Chapter 2
The space was large enough to easily fit twenty, but it was still too small, especially with the lumbering elves scrutinizing her.
But it was the shadow behind her that caught Yasmin’s attention when they brought her into the room.
It was no simple shadow but a Dark Elf. What was a Dark doing on the surface?
Yasmin tried not to cringe when one guard tossed her bag aside.
She thought she heard a clink but knew she had wrapped the glass carefully.
But what if she hadn’t? What if she had to find more?
It had nearly cost her everything to obtain it, but nothing would stop her from getting more if she had to. That was if she got out of here.
The door opened, and an elegant Wood Elf strode into the room.
She had the haughty demeanor of someone who knew nothing but power and wealth.
Her navy gown was made of the finest cloth, the stitching impeccable.
Her hair was pulled severely back, showing off her pointed ears and the gold tips adorning them.
A man walked in behind her, moving to stand against the wall out of sight.
His golden-brown skin marked him as a Sun Elf.
Thick, golden-blond hair just brushed his shoulders.
It was shoved away from his face as if he had run his hand through it.
He stood indifferently, but there was nothing casual about him.
He had an air of intensity, a hardness that warned he wouldn’t hesitate to squash her like an insignificant bug.
A penetrating copper gaze swung her way.
If she didn’t have such disdain for elves, she would call him handsome. She had heard plenty of women talking about the hard planes of a face, the strong jaw, and a firm body. She knew the Sun Elf had it all in spades.
His burgundy jacket accentuated broad shoulders, while the decorative bands on the sleeves near his wrists put him firmly in the wealthy column.
She could just make out the luxurious cream shirt beneath.
Her gaze moved to black pants tucked into tall, leather boots that likely cost more than she had seen in her entire life.
Which wasn’t saying much. She wondered if he had ever been outside the Geggin Square district.
He’d probably never known a day of work in his life.
“Hello, Yasmin.”
Her gaze jerked to the woman. The Wood Elf spoke softly, but her gaze warned against defiance.
Too bad Yasmin survived because of that rebelliousness.
She knew nothing good would come of this meeting.
The truth was, she didn’t care what happened to her.
Yasmin’s concern was for getting the bag and its contents to the one who needed it.
“I’m sure you’re wondering why we brought you in,” the Wood Elf continued.
Yasmin decided it was best to keep her mouth closed for the time being.
She fought not to look at the bag again.
The woman walked toward her, hazel eyes boring into her.
Yasmin didn’t look away. Some would probably suggest it would be wiser if she did, but she had learned a long time ago that the only way to survive in Shecrish was to never show fear.
“You’ve been picked up by patrol for stealing before.”
Yasmin thought about all the other times she had gotten away with it. Her gaze followed the Wood Elf as she leisurely walked back and forth in front of her.
“Your last stay was for three months.”
Yasmin tried not to shudder at the memory. She wasn’t sure she’d suppressed it completely. What they did to the humans they imprisoned was inhumane, but it wasn’t as if anyone really cared.
“That was for your second offense. This is your third. That means a…lengthier stay.”
Yasmin thought about the tiny, windowless cell they stuffed the humans into.
Not tall enough to stand up in, nor long enough to stretch out your legs.
One meal a day—if they remembered to bring food.
Three months without sunlight or a breeze against your skin.
Three months without feeling water or being able to stare at the moon.
She had nearly lost her mind. She couldn’t go back.
She wouldn’t.
“Ah. I see your time there lingers in your memory.” The Wood Elf stopped before her, making Yasmin tilt her head back to look at her. “Theft is a violation of the law.”
The woman motioned to the bag. Yasmin clutched the side of the chair to keep from snatching it from them.
The wood bit painfully into her skin. She felt one of her nails bend backward and her skin tear.
She couldn’t let them know how important it was to her.
Yet she couldn’t look away as one of the thugs brought the bag, and another carried a small table over to place between them.
The Wood Elf took the bag and slowly opened it, removing the items inside one by one.
