herself in the confines of the net. I don’t want to risk removing it for her to repair her injuries.”
Why was he covering for me? He knew I was struggling to repair myself, and here he was, blaming it all on the net and his safety concerns so his elven staff didn’t know how dire my situation really was. Why?
“Here.” Kirby pushed the plate toward me. I didn’t even bother to thank him, so intent was I on shoveling the contents into my mouth. I was starving and beyond my physical needs; I hadn’t had the joy of consuming food in months. The sensation of it in my mouth, the fullness in my belly all felt incredible.
“My Lord, a net can be modified so she can walk,” another elf said.
“An excellent idea, but it will delay our journey considerably and our time is running out.”
An excellent idea? I choked on the slab of cheese. What the fuck? Elf lords ruled with an iron fist, or they didn’t rule for long. Where was this collaborative Taullian coming from?
Kirby went to pull the plate back, and I snatched the remaining food from it, cramming it in my mouth. He chuckled.
“There will be more, I promise. Just hold tight and keep silent. He needs you. Desperately needs you.”
Needs me? What. The. Fuck?
Kirby cast a quick sideways glance at his lord. “I’ve told him things. He doesn’t trust you, but he’s out of options. You’re all he has left.”
Before I could swallow my food enough to speak, Kirby had taken the plate and walked back to the others. Four scouts, skilled in forest travel, two mages, and four guards. Not the biggest entourage I’d ever seen with an elven high lord. I assessed Taullian, surveying his posture and expression. He still looked drawn and tired, tense as a strung bow, but there was something calculating in his air. Could this small group be his way of appearing harmless to Feille?
“My Lord, I could give up my horse and she could ride across his back. Llualia has a strong mount that can carry two of us as I lead the demon on mine. We can use the collar on her, now that we know how to put it on and remove it.”
I felt Taullian’s approval. Actually felt it. The glow of his elven magic radiated from him and the others leaned toward him in a strange sort of bonding I’d never seen before. It made me realize how little I really knew about the elves, how secretive they had been about their powers and society while seeming to reveal all.
“By the Goddess, I think that will work. Thank you, Spriggh for your offer, and thank you Llualia for allowing your mount to carry double during this long journey. I truly appreciate your dedication and loyalty.”
It seemed to be an over-the-top speech, as if he were laying it on too thick, but I didn’t get that feeling at all from Taullian or his elves. They accepted his praise like a corporate team, ready to get out the flip charts, ven diagrams, and call in for a lunch delivery.
The six-day trip from jail cell to jail cell was uneventful and uncomfortable. Riding from sunup to sundown draped over the back of a horse with my head and arms dangling down one side and my legs the other wasn’t dignified. And it fucking hurt. Bound and wearing the collar, I had a limited a range of motion and was unable to fix any bruises or pulled muscles. I couldn’t stretch my limbs or relieve the pressure against my abdomen for hours at a time. By day two I was thinking this qualified as one of the most horrendous forms of torture ever. I made a mental note to remember it.
My new captors had the courtesy to let me off the horse when they made camp, dumping me in a centralized area to better keep an eye on me. I had food and water, and at least the collar allowed me to see what was going on, unlike the elven nets. The view from the back of the horse had not been very enlightening, but once the elves, and few humans with them, settled in for the evening, I observed. The first night, everyone carefully watched their words, glancing frequently
Why was he covering for me? He knew I was struggling to repair myself, and here he was, blaming it all on the net and his safety concerns so his elven staff didn’t know how dire my situation really was. Why?
“Here.” Kirby pushed the plate toward me. I didn’t even bother to thank him, so intent was I on shoveling the contents into my mouth. I was starving and beyond my physical needs; I hadn’t had the joy of consuming food in months. The sensation of it in my mouth, the fullness in my belly all felt incredible.
“My Lord, a net can be modified so she can walk,” another elf said.
“An excellent idea, but it will delay our journey considerably and our time is running out.”
An excellent idea? I choked on the slab of cheese. What the fuck? Elf lords ruled with an iron fist, or they didn’t rule for long. Where was this collaborative Taullian coming from?
Kirby went to pull the plate back, and I snatched the remaining food from it, cramming it in my mouth. He chuckled.
“There will be more, I promise. Just hold tight and keep silent. He needs you. Desperately needs you.”
Needs me? What. The. Fuck?
Kirby cast a quick sideways glance at his lord. “I’ve told him things. He doesn’t trust you, but he’s out of options. You’re all he has left.”
Before I could swallow my food enough to speak, Kirby had taken the plate and walked back to the others. Four scouts, skilled in forest travel, two mages, and four guards. Not the biggest entourage I’d ever seen with an elven high lord. I assessed Taullian, surveying his posture and expression. He still looked drawn and tired, tense as a strung bow, but there was something calculating in his air. Could this small group be his way of appearing harmless to Feille?
“My Lord, I could give up my horse and she could ride across his back. Llualia has a strong mount that can carry two of us as I lead the demon on mine. We can use the collar on her, now that we know how to put it on and remove it.”
I felt Taullian’s approval. Actually felt it. The glow of his elven magic radiated from him and the others leaned toward him in a strange sort of bonding I’d never seen before. It made me realize how little I really knew about the elves, how secretive they had been about their powers and society while seeming to reveal all.
“By the Goddess, I think that will work. Thank you, Spriggh for your offer, and thank you Llualia for allowing your mount to carry double during this long journey. I truly appreciate your dedication and loyalty.”
It seemed to be an over-the-top speech, as if he were laying it on too thick, but I didn’t get that feeling at all from Taullian or his elves. They accepted his praise like a corporate team, ready to get out the flip charts, ven diagrams, and call in for a lunch delivery.
The six-day trip from jail cell to jail cell was uneventful and uncomfortable. Riding from sunup to sundown draped over the back of a horse with my head and arms dangling down one side and my legs the other wasn’t dignified. And it fucking hurt. Bound and wearing the collar, I had a limited a range of motion and was unable to fix any bruises or pulled muscles. I couldn’t stretch my limbs or relieve the pressure against my abdomen for hours at a time. By day two I was thinking this qualified as one of the most horrendous forms of torture ever. I made a mental note to remember it.
My new captors had the courtesy to let me off the horse when they made camp, dumping me in a centralized area to better keep an eye on me. I had food and water, and at least the collar allowed me to see what was going on, unlike the elven nets. The view from the back of the horse had not been very enlightening, but once the elves, and few humans with them, settled in for the evening, I observed. The first night, everyone carefully watched their words, glancing frequently
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