The twins exchanged a glance. “Yes.”
“All right, this song is called ‘Single Ladies’ …”
As I luxuriated in the tub, I taught the twins the lyrics to “Single Ladies.” They began to sing to one another, and I lay back in the hot water.
My mind drifted to all the things I had to do. I needed to learn to twerk, get close to the king. I needed to steal his sword.
And then once I’d stolen it, I needed to figure out how to call a portal. And that required love.
I thought back to the time on the cliff face, when the troll had been about to kill Galin. I tried to remember what emotions I’d been feeling then. Terror, fear, and panic, certainly. But to call the portal I was supposed to feel love, and I hadn’t been feeling love at all. It made no sense.
“Ali?” said Asha suddenly.
I opened my eyes. “Yes?”
“Are you finished in the bath?”
It was—perhaps—time to get the sword. “I’m done.”
“Good,” she said, sounding relieved. “One of the guards stopped by. Surtr is asking for you.”
“Did he say what he wanted?”
“He wants you in his quarters in ten minutes.” Asha exchanged a look with Shauna. “He likes to try out new girls right away.”
Gross. “Sounds fantastic.” I stood. I was still wearing my underwear, and they were soaked. “Can you pass me a towel?”
Asha placed a towel on the edge of the bath. “I’ve left dry clothes for you on the bench. If you hurry, there should be enough time to teach you how to twerk.”
She and Shauna left, and I climbed from the tub, warm water dripping down my body. I peeled off my soaking-wet underwear and wrapped the towel around me. As I dried off, I turned to look at the outfit the twins had left me—not so much an outfit as a tiny pile of lingerie. A pair of panties, a camisole that looked much too small. That was it.
The door creaked open. “Everything okay?” Asha asked.
“I’ll be right out!”
I picked up the panties. The lace might have been black, but they were nearly transparent.
“Are you sure this is everything?” I called out.
“Yes,” she called back.
Somehow I managed to squeeze myself into the panties and camisole. My boobs might have been only the size of oranges, but right now, they threatened to burst out. The chiffon barely extended as far as my belly button. Good thing I could call Skalei at any time, because in this outfit there was nowhere I could have hidden a dagger.
“Hurry along please,” Asha snapped.
I pushed open the door into the marble hall. Asha and Shauna were standing nearly directly in front of me. Shauna was drinking a large glass of white wine, while Asha held a pair of black stilettos. She pressed them into my hands. “Put these on.”
As I stepped into the heels, the pair of elves looked me over for what felt like the thousandth time.
“She’s cuter than I thought,” said Asha at last. “In this outfit.”
“Those panties really help extend her legs.” Shauna took a sip of her wine.
Another forced smile. “Are you going to teach me this twerking thing or not?” Because I need to steal from your king STAT.
“All right, I’ll show you,” said Asha. She widened her legs and bent over, pointing her bum at me. She rested her hands on her knees, then started moving her hips, her butt bouncing like a ball. I found the movement transfixing.
I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Now this was a skill. “That’s twerking? It is amazing.”
Shauna rolled her eyes. “She’s not even that good.”
Asha spun round to face her sister, her eyes flashing angrily. “King Surtr loves it when I twerk for him. And now, that is what you must do.”
I swallowed hard. When I twerked, I would not be as skilled as Asha. I’d just be waving my butt in the air.
Yes, I was helping to save the world. But this had to be the least dignified way to do it.
Chapter 32
Ali
Five minutes later, I was following a giant guard up a long staircase of gleaming stones. I held the stiletto heels in one hand, and padded along behind him. The stone felt cool beneath my feet. The twins flanked me, like I might make a run for it or something.
At the top of the stairs, the guard stopped and knocked on an ornate set of iron doors decorated with metallic suns.
“Who is it?” Surtr said from the other side.
“I’m here with Asha, Shauna, and—” The guard looked down. “What’s your name, girl?”
