Page 94
Story: Long Live the Elf Queen
“I don’t look fierce?”
“No, you look like a fairy-tale princess.”
The brush snagged on a knot, Layala winced, and Piper mercilessly jerked out pieces of her hair. “I’m wearing armor. And I have a sword that I’m quite skilled at using, I might add. That’s fierce.”
“It’s your face. Stunning—beautiful, but it doesn’t incite fear.” Piper set the brush on the side table and worked her fingers through.
Layala rolled her eyes. “Oh, but Thane’s does?”
“Yeah.” She pushed Layala’s head to one side and started a braid down above her ear. “He looks like he’ll tear your head off and that’s when he’s not angry. It’s his general vibe.”
Thane chuckled.
“My general vibe is ‘piss off’.”
“True,” Piper said, with a laugh. “But I have an idea.” After she finished braiding, she pulled a small, round, golden case from her pocket. It almost looked like a locket. Piper grabbed Layala’s shoulder and spun her around, so they faced one another. “While you two were… living in fantasyland, I found out some things about this match.” Piper popped open the case and inside contained ebony and crimson powder. She dipped her fingertip inside the black and then dragged it across Layala’s forehead.
“What things? Thane asked.
“Prince Ronan is easily swayed by a couple demure smiles and teasing comments for one.” Piper brushed the black power over Layala’s eyes and the bridge of her nose. “I think he’d divulge every family secret to me at this point.”
“Because he wants to hump you,” Thane said and leaned back on the pillows with his hands behind his head. “He might even want more. That dragon is fascinated with you. Keep stringing him along.”
“Tell him to get in line,” Layala said and winked at Piper. “You got a host of males after you lately.” Although Fennan seemed to have backed off completely. He and Piper hadn’t spoken much since they arrived here.
“Don’t move. You’ll mess this up,” Piper said, as a flush flooded her cheeks. “Anyway, I asked for a tour of the area where you’ll be fighting. It’s a massive arena. It could hold at least ten thousand. There is blood stained in the dirt, and several doors all around the base of the walls to the fighting area. I think, to let things in.”
Layala nibbled on her lower lip. “What kind of things?”
“He didn’t say, and we didn’t go look but I heard—wailing—screeching.”
Layala looked over Piper’s shoulder at Thane. Her throat suddenly felt dry. “You mean like pale ones?”
“What if they are dragon shiftedandcursed?” Piper lowered her voice. “Can you imagine?”
Thane jumped out of bed and his footfalls interrupted the silence. “The dragons stay here in the mountains to avoid the curse. They don’t want pale ones here, let alone dragon ones. Don’t worry about that.” He smiled at Layala. “You look phenomenal. Excellent idea, Piper.”
Layala twisted to see but Piper grabbed her arm and forced her back. “I’m not done.’’ She rubbed her thumb in the crimson and then swiped one line from Layala’s lower lip, to the bottom of her chin. “Alright, now you can look.”
War paint. It’s the only thing she could describe it as. The black smeared over her eyes and forehead like a mask and three red runes centered just below her hairline, and the line on her chin made the look all the more fierce. Her light-blue eyes stood out like bright orbs against the ebony paint. “What do those runes mean?”
“It’s Old Elvish, not Black Mage’s runes, don’t worry. And it means ‘goddess of war’.”
Layala grinned and really looked at herself in the mirror. She did look like a goddess of war. “Piper, you’re the greatest. Thank you.”
“Whether you are a descendant of them or not, you’re worthy of the title.”
* * *
The ground vibratedwith the stomping and roaring of thousands of dragon shifters. The sound deadened the rasps of the vultures circling high above. Layala dragged deep breaths in; vultures waited to consume dead flesh, Maker, she hoped it wouldn’t be hers. The sand-colored arena stood nearly as high as the walls surrounding the city. Vines snaked up and around the massive three levels of arched doorways large enough to fit a fully-shifted dragon. Overhead they flew in by the hundreds, shimmering a rainbow of colors. Some swooped low to blast wind, stirring up the dirt into little dust devils. Thane took hold of Layala’s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. That was enough to calm her even if a little.
Prince Ronan kept walking while Layala, Piper and Thane stared up. “Maker bless and watch over them,” Piper murmured, then kissed the inside of her fingers and held her hand to the sky.
Ronan turned around and walked backward. “They will need that blessing today.” He smiled. “It’s not too late to back down.”
“You can tell your brother that as well so long as he hands over the scepter.” Thane strode forward, tugging Layala with him. They stepped into a tunnel and the chink of their armor bounced off the walls. The dozen guards surrounding them marched in perfect sync.
I am brave. I am strong. I am a goddess of war. Layala’s stomach cramped despite her self-talk. Dragon shifters hung over the railings tossing blood-red rose petals; they drifted down around them like snowflakes. Layala’s boots stomped over the crimson flowers covering their pathway and all she could think was that it was the color of blood.
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 87
- Page 88
- Page 89
- Page 90
- Page 91
- Page 92
- Page 93
- Page 94 (Reading here)
- Page 95
- Page 96
- Page 97
- Page 98
- Page 99
- Page 100
- Page 101
- Page 102
- Page 103
- Page 104
- Page 105
- Page 106
- Page 107
- Page 108
- Page 109