Page 99 of Kingdom of the Two Moons

The gold in his eyes. The way he just lost control with her. There’s more to it. More between them. It still doesn’t make sense to Riven though.

And how had Caryan known she was in danger? A traitor among them—someone selling them out to the Nefarians, telling them which room was Melody’s. How could this happen?

Riven runs his hand over his face, trying to ease some of the tension in his temples.

Caryan would call Kyrith and Ronin now, and they would start to take the whole Fortress apart. Thoroughly. Caryan would have everyone interrogated by Kyrith and Ronin and look into the blood of each resulting suspect. Riven would like to help.

He also knows he’s the only one Caryan trusts enough to look after Melody.

“Why did they want to kill me?” Melody asks, startling him out of his thoughts.

“I can’t—”

Before he can finish his sentence, she’s jumped up from the bed and stands, glaring at him. “Oh no, don’t give me this bullshit that you can’t tell me, after all that happened. They almost fucking killed me, Riven.”

“Melody—”

“No! I’m brought here to work as a fucking slave, and now someone breaks into my room—someone with wings and claws, damn it—and tries to slit my throat, and all I get isI can’t tell you.’”

He gets up and stretches out a hand, but she retreats, baring her teeth at him. Briefly, he’s startled by this—by her fearlessness. It wasn’t every day that someone dared to outright challenge him like that. Not many people have the courage, and he admires that. More than he should.Much more.

“They called me a silver elf. Is it because of that? Or because of the prophecy?”she probes on, her cheeks flushed, her eyes damning.

Riven stills, running a hand over his face. Hells, how much she’s picked up. Of course she has.

He sighs, then slumps back down on her bed, bracing his elbows on his legs.

“Caryan said that I’m unique to this world,” she pushes, pausing right in front of him.

“Because you are,” he says finally.

“Why?”

“Because youarea silver elf.”

She just crosses her arms in front of her chest, her eyes still livid. “And? What does that mean? Why are they special?”

He says, “Silver elves were unique in their gift to read and speak old, long-forgotten languages.”

“Were?”

Riven grits his teeth. Abyss, Caryan would be furious that hetold her. He says, “They were hunted to extinction. By those who wanted ancient knowledge banned and destroyed.”

Melody takes a moment to let this settle. Her breathing still comes fast, her heartbeat elevated, though some of the fury seems to have ebbed out of her when she says, “That means I’m the last one? Likereallythe last one?”

“Indeed.”

She briefly glances away to the window before her wood-eyes focus back on him with new intensity. “And what has all of this to do with Kalleandara’s prophecy?”

Riven swallows hard. “I really cannot tell you, Melody.”

“That’s a fucking lie.”

“It is not a lie.”

“Right, or you couldn’t have said it, I know. But it only has to be trueenough, right?” she snaps. Her eyes shine with hurt that touches something deep inside him.

“I can’t because it would mean a betrayal to Caryan. I’m his right hand. It would make me disloyal,” he says, hoping she can understand. “I’m his friend too,” he adds very quietly.

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