Page 71 of Dance of Kings and Thieves

Facing the far wall, a man sat on the ground. One leg was folded beneath him. His other leg served as a prop for his elbow. In his hand he kept flicking what looked like a large gold penge coin.

The man had long, greasy hair tucked behind tapered ears. The tattered coat over his shoulders was lined in fur, and the hem was sprawled over the ground. If he stood, it would likely touch his ankles.

The sea fae didn’t look at us, simply flicked his coin once more, catching it in his palm. “If you’ve come to die, temptress, by all means keep walking.”

Sofia scoffed. “What will you kill me with? Your broken hand?”

With an eerily slow turn, the fae glanced over his shoulder. He lifted a palm wrapped in a dirty cloth. “Care to find out?”

The man’s beard was unkempt, but it could be from his stay in the tunnel. Like Sofia, his face was sunken and looked grayer than it should. But even with his filthy appearance, the captain had a beauty to him. Eyes like red glass. Not bloody, more like polished rubies colored his irises. It was oddly captivating.

Ari stepped forward. “If you want out, you’ll come with us.”

“Why would you free me?”

“Well, if you are a prisoner here, you are an enemy of our enemies.” Ari spoke with such brevity, he seemed to have forgotten we were in a troll dungeon. “I’ve been told tales of sea folk and know if they stay on land too long without the proper spells in place, they turn a sickly color. Look at you. You’re growing sicker by the day.”

“Ah, a wise land fae.”

“Yes,” he said. “And if you are here, I’m betting you’re of some importance to the sea folk. You need our help.”

With a touch of bitterness, the sea fae unfurled his leg and slowly rose to his feet. Hells, he was tall. I had to tip my chin up a great deal to meet his eyes.

He flicked the coin and stepped closer. “I am the king of the Ever Kingdom.”

Could’ve been a lie to get us trembling, but the ferocity in his eyes left me questioning whether it was possible he could be anything other than a king.

“I don’t care if you’re the sod in the hog pen scooping the pissed-on straw,” said Ari. “We’re getting out, and we’ll do it together.”

“I do not make allies on this side of the Chasm of Seas.”

“I don’t know what the Chasm of Seas is but—”

“The divide between our lands,” said the captain. “A desolate place where your power ends and mine begins.”

“Fine.” Ari waved the words away. “Still, changes nothing. You came here for a purpose and made an enemy of our enemies.”

“You have nothing to convince me to join you.”

“Survival,” Elise scoffed. “Seems a fair trade if you wish to see daylight again.”

The sea fae smirked. “I do not need the help of land fae. We are not folk; we are not allies. If anything, we are distant enemies. And you have nothing I want. Leave me. I will find my own way.”

Sofia stepped forward. “Everyone desires something.”

Warm, muggy air seemed to seep from the soil the longer Sofia spoke. Truth be told, I couldn’t look away. Sofia was dirty, ragged, but stunning all at once. A marvel. That is what I would call her. A bleeding marvel.

“Watch yourself, Queen Malin,” Ari said, pulling on my arm. “Sofia can be rather intoxicating, but you are not her target.”

I hadn’t realized I’d even taken steps toward Sofia. I blinked rapidly and stood beside Ari as if he might shield me.

“Did she place me under a spell?”

“No. You’re sensing her glamour,” he whispered. “You got a little too close to the wake.”

It was working. The sea fae hadn’t blinked, even allowed Sofia to touch his bare arm through the ripped snags in his once-white shirt.

“What is it you desire?” Sofia asked, voice soft and sensual.