don’t. I surely don’t have the capability in here. We reach the top of the steps and Avery knocks on the door. Warren has curiously remained quiet during the entire ordeal today so I can honestly say it’s perfectly clear that he’s not second in command.
I hear a voice telling me to enter and I can only assume it is the dark sorcerer, Alasdair. This is it. I take a deep shaky breath and I let it out. I will be meeting the man that wants to destroy the Land of the Fae while taking me down the dark and dangerous road of despair. My legs feel weak and the dizziness is making my head hurt and my vision blurry. We walk into the room and I see the dark sorcerer with his back to me. He’s standing in the dark, so I can’t really make out his shape because he blends into the shadows perfectly. Avery pulls my arm and makes me move to the middle of the room. He backs away and leaves me standing there alone. I have never felt more helpless in my life. I must remember to comply with whatever I am asked to do. My ring is on my third finger and I feel it trying to protect me from the evil that’s embracing me right now. I have my hands clasped behind my back and I’m gripping them so tight my hands are going tingly and numb while my pulse is thumping wildly at my wrist.
With his back still to me, he sternly says, “Take off the robe.”
My head jerks to attention. He hasn’t even looked at me so how does he know I’m wearing a robe? His voice is deep and very masculine. It sounds full of arrogance and menace, which tells me that this man is nothing but cruel and deceitful. Yet, somehow, that voice sounds familiar. I stand motionless for about ten seconds and then I slowly untie the robe and let it fall to the floor at my feet. The dark sorcerer turns and as he turns I squeeze my eyes shut. I hear his footsteps, hard and determined, making his way toward me. The closer he gets, the harder it is to breathe because of the thickness of his magic in the air. He is so close I can feel his hot breath on my neck when he whispers in my ear.
“Open your eyes.”
I take a deep breath and let it out slowly. He’s moved to stand in front of me now and when I open my eyes I see someone I am not expecting to see. I feel the blood drain from my face and my eyes widen with shock. He stands there with a slow smile spreading across his face. My thoughts are scrambling around in my head and I’m trying to understand what I am seeing. How could this be possible? My hands fall loosely to my side and my breathing stops. He starts to reach for me, but I quickly step back. I don’t want him to touch me. My body begins to shake and the feeling of losing control is so strong I can’t stand it any longer. The world falls out from beneath me and I’m taken into the dark labyrinth of a nightmare. The dread and confusion poison my mind and the only thing I remember saying as I fall into blackness is the name of the man standing before me.
“Ryder?”
Chapter 21
Ryder
Waking up from the dream was both joyful and sad. Hearing Calista say “yes” and that she loves me sends my heart hammering in my chest. I yearn to be with her, body and soul. The king demanded to know what we saw and everything that was discussed. Elvena was the one to speak and relayed everything that occurred.