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“It means she doesn’t hold the status of royalty, thus she’s been condemned to the dungeons. Consider yourself lucky, Prince Cambion,” the guard finishes as he motions to the luxury surrounding us.

“Lucky?”

He nods. “Be grateful you don’t face execution yet. Aima may not be so lucky.”

The door shuts and I hear the sound of a lock. I stand there for several heartbeats before I limp over to the large glass doors that lead to the veranda. Pushing them open, I look out at the glory of Oronrel. But all I see is a prison.

“Please don’t give up on me, Eilish,” I whisper to the wind.

CHAPTER SIX

BARON

The Veil

I watch as Eilish excuses herself from the others and heads for the spring—a magically heated pool where each of us has been bathing. The others continue their conversations and I watch as Pyre’s sightless gaze moves from Eilish, to land on me. Moments later, he excuses himself from Dragan and Kolvar and approaches me, where I sit away from the rest of our group. While I’ve changed in numerous ways from the man I used to be, I still relish my solitude—something that’s becoming more and more difficult to find lately.

“It’s time,” Pyre says in a low tone as he approaches me.

“Time?” I answer as I look up at him.

“She’s alone,” Pyre answers.

I nod as I recognize his meaning. “Then it is time.”

“I…” Pyre starts. “I should warn you…”

“What?”

“As I’m the Keeper of the Veil, it’s the spirits in the Veil that flow through me; it’s the spirits that have allowed me to live as long as I have.”

“Okay and?”

“And the spirits will feel and experience my need and urgency as much as I will,” he continues.

“What does that mean?”

“They will use my body to experience Eilish at the same time I’m experiencing her.”

“So, what? You’ll be possessed or something?”

“Similar, yes. Don’t be surprised if you see me morphing into other… creatures as they pass through me.” He takes a breath. “And please try to keep Eilish calm.”

“Understood,” I say with a quick nod as something dawns on me. “That’s why you wanted me there? So Eilish wouldn’t freak out?”

“Partly,” he answers.

Dragan looks over at the two of us with a suspicious expression in his eyes. “You go to the spring first,” I say as I face Pyre again. “To avoid suspicions.”

He simply nods and walks into the forest, disappearing in the trees. I wait perhaps another five minutes, until Dragan’s involved in a fiery argument with Kolvar, before I stand up from beneath the tree I’ve been leaning against. Then I make my way towards the spring, excitement stirring deep within me.

***

EILISH

I submerge myself in the warm water, loving the feel of the water as it trickles down my face and back as I emerge again. It feels so wonderful to wash the dirt and sweat from my body and I relish the quiet tranquility of this place. It allows me to think, to enjoy my own solitude.

Realizing the others will want their chance to bathe, I swim to the shores of the spring and step out of the warm water, collecting my hair in my hands in order to wring it out. The beads of water move down the lines of my body as I search for my clothing, but I don’t see it anywhere. And that’s strange because I’m certain I left the pile on a large rock at the mouth of the spring. But as I look down at that rock now, my clothing is nowhere to be found.