THE DUKE'S CAPTIVE VELARYN

d that had not known him, ground blanketed by an impenetrable haze, by an air thickened by an unbre

n he

one that h

was y

rthly yellow, as if the earth had been brushed by unseen hands. The tint coated the serrated rocks near the entry, flowed ac

The cavern vibrated with an otherworldly presence

are you hiding?"

tepped

liquid gold, the color heavy and rich, dripping slowly, listlessly, as if paint did not want to dry

m as if pulled by an unseen force. The flowers bloomed out of shape, petals clear, giving off an unearthly glo

narrowed

place w

ht have seen the unobtainable beauty of this

as no les

. The surface vibrated, warm, throbbing like

lm-a light rustling down the

thing

mething.

here flashed across his fi

ra

, golden surroundings. A silver, unblemished, gleaming collar wrappe

smirk re

tle thing like you doing her

huge purple eyes intent upo

nd. The rabbit didn't flinch, di

s fingers stroked the rim of the colla

course not. It o

lifting it effortlessly. "If you no longer have a master, you shal

ed across the cav

d instantly, turnin

e other, less prominent passageways dee

ver eyes lock

was. s

thes, even hair-all

er face had stripes of gold, paint dripping down over it like dripping wax. Lo

t be some kind of forest demon, some

ut

was

t, she had a

ng, tilting his head just

asked, his voice s

ped tightened. "Who are you, and

y grin spread across his lips. "The Dark Fores

ove, violet eyes unf

ion. He saw it now, the way she stood there, hardly disturbing the moss, the way the

drifted here b

as a pa

ly increased. "How

moved. It happened suddenly. She

practiced skill. The edge of the blade caught air where he had

tere

ing out of desperation.

r wrist just so, that she lost balance. He did not return th

d, stepping back

ion

than she

gh so she lost the grip on the blade. She gasped, f

d skin glowed warm

scratch him across the fa

nou

e side of her head. Not hard enough to harm her-

dy leane

just as she had j

, he stood the

uous breathing. Closer, she looked even stranger, ev

yielding sheen, an unyielding edge. Fate had brought him here. Now,