Apparently, we were supposed to wait here and “refresh ourselves” until dinner. I didn’t know what the Emperor’s game was, but I suspected he had designs to keep Ali here. I wouldn’t let him get anywhere close to her.
“Marroc!”
I turned to see Ali standing by the entrance to a large balcony, as she finished the last bite of her apple. As I approached, I saw what she was looking at: a marble-lined pool below, filled with clear water. The late-afternoon wind gently rippled its surface.
She turned to me, smiling. “Do you think it’s for swimming?”
I nodded, my chest warming at the look of delight in her eyes.
“I haven’t been swimming since I was a kid. We don’t have water like this in the Shadow Caverns.” I could hear the longing in her voice. She wanted to jump in, didn’t she? “It’s all gray and murky subterranean lakes. And there are things that live in the deep caverns, creatures that feast on the flesh of elves, and worse.”
I smiled slyly at her. Maybe a little detour wasn’t the worst thing in the world. At that moment, I wanted nothing more than to swim with her. Could I convince her to join me, even without the ability to speak?
I pulled off my coat and draped it over the balcony. Then I started to unbutton my shirt.
Ali shot a glance at me. “What are you doing?”
With a slight smile, I nodded at the pool.
I didn’t miss the fact that her eyes were lingering on me, though she tore them away fast when I started to take off my trousers.
Once I was undressed, I climbed over the balcony and leapt in.
She stared down at me, drumming her fingertips on the stone ledge. I could see how much she wanted to join me, though, like any sensible person, she was wary of me.
I lay back in the water, swimming backward. I closed my eyes to show her how much I enjoyed it. The water rippled around me, enveloping me in a cool embrace.
When I opened my eyes again, I saw her pulling off her shirt. And as I watched her slide off her leather trousers, my body felt completely electrified. Under her clothes, she wore a simple white bra and underwear. She was beautiful, and she was mine. Gods, I wanted to sink my teeth into her neck and taste her soul…
I swam away from her, mastering control of myself. But when I heard the splash of water, I turned to see her in at the other end of the pool.
She grinned at me, the water rippling around her perfect shoulders. “The water is amazing. This was a truly good idea.”
My gaze drifted lower, to her neck and the faint heartbeat under the skin. With her eyes locked on me, she moved closer in the water. My seductive aura was drawing her in. Water trickled between her breasts in little rivulets, entrancing me.
When she was only a few feet from me, I breathed in her scent. I imagined how she would tilt back her head, opening her throat to me. I’d trace my fingers over her waist; my lips would graze her skin.
With a jolt of horror, I realized I needed to pull myself away from her before I ruined everything. Before I ripped out her soul and mine and destroyed them both.
I turned abruptly. Climbing from the pool, I headed back up to the Emperor’s chambers.
After drying myself off, I dressed on the balcony again. When I turned around, I saw Ali, her damp silver hair draped over a black shirt. She held a notepad and pen out to me. Somehow, I could tell what she was about to say next was important to her.
“Can I ask you something?”
I nodded.
She took a deep breath. “When the High Elves caught me, I wasn’t alone. I’d been working with someone named Barthol. I haven’t seen him since. Do you think they could have put him somewhere else in the Citadel?”
Barthol. That name again.
The unspoken subtext of her question was clear. She desperately wanted to know if this friend of hers was alive. Unfortunately, I didn’t have much of an answer for her.
I’m sure he is fine, I wrote, my fingers tense with irritation. I half hoped he wasn’t fine. If the High Elves had caught or killed him, King Gorm would have brought him or his body out to throw into the Well of Wyrd along with you.
She smiled. “You think so?”
I nodded.
“I have another question.”
I didn’t respond, but Ali plowed ahead anyway.
“How did you become a lich?”
I tensed. This was dangerous territory. I was cursed. And now I’m alive, but only in a manner of speaking. Obviously, I’m dangerous.
