It didn’t seem to matter to the elves that mortal enemies had banded together to make the trip. Six months ago, three shifters and three vampires would have tried to kill each other. Now, we all needed to unite to defeat Sabina and keep Neobitch in her own little world. The elves hadn’t figured that out yet.

  Patience, Lodron’s voice said in my mind.

  All kinds of smart-ass remarks tried to break through my filter, but I’d given it a pay raise. It did its job holding my comments in place. Lodron and I still hadn’t talked about his near-death experience the day before. I was okay with that, but he wasn’t.

  Sure thing, boss.

  I almost stuck my tongue out at him but was glad I didn’t.

  The wall of trees in front of us shimmered, and magic raced over my skin. My exposed skin, anyway. We all wore the Oceanic Fae’s special armor, which repelled most magic.

  A man and woman stepped through the shimmering light I recognized as a portal. They looked exactly as I always dreamed they would. Their pointed ears rose above their heads, much longer than mine but perfectly suited for their narrow faces and slender bodies. They were nowhere near as tall as the fae. Exactly like I imagined, as long as I didn’t count the skinny jeans, biker boots, and Metallica t-shirts.

  What the hell?

  “Princess Coral,” the male elf said, nodding with respect. “Prince Grant. We were not expecting you.”

  The elf’s voice reminded me of Luria’s, only not so girlie. It was soft and melodious, almost mesmerizing. He was saying something else, but I didn’t care. I just wanted to sit down and listen to him all day.

  The pendant around my neck zapped me, pulling me from my trance.

  The male elf laughed. “Silly half-breed.”

  The female joined in his little joke, and I held back my scowl.

  “We didn’t come here to play games, Tannivh.” Lodron didn’t hide his contempt for the man. “Only a fool would taunt Alisandra Rosewynn.”

  Lodron stepped to the side, giving the elf a full view of me. I’d deliberately hid between the massive fae, hoping to go unnoticed. Especially now that I was scowling at Lodron. Why did he act like I was someone special to the elves? How much did they know about me and what I’d done?

  Tannivh’s eyes widened dramatically, then he dropped to one knee. “Forgive me,” the elf said in English.

  I guess that answered my question. I bit my lip and tried to paint on the impassive mask I’d been practicing. Luria constantly harassed me about being so easy to read. Despite my hours of trying to perfect my ‘this shit doesn’t faze me’ look, I still sucked at it.

  “I believe we have an appointment with your king and queen,” I ground out between my teeth. “It’s rude to keep them waiting.”

  The female elf glanced at me warily, then disappeared into the portal. Luria went next, with Coral and Grant on her heels.

  “Please, after you,” Tannivh said, rising and motioning to the shimmering portal.

  Holding my breath, I stepped through. Portals always made me queasy, and I really hoped Luria was waiting to catch me on the other side. She wasn’t. I stumbled into a wide-open clearing devoid of any trees.

  It wasn’t empty though, and I totally failed to conceal my awe. A dozen white horses stood in a line about fifty feet away carrying soldiers dressed in gleaming silver armor. Just like I always imagined. They were fantastic. My fan girl bubble filled immediately.

  Until I saw the white, open carriage, pulled by four more horses, waiting for us to my right. Gold filigree swirled along the outside of the carriage and traced the circumference of the wooden wheels. A male elf, wearing black trousers and a white shirt, sat on the front bench holding the horses’ reins. He glanced at us briefly, then nodded at another man holding open the carriage door.

  My fan bubble overflowed.

  Long fingers wrapped around my arm, and I realized I was gawking like an idiot. I sent a silent thank you to Lodron as he guided me towards the carriage. I climbed in after Coral and Grant, then took the empty seat across from them. Luria and Lodron dropped down on either side of me.

  The carriage lurched forward with a sharp whistle from the driver, and the Elvin soldiers on horseback fell in around us. I felt like a princess and a prisoner all at once. Trying to ignore the prisoner part, I focused on the tall grass waving at me across the fields. Wildflowers broke up the ocean of green, making the landscape look like a watercolor painting.

