Page 115 of The War and Deceit Series omnibus

His expression drops for a moment at my gratitude, and something that looks like surprise flashes through his eyes. I avert my gaze, scanning at the forest again.

Stix would love it here,I think with a small smile. The grass is high and there are plenty of places for him to hide. I’m surprised to find that I actually miss him. We had only known each other for a very short span of time, but he has worked his way into my heart. I hope I get to see him again, and strangely enough, even though they scare me a little bit, I want to see the kelpies again also.

I can feel the elf’s gaze on me as I shift in the saddle.

“Try to relax into the saddle, move with the horse. It won’t hurt so much,” the elf advises. Nodding, I try to do as he says. I’ve been sitting upright, spine straight to avoid falling off, but as soon as I relax into the saddle, the ache in my lower back fades. I thought I was used to the horse’s gait, but it’s so much easier now.

“Thank you,” I tell the guard again, and I feel him nod once behind me. We sit in silence for a while, then I decide to ask a question that’s been playing on my mind. “How did you know we were in the cave?”

He’s quiet for a moment, as if weighing what he can tell me, and he eventually just lets out a long sigh. “The lake is sacred, there is a magic over it, and it... pulsed,” he explains, trying tothink of the words in my language, so I nod to show I understand him. “We came to investigate to see what caused the...pulse,” he finishes, and I make a noise in my throat.

So that’s how they knew, we must have set off some sort of magical trigger. I’m surprised I didn’t feel it, usually I can sense magic. Then again, this whole place is magical, and a constant, low buzz of this unusual elvish magic seems to cover everything, so it would be easy to miss a simple spell like that.

“What will happen to me when we get to Galandell?” The last couple of days have been so physically tiring, coupled with the fact I’ve been so focused on reaching Galandell and getting Vaeril help, that I haven’t really thought about what will happen to me when we get there. He’d promised me I would be safe, but instead I’m arriving as a prisoner.

“You will be taken to the dungeons until someone comes to question you.” His voice has hardened again, as if remembering who I am. “What happens after that will be up to the queen.”

This is the first mention of a queen, and I find myself surprised. Sure, I knew someone must be in charge of the elves, Vaeril had said that the high elves kept everyone in line, but I assumed it was a council or something. In Arhaven, a woman cannot rule, so to have a female ruler fills me with surprise and hope. If the elves are open-minded enough to let a female rule, then perhaps they are fair and will judge me without letting my race cloud their decisions.

“I won’t cause you any problems, I just want Vaeril to be safe,” I assure him simply, glancing up at him again. Feeling my gaze, he looks down at me, frowning.

“You are not what I expected for a human.”

I can’t help but laugh quietly at that, shaking my head as I turn away, watching Vaeril’s still frame again. “I’ve been hearing that a lot recently.”

I don’t expect him to speak again, so when he does, a small seed of hope forms inside me. “I’ve never met a human before.”

Smiling to myself at this change, I shrug. “Before Vaeril, I’d never met an elf either.” I turn in the saddle as much as I can so I’m properly facing him. “I’m Clarissa, human and friend of Vaeril. What’s your name?” I’m not sure why I felt the need to introduce myself like that, I never would usually, but some part of me insisted it was important.

“I am Elier, son of Saeril,” he replies formally, his head tilted to one side. “Is it true, are you really friends with him?” He nods towards Vaeril. “An elf?”

“Yes,” I answer genuinely. I want to frown, to ask if it’s really that hard to believe, but then I remember how we were when we first met. The distrust, the hate, and fear towards each other, but as we got to know one another and the situation we were placed in, we managed to form a friendship. It’s a fragile bond, but we’ve relied on one another to survive, and somehow, through all that, we came to care for one another.

Elier goes to ask me something else, but the older elf barks something in elvish at him, and he suddenly sits up straight, his curious expression gone and replaced by the blank mask.

Conversation over.There goes any hope that I might have another ally when we arrive, given my only one is currently in a magical coma,my thoughts point out, and my nerves churn at the unknown.

After a couple of hours, the trees start to thin out, and we reach a winding, paved walkway. The trees seem to be getting even larger the farther we go, some with massive, twisting vines that wrap around them, and when I look up, I gape. Houses…there are little houses built into the trees, and I can see some diminutive faces peering out at us as we pass by. When we turn the final corner, my mouth drops open at what I see before me. Vaeril told me the city was beautiful, but even in my wildest dreams I hadn’t imagined anything like this.

When we travelled, the lake turned into a river that we still follow, the mountains jutting up around us as we walk down into a ravine. The gulch is bowl-shaped with two mountains, ending with sheer cliff faces, bracketing the river running out to sea between them. Built over the river is the palace, constructed from the same white stone of the cliffs. It seems to be erected over three large bridges, and soars up into the sky with its twisting towers. On either side of the castle, built into the mountains, is the rest of the city. It’s beautiful and sprawling, and nothing like I expected.

The forest we’re walking through starts to thin out, and the elves at the front of our little entourage start the slow, winding descent into the ravine and towards the city. The whole time I look around in wonder. Everything is so much brighter here. That could be because we are farther south than Arhaven, or it could be because the castle in Arhaven is built from the dark stone of the black cliffs, whereas here, everything has been constructed from the white stone mountains. Whichever it is, the city feels hopeful and bright.

The feeling of being watched becomes great as we make our way through the outer edges of the city. Glancing up, I see elves in the trees watching us, eyeing me, but it seems to be out of curiosity rather than the hatred I was worried they would automatically view me with. As I observe them, I see no slaves and no one seems to be living in poverty, and again, I’m struck by the differences between the two cities.

“When we reach the castle, don’t say anything,” Elier whispers to me, and a flash of alarm surges through my veins. Iwant to ask him what he means, but I keep my mouth shut and just nod.

This is it, we have finally made it here. All my insecurities flood forward, and I have to remind myself what Vaeril said, that I would be safe here. I repeat it like a silent mantra.

You’re safe. You’re safe. You’re safe.

We’re close to the palace now, and I have to crane my neck to look up at the towers. Pulling my gaze away, I see a small group of people waiting for us at the front of the castle. There is a huge, intricately carved archway with several white stone steps down to the paved, circular space that overlooks the river.

Reaching the paved area, the horses all stop at once, as if by some unspoken command. Elier dismounts and then turns to me, easily lifting me from the horse as if I weigh nothing. When he places my feet on the ground, my knees buckle after being in that unusual sitting position for so long. Throwing me a look, Elier helps steady me before turning to the people waiting for us at the top of the stairs.

A regal-looking woman stands at the front of the little group, her hands clasped loosely in front of her as she watches us curiously with a tilt of her head. She has the same silver hair as Vaeril, of which half is up in an elaborate, twisted braid, the rest falling in loose curls down to her waist. She’s wearing a fairly simple dress, but in a beautiful bronze colour that seems to catch the light, making her appear like she’s glowing in the sunlight. She has a matching bronze diadem that rests on her brow, her delicately pointed ears proudly on display.

“General, you have returned.” Her voice is light, and although she says it softly, somehow, I can still hear her clearly. They’re not speaking in elvish, which surprises me, but I’m pleased to be able to understand what’s happening. The general steps forward and climbs the steps to claim her offered hand. Bowing, he kisses her hand then stands, and helps her down thesteps towards us. “I received your message, you found one of our lost?”

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