Page 45 of I Destroyed the Elf Prince's Harem

Chapter 14

A Little Massage for the Angry Elf

At the inn, I got Jasper into his room. While he was more than eager to have a sleepover—even offering to sleep on my floor—I needed some space. Particularly since Nylian and I had to have a chat in private, and I didn’t want Jasper around while Nylian read me the riot act over my failure to obey his rather simple instructions.

I’d barely closed my door and peeled off my boots when there were two hard knocks. With a sigh, I opened the door in stockinged feet and waved for the pissy elf to enter.

“Look, I know what you’re going to say. I should have followed your instructions and taken Jasper straight to the inn, and I’m sorry for worrying you. We were walking to the inn when we saw those four men corner Adeline in the alley. Jasper freaked out, demanding we help her. I figured you were busy with the other three. I thought I could distract them long enough to give Adeline a chance to escape, and then Jasper and I would run. But things went…”

Steam ran out on my words when I found myself trapped in Nylian’s narrowed gaze. The ice from earlier had melted, and now he was a boiler about to explode under the mounting pressure.

“Did it not occur to you that I was winnowing down the number of men chasing that thief? That maybe you were in my way when you picked up a shovel to defend yourself?” Nylian demanded through clenched teeth.

“Oh. No. It didn’t.”

“And what were you going to do, Lord of Distractions, when your first plan failed?” Nylian took a step toward me, and I backpedaled.

“I was still working that out.”

“Luckily, you had an untrained wizard with you to turn them all into ducks.”

The undercurrent of rage in Nylian’s voice faltered for the first time when he mentioned the fowl end for those bruisers. His lips twitched as if he were trying not to smile, but I could see amusement twinkling in his eyes. I was pretty sure I was off the hook. The elf had needed a chance to vent and make sure I was chastened.

“What would you have done if he’d hit you with that spell?” Nylian growled.

“Quacked up?”

Oh, God! I was responsible for all those store names. I should have known I wasn’t above a bad pun opportunity.

Nylian was not amused.

I cleared my throat and tried again. “You would have strangled me. Would you have roasted me and had me for dinner if Jasper turned me into a duck?”

Nylian’s voice dipped low and turned deliciously dark. “I would have devoured you.”

It felt as if he had already tossed me onto the fire. Heat suffused every inch of my body, and my mouth turned bone-dry. Some tiny voice in the back of my mind whimpered, Yes, please! Not that I was entirely sure what it was begging for.

Nylian took a step closer to me, and my brain snapped out of its fog. I placed my hands on his stiff shoulders and pushed him until he dropped into the only chair in my room.

“Thank you for saving Adeline. I know you’re not her biggest fan, but I appreciate your efforts,” I stated. “After talking to Jasper for a bit, it sounds like they’ve had a tough go of things. She’s been caring for her younger brother as best she can after orcs killed their parents. And it hasn’t been easy for her to get jobs when she has a little brother tagging along behind her.”

The elf huffed and looked away from me, but I could see a touch of color rising in the tips of his pointed ears. I had the most insane desire to run my finger along the edge of one of those ears to feel that it was real. However, I couldn’t imagine that elves were big fans of weirdos touching their ears, so I kept my hands to myself. Maybe if we got to be good friends, or if I helped him catch the person who plotted the death of Orian, he’d let me touch his ears.

“Whatever. She saved us. I was only evening the score,” Nylian muttered.

Except she was being paid for that service, so there was no score to settle. But he didn’t seem to be in the mood to tolerate any teasing from me.

“Besides,” he snapped, his head whipping around so he could once again pin me with his angry gaze. “You had me worried the entire day. What happened with the governor? I’m assuming you convinced him you’re the prince, since you’re out walking free.”

“Actually, no.” I took two steps to the table where I’d stashed my new lotions and soaps, but had to return to Nylian’s side to push him down into the chair.

“What do you mean, no? What happened? If he knows you’re not really Victor, how are you still walking free?”

“Sit. Relax. I’ll tell you.”

He flopped onto the cushioned chair with a mutinous glare, as if he thought scowling would hurry my story along. I snatched up the bottle with the lotion and took the stopper off. Holding it out toward him, I waved it in the air. “Do you like this scent?”

“It’s nice. Now talk.”

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