at me with disdainful pale eyes. Between the two of them, they pull me out of the room. As we exit into the hallway, I catch a glimpse of green in the shadows, but I’m unable to keep my eyes upon it because the room spins around me and I drop into darkness with a soft cry.
Eliph never looked up… He never noticed that they took me. Will he notice that I’m gone? These thoughts chase me into the darkness and in those depths, where I’m all alone, I rage and scream to be released.
Chapter 30
Eliph
Something is wrong. I have been feeling it all day, but whenever I try to focus on the strange feeling, it always slips away. It’s strange, and every time it happens it is almost as if I am caught in a dream. A lethargy descends over me where everything is out of focus and fuzzy. Colors are brighter and swim before my eyes. Even words drift by me, warped versions of themselves. I can hear myself respond, and I know I’m talking to someone when these spells come over me.
The king smiles at me and lifts his cup in salute, but I do not understand his reason for doing so. His smile widens, exposing his sharp fangs in a humorless grin. Unease fills me and I turn to look over at my mate, but I can’t seem to move my head. I’m caught in his gaze.
“Relax, my unicorn friend,” he murmurs as he stabs another bite of food from his platter. “There is no cause for alarm here. We are just having a good meal.” He pauses and cocks his head curiously. “You are enjoying it, aren’t you?”
Am I? Confusion fills me as I look to my plate, the direction of my thoughts dispersing like vapors on a wind. All I can see is that my platter is still piled high with food. I hadn’t cared for the smell of the soup, but this assortment of meats and vegetables appears quite appetizing. It would be rude if I don’t attempt to enjoy the meal. Then Steph and I can get out of here.
I glance over to her chair, and she looks up at me with a sweet smile and pops a morsel of meat into her mouth. I see that her soup bowl is empty and I’m glad that she is finally enjoying herself. She shifts in and out of focus and doesn’t smell right, but there must be something here in the elf kingdom that I am having a bad reaction to. When we return to our rooms, I will lie down.
“Are you well?” King Varthal asks, his eyebrows rising.
I swallow and nod. “Yes, I just seem to be feeling a little unwell.”
“A shame. Perhaps you would like to retire to your room for the night? At first light, you have my permission to leave with your mate… and your goblin friend,” he says with a grimace.
I incline my head with gratitude. “Thank you. That is very kind of you,” I murmur as I stumble to my feet. I hold my hand out to my ahandral and smile when I feel her cool fingers slide into my grasp. I truly must be ill because I can’t even sense the magic ahandral bond flickering between us, but the touch of her flesh is soothing enough that I give her hand a squeeze and step away from the table.
I am nearing the door when it bursts open with a loud slam of stone connecting with considerable force. I stumble back a step and blink at a familiar male standing in front of me.
“Grimsal? Where have you been?” I ask, a small frown puckering my brow. I can hear the strange slurring in my words.
The male’s bright green eyes pierce through the fog in my mind as he meets my gaze.
“What have I been doing? I’ve been trying to save our hides. What the hell are you doing is the question!”
Save our hides? I do not understand. The king has been nothing less than a gracious host this entire evening.
“Steph and I are retiring to our rooms—and no, you are not invited. I am unwell, it seems, and need to rest. The king has kindly given as permission to travel through his kingdom in the morning, so you can rest assured on that.”
Grimsal shakes his head.
“There’s something wrong with you, all right, or else you would notice that Steph is gone, and you are about to return