Cora wasn’t sure if the rage she felt was Mareleau’s or her own. She was angry on her friend’s behalf. On Noah’s. Mareleau had only agreed to come to El’Ara for her son’s protection, and to keep the dragons from seeking her in the human world. She hadn’t even begun to discuss whether she and Noah would live here. Ailan had promised her time to save such choices for later, that they’d figure out the future together after they’d defeated Darius.
Ailan continued. “She brought her son here to honor his position as Morkara of El’Ara. In return, you must honor her as Edel Morkara’Elle.”
The last few words remained untranslated, but they were vaguely familiar. Ailan had once said they meant something like a queen mother.
“You’ve already accepted themora’schoice to deem Noah your Morkara,” Ailan said. “You’ve accepted him despite his human blood.”
“If we accept her,” said the same dark-haired Elvyn from the second tier, “are we to simply accept all other humans in the future? What if she bears other children? What of the Morkara’s children? Are we to accept a diminishing bloodline, accept that our people may one day cease to be should the humans proliferate faster?”
A few Elvyn voiced their agreement, but Etrix spoke. “I’ve already stated that we are not discussing all humans. Nor are we discussing the distant future. Your fears are valid, and they will be addressed in due time, but today we discuss only the most pressing topics. Do you vow to honor, protect, and accept our Morkara’s human mother, Mareleau, as Edel Morkara’Elle?”
Another murmur of dissent hummed around the room, but the voices ceased when Etrix bent his knee.
“Then I shall be the first,” he said. His butterfly adopted a violet glow. “Edel Morkara’Elle Mareleau, I state my binding vow that I honor, protect, and accept you as the mother of my Morkara and a citizen of El’Ara.”
Garot quickly followed suit, kneeling beside his chair like everyone had done for Noah earlier. Ailan followed next, then—to Cora’s surprise—Fanon. After that, the other Elvyn bent their knees in turn until every head was bowed. Beneath the violet hue of their ever-fluttering butterflies, they stated their vows.
When they rose and returned to their seats, the colors shifted mostly back to shades of orange, though some had cooled to green or blue.
Mareleau released a slow exhale. Her relief was so palpable, it made it past Cora’s wards. Cora offered her a reassuring smile, but it left her face at Etrix’s next words.
“We will now discuss the other human queen, Aveline Caelan.”
Cora’s heart kicked up, and her butterfly flashed red before she forced her breaths to even out, her emotions to calm. Everything had turned out well for Mareleau. Perhaps it would go well for her too.
Of course it was easy for Mareleau, sniped some dark part of her mind.Everything is easy for Mareleau. You’re just her decoy, remember?
Resentment speared her chest. It was so sudden, so violent, she nearly gasped out loud. What the hell was that about? Those hadn’t been her thoughts. She could never think that about Mareleau! Yet…they’d come from inside her, not outside. No, that was impossible.
“She was condemned by our former steward,” said one of the Elvyn, tone brimming with disgust. Cora was grateful for the distraction. The resentment faded from her heart as she found a new target for bitter feelings. “Fanon sentenced her to death?—”
“A sentence that was supported neither by me nor the rest of the tribunal, mind you,” Etrix said. “Furthermore, Queen Aveline has been pardoned by our regent. She is a close ally of our regent, our Morkara, and our Edel Morkara’Elle. Her guilt or innocence in breaking our laws is not up for debate. We are here to establish new rules to accommodate the alliance our regent would like to propose to the humans.”
“She’s a worldwalker,” the same Elvyn said. “She entered our world with her magic and left the same way. She should be punished before we can even consider allying with her.”
Etrix’s butterfly darkened to a shade of teal, the only sign he was growing impatient. “It remains impossible for a worldwalker to utilize their magic to cross the VeilintoEl’Ara. As Ailan already explained, the human queen’s actions were accidental. It was only her connection to a unicorn—and his horn’s ability to pierce the Veil—that allowed her to enter our world last month.”
Last month! Mother Goddess, that’s right. To the Elvyn, it had only been a month since last summer’s events.
Etrix went on. “Preventing a worldwalker from exiting El’Ara through magical means was never woven into Satsara’s wardweaving. She left El’Ara for fear of her life after being targeted by the dragon Ferrah.”
“She has crucial information,” said another Elvyn, this one seated on the third tier. He gestured toward Cora. “Should she give this information to Darius, share how he could utilize a unicorn to cross the Veil, we’ll be done for.”
“Which is why we’re forging an alliance,” Ailan said, her butterfly flickering between orange and red.
“How can we trust her?” said another voice.
Then another. “She’s human! She can’t make a binding vow.”
And another. “I still say she should be punished.”
The voices overlapped, compromising Etrix’s translation magic once more.
Anger simmered in Cora’s gut, melding with the enraged emotions clawing their way past her shields. It sent a piercing ache to her temples.
“I want to hear what Fanon has to say,” said Garot.
Cora shot him a glare across the room. Of all the people to make such a suggestion! And she’d thought he was on her side. Was he simply obtuse?
