Page 130 of The War and Deceit Series omnibus

At first, I think he’s speaking to me, but as I look up from the wooden door, I see he’s talking to the twins. Naril nods and turns to start walking away, pausing with a frown when Eldrin stays where he is. He leans against the wall, scowling.

“Is being part elf so bad?” he queries, anger lacing his words.

“Eldrin!” Vaeril barks, looking around the currently empty hall, aware that anyone could be listening.

A laugh bubbles up from my throat, and I turn to stare at Eldrin. “Is that why you think I’m upset? Because I don’t want to be part elf?” My voice is reproachful as I narrow my eyes at him. How could he think that of me?

He doesn’t know you, what you’ve been through. He is thinking only with his hurt ego.

“Eldrin,” Naril calls with frustration, a note of warning in his tone as he watches the two of us warily.

With a huff, the scarred elf pushes away from the wall and stalks towards me, his eyes flashing dangerously. He’s picking a fight, purposely prodding at my exposed wounds. “Why else would you be acting like this? You’re like a spoiled child not getting their own way.”

“How dare you,” I hiss, pushing away from Vaeril and marching up to Eldrin’s smug face. He knows he’s gotten under my skin, and that just makes me madder. “Because I’ve just learned thateverythingI thought I was, was a lie. My whole world has been pulled out from under my feet. I left my friends behind to rescue my enemy, only to find out he’s not my enemy!” I’m right in front of him now, but he’s so tall I have to crane my neck to glare at him. Many people would be intimidated, and I know that’s what he wants, but he doesn’t scare me. “I didn’t belong with the humans, and now I find out I’m part elf, but I’ll never be fully accepted here. You said so yourself,” I seethe, and I see something flicker in his eyes, but I’m so worked up I can’ttell what emotion it is. “I want ahome,Eldrin. I thought coming here would give me answers, instead, I have more questions.”

His face cracks when I talk of a home, his arms dropping from where they’re crossed over his chest. Taking a step back, I spin to return to Vaeril, only to be stopped by Eldrin’s hand on my shoulder.

“Clarissa,” he murmurs, but I shake him off, walking back to where my friend waits by my door.

“I’ll speak with you later,” Vaeril says to the twins, before turning a pointed look at Naril. “Do you think you can keep him under control?”

Sighing, Naril nods and places a hand on his twin’s shoulder. “Come, brother.”

Without another glance at them, I open the door to my quarters and stalk inside, aware of Vaeril following me as he pulls the door softly closed behind him. Walking straight into the living space, I find a comfortable chair and curl up, staring out the window at the beautiful scenery.

“Clarissa, can we talk?” His voice comes from behind me, but I don’t bother to turn, instead sighing and rubbing my hands across my face.

“I think I’ve heard enough today, Vaeril,” I murmur, feeling bone weary. It’s funny how I’ve done nothing physical today, yet I feel more tired than I did after we arrived at the palace.

Vaeril comes into my line of sight as he takes a seat on one of the chairs opposite me, resting his elbows on his knees. “I understand that, but I need to know you’re okay.”

Pulling my gaze from the window, I look over at him with interest. “Why?”

“What do you mean?” He’s confused, searching my face for an explanation.

“Why do you care if I’m okay? Is it because of this bond between us? You hated me when we first met, then tolerated mewhen I could help you escape. When did that turn to this?” I gesture between us, my voice getting louder and more frustrated as I talk, but I’m not done. This has been bugging me for a while, and now that I’ve started, I find that I can’t stop myself, needing to know the answer. “What I’m trying to ask is, are you only interested in me now because of the bond, is itmakingyou feel this way?”

Understanding enters his eyes, and he leans back in his chair. “I don’t know exactly when it happened, it was slow. But the bond doesn’t make you feel anything, it just enables you to be closer to your mate,” he clarifies. Reaching up, he runs his hand through his long silver hair, suddenly seeming nervous.

Why?

“You can reject the bond if it’s not what you want, if you don’t want me as a mate. I won’t pressure you into this.” As soon as he says it, I can tell he wants to take it all back, but he can’t, he won’t. He’s always been honest with me.

Why wouldn’t I want him? It should be the other way around. Why would he want to be paired with a hybrid who has nothing, who owns nothing?

“You know I’m part elf now, so you don’t have to be so disgusted with my human heritage,” I joke, but the words come out flat. I meant it as a slight to myself, but anger flares in his eyes and he jumps to his feet at the accusation.

“I was never disgusted by you!” he insists, but at my look he huffs. “When I first met you, I was disgusted—but not by you, never by you. I was disgusted at what they would do to a poor youngling like you, that they would put you down there with a being that could kill you,” he explains, pacing in front of me, his mind lost in his memories. “I am used to humans treating me with disgust, so I expected that from you too.” Suddenly, he’s in front of me, kneeling at my feet. “When you didn’t, I was intrigued, but then I thought it could be a trick to get me to tellyou my secrets. Then you showed me your marks and I knew we were more alike than I had realised.” Reaching out slowly, his fingers brush my slave marks, and a shiver of arousal snakes through my body, bringing a small gasp from my lips. His eyes jump to mine, his expression knowing. “When you broke the spell on my cuff, that’s when I knew you were different. Besides, they would never have put you down there with me if they knew you could free me,” he finishes, watching me carefully as his fingers continue to stroke the delicate skin on my wrist, the caress awakening desire within me.

We’re quiet for a long time, just basking in each other’s company, his fingers moving higher and higher up my arm with each stroke. I want to lose myself in these feelings, just to be close to someone, to feel wanted, but there’s something I just can’t push away.

“I don’t know where I belong. I had hoped to make a home here, but I see that’s not an option.” My voice is breathy, so it doesn’t have the effect I had been going for, but Vaeril stops stroking my arm, a slight frown pulling at his brow.

“You will always have a home with me, whether you accept the bond or not. A home isn’t any one physical place, it’s somewhere you feel safe. The people around you make a home. I can do that.” My chest aches, and I believe him. I know he would care for me, even if I chose not to accept this bond between us. But it’s never just been Vaeril.

My heart squeezes painfully in my chest as it’s gripped by fear that I’m about to wreck everything. He’s just offered me his world, and I’m about to tell him it’s not enough. “What about my...friends?”

There’s a heavy pause as he mulls over my question, knowing I’m not talking about Aileen and Wilson. “The mage? The man from the mountains?”

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