Shara scoffed. “There is no such artifact. The very purpose of the barrier is to keep anyone who isn't an elf out. Why would there be an object to let them in?”
Varg ignored her and continued, “All we know is that their leader, Jin, is after something here in your kingdom and he's willing to murder innocents to get it.”
“Well his efforts are in vain,” Shara said. “There is no key and until now, no human has ever set foot in the last true forest of Laelith.”
Varg shrugged. “Well, that's all I have for you.” By now he had regained the feeling in his body and his headache was finally beginning to pass, so he threw the covers off of his body and stepped off of the bed. “I'll just let myself out once I grab my things-”
“I have not dismissed you,” Shara said with an icy stare.
Varg met her gaze and the corners of his mouth twitched up slightly. “I don't need to be dismissed. I leave when I please.”
If Shara was offended by his bold statement, she didn't show it. Instead, she kept her gaze trained on him and said, “You will not leave this room until the queen gives the orders for both you and your companion to leave the Crystal Wood, assuming she spares your lives.”
Varg stood straight up hoping his large stature might intimidate her, but he was shocked to see that she wasn't the least bit phased by his attempt. It wasn't something he was accustomed to, so he begrudgingly relaxed his muscles.
“You can try to act tough all you want,” Shara remarked, “but I'm afraid I do not yield to such barbaric displays.”
Varg was impressed that she saw through his gesture, but was still annoyed by her all the same. He huffed and said, “Well your will is impressive, I'll give you that, but I'm still leaving one way or another.”
Shara calmly drew her sword and pointed it at Varg in a move so quick that he barely even saw it coming. The tip of Shara's blade grazed the white stubble on his face and he could feel the sharp metal shave off a few hairs before he backed his face away.
“I already shaved recently,” Varg said, “but thanks for that.”
“If you don't want your nose to follow, I suggest that you sit back down,” Shara said.
Varg stared her in the eyes, pushed her blade aside with the tip of his finger, and said, “You think you're the first woman who's threatened me with cutting something of mine off? At least you're aiming a bit higher than the others.”
Shara squinted her gaze, but didn't move her sword back. “You are the foulest beast I've ever met. All the tales I've heard of humans are true.”
Varg smiled. “Now if you'll excuse me, I have business to conduct and my companion to find.”
“You are not leaving,” Shara shouted. Even when raised, her voice flowed like silver.
Varg rolled his eyes and said, “We can do this all day, or you can step aside and let me find Milea so that we can find out where the key is and stop the Shadow Hand before they destroy everything to get it.”
Varg attempted to walk past Shara, but before he even noticed that she had moved, he felt a sharp pain in his gut. He doubled over in pain when he realized what had happened, then Shara stood over him and grabbed a handful of his hair at the top of his head. She then tilted his head up to face hers.
“I warned you,” she said with a flare of her crystal green eyes, “now you will remain here until I permit you to leave.”
Shara released Varg's hair, and he faced the floor again, more out of shame than weakness. How could he have allowed that elf to overpower him? He knew that even though she was smaller than he was, a wise warrior never assumes that a smaller opponent is going to be a weaker one. He let his guard down in the heat of the moment, no doubt in his concern for Milea and as a result, his desire to get out of the room and find her.
Varg heard the door slam shut and then he heard a clicking sound. Locked in, he thought, no surprise there. He breathed in sharply and then allowed himself to stand. He fought back the nausea as the pain in his gut finally subsided, and then he took a better look at his surroundings.
Despite the apparent delicate nature of the room, it didn't look easy to get out of. He soon spotted his gear on a nearby table, including Frost Fang. He wondered for a moment how many elves it took to haul it there, but soon brushed the thought aside and went over to the table to grab his gear.
He had only been left in his undershirt and trousers when he was brought in, so he threw on his boots, vest, cloak, and belts, then equipped Frost Fang to its place on his back. Once he was ready, he pulled a lock pick out of his satchel and approached the door.
He crouched down and fiddled with the lock, but to his dismay it wasn't the least bit effective. This didn't surprise him, of course, since he had no doubt that the locks forged by the elves were quite different from the ones he was used to. He huffed and then put away his picking tools, then stopped to think about what to do next.
After a short pause, he decided to try his luck and he raised his hand up to the lock. A fine, icy mist formed in his palm and spread a film of ice over the lock. Once it was nice and frozen, he tried jabbing the door with his hand, but nothing happened. He finally had enough, and stood up and with a swift kick of his leg, he brought the door down.
Hearing the shouts from the guards who were coming to investigate the loud noise, Varg darted out of the room and into the corridor.
As Varg continued to avoid the sound of approaching guards, he scanned the area for any indication of where Milea might be. It didn't take long, however, before he slipped up.
Varg ran passed another corridor without checking first and he was spotted by an approaching guard.
“He's here!” the guard shouted as Varg changed his gait from a trot to a full on sprint.
He had little time left to find Milea. He couldn't be captured again before seeing her.
