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“Wars and disputes between other lands thousands of turns ago saw to it elven clans settled into their own distant corners to live peacefully.” The woman smiled and sat on the edge of the bed. “But we’ve always been here. Closer to sea fae than your folk, since we, too, live on isles in dark seas. Then again, your people are the youngest of cultures. You would know the least about elven lore.”
I adjusted on the other side of the bed, crossing one ankle under my leg, and faced her. The beat of my pulse quickened. Was she dangerous? Would she lash out? I licked my lips, dry as hot sand, and spoke carefully. “If you are a princess of elven, why do you align yourself with Larsson Bonekeeper?”
The woman couldn’t have been any older than me, but there was a heaviness in her eyes, as though life had not always been kind.
“Are your wounds healed?” The elven gathered her gown, crept over the mattress, and settled beside me, inspecting a few bruises on my neck.
I pulled away. “I’m fine. You’re avoiding my question.”
The façade of indifferent strength cracked over her features. With a heavy sigh, she stared at her hands, rolling one of her rings around a center finger. “Would you believe me if I told you I do not relish the thought of your suffering?”
“Seeing how I’m trapped here against my will and you are making no moves to release me, no. I would not.”
A burn of emotion tangled the glowing blue with the silver in her eyes. “I was not necessarily given much of a choice but to align myself with those who’ve risen against you.”
“You’re a prisoner here?”
“I am not bound, but there are reasons I cannot stop a raid against your king or your kingdom.” Words sliced over her lips like barbs. “It has been long in the making, well-planned, and arrangements have been made to see it done. But.” She swallowed. “I will see to it you are not harmed. They simply need you kept away from the sea king for now.”
“And I will never cease fighting to return to him.”
Her face fell. “Come with me, fae. I’d like to introduce you to Natthaven. Perhaps, I might explain a little more.”
The woman strode back toward the door. Another pause once she reached the latch. “I wonder if perhaps we might find a way to help each other.”
“I don’t trust you.” There was little point in avoiding the truth. She could very well be leading me into a trap, to death, to Larsson’s need for blood.
“I know.” She opened the door and gestured for me to follow. “But you will be planning your escape, with or without me. If you are to even have a chance, you’ll need to understand where you are and what stands against you.”
“You . . . you’re helping me escape?”
“Not at all.” She grinned over her shoulder. “I’m providing information, fae. What you do with it will be entirely up to you.”
CHAPTER THREE
THE SERPENT
Nose to nose,a flash of hateful red flooded the earth bender’s eyes. I recalled what Livia told me once—her father had succumbed to a curse of bloodlust in earlier days. She’d made it seem as though he was free of it; looking at him now, I wasn’t so certain.
Valen was going to strangle me before I could utter a word.
Wise of him; he knew what my blood could do. No doubt this way was preferable so he could watch the light leave my damn eyes.
Valen gave more weight to his axe; my lips curled against the anguish of the handle. “After everything, boy, taking my daughter was your greatest mistake. To know you harmed my son and my nephew as well, will send you to the Otherworld inmere shardsof bone!”
I tried to shake my head. Black spots, like flecks of night mist, spilled into the corners of my eyes from the pressure. Somehow, I managed to lift my hand and grip his wrist, desperate to shove him back. Valen drew closer, his body trembling from rage, from anguish, from fear.
“No,” I gritted out. It wasn’t enough, but I could not gather breath to speak anything else.
“Valen, he can’t die.” A slender hand curled around his arm. Hells, Livia’s mother. She tugged on her husband’s arm, pale eyes on me, fierce as jagged ice. “Not yet.”
“He can, and he will.”
The queen stepped between me and her king. “We do not find her if he is dead.”
Another heartbeat, two, then the earth bender slowly retreated. His body stiffened, taut and hard, as though each step taking him from me caused hot agony to rage through his limbs.
When, at last, the handle of his axe fell away, my body gave out. I landed on my knees, gasping, the tang of hot blood on my tongue. Bile curdled in the back of my throat. Gods, I was going to vomit on his damn boots.
