by Terry Spear
"We were supposed to do a fire quest, we thought," Eloria said.
"Aye, I saw the quests as you completed them with regard to freeing me. The winged elves started a fire to warm you after they saved you from the river and you were drenched and shivering, despite knowing the fire would alert other beasts who would attempt to kill you. Of course, you did it out of order, before you knew there was any order, but the end result is all that mattered."
“I am truly half a high elf?”
“Aye. You are one of us. You are my granddaughter.”
Eloria stared at him in shock. Some had said she might be related to him in some way, which was how he had communicated with her. They were blood relations, but she still couldn’t fathom that he was her own flesh and blood.
“Grandfather.”
“Aye.” Sarazan opened his arms to her, and she quickly closed the distance and gave him a hug.
She couldn’t believe she’d freed the wizard, who all elves got along with, and who was her last living relative.
"I was surprised when Prince Zorak saved you from the blue elves. I must speak to them about such a matter. But then the winged elf stole you away." The green wizard chuckled.
“I wish to marry her,” Viator quickly said, as if seeking permission now that she had a guardian of sorts.
“Is that what you wish, my princess?” Sarazan asked.
“Yes. We saved you together.”
“And me,” Balen said.
Reynaldo was quiet, though he offered a small smile and lifted the flask to say he helped too.
“All four of you, aye. And I thank you. It looks to me like I have an apprentice again,” Sarazan said.
“Do you know anything about our prophecy?” Viator asked.
“Aye. That you would wed a half high elf, granddaughter of the ambassador to all elf kind. That’s me. Your darkland elf parents are opposed to the notion, of course.”
“What about the poisonous potion that I put in the air vent?” Reynaldo asked. "I thought you only made peace with other creatures."
“Ha! It’s not poisonous to those creatures, but they now will believe all other creatures to be their allies. They will no longer take them hostage.”
“Lars poisoned the river and some of his men threw Eloria off Sontrans Cliff,” Viator said.
Sarazan waved his arm in a sweeping motion. “Aww, yes. I saw that as well. I will speak with him and his people. This won’t happen again. But first, I must go with you to your castle, Prince Viator, and meet with the king and queen. Afterward, I will speak with my people to let them know I have returned, with your help, and that Eloria is indeed a high elf.”
“What about me?” Reynaldo asked.
“You are my apprentice. You have lots of books to read up on for lost time.”
Reynaldo only smiled at the notion, probably because anything was better than being a rat in the snow giants’ castle.
"You knew Eloria would go into the cave with the spiders."
"I knew she could speak to all manner of creatures, even a high elf turned rat. I was certain she could convince the spider to give up his poison."
"For something in return," Eloria said. "He still wants something."
"What we all want, dear Eloria. To be understood. You will continue to be the spiders’ liaison with others, when they need someone to speak for them.”
They went outside and the wizard said, “I will meet you at the castle.” And with a flick of his wrist, he was gone.
Eloria climbed onto Viator’s back and he and Balen flew to their castle.
“He wasn’t like anyone I ever expected to meet,” Eloria said. "So much more real than my dreams of him."
“I like him. I suspect he’ll have straightened my parents out before we even arrive home,” Viator said.
“I like him too. Maybe he can straighten out my sister too.” Balen smiled.
When they finally arrived at the castle, they hadn’t expected any fanfare, but everyone cheered them when they landed in the courtyard.
“Come,” one of the guards said. “Everyone is waiting to feast with you, Your Majesty.”
Sure enough, when they walked into the great hall, the wizard was smiling and speaking with the king and queen, the courtiers all gathered for a feast.
Except this time, Eloria sat with Viator at the head table, and so did the wizard. Balen was also among the dignitaries.
“You didn’t say that Eloria was the granddaughter of the green wizard,” Viator’s mother said, scolding him.
“Of course you can marry the girl,” the king said.
Eloria smiled at Viator and he kissed her. “When do we get married?” she asked. “I want Persephonice, Dracolin, Helena, and Balon to attend the wedding.”
“And Prince Zorak,” Viator said. “Because you are a high elf, we will have to have his mother and father attend, along with many other dignitaries.”