I wasn’t sure why I wanted to emphasize that last part. Maybe it was that I’d let her get too close to me.
She crossed her arms, curiosity lighting up her eyes. “But what was your life like when you were human? Your home looks like you were rich.”
Ahh… she’d assumed I was human. It certainly would have been better if she continued to think that, but… Not human, I wrote.
Ali’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean? I thought liches were always former humans. So, what were you?”
Ice chilled my veins. I’d hoped to avoid this conversation. Elf.
Her entire body went tense. “What kind of elf?”
A High Elf.
“What? I didn’t even know elves could become liches. Why didn’t you tell me this before?”
She stepped closer. Her fingers twitched like she was thinking about calling forth that magical knife of hers.
“The High Elves have imprisoned the Dokkalfar for a thousand years. Ever since Ragnarok, we’ve been trapped in caves underground. I didn’t see the horizon or the sunlight until I was sent on this mission to retrieve the gold ring. So, who were you, Marroc? I already know you’re old as Helheim. You were around then, weren’t you? You were alive when the High Elves sent the Night Elves into the caves, locking us underground.”
Dread crept over me slowly like an afternoon shadow. She was getting too close to learning the truth. For the first time in the past thousand years, I was grateful I couldn’t speak.
I only shrugged, and I could feel her fury rising. The hatred in her eyes burned so sharp and bright that I wondered what horrors she’d experienced under the ground. A shard of sadness split me open.
She took another step closer, eyes sharp and narrow, and poked me in the chest. “I told you I’d do anything I could to protect my people. My whole life, I’ve had nothing to keep me warm but my family, and my dreams of revenge. So, I have some questions for you, Marroc. I want to know who you knew, exactly. Before Ragnarok.”
Gods, she was breathtaking. The sheer audacity to give commands to an ancient lich, to launch into an interrogation…
She jabbed my chest again. “Do you know where I’d find Galin? The sorcerer who imprisoned us? He worked for the king.”
Darkness clouded my mind.
She folded her arms imperiously. “Suddenly can’t find your pen and paper?”
Now, she hardly trusted me at all. That was good. Because if I lost control around her, my world would end.
But her interrogation was interrupted by the sound of footfalls, and I turned. The Emperor and a pair of guards stood in the doorway, their eyes fixed on Ali.
“Once you are ready,” said the Emperor, his voice husky, “we will leave for dinner.”
Chapter 28
Ali
Night had fallen, and Marroc and I walked together through a primeval forest. The trunks of ancient pines stood around us, like the columns of a cathedral, while above us the tree’s canopy was so thick that it blocked out the sky. The air was damp and heavy, fragrant with the scent of the pine trees. A perfumed wind kissed my skin.
I stole a glance at him. Once a High Elf, was he? As soon as we got away from these guards, I wanted to know everything he knew.
My mind whirred with the tasks ahead of me. First, we’d get Loki’s wand so we could return to Midgard—and he could get his soul back, supposedly. Then I’d take the golden ring back to the Shadow Lords. With their help, I’d free my people.
I’d always
believed my mother, and soon, I’d finally prove her right.
All I had to do was help kill the dark wizard who’d locked us in there. And if Marroc was right, the ring in my pocket was just what I needed to find the sorcerer. He was the one who’d imprisoned the Night Elves in the Shadow Caverns after Ragnarok. Only his death would free us.
I stole a glance at Marroc. What I really wanted was to question him about where to find the dark sorcerer, but I couldn’t do it with other people around.
After living underground so long, after watching my friends and family die in subterranean darkness, I wanted nothing more than to drive my blade through Galin’s throat, but I’d have to be patient.
Under the ancient pine trees, we were led by a pair of guards, who carried torches that cast shadows over the mossy forest floor. It was quiet but for the whisper of a breeze circling between the trunks. All around us, tiny lights flickered between the boughs and branches.
Despite my dreams of revenge, I couldn’t help but smile. This was the first time I’d ever seen fireflies. For a few minutes, I forgot about Skalei slicing open the throats of the High Elves.
