Page 70 of Taken By the Shadow Prince

I don’t know where we are, but he walks around comfortably, so I at least try to pretend I’m at ease.

It’s clear it’s another palace, and a beautiful one at that.

“Elix!” Armin calls. “I require your help.”

He appears before us so quickly I almost jump back.

Immediately, his eyes flick to mine. I can see the resemblance he and Joula have, though it’s more than skin deep. It’s in the way they hold themselves, too. There’s something of Ender there, too, so faint it’s a flicker of a thought in my mind. “You are the mortal he’s been so patiently waiting for.”

I dip my head. “Hello.”

Armin says, “Mavey, meet Elix. He’s the fairest of my brothers, if you’ll believe it.”

I just nod.

He continues. “Actually, I need a favor. An exchange, if you will.”

Elix’s eyes flash. “No.”

“You don’t even know what it is I want.”

Elix laughs and shakes his head. “Yes, I do. I always suspected that this would happen if you somehow convinced someone to love you. I imagined it would be impossible, but it seems there is someone foolish enough out there after all.”

The smile he offers me is wicked. A test to see what I am made of.

It’ll take a lot more than a simple-minded insult to deter me. Still, I ask, “What is it you two are talking about?”

Elix laughs again. “She doesn’t even know?”

Armin simply shrugs. “I feel it’s probably best if she doesn’t know.”

“Armin,” I hiss. “What’s going on?”

Elix, clearly, is the only one who finds this humorous. And he’s the only one willing to tell me what’s going on. “Your darling lover here wishes to give you some of his immortal years.”

I blink. “What?”

He chuckles. “You’re not a very bright girl, are you? He’s want to strip himself of immortality by giving you half of however long he might have lived before disease or murder finally brought him down.”

I gape and twist to look up at Armin. “No.”

He frowns. “Why not? I thought you’d find it romantic?”

“You’re essentially offering to kill yourself for me.”

He just shakes his head. “You don’t understand, Mavey. If wedon’tmake this exchange, then I will die anyway. Far sooner than if we do. Watching you die, so quickly before me, will surely be the end of me. I don’twantto live without you anymore. So don’t make me. Please.”

Okay—so maybe killing himself is incredibly romantic.

“Fine,” I whisper. The idea of having longer with Armin is far too tempting, anyway. Even if it means I’ll be forced to watch as everyone I love dies... it’ll be worth it, having this life with him. “Let’s do it.”

He grins at me.

But Elix just clears his throat. “I don’t recall agreeing. What’s in it for me, Armin? What will I get out of this?”

Armin shrugs and turns to him. “Will there not be an empty throne left in my absence?”

Elix’s eyes flash, and in that flicker I see greed. Clearly, Armin knows just what cards to play. “What do you mean by that, Armin?”

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