Yasmin bit her tongue as she saw the few meager food items laid out—provisions that were supposed to feed seven.
It wasn’t even enough for one person. Then, the elf drew out the bundle of cloth.
She weighed it in one hand as she met Yasmin’s gaze.
The way she so carelessly unrolled it was almost too much to bear.
The small bottle flew out. A shout of dismay locked in Yasmin’s throat as the Wood Elf’s hand snatched it out of the air and set it with the food.
“What is this?” she asked, her finger on the bottle.
Yasmin simply stared. It wouldn’t do any good to tell them it was medicine or that she needed to get it to someone immediately.
The elves didn’t understand human sickness.
They had healers for their afflictions. Healers would help humans, but only for an exorbitant price.
And currency was never something Yasmin seemed to have enough of—for food or medical treatment.
Even if she somehow managed to convince her keepers to take the medicine to her home, they would discover the children there.
Every child was accounted for in Shecrish, where no humanoid could bear offspring.
Yet babies continued to arrive in unknown ways.
They were quickly brought to the Domestic Ministry, where they determined which family the newborn would be placed with.
No one was allowed to remove a child from their home or help one run away, regardless of the reasons. Everything went through the Ministry.
And that was the problem.
Starvation and abuse were reason enough for Yasmin to aid the children in her care. It had begun with sharing food with one and, somehow, had swelled to six. They counted on her. If she didn’t return…
“It would behoove you to answer,” the Wood Elf said, breaking into her thoughts.
Yasmin lifted her chin. “Why? You’ll make up your own answer regardless of what I say.”
“Do you want to go back into that cell?”
The words were clipped and angry, which was pretty much how Yasmin felt. So, she answered in kind. “Why don’t you give it a try and tell me what you think of it?”
The Wood Elf leaned her hands on the table. “I can make these new charges against you go away.”
“In exchange for what?”
The elf smiled confidently, making unease roll down Yasmin’s spine.
“You have something we need.”
Elves needed nothing any human had. Certainly not her. “I highly doubt that.”
“Don’t sell yourself short.”
Yasmin saw the Sun Elf’s gaze narrow as he looked past her—right where she had seen the shadow sitting in the corner behind her.
She wanted to turn and look herself. She hated not being able to see it, but that would only alert them that she was aware of another presence.
“I’m stating facts. You’re elves. You have magic.
There is nothing I have that you could want. ”
“Knowledge.”
Yasmin bit back a grimace when the Wood Elf shifted, causing the flimsy table to sway and the bottle to wobble. “Knowledge of what?”
“A location.”
A shiver of dread went through her. They couldn’t be talking about… Nay. They probably didn’t even know about it.
The woman was at her side so quickly Yasmin barely registered it. The elf’s fingers barely touched her skin as she moved aside Yasmin’s braid to expose the skin just below her hairline. Yasmin yanked her head away and got to her feet without considering retribution.
She glowered, her heart racing at having someone inspecting her hidden tattoo. “Don’t. Touch. Me.”
“Easy,” the Wood Elf said. But it wasn’t directed at her.
Yasmin glanced over her shoulder to find that the Sun Elf had come up behind her, his hands ready to grab her. She shifted to keep him in her line of sight.
“Apologies,” the Wood Elf told her. “I wanted to see for myself. You bear the feather tattoo of Shaldorn.”
Yasmin released a shaky breath. They knew. Her mind raced for a way to get out and run. Just as she was supposed to have done four years earlier. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“Don’t play stupid. It doesn’t suit,” the female replied. “We need to reach Shaldorn. In exchange for your freedom, you’ll take one of my operatives to the stronghold, get him inside, and bring him home.”
“Nay.”
“That isn’t an option.”
Yasmin squared her shoulders. “I’ve made it one.”
“You’re intelligent. You know how this will turn out. We can argue for days, but I don’t have the time for it.”
Yasmin needed to try another tactic. She kept tripping over the fact that they wanted to go to Shaldorn. She needed a few moments to collect herself. And she knew exactly how to get it. “I suppose the Dark Elf is that operative?”