“Those are problems for another day, Sara. Those are numbers 992 and 993 on your list. You’re just now starting on number one.”
After I dry my hair and pull it into a loose ponytail, I walk into the bedroom. A large duffel bag is on the bed, stuffed to the brim. When I open it, all my belongings from the palace are inside. I smile to myself, knowing only one person would’ve packed my clothes and shoes for me.
“Addi.”
I rush out after dressing, hoping to catch her still in the Veil, but she’s already left. More disappointment hits me in the center of my chest. I had so many questions for her…yes, mainly about Saban, but for strategic purposes as much as for personal reasons.
“She said to tell you Saban is acting very strangely. His personality flipped overnight, and even the council members are concerned about how dangerous he’s becoming. One member asked where you were, and he told them you were dead.” Ginevra stops talking when she sees what a mess my neck is. “After seeing this damage, I’d say he’s lucky not to be the dead one.”
“This is not the man I know, Ginevra. Can a warlock possess a human body?”
“I’ve never seen or heard of it, but this is a matter that needs to be brought to our mage council. There’s something else you should know, and you won’t like it.”
“Okay, let’s have it. No sugarcoating.”
“I’ve been thinking about everything you told me. Processing it a little at a time because it’s too overwhelming to take it all in at once. The warlock has been sending you mental messages, pretending to be Zu. That means he’s holding her captive and using her knowledge of you to speak to you. She’s been able to keep your identity hidden from him.
“Then you heard her voice, so she was able to reverse the magic flow and get a clear message to you. That tells me they’re both somewhere close. To figure out where, you’d have to focus on the face you saw and locate him. But you’d have to lower your shields to do that. That is not a good idea, for the record, but he’s been draining Zu’s power to speak to you. We just don’t know how much longer she can hold on under those conditions.”
“Whether it’s a good idea or not, I’ll do whatever it takes to save her. I’m not sacrificing her to save myself.”
“When you see Ruvaen, talk to him about it. Maybe he has a better solution or can help in some other way. Let’s try all the resources we have before you become a sacrificial lamb yourself.”
“Now, that is a good idea. Maybe they will know what to do. I’m off to Elen Sevin now. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” I kiss Ginevra on the cheek before I leave because I’m not confident I’ll see her again. I want her to know how much I appreciate everything she’s done to help me and all the risks she’s taken on my behalf.
The trip to the elvish border is harder and takes longer than I anticipated. My face is on every billboard and street corner between the Veil and Elen Sevin. Enormous wanted posters calling for my immediate arrest and return to the palace for being a danger to society are everywhere. Residents are urged to call the palace police and not try to apprehend me themselves.
But we all know how the mob mentality works. Once one person becomes bold or greedy for a reward, others will quickly join in until the situation escalates beyond reason or control. Keeping my face hidden and avoiding others means I’m forced to take the long way, through quiet neighborhoods, through the tree line in backyards, and finally through the section of forest where the border lies.
When I finally cross into elvish lands, I breathe a sigh of relief. The worst I’ll encounter here is Rycan and his band of angry elves on horseback. His father gave me the secret password, though, and I fully intend to use it, especially if Rycan isn’t around. My legs burn as I climb the steep hill, but the elf king’s palace is just over the other side.
As expected, my presence doesn’t go unnoticed, and a large herd of horses gallops at full speed toward me. I stop in my tracks and wait for them to reach me, hoping standing still in an open field shows I mean them no harm. The riders’ swords are drawn and ready to attack, the electricity humming and arcing off the tips with loud pops and crackles.
Rycan emerges from the center of the herd and sheaths his sword. His eyes change from pitch black to light blue in an instant. “You again? Did you not learn your lesson last time, Sara?”
There’s a suspicious glint in his eye, but he’s at least willing to give me a chance to speak before cutting off my head this time. Maybe our chat at the wedding softened him up more than I realized.
“Dryadalis qui sanctuarii.”
His smirk fades and his lips part. A stunned speechless Rycan is a gorgeous being. I may never have the opportunity to enjoy this experience again. He regains his composure and nods once. “I see. Give me your hand, and I’ll help you up on my horse. You can ride back to the palace with me.”
He lifts me onto the enormous animal with one arm, and I throw my leg over the side. Sitting behind him, I wrap my arms around his waist and hold on tight. I’ve seen the way they ride—at full throttle. I don’t want to be the one who bites the dust when I go flying off the back.
