Page 28

Aruan

T he reason I’m in a rush to get back to the palace isn’t only because we have to get ready for the banquet. I’ve interrogated everyone who was near the Great Hall this morning, but I still have a warning to deliver.

Once Elsie and I arrive, I lead her to the guests’ quarters. She shoots me a questioning look when I stop in front of the entrance. The wall is already dissolving before she can question me.

The group, minus the male—Karl—is having the refreshments I ordered to be delivered. For good measure, I instructed the cook to mix a little calming potion into the honey wine. Everyone was shaken after this morning’s outing that nearly ended in disaster.

At the sight of me, they climb to their feet warily.

Elsie tugs on my hand, strain etched on her face. She’s wondering what we’re doing here.

“I need to question Sandy.” I keep my tone soothing. “She may have noticed something. Why don’t you check on the others to make sure they’re all right?”

The explanation reassures her enough for the tense set of her shoulders to ease marginally. She nods before going over to the table where the women are gathered.

I catch Sandy’s gaze and tilt my head toward the archway. “A word, please.”

Her throat bobs as she swallows. She wrings her hands together but does as she’s told.

When we’re out of earshot in the hallway, I get straight to the point. “You’ll never speak to Elsie again like you did this morning. One wrong word out of your mouth, and it’ll be the last word you say.” I lean closer. “Am I clear?”

She nods vigorously, her eyes as big as full moons.

Or better yet… “If you can only use your words as poison or a weapon, I forbid you to speak to my mate.”

“I didn’t mean any disrespect.” She cowers under my glare but plows ahead. “I just felt deceived and betrayed.”

My anger ignites. I rein it in with fisted hands and gritted teeth. “If not for Elsie, you’d probably be dead by now.”

“I know,” she says quickly. “But she could’ve told us. There were many opportunities to come clean, yet she kept quiet.”

My smile is sardonic. “And being an Alit makes her so unlikeable?”

“No,” she exclaims, trembling. “I just thought—” She cuts herself short, staring at me with wide eyes.

“You just thought what?”

“That we were invested in the same thing,” she admits, shaking even more.

“If by ‘the same thing,’ you mean going back to Earth, I can assure you that’s all Elsie has been begging for.”

“But…” She frowns. “Why would she have to beg?” Her cheeks turn even paler than what they already are. “Are we your slaves?”

I chuckle. “We condemn slave trading, which is why we’re wiping out the operation. Elsie was a victim, just like you.”

“I don’t understand. I got the impression the slave traders didn’t abduct Alit. I thought they only stole humans from Earth.”

“Elsie grew up on Earth.” I don’t want to tell this woman my mate’s whole history. It’s too personal. However, I want her to understand because I sensed Elsie’s hurt when Sandy accused her of having ulterior motives for bringing them to Lona. “She only found out she’s an Alit herself recently.”

Sandy’s mouth pulls into an O.

“Next time, don’t be so quick to judge.” My tone is cold. “Wait until you know the facts.”

“I’m sorry,” she sputters.

I turn around, indicating the matter is closed for discussion, and head back toward the rooms.

“Wait.” Sandy runs to catch up with me. “What about sending us home?”

I stop. “Believe me, we want you gone from here just as badly as you want to leave.”

When Sandy and I step back into the quarters, Elsie is talking to Eucabeth. Elsie is frowning as she speaks while the latter is listening with averted eyes and flushed cheeks. They hug briefly, and then Eucabeth hurries away, pretending to be busy with folding clothes and packing them into trunks.

“Ready?” I ask Elsie.

She follows me outside wordlessly.

“What was that about?” I ask when I’ve sealed the archway. “The conversation between you and Eucabeth seemed serious.”

“Nothing,” she says, sounding distracted.

“I know when you lie to me, mate.”

She opens her mouth, but a portal appears in front of us, and Gaia steps out of it.

“There you are,” my sister says. “Mother is looking for you.” Only, instead of facing me, she’s facing Elsie. “I thought I might find you here.”

“She wants to see Elsie?” I ask.

Gaia smiles. “Both of you, actually.”

Turning on her heel, she bounces down the steps. “You’d better not make her wait. There’s a lot to do before the banquet.”

Concern shifts through Elsie’s eyes. I can’t say I’m not worried too. Being summoned by my mother usually means nothing good.

I wrap my fingers around Elsie’s hand, offering her a measure of comfort as we walk to the queen’s quarters.

My mother is seated on her thronelike chair in her reception room, flanked by Tarix and my father.

The backrest of the chair is a dragon sculpted from yellow stone, its wings expanding from the sides.

Its paws serve as the feet of the chair, and its tail is coiled around the bottom.

My mother sits with a stiff back on the padded seat, her hands folded in her lap.

“Elsie,” she says in a jovial tone, waving her closer. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine, thanks,” Elsie mumbles.

My mother adjusts the silver ring on her finger, turning the heavy opal stone that has twisted sideways back up. “You had a great scare this morning.”

Elsie glances at me. “We all had a scare.”

I smile at Elsie, reaching through our bond to soothe her even as I keep one eye on my family. I have no idea why my mother has requested our presence, and I don’t like surprises.

My mother addresses Elsie. “You’ve been very courageous, not only this morning but also during the rockslides.”

Elsie frowns, no doubt surprised by my mother’s compliment. “Um, thank you?”

“Thanks to you, many families in the village were saved.” Emotions flicker in my mother’s eyes. Her chest rises with a deep breath as she clearly struggles to compose herself. It takes a moment before she can speak again. “And this morning, you saved the humans’ and my youngest son’s lives.”

