Page 47 of The Shadowbound King

Finian immediately glued himself to my body, his chubby arms warm around my neck. “Play,” he said.

“Um…” I said, helplessness and affection stirring within me.

Elodie offered me an exasperated look. “That’s the one word he manages to say perfectly.”

Valina and Yendorn regarded Andrin with hopeful expressions.

Andrin stared at them. Then at me. Then he nodded. “Right. Come, children. We could all use some fresh air. Therealkind.” He turned and strode toward the door.

“Oh, Your Majesty,” Elodie exclaimed. “You’ll miss the feast!”

Andrin stopped and swung back. “You go ahead. Let Ginhad know I’ll be a bit late.”

Elodie’s eyes lit up. She seemed torn as she looked between Andrin and the door. “Are you certain?”

“Absolutely. Your king commands it.” Andrin gave Valina and Yendorn an expectant look. “Well? Are you coming or not?”

The children whooped and then raced to the door. As they thundered down the corridor, Andrin looked at Finian before meeting my gaze. “Do you need me to carry him?”

“No,” I said. “I can manage.”

Andrin nodded. “This way, then.”

I followed him into the corridor and through the castle, emerging into the courtyard. Valina and Yendorn ran ahead, disappearing under the massive stone arch I’d passed under the day Rane led me into the Embervale. My heart picked up as Andrin and I followed. Why wasn’t he stopping the children? They were headed directly toward the Edelfen.

Anxiety gripped me as I cuddled Finian more closely to my chest. “Is this safe?”

Andrin glanced at me, something that might have been amusement dancing in his eyes. “I guess we’ll have to find out.”

Anger flared. It was one thing for him to toy with me, but Valina and Yendorn were children. My anger turned to outrageas Andrin walked faster, leaving me behind and striding through the arch.

What an asshole.Wrapping my arms around Finian, I doubled my pace. My skirts swished around my legs, and my heart beat faster as I passed under the arch.

I stopped so abruptly that Finian lifted his head. The meadow stretched before me the same as before. But the eerie shadows of the Edelfen were gone, replaced with a vibrant forest. The trees were tall and straight, their canopies crowned with red and gold leaves. The ever-present enchanted leaves spun and eddied in the air, but now they were tossed by a soft breeze. The setting sun spread a soft, golden glow over everything.

Valina and Yendorn laughed as they played a lively game of tag in the meadow. Yendor stopped, then jumped into the air and swatted at a leaf. It disappeared, and he pumped his fist.

“Got one!”

Valina rolled her eyes.

Andrin stood watching them a short distance away, his hair gleaming with a thousand copper lights. As if he sensed my regard, he turned enough to meet my eyes. A mysterious little smile touched his lips. Before I could say anything, he melted into shadow. Then he slid into an enormous, solid elk with antlers as wide as a doorway. With a flick of his tail, he charged after the children.

Delighted screams went up. As one, Valina and Yendorn turned and fled toward the forest. Andrin charged after them, his hooves kicking up grass and dirt.

Finian stirred in my arms. Lifting his head, he patted my cheek. “Play.”

An odd mix of emotions spun through me. Wonder. Affection. Something else I couldn’t pinpoint. I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat. “You want to play?”

The little boy nodded.

“All right.” Setting him on his feet, I took his hand and led him toward the trees. “Let’s go find the king.”

We went a few steps, and my foot landed next to a tree. Disorientation swept me, and I thrust a hand against the trunk to keep from falling. Trees rose around me, their branches dappled with sunlight. Somehow, I’d been transported dozens of feet in the space of a few strides.

The sounds of the forest invaded. Birds chirped. Wind fluttered the leaves. A squirrel dashed up a nearby tree and plunked down on a fat branch with a nut in its paws.

The thunder of hooves rumbled the ground, and then Andrin burst from the trees with a laughing Valina and Yendorn on his back. Valina clung to Andrin’s antlers while Yendorn wrapped his arms around his sister’s waist. The children bounced up and down as Andrin galloped around shrubs and weaved between trees.

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