Read Online Prince of Fire by Linda Winstead Jones - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Linda Winstead Jones
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face was unclear, and she wasn't sure if the darkness she saw around him was caused by his evil or his coloring. Did he have black hair, or was that his energy she saw? All she could see well were his hands, strong, male hands, neither young nor ancient, which cupped a green stone that glowed on his palm. She caught only a brief glimpse of that stone, but she immediately realized its importance.
If they destroyed that stone, the spell would be reversed.
Long, strong fingers closed over that stone in her vision, as if the wizard realized the enchantment was threatened and sought to protect it.
"What do you see?" Joryn asked.
"I see the Caradon wizard who set this misfortune into motion," Keelia answered without opening her eyes.
Joryn did not want to believe that one of his own could be responsible for the curse which had sent him to her, but he did. For some reason, he did believe her.
"A name, a face, a place ..." he said sharply.
"Not yet," Keelia whispered. "In time perhaps I will see more, but not tonight."
"I thought you were an extraordinary seer," he snapped. "I thought nothing was secret from the fabulous Red Anwyn Queen."
The vision was gone, over in a flash, and Keelia opened her eyes. "Once diat was true. Almost true, at least. It isn't meant for anyone to see all. I can't even imagine how crippling that would be. There was a time, not so long ago, that if I reached for knowledge, I could find it, unless it pertained strictly to my personal life." She pursed her lips. It was every psychic's downfall that his or her own future was difficult or impossible to see. If she knew all, then she would've seen her mate years ago. If she knew all, then she would've known that this Caradon would kidnap her. If she knew all, then perhaps she could know whetiier or not she would ever find a mate.
Of course, Keelia's father had the ability to block his wife's talents when he so chose. Former Queen Juliet said no one else had ever been able to keep their thoughts from her the way her husband did.
"What happened?" Joryn asked sharply. "Why have your abilities changed?"
"I believe the same evil that affected your Caradon wizard dampened my inborn skill. Months ago I began to have trouble interpreting visions, and there were ... are... blank spots in the knowledge that I reach for. It takes a powerful magic to interfere with energy in that way." Her mother thought it very possible that the impaired visions were her body's protest against not taking a lover, a price she had to pay for failing to fulfill her duty to create Anwyn princes or princesses, but Keelia had never believed that theory. Yes, she was distracted by the increasingly demanding fertile times, but that wouldn't affect her magical abilities. Would it?
She lifted her hands again, and silently asked Joryn to release her. After all, she had been cooperative since the moment she'd realized that they must work together in order to defeat the powerful dark magic that threatened to ruin everything she held dear.
He shook his head.
Keelia sighed. If she released herself, displaying her superior power, what would he do? Bind her more securely? Cease trusting her at all? Releasing herself from iron bars had not been possible, but her current bonds were nothing more than a rough length of rope.
Of course, Joryn could always render her unconscious, as he had when he'd taken her. Somehow she didn't like that idea. She was meant to be here, meant to stop the evil that threatened her home. She could not do that while senseless, which meant she'd best not surprise her captor... her partner. "I'm simply being polite. I could rid myself of these bonds quite easily on my own, but I'm trying to honor our supposed truce."
"Supposed truce?"
"If it were a true truce, you would not feel the need to restrain me."
"I need to sleep," he said, as if that were explanation enough.
"So do I, and this rope is very uncomfortable. It's chafing my skin."
"Already?" Joryn stood with
If they destroyed that stone, the spell would be reversed.
Long, strong fingers closed over that stone in her vision, as if the wizard realized the enchantment was threatened and sought to protect it.
"What do you see?" Joryn asked.
"I see the Caradon wizard who set this misfortune into motion," Keelia answered without opening her eyes.
Joryn did not want to believe that one of his own could be responsible for the curse which had sent him to her, but he did. For some reason, he did believe her.
"A name, a face, a place ..." he said sharply.
"Not yet," Keelia whispered. "In time perhaps I will see more, but not tonight."
"I thought you were an extraordinary seer," he snapped. "I thought nothing was secret from the fabulous Red Anwyn Queen."
The vision was gone, over in a flash, and Keelia opened her eyes. "Once diat was true. Almost true, at least. It isn't meant for anyone to see all. I can't even imagine how crippling that would be. There was a time, not so long ago, that if I reached for knowledge, I could find it, unless it pertained strictly to my personal life." She pursed her lips. It was every psychic's downfall that his or her own future was difficult or impossible to see. If she knew all, then she would've seen her mate years ago. If she knew all, then she would've known that this Caradon would kidnap her. If she knew all, then perhaps she could know whetiier or not she would ever find a mate.
Of course, Keelia's father had the ability to block his wife's talents when he so chose. Former Queen Juliet said no one else had ever been able to keep their thoughts from her the way her husband did.
"What happened?" Joryn asked sharply. "Why have your abilities changed?"
"I believe the same evil that affected your Caradon wizard dampened my inborn skill. Months ago I began to have trouble interpreting visions, and there were ... are... blank spots in the knowledge that I reach for. It takes a powerful magic to interfere with energy in that way." Her mother thought it very possible that the impaired visions were her body's protest against not taking a lover, a price she had to pay for failing to fulfill her duty to create Anwyn princes or princesses, but Keelia had never believed that theory. Yes, she was distracted by the increasingly demanding fertile times, but that wouldn't affect her magical abilities. Would it?
She lifted her hands again, and silently asked Joryn to release her. After all, she had been cooperative since the moment she'd realized that they must work together in order to defeat the powerful dark magic that threatened to ruin everything she held dear.
He shook his head.
Keelia sighed. If she released herself, displaying her superior power, what would he do? Bind her more securely? Cease trusting her at all? Releasing herself from iron bars had not been possible, but her current bonds were nothing more than a rough length of rope.
Of course, Joryn could always render her unconscious, as he had when he'd taken her. Somehow she didn't like that idea. She was meant to be here, meant to stop the evil that threatened her home. She could not do that while senseless, which meant she'd best not surprise her captor... her partner. "I'm simply being polite. I could rid myself of these bonds quite easily on my own, but I'm trying to honor our supposed truce."
"Supposed truce?"
"If it were a true truce, you would not feel the need to restrain me."
"I need to sleep," he said, as if that were explanation enough.
"So do I, and this rope is very uncomfortable. It's chafing my skin."
"Already?" Joryn stood with
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