“And Lars,” Sarazan said, “so he knows just who you are, Eloria.”
Eloria was glad to have family here, when she thought she would be a stranger in a strange new land. Her only concern was that Persephonice’s father would come back for her yet again, only this time sending a force to search for her.
Viator couldn’t be more thrilled that he had taken Eloria hostage, his wings nearly transparent, the only thing he didn’t understand, unless he was just supposed to help Eloria save the wizard. Balen had the same situation with his wings.
Then they saw the blue flame of the dragon Talom, shooting off in the night sky.
Viator remembered then that he and Balen hadn’t tamed a dragon yet. Eloria left the table, without permission, to go to the window and peer out. Viator and Balen quickly followed her. They saw then three dragons headed their way, Talom in the lead.
When Talom landed on the wall walk, Eloria hurried out of the great hall to join him. The other two dragons landed on either side of him like they were his guards.
“The green wizard is back,” Eloria said to Talom.
He bowed his head to her. “You have made it possible.”
“And so did Viator and Balen, and the wizard’s apprentice, Reynaldo.”
“Which is why we have come to help the winged elves in their last quest. But there is no need to tame us,” the one said. “We know you have helped the ice dragons in the northern reaches and you’ve aided us with the killing of the opinicus. You will always be known as dragon keepers. Any dragon is yours to call whenever you need a lift or aid.”
Eloria looked back at the castle and saw the green wizard standing at the window of the great hall, smiling, his white beard and hair and green silken garments flowing in the breeze.
“Can we take a ride tonight?” Viator asked.
Talom bowed his head.
Viator helped Eloria onto Talom’s back because he knew the dragon would always protect her, then he and Balen climbed onto the other dragons, Lynx and Zoran.
Everyone cheered them as the three of them took flight, the last quest the winged elves needed, and Viator couldn’t have been any more thrilled as they swooped down over the ocean where a merman called out to them.
“I am Eloria!” Eloria called out to him. “And I am home.”
Then they saw the blue elves running along the beach, shaking their spears.
Viator wondered if the green wizard could ever convince the blue elves to be more peaceful with the other elves. But tonight, it didn’t matter. All that mattered was that he was taking his first ride on a dragon he had “tamed,” and the woman he loved was with him on the ride.
They swooped down over the shadow elf village where they were having a celebration of their own, and the dragons landed in the midst of all the revelry.
“We are getting married and you are all invited,” Eloria said to her friend and the others who had aided them.
And then they partied with the shadow elves, telling of all their adventures. But when they were through, Persephonice and Dracolin and Balon told of
all their missions.
“We will help you whenever we can,” Viator said, though he shouldn’t have spoken for Eloria and Balen too.
But both of them agreed. What would life be without a little adventure?
Acknowledgments
Thanks so much to both Darla Taylor and Donna Fournier who were so kind to beta read the book for me and help to catch my bloopers!!!
Afterword
To My Readers
I hope you love The World of Elves as much as I had fun writing about them. This comes from my love of mythology and space travel and paranormal. Enjoy!!
