Chapter 32

I woke up with a jolt, my eyes darting around the room. I wished with all my heart that the recent events were just a bad dream, but the sinking feeling in my chest told me that this was just the beginning.

“Are you okay?”

The voice was soft, almost timid, coming from my right. I turned my head to see a woman about my age sitting on a stool next to my bed. She was a stunning Elf with long, dark hair and a dress that shimmered in white and gold.

Her almond-shaped brown eyes were filled with concern.

“Who…who are you?” I asked, my voice shaky.

“Please, don’t be scared. I mean you no harm,” she assured me. She sat there, her hands folded neatly in her lap. “I was worried. You’ve been asleep since Lord Dominick brought you here. I thought something might have happened that he didn’t know about.”

Her words brought everything rushing back—the realization of where I was hit me like a ton of bricks. I was in a room in Dominick’s palace, and this Elf, with her beauty and grace, was likely one of his concubines.

But she didn’t seem threatening. Everything about her suggested genuine concern for my well-being.

“I’m okay. There’s nothing wrong with me,” I reassured her. I wanted to tell her that the real problem was her master, but I held back. It was better to get to know her first before criticizing him. “So, I’m in Lord Dominick’s palace, then?”

“Yes, you are. This room was prepared for you after our lord told us you’d be joining us,” she confirmed.

“When did he tell you that?” I asked.

“A few days ago,” she replied, looking slightly embarrassed. “I’m sorry, I haven’t even introduced myself. My name is Umira.”

“I’m Raelina,” I said, introducing myself.

Umira smiled at me. “Oh yes, we all know. Lord Dominick has told us so much about you.”

“He has talked about me that much?”

“Yes, he has. I don’t think he’s been this excited to bring in a new girl in a long time.”

I could tell she was under the impression that I had willingly chosen to be here. It seemed like Dominick had led them to believe that I had chosen to stay with him. I couldn’t let that misconception stand.

“Um, I think there’s been a misunderstanding,” I said, sitting on the edge of the bed. “I’m not here to be a new girl for Dominick. I’ve already been chosen by Navine, and I’ve accepted.”

Umira looked surprised.

“You have? But why would you choose that when you could be here with Lord Dominick? He treats us all very well and as equals.”

She didn’t seem to understand my situation, but maybe that was because she was young and had only known life in this palace under Dominick’s rule.

“It’s not that I don’t like Dominick. But as I said, I’ve chosen Navine, and I’m not going back on that,” I said, standing up and looking toward the bedroom door. “Can I leave this room? I want to find Dominick and ask him to take me home.”

Umira stood up quickly and grabbed my hand.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Raelina. Lord Dominick doesn’t like us questioning him or making such requests,” she warned.

“Why not? All I’m asking is for him to either take me home or let someone else do it,” I argued.

“Because you’re already here and chosen. There’s no going back on that.”

Umira’s eyes dropped as she spoke. Her grip on my hand tightened. The tension in her body was palpable, a clear indication of the gravity of my situation. Not only had Dominick taken me, but once he brought a woman to the palace, he never let her leave.

But I wasn’t ready to give up. I would talk to Dominick and try to convince him to let me go. He had to have some sense of reason left in him.

“I promise, it’s going to be okay,” I reassured her, placing my free hand over hers for emphasis. “I’ve dealt with dragons enough to hold a civil conversation with Dominick. Can you tell me where he is?”

Umira hesitated, but she did respond.

“I think so. He’s usually in the drawing room around this time. If you want, I can take you there.”

“Please, lead the way.”

I won’t pretend I wasn’t a bundle of nerves, even though I was doing my best to keep it under wraps. Dominick had essentially abducted me from Navine. I couldn’t help but wonder if this meant Navine would soon be storming the place to get me back.

As we stepped out of the room, bright sunlight streamed in through the hallway windows. The palace I found myself in was somewhat reminiscent of Navine’s, though the decor—carpets, curtains, and various knick-knacks—was a riot of colors, reflecting a multitude of prisms.

