Page 62 of To Kill a King
She gazed over his shoulder as three moon elves strode into their camp. With a gasp, she scrambled up and stumbled backward. A ball of fire coalesced between her palms.
Elessan clambered back a few steps, her flames reflecting in his wide eyes. Taking a deep breath, he followed her gaze until it settled on the newcomers. Throwing his shoulders back, he stepped in front of her, one hand out in a calming gesture before it went to a dagger hidden at the small of his back. His attention remained locked on the moon elves.
“Everything’s okay.” He pitched his voice loud enough to be overheard by the others. “They’re here to guide us to Filathas. Right?”
Aliya studied them. They all sported forest-green tunics with silver embroidered vines on the arms, and dark tan pants over black boots. They wore their long brown hair straight down their backs in the same style as Elessan and Zadé. Two carried longbows similar to the one Elessan used, one male and female. The leader didn’t carry any obvious weapons, but then again, neither did Zadé.
They made no move to contradict Elessan, so Aliya released her hold on the fireball. It dissipated with a small curl of smoke.
Zadé let out a particularly loud snore. The head of their escort raised his eyebrow as he glowered at her. “Zadé Brightleaf?”
Aliya glanced at Elessan, who nodded once. She took a deep breath and stepped forward. Here went nothing.
“Zadé’s my guide as I’ve never been to Filathas before. I’m hoping to apprentice with her aunt, Cressida.”
“Lady Brightleaf hasn’t accepted a student in half a millennium,” the young male archer said. The leader glared at him in silent rebuke.
Aliya pushed her shoulders back and thrust her chin out. “Nonetheless, I will ask her to accept me.”
The leader’s gaze traveled from her toes to her head. Judging her. “And who are you?”
“I am Aliya Silverstar, from Goldenwood.” The town was a small settlement many weeks away. Zadé swore no one from Filathas would be familiar enough with the area to challenge her claim.
His eyes narrowed. He crossed his arms and gave her a thin-lipped smile.
The male archer stepped forward. “That’s amazing! I’ve always wanted to visit Goldenwood. Or someplace like it.” He flashed her a wide grin. “What was it like, traveling through human territory?”
Behind them, the female nudged Zadé awake as Elessan packed up the camp.
Aliya shrugged and studied her boots as heat crept up her face. She tried to not shift her weight back and forth. Lying had never been a comfortable thing. Now that she was out on her own, she was resorting to it more and more. “The lands are…full of humans, I suppose. Nothing too interesting. Tell me about Filathas?”
The bowman smiled and held out his hand. Aliya shook it. “I’m Lindir. You’ll see for yourself shortly. It’s but a short walk over the next hill.”
“You mean we’re right on top of it? We hiked so far yesterday.”
Lindir cocked his head, reminding her of an owl. “You could’ve just walked a few miles in and then waited. The forest kept you away until we came to escort you. Does Goldenwood not employ similar protections against foreigners?”
Aliya glared at Zadé. “I guess I didn’t realize we’d be considered outsiders.”
The silence between them stretched.
“Well, Zadé hasn’t belonged here in many years. She should’ve warned you. And the mountain elf is only here because—”
The leader silenced Lindir with a sharp scowl. “Time to head out. Grab your things.” He stepped out of camp and headed down the trail.
Aliya surveyed the area intently, trying not to gawk. At the crest of the hill, the road beneath their feet turned from dirt to white quartz. The stone glittered in the early morning sun and hurt Aliya’s eyes. She squinted through the glare. Some sort of magic must be employed to keep the streets so clean and bright. The buildings appeared carved from living trees, though she’d need to get closer to tell for sure.
Elessan sent her a faint smile as he met her gaze.
It looked like the butterflies in his gut were just as big as hers.
“Here we go, again,” Zadé mumbled with a sigh. Pulling her flask out, she took two deep gulps before tucking it away.
Lindir walked beside Aliya, constantly glancing at her and obviously dying to pepper her with questions. However, the warning glares from his superior kept the young archer’s lips sealed.
What she wouldn’t do to learn more about Filathas, too. Maybe knowledge would ease the growing dread that weighed her down more with each step. Elessan didn’t know what to expect, and Zadé hadn’t been forthcoming. Walking next to such an eager font of information but unable to access it was a special brand of torture. She bit down hard on her lower lip and squeezed her hands into fists.
Their escort led them to an imposing building, framed by six giant red cedars. The scent reminded her of the jewelry box her mother gifted her for her fifth birthday—the last one Aliya spent with her before she passed away.