Page 51

“Two thousand one hundred years,” Hel said. “When we were cast out.” His red eyes flicked to the window once again. Either he was worried another assassin would come through or something else out there bothered him. “Something barred them after that. They can’t leave, but they can communicate and send others.”

“How?”

“I don’t know.”

Layala lifted her shirt, revealing the wound on her lower left rib cage. It was smaller than Thane anticipated, and that lightened some of the weight off his chest. She dropped it back down and limped into her bathing room, and with a quiet splash of water, she wrung out a cloth. “Did it have something to do with us? If it was only after our banishment, it must be somehow.”

Thane and Hel exchanged glances. She’d said that without any eye-rolling or denial. Her quiet steps pattered across the stone, and she appeared in the archway from the bathing room to her chambers, holding the cloth against her ribs. “Why are you both staring at me like that?”

Thane shook his head and stood. “I can get healing balm out of my room.”

Layala dabbed at the wound on her abdomen. It was the most crucial of the damages to her body, but as of the last few months her injuries healed faster. This wouldn’t last more than a day. Even her leg punctures would scab and heal over in a few hours.

“I’ll be fine.” She gestured toward the broken window. “So, who was that?”

Hel glided over to Layala’s bed, fell back, and put his hands behind his head as if it was his own place of rest. “By your description, the beads are a dead giveaway, a servant from the House of Fury. Bitch must be on the council now, or she’s justfuriousshe can’t leave.”

A female flashed across Thane’s mind. The House of Fury was for the goddess of fury. He knew her, at least in some capacity.

“The shifter is indeed originally from Ryvengaard, home of the shifters, as well as beasts one might only believe existed in nightmares. But her kind are humanoid as you saw, and without war and disease, they’ll live a few hundred years. She only lives longer because of the undying waters in Runevale. It’s a real treat she shifted on you.”

“Ass,” Layala murmured. “She could have killed me, you know.”

“Looks like I’ll be keeping a closer eye on you then. Real close. I may even sleep in here and warm your bed sincehedoesn’t. Nights must get lonely, love.”

A rush of angry heat flooded his cheeks. “You’ll stay away from her,” Thane said, stepping closer to her, grinding his teeth. “The only thing you will do is help her with magic and remembering. It’s all you’re good for anyway.”

The corner of Hel’s mouth twitched. His eyes danced with mischief; he’d gotten the reaction he wanted. “Magic is certainly my talent, but you know what I’m also good for? Making her moan my name. I would give her such a high her skin would light up like the stars. Bet you don’t do that.”

Thane charged ahead, fists ready to fly until Layala jumped in between them, holding out her hand to him, and the other at a smirking Hel. He hadn’t so much as moved on the bed, his hands still tucked behind his head, ankles crossed.

“He’s just being an ass, his true talent.” She glanced over at him. “Besides, if his lovemaking was as grand as he claims, I wouldn’t have forgotten all about it.”

“Help, I’m stuck,” a tiny gnome voice called from the canopy above. Tifapine poked her head out from her perch then ducked back in.

“What is that and why is it here?” Hel asked.

“Her name is Tifapine and she’s my gnome. Leave her alone or I swear on the Maker…”

He grinned and then laughed. “Why would I hurt her? She’s cute. Like a little fluffy kitten. And you’re Drivaar, Valeen, you praise the All Mother. If you’re going to swear on anyone, it should be her.”

“It’s Layala.”

“Whatever. Besides, I’m not in the business of killing small helpless creatures. What do you think I am, a monster?”

“Considering you cursed the elves, I have a hard time thinking of you as anything but a monster,” Layala snapped.

Maker, they bickered like an old… he stopped that thought before it could finish and lead to other things like Layala moaning Hel’s name rather than his, and distracted himself with trying to recall different houses in Runevale; House of Night, House of Fury, House of Spring… There must be hundreds named for the god or goddess who ruled their own territory.

Tif poked her head out again, this time with a smile. Was she even stuck?

Hel rolled out of bed and casually strolled past. Layala was the only thing stopping Thane from getting in a good punch. “I told you already. I didn’t create the curse; it was a natural consequence of the balance of magic. They wanted more and more, and I gave it to them. I mean, gods they made me filthy rich, but then one day they started coming to me as white as snow and calling me master with bad habits of wanting to eat people. I was surprised myself.”

Thane bristled at how he spoke of them so casually. After fighting the pale ones for years, losing friends, watching people get eaten as he said, how could he speak of it as if they weren’t destroying Palenor? As if no one mattered.He doesn’t care about Palenor or anyone but himself. Remember that.“If that’s true, can you even end the curse?” Thane asked.

“I’m sure I could find a way. But why would I? I’m going to need them.” He stepped out into the hall and gave a small wave. “I hear there’s a ball coming up. I need to find a date. See you around.”

Thane stared at him,Need them for what? With a wave of his hand, Thane pushed magic out and the door closed. It took all his restraint not to chase him down for a brawl. He knew Hel’s games, knew he said things just to get a rise out of people, and most of the time Thane didn’t let it bother him, but when it came to Layala he didn’t always think clearly.