More guards rounded the corner behind Varg and gave chase. They barely had to make any effort to keep up with his long strides, and based on what he knew about Milea's speed and precision, this didn't surprise him. When more guards came from the opposite direction, Varg bolted down another hall to avoid both parties. More guards soon joined from all directions, and very soon Varg was trapped in a corner.
Varg was now surrounded by at least twenty elf women and men, all of which pointed their weapons at him.
“Good work,” he heard a familiar voice say.
Shara edged her way through the crowd of soldiers and pointed her sword at Varg.
“That was incredibly foolish of you. You can bet that the queen will not be lenient on you for this pathetic escape attempt. Did you really think you could break the door and fight your way out?” she said.
“I wasn't leaving without Milea,” Varg said. “I only wanted to find her.”
Shara glared at him. “After your little display, you can forget it. I hereby sentence you to life imprisonment-”
“Wait, stop!”
Varg heaved a sigh of relief when Milea pushed through the crowd of soldiers and said, “Let him go, he's with me.”
“I'm aware of that,” Shara said, “but I fail to see what gives you the authority to make such demands.”
“I give her the authority.”
The guards dropped to their knees at the sound of the new voice, and the woman who then stepped forward was one of the most beautiful that Varg had ever seen. She stood tall with long, pale hair and flawless porcelain skin. Her eyes were crystal blue and far too pale for human standards, but they were hauntingly breathtaking. She wore a flowing creamy white gown with ornate gold trim and jewelry, and her hair, which nearly reached the floor, was adorned with shimmering gold hair pieces and a circlet that wrapped around her head. It didn't take Varg a second thought to label this woman as the Queen of the Crystal Wood.
“Shara, stand down,” the queen ordered.
Shara complied without question, and then answered begrudgingly, “Yes, Mother.”
Varg raised an eyebrow, for he wouldn't have guessed that Shara was the pr
incess, but his thoughts were interrupted when Milea suddenly said, “Mother? What do you mean Mother?”
Shara's sharp eyes met Milea's and said, “I am the daughter of Queen Shalia, heir to the Crystal Throne.”
“You are the queen's daughter?” Milea exclaimed. “But...that means...”
“Yes Milea,” the Queen answered. “Princess Shara is your younger sister.”
“Sister?” Varg shouted a bit louder than he'd intended. He then asked Milea, “You mean the queen is your mother?”
Milea had a look of guilt on her face.
“That's impossible!” Shara exclaimed. “How can she be my sister? Mother, tell her she's a liar!”
The Queen turned to Milea and said, “I believe we have much to discuss. Perhaps we should retire to my quarters.”
Shara stared at the queen with her mouth agape and shaking her head in disbelief. When Varg looked at Milea again, she finally met his gaze and offered a slight, apologetic smile. Varg wasn't worried about her not telling him this, and was only thankful that she was all right and that they were reunited.
“This way,” the queen finally said as she turned down the corridor. As they passed, the guards continued to bow until they were long past. Then they rose and ran off, presumably to return to their posts.
CHAPTER 15
Varg walked alongside Milea as they followed the queen and Shara in silence. Varg wanted to speak to her, but he was content to simply have her at his side once more.
Now that Varg was no longer running frantically through the halls of the castle, he was able to survey his surroundings better and truly appreciate the beautiful architecture of the castle. The walls were just like in the room he awoke in, but with high ceilings and fine carvings of elf women on each wall. On the second floor, there was a raised walkway on the inner edge that led to more halls and even a few more doors. Every now and then they came across a staircase that led up to this second floor.
Once they were out of the immediate hallway, they went up a set of stairs and went through another set of doors that led to what Varg could only describe as a luxury home within the castle. The first room of the royal quarters was a living area, complete with a set of sofas and even a private dining area. A pit with crystals that emitted a warm glow that Varg could feel from the door had apparently replaced a hearth in the floor in the middle of the seating area, but with the amount of magic that these crystals seemed to possess, Varg had no doubt that the elves didn't even need fire.
On every corner of the room stood servants waiting in attendance for the queen to request something.
“Please, make yourselves comfortable,” the queen said. She then turned to one of the servants and said, “Will you please fetch something to drink for our guests?”
The servant bowed and answered, “At once, Your Grace.”
As the servant left the room, Varg and Milea took a place side by side on a nearby sofa while the Queen took a seat in the ornate chair just across from them. Shara, however, didn't budge.
“Mother,” she began, “you know I hold you in the highest respect and would gladly do anything you ask, but you must tell me why this woman you claim to be my sister is here and why she hasn't been here in the castle all these years? Did you and Father truly have another daughter that you never told me about?”
“Shara...” the Queen began, “you and Milea do not have the same father.”
Shara stared open mouthed and wide eyed at the queen as though she had just stabbed her. The armored princess tried to speak, but no words could come out. Varg knew then and there just how seriously elves took their sacred virtue.
“Shara, please sit down,” the queen said. “I will tell you everything.”
Shara finally complied and collapsed in the chair just to right of where Varg was sitting. Milea was seated on his left.
The queen sat up and began her tale, “A little over a century ago, something happened here in the Crystal Wood that was kept quiet from the public eye so as not to stir a panic. It had never happened before, and to this day no elf truly knows how it happened. One day, a day I will never forget, a human entered the Crystal Wood.”