And now that Marroc had reassured me about Barthol, I could actually enjoy this beauty a little before we returned to Midgard.
Despite my blood-soaked revenge fantasies, things were looking up. Granted, Midgard was still freezing, but at least we’d be aboveground. I shoved my hand into my pocket, sliding the ring onto my finger. I couldn’t enjoy this place too much. I had to get this thing back to the Shadow Lords before anything got in my way.
Soon, brighter lights appeared ahead of us, and I sucked in a breath as we stepped into a large clearing. A circle of giant stones stood round a blazing bonfire. From between them, the Emperor walked, arms outstretched.
He grinned jovially, white teeth flashing in the firelight. “Welcome, welcome.”
“Thank you,” I said. “What is this place?”
“This is the one of Vanaheim’s most sacred groves.”
“You eat dinner here?”
“Yes, yes,” he said. “You’ll see why soon. This grove provides entertainment you can get nowhere else.”
“And over dinner you’ll tell us how to get out of here, right?”
The Emperor didn’t answer, and I didn’t have time to ask what this entertainment might be before he turned to lead us toward the fire.
As we passed between the mammoth stones, a rush of darkness curled off Marroc, licking at my skin. Something had unnerved him, and I could guess what. Stone circles were places of powerful magic. Everything about this was super weird.
Within the circle, a small feast had been arranged on wooden tables. There were roast chickens, turkeys, and even a suckling pig with an apple in its mouth. There were also loaves of bread, platters of steaming vegetables, and even a few pies. Enough to feed a large party of people.
I looked around, but other than the guards and a few servants, we seemed to be the only guests. My hackles rose. Why so much food, then?
The Emperor gestured to a long wooden table set with earthenware plates and bowls and pewter goblets. “Come, sit with me.”
“Are we the only people eating tonight?” I asked, suspicious.
“For now,” said the Emperor, indicating that Marroc and I should sit on either side of him.
As soon as I took my seat, the servants began to bring us food. The meal looked delicious, and not just because I’d been literally starving. I was served chicken roasted with sage, slathered in butter. My mouth watered, and gods, I wanted to eat it. But this Emperor was weird as shit, and I didn’t trust him at all. This could be dosed with anything.
The Emperor filled my glass with wine. Even thirsty as I was, I wouldn’t drink it.
“Why are we eating here?” I asked. “Why not dine in your palace?”
“As I said, this is one of my kingdom’s most sacred places. The stones have been here for thousands of years. I bring all my honored guests.” He nodded at my plate. “Not hungry?”
“Right, but we’re just travelers, passing through.” I tried not to sound impatient. “And you were going to tell us how to get out of here, so we can return home.”
“Oh, but you’re so much more than that. You’re a Night Elf, and he’s”—the Emperor inclined his head toward Marroc without directly looking at him—“he’s a lich. I don’t believe we’ve had either of your kind visit for at least a thousand years. It’s only appropriate to show you the utmost hospitality.”
Marroc didn’t appear to have any interest in his food, which was either a lich thing or the same sense of caution that I had.
The Emperor took a long sip of his wine. Then, standing, he asked, “Well, if you’re not hungry, are you ready for the entertainment?”
Before I could ask what the entertainment was, the Emperor turned to face the forest. He lifted his hands to the night sky.
“Spirits of the forest,” he said in a clear voice. “I have brought a feast. Come and sup with me and my guests.”
My muscles were completely tense, hair standing on end. For a long moment, nothing happened. The forest remained dark and still, like a great beast holding its breath. Then, deep within it, I saw a light shine, then another.
Were these the fireflies I’d seen earlier? As I watched, more and more lights appeared.
“Come, my children,” called the Emperor. “Come and feast with me.”
I gasped as the first fairy stepped from the trees. No larger than a sparrow, she floated towards us on gossamer wings. As I stared, another appeared. In seconds, hundreds were gliding between the stones, floating on the breeze like dandelion seeds.