  A horse’s snuffle drew my attention to the soldier riding up beside us. The soldier looked down his pointed nose at me specifically. He was handsome but also obviously a warrior. Long, thin scars lined the left side of his face and neck, disappearing beneath his silver armor. His pale gray eyes watched me as intently as I watched him.

  “Accept our gratitude for preventing the vampires from revealing us.” His deep, scratchy voice surprised me. It was nothing like Tannivh’s. No hint of trying to hypnotize me.

  “I didn’t do it alone,” I said.

  He nodded and steered his horse away. As soon as he cleared the carriage, he spurred his steed into a gallop, leaving us behind.

  I glanced at Lodron with a ‘what the hell was that?’ look.

  He measured your humility, Lodron replied.

  Lovely. Should I expect more tests?

  Probably.

  I sighed and watched as the meadow turned into a small village. Every single home was made from an almost white wood that looked like stone. I didn’t notice it wasn’t stone until we got closer. Scrolled carvings covered the doorways, and the same golden filigree of the carriage traced the frame of each house. They were elegant and quaint and in total contrast to the elves walking around in normal human clothing.

  I’d expected flowing robes and beautiful dresses, not blue jeans and cotton shirts. Maybe I read too much Tolkien. Probably. I’d stereotyped the elves into something they weren’t.

  In my defense, my fae friends never corrected my ignorant assumptions. For the last two weeks, Coral had spent almost every evening giving me the scoop about the elves. Their royalty was a lot like any other, but they also had a type of parliament, much like the British government, only not. The parliament voted, not the people. I guess that meant it wasn’t a parliament. Whatever.

  Their magic interested me way more than their politics. According to Coral, they used arcane magic, not elemental. It was still tied to the Earth but through ley lines, something I knew nothing about until Coral explained. I couldn’t lie. I had a little magic envy, or I did until Niyol slapped me with a gust of wind. I’d fallen from my chair laughing, and Coral had frowned at our antics.

  In all the hours of history lessons, she never once told me they adopted so much from humans. The elves around me wore their hair short, long, layered, spiked, and everything in between. Just like humans. My fangirl bubble deflated a tiny bit.

  Until we entered the city proper, then I jumped back on the bandwagon.

  The entire city was made of the same white wood until we reached the palace, which was covered in white marble. That didn’t mean it was lacking color, though. Awnings, banners, signs, gardens, and anything else considered an accessory painted a rainbow across the white canvas.

  I hadn’t realized I stopped breathing until Luria poked me again. A raspy breath escaped my lips at the astounding beauty rising before me. It was impossible not to be awed.

  When we reached the gates to the palace, I reined in my fandom. I was there for business, but I promised myself I’d be back as a tourist. The place was freaking awesome.

  Our mounted escorts left us in the hands of six more soldiers. They wore the same silver armor with a sky-blue tabard covering their chests. Coral already told me the pattern on their tabard was an arcane rune. Each group of soldiers had a different rune, depending on their role in protecting the realm.

  I briefly wondered why the mounted soldiers didn’t have a tabard. I’d ask Coral later.

  The soldiers split into two groups: three in front of us and three behind. Luria fell in line right behind the first trio, then Coral and Grant, then me and Lodron. I didn’t miss the symbolism implied by our placement. We were there to protect the representatives from each royal family. I was good with that. The elves didn’t need to see me as anything more than a protector.

  As we walked through the halls of the palace, I forced my eyes to stay on the back of Coral’s dark hair. Lodron would end up dragging me if I let my gaze wander.

  The doors to the throne room were already open when we arrived. Numerous elves, dressed for Hollywood’s Red Carpet, lingered in the space. I assumed they were the “Royal Court” as Coral had called them. Lesser royal families who normally made up their council.

  I didn’t stop myself from watching them as they watched us march purposefully towards their king and queen. Most held looks of curiosity, but others tried to sell their disinterest. No one was buying it.

