CHAPTER ONE
“Why do you love Elves so much?”
Ella flushed. “I don’tloveElves,” she groused at her brother Thomas, who rolled his eyes. “I find them interesting, that’s all.”
“Fine. Why are you sointerestedin Elves?” Thomas shook his head as he swept the workshop floor. “You know what they are like.”
“I don’t believe the stories,” Ella said, shaking her head as she munched on an apple. She swung her legs as she sat on the low wall that ran outside their house, looking out over the sea. “People exaggerate. Surely anentirerace can’t be evil.” She shrugged. “They did bad things in the past, but I believe they can earn forgiveness from us.”
Thomas made a scoffing sound, falling silent as he negotiated his broom around a tricky corner.
At eighteen, Thomas was apprenticing with their father, learning how to smelt iron and create horseshoes, nails, buckles, keys, and even kitchen utensils. His father said Thomas would take over the shop one day, and her brother took the responsibility seriously.
Ella, on the other hand, wanted to explore the world. She wished she could find passage on one of the many ships that passed through their seaside village. When she was younger, she’d even dreamed of disguising herself as a boy and stowing away on one of the pirate ships bound for Telluria, or beyond.
A raid by the Osmarian pirates a few years back had put paid to that idea. When the bells had rung that day, Ella had been a naïve child, but when the smoke had cleared and the houses that had been reduced to rubble had been cleared, she had looked at the bodies and the blood and thrown up.
That was the day she began to grow up.
Now, she knew that there were dangers in the world, but her thirst for adventure remained. She wanted to learn more about the world, but she contented herself with listening to the tales of bards and minstrels from far-off places, who spoke of their kings and queens, their adventures, and their love stories.
She knew her letters, but what she wanted most of all was to visit the Royal Library in Sunvaara. She had heard it held thousands of old scrolls and texts, and the thought of all those stories hidden in those books sparked her imagination. She wished she could visit one day.
The Elves were as much creatures of legend to her as they were real people, and despite their invasion of the Middle Kingdoms, the Elves had given the humans their freedom in the end. It had taken a revolution, but justice had prevailed, and the Elves had left the Middle Kingdoms to their own devices for hundreds of years after that.
Despite their long lifespans, most of the Elves who had invaded the human lands were dead. Surely their descendants didn’t deserve to be reviled for something their forefathers had done?
Ella knew how precious forgiveness was. When she was eight, she’d stolen her friend’s ribbon. Maria had just gotten a beautiful yellow ribbon for her birthday, and it had looked beautiful against her dark, glossy hair. Ella had taken one look and fallen in love. She’d coveted it for days, throwing envious looks at it whenever she had played with the rest of the village girls, and one day, she’d finally begged Maria to give it to her.
Of course, the other girl had refused, and one day, when they had gone swimming in the lake, the ribbon had slipped free of Maria’s wet locks. Ella had noticed it floating in the water, and she’d pocketed it. When her mother had noticed it among her things the next day, she’d made her return it.
Contrary to her expectations, Maria had not been angry that Ella had returned her ribbon only the next day. She’d grabbed Ella’s hands, squealing in delight as soon as she’d seen the ribbon.
“Thank goodness you found it!” Maria cried, tears shining in her eyes. “My uncle in Drakazov sent it to me, I was afraid I had lost it in the river, I cried all night.”
For her next birthday, Ella’s mother had gotten her a ribbon of her own, blue to match her eyes. She’d been ecstatic to have a ribbon of her own, but she never forgot how easily her mother had forgiven her thievery. She’d resolved that day to never hold grudges, and to be as forgiving to those who deserved it.
Now, a flash of light caught Ella’s eye. She shaded her eyes, hiding her face from the harsh morning sun.
“There’s a ship coming in.”
“Pirates?”
Thomas dropped the broom, coming over to join her in quick strides. He frowned, shading his own eyes. “I don’t recognize the flag.” It was in shades of blue, purple, and black—a night sky with stars behind crossed swords under a crown. He shook his head. “It’s not from Drakazov, or Sunvaara.”
“Must be new traders.”
“Maybe.”
Ella put the ship out of her mind, and it was in the late afternoon, when she had gone for her usual after-lunch walk, that she remembered it, with the realization that the ship had belonged to Elves.
Maybe even the Elf who lay before her now, clutching a hand to his bleeding side. Ella stayed hidden in the trees as she observed him unseen. His long, black hair flowed around his face and shoulders, giving him an otherworldly appearance. His silver grey eyes were piercing and seem to reflect the light around him, shining with an inner intensity that was both captivating and intimidating.
He was dressed in akimonoof deep black silk, adorned with intricate silver embroidery that traced the edges of the garment, emphasizing its fluid lines and graceful curves. Thekimonowas cinched at the waist with an elegant silverobi, tied in a complex knot. His long, slender fingers were adorned with delicate silver rings, each one a work of art in its own right.
Despite his imposing presence and the air of authority that surrounded him, Ella could see that the Elf was young. Closer to her own age. And his face was screwed up in pain as he drew his hand away to look down at the bright red blood that painted his palm.
Well, her mother had raised her help out those in need.
