Chapter 8
Chapter Eight
Muffled voices filtered through the walls. Alvara’s fingers scoured the bedside table for her weapon. It could be other guests that had stayed the night, or someone searching for her. With the obscurity of the village and limited appeal of the inn, one was more likely than the other.
She tiptoed to the door, forced to put more faith in the rusty hinges than she would have liked, and cracked it open to investigate.
“I did exactly as he asked,” Boden said, his tone aggressive in a way Alvara hadn’t yet heard.
It only made her squeeze the handle of her dagger tighter.
“Alfris Himren is gone, and as we suspected, she came to the house and discovered his body. I couldn’t bring her directly to Ela without raising her suspicions.
The deviation from the plan was necessary. ”
The floorboards groaned as if they were already tired of this interaction. “Where is she?”
Boden clicked his tongue. “You still don’t trust me? What a pity, I thought we were making great strides in our friendship.”
“Tell us where the Himren female is.”
“She ate up my lies and accompanied me here with hardly any convincing. Return her to the palace yourself if you’d like—it will save me the trouble.” Boden yawned. “That is, if you haven’t already alerted her of your presence with your blaring voices.”
Out. Alvara needed out. She wasn’t going back to Ela, not with them. Her only option was the window, low enough to the ground that she might drop down without breaking any bones. The shutters swung open with a low whine, and she landed with a thud.
Her limbs stung as she staggered to the stable, which was thankfully empty of all life at this early hour, other than the horses that whinnied at her approach.
She untied all but her own with unsteady fingers and sent them running with smacks to their rumps.
It might buy her time she desperately needed.
She saddled her own mount, clambered on, and flew away with a snap of the reins, her heart roaring so loudly she wouldn’t have been surprised if it woke the entire town.
She would head toward Malva, although Boden, damn him, had been the one to tell her about the safety of its capital, Ilmanir, which meant it was probably far from it.
But Dalvi was dangerous, and she wouldn’t waste time pondering her own stupidity in trusting him.
She would follow the changing trees, relying on the landscape and warming air to guide her toward the Malvan capital for now.
One thing pulsed as clear as the first star in a moonlit night: If Boden ever dared to set foot near her again, he would regret it. She would make sure of it.
The woods in Malva were devoid of any life, not a single leaf or needle to be found on the trees that passed in a blur, and their faded branches only reminded her of the possible fate that likely followed closely behind her.
White powder decorated them, the only adornment other than a few birds that watched Alvara with curious eyes, as if to ask why in Dalviri’s name she was wandering in their woods in the heart of the coldest season.
A falcon called out, its voice high and shrill. Alvara’s horse froze in place, ears alert and body rigid.
That couldn’t be her…could it?
“Kat?” Alvara said as loud as she dared. “Is that you?”
The bird cocked its head and scratched its talons back and forth on the frozen ground.
“Great, now I’m talking to birds.” This was a new low, even for her.
“I don’t see what’s so strange about that. I do it all the time.”
Alvara yelped, splaying her fingers over her chest. “Damn it! I was just talking to you, and you pretended to be a bird.”
Kat scrunched her face and tucked her dark curls behind her ears. “But I was a bird. What are you doing out here?”
Where to begin? She had attempted to settle back into her old life until she found her father’s murdered corpse.
Boden gave her biscuits and tea, buried the body, and helped her escape—or did he?
—until the bastard decided she wasn’t worth the trouble and turned her over to the king’s accomplices.
Then Alvara had caused the local stable elf a heap of trouble and traipsed about the wilderness like a madwoman.
She decided to go with, “Getting out of Dalvi. If the offer still stands, I want to join.”
Kat beamed. “I hoped you’d say that. I was just doing my rounds when I spotted you out here.
You’ll love it in Malva—less people try to kill us there.
” Her words bounced with nauseatingly positive energy.
“Follow me!” She shifted, flitting in her falcon form between tree branches and leading the way toward what Alvara hoped would be her refuge.
Weathered stones formed the city wall, stacked higher than Alvara could crane her neck, proving that the famous defenses of Ilmanir had not been overstated—they certainly wanted to keep something or someone out. Without the help of Nyrian magic, it had to have taken months or even years to build.
