Page 88 of A Vow of Wrath and Ruin

“What?” the king asked.

“You are foolish if you think humans do not yearn for power the way elves do. Or perhaps you have been locked in this tower for so long that you have forgotten how vicious the world can be?”

Arendir’s nostrils flared.

“You come here to ask me a favor, and yet you end up insulting my intelligence. Just like a sylph.”

Tharan gritted his teeth and tried not to become the savage beast his grandfather thought he was. “I came here because I thought you could help me save the continent. I see now that I was wrong. That you’re just as fickle and foolish as they say you are.” He stood and glanced out the window at the snow-covered city. “You elves think you can hide here in your lavish cities because you possess the Breath of Eris, but that breath willnot save you when fire rains from the sky. It will not save you when Gideon and Erissa bring back the nightmares that haunt your dreams.” He turned to look at his grandfather, who stared at him with great interest. “Tell me, Arendir, are you prepared to hear the screams of the children of Elohim as their bodies are consumed by the creatures of darkness? Are you prepared to flee the continent?”

“What are you talking about? This is madness. What does this have to do with the Trinity Wells?”

“Gideon and Erissa are looking for them. I think they plan to resurrect Crom Cruach.”

“An elven mage would never do such a thing, and Crom has been dead for thousands of years. Not even I know where his body lies.”

Tharan wanted to shake the arrogant king.

“It does not matter where his body lies. If Erissa gets ahold of the magic of the Wells, she will be able to summon him back through the veil, and there’s no telling what kind of army he has amassed on the other side.”

Arendir shook his head.

“I have walked this earth since nearly its inception. Do you think I have not faced threats like this before?” He took a swig of his drink. “They rarely amount to anything. Besides, I cannot help you. I do not know where Lady Eris hid her Well. It is something only she knows.”

“Can you not communicate with her?”

“I have not spoken to the goddess since the day she blessed me with her breath. Do I still pray to her? Yes, of course, but she has not answered me in an age.”

“So, you can’t help me?” Tharan shut his eyes. He should have known better.

“I didn’t say that. Just because she didn’t tell me where the Well was doesn’t mean she didn’t leave clues.”

“Do not play with me, old man. The fate of this continent… of this world, hangs in the balance.”

“Make a bargain with me, and I will help you.”

Tharan scoffed. “I should have known. Elves never do anything out of the goodness of their heart.”

“This is serious. As you may or may not know, our magic is dwindling. It would benefit me just as much as you to find Eris’s Well and restore my people to their former glory.”

“Judging by this palace, you look like you’re doing just fine.”

The king cocked his head. “There is more to this world than meets the eye, and you and I know that.”

“True. What’s your bargain?”

“I will help you find the Trinity Well if you marry a high-born elven woman.”

Tharan’s chest tightened, and he blurted out, “No.”

A smile graced Arendir’s lips. “I know you are in love with the Mind Breaker, but she has no land, no house, and no power. Think of your people, Tharan. Think of what an alliance between our kingdoms could afford them. They could come and go as they please across our borders. And our kingdom would come to your aid should the need arise.”

Tharan bit the inside of his cheek. “You mean I could bond with an elven woman, give her part of my power, and she would pass it down to our offspring. An offspring that could control the Wild Hunt.”

“That would be ideal, yes,” Arendir said, finishing his drink before lighting a long pipe.

“No. I love Aelia.”

The king rose slowly, laying a hand on Tharan’s shoulder. “Love has always gotten you into trouble, boy. Sleep on it, and we will talk about it again in a few days. Besides, there is someone I would like you to meet.”

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