An Ignoble Invitation- the Aelven Dominion

by Dani Morrison

  Two human women of strong character, exceptional skill, and outstanding service to the citizens of the Myrenden stronghold now are introduced by the household of Lord and Lady Vinhar.

  Miri exhaled a shaky breath and returned the vellum to its rolled state. With a click and a flash of the emblem, it was resealed and ready to be presented to the High Administrator when she returned to Myrenden.

  She was lost in her thoughts while Aisalan picked around the room, redressing and checking the windows for the moon’s position.

  “It should be late enough for me to reach Taris’ quarters with as few witnesses as possible.” He said as he hooked his shirt’s cuffs.

  “Remain vigilant.” Miri replied, rising from the bed to shrug on her shift. “You are likely being watched.”

  By now, he was in his boots but had chosen to forgo the doublet for a simple shirt. He approached her and cupped her face before dropping a kiss to her lips, “You will be here when I return, and then we have things to discuss.”

  Miri frowned and followed him to the door, stepping out into the cool air of the palace halls, “What things-” Her sentence was cut off when a familiar face made its way toward them. The same sharp cerulean eyes she had encountered in the courtyard. He faltered for a moment as she studied him and continued walking past though markedly slower than before.

  She squeezed Aisalan’s elbow to get his attention and willed him to understand her signals. At first, he appeared confused but slowly started to get the hint as she cut her eyes in the direction of the man who passed them.

  His voice wrapped around her as he leaned down to murmur into her ear, “Lock the door and do not open it for anyone who is not Taris or myself.”

  Miri nodded and stepped back into the room, closing the door behind her and engaging the lock. Their little arrangement had taken a dangerous turn. She took a seat opposite the door, fully aware she wasn’t going to be getting any sleep that night. Not with a storm brewing within the very walls meant to keep its occupants safe.

  So much for the simplicity in just one more day.

  Aisalan

  The man’s face was burned into his vision, and Aisalan fought the urge to turn around and question him then and there. They locked eyes when he looked over his shoulder. A silent acknowledgment of mutual awareness. The stranger picked up his pace and disappeared around a corner.

  His wariness only grew as he encountered more new faces at each turn down the Otravian palace’s halls. Aisalan was relieved when his comrade finally answered his hurried knocks, but the look on the other Aelv’s face almost immediately squashed that emotion.

  “What has happened?”

  “My date for the evening has relocated to a boarding house instead of remaining at the palace,” Taris replied.

  Aisalan frowned, “We could very well be on the verge of war, and you are worried about tipping a skirt? Be serious.”

  Taris smirked and motioned for Aisalan to enter the room, checking the hallway before closing the door. “And most of our guard is away securing the new location for the last negotiation session.”

  Aisalan paused as Taris’ words sank in. He had no idea who Taris’ date was, but it was an odd occurrence for anyone to leave royal accommodations. It would be considered a grave insult.

  Unless one was doing so to escape a potentially dangerous situation.

  “They’re isolating us.”

  Taris pulled a small trunk out from behind a privacy screen and opened it. Aisalan nearly fumbled the sheathed short-sword gently tossed his way. “I hope you’re still good with that thing,” Taris said.

  “What are you doing? This could be considered an act of war.” Aisalan asked, strapping the sword around his hips. The Aethryl inlaid hilt thrummed with power, a combination of the magical essence and sigils crafted into it and, the scent of aether permeated the air.

  Taris approached bearing two rings, “One is lightening, and the other is aether, take your pick.”

  No response to his initial question then? Aisalan chose aether and hissed as the essence in the ring curled its tendrils around his veins, causing his heart to skip several beats before finally acclimating to the rush of magical energy.

  “They’ve already declared war,” Taris grunted as he pulled on his doublet. “Now they’re trying to make a statement. We need to get out of here, and I have a feeling they’re not going to let us go easily.”

