Chapter 22 #2
“I saw the ears, I wanted to see if I was right about your skills as an Elf.”
“And?”
“You need a lot of work.”
“Hey!”
I whack him, he laughs. “I’m not kidding, you can improve, but you are still the finest swordsperson I’ve seen. I wish I could see what you look like, properly. I can only see some of you.” He presses his hands around my body, feeling me.
“You might get the chance. Baya, what happened?”
He rolls onto his back, bringing me with him and I’m reminded of how we used to lie in his bed back in Aldrien. He sighs. “Ando ordered us to lay siege on you. His goal this time was Corrik.”
“So, he doesn’t care about me anymore? I’m devastated.”
He laughs. “For a long time, he thought you were dead, but when he found out you weren’t, he knew you had to have had help to get through the veil. He suspected me for a time, but Father played a hand in convincing him it must have been Corrik.”
I hate how their father manipulates them, even Ando who I’ve always been on the fence about. “So, you’ve come to take Corrik.” It’s not a question.
“Yes. At least, I’m here to try to take Corrik. I attempted to warn you, best I could.”
“That voice … it was you.”
“Yes,” he says, smiling at how clever he is. “Saving that, I was hoping I’d run into you first. Alone.”
I nod nuzzling into his hair, wanting to bury myself into it for a long time. I know that’s not to be though. “I came from the lake, everyone was gone.”
“These are some of your first moments as an Elf then. I can’t help being happy I’m one of the first.”
“You are.” I notice there’s a new tattoo glowing under his eye. I squint, pressing carefully there. “This says—”
“—Tristan.”
“But how?” We spent so much time worrying about who would say what and who would think what.
“I got it done, and I dared any fool to say a thing. One did. He lost his head, and no one’s spoken your name since.”
“And your father?”
“Understood. It’s a silent thing between us.”
I’ve always suspected the king’s feelings for Tom ran a lot deeper than they let on. They were better at hiding it than Baya and I were.
“I like it.” It makes my heart clench. I finally have a permanent mark on him. My brain is wild with questions for him. “How is, Uncle Taj?”
“He made it back and he will never forget the only human in his memory to survive an Elemental Death Wolf.”
Right. That.
“Not without his help,” I say, and he tenses but I don’t want the mood to be serious. We only have so much time. “So? Do you have green babies yet, Baya?”
“Soon. My husband is pregnant.”
“You did marry the prince then.”
He nods. “I had to. Father made the decision. He’s not you, but I find he’s not so bad. There are things I like about him and sometimes he even likes me.”
“You must drive him horribly insane.” I laugh picturing it. I wish I could see them together, even once.
“A bit. He’s soft and I have to say I like getting to protect him.”
“Wow, I’m almost jealous. That must be your thing. As a human, you had to protect me.”
“I have discovered, yeah. It is a thing, but Tristan, I’ve never stopped loving you. I have missed you. Some days it’s more than I can bear.”
I tear up. “For me as well.” We lay there for a while on stolen minutes. We weren’t supposed to have these, but we get them and I’m grateful for every second. “What now?”
“Zelphar’s warriors gave a good fight. I was separated from my crew, but when I didn’t see you with them, I took the opportunity to hang back. If you can get to Corrik, and convince them to head back to Mortouge, I can do the same with my warriors. It will be nothing more than a failed mission.”
“Good plan. Should work. What about the war?”
“That’s harder. Ando is hellbent and Father is behind him with dreams of strengthening the realm.”
“And you?”
“I’m a soldier, Tristan. I’ll do what my family asks of me, but I would prefer it if it could be stopped. It won’t be easy though. C’mon,” he says pulling me off the ground. “I want to look at you before I go.”
Right. For a moment I forgot that our moments would end. He takes my hand, dragging me out of the trees and into the moonlight. “Tristan you’re … something else. You were magnificent before, but now you don’t seem from this world. Corrik is a very lucky Elf.”
I get shy. I’ve already had so many Elves enamored with me, what’s going to happen now? I push him. “Stop it. It’s just me.”
He secures his hand over mine. “I should spank you for that. It’s never just you. You’ll always mean a great deal to me. Tristan tell me, are you happy?”
I know this Elf. He doesn’t have to say it for me to know his concern.
I feel it like wind pouring off him in gusts.
He’s been worrying about me. He’s lost sleep over it.
He’s still not sure he shouldn’t cart me off to live in hiding, keeping me safe.
“Things weren’t easy at first. I didn’t understand Corrik’s actions—he locked me in my room. ”
Bayaden inhales a sharp breath. “You can’t cage a dragon.”
I shake my head. “No. But then when I lost him, I saw from a new perspective, I discovered I’m not so different, also wanting to lock my loved ones up to keep them safe. I have forgiven him. I am happy, Baya.”
He smiles. “Then he may keep you.”
“Arse. You like knowing it’s because of your generosity.”
“Of course, wouldn’t be me if it were otherwise.”
“I’m an Elf now. Maybe that’s not up to you anymore.”
He’s gentle, raking a hand through my long hair, rubbing my new Elven ear between his thumb and index finger. “You and I both know that will never be true.”
I press myself against his solid torso, nuzzling into his neck.
An overwhelming urge to mark him rises up.
Is this what it feels like? I knew of this urge in Elves, but this is the first time I’m experiencing it.
It’s the same discomfort as needing to move a limb after being immobile for some time and stretch away the stiffness.