“Ali—Alina,” I lied. I doubted that Surtr had heard of Ali the Empress of the Vanir, but I didn’t want to risk it.
“And Alina, the Night Elf.”
“Oh, come in, come in,” boomed the king’s voice.
The guard pushed the door open, and I got my first look at Surtr’s chambers, sumptuously decorated. The king reclined on a large sofa at the far end, surrounded by servants. And to my relief, Galin sat in a chair nearby, looking intensely uncomfortable.
A thick red carpet covered the floor; everywhere there were cushions embroidered with gold and silver. Tables were piled with dates and grapes, cheese and spiced nuts. The thick scent of incense filled the air. In one corner, an elegant elf dressed in golden robes played a gentle acoustic guitar.
I didn’t see a single sign of a sword.
“Alina, Alina.” Surtr leered at me from across the room. “Come closer, little Night Elf.” His feet rested on a massive ottoman. In one hand, he casually held a glass of wine the size of a bucket.
To his right, Galin had gone completely tense, shadows whipping from his body. His glare cut right through me, and although he held a glass of wine, he looked like he was on the verge of crushing it with his fist. Just as when he’d been in Hel, the whites of his eyes had turned entirely black.
Apparently, he did not approve of this plan.
“Ah, now I understand why Hela sent you,” drawled the king. “This outfit is considerably more suitable.” He frowned, then asked, “What are you wearing on your feet?”
I looked down at my bare toes. I’d forgotten to put on the stilettos.
“Nothing?” I said with a shrug.
Surtr grunted. “Put on the heels. And show me what you have prepared.”
What would the valkyries do in this situation? Some battles involved swords. Others involved high heels. So I dropped them on the floor, and slipped into the ridiculous shoes.
I drew in a deep breath, opened my voice to sing “Single Ladies,” then hesitated. If I continued to go along with Surtr’s requests, eventually he was going to ask me for something I wouldn’t offer him. The last time I’d been in this situation, I’d driven Skalei into an Emperor’s heart.
And then what? I was surrounded by giants. Galin had no powerful magic without his voice.
Maybe now was the best time to ask about the sword.
“Well girl, are you going to sing or not?” said Surtr.
I cleared my throat. “Actually, I was thinking I might dance for you first.”
“Oh really?” He grinned and flicked his bushy eyebrows up and down.
“The dance of my people, the Night Elves. A sword dance.”
Surtr frowned, not moving.
“It is a seductive custom in the Shadow Caverns.” I bit my lip. “And I was hoping to play with … your sword. I’ve heard yours is very large.”
“Get the girl my sword!” bellowed the king. “Let her get a good grip on it.”
I kept glancing at Galin, hoping we were on the same page. But it was hard to read anything in his shadowy gaze.
A guard ran from the room. A minute later he returned holding a massive weapon. I’d expected Surtr’s blade to be large, but the giant’s sword was nearly five feet long, the blade inscribed with glowing runes. At least it wasn’t on fire.
“Hurry man!” The king rubbed his hands. “Give the girl my blade so I can see her dance.”
> I took the sword by the hilt, realizing the blade was actually quite hot. If I let it touch me I’d be burned. But I wasn’t worried. While daggers were certainly my specialty, I’d spent plenty of time practicing with swords.
I tossed the blade into the air like a majorette’s baton. I caught it one-handed, the blade pointing up. I locked my eyes on King Surtr, who leaned forward on the sofa—eager to see this exotic sword dance. I sashayed closer, smiling seductively.
I glanced again at Galin, hoping he understood what needed to happen next. But I could read nothing in his expression. He was staring at me, clutching his wine glass, his eyes clouded with black magic. Give me a sign, Galin.
But this was my chance, and I wasn’t going to get another.
I pointed the sword at the giant king’s chest.
King Surtr frowned, still unaware I was about to steal his sword. “This is part of your dance?”
“Galin!” I shouted. “Now.”
Galin moved, but he was slow, stumbling out of his chair. The wine glass glinted in his hand, and I finally put it together. He was drunk.
