Princess of the Elves

by R L Medina

  Much to my annoyance, my presence was required the whole day as the party staggered on. Excused only for a bathroom break, where to my horror, my uncle’s guards escorted me outside. Using my boredom as an excuse, I practiced building up my mental walls and tearing them down. I also practiced unlocking the courtiers shields but found it too easy. Especially in their inebriated state.

  By the time, Aunt Cindra and I were excused, my whole backside had grown numb. When I’d made it back to my room, Mag informed me I’d missed Sacha. Again. He’d left on an errand with Des and wouldn’t be back until late night. What the errand was, she didn’t know. So, I spent the rest of the day walking along the coastline with Mag and admiring the view.

  When dinnertime came, I refused to eat with the others and begged Grimera to bring me up a tray instead. The next day we’d be leaving for the Green Court and I needed time to myself to prepare. I pored over the books Grimera brought me about the Court of Life and earth magic, taking notes as I read. This time, I’d be better prepared.

  That night, after Mag fell asleep, I got dressed and snuck out of my room. I wandered the hall, looking for Sacha’s room. Nerves rattled me. What if I got caught? I didn’t want to get him in trouble. Twice, I almost turned back. But something pushed me forward. I waved the shining stone in front of me as I pushed on, thankful for its light. Dim as it was. Shadows pressed in around me as if trying to swallow me whole.

  Further down, a small window let in moonlight. I scanned the doors and tried to remember which one was Sacha’s. I approached the first one and took a deep breath. Reaching out a hand, I knocked softly, hoping the others wouldn’t hear.

  Sheets rustled on the other side. I cringed. Had he been sleeping? Heavy footsteps pounded toward me and the door yanked open to reveal his alarmed face. My gaze snagged on his naked chest and brawny arms. A pair of loose pants the only thing covering him. Heat crept up my neck.

  “Princess? What is it?” The worry in his voice snapped my attention.

  He opened the door further and peered up and down the hall. His eyes landed on me, brows drawn together in confusion. I shrank back, feeling stupid.

  Crossing my arms against my chest, I glanced behind him. “Can I come in?”

  His whole body stiffened. “No.”

  I flinched. Words died on my lips and a furious blush spread across my face. Idiot. Why had I thought coming here was a good idea? Before he could see my distress, I turned sharply.

  “Wait,” he hissed.

  Seconds that felt like a lifetime ticked by. I turned to the sound of the door opening wider. The moonlight spilled in, casting a bluish glow on his dark skin. I shivered at the other worldliness of his features.

  “I’m sorry I couldn’t see you earlier.”

  He gaped. “You have nothing to apologize for, Princess.”

  Irritation flared inside me. “You can call me Ren.”

  A sad smile spread on his face. “No, Princess. I can’t.”

  “Princess Ren? Mag calls me that.”

  His eyebrows shot up. “Oh? I hope you don’t let her call you that in front of the other royals.” He glanced around the hall again and waved me in. “Hurry before anyone sees you.”

  I stepped inside, and he shut the door as quietly as he could. My eyes traveled along the room. Unlike the rooms on my wing, this one was much smaller and simpler. A side table with a pitcher and bowl, a small window, and a small bed. Too small. How could he fit?

  Sensing his eyes on me, I averted my gaze away from the bed and came face to face with his chest. I blushed.

  I cleared my throat and met his eyes. “Mag told me you were looking for me?”

  He smiled. “Yes, I wanted to make sure you were all right. After the trial.”

  “I came to find you, but she said you went on an errand… with Des.”

  His body stiffened. “Yes.”

  My eyebrow arched. “Are you going to tell me what the errand was?”

  He glanced away and rubbed the back of his neck. Wariness spread around him. Anger lit inside me. Another secret they kept from me?

  Sighing, he placed his hands in front of mine, palms up. “I’m not supposed to tell you, but I will if you command it.”

  A twinge of guilt needled me. Command. I didn’t want to command him to do anything. I wanted him to tell me the truth because we were friends. Because he cared.

  “Is it about Mom?”

  He flinched. “We caught word that the White Court had found her, but it was false.”