  The soldiers peeled to the side when we reached the bottom of the steps leading to the two thrones. Luria slid around behind Coral and Grant, taking her place next to me. I peered between them, glancing at the Elvin royalty. They didn’t disappoint. Each wore lavish clothing—definitely something off the New York or Paris runways—and sparkling crowns covered their flowing blond hair.

  The scarred soldier who approached us on horseback now stood at the bottom of the steps. He nodded at our group, then turned to the thrones, bowing low.

  “Your Highness.” His deep, grating voice echoed in the large room. “The Prince of the Woodland Fae and Princess of the Oceanic Fae, as commanded.”

  I bristled at the suggestion that we had been commanded to show ourselves, but I held my tongue. I wasn’t there as anything more than a protector. The word Dionadair whispered through my brain, but I cut it off.

  Discussions about the new realm being created by the elementals, as well as the threat of Sabina’s dark warriors, were more important than my hang-ups about a title.

  “Welcome,” the king said, rising from his throne and holding his hand out to his queen. “It is our pleasure to have the fae in our kingdom once again.”

  The queen put her dainty fingers in her husband’s large palm and stood at his side.

  “Please have refreshments with us,” the queen said, glancing to our right.

  I didn’t follow her gaze, but she obviously expected me to. As soon as her eyes roamed back to our group, they landed on me. She gave me a knowing smile, but I wasn’t sure why. Did she know I would continue to watch her? Did my face give away my disdain for all the pompous bullshit? Or had she wanted to observe me when I wasn’t looking?

  I smiled back and waited for Coral and Grant to take their spots at the table with only four chairs. Our security detail didn’t approach the refreshments, and I suddenly understood why Lodron made me eat before we left. He knew we wouldn’t be invited to join them.

  I followed the captain and his sister to the nearest wall. Close enough to react to something stupid but far enough to give the illusion of privacy. I beat down the surge of regret over not having my vampire hearing. It didn’t do any good to cry over spilled milk. I wasn’t getting it back.

  “Lodron, it’s good to see you again,” the scarred soldier said quietly as he approached. His voice rumbled almost as if it was painful to talk. “And the lovely Luria.”

  I kept the refreshment table in my periphery, suspecting the elf was a distraction.

  “Indeed, Maldrius,” Lodron replied.

  Neither of them offered a handshake, fist bump, or that weird forearm grip thing.

  “Will you introduce me to the Magister? Princess? Queen? Goddess?” Maldrius paused between each name for me.

  I glanced up at him and his eyes widened, probably getting a good look at my freaky eyes.

  “AJ,” I said. “Nothing but AJ.”

  “Then my informants have completely failed me.” A faint smile pulled at his lips. “I was given the impression there was nothing simple about you.”

  My face flushed, but I refused to give him any more acknowledgment. He was baiting me. I could see it in his gray eyes and single, raised eyebrow.

  I pulled my gaze from his and went back to watching Coral and Grant. They were deep in conversation with the king and queen of the elves. Hopefully their words didn’t fall on deaf ears.

  We hadn’t heard a thing from Sabina or her warriors or the vampires. A shiver ran down my spine with the memory of the nightmare I couldn’t seem to forget. I mentally slapped myself and refocused.

  Victor had suddenly taken an interest in our plans after Elaine told him about the fight in the desert. I couldn’t see Victor sitting on the sidelines while someone else fought to protect his pack. I also didn’t think his people would leave Earth, but he’d agreed to help those who planned to go to the new realm.

  I suspected the elves would be the same, especially now that I’d seen how much influence humans had on their daily lives.

  “How long will you be staying with us?” Maldrius asked.

  I didn’t answer, assuming he was talking to Lodron.

  “Only as long as we need to,” the captain replied.

  “I would be honored to give you a tour of the city before you leave,” the elf offered, drawing my attention. I really wanted a tour.