“You can relax your grip a little. I still need to breathe, you know.” He glances over his shoulder at me with a genuine smile on his handsome face.
“Okay. But if you make me fall off, I’m telling your dad.”
He responds with a loud bark of laughter, and all his men join in. “You have my word. I won’t let you fall off. But I can already tell you’ll be trouble around here.”
“I prefer to call it fun instead of trouble. And in all fairness, you could use a little more fun around here. You’re much too serious.”
“Oh, Queen Saraya, I have a feeling you’ll be the cause of a lot of ‘fun’ in the very near future. Maybe we should hold off on inviting more until we’re sure we can handle what we already have.”
“You may have a point there. I’ll let you have this round. We’re not finished, though.”
“You are correct there, my queen. We’re nowhere near finished.” He nudges the horse with his heel, and we take off toward the palace. The other men surround us, giving us a full escort the entire way.
His words replay in my head, though. My queen.
I’m so confused.
I’m not his queen…
* * *
“Ginevra, are you in here? Sorry it took me so long with the elves. I hope I didn’t worry you too much. We had a great conversation, and I can’t wait to tell you all about it.”
I step into the main living room and find her on the floor, curled in a fetal position. Her whole body shakes from her uncontrollable sobbing. I drop everything and rush to her side, kneeling over her and checking for wounds.
“Ginevra, what happened? Who hurt you? Please talk to me.”
A long, pitiful moan escapes her throat. There’s so much pain behind it, tears spring to my eyes, and I don’t even know what’s happened yet. She grips my hand, holding it as if it’s her only lifeline.
“He killed her. He killed her.” She just keeps saying the same three words over and over.
“Who are you talking about? Ginevra, I need you to calm down and tell me what’s going on.”
“Saban. Killed. Addi.”
The room starts spinning, and I lose my balance. I fall to the side and catch myself with one hand. The other one covers my mouth as the tears flow unchecked over my cheeks, dropping onto the floor beneath me. “What? Why? When? How? What?”
I’m just muttering words because I have none that makes any sense. Nothing about this entire world makes sense to me now.
She sniffles and takes a deep breath. “He couldn’t find you anywhere, and he knew you two were close.”
“She died because of me? It’s my fault Addi is gone?” Tortured screams fill the tree house, so loud they echo off the walls and filter through the glass windows. “No! No, no, no, no, no!’
Then I realize the screams are mine. Sympathy flows to me from all over the Veil
as the other mages and wizards share in my pain. There’s no blame, though. No one holds me responsible…except me. And Saban.
Aren’t we a pair?
I calmly stand and walk outside. Kobi doesn’t argue; she simply helps me back down to the ground. Even though I notice the tear she wipes away, I don’t stop walking. My mind is made up now that war has officially been declared.
My feet carry me through the darkness back to the castle I left not even eighteen hours before. The place that had been my home. Where I fell in love with the man who has now become a monster.
I stop at the same tree where I dressed after my dramatic exit from Saban’s life. After we’d spent the evening talking, sharing intimate details about our lives, and making love until late in the night. Movement catches my attention, and I look up at the same balcony from where I made my escape earlier. Saban steps outside, searching the ground below as if he senses my presence.
So, I move out of the shadows and directly into the bright light of the full moon. Where we can see each other plainly. The crown rests upon his head as if he’s the epitome of royalty. He looks directly at me, his lips parting as his grips the balcony railing with both hands.
The barrier around his thoughts is gone now, but they’re jumbled and confused. I can’t make sense of any of it. Maybe I’m the confused one after everything that’s happened in the last few hours. Either way, there’s one message I know I want him to hear loud and clear.
Enjoy your new chair while you can. I’m going to burn your world to the ground. You’ll be lucky to find the ashes after I’m done.
I send the message straight to him with as much venom as I can muster. He stumbles backward a couple steps and grips his chest with one hand.
Yes, I hope that hurt more than he can stand.
In my peripheral vision, I see silver glimmering in the moonlight. When I glance over to see who’s encroaching on my space, I feel as though a sledgehammer has been slammed into my chest from nowhere.
It’s Addi…still bound to a stake on the front lawn…with a silver spike driven through her chest. They left her there to send a message to all mages—a visual threat of what’s to come for them.
I drop to my knees and scream until I have no voice left to make a simple sound. My heart feels as if it’s ripping in two inside my chest. He didn’t just kill her—he tortured her. Visions of what she must’ve endured fill my mind. The fear, the realization I wasn’t coming to save her after all the times she helped me, the pain she endured all alone.