  Pain punched me in the gut. I gripped my unicorn charm and blinked away the tears. Sacha didn’t need to see me crying. Again.

  “We will find her.” His voice softened.

  I looked at him and wished he would comfort me with more than words. A hug. That’s what I needed, but I’d die before I asked him for one.

  “Sacha.”

  He gave me a wary look. “Yes, Princess?”

  “Why does your mom hate me?”

  His jaw dropped. “What? Who told you she hated you?”

  “No one, but I can sense emotions.”

  Alarm flashed across his face. My shoulders slumped. So, she did hate me.

  “Princess, my mother… she’s just worried.”

  I frowned. “Worried about what?”

  His nose scrunched up and he hesitated.

  “Oh.” I nodded. “About having a halfling ruling the Gray Court?”

  He winced but didn’t deny it.

  I snorted. “It’s not like I want to rule. And when Mom returns…”

  His face hardened. “You want to leave.”

  The harshness in his voice startled me. I took a step back and searched his face, tempted to probe his mind.

  “Is it so terrible here?” His words were soft as his eyes implored me.

  My stomach flip-flopped as he stepped closer. His warmth nearly enveloping me. I fought the urge to close the distance. He watched me. Expectantly.

  “No.” My answer came out flat. Flat and awkward.

  I shook my head, trying to clear my emotions. “It’s not… terrible, but… I don’t belong here.”

  Sadness rolled off him in waves, gutting me. I cringed. How could I make him understand?

  “I see… you don’t want to be here. I thought maybe you’d come to see Feylin as your home.”

  Alarm filled me. Home? Feylin could never be home.

  “You should go, Princess. Before they discover you’re missing.”

  My heart raced. I didn’t want to leave like this, but he was right. I bit my lip, trying to sort my thoughts and emotions. Did he really expect me to stay in Feylin? Even if I did stay, what would that mean for us? Was there an us? Could there ever be?

  I sucked in a breath and let my magic soothe out the worry creeping in. If I wanted to find Mom and get back home, I needed to stop getting attached. Only heartache would follow.

  He walked over to the door and waited for me. I flinched. An obvious goodbye. Summoning my power, I pushed away my disappointment and drew myself up to full height.

  He opened the door and bowed as I strode past him.

  “Goodnight, Princess,” he whispered.

  I didn’t look back.

  Making my way down the hall, my mind replayed our encounter again and again. Each time I thought of words I should have said, but it was too late now. I scoffed at myself. Here I was stressing over nothing. We weren’t together. We would never be together. He wasn’t even human. I pushed away the thoughts and continued in silence.

  The rock dimmed. Fantastic. I shook it, as if that would make it burn brighter. My steps faltered. How would I find my way in the dark? Groaning, I used what little light was left to guide me and forced my legs to move farther down the hall. Weariness filled me as the minutes ticked by. Had I already missed the turn? The hallway seemed endless. Despite my doubts, I didn’t turn back.

  Eventually this corridor had to end. My steady footsteps my only company, I let my thoughts wander. The trial.
Mom. Sacha. Visions of drowning and death swirled along with Mom’s and Sacha’s haunted faces. When had my mind become such a gloomy place? As if on cue, the light of the rock snuffed out without warning. Complete darkness surrounded me.

  My feet stumbled and my heart sank. Ignoring the numbness in my feet, I braced a hand against the wall and slowly pressed forward.

  Ahead, voices murmured. I paused, unsure if I’d really heard something. Moving closer, I heard them again. Aunt Maloret and Uncle Mortemer. My heart skipped. Holding my breath, I strained to hear them, hoping they couldn’t hear me.

  “B’Zahir is ready.” Aunt Maloret’s voice grew louder.

  “He’s been ready. What is he waiting for?”

  “Patience, Mortemer.”

  My blood turned to ice. What were they talking about?

  “Shouldn’t you be in bed, Renée dearie?”

  I jumped.

  They came around the corner. Uncle Mortemer glared and Aunt Maloret smiled.

  “I…”

  She waved a hand dismissively. “Got lost? Let me show you the way.”