  “It will be impossible to extract our staff,” Aisalan said, slowly opening the door and checking the hall. “We will need to stop by my rooms. I am not leaving Miri.”

  “The servants await us at the crossroads outside of the stronghold. The remaining guard should be returning soon.”

  “How did you know?”

  “My rendezvous was attending on behalf of her father. He sent a warning.”

  “And she warned you.”

  “No, but one of her servants did.” Taris replied with a lecherous smile.

  Aisalan huffed and shook his head. That his friend’s promiscuity may have saved their lives was something Taris was not going to let him forget any time soon. They stepped out of the room and cautiously navigated the hall, their footfalls soft against the stone floor. Every shadow seemed to stalk and taunt them, as they had no way of knowing who could emerge from where.

  They were armed but outnumbered.

  He had the wind nearly knocked out of him when he was jerked into a servant’s entrance.

  “Taris-”

  Taris raised his hand to stop him and brought a finger to his lips right as a small group of human men walked past. “They’re not with the royal guard.”

  A few moments of tense silence passed before Aisalan peered out. “It seems they have turned the corner.” Ducking into darkened halls and fleeing for their lives was certainly not the way he thought the evening would go, but a group of men roaming the halls in the middle of the night was not a good sign, especially with most of their guard outside of the palace.

  They crept out and stayed close to the walls. At this rate, the distance to his rooms seemed like leagues. He prayed to the gods that Miri was safe.

  Miri

  A soft knock on her door drew Miri out of her daze.

  “Aisalan?”

  Beats of silence before a male voice replied, “There’s been an attack. We have to move quickly.”

  Miri pressed her ear to the door. Not much sound passed through the heavy wooden construct in the first place, but for there to have been an attack, it was strangely quiet. She placed her hand on the latch, testing to ensure the lock was still in place. “Who sent you to retrieve me?”

  “There isn’t much time woman. You have to come now.” The male replied, already exasperated by her refusal to automatically comply.

  She backed away, fully aware that she was unarmed, and there was only one way out of the room. His fist pounded on the door again, and she jumped, covering her mouth to stifle the shriek that threatened to alert him to her startled state.

  The sharp smell of electrified air trickled in on creeping tendrils. The door handle jiggled, and Miri could do little but watch as it began to pulse a dull blue before shards of ice erupted through the lock. She frantically searched the room, her eyes landing on the bottle resting on the top of a side table.

  “You want to do this the hard way?”

  They weren’t giving her much of a choice. Dumping the contents of the bottle into the fireplace, Miri pressed herself against the wall just in time for the first loud thump against the wooden surface, “Open the door, you little bitch!”

  The door didn’t so much as give but shatter, the latch and entire locking mechanism shoved in and dislodged from its wooden frame. It clunked a few paces in front of her, and her assailant entered. There was little time. Without thinking Miri lunged, swinging the bottle at the man’s head with just enough force to send him stumbling toward the seating area.

  He’d come alone. She had no idea where Taris’s rooms were, and there weren’
t any Aelven guard in sight. She turned and bolted toward the main hall. It was the most apparent direction and, therefore, the more dangerous, but there was the best chance of running into a familiar face there as well.

  The halls were eerily silent, usual for the late hour she assumed, but there was a mysterious hush that seemed to make even her bare feet seem too loud. The air was cool, as the nights here usually were, but she felt a chill creep down her spine. She came to the first turn, the one that would take her toward the main hall and her eyes scanned each door she passed.

  At most, the main hall had to be 50 to 60 paces away. She sped up, her vision narrowing down to the bright lights ahead of her. She was focused, perhaps too focused when a steely grip grabbed her around the waist and hoisted her into a dark room. She was whirled and pinned to a wall before a hand was swiftly clasped over her mouth to prevent her scream, “Why are you not in the room?”

  She was going to kill him. Miri bit down on the chunk of flesh blocking her ability to speak, causing her abductor to release her immediately. “You almost scared me to death. Are you insane? What the hell are you doing?” She hissed.

