21
Iawake to a commotion outside my door. It rattles hard as wind rushes underneath it. I leap out of bed, snatch up my tiara, and race to the door before it breaks in half. I throw it open to find Baelen about to thud his fist against it. His other fist is busy gripping a disheveled elf by the scruff of his neck. It’s the messenger from Grayson’s place.
I’m fully awake now. “Baelen?”
Baelen is a tower of stone and rage. The circles under his eyes are even darker tonight. Smudges of dirt cast shadows across his forehead. His arms are bare and his muscles bunch, glistening with sweat. He glares at the messenger. “Speak!”
The elf squawks as electricity crackles around Baelen’s shoulders and arms. The elf stutters, “I-I-I have a message for you, Marbella Mercy.”
Baelen growls. “The parchment will only open for you.”
I take the scroll that the elf holds out to me in his shaking hands. It has my name written on it. Simply:Marbella.
I’ve seen Grayson’s handwriting on enough documents in his room to recognize it. Taking glances at Baelen, I carefully pry the parchment open.
Marbella,
I warned you about acts of mercy. I may not be able to use the heartstones now, but my injuries healed much faster because of what you did. In fact, I’m completely well, which means I am in a position to annihilate your entire gargoyle army immediately.
However… the other Commanders don’t know this. They think I’m still wounded and they won’t go to war without me.
So your act of mercy has bought you a week.
Use it wisely.
P.S.This is yours. I sense it means something to you.
The paper disintegratesin my hand as soon as I read the last word. Fine dust falls between my fingertips. He definitely didn’t want anyone else to read it.
I’m not sure what the last part of the message means until the elf reaches into the satchel at his waist and pulls out Cassian’s bone lash. I take it, dumbstruck. It does mean something to me. Now Grayson has returned it to me and given us a week.Use it wisely.
Baelen is all business. “What did it say?”
I take a moment to study him before I respond. He focuses on a spot on the wall right beside my face. I’m suddenly aware that my nightdress is not exactly opaque. Indira wasn’t joking about elven lingerie. I fold my arms and pull the translucent material a little closer around myself. Baelen definitely didn’t want to be standing outside my bedroom door tonight, that much is clear.
I’m wary of the listening messenger who will no doubt report everything I say back to the other Commanders. Grayson cast a spell on the message so that nobody else could read it—including them. I clear my throat. “Grayson made a lot of threats, but it sounds like he was hurt very badly. We have a week before they can meet us in battle.”
“I don’t trust him. We’ll triple the patrols and prepare for imminent attack.” Baelen swings away from me, spinning the elf with him like the male is a sack of vegetables. He drags the elf back along the corridor, striding away from me.
“Baelen! Wait…”
My arm drops back to my side. Baelen is already gone in a rush of wind that whips my hair into my eyes.
There’s no way I can go back to sleep now. A glance out of the window tells me it’s almost sunrise anyway. I race back into my room, search the closet for something decent to wear, and come up with a sturdy pair of slacks, a black singlet top, and a cropped jacket. I braid my hair, falling into old habits by braiding it down one side of my head and tying a ribbon in it. My fingers linger on the dressing table where Mom has laid out ribbons for me just like she did when I was a girl. We had nothing, but she always helped me feel pretty.
Creeping to the kitchen, I locate an apple and a chunk of cheese to eat on the way.
A voice from the shadows makes me jump.
Indira slides into the light. “They don’t want you to go outside.”
I grip the edge of the table. “Why not?”
“They’re worried about talon crows. Elves can’t fly but the crows are everywhere, spying on us.”
“I can burn a crow out of the sky in an instant.” I grit my teeth. “I’m going outside and you’d better not try to stop me, Indira. Or you and I will have a serious problem.”
Not that I’d think of beating her up in her pregnant condition, but I’d have some serious words to say.