  He may have been talking to Lodron, but his eyes hadn’t left me. I glanced at the captain. It wasn’t my decision. We were here on business.

  “Why would a goddess defer to a soldier, even one as renowned as Lodron?” Maldrius asked. I didn’t miss the hint of amusement pulling at his lips. It was another test and an insult to the Captain of the Royal Guard.

  “If you have to ask, then your little spy is truly incompetent,” I replied.

  A grating chuckle rumbled from his throat. Were the scars on his face and neck more than skin deep?

  “Maybe we can tour the city another time,” Lodron said.

  The elf turned and walked away. His silence the only response we’d get. I watched him make eye contact with several of the guards in the room. Did Maldrius hold a position similar to Lodron’s? He was obviously more than just a soldier.

  You did well, Lodron’s voice whispered in my mind.

  I forced myself not to look at him. I assumed it was another test.

  Indeed. Most females are easily wooed by the elves.

  I did glance up at him this time, but Lodron kept an impassive mask on his face.

  The elves don’t really compare to the fae, I said, teasing him.

  His mask slipped, and he glanced down at me for a few seconds. Really? That’s why I had to drag you in here?

  I coughed to cover my bark of laughter. The city is beautiful. I could spend hours wandering through it admiring the architecture.

  He raised an eyebrow at me, then returned his focus to the room around us. We weren’t here to go sight-seeing. The elves needed to be part of the battle against Sabina. We’d found out the hard way how strong our opponents were. It would take all of us to beat them.

  Chapter 4

  We stood in the throne room for over an hour. The rest of the elves avoided our little trio like the plague, so I couldn’t even listen in on the conversations around us. It was boring as shit. A numb, tingling sensation ran up and down my legs by time the king and queen finally rose and dismissed us. I bristled again but managed to keep my mouth closed.

  The same six guards escorted us back through the palace and into the courtyard. Maldrius met us there without his horse.

  “Will you be accepting the king’s offer to spend the night?” the elf asked, looking directly at Grant.

  I bit my tongue at his chauvinistic attitude. Like Grant would be the only one deciding.

  “We would appreciate somewhere private to discuss our plans,” Grant replied.

  “Certainly.” The elf nodded. “Follow me.”

  He led us across the courtyard and through a tall archway. The room we entered looked like a lavish hotel lounge. Bright red fabric draped across the open windows. Matching couches and upholstered chairs created semi-private seating arrangements throughout the room.

  Maldrius waved his hand in an arc at the space. “Make yourselves comfortable. You should remain undisturbed for the next hour or so.”

  He turned on his heel and left without another word.

  Lodron headed for the largest group of chairs in the very center of the room. The rest of us followed him. I assumed he had a reason for picking that spot. I would’ve put us in a corner.

  “We need to assume someone’s listening,” Lodron said as he sat at the end of a two-person chaise.

  Coral and Grant sat in an identical one facing him, and Luria dropped into the cushion next to her brother, leaving the upholstered yellow wingback chair on the end for me.

  “Agreed.” Grant slipped his arm around Coral. I gave him a weird look, still not sure how to feel about my uncle and the princess. They’d only been engaged for a month, but they acted like they’d known each other for much longer. Maybe they had.

  “How did your discussion go?” Lodron asked.

  “As well as we expected,” Coral replied. “They will help us fight against Sabina.”

  “On what condition?” Luria asked, surprising me. She’d been quiet the entire time.

  “Their warriors will join the fight, but their Arcanists will not,” Grant sneered. “Unless they feel their own kingdom is threatened. They believe their portals will keep the dark fae out.”

  I huffed and opened my mouth to say something caustic.

  “AJ, we have an audience,” Lodron hissed, then turned back to Grant and Coral. I bristled again at his quick admonishment, like I was a damn child. Maybe because he was right. I scowled, and he continued. “What do you think about their invitation to stay the night?”

  “Political politeness,” Coral responded. “It will be an insult if we don’t.”

 

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