Gallium trained as a warrior with the Vandawolf. Thaden has the strength of a dragon. And Tamra, well, she might not have combat skills, but she’s smart and she would have found a way out of danger.
“You’re deciding whether or not you can trust me,” Elowynn says, nodding her head. “That is wise. But I would urge you to make your decision quickly. As much as I would love the chance to kill you, I also want to leave this place as soon as possible. These mountains aren’t safe. It isn’t wise to linger in them.”
Elowynn takes a step toward me before I can respond. “It would be my preference if we could end this situation amicably, Asha Silverspun. You will put down your tools, we will take you to our Queen, and she can decide whether or not to grant you and that…man… her continued protection.”
At some point, my hand has come to rest on my hammer.
I drop my arm to my side, giving Elowynn a final hard stare. “My tools are down.”
She narrows her eyes at my left hand.
“This one?” I ask, holding my palm up for her to see. “It doesn’t come off.” My lips twist. “The humans did this to me. And no, I wasn’t their leader or their queen. I was as much their captive as Gallium and Tamra were.”
Elowynn’s expression changes and for a second, her mask slips completely.
“Humans,” she spits. “Perhaps we have some common ground, after all.” She gives me a firm nod. “I will accept that your tools are down. Please remain where you are. I’m sure you can understand that our truce is tenuous.”
She turns to the women on her left. “Retrieve Dusana and Bethoc. If they’re wounded, tell me immediately.”
At her command, two of the women on her left break off from the group, steering as wide of me as they can as they race toward their fallen comrades. They both have coral-colored hair and soft-blue eyes.
The woman who rushes toward Bethoc slows her pace before crouching and placing her fingers against Bethoc’s neck. She looks to Elowynn and shakes her head.
The other woman reaches for Dusana, kneeling beside her before checking her pulse. “Dusana’s alive but hurt,” she calls.
Elowynn chews the inside of her lip as if she’s chewing her thoughts. “Take her to the encampment. If she wakes up, do not give her anything for the pain.”
The other woman’s blue eyes widen. “But?—”
“Do not question me!” Elowynn’s harsh voice doesn’t allow for objection. “Dusana disobeyed a direct order from Queen Karasi. That is treason! Punishable by death.” Elowynn glares around at her warriors. “I should kill her on the spot. Letting her live is more mercy than she deserves.”
The blue-eyed woman is pale. “Yes, Commander.”
Elowynn seems to fold her wrath away, blank once again as she continues. “Bring Bethoc’s body. I will deliver the news of her treason to her family, and they will live with the shame of it.”
In the next beat, she issues orders to the women on her other side. “Retrieve that man. We will bring him with us for Queen Karasi’s judgement. Anyone who harms him will be judged by the Queen herself.”
Four women rush from the group, hurrying toward the Vandawolf while also steering wide of my position.
Despite Elowynn’s command to stay where I am, I step into their path, forcing them to pull up sharply. “If you wish to live, touch only the stretcher. Do not touch the man.”
It isn’t an idle threat. I don’t know what will happen if they come into contact with the metal on the Vandawolf’s chest. Possibly nothing. Maybe something awful.
Although it seems that’s not all they have to worry about.
Judging by Elowynn’s declarations, their Queen’s word is law and breaking it means death. It’s a much harsher regime than I would have expected.
Now that I’ve delivered my message, I turn to Elowynn. “I will walk beside his body. He doesn’t leave my sight.”
Her eyes narrow a little when I refer to his ‘body.’ Her lips part as if she’s about to question me and I believe I know what she’s going to ask:Is he dead?
I don’t know the answer to that, but time is not on my side and even my rage is deserting me. Soon, I will have to face what losing him means.
Elowynn surprises me when she declares, “We will not be walking.”
At that moment, a streak of light bursts through the air at the mouth of the cave. It’s a dazzling explosion of amethyst energy that sizzles around us like lightning.
With it comes an almightycracklike a blast of thunder.
