Page 5 of Bride of the Midnight Prince

She tosses back her head and groans irritably.

“Doyouwant to stay alive?” I ask, nodding to the runner quickly approaching us, giving her permission to announce Pavi’s recovery to Lord and Lady Nothril. The runner turns on her heel and vanishes. “Unless you have a plan to maintain both of those things, you will stay silent.”

She stops fighting me, biting back her tongue, and I do not know if it is because she has accepted defeat, or because there is an unexpected figure lounging by the doors to the throne room. He wears fine robes of gold, the crest of Valehaven, and his crown rests slightly lopsided on his brow.

“Rahk!” cries Trenian Ashrift—Ash, as he is known to me and others close to him—as he straightens and flashes a bright grin at us. “There you are. I’ve been waiting so patiently for you. Hello Pavi.”

She gives a little wave but doesn’t answer back.

“What are you doing here?” I ask in a low voice. “Why aren’t you in Valehaven with Stella?”

He twirls one finger in the air. “I need you to run a little errand for me.”

“Foryou?” I lift my eyebrow.

He gives a dramatic sigh. “For your High King and Queen of Faerieland.”

I nod my head toward the doors of the throne room. “I’m in the middle of something. I have a kidnapping victim to restore to her parents, and a city to discuss destroying.”

“He didn’t kidnap me!” Pavi protests.

Ash smirks before returning his attention to me. “The borders of Caphryl Wood have begun receding, returning what my father stole from the human lands. I need you to go to the human lands and act as emissary for the High Throne of Faerie during this time of transition. I anticipate it getting messy.”

I frown. “Why?”

Ash scratches the back of his head. “Well, Ymer the Indefatigable is squatting on the edge of the Wood, and when the border recedes . . .”

“You’re not serious.”

“Unfortunately, I am.”

“You want me to kill the troll, so he doesn’t terrorize the humans?” I ask blandly. It won’t be easy, but I’ve succeeded against greater foes.

“Ah, no, I would not prefer that. Stella and I are still working to settle any unrest after my father’s death, and you know how the trolls can be.”

I shift my weight to one leg. “Old Ymer won’t move under my persuasion. He follows the ancient ways.”

“Yes, exactly, so you must persuade the human queen to come down to the border, once it has receded, and politely ask Ymer to return to the Wood.”

I hesitate, reading the lines of Ash’s expression. “And why, pray, would you send me to do such a simple task?”

Ash snorts. “Well, unfortunately, the queen is Stella’s eldest sister. We don’t anticipate her being cooperative. And Ymer will hardly be cooperative either. That is why I am sending my best man.”

It makes sense that he would ask me, considering that I am the only person besides his wife that he trusts. Lord and Lady Nothril might be pleased that I receive thisimportant commissionfrom the highest power in our land—or, more likely, they will be put out that it takes me away from their service.

“Do I have a choice in the matter?” I ask, laying a hand on Pavi’s shoulder to keep her from barging into the throne room without me because she’s bored of this conversation.

Ash shrugs, tilting his head from one side to the other.

Ah—it’s not an order if I don’t want the assignment, but it is an order if Lord and Lady Nothril object. “I understand. As long as you’re not sending me to get embroiled in some political marriage with a human.”

Ash grins. “You might find a political marriage to a human to be exactly what you enjoy most.” He pushes off the wall, smirking at my unamused face, and begins marching away. “Give my best wishes to your parents. I’ll send over details of the post immediately.”

With that, the High King of Faerieland saunters off, ignoring the guards and servants dropping to their knees in obeisance.

This night grows more complicated by the moment.

“Mama and Father aren’t going to want you to go,” Pavi says. “And they won’t want you to get married.”

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