Page 25 of Rogue Elves of Ardani

Vaara gave no word of complaint as they ran, but when Crow finally stopped at the spot in the trees at the side of the road where she’d stashed her supplies, his legs wobbled. He leaned heavily against a tree.

Crow pulled her pack from the hollow of a fallen tree, watching him. It was probably the first time in a year that he’d run.

But they were still too close to the prison. They couldn’t stop moving yet.

“We need to keep going,” she said.

He glanced up at her, taking deep breaths. “We?”

She shrugged on her pack. “Yes. You didn’t think you’d get rid of me so soon, did you?”

He stared at her until she started to feel nervous.

“You should be afraid of me,” he mused. “Aren’t humans usually frightened by us? Many of the guards were.”

“Not many things frighten me,” she said with a thin smile.

She casually dropped her hand forward onto his wrist, which was more bold of a move than she usually would have made. She only had time to catch a flare of anger before he jerked away.

“I told you to stop touching me.”

She took her hand away, raising an eyebrow. “My mistake.”

He pushed away from the tree, stumbling a little. “Which way is Kuda Varai?”

Her eyes flicked up to meet his. “You’re not going to Kuda Varai. Remember? You’re coming to help me like we agreed.”

“Sort out your own problems. I’m going home.”

She narrowed her eyes. “You won’t last long without me.”

“Is that a threat?”

“It’s an observation. One that any intelligent person could make. You don’t know this land. You can’t seek help from anyone here—they’ll flee from you or kill you sooner than speak to you. You have no shelter, no food, no transportation.”

“I’ve been a prisoner long enough. I’ve no interest in being chained to humans any longer.”

“Alexei is probably still looking for you. He’ll send word to the neighboring villages, and soon everyone between here and Kuda Varai will know to be on the lookout for a very conspicuous elf. Just how do you think you’re going to evade recapture?”

To Crow’s shock, he didn’t even answer, just turned and started walking away from her. She darted in front of him to block his way. He glared at her.

“Be reasonable,” she said, taking on a tone closer to begging in her desperation. “Please. I need your help. I’ve already committed to this. If you don’t help me, I’ve got nothing left.”

“Get out of my way.”

“If you don’t come with me, I’m as good as dead.”

“That isn’t my problem.”

Crow gaped at him. “Fine! How about this? Help me or I’ll go straight back to Alexei, tell him you kidnapped me, and send him after you.”

Vaara’s eye widened. Before Crow could react, his hands shot out and grabbed her by the arms.

“Let go of me!”

He bared his teeth. “You are—you—!”

She tried to jerk away from him, but he held fast, and she couldn’t reach his skin. She tried to kick him, and only succeeded in throwing herself off balance and nearly falling over.

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