Soulbound (The Return of the Elves Book 1)

by Bethany Adams

  Norin’s brow furrowed. “She is part human. It seemed best not to risk offending one of the Elite by assigning them to her.”

  “You will find three who are willing to protect the heir of our House, or I will order them to do so,” Lyr responded implacably. “As for these three? If Fenere and Leral wish to train as bodyguards, they may apprentice with the Elite for the customary time. Korel may pack his belongings and return to his family’s home.”

  Korel’s hands balled into fists. “That is unjust.”

  “Is it?” Lyr’s brow rose. “We guard the portal to Earth and to many types of fae. I can have no tolerance for a soldier who will not protect one of mixed blood.”

  “Fae, yes. But human?”

  Lyr narrowed his eyes. “Forget your history classes? We evolved from the same line. Perhaps your branching is too distant to know this truth.”

  Norin stepped forward. “Myern—”

  “My decision is final,” Lyr snapped. “Go, before I send you all home in disgrace. I will not tolerate insubordination in any of my Guard.”

  Lyr stood firm as they saluted—even an angry Korel—and left the room, but inside, he burned with rage. This was the first time Norin had shown any sort of prejudice against humans. How many of his warriors shared it? He did not want to replace Norin, yet Lyr might not have a choice. He’d have to pay closer attention. Arlyn was his heir and would one day train to lead the armies he commanded. They could not have a captain who worked against her.

  With a worried frown, he started toward his room and the counsel of Eradisel.

  Arlyn forced her eyelids open as her hazy mind struggled to recall what had happened. She was alone, her left arm propped on a pillow, and sunlight gleamed around the curtains on her window. Then she shifted, and the sudden burst of agony reminded her of the day’s events. Her breath came in quick, shallow pants as her chest tightened.

  Where was Kai?

  He’d said he would stay. Arlyn lifted her right hand to her throat and tried to still her pounding heart. She needed to know everyone else was okay. Iren had been out there. Had she heard him cry out? Shrieks of pain had filled the clearing, but she didn’t know whose they’d been.

  The door swung open, and Kai strode through, a tray balanced in his hands. He dropped it on the desk with a clatter and rushed to her side. “What’s wrong?”

  “You said you’d be with me,” she gasped out, then squeezed her eyes closed and tried to slow her breathing. “Is the boy okay? Iren?”

  “He is well.” Kai slipped into the bed and wrapped his arms around her. “Lial said you’d wake soon. I thought you might be hungry.”

  Though her body protested the movement, Arlyn turned into him, settling her arm gingerly across his chest. After a few deep breaths, she opened her eyes. “Sorry.”

  A gentle smile slipped across his lips. “No need to apologize. I know firsthand what it’s like to wake up this way. Like the world has taken a turn without you.”

  “Yes.” Arlyn burrowed closer, then moved her cheek away in discomfort. Twisting her head, she frowned at the line beneath his shirt. “What’s that?”

  “What?” Kai followed her gaze. “Oh.” He pulled a narrow silver chain from beneath his shirt. “My mother’s necklace.”

  It was beautiful, the hair-thin silver strands woven into such intricate designs that it looked like a solid piece. Had she not been so close, she never would have made out the smaller strands. “It’s gorgeous.”

  “It’s one of the few things I have of hers. Moren kept it after she died and made sure I got it when I was old enough.”

  “I didn’t know you had also lost your mother. I’m sorry.”

  He dropped the chain with a shrug. “Don’t be. She died a few days after my birth, so I never knew her. Most of my pain comes from that lack. But I am five hundred and forty-two, Arlyn. I have had plenty of time for the hurt to fade.”

  “Five hundred and…” She grimaced. “I’m not going to think of that. You are way too old for me.”

  Kai laughed. “That’s the first time I’ve been considered too old for anything in quite some time. Most still think of me as a youngling. Besides, my parents were a thousand years apart in age. Our difference is nothing.”

