Page 15 of The Night Prince

“More than possible!”Rhalyf put an arm around Aquilan’s shoulders.“If there is any connection at all between those Kindreth and the Leviathan attack, that is likely it.Killing those Kindreth intruders was the right thing to do.It did not let the Leviathan out.It kept the Lieran Planesafe.”

Aquilan let out a breath through his teeth.“That last Kindreth to die claimed to be coming to warn us.”

Rhalyf had recognized the Kindreth who allegedly had a warning for the Sun King as Vulre Vultorus, Blood Knight to Lady Ashryn Zinsandoral.For a moment, he’d wondered if Vulre had recognized him, too.But if the Blood Knight had, he’d kept it to himself. It was the one good turn that bastard had ever done for Rhalyf. Yet Vulre’s last whispered words of vague warning wereexactlythe sort of nonsense he would have expected from any conquered Night Elf so he didn’t think Vulre’s words meant anything.

“Yes, but what exactly was he warning us of?”Rhalyf demanded.

“He did not say.You know this.”

“Exactly!And it wasn’t like we caught him on his last breath either. Yet despite thisdiremessage he had to impart, he didn’t spit out whatever it was we were in danger of before he expired, did he?No, he did not. So it was alie.”Rhalyf shook his head in disgust.

“That they would come to the Lieran Plane at all is so strange though,” Aquilan insisted. “They knew they’d find no friends among us. Not just because of our ancient enmity, but because…” Here Aquilan paused and swallowed.“My parents…”

“Yes, I know.”

Aquilan’s parents had perished at Kindreth hands.

Supposedly.Though I never heard of them reaching us with their peace mission.Anything could have slain them in the Under Dark and left no trace.But the Kindreth–the Aravae’s favorite boogeyman–was blamed,Rhalyf thought.

“So why would they come, Rhalyf? There must have been some reason for it!Some great reason!”Aquilan shook his head almost violently.

Rhalyf’s stomach had twisted at those words, becauseheknew why they had. Or, at least, heguessedwhat it was.It was likely the same reasonhehad: desperation.Absolute and complete desperation and having nowhere else to go.But he could not tell Aquilan the truth.

Not ever.

“Do not let a few whispered words unsettle you, Aquilan.You are not responsible for the emergence of the Levithan,” he assured the king. “It was Kindreth magic that kept the Leviathan at bay and it was Kindreth magic failing that allowed them to escape.”

Yet he knew that Aquilan hadn’t completely accepted his argument.But Rhalyf was certain he was right

Well, mostly certain.

Pretty certain.

Oh, hells, it didn’t matter!

It wasn’t as if Aquilan would have ever knowingly hurt the mortals so he couldn’t have the guilt of it.Besides, it was over and done.One thing that Rhalyf knew better than anybody was that once a thing was done, one couldn’t undo it.No matter what.So one just had to go forward.Not dwell in the past.In a past that was just as over as that original thing that had ended it.

Now, in the present that held so many possibilities, Rhalyf watched as Aquilan smiled softly at Elasha and said to her, “Both things may be true, Elasha. That I performed a miracle, but it was still not enough.”

She opened and closed her mouth before finally muttering, “Why did those damned Kindreth not destroy the Leviathan long ago when they marched deeper into the Under Dark?”

Rhalyf wanted to sigh.He could have explained that it simply hadn’t been necessary.When King Vex had led the Kindreth farther into the Under Dark seeking greater magics, abandoning cities that had lasted hundreds of millennia, none had stood before them, certainly not some flame-eyed shadows.No, the Leviathan and many other creatures had only moved in once the Night Elves had movedon.

But he didn’t like to evenmentionthe Kindreth around her, because she would latch onto the Neres family history and its connection with the Night Elves.A connection that was much moredirectin his case. So this time he acted as if he had no knowledge about the Sun Elves’ most dreaded, ancient enemy and kept his mouth shut.

“There is a delicate ecosystem, Elasha, in the Under Dark.To get rid of one creature might just let something worse take its place,” Aquilan answered her.

Aquilan’s eyes looked haunted.He wasdefinitely thinking about whose fault it was that the Leviathan had come.

Wanting to save him from those thoughts, Rhalyf asked, “Why is your twin, Darcassan, not with us today, Elasha? I would have thought him eager to have the king’s ear, especially since he doesn’t believe the Leviathan are done with us.”

“Which is exactly why Father did not allow him to come.”Elasha’s jaw tightened.“He would have raved the whole time if Father had not kept him home.”

“What would he have raved about?”Aquilan asked, frowning.

Rhalyf didn’t like Darcassan any better than he liked Elasha.Darcassan might not be as narrow-minded as his sister, but he was high strung and known to fixate on things.

“I would not bore you with it now, because he’s sure to talk about it for ages when we arrive.”Elasha rolled her eyes.

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