Page 389 of Kingdoms of Night

Her direct look sent a shot of heat through his body.

“If you’ll allow it,” he said, “I will take you to my home and treasure you like all should treasure the sun.”

“I…” Her cheeks pinked and his heart rose at the idea of making those cheeks even pinker. “So you’re not going to kill us? What about Nico?” Her gaze went to the boy beside her.

“The boy will come with us too. I have a large home and room enough for you, him, and those two if you wish for them to be treated kindly.” He gestured at Rhianne and Werian. “Or shall I end them to please you, Lady?”

She shook her head, laughing in what he supposed was surprise. “Please, take care of them too if you will. They have been kind to us and are important figures in the kingdom of Lore.”

As much as he didn’t want to turn away from her, Viridi stepped toward the other woman and the fae. He bowed slightly. “Greetings, I am Prince Viridi of the dryad elves.”

The woman curtseyed and smiled. “I’m Princess Rhianne of the Agate Court, and this is High Prince Werian of the same, son to the Fae Queen.”

The fae nodded, bowing respectfully, a glimmer of fae cleverness in his eyes. They would have to keep a watch on that one.

“I wish to bestow my favor on this party of travelers, Father. Will you respect my wishes?” Viridi knew he’d never say no to his potentially monstrous son. There was no future in this endeavor, of course. At some point, the jeweltrees’ voices would grow too loud in his ears and the trees would call for their champion. He would have to give up this beauty and the joy of her company. The night would come when he’d wake from his home tree as the most feared and honored creature of the dryad elves, the Thorned One. It was only a matter of time.

Father raised his arms, the leaves of his cloak ruffling in the wind and the morning sun casting his shadow. “These outsiders are deemed our visitors, our guests, by order of the prince. No harm shall come to them and their every demand will be considered.”

“Come,” Viridi said to Isa, holding out his arm.

“Forgive me for looking a gift horse in the mouth and all of that,” Prince Werian said, “but for how long do we have your good graces? Is there a limit to your kind generosity?”

Wise man to ask, Viridi thought.

“As long as you care to remain here … and as long as the prince wills it,” Father said.

Isa took Viridi’s arm, and he led her and the rest of her party into the forest. The pines swayed in greeting as they passed and the maples nodded their leafy heads. It was pleasant having her hand on him, her touch light and her walk graceful. Dark circles hung under her lovely amber eyes. She needed healing.

“Prince Werian,” he called out over his shoulder. “Perhaps you could lend your healing magic to my lady once we stop.”

Werian nodded distractedly. He and his lady wife were watching open-mouthed as the others fell into their trees for the day.

“What … how does this work?” Rhianne asked as she watched Rom’s emerald magic flicker and his body disappear into his walnut tree.

“We dryads sleep all day inside our home trees to gain nourishment. Yes, we still eat in this form at night, but most of our strength comes from the trees, from the sunlight they take in and the nutrients from the earth.”

“Why aren’t you sleeping?” Isa’s gaze flicked to his thorned fingertips.

“As you can tell,” he said as the rest of her party caught up, the boy skipping and looking this way and that, “I’m a bit different than the rest.”

Isa nodded and took a quick breath, her gaze going to his eyes, then to the tips of his pointed ears. She seemed nervous. He didn’t blame her. This had to be a strange and frightening experience. As far as he knew, there were no other dryad elves in the world, so this would be the first and only time she’d seen people like his.

He wondered what she was thinking right now.

CHAPTERELEVEN

ISA

Is he leading us to our deaths?

Surely he wouldn’t call her Lady of the Sun and promptly kill her with those wooden talons of his.Surely. She swallowed. With his dark eyes and the edge of the wild in him, he was absolutely beautiful. His scent lingered on the air, a blend of nectar and crushed leaves. The memory of that strange magic on the beach colored her mind. She knew him deeply, completely. But it was ridiculous. How could she possibly know him at all? Maybe the event on the shore had been a trick, a spell dryad elves could cast on unsuspecting women.

Nico was staring at Viridi.

“Are you all right?” she mouthed to him.

He grinned widely, his dimples showing as he nodded.

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