by Lori Devoti
His vehemence surprised Raf. It felt personal.
“I never said I did. Never thought I did.”
The elf cursed. “I saw the papers—you with the princess, siding with the elf lords. You’ll ruin everything.”
“The papers?” Raf froze. The article had run, and it sounded as if the reporter had pushed the story to the elf lords’ side.
Which meant Geir would think Marina had betrayed him.
He had to get back to her.
The guard, one sword held high, the other low, charged.
Raf barely gave him a glance. Marina and her sister were in danger. He shimmered.
Chapter 16
R af materialized in Marina’s bedroom. It was empty. He shimmered again, to Geir’s office. It was empty, too, but things were not as he’d last seen them. The desk was upside down and Geir’s laptop was smashed into pieces on the floor.
A residue of anger and shock hung in the air.
Raf pulled it into his lungs, let it feed the hellhound bloodlust that always lurked inside him.
His gaze swept the room, looking for a clue as to what had happened. A shoe lay behind the door. He picked it up—a loafer, shiny and expensive—Geir’s.
A crash sounded from the main part of the house, a thud actually, like a body hitting a wall. Still holding the shoe, Raf shimmered again.
An elf flew toward Raf; he dropped to the ground. The elf, one of Geir’s guards based on his clothing, hit the wall. A lamp crashed onto the marble floor.
Raf sprang to his feet, his gaze darting around the sitting room, looking for the attackers.
There was a crowd in front of him, all dressed in colorful silk—royals. He roared and they parted. Their faces were white and drawn. Shock flowed from them.
At first he thought it was from seeing him, realizing a hellhound had shimmered into the room.
But then he saw Marina. Her arms were stretched in front of her and her long platinum hair flowed behind her as if lifted by a wind—magic.
It surrounded her, surged from her.
She was stark, terrifying and beautiful.
Without pausing, Raf strode forward, grabbed the first royal he reached—an older elf dressed in gold silk—and tossed him out of his way. A second seemed to come out of his shock, lunged at Raf with some kind of snapping device. Raf spun and kicked, knocking the weapon from the elf’s hand.
Two more raced forward swords drawn. Raf growled, let them almost reach him before shimmering. He moved six feet to one side where he watched them collide with a table before they realized he no longer stood before them.
There was another crash. He spun. One of the guards Marina had thrown against the wall rose to his feet, had shoved a chair over as he did. The elf, his stance unsteady but his gaze locked on Marina, pulled a knife from his boot. Raf leapt across the space, hitting the smaller male in the side.
The elf slashed with the blade; the metal tore through Raf’s pants and into his thigh. He ignored the pain, concentrated on the guard instead. He picked the elf up, placing a hand at his throat and crotch. He held him overhead for a second, then tossed the struggling male like an empty ale barrel across the room.
The elf spun as he flew, trying to twist and land on his feet, but the wall came too quickly. He smashed into it, fell atop a marble table and lay there, his arms and head dangling.
Raf turned back to Marina. Her arms still extended, she held the royals at bay, but no magic coursed from her palms. Unsure whether she was reluctant to harm them or her magic had played out, Raf shimmered behind her, wrapped his arm around her waist and shimmered them both away—to the other wing of the house, to Geir’s destroyed office.
They stood there a moment, saying nothing, adjusting to the change. Raf inhaled Marina’s scent, and let the excitement of the fight subside. Her breathing ragged, she leaned her head back against his chest and bared her neck. Adrenaline coursed through him. Part of him wanted to shimmer back to the fight, but another…
He kissed the vulnerable spot below her ear, nibbled her ear lobe, inhaled again. Her scent was addictive, flowers and spring, seasoned with courage and determination. Feminine, but strong. She wasn’t the elf leader who had hunted witches in Gunngar, or the princess who only wore silk and gauze—she was both, the best parts of both. How could he ever have doubted they were meant to be together?
He ran one hand up her arm, while the other cupped her breast. Kissed her again.