Now that I thought about it, Lorelei’s home was predominantly red and gold, while Navine’s favored a lot of ivory.

~Could it be related to the type of Dragon they are?~

Umira moved with a grace that was almost ethereal, her long hair flowing behind her like her dress. Her steps were small and silent, as if she were floating rather than walking. Everything about her screamed sophistication, from her graceful movements to her immaculate appearance.

“May I ask,” I ventured, “were you from one of the higher Elf families, Umira?”

“Oh, yes. My parents are the leaders of the Elf village in Fern,” she replied.

“I see. I didn’t mean to pry. I just noticed your elegance and assumed you must’ve had extensive training from a young age,” I clarified.

“I did,” Umira confirmed. “All three of us here were groomed to be ladies from a very young age. Lord Dominick often tells us how much he appreciates our grace and elegance. He says it’s wonderful to have wives as beautiful as dolls.”

That didn’t sit well with me.

“He shouldn’t compare you to dolls. You’re living beings.”

“We are, but it’s always best to be desired for such qualities.”

Umira paused at a door as she spoke, raising her hand to knock gently on the dark wood. Dominick’s voice responded when she did.

“Yes?”

“Excuse the interruption, Master. Raelina has woken up and wishes to speak with you,” Umira relayed.

“Send her in. Then return to your duties.”

Umira nodded at me as she stepped back.

“I’ll leave you now, but hopefully we can talk more later.” She took a few steps away, then paused, speaking in a lower tone. “Please, be careful, Raelina. It’s never wise to upset Lord Dominick too much.”

Her warning was well taken, but it also troubled me. She wouldn’t have given it without reason. Did this mean Dominick had hurt these girls before?

The door creaked slightly as I pushed it open and stepped into the drawing room. It was about the same size as the parlor at Navine’s palace, with beautiful paintings and etchings adorning the walls. Various plants were scattered around the room, along with couches and a few chairs.

Dominick was lounging in one of the chairs near a large arched window. He lowered the book he was reading and smiled at me.

“Ah, you’re finally awake.”

I moved closer, stopping near the couch.

“You make it sound like I’ve been out for ages,” I remarked.

“It’s been a while. About two days,” Dominick confirmed.

“Two days? You knocked me out for that long?”

“Is there a problem with that? You weren’t hurt, so that should count for something.”

This Dragon was something else. He either had no clue his actions were wrong, or he simply chose to ignore it.

“What counts is what you’ve done,” I told him. I stood my ground, determined to show no fear or intimidation. “You lured me out of Navine’s palace and kidnapped me right under his nose. Do you have any idea of the trouble you’ve stirred up? He’s going to come here to get me back, even if he has to fight you for it.”

Dominick calmly set his book aside and stood up to face me.

“I know that, and I’ve known it for a while. But I’m not scared of him, or of our ruler barging in on me. I’ve taken precautions to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

That made me suspicious.

“Really? I’ve never heard of a place Emelio couldn’t reach,” I said.

“That’s usually the case,” Dominick agreed. “But a little research goes a long way, and even Mages like him have their limits. You just need to figure out what those are.”

“I find that hard to swallow. How could anyone block a mage handpicked to serve a ruler within the Veil?” I questioned.

“Believe me, sweetheart, there are ways,” Dominick said. He looked at me as we stood there, face-to-face. I fought to keep my nerves in check as he gently touched my face. “You’re so different this time. I never thought you’d be the type to stand here and confront me like this. All the others always cowered before me.”

“Why should I? You might be a Dragon, but that doesn’t make you so different from me. Unless you’ve been threatening me in all those lives.”

Dominick didn’t deny it.

“Maybe I did, but that could just be a matter of perspective.”

“I doubt it.”

I moved away from him, walking over to the window to look outside. I saw a courtyard enclosed by a white brick wall. There was a faint shimmer in the sky, which I assumed was the barrier he’d mentioned.