Was he kidding me? I needed him by my side, channeling magic with me. Otherwise, the spell could hit him, too.
“What is this?” the king bellowed.
Time’s up. I gripped the sword with one hand and began to chant the runes to the ice spell. The king’s eyes widened, but I’d already launched into it, hoping Galin would be touching me by the time I finished.
“Stop her!” Surtr shouted.
It was too late for the king. I slashed the final rune and channeled all my terror into the spell. Instantly a blast of ice and snow flew out of me. It slammed into the fire giants, freezing them all.
The post-spell fatigue hit me, and it was my turn to stumble. I looked around.
Just as I’d feared, Galin had been hit with the ice spell, too.
Fuck. This was not part of the plan.
But since I was holding a smoldering hot sword, maybe I had a way to fix this. I rushed over to Galin and pressed the flat edge of the blade against the ice that encased him. Almost instantly, it began to melt. Within minutes, I’d freed him. He stared at me, eyes black as voids. He was still holding the freaking wine glass like his life depended on it.
“Are you ready?” I asked, panic rising in me.
Every muscle in his body had gone rigid, and Hela’s magic poured off him in swirls of black. He wasn’t just drunk. He was filled with Hela’s magic.
He cocked his head and stared at me, then shook his head. No.
“We need to go, Galin. What is going on with you?”
Galin shook his head again.
I spun away from him, then began casting the portal spell. I was halfway through it when I felt one of Galin’s hands on my hip.
“Galin! I’m trying to focus on feeling love, and all I feel right now is deep fucking irritation mixed with fear. If you’re not going to help, then don’t interrupt.”
I smelled something on him, something sickly sweet and familiar—fairy wine. I glanced at his glass of wine, half of it frozen.
That was what he’d been drinking—the same stuff that had made Barthol lose his mind, the fairy wine that inspired lust and madness.
A noise like a glass shattering refocused my attention. I spun just in time to see one of King Surtr’s arms break free of the ice.
More ice magic? I had plenty of fear. But if I kept using that spell, I’d tire myself out fast. Another crack of breaking ice, and Surtr was nearly free.
Love—fairy wine could inspire love, and lust. I snatched the glass from Galin and slugged it back. It tasted better than it smelled, and already a delicious feeling spread through my body, giddy and bubbly. I had to fight the urge to laugh.
Across from me, Surtr ripped the ice off his head. He glared at me. Maybe he wasn’t so bad …
Get it the Hel together, Ali.
The fairy wine was coursing through my veins now, and I felt beaming with love. I loved Galin, and Barthol, and the people in Vanaheim who were at risk. And more than anything I wanted to protect them.
I thought of Galin, and the look of hurt in his eyes when he learned he’d lost his voice for good. The way he kept looking after me.
I glanced at him, at the shockingly beautiful planes of his face. I had to get him to safety.
Gripping the sword in one hand, I slashed through the runes of the portal spell with the other. As I scribed the final one, I let all the bubbly love flow from me into the spell. With a scintillating flash, a portal cracked open.
I heard Surtr bellow, “Kill her!”
But I was already leaping through the portal, the sword tight in my hand.
Chapter 33
Ali
I fell into my quarters in Vanaheim, landing on my bed. The heated blade nearly seared my skin as I fell on top of it, but I rolled off quickly—just in time to see Galin jumping through the portal. It closed up behind him.
I shoved the hot sword onto the floor, then lay back on the silky blanket. The silk was pure ecstasy against my skin, and my pulse started racing.
I crawled to my knees, looking around. It was the middle of the night, and only the smoldering runes of Surtr’s sword lit the room.
Where is Galin?
He stood at the foot of the bed, his eyes locked on mine. A savage thrill ran through me, hot and feral. My pulse started racing. The fairy wine clouded my mind, and I couldn’t remember what we were supposed to be doing now.
The sword … the sword was important. I was supposed to do something with the sword.
But I couldn’t focus with the fiery need that was building in me.