About the Author
Bestselling and award-winning author Terry Spear has written over sixty paranormal romance novels and four medieval Highland historical romances. Her first werewolf romance, Heart of the Wolf, was named a 2008 Publishers Weekly’s Best Book of the Year, and her subsequent titles have garnered high praise and hit the USA Today bestseller list. A retired officer of the U.S. Army Reserves, Terry lives in Spring, Texas, where she is working on her next wolf, jaguar, cougar, and bear shifter romances, continuing with her Highland medieval romances, and having fun with her young adult novels. When she’s not writing, she’s photographing everything that catches her eye, making teddy bears, and playing with her Havanese puppies and grand-baby. For more information, please visit www.terryspear.com, or follow her on Twitter, @TerrySpear. She is also on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/terry.spear. And on Wordpress at: Terry Spear’s Shifters http://terryspear.wordpress.com/
Also by Terry Spear
Heart of the Cougar Series:
Cougar’s Mate, Book 1
Call of the Cougar, Book 2
Taming the Wild Cougar, Book 3
Covert Cougar Christmas (Novella)
Double Cougar Trouble, Book 4
Cougar Undercover, Book 5
Cougar Magic, Book 6
Heart of the Bear Series
Loving the White Bear, Book 1
Taming the White Bear, Book 2, (TBD)
The Highlanders Series: Winning the Highlander's Heart, The Accidental Highland Hero, Highland Rake, Taming the Wild Highlander, The Highlander, Her Highland Hero, The Viking’s Highland Lass, His Wild Highland Lass (novella), Vexing the Highlander (novella), My Highlander
Other historical romances: Lady Caroline & the Egotistical Earl, A Ghost of a Chance at Love
Heart of the Wolf Series: Heart of the Wolf, Destiny of the Wolf, To Tempt the Wolf, Legend of the White Wolf, Seduced by the Wolf, Wolf Fever, Heart of the Highland Wolf, Dreaming of the Wolf, A SEAL in Wolf's Clothing, A Howl for a Highlander, A Highland Werewolf Wedding, A SEAL Wolf Christmas, Silence of the Wolf, Hero of a Highland Wolf, A Highland Wolf Christmas, A SEAL Wolf Hunting; A Silver Wolf Christmas, A SEAL Wolf in Too Deep, Alpha Wolf Need Not Apply, Billionaire in Wolf’s Clothing, Between a Rock and a Hard Place, SEAL Wolf Undercover, Dreaming of a White Wolf Christmas, Flight of the White Wolf (2018), A Billionaire Wolf for Christmas (2018), SEAL Wolf Surrender (2019), Silver Town Wolf: Home for the Holidays (2019)
SEAL Wolves: To Tempt the Wolf, A SEAL in Wolf's Clothing, A SEAL Wolf Christmas, A SEAL Wolf Hunting, A SEAL Wolf in Too Deep, SEAL Wolf Undercover, SEAL Wolf Surrender (2019)
Silver Bros Wolves: Destiny of the Wolf, Wolf Fever, Dreaming of the Wolf, Silence of the Wolf, A Silver Wolf Christmas, Alpha Wolf Need Not Apply, Between a Rock and a Hard Place, All’s Fair in Love and Wolf (2018)
White Wolves: Legend of the White Wolf, Dreaming of a White Wolf Christmas
Billionaire Wolves: Billionaire in Wolf’s Clothing, A Billionaire Wolf for Christmas (2018)
Highland Wolves: Heart of the Highland Wolf, A Howl for a Highlander, A Highland Werewolf Wedding, Hero of a Highland Wolf, A Highland Wolf Christmas
Heart of the Jaguar Series: Savage Hunger, Jaguar Fever, Jaguar Hunt, Jaguar Pride, A Very Jaguar Christmas, You Had Me at Jaguar (2019)
Romantic Suspense: Deadly Fortunes, In the Dead of the Night, Relative Danger, Bound by Danger
Vampire romances: Killing the Bloodlust, Deadly Liaisons, Huntress for Hire, Forbidden Love
Vampire Novellas: Vampiric Calling, The Siren’s Lure, Seducing the Huntress
Other Romance: Exchanging Grooms, Marriage, Las Vegas Style
Science Fiction Romance: Galaxy Warrior
Teen/Young Adult/Fantasy Books
The World of Fae:
The Dark Fae, Book 1
The Deadly Fae, Book 2
The Winged Fae, Book 3
The Ancient Fae, Book 4
Dragon Fae, Book 5
Hawk Fae, Book 6
Phantom Fae, Book 7
Golden Fae, Book 8
Falcon Fae, Book 9
Woodland Fae, Book 10 TBA
The World of Elf:
The Shadow Elf
Darkland Elf
* * *
Blood Moon Series:
Kiss of the Vampire
The Vampire…In My Dreams
Demon Guardian Series:
The Trouble with Demons
Demon Trouble, Too
Demon Hunter
* * *
Non-Series for Now:
Ghostly Liaisons
The Beast Within
Courtly Masquerade
Deidre's Secret
* * *
The Magic of Inherian:
The Scepter of Salvation
The Mage of Monrovia
Emerald Isle of Mists (TBA)