She moved against him, murmuring something…then spun in his arms, laced her fingers behind his head and pulled his mouth down to hers.
Her kiss was urgent and sad. He understood that. The royals had turned on her, attacked her in her home. She nestled against him, soft and warm. He didn’t want to let her go, wanted to stay here—keep her safe, but he knew they had things to discuss—what had happened at the castle, and here.
When she pulled back, he let her, dropped his forehead to hers and just stood still for a second, letting both of their hearts slow and their minds come to grips with what was happening—what they had to do next.
“Ky…” Marina murmured, her eyes wide and worried.
He ran his hand down her cheek. “She’s safe—at least from the inset. Geir gave me what he claimed was the control. We should find her, though. If the royals attacked you, they will probably be looking for her next.”
“No, no.” Marina stepped back and placed her hands on Raf’s forearms. “It was Ky. She betrayed me. She wants to be princess, and stupidly, I handed her the weapons she needed to turn the royals against me.” She laughed. “My uncle…he wasn’t the bad guy after all.”
Raf reached into his pocket and pulled out the computer drive he’d taken from Geir. “Well, then, what should we do with this?”
Marina stared at his open palm, made a move as if to take the drive, then pulled her hand back and fisted her fingers. “Nothing. Are you sure it controls the inset?”
Raf glanced at the drive. “I’m not sure of much here, but it certainly appeared that he deactivated the program from his computer. We could test it.” Raf walked around Geir’s desk, searching for his laptop. He found it in pieces on the floor.
He held up two of the bigger chunks. “What happened here?”
Marina shook her head. “Based on what Ky said, I’d guess nothing good.”
“Would she have him killed?” Raf asked.
Marina’s eyes showed hesitation. “My sister isn’t who I remember. I have no idea what she would try to do—but, do I think she did kill our uncle?” Marina’s gaze dropped to the debris that covered the floor. She bent and picked up a thin tie. “No. I told you, my uncle is tough. Besides, I think she’d be afraid to—killing me, well, she needs me dead to become the princess. But Geir has a lot of connections, and she probably thinks that once I’m dead he’ll come around to her way of thinking—support her.” She held the tie over her wrist, stared at it as if it were studded with diamonds and she was trying to choose between it and another adornment. She looked up; her gaze was hard. “And she’d probably be right. My uncle may not have supported eliminating me, but that doesn’t mean he supports me, either.”
Raf ran his fingers down her arm until her hand lay inside his. “What do you want to do?”
Marina glanced around the room, then blew out a breath. “As long as I’m alive, Ky can’t be princess. She won’t like that. If she really wants the throne with the royals behind her, she’ll keep trying to have me killed.”
Raf held up the drive. “We can take care of that. You don’t even have to face her.”
Kill Ky? Marina turned cold at the thought. Ky was her sister; she loved her…but her sister had ordered Marina killed, was probably sitting in her room waiting for news that she, Ky, was now princess.
Marina touched the tiny black box that Raf held. All they’d have to do was find a computer and press a few buttons. It would be faceless, bloodless. Ky’s heart would just stop beating.
She jerked her hand back. �
��I won’t do it. Not like that. I won’t do it at all unless I have no choice. Right now, I do. I’m ready to leave Alfheim.” She stared up at Raf. She would need his help. She had no way to travel from here to the portal, not without being spotted by the royals.
Once at the portal she hoped she’d be able to get through—hoped the royals didn’t have spies there and that the elf lords hadn’t sent out orders for her to be kept in Alfheim. “Can you take me to the portal?”
Raf shook his head. “If you leave, it will be like it was when I found you. They won’t leave you alone. Your sister, maybe the elf lords if they still exist, will send bounty hunters.”
At mention of the elf lords, Marina frowned. “If the elf lords still exist?”
Raf explained that he’d gone to the castle and found it deserted, except for one lone guard. “The subversives have killed them or driven them out.”
“Who has the throne?” Marina asked.
Raf’s gaze was blank.
