Page 204 of The War and Deceit Series omnibus

“I trust you,” I finally answer, and everyone seems to breathe again as the strain lessens. For a second, I think I see a flash of vulnerability in Eldrin’s eyes, and no one else would see it because they aren’t paying attention, but in the next moment, it’s gone and he’s smirking at me again.

“Then let’s go.” Without any further explanation, he turns and stalks away, making his way down the mountain path.

Confused, I look at Vaeril and Tor for guidance and see they seem just as puzzled as me. Facing forward, I realise Eldrin isn’t waiting for me and is almost out of sight. I shake off Tor’s cloak with a curse and hand it back to him before hurrying after the elf. Naril’s amused laughter follows me as I try not to trip over the rocky ground.

Of course Eldrin wants to start training now. He delights in torturing me. I grumble as I try to catch up to him. Rounding the corner, I see him just ahead, pulling his hair back into a low ponytail.

“Where are we going?” I ask when I reach his side, but his pointed look makes me roll my eyes. It’s going to go like that then. “Right, trust you. Got it.”

Which is how I find myself running at his side through the mountains. We don’t talk, and I don’t think I could, even if I wanted to, my breath coming in heavy pants. I’m not sure how long we run for, my attention first lost in my thoughts and then focused on my surroundings.

I always imagined the mountains to be cold and devoid of colour, but here, it’s anything but. We are in another valley between two mountain ranges, and there’s a stream running through it, and where there’s water, there’s life. I’ve seen deer, hare, and so many different birds and species I’ve never observed before.

Eldrin starts to slow his pace, and I gratefully do the same. I began slowing much farther back, and I know he matched his pace with mine, although he didn’t say anything about it. I’d been expecting a comment about how unfit I was, or how lazy humans were, but had been pleasantly pleased at the lack of snarky remarks. Although my lungs burn and my legs are threatening to give out, I’ve actually enjoyed this, and I’m glad he made me leave the camp. The pressure I feel there to perform, to be what they expect, is making me feel…trapped.

Reaching a ridge, Eldrin comes to a stop and looks out over the valley, and as I join him, I notice his face looks peaceful for once.

“This is where I come when I need to get away.” His voice is soft, and I almost wouldn’t know it was him talking if I wasn’t standing right next to him.

Thinking of all the times he’s disappeared while we’ve been here with the tribes and looking at the view, letting the peace of the valley wash over me, I can’t say I blame him. I could stay here all day. “Thank you for sharing it with me.” I let my smile come through in my voice. Eldrin doesn’t always go about things in the way you would expect. I thought he was punishing me, but by putting my trust in him, he’s rewarded me with this.

I can feel his shock as he turns to stare at me, but I keep my gaze on the landscape, still admiring the beauty.

“Clarissa—”

I turn as he calls my name, just as the sun breaks through the clouds and lights up the valley, making it even more beautiful as the light glitters off the water. My eyes widen, my smile growing as I look around with a delighted laugh. When I turn my gaze to Eldrin, I see his eyes are still on me, his expression unlike anything I’ve ever seen on his face before. “Sorry, what were you going to say?” I ask, instinctively taking a step towards him, the warmth on his face making me want to be closer. I reach out to touch his arm.

Whatever spell he was under seems to wear off. Shaking his head, he takes a step back, looking at my hand as if it’s toxic. “We should go back.” His usual frown is back in place as he turns and walks from the ridge overlooking the valley.

“Oh,” I mutter, following slowly after him, trying to convince myself that the disappointment I’m feeling is because we’re leaving the valley and not because my time alone with Eldrin is coming to an end.

As the dagger swings towards my face, I arch my back, narrowly avoiding the blade as it arcs above my head. Swinging my staff, I raise it to counterattack like Eldrin taught me, aiming to disarm, and then I jab towards the attacker, but I’m too slow. They’ve already moved. The momentum from my failed attempt makes me stumble. Growling in frustration, I spin on my toes.Never leave your back unguarded.Eldrin’s words from his lessons are practically shouting in my head.Are you trying to get yourself killed?

My lungs burn as I bounce on my feet, my body sweating and exhausted as I face my opponent, who is watching me with his arms crossed. He appears completely unruffled, his eyebrow raised and his countenance completely unimpressed.

“What was that supposed to be?” Eldrin drawls.

Realising he’s not going to attack me again, I plant the end of my staff into the ground and crouch as I try to catch my breath, using the weapon to stop myself from falling over. “You’re too fast,” I mutter, rolling my head back to stretch out my aching neck.

When I arrived at the training area this morning, Eldrin told me we were going for another run, but he instructed me to bring my staff. He’d been quiet, but I could feel his eyes on me as we ran, and when I stumbled and had to stop to catch my breath, he didn’t chastise me. As we ran, I realised he was taking me back to the valley, his quiet place, and that made me look at him in a different light. I’m not sure why, but the fact he’s willing to share it with me, to train me here, means something to me. We made our way past the ridge we stood on yesterday and ran along a winding path down to the bottom of the valley.

He hasn’t said a single word to me since we left the tribes, which is not all that unusual, but he also hasn’t been scowling at me. I would have asked him why he was acting so…different, but as soon as we reached the bottom of the valley, he started my training immediately.

“No,” he corrects, and the sound of footsteps has me raising my head to find him offering me his hand. “You are just too slow.” Frowning, I take his hand, standing up with a groan as my body protests. Eldrin crosses his arms over his chest again, looking stern as I brush myself down. “You’re not using your fae abilities,” he accuses.

Sighing, I look away, staring at the small copse of trees in the distance. I’ve been unable to access my speed and strength like I had yesterday, much to my disappointment. I brace myself for his abuse, for him to berate me and tell me I’m useless.

“You’re fast for a human, but you won’t win against an elf.”

Shocked at the partial compliment, I turn to look at him, only to find him staring at me intently. He seems to be waiting for something, some sort of reaction from me, but as I continue to stare at him in confusion, he takes another step towards me, his anger rising now. “If I wasn’t holding back, I would have killed you.” He emphasises the words to get his point across, but I don’t react.

What is going on with him today? He’s been quiet, but he usually picks fights with me every other conversation. Even during my training when I’m not doing what he says, he’s scolding me, but with none of the bite I typically expect from him.

Shaking my head, I pick up my staff, ready to go should I need to. “What’s going on?” My eyes skim over him. He looks tense, although my question seems to surprise him. “Why are you being nice to me?”

“You think this is nice?” he queries with a short laugh. Ignoring the flip in my chest at the sight of his smile, I arch a single eyebrow. He knows exactly what I’m talking about. Taking in my expression, he frowns again and nods his head once, letting out a frustrated breath. “I’m not very good at this… I heard what you said the other night, and I want to be worthy of a place at your side, even if friendship is all that is… I’m trying.”

His words floor me. Is this really Eldrin? The same elf who regularly instigates fights and is sullen and rude? I can’t even begin to describe how much his declaration means to me. He’s centuries old, set in his ways, and has even more emotional baggage than I do, but he’s willing to try and change for me.

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