Before them stood a large iron door, which Kat rapped her fist against in a peculiar pattern after shifting back into her elf form.
A small grate opened, and a pair of eyes studied Alvara. “No visitors without authorization. You know that, Kat.”
“Oh, come on, Vel. She was meant to join us a week ago, just ask Aurilena.” Kat pouted her lip, her words sticky and sweet like honey. “Please?”
The guard blew out a long breath and disappeared behind the door to the clicking and unlatching of metal. Kat tossed him a wink on their way in before handing off Alvara’s horse to an elf at the nearby stable and leading her into the sanctuary of the city.
“Welcome to Ilmanir, the city of dark and boring colors.”
The city before them somehow radiated warmth despite the frost sparkling on the reddish-brown roofs of the homes and other timber buildings lining the cobblestone streets.
Younglings ran through, waging imaginary warfare with sticks and giggles, while colorful kites danced in the sky, pushed by bursts of air from the magic of the Malvan elves below.
Wind whistled and whispered from every direction, carrying with it the sweet scent of honey and the bright jingles of the elaborate chimes that hung on every porch.
Far past the tightly packed houses lay a lake, its surface made impenetrable by dalvi’s frigid nature.
Barren trees lined the shores, along with streetlamps and worn benches that wound their way toward the castle standing guard high above the city, nestled on top of a steep hill only accessible by a single route.
Its slender copper peaks and simple stone facade spoke of a king who cared more for defense than luxury.
Quite unlike Ela, and not surprising considering the history of sieges to the Malvan capital. Malvan elves born on a full moon in their kingdom’s short season were able to absorb other elves’ magic without laying a finger on them. Such an ability didn’t exactly breed harmony.
Kat dropped a small, wrapped sweet in Alvara’s hand as they wove through the streets and tossed one into her own mouth.
“Sap candy, my current obsession.” Her words came out garbled between chews.
“They sound terrible, but they’re not so bad if you pretend you’re eating something else.
I carry them for when I need energy on long flights.
” She crinkled the sweet wrapper between her fingers and slowed her pace.
“So…what really happened, Alvara? Why are you here? Not that I’m not happy you’re here, but you seemed sure you wanted to go home. ”
Why? The blood. His body. “I found my father…He’s gone.” She took a shaky breath. “I couldn’t stay. And the king’s elves are coming for me—”
Kat laid a hand on her shoulder. “You’re safe here. They wouldn’t make it past the city walls.” She gave a light squeeze before letting her touch fall away. “I’m so sorry, I really am. We’ve all lost someone, and it never gets easier.”
Alvara couldn’t handle the pity in Kat’s voice, so she placed the candy in her mouth and let the mild sweetness melt over her tongue.
“Alvara?” The way Aurilena said her name sounded less than welcoming, and she wasn’t shocked when she found the elf a few paces away, a frown souring her features.
“Isn’t it wonderful? She’s going to join us after all. I was just going to get her a meal, want to come with?” Kat asked.
“Wonderful isn’t the word I would have chosen.” Aurilena placed her hands on her hips, and her short frame suddenly seemed much taller. “You came because you had no other choice.”
“Does it matter?” Alvara said. If only she had more candies to shove into her mouth to escape this confrontation.
Aurilena scoffed. “It does to those of us who have risked everything to be here.”
“And that’s enough of Lena for today,” Kat said, steering Alvara by her shoulders toward a simple building, composed of only thin planks of wood.
Voices layered over the toasty air inside, while pale-skinned and dark-haired Malvan elves filled most of the tables, along with elves from every other kingdom. Except Dalvi.
The realization only spoiled her pathetic appetite further, even as her nose picked up the aroma of some kind of gamey meat mixed with the earthiness of vegetables.
“So, you operate out of the capital?” Alvara asked.
Kat swiped a bowl of stew from the counter and led her to a table that mirrored the outside of the food hall, functional and plain.
“We do, mostly because the king’s seluri is a demi-elf himself.
They offered the Silver Blight refuge almost a hundred years back and have become more involved over time.
Ilmanir’s strong borders and defenses help keep us safe, or at least safer, from crazy King Einar. ”
Alvara forced a spoonful of what looked like lamb into her mouth and focused on fighting her stomach’s plea to leave the food alone.