  “I could ask the same.” Aisalan replied, his jaw clenched as he massaged the area her teeth assaulted. “I told you to stay in our room.”

  “It’s hard to stay anywhere when some goon ices your lock to break your door down.”

  “I hate to interrupt this lover’s quarrel, but we need to leave.” Taris interjected, poking his head into the hall. “There is no movement.”

  There was little time to bask in the relief of finding him before Taris was motioning for them to follow. The glow of the main hall beckoned and Miri’s heart leaped into her throat when they crossed the threshold. Lined with priceless portraits and antiques, it was a beautiful sight on the best of days. The heart of the palace and the easiest way out, it was a welcome sight for different reasons now.

  She had no warning when the air pressure dropped, and for a brief moment it felt as though her feet vanished from beneath her. Time slowed and a streak of light hurtled across a polished silver mirror in her peripheral vision. Aisalan’s arm was quickly in front her, his voice sounding sonorous words she was unfamiliar with. An arcing shield of light appeared in front of them, or at least she thought one did.

  Her vision blurred when Aisalan’s rough grip pulled her behind a stone column and caged her between his arms, “It’s not going to hold long.”

  “They’re blocking our way.” Taris hissed.

  “Come out, Kolan!” A male voice called. A voice she recognized. “We will spare your friends!”

  A series of rapid pounds assaulted the main hall door, sounds Miri didn’t know whether to fear or welcome. She could hear the Otravians approaching and more voices rang across the hall as Aelven and human guard flooded the room from its many entry points.

  There must have been little time for strategy. “Burn it down.” She looked up at Aisalan in shock only to find his eyes on Taris, the other male nodding in agreement.

  He raised his hand in front of him and spoke another set of words. The sharp scent of magic enveloped them and his hand closed around her wrist. She had little time to breathe, let alone think.

  In an instant, multiple arcs of lightning tore from an unknown void and lashed out against flesh and wood alike. The pounding on the front door morphed into a deafening crash and she attempted to keep up with Aisalan’s long strides, weaving around debris and tussling bodies with single-minded purpose.

  Miri ducked her head in an attempt to avoid the thick smoke that filled the hall as centuries of human history and glory were consumed by the flames of war.

  Aelven guard rushed through the destroyed entrance, and two choruses of shouted threats and pleas ricocheted around her as both sides sought to gain the upper hand. They managed to push through the main door just as a sharp cry tore through her fear response induced haze.

  Aisalan released her, and by the time she turned, looking to ensure everyone’s safety, he was stumbling forward, his hands clutched to his side. Miri’s eyes widened, and she swiftly turned an about-face to rush back toward him only to be caught by an Aelven guard who boldly lifted her off of the ground.

  “Take her to Myrenden!” Aisalan shouted, and as though those words took up the last of his strength they tapered off into a pained groan.

  “Wait!” Miri shrieked, her eyes watering as the clash converged on them and obscured her view.

  The guard’s grip was unshakable as he carried her to a waiting carriage and dumped her inside. The door slammed shut, and after a heavy thump on the side, she was jerked forward as the carriage took off at top speed.

  Aisalan

  Pain shot through him, blinding and white-hot. Whether he had been struck by aethershot or something else entirely he couldn’t be sure, but he hoped his mind was playing tricks on him and the gaping, burning, wound in his side wasn’t nearly as bad as it felt.

  His vision went blurry while multiple hands pulled at his limbs to put him back upright. He hissed when more of his skin tore.

  “Try to stay conscious.” Taris’ voice was a welcome one as he and a guard pushed their way through the fray, Aisalan’s barely functioning form stumbling along between them. He yelped in pain when he was deposited onto the back of a cart, the piled hay providing little comfort as another stabbing jolt of agony ripped through him.

