Page 18 of The Serpent’s Shadow

The woman’s story was only just beginning. I simply wanted to be a part of it.

Chewing the inside of my cheek as I mulled over my thoughts, we made it to my camp. Logaithn was leading in a group of men from the opposite side of camp, with a hog hauled over the shoulders of him and three other people.

My second-in-command gave me a smile as he passed, patting the stuck pig’s rump. “We eat well tonight, E’tar.”

I noticed the scowl he gave Ravinica once he wasn’t smiling at me anymore, and that irked me.

Either from lack of confidence or shame, Ravinica removed her hand from mine. I frowned, took her by the wrist, and forced her to thread her fingers into mine.

“People are going to get the wrong idea,” she whispered, head bowed as other members of camp passed us.

“Let them,” I said, my voice gruff. “We need my brethren to see you are an ally.Myally.”

With an audible gulp, she nodded.

I took her to a large tent—the command tent—where Deitryce and three elder statesmen sat on cushions on the ground, legs crossed as they finished a midday meal. Their elegant gowns flowed behind them, while Deitryce had on the oiled leather garb of a warrior, with her gold armor on a stand behind her.

“Brother,” she said as I entered. Ravinica walked in behind me, and my sister’s face twisted with contempt. “Why do you bring the half-woman into the council tent?”

I stood with my arms crossed, eyeing each seated man and my younger sister in turn. Everyone stared at the willful girl behind me. “She is nothalf-woman, Deitryce. She is half-elf. All woman.” I would know after the way she hugged me in the clearing. “This animosity between our people and her will end now.”

“Is that so?” Deitryce put her bowl down, uncrossed her legs, and sat back on her palms. She studied me curiously, a smug smirk close to her lips.

If there was anyone out of the sixteen Ljosalfar elves in this camp most human-like, it was my sun-haired sister. She held sway with the three statesmen and other women in camp. While I controlled the men, the hunts, and the strategizing, Deitryce handled the camp in my absence.

I valued her opinions, yet she had a mean streak about her, which was why I related her to humans at times. She didn’t carry herself with the same decorum and elegance other elves did. She’d seen enough death and battle in life to become disenchanted with our way of life and our people. Jaded. We all had, though it affected Deitryce the most.

“Ravinica has been a peaceful member of this camp for nearly three weeks,” I said. “Staying out of trouble, showing us respect, not asking questions. Keeping herself occupied in the corral, which is an affront to her humanity.”

“We owe humanity nothing here,” Deitryce pointed out.

“I disagree. If our mission is to be successful, we must learn to work with the humans. Eventually.”

Ravinica cocked her head, curious.

“We killed half a dozen humans, lest you forget, brother.” Deitryce’s face scrunched with distaste. “We saved this one because of her ears and hair. Not because of her humanity.”

“Aye, and perhaps it was a mistake slaughtering those soldiers. When we saw this woman held captive by them, we did not see ahuman. Am I wrong?”

Slowly, Deitryce’s face sank, and she shook her head.

“We saw one of our people being held against her will,” I continued, trying to ease my sister into acceptance. “So, now, we will tell her the bare necessities of why we are here.”

I motioned to the ground next to one of the elders, across from Deitryce. “Ravinica? If you please.”

“Right,” she choked out, hurrying to sit. Her leather hide creaked as she made herself comfortable.

I took my seat next to her, completing the circle on the rug, and stared across at my sister. Her scowl was present, but it was directed at me now.

“If we tell her things, what is stopping her from spilling our motives to her war-thirsty brethren?” Deitryce asked.

“Trust,” I said simply. “We will honor her with our trust in her. I have gotten to know Ravinica well in the short time she’s been here—”

“Maybe too well,” Deitryce cut in snidely.

I sighed, ignoring my sister’s barbs. “She is not our enemy.” With a shrug, I added, “Besides, by the time she could relay pertinent information to her people, we will be gone.”

“Gone?” Ravinica chirped, surprise in her voice.

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