“A human!” Shara exclaimed.
Shalia ignored the interruption and continued, “This human, a man named Galen, happened upon the entrance and for reasons unknown, was able to enter the Crystal Wood. We suspected at the time that he might have had elf ancestry, but we have never known for sure. Galen was captured and escorted to the castle before any civilians knew of his presence, and then he was brought before my sister.
“My sister, as you know, was queen before me, and she ordered that the human be placed in the dungeon for further questioning. I was captain of the guard at the time, the same role I bestowed upon you, Shara, as is tradition in the royal family line, and it was my duty to question the prisoner and find out how he was able to enter the Crystal Wood when no other human had done it before.
“Naturally, Galen denied any knowledge of how he came to our land when humans were kept out, and he insisted that he intended no harm. He was simply hunting in the wilderness outside of the Wood, and he happened upon the entrance. Curiosity got the better of him, he had said, and he went inside to find out what was inside.
“Over time, I grew attached to Galen. He was unlike any of the humans we elves are taught about growing up. Where the ancient humans of our lore were greedy, power hungry, and dangerous, Galen was kind, honorable, and polite. I admit that I was young, still in my second century, but soon I found myself growing rather fond of him. With time, he taught me things about love that only a human could feel. Eventually, I abandoned my people's view of virtue, and I gave mine to him. Not long after this, I realized I was with child.”
Shara gasped, and Milea bowed her head.
Shalia continued, “My sister protected me and Galen by keeping us in here until I gave birth. A daughter, half-elf and half-human, was born to us, and in honor of Galen's late mother, we named her Milea.”
Shara stood up and pointed a finger at Milea. “I knew there was something off about you! You're half human! My mother makes one foolish mistake and now you are here to lay claim to the throne!”
Milea shot up and edged closer to her. “I am not a mistake! And I didn't come here for the throne.”
“Enough,” Shalia said. “Shara, you have no right to view Milea as any less of an elf simply because she isn't a pureblood.”
Shara glared at Milea once again, then they both sat down so the Queen could continue again.
“Galen lived here with Milea in secret for the first six years of her life, but all that changed when word of their existence reached the ears of the High Priestess. As you can well imagine, she and the other priestesses were enraged and appalled that not only had a human been living among us for so long, but that I also bore him a child out of wedlock. They threatened to kill him, but my sister requested to keep things quiet so that the public would not panic.
“Not long after that, my sister fell ill and died. Because she had no heir, the burden of the throne fell upon me. Faced with the possibility of both Galen and Milea being killed, I had no choice but to send them away from the Crystal Wood forever.
“It was some time later that I met your father, Shara, after he took over the role as captain of the guard. I married him and bore you, but he died before we could bear a second child. I then decided that you would be trained to take his place once you were of age and that once you were married and bore children, your second would continue the tradition.”
“I can't believe it,” Shara said.
“It's true Shara,” Shalia said. “I do not regret my relationship with Galen, and I thank Laelith for every moment I got to spend with both him and Milea. Like it or not, she is your sister. She may be part human, but she's still an elf too.”
Shara stood and stared at her mother. “No, we may share blood, but that woman will never be my sister.”
“Fine by me,” Milea remarked.
&
nbsp; Shara ignored her and said, “Now if you will permit me, Mother, I shall return to my post and resume my duties.”
The queen remained silent for a time, then she stood and said, “You may return, Shara, but in the future I expect you to be more cordial with Milea and...” Shalia looked to Varg, who took the hint and gave her his name. “...Varg...in the future. And I also expect you to remember who your queen is before making such statements. Are we clear?”
Shara bowed her head in shame and answered, “Yes, Mother.”
Shara then left the room just as the servant returned with what appeared to be a bottle of wine. As the drinks were served, Shalia returned to her seat and helped herself to a goblet as Varg and Milea did the same.
The drink, which Milea explained was similar to wine but made from berries from the forest, went down Varg's throat without the least bit of burn or resistance. It was sweet to the taste, unlike the wine Varg was accustomed to, yet had a slight tang. The flavors were mixed just enough so that one complimented the other.
“Now then,” Shalia said as she placed her goblet on the servant's tray, “Milea has already informed me of your reasons for entering the Crystal Wood. She has told me all about this organization that calls itself the Shadow Hand and how its leader, the Serpent, seeks something known as the key to the Crystal Wood. As I am certain Shara has already informed you, no such artifact exists according to our knowledge. I am also unclear why so many decoy artifacts were spread throughout the human realm.”
“I've encountered Jin long enough now to know that he wouldn't spend all his time searching for something if he didn't know for absolute certain that it was real,” Varg said.
“As I said, it does not exist as far as we know,” Shalia said. “I will not deny its existence outright, although I admit that I have my doubts. I think this man you call 'Jin' has at the very least uncovered something to suggest that such a key exists, but for all we know it could be just an old legend invented by humans.”
The Crystal Wood (Half-Breed Book 2) Page 15
