Page 157 of Journey to the Elderoak
She stayed until they disappeared down the road.
Are you ok?Luna asked.
“No,” she replied, looking at her companion. “This feels wrong.”
I know. But you must follow Thorne’s orders. It’s what he thinks is best.
“I know.”
With a heavy heart, she turned around and dragged her feet back inside.
46
Casimir sat in the woods at the edge of Deidamia’s war camp, the rest of his soldiers scattered about as they observed the schedule and routine of the daemons. They were communicating through their animals about what they’d learned, memorizing the layout and attempting to locate where the book and Isolde were being kept.
The camp was much larger than he’d expected, hundreds of soldiers milling about. Though Quinn had gotten their numbers, it was overwhelming to see it for himself.
Ava had been kept here for weeks and rage surged through him at the thought of her in this camp. Of her being tortured in a tent by the daemons, surrounded by soldiers and monsters. How she had survived, how she endured it, he couldn’t even comprehend. Especially when she had still been in her human form.
He was still in disbelief that he’d found his soulbond, something he never thought he would be blessed with but had always longed for. It was rare for fae to find their destined one, and he’d found his love starved, beaten and dirty, wanderingthrough the woods. And now being here, he wanted to tear apart every single daemon who’d harmed her.
An owl hooted overhead as he remained in the dark, sticking to the shadows in the thick trees. He continued to watch the soldiers move about, learning their patterns.
I still think this is a terrible plan,Aro said from where he was hiding close by.
“Bringing a small team brings less attention to us. This was the best way.”
I disagree. You seem to think you know better than me. Your infernal stubbornness is making my fur fall out from stress.
“You disagreeing with me is nothing new. What would you have suggested?”
We should have brought a larger team and caused a distraction while the book and the healer are retrieved. Just like I caused a distraction to save your soulbond.
“Did you know then? Who she was to me?”
No. But I sensed she was important.
And she was. She was so fucking important. To him. To their world. He yearned to get back to her as soon as possible. Being separated was tearing him apart. But if this was what it took to keep her safe and out of their enemies’ hands, he would willingly walk through the depths of the darkest realm if only to prevent Ava from having to do so herself.
“Tell everyone to head back to our camp to discuss our findings,”he ordered his companion.
Casimir rose when a twig snapped behind him. He spun around and found himself face to face with a dozen daemon soldiers, arrows pointed directly at him. As he readied his magic to take them down, blinding pain exploded at the back of his head.
Then the world went dark.
Casimir awoke with a start,thrashing against restraints as water splashed over him in waves. Was he drowning? He strained to lift his throbbing head as he opened his eyes. Several daemons stood before him with empty buckets in their hands. Soaked strands of his hair fell across his face and the strain of his arms overhead burned.
“He’s awake. Let them know,” said one of the guards.
One left while the other leaned against the wall, apathetically cleaning his nails with the tip of a dagger.
Casimir’s shirt had been removed and his wrists were bound in chains, attached to a rocky ceiling. He wasn’t in a tent, but what appeared to be a cave. Dirt covered the damp stone floor. The blazing flames of torches danced on the wall, casting sinister shadows in the dreary space. The smell of soil mixed with excrement filled his nostrils, covering the scent of fear hovering through the air.
Shivering, he reached for his magic, but nothing would come.
Fuck,he thought. They must have given him something.
He tried contacting Aro but that didn’t work either. Whatever they’d given him cut him off from being able to communicate with his companion. That hadn’t happened when he was bitten by the insect. This must have been stronger.
