Page 25 of Prince of the Sun

Berendir interrupts, “I simply could not find an elf female who wanted to accompany me to this event. I think it might have to do with my intimidatingly beautiful face. Or maybe the fact that I’m the son of a man who single-handedly slaughtered an entire legion of Wild Elves during the Elemental War.” He shrugs. “Either way. While you two were flirting down in Quincy Courtyard, I snuck up to your room and abducted your roommate here.”

In unison, Daerios and I say, “We were not flirt—” but cut off before either of us can finish. We glance awkwardly at each other.

Cara grins. “It’s fine. Berendir actually made a very convincing case.”

“Which was?” I ask.

“If I didn’t come as his date, I’d miss out on watching the two of you rip each other limb from limb. And that.” She snaked an arm through Berendir’s elbow, placing the other on her hip. “Is truly unmissable.”

On the bus, rows and rows of plush leather seats greet us. The inside is dark, lit only by strings of blue LEDs that snake alongthe aisles. Cara and Berendir head all the way to the back, plopping into a pair of seats dwarfed by the tinted window beside them. Daerios and I slide into the row in front of them. The seats are so close together that my thigh presses inescapably up against his.

After everyone makes it aboard, a red-headed elf moves down the aisle with a box of sparklingniru, distributing them with the practiced grace of a flight attendant.

“One bottle per couple,” he says.

I try not to laugh at the idea that Daerios and I are considered a couple.

When the red-head reaches the back, he pauses, eyes traveling first over me and then across the aisle to Cara. “I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure.”

“Magrion,” says Daerios. “This is my date, Quinn Kallister.”

Magrion. The elf who almost found me spying on the Ikarith.

“And this is Cara Ravenscroft.” Berendir sweeps a hand toward my roommate. “The most talented computer science major at Harvard.”

Cara muffles a snort.

Magrion passes me a bottle ofniru. His hand lingers on the neck for a beat too long, as if unwilling to let go. “This is… a first.”

I could almost swim in the distaste flooding his voice.

To my surprise, it’s Daerios who says, “And do you have a problem with that?” His voice bears the subtle upward tilt of hope.

Of course. I’d forgotten that’s why I’m here. Why we’rebothhere, Cara and I—yet another act of mischief and rebellion on the part of the Terrible Twosome.

“Of course not.” Magrion’s mouth pulls into a thin smile. “There is no explicit rule stating that a human cannot attend the Ikarith Ball.”Though there should be.

“No, there is not.” Daerios matches his smile, eyes glinting.

After Magrion drifts back up the aisle, Cara turns to the boys. “What’s uphisbutt?”

“No idea,” says Berendir, taking theniruout of Cara’s hands. “He’s always like that.”

“You’d think the President of the club would be a bit more diplomatic.”

Berendir twists the niru’s cork. “How do you know Magrion is our president?”

“I looked into you two by hacking into the super-secret elvish database.”

Berendir laughs. “Fair enough.” Then the cork gives way, shooting from the bottle’s neck and rocketing across the bus. Right into the back of Magrion’s head.

The President turns and glares at our seats. Berendir’s head is already turned to face the window as he whistles innocently.

“You did that on purpose,” whispers Cara.

“And what on all of Earth and Elaërion would make you think that?” Berendir bats his silver eyelashes at my roommate and takes a swig straight from the neck of the bottle. He wipes away the bubbles with the back of his hand, then offers the bottle to Cara.

She accepts, grinning. “You know, Berendir, I think we’re going to get along just fine.”