Page 6 of Deadly Little Games
Elena patted her heels against the buck’s side and the creature turned around, then ambled back in the direction it had come. The raven stayed where it had landed, apparently content to come along for the ride.
“Are you ready?” Elena asked behind me.
“Ready for wha—”
She patted her heels again and the buck lurched forward, hooves clattering across the cobblestones. The raven shot up in a flurry of black wings. I clenched my thighs around the buck’s broad back, hanging on for dear life. Elena maintained her grip on me, but her arm didn’t feel quite as secure as Gabriel’s. The meadow passed us by quickly, then more forest. Eventually we reached the market square, then continued onward.
“I’ve never been beyond the square!” I called back to Elena, wincing at the bruises forming on my ass.
She leaned in close to my ear. “It’s mostly just uptight nobility further in. Nothing to write home about.”
The cobblestone path in front of us widened, and the buck slowed as we reached what looked like a secondary town square. Colorful silk tents housed shops and seating areas where elegant elves sipped from teacups. The smell of fresh baked honey bread made my mouth water.
Elena leaned close again. “We can stop on the way out if you want to buy anything. The quality is better here than at the main market.”
Judging by the opulent clothing flowing from the elves milling about, I imagined that everything here was also three times as expensive. The tall elves walked with an air of dignity and importance—nobility.
Even though I had crossed boundaries hundreds of times, it was always a little jarring going deeper into the realms. Near the gates, things weren’t quite so different from the city beyond. But deeper in, everything changed. Those who had actually come from other realms had done their best to create new homes to their liking.
I noticed some of the elves watching us as we made our way to the palace. They clearly recognized Elena, and were clearly not too sure about her human companion. I found myself wishing I had dressed up a little, even though Elena was just in a T-shirt and jeans herself.
The palace loomed up before us, high white walls incredibly different from the goblin’s Citadel. Arched windows boasted glittering stained glass edged with gold. Flowering vines climbed up decorative pillars, the white stone beneath somehow not bearing a single mark of dirt or decay from the plants.
We went through a shaded alcove, then stopped near an outdoor stable. More deer, both bucks and doe, grazed on vibrant green grass.
Elena stopped our mount, then slid down to the ground. Fortunately a tall male elf in a blue button up shirt approachedand helped me down. I winced again at my bruises but stayed perfectly still, willing my legs to stop feeling like jelly.
The male elf led our buck away, and Elena gripped my arm, forcing me to hurry forward before I was ready. We ended up in another shaded alcove in front of a closed door.
Elena pulled me even closer, glancing around warily. When no one approached us, she heaved a sigh of relief, then lowered her voice. “So, I have something to tell you. My father doesn’t know you’re coming.”
I pulled away from her, my jaw agape. “Then why am I here?
Her brow furrowed, she motioned me closer so she could continue to whisper. “You don’t understand, Eva. He misses her.”
“Who?” This was absolutely crazy.
She gave me an exasperated look. “The love of his life. My father has been heartbroken ever since he came to these lands.”
“So he misses your mother?” As soon as I said it, I knew it wasn’t right. Elena was young. The queen her father left behind wouldn’t be her mother.
Her shoulders slumped. “No, I wasn’t born through his first union. Once he was trapped here, he was forced to bond with another. But he and my mom,” she shrugged, “they’re more like just friends. She doesn’t even live in the palace—she likes her cottage out in the woods. The one he really loves he had to leave behind.” She grinned suddenly, her eyes sparkling. “I want to reunite them.”
I wasn’t sure whether to be pissed, or charmed by her motives. Maybe a little bit of both. “So why did he offer me his protection if he doesn’t know about any of this?”
“I told him you’re my friend,” she said simply. “And today we’re going to convince him that my friend needs the help of our court wizard to find her mother.”
“So you want what everyone else does. You want to turn in my mother for the bounty.”
Her eyes widened. “Oh, no, Eva. That’s barbaric, and honestly, I don’t believe the Realm Breaker actually exists. No, I brought you here to help you. To help usboth.”
My jaw fell open even wider, but Elena tugged me toward the closed door before I could argue. She opened it for us, then pulled me through into a hall with an impossibly tall ceiling. Massive arched windows with clear glass lined the hall, giving a sunny view of all of the greenery outside. Elena hurried us forward, our footsteps echoing against the walls around us.
My mind raced. If she didn’t believe the Realm Breaker was real, then what could she want from me? Sebastian claimed he had seen it, that it wasn’t just a myth, but apparently Elena didn’t know that.
Eventually we made our way into a sitting room with more arched windows. Gentle rays of sunlight adorned shelves of books and other trinkets. In the center of the room a large table supported a game of chess, and around the board sat two older elves.
I didn’t recognize either of them, but assumed one was the king judging by his blue robe embroidered with gold. His long hair was still the same perfect red as his daughter’s, and only a few lines creased his face, though I knew he was centuries old. The other elf had hair so light blond it was almost white, and sharp features like a hawk. He gave me a shrewd once over, filling me with the urge to step behind Elena.