“Aren’t you hungry?”
Alvara hadn’t even realized she was grimacing. “I should be.”
The uneasy silence only lasted a moment before Kat filled it with her cheerful voice.
“King Ulivar opened the food hall soon after letting us in. It’s a place where anyone who needs refuge can get a somewhat decent meal, though it can be hit or miss.
” She leaned forward and sniffed Alvara’s food. “Not bad today.”
Kat slid her elbows onto the table and propped her face in her hands.
“We try to pay them when we can, but saving lives doesn’t exactly make much money.
The king did away with as many luxuries as he could to help pay for things here.
Malva is lucky to have someone as kind as him as their ruler.
He tries to live simply, like his people, and you’ll even see him strolling around the city.
” She chewed on her lip. “Though we’ll have to figure out the best way for you to contribute.
Some elves here can get their braids all tied in knots when they see someone not working their fingers to the bone to help. ”
“You mean Aurilena.”
Kat settled back into the bench and munched on a dark piece of bread she pulled from her pocket.
“She’s not so bad once you get to know her.
Lena—well, you should probably call her Aurilena if you want to keep your head—has been a part of all this since she escaped the Valonian palace when she was young and hasn’t stopped working to help us since.
The Eskenti were the ones who found her and took her in. ”
“Escaped the palace? As in…”
“Thirty years ago, when the king of Valo was murdered in his own bed, along with his seluri, daughter, and, from what I’ve heard, even their personal servants.
As far as we know, Aurilena was the princess’s closest attendant since she was very young and somehow made it out.
Why she hasn’t returned home is anyone’s guess—it’s been peaceful since the king’s brother took the throne. ”
Alvara swallowed another spoonful of food. “But I thought demi-elves had killed them? Why would she fight for them?”
Kat leaned forward, her voice dropping to a whisper.
“She won’t talk about it much, but from what she’s said, I don’t think it was demi-elves.
If it was, there would be no way in the nine realms that Aurilena would help them.
” She smacked her hand on the table, rattling Alvara’s bowl.
“Your magic! That could be helpful, especially now. You could clear roads and paths and help keep the few Elan farms that we have free from snow for crops.”
Of course that was her first thought. Gods forbid an elf consider anything other than magic to be a viable option.
“I wouldn’t count on it. It’s been erratic lately.
Back home—” Alvara paused. She didn’t really have a home anymore.
“In Vorianta, I was a weaponsmith. I don’t know how much use that would be. ”
“Are you done?” Kat pointed to the bowl of soup that Alvara had only managed to take a few bites of.
She pushed it toward Kat, who gobbled it up as if she hadn’t eaten in days.
“How bad is it? Your magic, not the soup. The food’s mediocre at best. Lena will throw a fit if she finds out you damaged anything, or anyone. ”
Lying would be easy, but it would do Alvara no good. “Bad.”
Kat tapped her finger on the tip of her button nose. “I’ll talk to the others, but I bet they’ll want you to be trained. You’re not much use to us with no magic, especially with magic that you can’t control.”
“I’m good with weapons.” A feeble attempt at reminding herself she was useful at something.
“It’s better than nothing. But in a fight, most elves will use magic. You’ll need to learn to protect yourself.”
“A fight?” All Alvara could see was the blood dripping from Pyry’s wounds, gore spilling on the floor.
“Things are getting worse here. Attacks are more frequent, and we can’t guarantee anyone’s safety. As for the blacksmithing, I’m sure our weaponsmith would love some company.”
Truthfully, Alvara wasn’t sure she wanted to be surrounded by blades, not so different from the one that had taken her father’s life. But she wasn’t about to admit it. “All right.”
Kat left Alvara in the food hall to go speak with Aurilena about training and where to house her for now. And hopefully find her new clothes. When she returned, her face shone like the sun on a valo afternoon.
“The best wielder in Ilmanir is going to train you! You start tomorrow.”
Some of the tension in Alvara’s chest settled.
At least she had something to busy her mind, so she wouldn’t give into the despair hovering at the edges of her consciousness.
The idea of training with magic every day wasn’t enticing in the least, but if it meant she could stay and honor Eloisa’s legacy, she would follow through.