  I glanced back at Uncle Mortemer. His face was unreadable in the dark, but wariness shrouded him. Wary of me?

  Aunt Maloret led me away in the opposite direction.

  “What were you two talking about?” I turned to my aunt.

  Her eyes slid to mine. “Nosy much? We were placing bets to see when B’Zahir would show his ugly face.”

  “He’s coming here?”

  She paused. “Not here. Probably at the White Court. He won’t be coming alone.”

  My heart pounded. “Mom?”

  A loud snort escaped her. “Yeah and an army. The classic tale of war and revenge.”

  War. Fear shot in my veins. If war was coming, why wasn’t anyone talking about it? Why wasn’t anyone concerned?

  “What about Mom?”

  Her mouth turned down as she stared at me. “If Vinsan’s soul is entwined with the Goblin King, I think she’s made her choice. She’s not coming back.”

  I reeled back. “What? What do you mean?”

  She shrugged. “She already lost him once. When it comes down to it, she’ll choose his side.”

  Air rushed out of my lungs. “No. You’re wrong. She wouldn’t leave me like that.”

  “Oh, sweetie. She already has. If she wanted to be found, I would have found her by now.”

  No. It couldn’t be true. Her dark eyes searched mine, cold and calculating. My chest tightened, and my head spun. Panic washed over me. I was sinking deeper and deeper. Drowning in it.

  No. Mom, no. It’s not true.

  We stopped in front of my door and Aunt Maloret faced me. I glanced down at her and shuddered. Her words shook me. My skin stung as my magic flowed through my veins, calming my fears.

  “You’re wrong. Mom would never abandon me. If no one else will find her, I’ll go myself.”

  A smile curved on her lips. “You might not like what you find.”

  My jaw clenched. “I will find her. With or without your help.”

  Her smile faltered. “I am helping, child. You can’t do this alone. First, you must finish the trials, and then you will have your court at your beck and call. We will find Aubri.”

  I blinked at her, confused at her change of tone. Was this all a trick? Aunt Maloret was hard to read. She flashed me a grin and opened my door for me.

  Stepping in, I turned back to watch her go, but she’d already disappeared. I shut the door and braced myself against it.

  My heart thumped wildly. Could I trust her? I remembered back home, wishing I had a large family. But I had never imagined claiming elven royalty as kin. Elemental, powerful elves. I wanted to believe they accepted me, but had they really?

  You’re not one of them. You’ll never be one of them.

  Dismissing the thoughts, I scurried back to bed, careful not to disturb Mag. I tossed and turned the rest of the night, replaying the events again and again. The trial. Sacha. My aunt and uncle’s secret meeting. What did it mean?

  Her words echoed in my ears. I refused to believe they were true. Mom loved me. She’d never, never leave me. The more I repeated it to myself, the hollower the words sounded.

  19

  We said goodbye to the Blue Court, and I watched from the carriage window as we sailed over the clear blue water. A part of me wished we’d had more time there to explore, but I dismissed those thoughts. This wasn’t vacation. I was on trial for my very existence. I ignored Sacha the whole flight and barely listened as Aunt Cindra and Des discussed court politics. My mind whirled from the night before. Aunt Maloret’s words still stung.

  Not long into the trip, trees appeared. The biggest trees I’d ever seen. Bright green and blue leaves burst from the long, twisting golden branches. I sucked in a breath. Power radiated in the air. Earth magic.

  I braced myself as the carriage careened past the treetops and descended towards a clearing. My ears popped as we landed with a jolt. Des summoned his shadow magic and vanished just as the doors burst open. Aunt Cindra led the way out and I tumbled after her.

  Tall, soft grass swayed against our legs and the smell of honeysuckles and berries filled the air. I drank in the view, marveling at the beauty around us. Nature in its splendor. The colors were the same as I’d seen in forests back home, but here it was different. More vibrant and thrumming with life. Giant flowers sprang up around us, a variety of color and fragrances. Birds sang, and dryads and sprites danced along the branches. Now, this was an enchanted forest.