  Arlyn let her head drop against him now since the chain was out of the way. Her body grew heavy with exhaustion, and her arm ached relentlessly. But it had been worth the pain of shifting it. Her defenses down, she let herself relax and just exist with him. If this was the heart of the soulbond, she didn’t know how she’d ever give it up.

  Not that she had to.

  Kai sighed into her hair. “Do you feel well enough to talk to your father?”

  “Now?”

  “I’m sure he wants to see for himself that you’re healing,” Kai said. “But he also needs to find out what you remember of the attack.”

  “Fine,” she mumbled. “Help me sit up.”

  “You should be resting.”

  She cracked one eye open. “I don’t think he’d like finding us like this. Remember last time?”

  Kai surprised her by chuckling. “He was rather upset, I suppose.”

  “You didn’t find it funny at the time.”

  “That was then,” he answered.

  But Kai shifted, helping her move until she was reclined against the headboard and a couple of pillows. Arlyn hissed out a breath as he propped her arm up again. If not for the shock of pain, she might have fallen back to sleep. The simple task of sitting up had her blinking against a jolt of agony.

  Kai set the tray of food on her lap as a knock sounded on the door. Frowning down at the loaf of dark bread and the earthenware mug, Arlyn called for her father to enter. She flicked a quick look at Kai. “What is this?”

  “Bread and broth.”

  “Broth?”

  “It is good for restoring energy,” Lyr answered for Kai as he stopped by the bed. Some of the tension dropped from his shoulders as he met her eyes. “You look better than I expected.”

  Her brow pinched as she lifted the mug. “Thanks?”

  “It was no insult. I didn’t expect you to be awake.” Lyr stared at the bandage wrapped around her upper arm. “You reacted so poorly to the iron that I assumed it would take you much longer to recover your energy. Especially without training.”

  “Maybe there’s a benefit to my human blood.”

  Lyr’s expression turned thoughtful. “Perhaps so.”

  Arlyn took a sip of the broth and relaxed as the warmth trickled down her throat. It tasted like a meat broth, probably from some bird similar to chicken, and a blend of herbs. She smiled. “And this is better than I expected.”

  Lyr laughed. “I’ll pass along your compliments.”

  Kai took the seat next to the bed—the same one she’d used to watch over him—as Lyr pulled a chair up to her other side. Arlyn took a few more sips of the broth, then a nibble of bread, as her father got settled. “I guess you’re ready to hear what happened.”

  “Are you well enough?” Lyr asked, his brow furled in concern.

  “Not really.” Arlyn set the mug down with a thunk. “But I want to tell you anyway.”

  As the communication spell ended, Selia let her hand fall from the edge of the mirror and stared at her own reflection for a long, numb moment. She was unsure how to react to the news she had just received from her father. She almost wished she had not become curious, had not begun to question. But Arlyn’s talents were too close to her own for coincidence.

  I wondered if you’d figure it out. Even if you had not, it is no matter. Her father’s words echoed through her mind once more, still as disturbing as they had been the first time. No matter? Selia had had a brother, dead for decades now. How could her father have hidden such a secret? There had been no real need. He had not been soulbonded to her mother; in fact, her parents had not been together for almost six hundred years. He had not been in any relationship a century ago, when her brother had been conceived, had made no comm
itments to worry about breaking.

  I loved him, Selia, as best I could. But he was half-human. There was no place for him here. She remembered when her father had decided to go to the human world. He had been bored with life, dangerously lonely, and had spent almost a decade exploring there. But she had not known the full story. Apparently, he had grown enamored with a girl in a place called Ireland, and he’d bedded her. At first, there had been a scandal, since the girl was unmarried and with child, but she swore she had been visited by a faerie from the nearby Sidhe hill. When her son, Aidan, was born with pointed ears, the village believed her. Her father had been comfortable leaving him there, knowing the villagers would not mistreat the boy for fear of angering the Sidhe.

  As a man, Aidan, scorning the superstitions, had moved to America and married. A few years later, his only child was born. Aimee, Arlyn’s mother.

