Page 14 of The Goddesses' Gifts

“That’s when Avry made his move,” she snapped. “I’d rather not relax.”

“Well, that’s fine then.” I shrugged and settled beside her. “You lay there and be unhappy, I’ll relax.”

I reached for her hips, maintaining the distance, and she didn’t pull away or try to murder me. Once situated, I closed my eyes and did exactly what I said I would, relaxing into the pillow.

Gods knew I needed it. I didn’t even get to trance the night before, nor had I time to eat more than a bite or two of food—not that I was hungry—and I was weary from scheming. There had been many clandestine meetings with the officers and scouts I could count on when the time came to act. They believed my plan was solid enough to work without giving them away if the first step fell through. I’d be the only one with their head on the chopping block if I failed. In my long life here, I’d come to see the value of preserving the lives of allies. If I couldn’t pull this off, the elves here still needed someone to oust our stagnant commander.

The scouts hadn’t seen the younger Virras yet and Dulanzo made his move on Ozanna sooner than I’d hoped. I might actually need to have someone watch the entrance to the prison wing from now on. If I was going from simply undermining his hobby to stealing the center of it, he would likely double down on his activities. I’d need to intervene if he tried to attack her again, which would fall in line with the narrative. He need not know I simply wanted to send her home with her mates whole.

This new approach would leave Rhemvile at risk though. I was trying to steal Dulanzo’s toy, so he might try to hurt mine. I just didn’t know how to protect my idiot. I couldn’t put him under guard. I didn’t have any place away from Dulanzo’s influence where I could hide him away. The only defense I could offer was my indifference. Should I give him to someone else? Someone I could trust? Something about that didn’t sit well, though.

Ozanna’s quiet voice interrupted my churning thoughts before I could consider it further. “Do unborn half-elves need someone to do this for them?”

I inhaled and sighed, not bothering to open my eyes. I couldn’t be mesmerized by her mouth if I didn’t look at her. “No, the human part of them carries on just fine without this. Their potential for power, however, is diminished.”

“My elven father wasn’t around,” she mumbled. “I guess he never knew about me.”

“Perhaps,” I answered. “Your mother could have sent him away. Otherwise, it would have been very difficult for him to leave had he known.”

“Why is this baby precious to you?” she asked, suspicion in her voice. “You value them little enough once they’re here.”

I pursed my lips in irritation. She was observant enough to detect a lie, so I had to settle for a half-truth. “We need soldiers. And since this one is Lobikno’s there’s a chance it could be born with noble silver in its blood. The child could be valuable enough, even with a little human in them, to sell to a lesser house for breeding noble silver into their bloodline and raise their status.

“That’s awful,” she hissed. “What is noble silver?”

I finally opened my eyes and stared hard into hers. “If I answer this question, will you be silent and let me rest?”

She gave me a flat look. “Fine.”

“It’s a once powerful bloodline. An ancient blessing from Irnon to the house of her most ardent follower. The bloodline is diluted now, and the potency of that magic has faded, but having a child born with bright silver hair, instead of tarnished strands like mine, is a status symbol.

Her eyes wandered to my hairline, and she scrunched up her nose. “Your hair looks the same as Lobikno’s.”

“You don’t have our gift for seeing in total dark,” I explained in near exasperation and slammed my eyes shut before they could catch on her lips again. “Only another dark elf is capable of seeing it.”

“Oh.”

“Now hush,” I hissed.

“I still don’t understand,” she continued. “How would these half-dark elf children be acceptable for breeding? Not only are they part human, they’re also part wood elf.”

I groaned in frustration. If I didn’t need her to trust me, I’d have stuffed a sock in her mouth. “We and the woodland people are the same species. If one of us had a child with a woodland elf, the babe would be born a complete dark elf, or a complete wood elf. There’s nothing in between.”

She was silent for a heartbeat before asking, “Why? That’s not how it is when different varieties of humans have children.”

“We aren’t humans,” I growled. “Ozanna, please, for the love of night, would you shut the fuck up?”

“I’m just trying to understand,” she grumbled.

“I’m just trying to rest,” I groaned. “Do I have to threaten to hurt you to make that happen?”

“Sorry, I just don’t know who they’re sending next,” she said. “I may never see you after this and you’re … the closest thing I have to a friend here.”

While it was good to know she did think at least that well of me, I couldn’t have her say such things. I opened my eyes and let them bore into hers. “Listen well, child, because this is the greatest piece of wisdom I can impart to you,” I said. “Nobody has friends here. Nobody has allies.” I jutted my chin out at her. “We are all villains here. There are only people who are a greater threat, a lesser threat, or to whom you are a threat. Today I am a lesser threat because you’re more valuable alive. I might not force myself on you, but I would slit your throat in a heartbeat if it furthered my goals. Do you understand me?”

“Why help me at all then?” she bared her teeth at me in a sneer. “And don’t give me that it makes more work for me bullshit.”

“One doesn’t speak their ambition out loud here.” My fingers tightened on her hips, and I gave her a hard look, trying to emphasize the importance of the words.

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