“Eat and be merry,” said the Emperor. The fairies swarmed the feast, and the food disappeared in a haze of glowing light. As they finished eating, they began to spiral around the stones. They spun and swirled like a flock of birds.
They were, I had to admit, absolutely transfixing.
“They’re beautiful,” I whispered. I glanced at Marroc, who looked as enchanted as I was. But when he licked his teeth with a hungry look in his eyes, I realized he probably just wanted to drain their souls.
The Emperor smiled. “Listen,” he said, holding a finger to his lips.
I strained my ears until I heard a low humming that rose and fell. As the fairies danced around and around within the circle, the humming grew louder.
“They’re singing,” I whispered.
My worries seemed to fade away now. The song grew louder, and a smile spread across my face.
“Oh my gods. I recognize that song. It’s ‘Halo’—they’re singing Beyoncé! I heard it on the way over.” Baffled, I turned to the Emperor. “How do they know Beyoncé?”
He grinned. “They’re magic; they can sing what you desire to hear. You just have to know the song, to love it, and they’ll sing it. Now do you see why I brought you here?”
I listened as the fairies danced, twisting and twirling their tiny bodies in time with the music. I knew there was something I had to be doing now—something about a ring, saving the world, assassinating the High Elf royalty, blah, blah. But dancing… now that would be amazing. To simply let go of my worries, to release all the pressure on me. To twirl and sing like the fairies.
Only then did I realize I already was dancing, hands over my head, hips swaying.
Marroc was looking at me with sharp eyes, like he was ready to pounce and bite into my neck. But the dead were no fun, were they? Spoilsports.
Now, I found my legs carrying me toward the fire, and I stepped into the swirling cloud of tiny spirits. Laughing, I spun around as thousands of fairies swarmed about me like moths. Their wings fluttered, gently stroking my skin, and they kept singing.
“Can you do—” I thought for a second, trying to remember the name of the song. “Can you do ‘Single Ladies’?”
Chapter 29
Marroc
I watched as Ali danced, spinning round and round, surrounded by the glittering fairies.
/> Part of me wanted this to be real. I’d never seen her like this. Relaxed and happy, an expression of joy spread across her face. Drinking her would be pure light, pure beauty—the most exquisite rush.
In the firelight, her silver hair flowed around her shoulders like a waterfall, her eyes glittered like jewels, and she laughed.
But this was not real joy, no.
This was an enchantment, and I had to stop it. I turned to the Emperor. I’d slaughter him if I had to. But as I tried to stand, I found I couldn’t move, that something held me to my chair.
When I looked down, I saw that threads and cords stretched over my legs and arms. They bound me to my seat like the filaments of a spider’s web. Dark rage poured through me like billowing smoke.
Little creatures moved at my feet. From under tiny mops of black hair, the pointed faces of pixies grinned at me.
My lip curled as I looked back up at the Emperor. I wanted to explain to him that as soon as I freed myself, I’d be draining him of blood and life, but the words wouldn’t come. Icy wrath flooded my body. I tried to stand again, but if anything, the pixies’ bindings seemed tighter.
The Emperor was staring at me, his lips curled up in a half-smile. Then he leaned forward, just out of reach of my teeth.
His whisper was so quiet, only I could hear. “She’s mine now.”
Chapter 30
Ali
I danced, spinning and spinning, twirling and twirling, the fairies flying around me like tiny stars. It was a perfect rush of joy, excitement, and freedom. While I danced, the fairies sang “Single Ladies” not once, not twice, but three times, and I never wanted it to end. I was about to ask for it a fourth time when they suddenly stopped, falling silent.
They drifted around me like motes of dust in a sunbeam. Their bodies were still, their voices silent. Only their wings moved, faintly fluttering, just enough to keep themselves from falling to the ground.
Cursed Prince (Night Elves Trilogy Book 1) Page 11