  “Come, Renée, Prince Sylvain doesn’t like to be kept waiting.” Aunt Cindra’s voice boomed through the clearing.

  I turned to face her and met Sacha’s eyes. Regret stamped across his features. Des stood, scanning the area, his hand resting on a knife. My eyes widened. Were we in danger? I followed his gaze to the swaying trees and colorful pixies that peered at us from their flower homes. Above, two shadows flew over, blocking the sun. Eagles, I realized. Giant eagles. Their piercing cries echoed in the air.

  Stranger, kin, and foe. The Prince of Life awaits.

  Their thoughts raced through my mind. I frowned, trying to decipher what they meant. Was I the stranger or the foe? Before I could ask, Aunt Cindra ushered me forward and deeper into the woods. A warm breeze rustled through the leaves. Twigs snapped underfoot as we walked. I gasped as the trees bent and twisted, creating a tunnel with their long, curved branches.

  “Fae trail,” Sacha explained.

  Sensing my confusion, he continued, “The Wild Forest is picky about who walks through it. Only the chosen fae may enter without getting lost.”

  The carriage carrying our luggage and Grimera and Mag zoomed over us. Why hadn’t they stopped?

  “It’s safer for them to fly. The lesser fae and dryads here don’t like outsiders.” Sacha’s words chilled me.

  Weren’t we outsiders as well?

  “Come. Stick close with me and the forest won’t harm you.” Aunt Cindra answered my question.

  I followed her and Des through the tunnel. Above us, sunlight poured in from the golden branches and bright blue leaves. Sprites flew around me, chittering as they zoomed back and forth. I smiled as they covered Des’s dark hood. Sacha walked beside me, eyes trained ahead. His standoffishness irked me. What right did he have to be mad? One minute, he was explaining everything to me and the next, he wouldn’t even look at me.

  My aunt and Des walked together, sharing whispers, leaving me alone with Sacha. Tension hung between us and it was hard to ignore. I missed the easiness we’d had before, but I didn’t know what to say to make things right. I couldn’t promise him I’d stay in Feylin and even if he wanted to, he couldn’t promise me anything more than friendship if I did stay. I chanced a glance at him. Did he want more?

  He met my gaze, an unreadable message in his eyes. “Princess?”

  Aunt Cindra and Des glanced back at the sound of his voice. I kept walking and focused on the tree tunnel before us. How long d
id it go?

  I opened my mouth to voice my questions, but the trees shifted and moved, making me pause. Branches withdrew and reached skyward, the tunnel gone. Des shifted, a knife in one hand and his other one outstretched, ready to summon. Aunt Cindra raised her hands as well, fire lighting from her palms.

  “What is it?” I whispered to Sacha.

  Fear crawled up my neck.

  He stepped in front of me and whipped out an arrow. I felt useless standing there, weaponless. Around us the leaves rattled, and branches swayed, but there was no wind. The forest fell quiet. As if holding its breath.

  “Take her. Go.” Des’s voice turned hard.

  Aunt Cindra grabbed my arm and dragged me forward. Sacha flanked my other side. I glanced back at Des as two gigantic furry things bowled towards him. A flash of matted dark hair, wild red eyes, and sharp claws and fangs.

  I screamed, the harsh sound echoing through the trees.

  “Run,” Aunt Cindra yelled, pushing me ahead.

  My heart raced as I pumped my legs forward. Run? Where was I supposed to go?

  “Follow the fae trail,” Sacha yelled.

  He stopped and motioned me to keep going. I stumbled over roots and Aunt Cindra steadied me before I fell.

  “What are you doing?” Hysteria edged my voice.

  “I’m going to help Des.”

  Before I could respond, he sped off. Aunt Cindra yanked me forward in the opposite direction. I glanced back as he disappeared out of view. Sacha. Fear filled me. Would they be okay?

  Aunt Cindra led me through the woods, the sound of our footsteps echoing in my ears. Her eyes narrowed as we slowed down. We continued in silence.

  “What were those things?”

  She glanced at me. “Bone breakers.”

  I snorted. An original name. The seriousness of her face wiped away my amusement.