  Selia had known Arlyn was descended from someone in the Mornia clan, but she had not expected to discover that Arlyn was her own niece. And her father had urged Selia to come here perfectly aware of the relationship. Her hands shook with anger. At 982 years, she was certainly old enough to handle the truth. But had she not figured it out for herself, her father never would have told her. She would have left this place, one more student taught, without ever knowing. Without ever learning of her brother.

  Gods of Arneen, she could hardly believe he was dead. He had lived to a mere twenty-nine. A miracle, that, since he had worked in a steel mill. How could her father justify letting his only son, half-human or not, do such a thing? Aidan should have lived for several centuries at least, likely more, had he been taught what things, like iron, to avoid and how to use his own innate magic to regenerate himself. It was inexcusable. She did not know if she could ever forgive her father.

  Did her sister know? Niasen was both the eldest and her father’s heir, so he might have confided in her. But Selia thought it unlikely, considering how willing he had been to encourage her to teach Arlyn without even a word. Despite his claims of love, Loren had not seen his son as worthy of mention. She would have to call her sister to make sure she knew.

  But should she tell Arlyn? Selia did not want to continue her own father’s deceit, but she did not want to cause her niece pain, either. She might not take this new familial relationship at all well. Arlyn did not seem bothered by being half-elven; perhaps the actual blood connection would make little difference to her. But the neglect Aidan had received would surely cause anger. What was the right choice? Selia rubbed a tired hand across her eyes. Family was everything. To not acknowledge the bond would be the worst kind of insult.

  Ah, the problems that would bring. Her father had simply assumed she would remain silent and would be furious if she forged a new bond with House Dianore by revealing the relationship. Letting such a powerful, magical bloodline go untended, eventually to mix with the Callians, would be a scandal. The Taians were as insular as possible, meeting with other branches rarely and mating with them even less, in an attempt to keep their magics to themselves. And now the heir to the third duke in the Callian line held almost all of them. Her father would have much to answer for.

  But that did not concern her. She was more worried about the reactions of Arlyn and Lyrnis, each for different reasons. Arlyn would have to deal with a startling new truth about the supposedly human side of her family, one she might not take well. And Lyr would have to handle the complexities of the new connection between their houses, a social tangle Selia would also have to help unsnarl.

  A difficult choice. But she knew, in the end, that there was only one.

  Lyr paced his study, his thoughts on his upcoming discussion with Arlyn. It was just past time for the evening meal, but he doubted he would get a chance to eat. Too much to do. Too much to consider. Arlyn had said the energy she’d sensed before the attack had seemed muffled, like a sound heard from a distance, and the estate wards had given no warning.

  Muffled. Stifled.

  Did their assailant carry or wear something rendering him invisible to the wards? Lyr’s stomach lurched, and he was suddenly thankful he hadn’t tried to eat. The weight of all those under his protection settled like a boulder in his gut. How could he protect against someone who knew his shields so well? How had they even managed it?

  Lyr spun toward the door at the sound of the knock. He was surprised enough to detect Selia’s presence that he barely noticed the flash of impatience. With a small sigh, he bid her enter. What was one more distraction? He had another eighteen hours until the morning meal. It might even be enough time to catch up on all he had to do.

  Doubtful but possible.

  Selia’s expression told him this would not be an easy meeting. Had she discovered dire information about the wards? Then she twisted her hands together to still their trembling, and he almost groaned. It had to be another issue to make her so nervous. And these days, surprises were rarely pleasant.

  “Good eve to you, Lady Selia. I trust you have been well since last we spoke.”

  “Of course, Myern Lyrnis. I have everything I need, and your household has been nothing but polite.”

  Had he heard a hint of nerves in her voice? “I do not see young Irenel. Is he well-settled?”

  “He is roaming the gardens even now.” Selia averted her gaze. “He was quite shaken up but is rebounding quickly. I believe he will be happy once he becomes accustomed to the estate.”

  “I hope you will also enjoy your time here,” Lyr answered with a smile. Both understood what neither said—that it was Lyr’s job to make up for the difficulties his guests had encountered so far.

  “I am certain I will.” She returned the smile though it did not reach her eyes. “And I hope I am not interrupting your work.”

