Page 29 of Between Realms

“Jaden and I weren’t going to participate in your… arrangement. One of us could have left, but we wanted to make sure, as a human, you weren’t accidentally harmed by the prince’s, uh,enthusiasm. Unfortunately, it still went too far since you didn’t know what you agreed to.” Oakes stands and paces the room. “The prince isn’t often challenged to think of others’ feelings. So try not to take his actions personally.”

“Wouldn’tyoutake it personally?” I pull myself tighter into a ball. “Merlara warned me that human malestakewhat they want from females. I should have realized elves would do the same and manipulate to get what they want, too.” I turn away from Oakes. “I gave him what he asked for so that I could be free. I want to leave now.”

“He didn’t mean to take your innocence. Trades and favors such as this are common and mutually satisfactory arrangements in the capital, especially with the royals. You must know this.”

Oakes is correct. This is the way of the realm, but I no longer want the prince to explore my body.

“I know elves are often uninhibited with their sexuality. But I didn’t expect him to… you know. It was overwhelming. And it’s just…” I nervously pick at my fingernails. “When you were healing me… your gentle touch made me thinkIcould experience pleasure. So I suppose I said yes to the prince because I wanted to explore that feeling. To know pleasure…” I sigh, feeling stupid at my confession. “But what choice did he really give me? My freedom in exchange for hisexploring. It seemed like a deal I could live with.”

“But you didn’t know exactly what you were saying yes to.”

I shake my head. “I didn’t fully, no. Besides, my keeper told me to say yes to whatever the royals asked of me, so I did.” I bite my lip, tears threatening to fall. “Can you tell me… does the prince even have the power to let me stay?”

“Yes. Prince Eldrin has the power to do with you as he will. He is a powerful autocratic with an attitude, but he isn’t a monster. If you had refused him, he would have allowed you to stay in Elfhamewithno sexual favors. He truly believed that you would enjoy yourself like all his other sexual encounters. His proposition wasn’t malicious, but itwasthoughtless to someone in your position, an innocent, worried about your future. I’m not dismissing your feelings, but he stopped when he realized you no longer wanted his touch. I don’t believe he would have offered the trade if he thought you weren’t aware of his intent and weren’t fully agreeable to his expectations.”

His explanation makes me feel less angry with them. Except now I feel a bit of a fool for saying yes.

“Can you explain to him I don’t want to participate anymore in this…deal?” I glance at the door. “I will understand if he wants to punish me for changing my mind and to send me to the human realm.”

Oakes nods. “I will inform him of your request, but I expect he will want to make this right for you.”

11

THE PRINCE

OAKES

“Iblundered with the mortal,” Prince Eldrin says dejectedly when I enter his private chambers. His hair looks as if he’s pulled on it. Stray strands are loose from his hair tie. His face is in his palms. He appears utterly mortified.

I’m glad, because he should be.

I’m still reeling with my own emotional response to the scene I just witnessed. I want to tear into the prince. I imagine slamming him against the wall and knocking some sense into him. Into both of us.

I’m just as angry at myself for misreading Wyn’s sexual interest. Chastising myself, I wonder:How could I have missed that she was a virgin?

She was hesitant about my healing touch at the inn, but I wrote it off as her feeling vulnerable being near a virtual stranger after her ghoul attack. During the night, she had run her small hand over my chest and pressed her sex against my thigh in need.

My blood pumps with the memory, but I push it aside. I need to fix thisblunder,as Eldrin puts it.

Wyn drew me in the moment I caught sight of her. I’ve never felt this way before about a female. If it weren’t for Eldrin’s possessive interest, I would have pursued my attraction to her before we reached Ryven.

Right now, though, I have to clean up this mess we’ve made.

Adept at reading the prince with my powers, I sense how awful Eldrin feels about upsetting Wyn. However, I’m surprised by the princeadmittingthe mistake. Although if Eldrin were to open up to anyone, it would be to me.

“Wynstelle has lived as an indentured servant,” I explain. “Her keeper doesn’t seem to have abused her, but Wynstelle mentioned she was often alone. On the road here, I found the human was feisty. I assumed she had more life experience than she did. That she was more aware of our ways. Having her first sexual…encounterthis way is quite a lot, even if she initially thought she could handle it or wanted it.”

“She is aninnocent!” The prince rubs his face in agitation. “Orwas! I’m not used to females without experience. She is so beautiful, I assumed several elves in her town would have been with her. I believed she fully understood the bargain we struck. I wouldn’t have put such a lovely female in that position if I had known. I scented her arousal, did I not?”

“You did,” I say with a sigh. “But she wasn’t ready for… this. I now understand her keeper, Merlara, instilled fear in her about sexual relations. Merlara convinced her that most males take females without permission. Perhaps if she knew it might sting the first time she was entered, then she wouldn’t have been afraid.”

“I did exactly what the mortal feared! Itookfrom her.” Distraught, Eldrin jumps up and paces the room. “Curse me! Have I ruined her future happiness?”

“I can’t answer that question with any certainty, but she seems like a resilient soul. Perhaps we can gain her trust.” I add, “I hope to reassure her that my deceit on the road here was not my usual way. Wynstelle hasn’t had many positive experiences with elves outside of her keeper since Merlara had limited her exposure to our realm.”

Eldrin pauses his pacing and asks, “But why did this Merlara keep a mortal so isolated?”

“Control? Protection? I’ve found on my way here that many elves aren’t open-minded about mortals inhabiting our realm. They still hold prejudice from the war.” I shake my head. Trying to appease Eldrin’s vulnerability, I ask, “Would you appreciate my advice?”

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