Page 24 of Elven Lies

This payment bought her and Maxwell another temporary truce with their host when it came to discussing the magical he’d abducted from Shade headquarters, just like the first carving had bought them entrance, risk free, and Harkennr’s open hospitality.

If everything went well after this meeting, it would also buy them a safe exit from the prison. Just as long as they didn’t screw it up before reaching the end.

The tension thickened in the room as Maxwell also made his way toward the head of the table. When Rebecca felt him stop in his usual bodyguard position, three feet behind her and to the left, she forced back a grimace.

The shifter couldn’t have known what was also expected of him here, now that he’d joined her on this delicate rescue mission. Rebecca should have thought of it herself before they’d arrived, but knowing the rules of old-world etiquette and decorum like the back of her own hand made preparing for what someone else didn’t know harder than she would have liked.

Hopefully, Harkennr would forgive that minor oversight. If he’d set up shop here on Earth, he had to know by now that not every Earthside magical had a Xaharí upbringing or even access to the ways of the old world.

But the longer she waited for someone to do something, the less likely Harkennr’s forgiveness seemed.

Finally, the warlock looked up at Maxwell and gestured toward the empty chair on Rebecca’s right. “Please. You accompanied your Roth-Da’al here. My invitation extends to you as well.”

Rebecca expected another growl from her Head of Security and was pleasantly surprised—and admittedly relieved—when he even held that in check.

“Thank you,” Maxwell said, his voice still calm and composed with nothing but forced politeness. But a mixture of anger, indignation, and an urgency to get Nyx back and get the hell out of here still trembled beneath the surface. “With all due respect, I prefer to stand.”

“Do you, now?” Harkennr’s gaze swung lazily toward Rebecca next, filled with a volatile mixture of amusement and warning that made her stomach clench all over again.

Of course he’d manufactured this meeting to give the impression of Rebecca and Maxwell having any choice in the matter whatsoever, but it was all for show.

Without knowing it, Maxwell had tread dangerously close to blowing it all wide open.

“Hannigan,” Rebecca said flatly, holding Harkennr’s gaze while slightly turning her head over her shoulder toward theshifter. “Our host has invited you to join us. It would be dangerously impolite to refuse such hospitality.”

Blue Hells, she couldn’t have made that hidden message any more obvious.

The next few seconds of permeating silence almost convinced her Maxwell’s hatred of everything Harkennr stood for in this prison had already overpowered his common sense. But then the air shifted, the legs of the chair on her right whispered across the priceless rug beneath the dining table, and the chair groaned in protest beneath the shifter’s weight.

Only once he’d situated himself beneath the table did she turn to look at him.

“Thank you for joining us,” she said and inclined her head in the smallest nod manageable.

Maxwell scowled at her, his stony mask dissolved beneath blatant distaste, then broke away from her gaze to survey the dishes on the table and pretend he cared about what was on them. Clearly, he still didn’t appreciate being told what to do against his better judgment, especially by someone he didn’t consider his direct superior.

Sitting down at a meal to engage in peaceful conversation and negotiation with someone who kidnapped injured operatives just to get a meeting—and who abducted and tortured civilians for his own sick experiments—would be difficult enough for anyone to swallow.

Just for a little longer, Maxie,she thought, willing him to pick on the intention and continue to trust her.We’ll get out of here and make this right. Then you’ll never have to do it again.

When she turned back toward a Harkennr, the warlock studied them intently, his green eyes flickering back and forth between Shade’s Roth-Da’al and the silent, disapproving shifter she’d brought with her.

A smirk flickered at the corner of his lips before he clapped his hands and rubbed them together, scanning the array of dishes. “Now that we’re all here, where should we begin?”

“I’d appreciate a little more information on the katari first,” Rebecca replied cautiously. “That’s the most time-sensitive topic for us.”

“Understandable.” Nodding, Harkennr pointed at a large porcelain serving dish filled with pork, the skin still sizzling. A deep red-gold light flared around his finger before the same magic engulfed the platter and sent it sliding down the table runner toward him. Silver serving spoons clinked gently against fine-china trays, platters, and bowls as other dishes slid neatly aside to make room.

“Once again,” he continued, “I assure you the katari is perfectly fine. As we speak, she retains the same level of health as when I found her. Alive and well. She’s resting currently, but once our conversation has come to its natural conclusion, I will be more than happy to return her to your care. She can wait.”

Another growl Rebecca had both expected and hoped not to hear rose from Maxwell, though he remained still in his chair, sitting rigidly upright and somehow managing to still look like he’d made himself comfortable. “You already told us that. The Roth-Da’al requested additional details.”

“Which I have given,” Harkennr replied absently as he dished himself up a healthy portion of pork with a glinting silver serving spoon. “And as I’ve said, you’ll have the rest, as well as the katari, once we’re finished.”

“Without any guarantee of fulfilling that promise?” Maxwell asked.

The threat in his voice had finally seeped through, though his words and their delivery remained acceptably diplomatic. Despite his lack of practice in or training for situations like this, Rebecca had to give the shifter credit for keeping it togetherand finding an acceptable middle ground. He’d held his position while also deferring to Harkennr’s at the same time.

Or, at least, he’d tried. But Maxwell’s last question captured Harkennr’s attention in a completely different way.

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