Page 80 of Horn of Winter

“No, I’m babysitting for my sister to give her a break.”

“Then do you think he’ll mind if I bring Mathi along?”

She shook her head. “From what he’s said, he’s done some work for the Dhar-Vals in the past. Could be a meeting of old friends.”

“Let’s all hope it was a good working relationship rather than a bad one,” I said, amused.

“If it was a bad one,” she said dryly, “I’m thinking he wouldn’t be here to talk about it.”

“I can’t imagine Win double-crossing anyone, let alone a Dhar-Val. He strikes me as the wily, common-sense type.”

Darby took a drink, a speculative light flaring in her eyes. “So, have you done it yet?”

I frowned. “Done what?”

She rolled her eyes. “Put on the Bruadar bracelet and had amazing dream sex?”

“I have not.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t know, I just—” I paused and shrugged. “There’s a part of me that believes I should use the next three months tosort out where my relationship with Eljin is going. And it’s not like my relationship with Cynwrig is end game anyway.”

“That makes total and utter sense, so why the hesitancy? Aside from the fact Myrkálfar elves are as addictive as hell when it comes to sex.”

“I honestly don’t know.”

She took a sip of her wine, her expression thoughtful. “Is instinct twitching?”

“No. Not really.” I wrinkled my nose. “Maybe I’m just afraid to open my heart because I don’t want it stomped on.”

“A perfectly legitimate fear, given your shitty record with men, but one you’re going to have to confront if you ever want what your mom had with Sgott—because thatisyour ideal, isn’t it?”

She knew well enough it was, having heard me talk about it over the years. “I know, but?—”

“Look,” she cut in, her tone and expression serious. “Has Eljin stopped going out with other women? Has he mentioned wanting to take the next logical step—moving in together, forsaking all others, that sort of thing?”

I raised my eyebrows. “Has Lugh?”

“Not yet, but he will. I do have an advantage over you though—I’ve known the man for a very long time now and have watched his relationships with other women from afar. I can practically see his moves before he makes them. And you avoided the question.”

I smiled and drank some tea. If I had too much wine before my meal, it’d go straight to my head—and I’d already had more than enough headaches recently. “He did say he’d have to ensure the competition remained in the wings over the next three months, but I don’t think he was serious.”

“Then put on the bracelet and have some fun, no harm done.”

“Except, maybe, for a deepening of that addiction you mentioned a second ago.”

She laughed, but the seriousness remained in her gaze. “I believe the Myrkálfar crown has the same rules and restrictions as the Ljósálfar, which means he will have to take a wife at the coronation. Your time with him is likely limited anyway.”

Perhaps that was why the lovely Orlah was now part of his harem. Perhaps, given what little he’d said about their previous relationship, he was well aware they were compatible in the bedroom and out. It also explained their sudden urgency in finding Geitha’s Tears—perhaps it would be bequeathed to the woman who’d be the next king’s wife.

An image of Orlah—tall, dark-skinned, with long, curly black hair and a to-die-for figure wearing the gorgeous necklace I’d been commissioned to find—flashed up in my mind. I picked up my wine and took an indecently large gulp. It made my head buzz, but it also shoved the image from the forefront of my mind.

“I thought Myrkálfar only married for love?”

“The royal line comes with certain responsibilities, and marriage is treated very differently. When one generation is crowned, the next must be born to ensure succession.”

“I knew succession was a priority for highborn Ljósálfar but had no idea it also applied to the Myrkálfar.”

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