As far as she was concerned, she was a xiantope, a being of no magic and proud of it. It made no sense then, and it still didn’t. I could feel her magic just by looking at her.
Her movements grew stiffer as she scrambled some eggs in a large skillet. “Why do you want to know?”
“Ellie, I already told you I’m sorry about what I said before. I don’t hate all Djinn. Just the ones who killed my father and want to destroy Tanselm.”
Her gaze flew to me. “What did you say?”
“I said I didn’t mean it.”
“No. The part about your father being dead.”
I frowned. “Over a year ago, my father was killed by Djinn poison. Apparently, we’ve had Djinn infiltrators. Not your rebel friends, but real baddies who insist on killing as many Storm Lords as they possibly can before taking over Tanselm as the kingdom’s ‘rightful rulers.’”
“Oh, wow. I didn’t know.”
“Yeah, well.” I didn’t want to talk about it.
“So you aren’t just a prejudiced bastard who hates those different from his royal self.” She watched me carefully.
I rolled my eyes. “Would you get off the royal bandwagon? I’m a prince, big deal. You’re the daughter of Ethim il Ruethe, clan leader to the Sarqua. That’s royalty in my book, Princess.”
She glared at me then turned back to the sizzling eggs. “I thought you hated all Djinn because we’re—they’re—Dark.”
“I already said I don’t hate all Djinn. Jonas is a pain in the ass, and his brothers or cousins, or whatever his fellow warriors are, could use some lessons in manners. But most of the Djinn I’ve met in Foreia have been fair.” More than fair considering what I’d put them through.
She took the pan away from the heat and turned to me. “I really am sorry about your father.”
Uncomfortable with the topic, still not having come to terms with my grief, I shrugged. “He’s in the Next, waiting for my mother. I’m sure wherever he is, he’s getting into as much trouble as possible. My dad was a wind master.”
“Like your brother Aerolus, right?”
“Right.” I swallowed the orange juice she placed in front of me in one gulp. The rage I’d once felt in having confided in her had faded, and I now felt pleased I could talk with someone outside of my family about my loved ones.
A year in this mundane plane had forged a closeness with my brothers I sorely missed. “You’d think Aerolus, a Wind Mage, would be as laidback. But no way. He’s one uptight sorcerer.”
She scooped a large portion of the eggs onto a plate and set it down before me, bringing a second, smaller plate for herself. Then she sat across the counter from me and began eating. “That’s not what I hear.”
“Oh?”
“Rumor has it Aerolus has been pleasantly low-key since marrying Alandra le Aelle.” Ellie suddenly smiled, a wicked grin that had my blood rising. “You know what they say about creatures of Shadow and Dark.”
I stared, transfixed by her expression. “No, what?”
“That anything Dark is dangerously good. Shadows are sexy and Darklings are sinfully seductive. It’s why they make the best lovers.” As soon as she said it, she froze, then she hurriedly stuffed the rest of her food in her mouth, nearly choking on her eggs.
“From my experience, I’d say that’s true.” Her distress amused and enflamed me. Why had I dared her to come to me, again? “But then, I’m just a Light Bringer, so what would I know? Now my uncle —” I stopped, wishing I hadn’t brought up that unpleasant topic of conversation.
“Yes, your uncle?” she prodded, no doubt grateful to have the attention off her.
“Let’s not talk about him. Arim’s not real popular with anyone in Foreia.” Anyone meant Lexa, and I’d been forbidden to say her name outside the small circle of rebel Djinn. I silently agreed. The less said about Lexa, in my opinion, the better. “Besides, I’m on his shi—bad list.”
“Now, Cadmus,” she teased, the old Ellie making me long to pull her in my arms and forget the past hurt between us. “Why would you be on anyone’s bad list? I simply can’t imagine.”
Chapter 5
Arim: Guardian of Storm
“I swear by the Light’s Grace, if I never have to search for this misbegotten prince again, it will be too soon.” I swore under my breath as my sister approached with a scowl on her ageless face. “Not now, Your Highness,” I managed respectfully and turned away.
