Page 31 of Elves and Espresso

“No, the other fine print.” Aleixo lowered his dagger for a moment, leaning over to pull the long parchment off the ground, bringing it closer to Nilsorn’s vision. “It’s right there.” He pointed to the spot.

Nilsorn squinted as his eyes continued their movements. “This is about a realm affecting one’s skin.”

Aleixo rolled his eyes and moved to stand next to him. “You’re in the wrong section.”

“Well, that section was the one you pointed at!”

Aleixo rolled his eyes. “I’m so sorry.” The sarcasm would have made me proud if I wasn’t so utterly confused. “This one down here is about life and death in the varying realms.”

“Oh, you’re right,” Nilsorn replied. “You know, I’ve never read the fine print before.”

“Well, perhaps it’s time to start.”

Nilsorn didn’t reply as his eyes widened, taking in the words on the parchment, while Aleixo moved across from him once more, preparing for whatever fury would come our way.

“It can’t be. I would have known…” Nilsorn mumbled. His eyes flashed as he raised them, looking between us both, his voice growing stronger. “I would have known!”

“And yet, you did not.” Aleixo shrugged.

I could see Nilsorn’s mind work as he wondered at a way to dispose of us both, while still offering me as a sacrifice. “Will you never cease to be a thorn in my side?”

“It’s comical you should say that when we’ve only just met.”

Nilsorn’s dagger went flying in the air, and I quickly rolled from the bed of rocks that had been digging into my back. Comfort hadn’t been on my mind, given my impending death, but now that I was more aware of my surroundings, I winced as I heard a crack from my sudden movement.

His dagger landed inches from me and I lunged for it, connecting with Nilsorn, who had done the same. “Give me that, you annoying little elf. All you two had to do was exactly as I said. As the ruler of the realms, as your sovereign ruler!” He was waving the dagger back and forth between us, his face red with barely concealed rage. “All you had to do was yield!”

It was as though he couldn’t decide which of us to go for first, but in a split second, I had my hand in my bag and was unsheathing my little dagger, hidden from view. It was odd to me that he hadn’t thought to go through my bag when he took me, but I suppose he had been too distracted and excited by his progress.

Nilsorn’s mind was made up as he jumped at Aleixo, wielding his dagger. If it hadn’t been a life-or-death situation, I would have laughed at the sight of us with our small daggers, as though they were great swords in a battle.

I rushed to unsheathe and ran at Nilsorn, hearing Aleixo call out to me, “Calista, stand back! Do not approach him!”

His words meant nothing to me as I felt all the fury, all the pain of the last days wash over me. It would serve Nilsorn right to die at my hand, to forever rid this world of the worst realm guard we had ever known. He deserved it. His choices had led him to this moment, and I wanted him to pay for the strife he had caused. It was strange how someone could go from fear to attempted admiration to vengeance in a matter of seconds. Yet that was where I stood as I waved in his direction.

An arm wrapped around me, pulling me back, and before I knew it, Aleixo was the wall between Nilsorn and I. He shielded me, holding me in place, as he faced Nilsorn with his own fury.

“This ends now,” he snarled, angrier than I’d ever seen him.

And that was when I noticed it…

There was something very different about Aleixo. His manner of speaking, his behaviour, his very attitude. Something in him had shifted. He was not the same man he was when we’d parted ways. It was almost as though he belonged, like the forest had accepted him as their own. It was then that I noticed the forest no longer whispered about him when he stood among it. It was silent.

“It should have ended with your death and that little elf being mine!” Nilsorn roared, cutting into my thoughts before slicing his dagger through the air, cutting Aleixo’s sleeve.

I gasped as Aleixo flinched back. A soft red appeared just under the fabric, and I knew he’d been cut. It was a slow red, nothing that should alarm me, but it woke something in me that I could not lay back down to sleep.

Without a second thought, I shoved my way past Aleixo and launched myself at Nilsorn. His face betrayed his shock and the dagger he held fell to the ground. He moved to take it, but I was too fast. With my arm wrapping around his tall form, I aimed my weapon at the place that could end this all.

He fell back and I followed him to the ground, determined not to let him go, ensuring this would be seen through to the end. He laid there as I stood over him, his eyes looking into mine.

As my dagger found its home in his broken heart, one of his hands reached to grasp mine, while his other reached up to cup my cheek. My heart stopped for a moment at the look in his eyes, and I couldn’t believe I was wielding this blade that would end it all for him. I had never been someone who could take a life, and I knew this was an action that would haunt me for the rest of my days.

“Thank you,” he sputtered, gasping for breath. “I was impatient for a reunion with Fiorra. I never thought death would claim me…I never saw it as a solution to my problem.” He coughed and took another deep breath.

I instinctively reached to hold the hand that pressed against my cheek. “I am sorry,” I whispered. “I saw no other choice. I am not a killer, but I had to choose.”

“I know.” He sighed, his eyes growing heavy. “And I thank you for the choice you’ve made.”