~I need to figure out how to bring that barrier down. Maybe I can get him to tell me more about it. I just need to be careful about how I approach it.~

Dominick’s voice pulled me back to the present.

“You say you’re not afraid of me. Does that mean you don’t think I had anything to do with your sect’s destruction?”

I turned to face him.

“What difference would it make if I did? It wouldn’t change what happened, even if I find it hard to believe you were completely innocent. I don’t think you’re as innocent as you claim about those fruits either. It’s awfully convenient that you’d blame one of your concubines when the spell was specifically designed to unlock my worst memories and use them against me,” I retorted.

“Yes, that is hard to believe, but one should never underestimate a woman scorned,” Dominick shot back.

I wasn’t buying it.

“Maybe, but it doesn’t seem like your girls know anything about my past lives. Umira seemed to think I was just another one of them and was surprised to hear about Navine.”

“Really?” Dominick pretended to be surprised before shrugging it off. “Maybe she misunderstood. She’s not always the quickest to catch on. She’s a looker, but not the brightest bulb, if you catch my drift.”

“Don’t insult her! She’s a perfectly capable Elf!”

“Yes, all three of them are,” Dominick moved behind me, his hands on my shoulders as he leaned in close. “But you should get used to them. I have no plans of letting you go now that I have you.”

A chill ran down my spine, one I tried hard to hide. No, I couldn’t show him any fear. Showing fear would only make things worse.

“Say what you want. I know Navine will come for me and that Lord Jekia will find a way to help him. No barrier is strong enough to keep them all out,” I shot back.

“Believe what you want, but as I said, even a mage can’t get past a barrier made with Solinite crystals.”

That was my first clue. I’d heard of Solinite crystals before, but I’d never seen any. They were supposed to be rare and powerful, used only by the most skilled magic users.

But if that was true, escaping here was going to be tougher than I thought. I needed more information.

“Did you use them to create this barrier?” I asked him.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Dominick released me and stepped back. “You might as well get comfortable. I have no plans of letting you escape. Besides, you don’t have wings, so you couldn’t get past that wall, even without the barrier.”

I stood there, silent, watching him leave the room. I was determined not to give up, even though I wasn’t sure how I’d escape this situation. I couldn’t ignore the fear that was gnawing at me. No matter how hard I tried to face him, the scars of the past were always there.

But I wouldn’t let that stop me. Somehow, I’d find a way to reach out to Navine or Lord Jekia. I’d get out of this place and show Dominick who’s boss.

As I turned around, the door creaked open and another woman peeked in.

“Is Lord Dominick gone?” she asked in a whisper.

“Yes, he’s left for now,” I assured her.

She let out a sigh of relief and stepped inside. She was about my age, like Umira, but with fiery red hair and light brown eyes. She was wearing a sheer red dress that shimmered as she nervously clasped her hands. Her transparent red wings gave away her identity—she was a Faerie.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

“Yes,” I replied, puzzled by her concern.

She glanced around before moving closer, lowering her voice.

“I’m sorry if I seem odd. I just know how difficult it can be dealing with Lord Dominick, especially when he becomes obsessed with you.”

“Are you one of his concubines?” I guessed.

“Yes. I’m Ginger, and I was the first one he brought here in recent years,” she confirmed. She looked around again before continuing, “I’m more aware of the situation than Umira or Sky. Lord Dominick wouldn’t have set up such a strong barrier unless there was more to your arrival. And I remember hearing your name mentioned with Lord Navine’s.”

“Hold on,” I interrupted, “You and the others were brought here only recently?”

Ginger nodded. “Yes, but I have a feeling you don’t belong here.”

“No. I don’t.” I glanced around before leaning in closer. “Can you help me? I need to find a way to contact Lord Navine or Lord Jekia.”

“There might be a way, but we have to be extremely careful. If Lord Dominick finds out, we’ll both be in a lot of trouble,” Ginger warned.

“It’s okay. I’ll deal with it if it comes to that.” I held her hands. “Please, from one Faerie to another, I need your help.”