  “It’s going to be a bumpy ride.” Was the last thing he heard as he finally slipped out of consciousness.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Miri

  Miri groaned and rolled onto her back. Her entire body was sore, her mouth tasted like it was filled with sand, and she was nursing more than a few deep bruises and cuts. Sick with worry, she’d been unable to sleep during the carriage ride and was furious when the driver dropped her off in the early morning hours without as much as a word as to when she would hear from Aisalan again.

  “Tea, and then you start talking.” Kyra said from the doorway, her fists resting against her hips. Miri grimaced and nodded.

  She ran a hand through her hair and kissed her teeth at its tangled state. She was a mess. Tea was definitely in order.

  Miri tip-toed out to the seating area, hoping to at least gather her thoughts before Kyra’s inquisition. She wasn’t so lucky as almost as soon as she sat down, a small cup was thrust into her hands. Kyra’s penetrating gaze pinned her to the seat, and she had no choice but to answer as many of her friends questions as possible.

  She told her about the supan, the Aelven females who accosted her in the park, and the beautiful architecture of the Otravian stronghold. Lyrei, the honey pistachio treat she’d kill to have again, and finally the night everything imploded, and she, Aisalan, and Taris were forced to flee the city.

  “You’re lucky you managed to get out of there alive!” Kyra said, her eyes wide and fists resting under her chin as she listened, enthralled.

  “I know.” Miri said, “The Aelven were caught almost completely off guard. Everything fell apart so fast.”

  She groaned and her head fell into her hands, “I rushed out of our room so quickly, I forgot the letter of introduction.”

  A stone settled in her chest. She wasn’t expecting him to go back on his word, but the initial arrangement had been made with him. Very few people would know about their bargain, and those who did had neither the power nor inclination to ensure she received the document. For all she knew, the thing very well could be destroyed.

  She had wakened to the blazing midday sun, and while she certainly wasn’t expecting Aisalan himself to show up on her doorstep, the fact that no news had been sent at all was troubling.

  “You don’t think he’ll back out, do you?”

  “Aisalan would never.” Miri said absentmindedly, her mind working through possible ways of getting into contact with him. She almost missed Kyra straightening, her eyes wide.

  “The gods above.” The look of shock on the other woman’s face slowly turned into one of
cheeky amusement and she covered her lips with her fingers.

  While the statement was obvious to her, it would not be so obvious to Kyra. It hinted at a familiarity she had only just come to grips with herself. “Please don’t.”

  “Miri Third-Born.” A decidedly wicked gleam overtook Kyra’s usually kind eyes. “I’m just now realizing you’ve left a significant aspect of this story untold.”

  Miri groaned and struggled to rise, her muscles protesting with the effort, “I should get us some more tea.”

  “Your cup is still half full.” Kyra said, “Now, tell me everything.”

  In the entire time she knew Kyra, Miri never felt the need to hide anything from her, but her relationship with Aisalan, whatever it was, proved difficult to discuss.

  “He didn’t force me to lay with him.” She said to start, knowing that was initially where Kyra’s mind would go. Both women had been well aware of what was likely to occur while she remained in his company, and Kyra visibly sagged with relief.

  “It’s good that you did not have to.” Kyra began, “I know you did not want to share his bed.”

  Miri grimaced, “I didn’t say I never shared his bed.” She cleared her throat and straightened, “I said he didn’t force me into it.”

  Kyra’s mouth fell open, and a few moments of silence passed between them before a small shriek overtook the silence, “You actually like him.”

  Miri’s head went back into her hands and Kyra’s laughter filled the room. “I’m sorry Miri, really.” She managed to gasp out. “It’s just, of all the humans in Myrenden to fall for an Aelv.”

  There was a strange irony to it. Had she been told days ago she would be willing to risk her life to stay by the side of a wounded Aelv she would have laughed in the messenger’s face. Her feelings surrounding Aisalan were complicated, but bubbling under the angst, worry, and confusion ran a clear spring of affection she couldn’t deny.