It’s too much. My warring feelings for Saban, Addi, Ginevra, Nana, and my life are all too much to handle.
The ground beneath me opens up, and the portal draws me inside, hurtling me through time and space, until I land with a thud back in the forest.
My forest.
Regular trees.
Natural wildlife.
I’m back in Aspen Springs, Montana.
What the hell am I doing here?
To be continued in Deceived…coming soon! Pre-order your copy on Amazon today!
* * *
Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed the first installment of Saban and Sara’s story. There’s much more to come, and I can’t wait to share it with you!
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For those new to my books, I have plenty of romantic suspense and contemporary romance to keep you busy until Deceived releases—and they’re all in Kindle Unlimited right now!
All my love —
Angel
About the Author
A.D. Justice is the USA Today bestselling author of the Steele Security Series (Wicked Games, Wicked Ties, Wicked Nights, Wicked Intentions, Wicked Shadows), the Crazy Series (Crazy Maybe, Crazy Baby), the Dominic Powers series (Her Dom, Her Dom’s Lesson), the Immortal Obsessions series (Immortal Envy) and a few stand—alone romance novels, such as Saving Grace, Completely Captivated, Just One Summer, Mistletoe Not Required, and Intent.
When she’s not writing, she’s spending time with her own alpha male character in their North Georgia mountain home. She is also an avid reader of romance novels, a master at procrastination, a chocolate sommelier, a twister of words, and speaks fluent sarcasm. An avid animal lover, A.D. Justice has two horses, three cats, and two very spoiled dogs.
While the primary focus of her books has been romantic suspense, she has expanded into different sub—genres of romance. Stay tuned to read what she has in store for you!
Connect with her online!
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Website
Books by A.D. Justice
Steele Security Series
Wicked Games (Book 1)
Wicked Ties (Book 2)
Wicked Nights (Book 3)
Wicked Intentions (Book 4)
Wicked Shadows (Book 5)
Crossing Lines Series
Fine Line
Blurred Line
Hard Line
Covis Realm: Easthaven Crest
Cloaked, Book One
The Vault Series
Warning, Part One
Warning, Part Two
Warning, Part Three
The Crazy Series
Crazy Maybe (Book 1)
Crazy Baby (Book 2)
Crazy Love (Book 3, Free Short Story)
Dominic Powers Series
Her Dom (Book 1)
Her Dom’s Lesson (Book 2)
Stand—alone Novels
Saving Grace
Completely Captivated
Intent
Mistletoe Not Required
Immortal Envy
Just One Summer
Acknowledgments
Writing a book is no small feat, especially one that delves into a whole new world that’s created from imagination. Speaking for myself, I put my heart and soul into the story, taking time away from family and friends to finish writing one more chapter. When I finally reach those two little magical words, a weight is lifted from my shoulders and I’m able to breathe again. Until I start the next book.
My writing journey includes conferring with several people I trust and admire to give feedback and suggestions. There are also people who encourage and support me along the way, taking a chance on a new type of book or a storyline outside the norm. Those who aren’t afraid to step outside the box and give “different” a chance. These are my people—my tribe—whether they realize it or not.
Acknowledgments are hard to write because I never want to leave anyone out or make anyone feel their place in my life isn’t important. If you’ve ever read my books, you hold a special place in my heart. There are a few special people I want to recognize for helping make this book special to me.
First and foremost, I thank my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for his unending love, mercy, and forgiveness of a sinner like me. Without Him, I am nothing. Yes, when I say I fall short, I realize I fall way short, but thankfully, there’s no such thing as being too far from Him. He knows my heart.
Michelle Dare and T.K. Leigh, thank you for all your support—every single day. I’m so thankful for your friendship, your insights, and all your advice. You can never leave me…because I’d find you. Love you ladies with all my heart!
Victoria Renteria, thank you for being my alpha reader and putting up with my craziness throughout this entire process!
Lisa Hollett with Silently Correcting Your Grammar, my editor and my friend, thank you once again for working through this book with me, polishing it until it shines, and laughing with me along the way.
Jennifer Stevens, thank you for creating the map of my world to give readers the lay of the land. It’s perfect!
And to my readers, whether you love, like, or hate this book, thank you for taking your time to read it. Thank you for your reviews, even if all you say is you liked it or not. Thank
you for your support—you have no idea how much every little bit means to an author.
All my love to you,
Angel
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