Page 65 of The Pactbound Angel (The Soul Mirror Duet #1)

Prince Jaylin tore open the folded envelope that had just been delivered by a messenger falcon and read the two words on it.

They left.

He crumpled the envelope and viciously cursed under his breath, throwing the parchment across the room. The messenger falcon screeched and flew back out the open window.

Jaylin approached the Ivory Grove on foot, looking around the sacred space with a perpetual frown on his face.

He jumped at the soft, feminine voice behind him. “You’re too late. They watched until you had left the area before she and that broodling came out of the forest. I’m not sure why you bothered to pursue them. The damage had already been done.”

Jaylin turned to face the fey woman, the twisted, gnarled staff in her hands. “If your orb worked without its mate, I could’ve known where she was hiding.” His frown deepened. “Why did you let her go?”

Leraska’s frown mirrored his, and she hissed.

“Because we cannot force the ring on her finger. She had to willingly take it with an open heart, or the magic does not work properly. I told you! You knew this! You trying to trap her in the Great Hall would have had severe consequences.” She huffed a long-suffering sigh, shaking her head in resignation.

“It’s no matter. We’ll find another way.

” Leraska walked into the cottage. Jaylin followed close behind.

“I should’ve just given her the ring instead of that necklace. Or when I proposed.”

Leraska frowned in disappointment. “Laethi don’t give engagement rings, Jaylin. Something about it being bad luck. She likely would have refused it.”

He scoffed. “Then, this is your fault. You said she would stay, Mother. But no, she ran.”

Leraska threw a pointed stare toward her son. “That was the point of isolating her, Jaylin. That’s exactly what I was trying to avoid! Besides, you’re the one who let her off the hook when she thanked you.”

Jaylin spoke through gritted teeth, “I was trying to create a rapport. Warm, fuzzy feelings. All of that bullshit women like.”

Leraska rolled her eyes. “Yet, she still ran, despite all those warm and fuzzy feelings . It’s no matter now, as I said.

The ring did not work. We’ll have to adjust our plans to get the other sphere from her thieving parents.

” She tossed a hand in the air and headed over to the purring fey dragon perched in the corner.

She smiled and rubbed under its chin, then slowly turned to face her son.

“Perhaps it’s time we went on the offensive.

An idea has come. Marshal the garrisons. ”