Page 39 of In Darkness Forged
“And what reward do you deem worthy?”
“A home,” Rhone said soberly. “Revenfell’s regent has promised us a territory of our own, where wildings can choose to carve out a life beyond this endless wandering.”
For once, Aislin’s night elf did not stiffen with disgust or frustration. His expression grew thoughtful, almost somber, as he considered Rhone’s words.
“As worthy as that may be, I will not abandon my path,” he said. “The dead deserve justice.”
“And I will not try to stop you,” Rhone returned, inclining his head with something like respect. “But”—his roguish grin returned—“neither will we give up. Whichever of us is first to reach the nest will have fairly earned his prize.”
Aislin’s heart sank. This band of night elves pursued the same goal and fought for a cause as meaningful as her own. What chance did she and her companions have?
But her night elf simply shrugged and sheathed his weapons in casual dismissal. “I should have thrown you harder, and then perhaps you’d have come to your senses. But your deaths will mean nothing to me. So long as you do not come between me and my goal, there will be no enmity between us.”
Rhone nodded as if in agreement. “And the woman? Would you be open to a trade, or is she intended as bait? She’s pretty enough, for a human. Seems a pity to make her nothing more than arantha fodder.”
Aislin almost laughed, despite her shock. The men of her village might not appreciate her, but this night elf thought her pretty enough, for a human. Pretty enough for what purpose exactly?She wasn’t sure she wanted to find out, but at least he wasn’t calling her short and dirty.
“You go too far,” her companion growled. “We do not trade in living beings, as you well know, wilding. Do not attempt to provoke me again.”
Rhone only grinned and turned his feral, one-eyed gaze on Aislin. “Do you wish to be free, little one? Your protector is quite fierce, but I would risk another battle if you are held against your will.”
It was her companion’s turn to laugh, this time with actual amusement. “Her? Held against her will? More like attached herself to me like a sapleech and refuses to let go.”
But Rhone continued to hold Aislin’s gaze, and despite that roguish grin, there was something steely and quite serious in his green eye.
“Human?”
She smiled and stepped out from behind her companion. “Thank you, but I am well. It is indeed by my own choice that we are on this road together.”
“Then we will take our leave,” Rhone said, offering a peculiarly dignified bow. “Though perhaps not for long, eh?” His lips quirked up again, and in the blink of an eye, both he and his companions had vanished into the trees.
CHAPTER11
Tal remained motionless for a handful of breaths after the other wildings left the clearing, making every effort to cool his anger, bank his curiosity, and collect what few coherent thoughts he had left.
The human, too, remained silent and still, whether out of caution or shock he could not quite tell.
It was Cuan who broke the silence, whining once before crossing the clearing to butt his head against Tal’s chest.
“Don’t be pathetic, old friend,” he murmured, stroking the wolf’s ears. “We both know you were only toying with them.”
Cuan laughed with his eyes and turned to the human, sniffing her as if to determine whether or not she was injured.
“I’m fine,” she said, somehow correctly interpreting the dreadwolf’s concern. “I don’t think it meant to hurt me. They were all playing some sort of ridiculous game.”
Except for the dagger. That final strike had been too close for comfort—nearly aimed at his back before the human intervened. Had she been trying to push him out of the way?
Tal turned to glower down at her. “Why did you practically throw yourself in front of that dagger? If you cannot manage even the smallest degree of self-preservation, don’t expect me to waste my efforts in a useless attempt to save you.”
But the human seemed unintimidated by his disapproval and merely glowered back. “You’re welcome. Remind me never to help you again. And while we’re asking questions, why didyoulie about your name?”
Tal was hard-pressed to contain his surprise. “What makes you think that was a lie?”
“It sounded wrong.” The human’s scowl only grew. “What is your real name, night elf? I’m tired of not knowing what to call you in my head, and if I’m to be surrounded by more than one night elf, I can’t keep calling you that, can I?”
He didn’t even decide to tell her. The word escaped his lips before he could call it back. “Talyn.” Just like the story of Lani’s death, it simply burst out of him in spite of his determination to keep his distance.
At least she didn’t know what that gesture would have meant to another night elf. A human could not possibly understand why his people guarded their names and only gave them to those they respected.