“In Alfheim the throne isn’t just something we say—it’s reality. Whoever has possession of the throne has control of Alfheim. The elf lords have never sat on it, as far as I know, but they controlled it by keeping it hidden.”
“My dear niece, there is a reason the elf lords didn’t sit on the throne” a voice announced from the shadows.
Marina and Raf spun. Geir stepped forward. He smiled. “Your hellhound senses are no match for elf magic.” He waved his hand down his body. He was wearing a body suit of reflective material. “After you left—” he glanced at Raf “—I decided it was time to take precautions. I was right. When Tahl and the royals my younger niece had convinced into following her arrived, I was already suited up and ready to…what’s the hellhound term? Blend. They had no idea I was here—which didn’t stop them from looking and—” he took piece of his laptop and sighed “—destroying.”
When her uncle had appeared, Marina had tensed, but it was Raf who moved forward to grab him.
“What are you plotting, Geir?”
The royal smiled. He glanced down at the Raf’s hand around his biceps. “Is that necessary? Surely you don’t think I’m going to turn you over to Ky, do you? She did try to have me killed, too.”
Raf didn’t comment, didn’t move.
Marina slid forward. “Tell us what is going on, Uncle, and maybe Raf won’t tear you into pieces. You know he’s wanted to since he met you.” She held the plastic tie out then snapped it against her wrist. “You do have that effect on beings.”
Geir held himself erect and proud, tried to appear that he wasn’t shaken—but he was. Marina knew it, probably more by the fact that he had underestimated Ky all this time than by the threat of an attack by Raf. Still, his world was off kilter. She would use what she could.
“Ky has convinced a small but influential group of the royals to follow her—which means to kill you. Alfheim has been…uneasy for years. Your arrival seems to have brought things to a head. The subversives have become more active, the royals restless and the elf lords jumpy.” He paused, smiled. “You, my dear niece, have sent Alfheim into chaos without even leaving this house.”
Marina narrowed her lips. She had no desire to be the cause of unrest in Alfheim. She had no desire to be involved in Alfheim’s politics at all.
“There’s a storm unleashed in the land of light, and you are in its eye. You are the eye.” He looked at Raf. “She’s the only one who can bring things under control quickly. There are pieces of each group who will follow her. She can steal the foundation of all three groups. She can put the royals back on the throne.”
“I don’t want the royals back on the throne. My parents were the only royals who ever thought past their own interests.”
“So, you’d step back and let your sister rule? Let her kill you? Or leave it to the elf lords? No one chose them. How about the subversives? They are no more than a group of dirty thugs. Besides, my guess is none of them can sit on the throne. My guess is you are the only one. Why do you think I’ve supported you? It certainly wasn’t because you were easy to lead.”
Tired of all of it, Marina turned her back on her uncle. She strode toward the door. She was leaving. Let Alfheim take care of itself.
Raf gave Geir a shake. “Should I kill him?” The hellhound’s face showed no emotion. Marina had no doubt if she asked him, he’d do as she’d asked. The thought both terrified and thrilled her. Raf was on her side, willing to fight this battle beside her, whatever that meant.
Which reminded her that she was thinking only of what she wanted, had forgotten that Raf had an interest in Alfheim, too. “The stone. Did you find it?” she asked.
Raf glanced at her uncle. “I did. But no one can get close to it, not even the elf lords. They’ve tried.”
At mention of the stone, Geir’s gaze flickered.
Raf nodded at him. “Does he know something?”
Marina stared at her uncle. He stared back, his gaze hooded. “He could. Alfheim artifacts are a hobby of his.”
Geir smiled. “Of course I know about the stone. I know about all the artifacts of Alfheim—more than almost anyone. And I’ll help you—if you set me free, if you do as I asked.”
Marina slapped the tie against her palm again and took a step forward. “I do respect your self-confidence, Uncle. Always thinking you have the upper hand, even when it is so obvious you don’t.” She shook her head. “But, I’m afraid, this time I will have to point out you don’t.” She turned as if to leave, let her uncle think for a second she would. Then she let out a sigh and turned back, slapped the tie against her hand again. “So, we’re clear…we are keeping you around because you may be of use. If you aren’t…” She shrugged. “Well, you better hope you are.”
