As we enter, everyone is still continuing their party, though the night has faded into loud lyre music and the laughter that comes from drunken dancing.
They ignore us. In fact, even Mrath seems unphased by our return despite her having sent one of her assassins to kill us.
The most dramatic reaction we get from the leader of this sisterhood is a frown when her gaze lands on Thorne. Without another word to us, he walks up the steps and sits on her thorny arm rest.
As soon as he draws near enough, she reaches over and strokes his arm.
“Well, pet? I’m assuming they passed my little test from the fact that they are here and not bleeding out on the floor of Lady Laavi’s home,” she drawls.
Thorne makes no expression, but his eyes trail to Ulla’s bowed head and tear-stained cheeks.
“They did. The king is quite talented with a blade.” Thorne leans back on the throne, playing with a thread on his carefully sewn tunic. “And then he buried the house in lava.”
A pang of worry resounds in my chest. My father used that power for incredible evil, and I don’t think that the would-be Elf Queen will look kindly on me just wielding it in her backyard.
But then, Mrath’s eyes glitter and a slow smile spreads across her lips. “So you can still use the volcano.”
“I don’t use it unless it’s necessary,” I say.
She grins. “You’ve offered to help me get the artifact back, take down my brother, andyou can wield the volcano? This is delicious.”
“Let’s hope it’s an appetizing enough offer for you to finally assist us,” I say firmly. Her ambition is dangerous.
She laughs, and the sound twinkles in the air around us. All the severe lines of her cold features light up. “Tell me, Enduar King, how did it feel to kill the sister of the woman you assassinated during the war?”
I glower in her direction. “You knew about Lijasa?”
She laughs harder.
“That’s hardly a secret! But yes, I have reports detailing how much you suffered during your time in the royal giant court.”
My heart races but I don’t let on anything else. This woman must have had eyes everywhere from her childhood to present day.
“Lijasa was a monster. Most of the giants were when I lived there—they killed on a whim and took advantage of anything with two legs. I feel little remorse.”
Mrath grins and leans forward.
“And a monster she was. Though she did pay us so much gold that itstillfills our coffers. Her story is quite juicy, for it seemed that she had wanted to be a queen in place of her sister—I always had a soft spot for that. A bounty was placed on her head, and we kept her safe, giving her a human every now and then to satiate her needs.”
My stomach roils and bile coats my tongue as I remember the slain human. His face was resigned to pain even in death. I pray that every god gives him a better life than the one he was given in this world.
“You chided me for keeping humans, yet you would sacrifice them to appease such an awful female?” I growl.
She shrugs. “The lawless are so because we don’t have the luxury of civilized customs. It was either he died in that house or on the fields.”
But there is one law:Don’t fuck with Mrath.
The woman before me is still a snake… Can I really hope to believe she'll be loyal to me?
“How long have you been leading this enclave? I only knew of your father, the old king.”
She smiles, not needing to sing lullabies to her conscious. She knows what she is, and she’s thriving.
“I will give you information about anyone but myself.” She leans back, her hand still on Thorne’s knee. He doesn’t freeze, but he makes no move to return the affection.
“Very well,” I grit out. “At least tell me if you accept our deal.”
After a few moments, she claps her hands and gathers as much attention as possible.