Elsie shifts her weight. “Vitai repaired the bridge.”

“But it wasn’t strong enough to support your weight. Vitai told me. If you hadn’t summoned your dragons…” The queen falls quiet, leaving the rest unsaid.

My father lays a hand on her shoulder. “I assume we share the same suspicion.”

“That someone sabotaged the bridge,” I bite out.

My father looks at Elsie when he says, “I want you to know we’ll do everything in our power to find the guilty party. This crime will not be left unpunished.”

My mother straightens her skirt. “I’d like to show my gratitude by rewarding you for saving my son’s life.”

“Oh.” Flustered, Elsie says, “That’s not necessary.”

“But of course it is.”

My mother flicks her fingers, at which Tarix hurries to open several trunks at the foot of her chair.

One contains white opals, another black ones, and yet another, the rarest of red opal stones.

Each lid that’s lifted reveals priceless treasures, including moon flower seeds, handcrafted rings and bracelets, flacons of perfume, fabrics spun with silver and embroidered with gemstones, rare elixirs, and a dragon tooth necklace.

“Choose anything you like, Elsie.” The queen waves a hand over the trunks. “Whatever your heart desires is yours.”

Elsie peers at the wealth spread out at her feet, wetting her lips with the tip of her tongue in that nervous habit of hers.

“What’s the matter?” My mother appears taken aback. “Is there nothing you like?”

My father narrows his eyes at Elsie, a non-verbal warning not to throw my mother’s kindness and generosity back in her face.

“I, um…” Elsie shoves her hands in the pockets of her pants, causing my father’s frown to deepen. He’s not a big fan of Elsie’s chosen attire. “No, everything is beautiful, and that’s very kind of you.”

The queen lifts an eyebrow, waiting for Elsie to continue.

Elsie squints at my mother through one eye. “Anything I want?”

My mother tilts her head. “That’s what I said.”

“In that case…” Elsie inhales deeply before blurting out, “I’d like you to send the humans home.” She hurries to clarify, “To Earth.” As if there were any confusion about where “home” for them is.

My mother is silent for a moment, her expression unreadable and her eyes veiled. My father watches Elsie quietly, but something like respect flashes in his eyes.

My mother leans forward. “That’s what you want?”

Elsie bobs her head up and down. “Yes.”

My mother and father exchange a look. The nod he gives her is almost inconspicuous, but I notice.

Turning back to Elsie, my mother says, “Very well, then. My husband and I have been in council with our advisors and the representatives of the guardians of the scrolls. They’ve agreed this is indeed a rare situation and, seeing that these humans have been stolen and aren’t deliberately disregarding the rules, an exception can be made. ”

“Great.” Elsie wipes her hands over her thighs. “That’s settled then. When can I tell them?”

My parents still make her nervous. And she has reason to be wary.

My mother banished her as a baby, nearly causing her death.

As her mate, my father must’ve been aware of my mother’s actions.

There’s no way she could’ve hidden something like that from him.

Which makes both of them culpable, at least of that crime.

As for the person who’s trying to kill Elsie, for all she knows, it’s the very people facing her.

No wonder she doesn’t trust them. I’m not sure I do.

My voice booms through the room. “The gesture is very noble, but Elsie deserves something for herself, don’t you think?”

My father smiles, looking mildly intrigued. “What do you have in mind?”

I look at my mate, seeing a beautiful, young, valiant woman, and so much more. I see a selfless and generous woman, a warrior and a worthy mate. But I also see her conflict and confusion. I see the pain she carries deep inside because of my mother’s actions. And I see a way that may buy redemption.

I face my mother squarely. “As you can imagine, the transition to Zerra hasn’t been easy for Elsie.”

My father’s smile slips. My mother stares stone-faced at me. Yeah. They don’t appreciate being reminded of their wrongdoing.

Too bad. I continue without wavering, “What Elsie deserves is to see the parents who raised her so she can reassure them and herself.”

“But—” my mother starts.

I don’t give her a chance to finish. “This is your opportunity to redeem yourself, Mother.”

Elsie jerks her face my way, staring at me with surprise and shock painted over her features. My father’s expression hardens. My mother is left speechless.

The statement I pose at my mother holds a challenge. “Creating a portal for Elsie to visit her parents is the least you can do, don’t you agree?”

Tarix, who’s been quiet up to now, steps forward. “I don’t think that’s a good?—”

I pin him with a look. “I didn’t ask your opinion.”

He cringes.

Facing my mother again, I continue in a calm but lethal tone, “And I’m not asking.”

My mother purses her lips. She looks at my father. They hold each other’s gazes for a moment, a silent message passing between them.

“Of course, I’ll go with Elsie,” I say, “to ensure her safety.”

Another moment of silence passes during which Elsie moves closer to me.

Something touches my fingers, light like a feather on a breeze.

I look down. The back of her hand is brushing mine.

When I meet her gaze, the softest of smiles transforms her features as she ever-so-gently slips her hand into mine.

My heartbeat speeds up in my chest. I wrap my fingers around hers, enjoying the warmth of her small hand in mine while securing her to me and greedily taking what she’s offering.

“Very well,” my mother says after another beat. “If that’s what Elsie wants.”

I’m hardly listening. My pulse is deafening in my ears. Because this is the first time Elsie has come to me like this—on her own, without lust driving her actions. And a whole league of dragons can claw me to pieces if this isn’t the sweetest moment of my entire life.