Chapter 17
A fter a few minutes of discussion, Marina and Raf decided it was too risky to take Geir with them, that he would be too difficult to control. Which meant they needed somewhere to store him.
Raf reached into his pocket and pulled out the net that he’d taken to carrying with him. “I think it’s time your uncle shared a bit of what you’ve experienced.”
Marina stared at the net, then her uncle’s sullen face. “I’ve been the only one to stand by you,” he said. “You would trust this hellhound over me?”
Marina didn’t hesitate. “I would trust this hellhound over anyone and anything, over myself. He’s seen every side of me, but he keeps coming back.” She took a step forward, unrolling the net. “And he wants nothing from me, but me. Can you imagine that? It’s taken me a long time to believe it.”
Marina looked at Raf and her eyes glowed. He knew his did, too, could feel the heat building inside him. She was right, he did want her…every aspect of her, and he would have her, keep her, and no one was going to take her away.
Geir’s legs curled into his chest and his hand reached into his boot. A zigzag of power shot from a silver tube he now held. Raf shoved the royal toward the wall. The blue energy sizzled against the plaster a few feet away, leaving a black singed swirl of a stain.
Angry that he had slipped, Raf knocked the weapon from the royal’s hand and pressed up against him. He whispered into Geir’s ear, “Any more weapons and I’ll forget Marina hasn’t asked me to kill you, forget I need you to work the stone.”
The royal’s gaze glimmered, but he didn’t reply, didn’t struggle, either.
Marina snapped the net open. With Raf’s help, she dropped it over her uncle. Raf pushed the royal toward the floor and patted him down. The older elf had nothing more in his pockets. With Geir glaring at them, they tied the ends of the net into a knot.
“Now what?” Marina asked.
“We need to put him somewhere safe. Somewhere no one will happen upon him while I take you to the portal.”
A crease formed between her eyes. “What about the stone?”
Raf grabbed her by the chin and stared into her eyes. “After you’re out of Alfheim, I’ll come back for it. I’m sure I can convince your uncle to help me.
”
For the first time since entering the room, Marina looked indecisive. “Once we leave Alfheim, you may not be able to get back in, and even if you can, by then my uncle may be free or dead. My sister could be in power. The stone could be gone. Everything could be different.” She shook her head. “I’m not leaving without you. We’ll go together. We don’t know who has control of the keep. Maybe they’ll be one of the elves my uncle claims are loyal to me. Maybe I can help you get the stone.”
Raf wanted her out of Alfheim, wanted her safe, but he knew she wouldn’t leave him. He held out his hand. “We’ll go together, but if things look dangerous—if it looks like your sister’s circle is larger than we think, we take you to the portal immediately.”
Marina stared at him a second. He could see wheels turning inside her head. “If we’re faced with something we can’t handle, we’ll leave for the portal.” She slid her hand into his.
He grinned. In other words, if all the fires of Muspelheim roared down on them…maybe they’d run for the portal. He tugged her to his chest and covered her mouth with his, felt her smile against his lips.
They were in this together.
Geir kicked his feet against the wall. The interruption was annoying, but good. Raf pulled his lips from Marina’s. “This will work. I’ll have the stone, and you’ll be free of Alfheim.”
Marina nodded, but dropped her gaze. She bent down and murmured to her uncle in elfin. At Raf’s raised brow she interpreted. “I was reminding him that he can’t trust anyone, that his best bet is to wait for us to come back for him.”
Geir’s eyes were like emerald chips, hard and glossy. “Leaving Alfheim is a mistake. If your sister thinks you’re still alive, she’ll hunt you. You’ll be running forever.”
Marina sighed. “It’s the only choice I have—or that I’m willing to make.” She gestured for Raf to pick him up. “I know a place. No one uses it anymore, hasn’t for years. I can’t imagine a reason anyone would go there.”
