“Then who are you?” I demand.
“My apologies, my dear,” he says to her, ignoring me. “You have quite a lovely singing voice, so I sincerely hope your king doesn’t do something brash.” His eyes find mine once more and narrow. “Something that would compromise your lovely neck.”
“You’ve been watching us,” Niht spits at the elf.
The man smiles. It’s a charming, pointy curve of his mouth. “Yes. Though, you’re all rather boring if I’m being honest. And criminally uncreative.”
I take a step forward, which he doesn’t seem to react to, though Ulla flinches in his arms. If he were going to kill her, he would’ve by now. While I don’t see mercy flickering in his eyes, I think his capture of Ulla is more for show than anything else.
He wants us to be afraid, but he is also curious.
“Do you know anything about an enclave of elvish women?” I ask, trying to cut through the tension around the fire.
He looks bored. “You’re looking for elvish women in the woods? I didn’t realize how stupid you…Enduarescould be. I haven’t seen a female elf outside of her humble dwelling since… never. Don’t you know that the pinnacle of feminine bliss is tending to a husband? They’re very well-domesticated,” he nearly purrs as Ulla gains her footing and starts to shift. “Perhaps this lovely lady could learn something from them.”
Ullas face turns purple with her flush, so I keep talking. If I can just distract him from Ulla, I could tackle them both and get that knife away.
“Then why are you here? I’ll ask you again: are you one of King Arion’s assassins?”
He actually laughs this time. “I’ll answer you the same:gods, no.”
I take the opportunity to take another step, feeling everyone’s eyes on me, and his laughter dies.
“If you want me to release your delicious friend, tell me what you want with the sisterhood.”
“My human mate was stolen by the giants. We have few options left for allies in this fight, so we’ve come here, hoping to speak with the sisterhood.”
The elf all but rolls his eyes. “Trolls seeking out the help of the elves to deal with the giants. A tale as old as time—and one that I’ve already grown benumbed to.”
I take a deep breath. “I’ve also come to offer my people’s services. If you aren’t with the king, you are against him. Once my wife is safely secured, I will ensure a new sovereign sits in Shvathemar.”
His eyebrows shoot up. “Friend, I’m not sure if this is the place for you to spout treason. Though, I am dying of curiosity. How did you hear of these… women?” the elf asks.
“After one of my councilors came to reopen communication with Arion before the festival. While he was here, he heard of a small rebellion of women brewing in the forests.”
If this man isn’t with the king, he might be with this rebellion despite being a man.
“We have brought gifts and an offer of help in any way we can. We also might have information about an artifact that my father stole.”
The elf watches me with a blank expression.
“You’re not lying,” he says after a second.
I shake my head. “No, I’m not.”
Slowly, he lowers his hands, and Ulla stumbles forward.
Niht crosses the fire to help her. The newcomerspares her one final apologetic glance, and it’s then that I see a familiar roundness to his features—particularly the ears.
One that speaks to a human background.
“You’re half-human,” I say boldly. My eyes grow wider. Of course, he would not be in Arion’s court. The elves were just as concerned with racial purity as my father.
The man frowns. “Thorne thePeredhel,not at your service,” he counters.
I recognize the parts of the word, practically a slur among elves as it translates tohalf-human.They are defined entirely by the undesirable half of their lineage.
He studies us for a second longer.