I refrain. I don’t know how much his new husband would appreciate that.
Him kissing me is one thing, markings are a much bigger deal. “It’ll never be true.”
He nuzzles me back—marking when you can’t mark. He presses a meaty hand over my heart. “Truthfully it’s not up to me either. I have been tasked with this and you know I always look after what I am responsible for.”
I can’t help the thought that he’s like Alrik that way. “You do.” I blink tears.
“Please, stay safe.” He kisses the back of my hand and I have to say goodbye to him again.
“Be safe too and know, I’m going to stop this war.”
“If anyone will do it, it will be you, little human.”
I’m no longer human, but I still like the nickname and it holds meaning for me. My eyes fill with tears and I lean in for a last kiss to his soft lips, inhaling his scent of blood and dirt and musk, taking all of him I can with me.
When it gets light enough, I rouse Diekin, but it’s hard. No wonder he slept through all the racket Baya and I must have caused last night, he’s still recovering. “Is it time already, Tristan?”
“Afraid so.”
We only get to packing when thick hooves sound against the dirt floor of the forest, echoing against the trees.
Both Diekin and I pull swords, standing back-to-back, taking up a fighting stance.
We relax when we see it’s Corrik, Alrik, Jagar, Aldagir, Zelphar, Brylee, and what’s left of our warriors.
Corrik hops off his horse.
The large Elf is speechless, eyes wide, breathing carefully. He walks over slowly, drinking me in; I get shy again—this is going to happen a lot isn’t it? “Tristan?”
“It’s me.”
His smile glows and something else, his body relaxes.
I see now how much me being human worried him.
This doesn’t get me out of danger, but it helps.
A lot. He runs one of his large hands up my bare arm, to my neck, and up my long ear.
I wiggle it and bites his lip. He spends so long not saying anything, I get self-conscious even though I have no reason to be.
I know Corrik, I know he’s pleased, but I need him to say something. “Is this okay?”
“Tahsen. It’s more than okay. I’m just trying to convince myself that what my eyes are seeing is real.
You’re too beautiful to be real and I can’t believe the Gods made you for me.
” He yanks me to him. “My cock aches for you, my darling. I need to get you home and to our bed. I’d take you here, but this deserves the time for worshipping.
” His lips ghost over mine and then we kiss deeply.
Alrik clears his throat. “We need to be on our way, we don’t have enough protection against Rogue Elves to lollygag. Put your pretty wife-to-be over your horse Corrik and let’s go.”
It’s hard not to openly scowl at him.
Unfortunately, Corrik does put me on his horse, but it’s because we’re low on horses and his happens to be one of the larger ones that can fit two. Plus, he wants to be near me. “Don’t pay him any mind Tristan. I told you, he’s grown affectionate for you.”
I might finally believe Corrik on that one. “He has a funny way of showing it.”
We ride for a long while before he says more, but I practically feel him ruminating on something. “Out with it Corrik.”
“You won’t like it.”
“I have to deal with many a thing I don’t like.”
“Even your voice has changed, it’s sexy,” he says beginning to nibble on my neck.
“Corrik.”
“Fine. What about subbing for my brother now and then? I would not bring it up again, but I sense the energy between you two has grown and not that you have to appease his jealousy, but he is jealous.”
“Reward his nasty behavior? Forget it. I am open to it if you are, but he can treat me kindly.”
He smiles against my neck. “You were worried about your dragon blood leaving you. It has not, and it’s fiercer than ever.”
I laugh, but then I get serious. “Are you worried he won’t cancel the engagement, Cor?”
“A bit. And I don’t mean to imply you should sell your body for it, I only bring up you subbing for him at all because I think it would be good for you with the side benefit of ensuring he will call the engagement off.
No, you’re not slave, but you are brat and an intense session with Alrik would be beneficial for you now and then. ”
“You couldn’t do it?”
“I could, but it’s not my preference. I realized when your father came how strict he was with you.
You may not have liked it all the time growing up because you need some room to roam free you weren’t likely to get from him, but when I saw how his care of you calmed you instantly, I knew you contained that faucet.
” I can’t deny how much my father’s way helped, and I know the truth of what he’s saying.
“I have it in me to give you what you need, and if it’s a no for you with Alrik, I will do that for you, but if you’ve got the energy with Alrik, and you’re amenable, why not?
I know how electric it can be with the right energetic pairing. ”
“What about Strobavik? He specializes in slaves.” I have not forgotten that Alrik still has my cuff. I remain optimistic I’ll get it back.
“He could too but it still wouldn’t be the same. It’s—Tristan? He can’t help it, you know. He’s bonded to you. He didn’t ask for it to happen, sometimes it is the wish of the Gods and so it is. He’s struggling.”
As a human, none of that would have made sense. Those are not things that can be comprehended cerebrally. It’s an Elf thing. Now that I’m Elf, I already feel the truth of what he’s saying. I feel the pull to him greater than I did before.
Doesn’t mean I like it.
“I will think about it. But he’s such a dick.”
“Tristan,” he scolds. “You can’t say that about him … even if it’s true sometimes.”
We laugh together and then turn to other things. I tell him all about my underwater journey and the water dragon I met. I’ll have to tell him about Bayaden, but I’d rather do so without Alrik watching over us.
Alrik doesn’t know how deep my relations with the Aldrien Warlord run, beyond that I served him for over a year, and it may be best to keep it that way.