  “It is always my pleasure to speak with a guest in my home.”

  Pleasantries completed, Selia transitioned to her news. “Unfortunately, what I have to say will bring nothing but disruption. I spoke to my father earlier this day and acquired knowledge that I cannot, in good conscience, ignore. Though Arlyn deserves to know first, I cannot be sure when she will be well enough. It is best to bring this to you now.”

  “What is wrong, Lady Selia?”

  “So great is my shock, I have not the grace of words to express this in any way other than bluntly. Arlyn is my niece. My father is her great-grandfather.”

  “Come, sit.” Lyr gestured for her to take a nearby chair before settling into the one beside her. Lyr paused a moment to gather his thoughts. Her abrupt delivery had been almost as surprising as her words. “We had already learned that Arlyn is of the Taian branch, part of the Mornian clan, but this goes beyond expectation. He mentioned nothing about this before?”

  She stiffened. “Of course not. I had believed my father’s encouragement to come here was due to his concern for me. He said nothing that would lead me to believe this situation was possible. Nothing. My elder sister, his heir, did not even know. We have both agreed this secret must be revealed.”

  “I am sorry, Lady Selia. I meant no offense.” Lyr resisted the urge to rub his forehead in sheer frustration. The last week had sorely strained his ability to remain calm. “I did not expect this news. From what I understand, the Mornian clan is rather large. It seemed most likely that Arlyn was descended from one of the families outside the noble line.”

  “So I believed as well. Then I tested her.” Selia took a deep breath. “Her talents are a close match to my own, closer to Iren’s, but for a few differences. More variance is common.”

  “This news is quite serious. I am certain I do not need to tell you how much. By the gods, Arlyn could be considered fourth in line to your father’s title. This alliance will take careful negotiations between our families.” Frowning, Lyr clenched his hands. “Beyond that, I must be blunt in turn. It will be difficult for me to negotiate anything with one who would knowingly leave his own child, half-human or not, unacknowledged. I would have given anything to have known about Arlyn, to have been able to cla
im her even before her birth.”

  “As I must mourn the loss of my brother, though unmet.”

  Lyr allowed the anger, and the pain, to wash through him for a moment more before repressing it. “I will have to speak with the duke of your branch, if not the king himself.”

  “My sister and I both are willing to help in any way. We are shamed by our father’s actions.” Selia shuddered. “And thank Arneen that Arlyn bonded with Kai so quickly. Had I refused and a male teacher been sent, had she fallen for someone in the House of Baran…”

  “Gods,” Lyr breathed. There was a reason, beyond family pride, why elves kept such careful track of bloodlines. While inbreeding was bad for humans, they reproduced so quickly that a few isolated incidents would easily become diluted within a few generations. But for elves, who lived so long and had children much less frequently, the results were disastrous. Incest was one of their greatest taboos. In fact, the first three ducal families of each branch, all descended from the nine children of the first queen of Moranaia, still did not intermarry after millennia of the first settling.

  Though only three down the Dianore branch, Kai’s family, the House of Treinesse, was in no way related. Only the original nine dukes descended from the founding of Moranaia. Other dukes, and all of the sub-branches, had been added over time for various reasons. Lyr’s ancestor had created the third earlship for a son of the Treinesse family who had saved his soulbonded and their young child at great cost to himself. The two noble families had never intermarried in the thousands of years since.

  “You have an excellent point, Lady Selia.” Then he laughed, startling her with the sudden sound. “I am sorry. I just find it amusing that I was so angry at Kai for his haste when it has been at least somewhat beneficial. That is at least one thing in this entire mess I do not have to worry about.”

  If only the rest of his concerns could be solved so neatly.

  “Ralan just contacted me again.”

  Arlyn blinked bleary eyes, trying to focus on her father. She’d been awake long enough for Lial to work on her arm and for a few sips of tea, but exhaustion still blurred her thoughts. Lightning flashed outside the window behind Kai and brightened the murky early dawn glow seeping through the curtains. Though her bonded held his own cup of tea, he ignored it as he stared at Lyr.