The night breeze rushing through the window kissed my skin. I felt my nipples go hard against the delicate lace camisole.
Galin seemed to notice, and I bit my lip. I wanted him to tell me that he did desire me, but there was some reason he couldn’t. Another cool breeze rippled over me, and blazing desire swept through me.
All I could think about was his smoky, masculine smell. I closed the distance between us. When I was within inches of him, he grabbed me by the waist and picked me up. Now, he was pressing me against the wall, hands pinning my hips against the cool stone. The feel of his fingers on my body seared my skin with hot lust. He slid his knee between my thighs, spreading my legs, dominating me.
I reached up and touched his cheek. “You are awfully close for a man who feels no desire.” That was it—the thing I was supposed to be doing. I was supposed to be getting him to admit that even without the mating bond, he wanted me. He’d said he felt nothing for me, that he was dead inside. That all his desire had been extinguished. And now, a wicked part of me wanted to make him regret ever saying that.
There was the sword … I glanced at the sword on the floor, trying to remember why it was important.
It wasn’t, clearly. The only thing that was important was the way his powerful hands held me, and the feel of his steely muscles. His midnight eyes boring into my very soul, taking me apart. One of his hands traced up my side, leaving a fiery trail in its wake. My entire world now was that hand on my ribs, caressing my bare skin.
When it skimmed over my breast, my back arched into him. My breath shallowed. But he hadn’t told me how he felt yet. Was he going to admit his desire?
“Admit it, Galin. You still want me,” I said. “Fate? It’s bullshit.” Giddy, I laughed. My body hummed with need, but I forced myself to push him away again. He wasn’t getting to touch me without giving me that one concession. But the way his shadowy magic licked at my skin, stroking my thighs, made my body heat.
When he refused to say a word, I pushed him away. There was some reason he couldn’t tell me, but …
The cool night breeze caressed me, but I still felt hot. I crossed to the balcony that overlooked the pool. Pale moonlight glinted on the water.
Maybe the water of the pool could help me remember what I was supposed to be doing. The fairy wine was the problem, I thought.
> I climbed up on the railing, and jumped.
I plunged under the water, and it felt divine against my naked skin. But I couldn’t stop thinking about Galin, about the heat of his body, the feel of his hands on me. Blazing heat still filled me, and I wanted him in here with me.
When I came up for air, I saw that he’d joined me.
A wicked smile played about his lips as his gaze swept down my nearly naked body. Dark magic swirled round him, lashing the air.
“I think I drank too much of the fairy wine,” I murmured.
He gave a slow shrug, moving toward me in the water. Why wasn’t he speaking?
“What is it we’re supposed to be—?”
But before I could finish, I felt his hand on my back. The tips of his fingers on my skin sent waves of pure pleasure radiating through me, and he made a quiet murmuring sound that trembled over me.
My pulse hammered out of control, molten desire racing through me as I stared into Galin’s inscrutable gaze.
“Admit it out loud,” I breathed. “We didn’t need the mating bond.”
In answer, he leaned down and crushed his lips against mine. My mouth opened, and our tongues swept together. He pulled me tight to him, the grip of a man who’d never let me go.
As he kissed me hungrily, I knew only one thing for certain.
He’d been lying when he said he didn’t want me anymore.
Chapter 34
Galin
I pulled away from the kiss. Ali’s eyes locked on mine, delirious with ecstasy.
Moonlight reflected in her silver irises. Her hair lay slick against her head; the lingerie Surtr had forced her to wear was nearly transparent.
That kiss—that carnal, animalistic kiss had awakened the bestial side in me. My fingers tightened on her waist, her hips. Elves were creatures of the earth, compelled to act on instinct. And all my instincts told me I needed to claim her.
She kept asking me to tell her that I desired her, because I’d stupidly tried to convince her, to convince myself that I felt nothing. She must be able to see now that it wasn’t true.
Shadow Empress (Night Elves Trilogy Book 3) Page 17
