Page 402 of Kingdoms of Night

A woman came forward and bowed swiftly. Her blonde hair brushed the leaves on the ground, and the points of her ears showed above a small braid that circled her head. When she straightened, her amethyst glare pinned Isa down.

“Desired of My Prince,” she said, using the strange title, “I am Helena of the eastern tribes. I confess I am surprised you are a human.”

Viridi stepped in front of the elven woman and flexed his thorned fingers. There was a sound like far-off thunder as forks of bright green light flickered around his body. He loomed over her and she bowed low, her gaze on the earth.

“Speak to my lady again in such a manner,” he said, “and you will find yourself without a tribe.”

Hushed murmurs spread through the crowd, and Rhianne and Werian traded a whisper.

The dryad elves would hate her if she didn’t fix the situation. Viridi’s protectiveness was warming, but this was a bit much.

“I understand that it’s a shock,” she said. “Believe me, I’m as amazed as you are.”

The woman—Helena—peered at Isa with that steely purple gaze of hers, but she didn’t fully lift her head or come out of the bow. Considering Viridi was still standing over her like he was about to rip her head off, Isa didn’t blame the woman. She started to say something to Viridi, but the woman spoke first.

“I reject your desire,” Helena said.

CHAPTERSIXTEEN

ISA

Isa held her breath as Viridi visibly tensed.

The ground trembled, and the trees all around shook like a storm was approaching. Viridi’s hands splayed at his sides. He stepped sideways and turned, throwing his head back, the veins in his neck and along his forearms standing out. With a snapping and cracking sound, his crown of branches grew until the tips of it brushed the lower limbs of the maple and the pines.

“Viridi!” Isa called out over the rumbling of the earth.

“Leave him,” the king said, his voice barely audible. He was grinning like a madman.How can he be pleased with whatever this is?It was horrifying.

“Go,” Viridi said to Helena, his voice echoing magically through the trees. “You are banished, Helena.”

The woman spun and ran into the forest. The others didn’t watch her flee. All eyes were on Viridi.

Then Viridi looked at Isa.

She went cold from head to toe.

His dark irises had gone white as moons. Black leaves grew from the ends of his eyelashes, and with a sound like a slithering snake, those same black leaves sprouted along his collarbone and across his wrists. His thorned fingers elongated. His lips pulled away from his suddenly very sharp teeth.

Isa ran to Nico and put him behind her.What is happening?“Help him!” she shouted to the wide-eyed elves. “Viridi!”

The scent of moss and green wood rose in the air as Viridi stalked toward her, his head tipped downward and his teeth still showing.

Swallowing, she spread her shaking arms wide. “Viridi, please. I know you’re in there.” By some magic, she already knew his heart and soul. But none of his goodness showed in his milk-white eyes.

His lip curled and his tongue undulated between his sharp teeth. A sound between a staccato purr and a growl came from his mouth.

Sweat trickled down her neck and the tiny hairs on her arms rose.

The king stood slowly as if he too were afraid of spooking his son. “He is the Thorned One, and this is his true form.”

The other dryad elves stepped back, shoulders hunching, watching with unblinking eyes. A mother with a crown of braids gathered her three barefooted children behind her.

Felix ran to get between Isa and Viridi, his hands spread wide. “Prince, you aren’t yourself. You don’t want to do this. We don’t drain humans. We haven’t for ages.”

Drain?

Rhianne whipped out her wand and aimed it.

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